NEGRO MYTHS
FROM
THE GEORGIA COAST
TOLD IN THE VERNACULAR
BY
CHARLES C. JONES, JR., LL. D.
COLUMBIA, S. C.
THE STATE COMPANY
1925
IN MEMORY
OF
MONTE VIDEO PLANTATION,
AND OF THE
FAMILY SERVANTS
WHOSE FIDELITY AND AFFECTION CONTRIBUTED SO
MATERIALLY TO ITS COMFORT AND HAPPINESS.
PREFATORY NOTE
Mr. Joel Chandler Harris has, in an admirable way, commended to public
notice the dialect and folk-lore in vogue among the Negroes of Middle
Georgia. With fidelity and cleverness has he perpetuated the legends
and songs once current among these peoples, and now fast lapsing into
oblivion. There is, however, a field, largely untrodden, in which may
be found ample opportunity for the exhibition of kindred inquiry and
humor. We refer to the swamp region of Georgia and the Carolinas,
where the lingo of the rice-field and the sea-island negroes is _sui
generis_, and where myths and fanciful stories, often repeated before
the war, and now seldom heard save during the gayer moods of the old
plantation darkies, materially differ from those narrated by the sable
dwellers in the interior.
In confirmation of this suggestion we record the following Negro Myths
from the Georgia Coast.
Augusta, Georgia, March, 1888.
CONTENTS
PAGE
I. HOW COME BUH ALLIGATUR NEBBER SLEEP FUR FROM
DE RIBBER BANK 1
II. BUH TUKREY BUZZUD AN DE RAIN 4
III. HOW BUH COOTER FOOL BUH DEER 5
IV. BUH WOLF, BUH RABBIT, AN DE TAR BABY 7
V. BUH FOWL-HAWK AN BUH ROOSTER 12
VI. BUH TUKREY BUZZUD AN DE KING CRAB 15
VII. DE KING, EH DARTER, BUH WOLF, AN BUH RABBIT 18
VIII. BUH PATTRIDGE AN BUH RABBIT 20
IX. DE OLE MAN AN DE GALLINIPPER 22
X. BUH SPARRUH 23
XI. BUH ALLIGATUR AN BUH MASH-HEN 25
XII. BUH FOWL-HAWK AN BUH TURKREY BUZZUD 27
XIII. BUH WOLF AN BUH RABBIT 29
XIV. BUH WOLF AN DE TWO DINNER 34
XV. BUH OWL AN BUH ROOSTER 36
XVI. BUH LION AN BUH GOAT 38
XVII. BUH BEAR AN BUH TIGER 39
XVIII. BUH MONKEY AN DE BULL-DOG 42
XIX. BUH ELEPHANT AN BUH ROOSTER 45
XX. DE PO MAN AN DE SNAKE 46
XXI. LEELY GAL, BUH ALLIGATUR, AN DE JAY-BUD 51
XXII. DE CAT, DE RAT, DE CHEESE, AN DE FOX 53
XXIII. BUH RABBIT AN DE TARRUH BEASTISES 55
XXIV. BUH WOLF, BUH RABBIT, AN DE BUTTER 59
XXV. DE EAGLE AN DE CHILLUN 63
XXVI. CHANTICLEER AN DE BAN-YAD ROOSTER 65
XXVII. BUH RABBIT AN DE GROUN-MOLE 68
XXVIII. BUH RABBIT AN DE ROCK-SOUP 71
XXIX. DE TWO FREN AND DE BEAR 73
XXX. DE OLE MAN AN DET 75
XXXI. DE KING AN EH RING 77
XXXII. BUH LION, BUH RABBIT, BUH FOX, AN BUH ROCCOON 82
XXXIII. BUH RABBIT, BUH WOLF, AN DE PORPUS 88
XXXIV. DE DEBBLE AN MAY BELLE 92
XXXV. DE OLE MAN AN DE COON 99
XXXVI. BUH RABBIT AND DE CRAWFISH 101
XXXVII. BUH RABBIT AND BUH ELEPHUNT 102
XXXVIII. BUH RABBIT, BUH WOLF, AN BUH POSSUM 105
XXXIX. BUH RABBIT, BUH WOLF, AN DE HOLLER TREE 108
XL. BUH RABBIT AN DE CUNJUR MAN 111
XLI. BUH RABBIT, BUH FOX, AN DE FISHERMAN 114
XLII. BUH RABBIT, BUH WOLF, AN DE YEARLIN 118
XLIII. BUH RABBIT, BUH WOLF, DE DOG, AN DE GOOSE 120
XLIV. BUH SQUIRLE AN’ BUH FOX 122
XLV. BUH RABBIT, BUH WOLF, AN DE BUCKRA MAN 124
XLVI. BUH RABBIT AN BUH WOLF FUNERAL 127
XLVII. DE NEW NIGGER AN EH MOSSA 130
XLVIII. BUH RABBIT AN DE KING DARTER 132
XLIX. DE SINGLE BALL 134
L. BUH ROCCOON AN BUH POSSUM 136
LI. BUH WOLF, BUH RABBIT AN DE RAIN 137
LII. BUH ALLIGATUR, BUH RABBIT AN BUH WOLF 140
LIII. DE DYIN BULL-FROG 144
LIV. BUH RABBIT, BUH PATTRIDGE, AN DE COW 145
LV. DE FIDDLER, BUH TIGER, AN BUH BEAR 147
LVI. DE OLE KING AN DE NOUNG KING 149
LVII. BUH GOAT AN BUH WOLF 151
LVIII. DENTISTRY AT THE OLD PLANTATION HOME 155
LIX. THE NEGRO AND THE ALLIGATOR 161
LX. SPERITS 169
LXI. DADDY JUPITER’S VISION 177
NEGRO MYTHS
I.
HOW COME BUH ALLIGATUR NEBBER SLEEP
FUR FROM DE RIBBER BANK.
One time Buh Rabbit, him meet Buh Alligatur, an eh ax um: “Budder, you
tek life berry onconsarne. Enty you come pon trouble some time?” Buh
Alligatur, him mek answer: “No, Budder, nuttne nebber bodder me. Me
dunno wuh you call trouble. Me hab plenty er bittle fuh eat. Me sleep
an tek me pledjuh. Wuh mek you tink trouble kin come topper me?” Buh
Rabbit, him berry cunnin. Eh yent say nuttne. Eh know Buh Alligatur
blan come out de ribber an sun isself in de broom-grass fiel. Buh
Rabbit, eh laugh oneside to isself an mek plan to pit trouble on Buh
Alligatur.
De nex day, wen de sun hot, Buh Alligatur come out de ribber. Eh so
full er fish an crab eh casely kin crawl. Eh drag isself trugh de mash,
an eh gone in de broom-grass fiel, and tretch isself in de grass, an
fall fas tersleep. Buh Rabbit bin der watch um all de time. Buh Rabbit
too scheemy. Now eh pick eh chance. Wen eh tink Buh Alligatur done gone
tersleep, eh tiptoe ebber so sofe tell eh come right pon top er Buh
Alligatur. Eh notice um close. Eh yeye shet. Eh duh sleep fuh true.
Den Buh Rabbit slip back. Eh say to isself: “I guine mek Buh Alligatur
know wuh call trouble dis day.” Eh trike fire. Eh light one fat pine
tick, an eh set fire to de broom-grass all roun an roun de fiel. Buh
Alligatur, eh day in de middle fas tersleep. Eh dunno wuh Buh Rabbit
up teh. Bimeby de fire, eh biggin fuh roll. Buh Alligatur wake up. Eh
see de smoke. Eh yeddy de fire duh commin. Eh dunno wuh fur do. De fire
biggin fur bun um. Eh run dis way, de fire meet um. Eh lick back an try
tarruh side. De fire meet um day too.
Buh Rabbit, him duh tan off duh watch an duh half kill isself wid
laugh. Buh Alligatur holler. Eh holler. Eh holler. Nobody yeddy. Nobody
come. Fire ebry side. No way fur um fur go. Eh cant git out. Man! sir!
eh mek up eh mine to bus trugh some how. Eh shet eh yeye. Eh cock up eh
tail, an yuh eh come straight fur de ribber.
Buh Rabbit, eh fall fur laugh. Eh hoop arter Buh Alligatur, an eh say:
“Hey, Budder! wats de time er day? Enty you bin tell me you nebber
meet up wid trouble? You run topper um to-day anyhow.”
Buh Alligatur yent hab time fuh mek answer. Eh yent crack eh teet to
Buh Rabbit. Eh jis is bex wid um is eh kin be. Eh yeye red. Eh tail
swinge. Eh gone fuh de ribber, an eh fall in head ober heel. De water
cool um. Eh ketch eh bref. Den eh raise isself on de top er de water an
eh holler back to Buh Rabbit: “Nummine, Boy, golong dis time. Me know
who mek all dis trouble fur me. Ef me ebber ketch you close dis ribber,
me guine larne you how ter come fool long me.”
Buh Rabbit faid Alligatur an ribber tell dis day. From dat day to dis
you kin nebber ketch Buh Alligatur sleep fur from de bank; an de fus
time eh yeddy bush crack, er anyting mek rackit, eh leggo eberyting an
fall right in de water.
II.
BUH TUKREY BUZZUD AN DE RAIN.
Buh Tukrey Buzzud, him yent hab no sense no how. You watch um.
Wen de rain duh po down, eh set on de fench an eh squinch up isself. Eh
draw in eh neck, an eh try fur hide eh head, an eh look dat pittyful
you rale sorry for um. Eh duh half cry, an eh say to isself: “Nummine,
wen dis rain ober me guine buil house right off. Me yent guine leh dis
rain lick me dis way no mo.”
Wen de rain done gone, an de win blow, an de sun shine, wuh Buh Tukrey
Buzzud do? Eh set on de top er de dead pine tree way de sun kin wam um,
an eh tretch out eh wing, an eh tun roun an roun so de win kin dry eh
fedder, an eh laugh to isself, an eh say: “Dis rain done ober. Eh yent
guine rain no mo. No use fur me fuh buil house now.” Caless man dis
like Buh Tukrey Buzzud.
III.
HOW BUH COOTER[1] FOOL BUH DEER.[2]
Buh Deer, him kin outrun all de tarruh creetur. Buh Cooter, him cant
go fast no time. Him kin jis creep, an dat all; but him hab plenty er
sense.
One day Buh Deer bin a laugh at Buh Cooter becase eh walk so slow. Den
Buh Cooter, him git mad, an eh tell Buh Deer dat ef eh does slow eh hab
de bes win, an eh bet Buh Deer eh could beat um to de fibe mile pose.
Buh Deer, him smile an tuk de bet. Dey gree on nex Monday week fur run
de race.
Buh Cooter, him call togedder him fren an tole um bout de bet an wen de
race fur run. Eh gaged fibe er um fur help um. Deese yer Cooter am all
so much like one anurrer you cant tell one from turrer. So day all come
inter cohoot an conclude to fool Buh Deer.
One gone to de fus mile pose on de big road. Anurrer gone to de nex
mile pose, an anurrer to de nex: so dat on de day wen de race fur run,
Buh Cooter hab a fren at ebery mile pose. Buh Deer nebber bin know
nuttne bout dis plan.
Wen de time come fur run de race, Buh Deer an Buh Cooter bofe stat off
togedder. Befo you kin tun roun Buh Deer done gone out uh sight, an lef
Buh Cooter in de middle er de road duh laugh to isself. Wen Buh Deer
git to de fus mile pose, day was Buh Cooter day head er um. Buh Deer
couldnt tell how dat happn. Eh men eh pace. At de nex mile pose day was
Buh Cooter a crawlin along. Buh Deer git mad. Eh lay isself out ter eh
berry lenk, but befo eh ketch de nex mile pose eh meet Buh Cooter in de
road dis a passin er dat pose. Buh Deer jump clean ober um an mek fur
de nex mile pose. Eh yent bin want fur bleeve eh own yeye wen eh see
Buh Cooter dere done git head er um agin. Eh so mad eh try fuh kick Buh
Cooter outer de road, an eh straighten fur de las mile pose. Wen eh git
day, eh meet Buh Cooter puffin an er blowin an a leanin up gin de pose
duh laugh at um.
An dat de way Buh Cooter fool Buh Deer an win de bet.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Land Terrapin.
[2] This and two preceding _Myths_ first published in
Augusta, Ga., _Chronicle and Constitutionalist_ of
March 11, 1883.
IV.
BUH WOLF, BUH RABBIT, AN DE TAR BABY.
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 mek 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, an dist in front er de spring.
Soon a mornin Buh Rabbit rise an tun in fuh cook eh bittle. Eh pot
biggin fuh bun. Buh Rabbit say: “Hey! me pot duh bun. Lemme slip to Buh
Wolf spring an git some water fuh cool um.” So eh tek eh calabash an
hop off fuh de spring. Wen eh ketch de spring, eh see de Tar Baby duh
tan dist een front er de spring. Eh stonish. Eh stop. Eh come close.
Eh look at um. Eh wait fur um fuh mobe. De Tar Baby yent notice um. Eh
yent wink eh yeye. Eh yent say nuttne. Eh yent mobe. Buh Rabbit, him
say: “Hey titter, enty you guine tan one side an lemme git some water?”
De Tar Baby no answer. Den Buh Rabbit say: “Leely Gal, mobe, me tell
you, so me kin dip some water outer de spring long me calabash.” De Tar
Baby wunt mobe. Buh Rabbit say: “Enty you know me pot duh bun? Enty you
know me hurry? Enty you yeddy me tell you fuh mobe? You see dis han? Ef
you dont go long and lemme git some water, me guine slap you ober.” De
Tar Baby stan day. Buh Rabbit haul off an slap um side de head. Eh han
fastne. Buh Rabbit try fuh pull eh hand back, an eh say: “Wuh you hole
me han fuh? Lemme go. Ef you dont loose me, me guine box de life outer
you wid dis tarruh han.” De Tar Baby yent crack eh teet. Buh Rabbit hit
um, bim, wid eh tarruh han. Dat han fastne too same luk tudder. Buh
Rabbit say: “Wuh you up teh? Tun me loose. Ef you dont leggo me right
off, me guine knee you.” De Tar Baby hole um fas. Buh Rabbit skade an
bex too. Eh faid Buh Wolf come ketch um. Wen eh fine eh cant loosne
eh han, eh kick de Tar Baby wid eh knee. Eh knee fastne. Yuh de big
trouble now. Buh Rabbit skade den wus den nebber. Eh try fuh skade de
Tar Baby. Eh say: “Leely Gal, you better mine who you duh fool long.
Me tell you, fuh de las time, tun me loose. Ef you dont loosne me han
an me knee right off, me guine bus you wide open wid dis head.” De
Tar Baby hole um fas. Eh yent say one wud. Den Buh Rabbit butt de Tar
Baby een eh face. Eh head fastne same fashion luk eh han an eh knee.
Yuh de ting now. Po Buh Rabbit done fuh. Eh fastne all side. Eh cant
pull loose. Eh gib up. Eh bague. Eh cry. Eh holler. Buh Wolf yeddy
um. Eh run day. Eh hail Buh Rabbit: “Hey, Budder! wuh de trouble? Enty
you tell me you no blan wisit me spring fuh git water? Who calabash
dis? Wuh you duh do yuh anyhow?” Buh Rabbit so condemn eh yent hab one
wud fuh talk. Buh Wolf, him say: “Nummine, I done ketch you dis day.
I guine lick you now.” Buh Rabbit bague. Eh bague. Eh prommus nebber
fuh trouble Buh Wolf spring no mo. Buh Wolf laugh at um. Den eh tek an
loose Buh Rabbit from de Tar Baby, an eh tie um teh one spakleberry
bush, an eh git switch an eh lick um tel eh tired. All de time Buh
Rabbit bin a bague an a holler. Buh Wolf yent duh listne ter um, but eh
keep on duh pit de lick ter um. At las Buh Rabbit tell Buh Wolf: “Dont
lick me no mo. Kill me one time. Mek fire an bun me up. Knock me brains
out gin de tree.” Buh Wolf mek answer: “Ef I bun you up, ef I knock you
brains out, you guine dead too quick. Me guine trow you in de brier
patch, so de brier kin cratch you life out.” Buh Rabbit say: “Do Buh
Wolf, bun me: broke me neck, but dont trow me in de brier patch. Lemme
dead one time. Dont tarrify me no mo.” Buh Wolf yent bin know wuh Buh
Rabbit up teh. Eh tink eh bin guine tare Buh Rabbit hide off. So, wuh
eh do? Eh loose Buh Rabbit from de spakleberry bush, an eh tek um by
de hine leg, and eh swing um roun, an eh trow um way in de tick brier
patch fuh tare eh hide an cratch eh yeye out. De minnit Buh Rabbit drap
in de brier patch, eh cock up eh tail, eh jump, an eh holler back to
Buh Wolf: “Good bye, Budder! Dis de place me mammy fotch me up,--dis de
place me mammy fotch me up:” an eh gone befo Buh Wolf kin ketch um. Buh
Rabbit too scheemy.
V.
BUH FOWL-HAWK AN BUH ROOSTER.
Buh Fowl-Hawk, him fly ebry day dis way and dat way ober de lan, an eh
cant fine nuttne fuh eat. Eh hail de Sun one time, an eh tell um eh so
hongry eh ready fuh drap; dat eh cant git bittle fuh eat; an he dunno
wuh fuh do. De Sun, eh say: “Budder, ef you kin ketch me in me bed, me
gree fuh fine you in bittle.” Buh Hawk tek de greement, an eh try berry
hade fuh come pon topper de Sun in eh bed. But ebry time de Sun done
git up befo Buh Hawk ketch de place way de Sun sleep. Buh Hawk gib up.
Eh dead tired. Den eh tun in an consult Buh Rooster. Buh Rooster yeddy
him tale, and den eh say: “Me tell you, Buh Hawk, wuh you better do.
You come sleep right ober me back; an wen, soon a mornin, you yeddy me
knock me wing togedder and crow, you sail right off fuh de Sun house,
an you kin ketch um befo eh git up from eh bed.” Buh Hawk do dis es Buh
Rooster tell um. Eh come dat ebenin, an eh set on de tree-limb right
ober way Buh Rooster duh sleep.
Long befo day duh broke Buh Rooster knock eh wing togarruh an crow.
Bless yo soul! Buh Fowl-Hawk wake up, eh switch eh tail, eh pitch off
de tree, an eh mek fur de spot way de Sun blan sleep. Eh ketch um een
eh big house. Eh day in eh bed. Buh Hawk, eh knock to de do. De Sun
say: “Who dat?” Buh Hawk mek answer: “Duh me.” De Sun say: “Who you?”
Buh Hawk say; “Duh me, Budder Hawk.” De Sun quire: “Wuh you want long
me?” Buh Hawk mek answer: “Enty you bin tell me one day dat ef me kin
ketch you in you bed you guine fine me? Now me done ketch you in de
bed. Gimme de bittle you prommus me. Me berry hongry.” De Sun bex. Eh
wunt come to de do, but eh holler back to Buh Hawk, an eh say: “You tun
right roun, an you go to de man wuh pint you to ketch me in me bed, an
you tell um fuh fine you.” Buh Hawk rale disappint. Eh try fuh swade de
Sun, but de Sun wunt listne ter um; and de Sun dribe um way from him
house. Buh Hawk mad, an wen eh see eh cant git no bittle from de Sun,
eh fly back to Buh Rooster. Buh Rooster, him ax um: “Me Budder, how you
mek out?” Buh Hawk tell um eh yent mek out wut. Den eh up an quaint
Buh Rooster how de Sun wouldnt gie um no bittle fuh eat; how eh dribe
um way; an how eh tell um fuh go back to de man wuh pit um on de trail
fuh ketch um in eh bed, an mek um fine um. Buh Rooster mek answer:
“Budder, me yent hab no bittle fuh gie you. Me no kin fine you.” Buh
Hawk say: “Me dead tired. Me berry hongry. Me mus hab me payment.” Buh
Rooster say: “You cant git no payment outer me. All me got duh me wife
an me chillun, an me know me yent guine gie you none er dem.” Wen Buh
Hawk see eh cant swade Buh Rooster fuh fine um, eh try narruh plan. Eh
leff Buh Rooster, an eh sail way up in de element tell eh done gone
in de cloud. All de time eh duh watch Buh Rooster. Wen Buh Rooster
clean forgit Buh Hawk, an leh eh chillun play bout een de grass, befo
eh know, down drap Buh Fowl-Hawk, an eh ketch up one er dem same Buh
Rooster chillun. Eh fly off wid um to one big oak tree, an eh pick eh
bone clean. Buh Rooster holler, but eh cant tetch Buh Hawk. De chicken
sweet. Buh Hawk feel good. From dat day tell now, Buh Fowl-Hawk blan
pick eh chance an lib off Buh Rooster chillun.
VI.
BUH TUKREY BUZZUD AN DE KING CRAB.
You notus Buh Tukrey Buzzud. Him lub lamb, an dead cow, an dead horse,
an snake, an alligatur, an all kinder varmint. Eh berry lub dead fish
too, but eh nebber bodder wid crab. You sabe huccom so? Lemme tell you.
One time one fisher-man bin come from fishin. Eh tek out de good
fish, eh tring um on a mash grass, an eh lef in de boat some leely
gannet-mullet an catfish wuh eh no want, an one big King Crab wuh eh
bin ketch duh ribber. De sun hot. De fish done dead. Bimeby eh smell
bad in de boat. Buh Tukrey Buzzud, wuh bin a grine salt way up in de
element, scent um, an down eh come. Eh gone in de boat an eh eat up
de fish wuh day day. Eh dat greedy eh duh hunt fuh mo. Eh see de King
Crab duh squat een de water duh bottom er de boat. Eh tretch open eh
wing fuh skade de Crab an mek um come outer de water. Buh Tukrey Buzzud
faid water. Eh nebber will wet him foot ef eh kin help. De King Crab
see de Buzzud, an eh crawl up long side de boat. Buh Tukrey Buzzud ben
ober fuh pick um. De Crab graff Buh Tukrey Buzzud leg wid eh claw.
Buh Tukrey Buzzud hop an kick. Eh couldnt mek de Crab leggo. De ting
hot um berry bad. Buh Tukrey Buzzud rise wid de Crab duh heng on ter
eh leg. Eh sail up in de element. De Crab stick ter um. Buh Tukrey
Buzzud try ebry plan fuh shake um off. De Crab wunt loose eh grip. Buh
Tukrey Buzzud tun summerset in de sky. Eh flap eh wing. Eh mek all
sorter curous motion. Eh cant shake de Crab loose. Bimeby eh try fuh
bite de Crab. All ob a sutten, de Crab tek eh tarruh claw, an eh fastne
Buh Tukrey Buzzud roun eh neck. Yuh de big trouble now. One claw hole
Buh Tukrey Buzzud foot; tarruh claw clamp Buh Tukrey Buzzud roun eh
neck. De Bud duh choke. Eh gib up. Eh cant go no fudder. Eh dis leggo
ebryting in de element, an eh fall heel ober head plash in de water.
De minnit de King Crab fine isself in de ribber, eh loosne eh hole an
eh gone der bottom. Buh Tukrey Buzzud mose drown. Eh fedder wet. Eh
splutter, eh wabble, an arter awhile eh manage fuh ketch eh bref, an eh
mount eh wing, an eh sail off teh one dead libe-oak tree, wuh grow on
de bank, an eh set down day an eh pick eh fedder, an eh watch de blood
duh drap from eh neck an leg, an eh say to isself: “Me nebber guine
bodder long crab gen long as me lib.” An eh nebber did. You show King
Crab to Buh Tukrey Buzzud, an eh’ll leff um. Eh yent guine nigh um. All
eh fambly faid um.
VII.
DE KING, EH DARTER, BUH WOLF, AN BUH RABBIT.
One time er King hab er pooty Darter. Buh Wolf an Buh Rabbit all two
bin a spark at um an a cote um. De sanfly bin berry bad. De King tell
Buh Wolf an Buh Rabbit de one wuh kin stan de sanfly de longes bedout
bresh um way, shill git de gal.
Buh Wolf yent bin so scheemy as Buh Rabbit. Wen dem all was a settin
fuh de match, Buh Rabbit, him say: “Gentlemans, my fader had a black
horse. Eh had a white spot yuh, and a red spot day; a white spot yuh,
and a red spot day; a white spot yuh, and a red spot day.” Ebry time eh
pint out de place way de spot bin, eh dribe off de sanfly.
Wile dis duh guine on, de sanfly mose eat up Buh Wolf. Eh bleege fur
cratch an slap. So Buh Rabbit gain de day, an de King gie um eh Darter.
Buh Wolf, him berry sad, an eh wunt talk. All de lady bin a set in de
piazza long de King an eh Darter. Den Buh Rabbit say: “Come, Buh Wolf,
leh we broke up. Ef you lemme ride you ter de big gate me guine tun de
King Darter ober ter you.” Buh Wolf happy. Eh gree fuh leh Buh Rabbit
ride um. Buh Rabbit light on eh back. Eh hab spur on. Buh Wolf dunno
nuttne bout dis. Soon es Buh Rabbit git on Buh Wolf back, eh clamp eh
leg onder Buh Wolf belly, an eh clap spur ter Buh Wolf. Buh Wolf rare
up. Eh jump. Eh kick. Eh leddown. Eh try ebry way fuh trow Buh Rabbit.
Buh Rabbit stick ter eh back, an wunt fall off. De mo Buh Wolf rare up
an kick an pitch, de wus Buh Rabbit spur um. Wen eh fine eh cant trow
Buh Rabbit, eh tek de big road an lean fuh de gate. Buh Rabbit stick de
spur in um ebry jump. Buh Wolf run. Eh run. Eh holler. Eh holler. Buh
Rabbit duh set on eh back an duh spur um, an duh look dess as happy an
content as eh kin be. Wen dey guine tru de big gate, Buh Rabbit light
off eh back an jump on top de gate pose. Buh Wolf cant stop run. Eh
gone. Buh Rabbit shet de gate, an tun back, an jine de compny, an tek
eh bride.
VIII.
BUH PATTRIDGE AN BUH RABBIT.
Buh Pattridge and Buh Rabbit jine compny fuh kill cow. Wen dey done
kill um, dey share de meat equel. Buh Pattridge tek one half; Buh
Rabbit, him tek tarruh half. Buh Pattridge tote him share home, an cook
some, an gen um to him chillun. Buh Rabbit, him tay buhhine an watch
him share. Wen Buh Pattridge an him chillun done eat dem belly full,
Buh Pattridge gone back to de place way de cow bin kill. Eh meet Buh
Rabbit duh siddown day duh wait fuh hire somebody fuh cahr him meat ter
him house. Buh Pattridge, him want mo meat. Eh up an tell Buh Rabbit:
“Dat cow meat no good. Me cook some an gen to me chillun, an eh kill
two er um.” Buh Rabbit say: “Eh yent.” Buh Pattridge say: “Me tell you
eh yiz. Me bin eat some too, an eh mek me feel berry bad. Rattlesnake
must a bin trike dat cow an pizen um.” Den Buh Pattridge fall on de
groun, an flutter, flutter, flutter, dis like eh bin guine fuh dead.
Buh Rabbit tink say de pizen meat been a wuk in um, an eh hop off, an
eh fetch water, an eh trow um in Buh Pattridge face. Wen Buh Pattridge
sorter vive, Buh Rabbit tell um eh no want de meat, dat eh guine leff
um. Den Buh Rabbit wish Buh Pattridge de time er day, an gone teh him
house. Soon as Buh Rabbit git outer yearin, Buh Pattridge whistle fuh
him chillun. De gang all bin in de bush duh watch. Den dey all run up
an cahr de meat to dem house, an cook um an eat um.
De meat bin good, an Buh Pattridge only do dat fuh fool Buh Rabbit an
git him share too.
IX.
DE OLE MAN AN DE GALLINIPPER.
An ole man bin a hunt roccoon in de wood. Eh hab eh dog fuh tree de
coon, an eh hatchich fuh chop down de tree. De dog bark. De ole man
gone ter um. Eh look up de tree fuh see de coon. Steader de coon, er
big Gallinipper bin a settin in de crotch er de sweet-gum. De tree so
big de ole man cant retch round um wid bofe eh arm. De dog bark at de
Gallinipper. Eh bark. Eh bark. De Gallinipper git bex. Eh light off de
tree fuh bite de dog. De dog holler an run roun de tree. De Gallinipper
miss eh lick, an dribe eh bill trugh de tree tell de pint come out on
tarruh side. De ole man try fuh chop off de een er de Gallinipper bill.
Wen de Gallinipper see wuh de ole man up teh, eh rare back an try fur
pull eh bill outer de tree. Eh fastne so tight eh couldnt git um out,
but eh strain so hebby eh drag de tree up by de root. De ole man dat
scade eh drop eh hatchich, eh leff eh dog der wood, and eh lean fur
home.
X.
BUH SPARRUH.
Buh Sparruh, him berry leetle, but him lub fur brag. Eh yent much fur
wuk.
One time de Bluefinch, de Trasher, de Red-Bud, de Jay-Bud, de
Pattridge, and de Sparruh all come inter cohoot ter plant tetter[3] and
see who kin raise de bigges. Wen de tetter done mek an dig, all de bud
collec togarruh, an ebry one fotch a tetter ter show wuh kind a crop eh
mek. De Crow bin de judge. Eh look ober all de tetter, an wen eh fine
Buh Sparruh no bin bring none, eh ax Buh Sparruh: “Way you tetter?” Buh
Sparruh biggin fur brag, an eh say: “Me tetter, him heap bigger den
any me see. Me farruh befo me blan plant tetter, an him tetter bigger
ner de calf er me leg. Me kin beat me farruh raise tetter. Me yent
bin bring no tetter wid me case me no want fur mek me fren feel bad.”
Tarruh bud say: “Nummine, you go fetch you tetter. Leh we see um.” Wen
Buh Sparruh fine dem all bent pon mek um show eh tetter, eh say: “Well,
wait pon top me. Me guine git me tetter.” Buh Sparruh gone, an de bud
all wait. Dem wait tell dem tired, an Buh Sparruh no come back. Den
Buh Crow, wuh bin de judge, sen Buh Bluefinch fur fine Buh Sparruh,
an see wuh eh duh do. Buh Bluefinch meet Buh Sparruh duh pick seed in
one ole fiel. Eh hail um: “Hey! Buh Sparruh! wuh mek you no come back?
All de tarruh bud duh wait top you fur show you tetter.” Buh Sparruh
rare isself back, an eh mek answer: “You go tell Buh Crow an de tarruh
gentlemans me tetter so big me cant tote um.”
Buh Sparruh lie. Eh dis bin a brag. Eh yent nebber bin plant no tetter.
FOOTNOTES:
[3] Sweet potatoes.
XI.
BUH ALLIGATUR AN BUH MASH-HEN.
Buh Alligatur nebber does trubble Buh Mash-hen an eh chillun. Enty,
heap a time, you see Buh Mash-hen duh ketch fiddler on de ribber bank
close by way Buh Alligatur duh feed, an Buh Alligatur yent lick at um
wid eh tail, ner skade um? You know huccum dis? Ef you dunno, lemme
tell you.
One time Buh Alligatur, him been er eat crab. Him bin hab one teet wuh
hab hole in um. Dat teet duh hot um berry bad. Buh Alligatur blan chaw
up crab, shell an all. Wen eh der eat dem crab, one er de claw fastne
in him rotten teet, and hot um so bad eh mek um holler. Eh cant do
nuttne cept open eh jaw an moan. Eh foot yent long nough fuh pick de
claw out.
Wile eh bin a moan an suffer, Buh Mash-hen pass by. Buh Alligatur hail
um an tell um wuh happne, and mek um sensible how bad de claw duh hot
um, an how eh yent hab de power fuh git um out, an eh bague um fuh
pull de ting out wid eh bill. Buh Mash-hen yeddy um, but eh fade fur
trus eh head between Buh Alligatur jaw. Eh spicion say Buh Alligatur
guine trick um, an kill um, an eat um, an eh tell Buh Alligatur him
too scheemy. But Buh Alligatur, him schway to Buh Mash-hen dat eh yent
guine trubble um, an dat ef eh would bleege um an pick de ting out, eh
would be fren ter um an eh fambly all dem life, an mek all dem tarruh
Alligatur fren too.
Wen Buh Mash-hen see Buh Alligatur duh bague so harde, an wen eh fine
out eh bin der tell de trute, eh tek pity on um, an eh pit eh head in
eh mouf an eh pull out de crab-claw, wuh fastne in eh teet, wid eh bill.
Dat ease Buh Alligatur, an eh tell Buh Mash-hen heap er tenky. An eh
mek all eh quaintunce sensible er de big faber wuh Buh Mash-hen bin
done ter um.
Buh Alligatur, him keep eh wud. Ebber sence, Buh Mash-hen kin walk bout
de mash an de ribber, an buil nes, an ketch fiddler an shrimp all round
Buh Alligatur, an eh yent try fuh bodder um.
Dat de way Buh Alligatur an Buh Mash-hen come fur lib togerruh luk same
fambly.
XII.
BUH FOWL-HAWK AN BUH TUKREY BUZZUD.
Time bin berry harde. Bittle oncommon scace. Buh Fowl-hawk an Buh
Tukrey Buzzud, dem bin a sail backwud and forrud in de element, duh
look fuh see wuh dem kin pick up fur eat. Es dem pass one a nurruh,
Buh Fowl-hawk, him ax Buh Tukrey Buzzud how him mek out. Buh Tukrey
Buzzud mek answer dat eh yent mek out wut; dat half de time eh cant
fine nuttne fuh eat; dat eh so hongry eh mos ready fuh perish; but dat
eh mek up eh mine ter keep on guine, an ter wait on de Lord. Den eh
quire ob Buh Fowl-hawk how him duh git long dis yer tight time. Buh
Fowl-hawk, him switch eh tail, an eh say him smarte nough fuh git him
libbin; dat him dont lack fuh bittle; dat Lord er no Lord, him manage
fuh fine all him want fuh eat.
Wid dat dem part compny, an gone dem own couse.
Bimeby dem sail pass one anurrer gen, an Buh Fowl-hawk, him call to
Buh Tukrey Buzzud, an him say: “Enty me bin tell you me hab no trouble
fuh fine bittle wenebber me want um? You see dat black chicken down
yander? Me guine ketch um now fuh me dinner.”
Wid dat, eh leff Buh Tukrey Buzzud, an eh mek eh lunge fuh kibber de
chicken. Stidder eh bin one chicken, eh tun out fuh bin er sharp-pinted
stump; an befo Buh Fowl-hawk fine out de diffunce, an kin check eh
speed, eh hit eh bres gin de stump an kill ehself.
Two, tree day arter dat, Buh Tukrey Buzzud bin a sail ober de same
groun, an eh cotch de scent er someting dead. Eh fole eh wing an eh
come down. Wen eh come fuh fine out, eh see Buh Fowl-hawk duh led down
dead. Den eh say: “Enty me bin tell you eh heap better ter wait on de
Lord stidder trus ter you own luck? You wouldnt yeddy me, an you see
wuh happne. Now me tun come, an you flesh guine ile me bade.” Wid dat,
eh eat up Buh Fowl-hawk.
“De man wuh trus in ehself,” moralized Daddy Sandy, “guine fail; wile
dem dat wait topper de Lord will hab perwision mek fur um.”
XIII.
BUH WOLF AN BUH RABBIT.
Buh Wolf and Buh Rabbit bin a cote de same Gal. De Gal bin rich an
berry pooty. Dem tuk tun fuh wisit um. Buh Rabbit, him gone der mornin,
and Buh Wolf, him gone der ebenin. De Gal harde fuh mek up eh mine. Eh
sorter courage bofe er um. One mornin Buh Rabbit bin a mek fun er Buh
Wolf ter de Gal, an eh tell um say Buh Wolf yent duh nuttne mo den eh
farruh ridin horse.
Wen Buh Wolf pay him wisit de same ebenin, de Gal tell um wuh Buh
Rabbit bin say bout um. De ting mek Buh Wolf bex, an eh say Buh Rabbit
lie, an eh guine fetch Buh Rabbit ter de Gal an mek um tek back dat big
wud befo eh face.
Buh Wolf leff de Gal an gone straight ter Buh Rabbit house. Buh Rabbit
bin spicion say de Gal guine tell Buh Wolf wuh him bin say bout um; an
eh know, wen Buh Wolf yeddy, dat eh boun fur tackle um bout um. So Buh
Rabbit, him fix eh plan.
Wen Buh Wolf git ter Buh Rabbit house, eh fine um all shet up. Eh look
same luk nobody bin day. Eh knock ter de do. Eh knock. Eh knock. No
ansur. Eh gone ter de winder. Eh shake um. Nobody mek ansur. Den eh
holler: “Buh Rabbit, Buh Rabbit!” Arter a while eh yeddy er leely woice
eenside say: “Who dat?” Buh Wolf ansur: “Duh me, Buh Wolf.” Buh Rabbit
say: “Wuh you want, Buh Wolf?” Buh Wolf, him say: “Lemme come in, Buh
Rabbit; me bleege fuh see you on tickler bidness.” Buh Rabbit, him mek
ansur: “Buh Wolf, me cant see you now; me berry sick; me day in me bed;
me too weak fuh open de do.” Buh Wolf say: “Buh Rabbit, you mus lemme
in: you de only man wuh kin ten ter de bidness wuh bring me yuh.” Buh
Rabbit try fuh pit um off. Eh tell um eh hab high feber, an eh cant
rise; dat eh back bin er hot um so bad eh cant tun in eh bed. But Buh
Wolf cist so strong, Buh Rabbit slip to de do, an eh draw de bolt, an
eh tiptoe back ter eh bed, an den eh say: “Well Budder, ef you mus see
me, bad off es me yiz, come in.” Wen Buh Wolf come in, eh fine Buh
Rabbit kibber up in eh bed, duh pant an duh moan berry pittiful. Buh
Wolf tan by de bed, an eh ax Buh Rabbit: “Enty you tell de Gal, wuh we
bin a cote, say me bin nuttne but you farruh ridin horse?” Buh Rabbit
say: “Me nebber did.” Buh Wolf say: “You yiz bin tell um so.” Buh
Rabbit say: “Me yent.” Den Buh Wolf schway: “De Gal done tell um say
Buh Rabbit sisso, an eh bleebe de Gal.” Buh Rabbit run Buh Wolf down
dat eh nebber bin nuse no sich wud. Den Buh Wolf say: “Ef you nebber
bin say no sich wud, you mus git up an go long me, an knowledge befo de
Gal dat you nebber bin sisso.” Buh Rabbit hole back. Eh say eh too weak
fuh git outer de bed, and dat ef eh did get up eh too weak fuh walk ter
de Gal house. But Buh Wolf foce um. Eh say: “You got ter go. Me guine
help you outer de bed, an ef you cant tek you foot, me guine tote you.”
Wen Buh Rabbit fine no chance fur um fuh dodge no mo, an dat Buh Wolf
boun fuh mek um go, eh git Buh Wolf fuh help um outer de bed. Arter
eh git on de flo, Buh Rabbit sorter faint way. Buh Wolf tek um up an
cahr um ter de do, an fan um. Buh Rabbit bin a play possum all de time.
Wen eh come too, Buh Wolf liff um up an pit um on eh back. Buh Rabbit
say: “Hole on, Buh Wolf, me cant set on you back dout fall off: me mus
hab someting fuh steady me; you mus gimme someting fuh me fuh hole on
ter. Yuh me farruh ole saddle an bridle. Lemme pit dem on you, an den
me tink me kin manage fuh go long wid you.” Buh Wolf, him yent spicion
nuttne, an eh tan still an leh Buh Rabbit pit de saddle an bridle on
um. Onbeknowinst ter Buh Wolf, Buh Rabbit slip behind de do an pit on
er pair er keen spur. Den Buh Wolf help um on eh back, an state fuh
trot fuh de Gal house. Buh Rabbit say: “Buh Wolf, dont go so fas: me so
weak me cant hole on; you mus walk.” Buh Wolf, him haky ter um, an eh
come down ter a walk. Wen dem retch de abnue wuh lead from de big road
ter de house way de Gal lib, dem shum all dress een white duh settin
in de piazza. Soon es dem pass tru de big gate, Buh Rabbit, him gedder
de range in eh han, an eh slap spur to Buh Wolf. Buh Wolf say: “You
fool, wuh you duh do?” an eh rare an pitch an try fuh trow Buh Rabbit
off. Buh Rabbit stick on, an eh clap de spur wus an wus ter Buh Wolf.
Wen Buh Wolf fine out eh cant do nuttne, eh keep de abnue straight fur
de house. Wen dem duh nigh de house Buh Rabbit holler ter de Gal: “Wuh
me bin tell you? Yuh me come pon me farruh ridin horse,” an eh rip
spur een Buh Wolf an eh hole um tight. De spur hot Buh Wolf so bad eh
couldnt do nuttne but run. Buh Rabbit tun um dest by de piazza, an eh
light off eh back, an eh run up ter de Gal, an eh say: “Wuh you tink er
me farruh ridin horse?” Buh Wolf so painful, so bex, an so shame, eh
keep on run, an eh nebber come back fur see de Gal no mo.
Buh Rabbit, him too scheemy fuh Buh Wolf. Wen de Gal notus how smate
Buh Rabbit bin, an how eh mek good eh big wud, eh gen um eh han, an,
leetle while arter, dem bin git marry.
XIV.
BUH WOLF AN DE TWO DINNER.
Buh Wolf, him binner inwite ter two dinner de same day an de same time:
one gen by Cooter Bay, an de tarruh by John Bay. Dem bin bredder, an
dem lib on two seprite road wuh jine at de fork. Buh Wolf, him so
greedy him cept bofe inbitation. Wen de time come fuh go, eh dress
ehself up an eh light out. Wen eh git ter de place way de road fork, eh
stop an eh consider. Eh want fuh tek bofe road an go ter de two dinner.
Eh cant tek one an leff tarruh. Eh gone down one road; eh tun back; eh
tan ter de fork. Eh tek tarruh road; eh come back ter de fork; eh tan
day gen. Eh state off; eh tun back. Eh state off gen; eh tun back gen.
Eh cant mek up eh mine which dinner fuh tek an which dinner fuh leff.
Eh hanker arter bofe. Eh wase eh time. Wile dis bin a guine on, de
people bin a eat at bofe de dinner.
Bimeby yuh come some er dem, wuh bin eat dinner wid Cooter Bay, duh mek
dem way home. Dem see Buh Wolf duh tan in de fork er de road, an dem
hail um, an dem say: “Hi! Buh Wolf, wuh you duh do yuh?” Buh Wolf, him
mek answer: “Me guine ter Cooter Bay fuh dine long um.” Den dem tell um
say de dinner done ober; dat dem jist come from day, an dat dem bin hab
plenty er good bittle fuh eat. Buh Wolf rale cut down case eh loss one
dinner.
Eh hop off an mek fuh John Bay house fuh git de tarruh dinner. Eh yent
bin gone no destant befo eh meet dem people duh comin back wuh bin gone
fuh eat dinner long John Bay. Dem tell um de dinner done ober, an eh
mights well tun back. Buh Wolf outdone. Eh so greedy eh couldnt mek up
eh mine which dinner fuh tek. Eh tink eh guine git all two, an eh yent
git none. Eh gone home dat bex an hongry eh ready fuh kill ehself.
People wuh wunt mek up dem mine in time wuh dem mean fuh do guine git
leff.
XV.
BUH OWL AN BUH ROOSTER.
Buh Owl, him bin a great music-meker. Him an Buh Rooster bin good fren.
Heap er bud blan wisit Buh Rooster house fuh yeddy music an fuh dance.
Buh Owl, him sing so well an eh pick de banjo so clear, nobody kin
listen ter um an keep eh foot still; but eh no wan leh nobody shum wen
eh duh sing an play. Buh Rooster, him always blan hab a dark room fuh
Buh Owl fuh set in wen eh duh play fuh de bud. Lamp day in day, but eh
hab shade on um. Buh Owl kin see de bud wuh duh dance, but de bud, dem
cant see Buh Owl. Buh Owl, him faid light, an eh yent der bole bud no
how.
One ebenin Buh Owl bin a sing an play oncommon well fuh de bud at Buh
Rooster house fuh dance. De pahler bin full, but dem yent bin know who
dat bin a mek de music. Buh Rooster, him bin prommus Buh Owl dat eh
yent guine tell who duh sing an play. Wen dem all bin dance tel dem
tired, dem all bague Buh Rooster fuh show dem de man wuh bin mek sich
pooty music fuh dem fuh dance long. Buh Rooster say him cant. Dem keep
on bague, tel, at lenk, Buh Rooster gone in tarruh room, an eh tek de
shade offer de lamp. Wen dem look pon topper Buh Owl, eh yeye so big,
an eh yez cock up so high, eh skade de people, an dem all holler an run.
Buh Owl, him berry bex case Buh Rooster broke eh wud, an he fall out
wid Buh Rooster. From dat day Buh Owl hate Buh Rooster, eh wife, an eh
chillun. Wenebber, duh night, eh yeddy any er um duh crow er der fix
ehself topper eh roose, eh mek fuh de place an eat um up. Eh yent do,
in dis wul, fuh man fuh ceive eh fren.
XVI.
BUH LION AN BUH GOAT.
Buh Lion bin a hunt, an eh spy Buh Goat duh leddown topper er big rock
duh wuk eh mout an der chaw. Eh creep up fuh ketch um. Wen eh git close
ter um eh notus um good. Buh Goat keep on chaw. Buh Lion try fuh fine
out wuh Buh Goat duh eat. Eh yent see nuttne nigh um ceptin de nekked
rock wuh eh duh leddown on. Buh Lion stonish. Eh wait topper Buh Goat.
Buh Goat keep on chaw, an chaw, an chaw. Buh Lion cant mek de ting out,
an eh come close, an eh say: “Hay! Buh Goat, wuh you duh eat?” Buh Goat
skade wen Buh Lion rise up befo um, but eh keep er bole harte, an eh
mek ansur: “Me duh chaw dis rock, an ef you dont leff, wen me done long
um me guine eat you.” Dis big wud sabe Buh Goat. Bole man git outer
diffikelty way coward man lose eh life.
XVII.
BUH BEAR AN BUH TIGER.
Buh Bear, him tired lib wid eh farruh an eh fambly, an eh tell eh
farruh eh guine way fuh mek eh own libbin, an eh want um fuh gem
wuhebber eh hab wuh cummin ter um from de fambly property. Eh farruh
an eh murrer try fuh swade um fuh stay long dem, but eh say eh mek up
eh mine fuh go. Den eh farruh tell um eh yent hab nuttne fuh gem cept
sebbn loaf er bread. Buh Bear, him berry disappint; but wen eh see eh
yent guine git nuttne mo, eh gree fuh tek um. Eh farruh tell um: “De
man wuh eat any er dat bread long you will hab fuh rastle long you fuh
sebbn year.” Buh Bear cahr eh bread, an gone der wood, an mek camp fuh
ehself. Wen eh bin er eat de bread, Buh Tiger come long an bague um
fuh some. Buh Bear say: “Buh Tiger, ef you eat any er dis yer bread,
you haffer rastle long me fuh sebbn year.” Buh Tiger, him answer: “Me
willin: me hongry; gimme de bread.” Den Buh Bear gen um some, an eh eat
um. Befo dem part Buh Tiger tell Buh Bear way him house yiz, and gree
fuh rastle long um de nex mornin. Buh Bear say: “Berry well: me guine
come ter you house by de time de sun git up, an you will haffer rastle
long me.”
Soon a mornin Buh Bear gone ter Buh Tiger house an knock ter de do. Buh
Tiger come out in er hurry, an dey graff hold er one anurrer. Buh Bear
fling Buh Tiger; an befo eh leh um git up, eh box um side er de head.
Nex day Buh Bear come gen same time, and Buh Tiger meet um, an dem
rastle, an Buh Bear fling um an hit um side er de head, same place way
eh bin knock um de day befo. Nex day same ting. Nex day same ting. Nex
day same ting. De six mornin, wen Buh Bear knock ter Buh Tiger do, Buh
Tiger yent come out. Eh sen eh wife fuh say eh bin berry sick. Buh Bear
say eh mus come out. Eh wife tell um; an arter Buh Tiger fine out Buh
Bear yent guine leff, eh come out. Eh head swell way Buh Bear bin a box
um. Buh Tiger look bad. Buh Bear hole um gen an eh trow um berry easy,
an den eh box um gen in de same ole place sider eh head, way eh bin a
knock um befo, an wuh swell. Eh hot Buh Tiger so bad eh holler. De nex
mornin, wen Buh Bear come, Buh Tiger bin in eh bed. Eh head tie up,
an eh wife bin a nuss um. Eh couldnt rastle long Buh Bear no mo. Buh
Bear, him shame um, an mek um leff eh house. Den Buh Bear mobe in an
mek ehself satify.
Buh Bear fine out dat de bread wuh eh farruh bin gen um, an wuh eh
hardly bin want fuh tote long um, done um a heap er good, an git um er
nice house fuh lib een.
“Wenebber,” added old Daddy Smart, “you farruh gie you anyting, tek um,
an tenky. You suttenly will fine out dat wuh eh gie you will do you no
harm, but eh will fetch good luck ter you.”
XVIII.
BUH MONKEY AN DE BULL-DOG.
Ebry body cept Buh Monkey bin full er trouble. On ebry side you yeddy
nuttne cept bout trouble. Trouble yuh, trouble day, trouble ebry way.
Buh Monkey tell eh wife eh wonder wuh dis ting duh wuh ebry body bin a
talk bout, an wuh dem all duh call trouble. Him say him cant tell. Den
Buh Monkey mek up eh mine fuh go teh de Debble, an fine out from um. Eh
gone. Eh ketch de Debble duh eat eh brukwus; an eh ax um huccum ebry
body hab trouble cept him. An eh leh de Debble know say him wan fine
out wuh dis ting duh wuh bin a bodder ebry body, an wuh ebry body call
trouble. De Debble tell um fuh go een de kitchin an wait topper um, an
wen eh done eh brukwus him will come out an mek um sensible bout dis
ting wuh call trouble. Buh Monkey gone ter de kitchin, an tek one chair
an mek ehself saterfy. Eh jaw duh run water, fuh eh tink ter ehself de
Debble guine gem some nice brukwus. Eh wait day sich a lenk er time,
an no brukwus come. Den de Debble come outer de big house duh fetch er
bag een eh han. De bag done tie up. Eh gen de bag ter Buh Monkey, an
eh tell um: “Trouble day een dis yer bag. You cahr um tel you git een
de middle er de ole fiel, an den you open um, an you guine fine out wuh
call trouble.” Big fiel bin all roun an roun de house. Not a tree nur
a stump bin in dat fiel. Buh Monkey tek de bag. Eh hebby. Eh state fuh
home duh tote um. Eh tired befo eh retch de middle er de fiel. Wen eh
ketch de middle er de fiel, eh top, an eh onloose de bag. Bless God!
out jump one Bull-Dog, an eh tek right arter Buh Monkey. Eh run. Eh
run. Eh holler. Eh holler. De Dog day right arter um duh try fuh bite
um. Wen Buh Monkey git ter de wood, eh state fuh clime de fus tree eh
come teh. De Dog so close behine um eh snap at um an bite off eh tail.
Buh Monkey leff eh tail een de dog mouf, an gone up de tree. Eh fine
one crotch, an eh seddown duh pant an der cry. Eh skade so tell eh
scacely kin keep eh seat. Eh tail duh bleed. De Dog sed down onder de
tree, an watch um, an wait fur um fuh come down. Buh Monkey faid fuh
come down. Ebry time dat Buh Monkey mek motion fuh come down, de Dog
show eh teet an growl. Night come, and Buh Monkey, him day up de tree.
Eh fine out fuh true wuh call trouble. Eh dat tired, an sore, an skade,
eh dunno wuh fuh do. Bout middle der night de Dog hongry, an gone home
fuh eat eh bittle. Buh Monkey slip down de tree an mek track fuh him
house. Wen eh meet eh wife an chillun, an show um eh tail wuh bite off,
an tell um wuh eh bin tru, dem all mek er great miration, an dem all
conclude dem know nuff bout trouble, an yent want see um no mo. Bad
plan fuh people fuh hunt trouble wen trouble yent der hunt dem.
XIX.
BUH ELEPHANT AN BUH ROOSTER.
Buh Elephant, him bin know Buh Rooster berry well. Dem blan roam
togerrur, an Buh Rooster blan wake Buh Elephant duh mornin, so eh kin
hunt eh bittle befo de jew dry.
Dem bin a talk togerrur one day, an Buh Elephant, him bet Buh Rooster
say him kin eat longer ner him. Buh Rooster, him tek de bet, an dem tun
in nex mornin, wen de sun jis bin a git up, fuh see who guine win de
bet. Buh Elephant, him gedder leaf an grass, an eat an eat tel eh full
an cant eat no mo. Buh Rooster, him sarche de grass fuh seed an wurrum,
an eh pick an eat. Wen Buh Elephant done full, an der tan onder de tree
duh flop eh yez, eh see Buh Rooster, dist es spry, duh walk bout an der
swaller seed an grasshopper an wurrum same luk eh dis biggin fuh eat.
Buh Elephant gib up. Eh fine eh yent de man wid de bigges belly wuh kin
eat de longes.
XX.
DE PO MAN AN DE SNAKE.
One po Man bin er mek eh libbin long split shingle an cut timber in
de swamp. Him hab wife, but no chillun. Ebry day, from sunrise tel
sundown, eh day in de swamp der cut. Try eh bes, eh scacely kin mek
bread fuh eat.
One berry big Snake--de farruh er all dem tarruh snake wuh lib in
de swamp--notus de po man. Eh see how hard eh wuk an how little eh
mek, and eh tek pity on um. One ebenin, dis befo de po man knock off
wuk, dis snake crawl up ter de log way de man bin er chop, an eh say:
“Budder, how you der mek out?” De man mek answer: “Me yent mek out wut.
Me der wuk in dis swamp from sunrise tel dark, day een an day out, an
try me bes, me scacely kin mek bittle nough fuh me an me wife fuh eat.”
Den de snake, him say: “Me sorry fuh you, an me willin fuh help you.”
De man tenk um, an ax um how eh guine help um. De snake say: “You got
any chillun?” De man say: “No.” De snake quire: “You hab wife?” De man
say: “Yes.” De snake say: “Kin you keep secret from you wife?” De man
mek answer say eh kin. Buh Snake tell um eh faid fuh truss um; but wen
de man bague de snake berry hard fuh try um, de snake gree fuh do so.
Den de snake tell um eh guine gen um some money nex day, but eh mussne
tell eh wife way eh git de money. De man mek strong prommus, and so dem
part.
De nex day, jis befo de po man done task, de snake crawl up. Eh belly
an eh mouf puff out. Eh spit two quart er silber money on de groun dist
in front er de po man, an eh say: “You member wuh me bin tell you las
ebenin? Well, yuh some money me fotch fuh help you. Tek um, but member
ef you tell you wife way you git um, er who gen um ter you, eh yent
guine do you no good, an you guine dead a po man.” De man so glad fuh
git de money eh say: “Tenky, tenky, tenky, me budder; me neber guine
tell nobody way me git all dis money.” Arter eh leff de swamp fuh gone
home, de snake spicion say eh bin guine go back on eh prommus an tell
eh wife: so eh mek up eh mine fuh foller um an see wuh happne.
Eh bin dark wen eh retch de man house. Eh crawl up, an eh leddown dist
onder de winder, way him kin yeddy all de wud wuh talk in de house. De
man wife bin a tun roun an der cook supper. Arter him an eh husbun done
eat, eh husbun say: “Me bin hab big luck ter-day: looker dis money.”
Den eh pull out de silber and spread um on de table. Eh wife stonish.
Eh wife glad, an eh say: “Tell me way you bin git all dis money.” De
man say: “Fren gen um ter me.” Eh wife say: “Wuh fren?” De man say him
prommus no fuh tell. De wife say but eh mus tell um, an eh bague so
hard tel de man done furgit eh prommus, an eh up an mek um sensible how
de ting all happne. Den eh wife say: “Dat snake must hab eh belly full
er silber money, an me tell you wuh you do ter-morruh. Wen de snake
come fuh talk long you, you pick you chance an chop eh head off long
you ax, an tek all de money outer um.” Eh husbun gree fur do dist is
him say.
Buh Snake, him yeddy ebry wud dem talk, an eh gone to him house in de
swamp berry bex case de man wuh eh bin befren shouldder gone back on eh
prommus and mek bad bargain fuh kill um.
De nex day de man watch fuh de snake. Wen de sun duh lean fuh down, an
de man bin a try fuh split one big log, Buh Snake crawl up long sider
de log an show ehself ter de man. Dem talk togerrur; an de snake ax
de man: “You bin show you wife de money wuh me bin gen you?” De man
answer: “Yes, me yiz.” An den eh ax um: “You bin tell you wife way you
bin git um?” De man say: “No.” De snake ax um gen: “You sho you no bin
tell um you git um long me?” De man say: “Me tell you one time ready.
Wuh mek you ax me dat questun gen? You tink me duh lie?” Wid dat, eh
mek eh lick fuh chop de snake head off. De snake bin hab eh yeye on um,
an eh draw back gin de log. De ax miss de snake, an glance back off de
log an cut de man own leg off. De po man holler fuh somebody fuh come
fuh help um. Eh day way in de swamp out er yearin, an noboddy yeddy.
Wen eh duh bleed ter det, an dis befo eh dead, Buh Snake, him say ter
um: “Enty me bin tell you, wen me gen you dat silber money, ef you tell
you wife way you git um you guine dead one po man? You prommus me you
guine keep de secret. Steader dat, you gone home ter you wife, an you
show um de money, an you tell um way you git um. Mo na dat: you an him
fix plan fuh kill me wuh bin you fren, an rob me outer wuh money me
hab leff. Now you see de jedgment wuh come topper you. In try fuh chop
me head off, you cut you own foot off. You gwine dead in dis yer wood.
No man ner ooman gwine fine you. Buzzud gwine eat you.”
Eh happne dis is de snake say. De man broke eh wud, an eh dead a po man.
Anybody wuh gwine back on eh prommus, an try fuh harm de pusson wuh
done um a faber, sho ter meet up wid big trouble.
XXI.
LEELY GAL, BUH ALLIGATUR, AN DE JAY-BUD.
A leely Gal bin a gwine home. Eh come ter de ribber bank, an no boat
day fuh him fuh git cross. Eh dunno wuffer do. Eh seddown. Eh cry. Day
binner gwine. Alligatur yeddy um, an eh come day, an eh ax de leely
Gal wuh de matter. De leely Gal tell um. Den de Alligatur say: “Ef
you prommus no fuh tell who cahr you ober de ribber, me will pit you
cross.” De leely Gal prommus, an de Alligatur tek um on eh back and
ferry um ober all safe.
De nex day de Alligatur duh sun ehself on de ribber bank, an eh yeddy
er woice say: “Yaller-belly Alligatur ferry me ober. Yaller-belly
Alligatur ferry me ober.” Eh listne. Eh tink say de leely Gal bin a
talk, an dat eh bin broke eh prommus. Eh notus close, an wen eh yeddy
de woice gen eh see er Blue-Jay bin er talk um een de tree. Dat same
Blue-Jay bin day de ebenin befo, an bin er see an er yeddy all wuh
happne, but de leely Gal an de Alligatur nebber bin know.