ashamed.
SHAWT--short--“shawt-pashunt,” short patience or irritable,
irritability.
SHAYRE--share, shares, shared, sharing.
SHAYRE’UM--share, shares, shared, sharing him, her, it, them.
Also for shear, shears, sheared, shearing him, her,
it, them.
SHEEPBUHR--sheepburr, sheepburrs.
SHE’OWN--her own.
SHEPU’D--shepherd, shepherds.
SHE-SHE TALK--woman’s talk, gabble.
SHET--shut, shuts, shut, shutting.
SHIMMY--chemise, chemises.
SHISH--such.
SHISHUH--such a.
SHO’--sure, surely.
SHOE--(n. and v.) shoe, shoes, shod, shoeing.
SHOESH--shoes.
SHO’LY--surely.
SHOOT’UM--shoot, shoots, shot, shooting him, her, it, them.
SHOULDUH--shoulder, shoulders, shouldered, shouldering.
SHOULD’UH--should have.
SHOUT--(n. and v.) shout, shouts; shout, shouts, shouted,
shouting; frenzied outcries of a religious devotee. A
plantation dancing festival, frequently accompanied
by beating sticks on the floor.
SHOW--show, shows, showed, showing.
SHOW’UM--show, shows, showed, showing him, her, it, them.
SHROUD--shroud, shrouds; also surplice, surplices, as: “De
’Piskubble preechuh pit on ’e shroud.”
SHUB--shove, shoves, shoved, shoving.
SHUH--pshaw!
SHUM--see, sees, saw, seeing him, her, it, them.
SHU’T--shirt, shirts.
SIDE’UH--on the side of, alongside.
SILBUH--silver--“silbuhfish,” silver fish.
SILBY--Silvia.
SILUNT--silent, silence, as “silunt een co’t!”--silence in court!
SILUS--Silas.
SISTUH--(formal) sister, sisters.
SKAY’D--scared.
SKAYRE--scare, scares, scared, scaring.
SKAY-TO-DE’T’--scare or scared to death.
SKOLLUP--escallop, escallops, escalloped, escalloping.
SKU’T--skirt, skirts.
SLABE--slave, slaves.
SLABERY--slavery.
SLABERY TIME--slavery times--before freedom.
SLAM--a synonym for “spang,” expressing distance, all the
way.
SLANN’ ILUN’--Slann’s Island, a tract lying along the North
Edisto inlet and Toogoodoo creek.
SLEEBE--sleeve, sleeves.
’SLEEP--asleep; sleep, sleeps, slept, sleeping.
SLIP’RY--slippery.
SMAA’T--smart.
’SMATTUH--what is the matter?
SNAWT--snort, snorts, snorted, snorting.
SNOW’RE--snore, snores, snored, snoring.
SOAD--sword, swords.
SOBUH--sober.
SOBUHR’UM--sober, sobers, sobered, sobering him, her, them.
SODJUH--(n. and v.) soldier, soldiers; soldiering, etc. To loaf
on the job.
SOF’--soft.
SOMEBODY--somebody’s, some one, some one’s.
SOMEBODY’OWN--somebody’s own.
SONNYLAW--son-in-law, sons-in-law.
SOON-MAN--a smart, alert, wide-awake man.
SOOPLY--supple.
SPAA’K--spark, sparks.
SPANG--all the way, expressive of distance.
SPARRUH--sparrow, sparrows.
SPARRUH-GRASS--asparagus.
SPARRUHHAWK--sparrow-hawk or hawks.
’SPEC’--expect, expects, expected, expecting; suspect, suspects,
suspected, suspecting.
SPECIE’--species.
SPECIFY--from specify, but greatly extended to include almost
all meanings of “specifications”--proving inadequate,
not coming up to expectations, etc. (See
Introduction to this Glossary).
SPECKLY--speckled.
SPEN’--spend, spends, spent, spending.
SPERRITUAL--spiritual, spirituals, the Negro religious songs.
’SPERIUNCE--experience, experiences, experienced, experiencing.
SPESHLY--specially, especially.
SPIDUH--spider, spiders; also a cooking utensil in universal
use among the Coast Negroes.
SPILE--spoil, spoils, spoiled, spoiling.
’SPISHUN--suspicion, suspicions.
’SPISHUS--suspicious, suspiciously.
’SPIZE--despise, despises, despised, despising.
’SPLAIN--explain, explains, explained, explaining.
SPLOTCH--blot, blots; stain, stains.
’SPON’--respond, responds, responded, responding.
’SPONSUBBLE--responsible, also used emphatically or specifically;
as: “Tell’um ’sponsubble fuh do da’ t’ing.”
’SPOSE--expose, exposes, exposed, exposing.
S’POSE--suppose, supposes, supposed, supposing.
SPO’T--sport, sports; also sporting man.
SPO’TIN’/SPOT’N’--(n. and v.) sport, sports, sported, sporting.
SPO’TY--sporty.
S’PREME--(n.) supreme--only in “s’preme co’t.”
SPUHR--(n. and v.) spur, spurs, spurred, spurring.
’SPUTE--(n. and v.) dispute, disputes, disputed, disputing;
contest with.
’SPUTE’N--disputing.
SQUAYRE--(also squay) square--also a parallelogram in a
ricefield divided from other squares by irrigation
ditches.
SQUESCHUN--question--sometimes used for the more common
“quizzit,” which see. (Also see “queschun”).
SQUIZZIT--a rarely used variant of “quizzit,” which see.
STAA’CH--(n. and v.) starch, starches, starched, starching.
STAAR--star, stars.
STAA’T--start, starts, started, starting.
STAA’T NAKID--stark naked.
’STABLISH--establish, establishes, established, establishing.
STAN’--stand, stands, stood, standing; look, looks, looked,
looking.
STAN’--a stand, stands; deer stands, etc.
STAN’LUKKUH--stand, stands, stood, standing like; to look
like, etc.
STAN’SUKKUH--stand same like unto, same meaning as “stan’lukkuh.”
’STEAD’UH--(also ’stidduh) instead of.
STEAL--steal, steals, stole, stealing.
STO’--store, stores; shop, shops.
’STONISH--astonish, astonishes, astonished, astonishing.
’STRACTID--protracted, as a “’stractid meet’n’,” a protracted
meeting.
STRAIGHT’N FUH--make for, made for, making for; run
quickly or swiftly.
STRANCE--trance, trances.
STREE--three; as in “seb’nty-stree.” Rarely used. (See “t’ree”).
STRENGK--strength.
STRETCH-OUT--stretch out--extend. (See “’tretch-out”).
STRIKE--strike, strikes, struck, striking. (See “’trike”).
’STROY’D--destroy, destroys, destroyed, destroying.
’STRUCKSHUN--destruction.
’STRUCKSHUN--construction.
’STRUCKSHUN STRAIN--construction train.
STRUCTID--struck, striking.
STUBB’N--(also stubbunt) stubborn.
STUDY--think, plan, ponder.
STUHR--stir, stirs, stirred, stirring.
STUHSTIFFIKIT--certificate.
STYLISH--stylish, meaning also appropriate, dignified, suitable,
as: “uh stylish grabe,” being a grave ornately
decorated with broken china or glass.
’SUADE--persuade, persuades, persuaded, persuading.
SUCK--suck, sucks, sucked, sucking.
SUCK-AIG--suck-egg--as: “uh suck-aig dog.”
SUCK ME TEET’--and “suck ’e teet’”--a contemptuous gesture,
frequently indulged in by the fair sex.
SUDD’NT--sudden, suddenly.
SUFFUHRATE--separate, separates, separated, separating; also
divorce, divorcing, etc.
SUH--sir.
SUH--that, say. (See “susso” and “sesso”).
SUHCIETY--society, societies.
SUKKLE--(n. and v.) circle, circles, circled, circling.
SUKKUH--(a contraction of “same lukkuh” used by rapid
speakers) same, same like, resembling.
SUKKUHR’UM--same like, or like him, her, it, them.
SUKKUS--circus, circuses.
SUKKUS--circuit, circuits.
SUKKUS-PREECHUH--circuit preacher.
SUMMUCH--so much, so many.
SUMMUH/SUMMUHTIME--summer, summers, summer-time.
SUMP’N’--something.
SUMP’N’NURRUH--something or other.
SUNDOWN--sunset.
SUNHIGH--late morning, about the middle of the forenoon.
SUNHOT--sunshine, heat of sun.
SUN-LEAN--period of the day when the sun begins to decline,
and its declining: “sun-lean fuh down.”
SUN’UP--sunrise.
SUPPLOY--supply, supplies, supplied, supplying.
SUPPUH--supper.
SUPSHUN--substance, sustenance, strength of food, as of
a juicy roast: “Da’ meat hab supshun een’um”--that
meat has much nourishment.
SUSSO/SUH-SO--say so, says so, said so, saying so. (See “sesso”).
SUTT’N--certain, certainly.
SUTT’NLY--certainly.
SWALLUH--(n. and v.) swallow, swallows, swallowed, swallowing.
SWALLUHR’UM--swallow, swallows, swallowed, swallowing
him, her, it, them.
SWAWM--(n. and v.) swarm, swarms, swarmed, swarming.
SWAY’/SWAYRE--swear, swears, swore, swearing.
SWAYTOGAWD--swear to God.
SWEETH’AA’T--sweetheart, sweethearts.
SWEETMOUT’--sweetmouth--blarney, flattery.
SWEETMOUT’ TALK--soft talk of a philanderer with the
gentler sex.
SWELL--swell, swells, swelled, swelling; swollen.
SWELL-UP--swelled, swollen up, puffed up with anger, importance
or authority.
SWEET’N--sweeten, sweetens, sweetened, sweetening.
SWEET’NIN’--“sweetening.”
SWIF’--swift, fast.
SWIMP--shrimp, shrimps.
SWINGE--singe, singes, singed, singeing.
SWINK--shrink, shrinks, shrunk, shrinking.
SWONGUH--“swank,” swagger, swaggering, boastful.
T
TAAR--(n. and v.) tar, tars, tarred, tarring.
’TACK--(n. and v.) attack, attacks, attacked, attacking.
’TACKTID--attacked. (See “attacktid”).
TACKLE--(n. and v.) tackle, tackles, tackled, tackling; arraign,
hold accountable.
’TAGUHNIZE--antagonize, antagonizes, antagonized, antagonizing;
arraign, arraigned, etc.
’TAIL--(n. and v.) entail, entails, entailed, entailing.
’TAKE--(n. and v.) stake, stakes, staked, staking.
TALK’UM--talk, talks, talked, talking; talking it, speak out,
etc.
TALLUH--tallow.
TALLYGRAF--(n. and v.) telegraph, telegraphs, telegraphed,
telegraphing; telegram, telegrams.
’TAN’--stand, stands, stood, standing.
’TAN’UP--stand, stands, stood, standing up.
’TARRYGATE--interrogate, interrogates, interrogated, interrogating;
question, questioned, etc.
TARRYPIN--terrapin, terrapins.
TARRIFY--terrify, terrifies, terrified, terrifying.
TARRUH--t’other, the other. (See “torruh,” “todduh”).
TAS’--task--a measure of distance as well as of area: 105
feet or 105 feet square. A “tas’,” or one-fourth of an
acre, being the daily task during slavery on a sea-island
cotton plantation, in “listing,” “hauling,” or
hoeing sea-island cotton, a task being frequently
completed before noon, when the slave was free for
the rest of the day. Used as meaning distance of a
shot; as: “My gun kin shoot two tas’”--My gun can
kill at 210 feet (70 yards).
TAS’E--taste, tastes, tasted, tasting.
TAS’E ’E MOUT’--put a taste in his, her or their mouth or
mouths; meaning something appetizing to eat.
T’AW’T--(n. and v.) thought, thoughts. (See also “t’ink”).
’TAY--stay, stays, stayed, staying.
TAYRE--tear, tears, tore, tearing.
TAYRE’UM--tear, tears, tore, tearing him, her, it, them.
TEDAY--today.
TEET’--tooth, teeth.
TEET’ACHE--toothache.
TEK--take, takes, took, taken, taking.
TEK’CARE--take-care--as: “Tek’care bettuh mo’nuh baig
paa’d’n”--Take care is better more than beg pardon;
meaning an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of
cure.
TEK’ESELF--take, takes, took, taking himself, herself, itself,
themselves.
TEK ME FOOT EEN ME HAN’--“tek him foot een ’e han’”--Took
my foot in my hand, took his or her foot or their
feet in his, her, or their hand or hands--meaning
hastened, hurried, speeded up.
TEK’UM--take, took, taken him, it, them; as: “tek’um en’
t’engky.”
TEK’WAY--take, takes, took, taking away.
TEK WID’UM--taken with, pleased with him, her, it, them.
’TELL--till, until.
TELL’UM--tell, tells, telling, told him, her, it, them. “Tell’um
huddy fuh me”--tell him howdy for me.
’TEN’--attend, attends, attended, attending; intend, intends,
etc.
TENDDUH--tender.
T’ENGKFUL--thankful.
T’ENGK’GAWD--thank God!--thank, thanks, thanked, thanking
God.
T’ENGKY--thanks, thank you.
TENIGHT--tonight.
’TENSHUN--attention.
’TENSHUN--intention; as: “Uh ’tenshun fuh go” it is my intention
to go.
’TEP--(n. and v.) step, steps, stepped, stepping.
TETCH--(n. and v.) touch, touches, touched, touching. Also
a remnant, as: “T’engk Gawd, ’e lef’ uh leetle tetch
een de bottle.”
TETCH’UM--touch, touches, touched, touching him, her, it,
them.
’TETTUH--potato, potatoes--usually sweet. (See “puhtettuh”).
T’ICK--thick.
’TICK--(n. and v.) stick, sticks, stuck, slicking.
T’ICKIT--thicket, thickets.
’TICKLUH--(n. and v.) particular, particulars. (See “puhtickluh”).
T’ICKNESS--thickness, thicknesses.
’TICKY--sticky.
T’IEF--(n. and v.) thief, thieves; steal, steals, stole, stolen,
stealing. “T’ief iz bad, but t’ief en’ ketch iz de
debble”--It is bad to steal, but to steal and be
caught is worse.
T’IEFIN’--thieving.
TIE’UM--tie, ties, tied, tying him, her, it, them.
TIE UP ’E MOUT’--tie, ties, tied, tying up his, her, or their
mouth or mouths; meaning held his, her, or their
speech.
TILLIN’ASS’--Tillinghast--a low-country family name.
T’ING--thing, things.
’TING--sting, stings, stung, stinging.
T’INK--think, thinks, thought, thinking.
T’IRTEEN--thirteen.
T’IRTY--thirty.
T’ISTLE--thistle, thistles.
TITTIE/TITTUH--sister, sisters (informal).
TOAD--a young female dog (old English).
TOAD-FROG--toad, toads.
TODDUH/TUDDUH--the other, t’other, the others. (See “tarruh,”
and “torruh”).
TOL’--rare, for told. (See “tell’um”).
TONGUE/TOUNG--tongue, tongues.
TOOGOODOO--a short tidal creek or river in former Colleton,
now Charleston, County.
’TOOP--stoop, stoops, stooped, stooping.
TOOT’--tooth, teeth.
’TOP--stop, stops, stopped, stopping.
TOP--(n. and v.) top, tops; top, tops, topped, topping.
’TOPPUH--on, on top of.
TORRUH--(also tarruh and todduh) t’other; the other, the
others; as: “Dem todduh one”--those other ones.
’T’ORUHTY--authority.
TOTE--“tote”--carry, carries, carried, carrying.
T’OUS’N/T’OUZ’N--thousand.
TOWN--Charleston, “the City.” (See “Chaa’stun”).
TRABBLE--travel, travels, traveled, traveling.
’TRAIGHT--straight.
’TRAIGHT’N--straighten, straightens, straightened, straightening.
“’Traight’n fuh”--straighten for, to hurry or
extend oneself for a certain point.
’TRANGLE--strangle, strangles, strangled, strangling.
T’RASH--thrash, thrashes, thrashed, thrashing; thresh,
threshed, etc.
T’RASHUH--thrasher, thrashers; thresher, threshers.
TREDJUH--treasure, treasures.
TREDJURUH--treasurer, treasurers.
TREE--(v.) tree, trees, treed, treeing.
T’REE--rarely “stree”--three.
T’REE-TIME--three times.
’TRETCH--stretch, stretches, stretched, stretching.
’TRETCH-OUT--stretch out. (See “stretch-out”).
TRIGGUH--trigger, triggers.
’TRIKE--strike, strikes, struck, striking.
TRIMBLE--tremble, trembles, trembled, trembling.
’TRING--string, strings, strung, stringing; “’tringbean”--string
or snap-beans.
T’ROAT--throat, throats.
T’ROW--throw, throws, threw, thrown, throwing.
T’ROWBONE--throw “bones” (dice) play craps.
T’ROW’D--threw, thrown.
T’ROW’WAY/T’RUH’WAY--throw, throws, threw, throwing, thrown away.
T’RU--through.
TRUBBLE--(n. and v.) trouble, troubles, troubled, troubling.
TRUS’--(n. and v.) trust, trusts, trusted, trusting.
TRUS’-ME-GAWD--a narrow dugout canoe, so cranky that one
who ventures forth upon the waters must have faith
in God to bring him through.
TRUTE--truth.
TRUTE-MOUT’--truth-mouth--one who will not lie.
TRYBUNUL--tribunal, tribunals.
TUCKREY--turkey, turkeys.
TUH--to.
TUHBACKUH--tobacco.
TUH DAT--to that--as: “’E chupid tuh dat”--he is stupid
to that extent; he is that stupid. “Ef him maussuh
lub’um tuh dat”--if his master loves him so greatly.
TUHGEDDUH--together.
TUHRECKLY--directly.
TUHR’UM--to him, her, it, them.
TUK--took. (See “tek”).
TUMMUCH--too much, intensely, ardently, fervently.
’TUMP--(n. and v.) stump, stumps; stump, stumps, stumped,
stumping.
’TUMP--stub, stubs, stubbed, stubbing.
’TUMPSUCKUH--stump-sucker, a crib-sucking horse or mule.
TU’N--(n. and v.) turn, turns, turned, turning.
T’UNDUH--(n. and v.) thunder, thunders, thundered, thundering.
T’UNDUHSNAKE--thundersnake, thundersnakes.
TU’NFLOUR--turned flour, scalded corn meal, mush or porridge;
same as Italian polenta.
TU’NUP--turnip, turnips.
TU’N UP--turn, turns, turned, turning up.
TUP’MTIME/TUP’NTINE--turpentine.
T’URSD’Y--Thursday.
TWELB’--twelve.
TWIS’--(n. and v.) twist, twists, twisted, twisting.
TWIS’-MOUT’--twist mouth--twist-mouthed.
TWIS’UP--twist or twisted up.
TWO CHUESDAY, TWO T’URSDAY, etc.--the second Tuesday or
the second Thursday in the month.
TWO PLACE--second place, in the second place. NOTE: Other
numbers used similarly.
TWO TIME--two times, twice.
TWO-T’REE--two or three.
U
UB--of. (See “uh”).
UBTAIN--obtain, obtains, obtained, obtaining.
UB UH--of a--“Uh debble ub uh mule”--a devil of a mule.
UH--I; a, an. Also of. (See “ub”).
UHHEAD--ahead.
UHHEAD’UH--ahead of.
UHLLY/YUHLLY--early.
UM--him, her, it, them.
UP TUH DE NOTCH--up to the notch--to the Queen’s taste,
perfect.
US--we, our.
USE--use, uses, used, using; also for game or cattle frequenting
certain feeding grounds. (See “nyuse”).
USE’N/UZE’N--used to be, in the habit of.
USE-TUH--used to, accustomed to.
W
WAAGIN--wagon, wagons.
WAA’MENT--“varmint, varmints,” destructive animals or birds.
WADMUHLAW--Wadmalaw--an island of the Carolina coast.
WAH--war.
WAIS’--waist, waists.
WANJUE-RANGE--sometimes “Banjue-Range”--Vendue Range,
the old Charleston slave market.
WANTUH--want to, wants to, wanted to, wanting to.
WARRUH/WADDUH--what, what is that.
W’ARY--weary.
WAS’E--waste, wastes, wasted, wasting.
WASH-UP/WUSH-UP--worship (religious).
WATUHMILYUN--watermelon, watermelons.
WAWM--(n. and v.) warm, warms, warmed, warming.
WAWN--(n. and v.) warn, warns, warned, warning.
WAWSS’--wasp, wasps.
WAWSS’NES’--wasp’s nest.
WE--our, us.
W’EAT--wheat.
W’EAT-FLOUR--flour, wheat-flour.
WEDDUH--weather, weather; to rain or storm, in such phrases
as: “’E gwine tuh wedduh”--it is going to or looks
like rain or storm.
WEDD’N’--wedding, weddings.
WEEKY-DAY--a week day.
W’EEL--(n. and v.) wheel, wheels, wheeled, wheeling.
W’EELBARRUH--wheelbarrow, wheelbarrows.
WEGITUBBLE--vegetable, vegetables.
WEH--where.
WEHR’AS--whereas.
WEHREBBUH--wherever.
W’ENEBBUH--whenever.
W’ENSD’Y--Wednesday.
WE’OWN--our own, ours.
WERRY--very. (See “berry”).
WE’SELF--ourselves.
WESKIT--waistcoat, waistcoats.
WESTIBLUE--vestibuled--the fast “limited” or tourist train.
WHOEBBUH--whoever.
WICTORIA--Victoria--also victorious.
’WICE--(also “exwice”) advice, advices.
W’ICH/W’ICH’N--which.
W’ICH EN’ W’Y--which and why--as: “W’ich en’ w’y talk”--contradictory
talk.
WICKITY/WICKIT--wicked, wickedness.
WID--with.
WIDDUH--widow, widows.
WIDT’--width, widths.
W’ILE--while, awhile.
WIL’CAT--wild cat, the bay-lynx of the Southern swamps.
WILLUH--willow, willows.
WIN’--(n. and v.) wind, winds; wind, winded.
WIN’--(n. and v.) wind, winds, wound, winded, winding.
WINDUH--window, windows.
WINE--vine.
WINEGUH--vinegar.
WINNUH--winnow, winnows, winnowed, winnowing.
WINNUHHOUSE--winnowhouse, winnowhouses, where in the
old days rice was winnowed.
WINTUHTIME--winter, in the winter season.
’WISE--(also “exwise”) advise, advises, advised, advising.
WISH DE TIME UH DAY--“pass de time uh day”--a salutation,
greeting.
WISIT--(n. and v.) visit, visits, visited, visiting.
W’ISKEY--whiskey; formerly used, now an obsolete vocable
among the Gullah.
WITCH--witch, witches.
’WITCH--bewitch, bewitches, bewitched, bewitching.
W’ITE--white.
WOICE--voice, voices.
WOODPECKUH--woodpecker, woodpeckers.
WOODPECKUH LAA’K--woodpecker lark--the flicker.
WROP--wrap, wraps, wrapped, wrapping.
WU’D--word, words.
WUDDUH DA’--what is that.
WUFFUH--what for, why.
WUH--what, that.
WUHEBBUH--whatever.
WU’K--(n. and v.) work, works, worked, working.
WU’LL’--world, worlds.
WUNDUH--(n. and v.) wonder, wonders, wondered, wondering.
WUNT--won’t, will not.
WURRUM--worm, worms.
WUS’DEN’EBBUH--worse than ever.
WUSS/WUS’--worse, worst.
WUSSUH--worse.
WUT’--worth, is worth, was worth, etc. “Ent wut’”--a disparaging
characterization.
WUZ--was.
W’YMEKSO--what makes it so, why.
Y
YAA’D--yard, yards.
YAA’N--yarn, yarns.
YAAS--yes.
YAAS’SUH--yes-sir.
YALLUH--yellow.
YALLUHHAMMUH--yellowhammer--the flicker or golden-winged
woodpecker.
YALLUH YAM--yellow yam--a variety of sweet potato.
YANDUH--yonder.
YEAH--ear, ears (corn or other grain); also year, years.
YEARIN’--hearing.
YEDDY/YERRY--hear, hears, heard, hearing.
YEDDY’UM--hear, hears, heard, or hearing him, her, it, them.
YELLIN’--yearling, yearlings.
YENT--(ent) ain’t, is not, are not; so pronounced when preceded
by a soft vowel sound.
YE’T/YU’T--earth. (See “eart’”).
YEYE--eye, eyes; so pronounced when preceded by a soft
vowel sound. “’E yeye red”--his or her eyes are
bloodshot with anger.
YEZ--ear, ears (human or animal).
YISTIDDY--yesterday.
YIZ--is; so pronounced when preceded by a soft vowel sound.
YO’/YOU--your, yours.
YOU’OWN--your own, yours.
YOWE--ewe. (“Yowe” is in use in Early English).
YUH--here.
YUH HIM--here he, she, it is, or they are.
Z
’ZACKLY--exactly. (See “puhzackly”).
’ZAMMIN’--examine, examines, examined, examining; question,
questioned, etc.
’ZYD’N’--presiding; as: “’Zyd’n’ elduh”--presiding elder.
THE TAR BABY STORY
AS TOLD BY COL. C. C. JONES AND JOEL CHANDLER HARRIS
BUH WOLF, BUH RABBIT, AND DE TAR BABY
JONES’S VERSION
Buh Wolf and Buh Rabbit, dem bin lib nabur. De dry drout come. Ebry
ting stew up. Water scace. Buh Wolf dig one spring fuh him fuh git
water. Buh Rabbit, him too lazy an too scheemy fuh wuk fuh isself. Eh
pen pon lib off tarruh people. Ebry day, wen Buh Wolf yent duh watch
um, eh slip to Buh Wolf spring, an eh full him calabash long water an
cah um to eh house fuh cook long and fuh drink. Buh Wolf see Buh Rabbit
track, but eh couldnt ketch um duh tief de water.
One day eh meet Buh Rabbit in de big road, an eh ax um how eh make out
fur water. Buh Rabbit say him no casion fuh hunt water: him lib off
de jew on de grass. Buh Wolf quire: “Enty you blan tek water outer me
spring?” Buh Rabbit say: “Me yent.” Buh Wolf say: “You yis, enty me see
you track?” Buh Rabbit mek answer: “Yent me gone to you spring. Must
be some edder rabbit. Me nebber bin nigh you spring. Me dunno way you
spring day.” Buh Wolf no question um no mo: but eh know say eh bin Buh
Rabbit fuh true, an eh fix plan fuh ketch um.
De same ebenin eh mek Tar Baby, an eh gone an set um right in de middle
er de trail wuh lead to de spring, and dist in front er de spring.