KONAH TURNS STORY-TELLER
The next time there was story-telling in Konah's presence, she
unwittingly became the chief actor. It came about in this wise. A pack
of children, tired of romping, had collected under the projecting roof
at the front of Konah's house. Sprawled around in all possible places,
and in all conceivable attitudes, they gave their imagination loose
reins, and seemed to be trying to outdo one another in the extravagance
of their fancies. It was the hour of deep twilight, and the air seemed
to palpitate with an invisible life. Mystery and magic seemed but
harmonies of the hour.
"Ah, hey!" said Konah excitedly, her eyes dancing and her face glowing
with animation, "I get one fine story."
"Pull um!" came in hearty chorus from all around. This is what she
told.
THE DEVIL'S MAGIC EGGS.
"Dis story 'bout two mate (two wives of one husband). De one he die,
he lef he pickin to he mate. Dis ooman no lek um, he hate um, he cruel
to um. De pickin get wattah, he beat ress (rice), he broke wood, he
do eberyt'ing, but w'en he done do all dis, de ooman bin flog um. He
yown pickin he no wuk, he no duh do not'ing. So dey do tay (till) de
two pickin sick wid yaws. Now de ooman sorry fo' he yown pickin, he no
scrub um good; de odder pickin he scrub good, he scrub um wid hatred,
but he make de yaws done quick. Now he tire fo' mine dis pickin, he
wan' make de debble yeat um.
"One day w'en de pickin go nah de kitchen, he mistake, he t'row 'way
(dropped) de ress-'tick nah groun'. So de ooman slap um, he curse,
curse um all. De pickin beg, he beg, he say: 'Oh, Mammy, no do me so.'
"De ooman answer: 'No call me mammy, me not to yo' mammy, yo' mammy
done die wid witch. I no bin sen' um fo' make he go witch, make he mus'
die.' _So_ dis wicked ooman duh curse de pickin. Den he tell um, say,
he mus' go was' dis 'tick nah de debble heen place, far place. Man mus'
take one day fo' reach deh (there) en come back, en leelee pickin no
able fo' walker quick lek man. So dis girl he get up, he start, he take
de ress-'tick fo' go was' um to dah place wey dah debble bin. W'en de
pickin walker 'pon de road, he meet den hoe handle wey bin tie up in
bundle; dey get sense fo' talk, dey know one odder. De pickin meet dem
handle, dey duh walker, dey ax um: 'Yo'! pickin, which way yo' duh go?'
"He tell um all, say: 'Now me mammy sen' me fo' was' dah ress-'tick.'
"W'en he go agin, he meet one man wey jus' get one grain (single) yi.
He ax um, he say: 'Tittie (sissy), which way yo' duh go?'
"De pickin say: 'Me mammy sen' me fo' was' dis ress-'tick.'
"De man show um which way fo' pass. He go tay (till) he reach to de
big debble him place. De debble he get so many yi. He get broad head,
middle he get bald head. So de debble call um, he say: 'Tittie heah,
come feel me louse.'[59]
[59] A common sight among the natives is a little child busily engaged
in picking the lice from the woolly head of some older person.
Sometimes the child's place is taken by the pet monkey. If the monkey
fails to find the object of his search, he loses his temper, and
expresses his feelings in strong language, and in boxing the person's
head.
[Illustration: The Devil's Magic Eggs.
[_See p. 265._]
]
"So de pickin come feel, feel de debble heen louse. De debble get so
many yi dat ef de pickin do anyt'ing at all fo' play trick, he kin see,
but de pickin no do anyt'ing bad; so de debble take de ress-'tick, he
was' um clean, he wrap um wid one silk hankercher, he gie um. Now he
tell um say:
"'Go back nah co'ner, take four egg.'
"He duh try dis girl fo' see if he hones'. Plenty big egg bin deh, but
de pickin jus' take four; now small, small one he take, he no take de
big one. So de debble tell um say:
"'W'en yo' go leelee far yo' mus' bus' one egg, w'en yo' go agin yo'
bus' de odder, tay (till) yo' bus' de t'ree, but de las' one yo' bus'
um de place wey yo' wan' buil' ho'se.'
"So w'en dis girl go leelee far, he bus' one egg. Now plenty servant
en hammock come out fo' kare um go, en plenty box full of clot' en any
kind of bead.
"W'en he go agin he bus' de odder one, wey make two; he see officer en
sodjer all come out fo' guard um. W'en he go agin he bus' de one wey
make t'ree, en behole gold, silver en diamond, en all dem good, good
stone, en servant fo' tote (carry) dem. Now de las' egg lef'. W'en he
go to one part town wey he wan' fo' buil' ho'se, he bus' de las' egg.
Plenty big ho'se come out; fine buildin' en big wall 'roun' dem, en
goat, en cow. He go inside, he en he sodjer en he servant all. Dem drum
en different, different music all duh play fo' um now."
Of course the interest was intense, while these marvels were being
related. Little outbursts of wonder and delight greeted each new
revelation, but when, to crown all, there was music of all kinds
the children could restrain themselves no longer, but leaped up and
performed an impromptu dance.
This, however, was over in an incredibly short time, and the story was
allowed to proceed.
"De debble done tell dis girl one t'ing fo' do, fo' make heen mudder
come out of de grabe (grave) back. He bin say: 'Bimeby w'en yo' go,
yo' mus' pick ress plenty. W'en yo' done beat um yo' soak um, take de
mottah en de mottah-pencil to yo' mammy heen grabe, make yo' beat de
ress 'pon top de grabe. Wen yo' duh beat so, yo' mus' sing.'
"De pickin do all t'ing lek de debble bin tell um. W'en he duh beat, he
duh sing."
At the first mention of "he duh sing", all hands came into position
to beat time, and as soon as Konah set the measure, all joined in the
rhythmical hand-clapping,
"Mammy, turn to de wuld back.
Anyt'ing weh I do, w'en I do um,
De mammy nebber tankee me.
He bin jus' flog me, flog me.
Aftah he flog me done, he say,
Make I mus' tell um tankee.
Mammy, come back, come back,
I duh trouble too much.
Me mammy come back,
I done tire of dis mammy."
They easily found a musical note in these lines, however impossible it
may appear to any but an African ear. It was a peculiar, quavering,
minor strain, full of pathetic pleading.
When the song was ended, the story took its regular course.
"De girl beat, he sing, tay (till) de grabe begin crack, begin open. He
sing steady. De grabe 'plit mo', en de mudder head come out. De girl
cry, he say: 'Mammy, come back nah wuld.'
"He wan' go grip he mammy, make he draw um come out nah de hole, but de
debble bin tell um, say: 'Ef yo' see yo' mammy come out, no draw um; ef
yo' draw, he cut middle, en he no come out agin!'
"So de girl no go, he gie de mammy tem, he jus' duh beat, he duh sing
'Mammy, turn to de wuld back.'
"Now de grabe 'plit mo', en de mammy done pull all heen han'. De pickin
wan' agin fo' go take heen mammy han', but he no do um, he 'member how
de debble bin say: 'Girl, girl, gie yo' mammy tem, he go come nah wuld
back agin.' He sing steady:
'Mammy, mammy, sorry fo' me,
I duh trouble.
Come back nah wuld,
Come back.'
"By dis tem de mammy done pull all heen skin, he foot lef'. Now he pull
he foot, one foot; de one lef'. De pickin beat, he beat, he beat. Now
de mammy all come out. De girl go hole he mudder, take um go inside de
ho'se dey get, but befo' he do dis, he bin take dis ress-'tick, he sen'
um to he step-mudder, wey bin make um go to de debble place fo' was' de
'tick.
"Well, de step-mudder, w'en he see all de money, en all de fine style,
en all de plenty, plenty t'ing wey dis he mate (her associate wife's)
pickin get, he do careless, he t'row 'way dis 'tick-'poon 'pon de
groun', he tell he yown pickin, he say: 'Make yo' mus' go was' um.'
"But he yown pickin he no train up, he no 'fraid anyt'ing, he no
respec' anyt'ing wey he see. So w'en he duh go nah road, he meet de
hoe-handle 'tan' up nah road, dey say: 'Tittie (sister), how do?'
"De girl duh vex, he say: 'Make I pass. I nebber see t'ing lek dat,
nebber see hoe-handle wey (which) duh talk.'
"Dem 'tick heah bin de debble, wey turn hese'f to different t'ing.
"De pickin go tay (till) he meet de one man wid one yi'. De man say:
'Tittie, how do?'
"De girl vex, he say: 'I nebber see pusson get one yi' middle heen
head.' He say: 'Make I pass, I duh go was' me mammy he ress-'tick; no
tell me how do.'
"De pickin duh talk bad all to dis man. He go tay he meet de daddy
hese'f, se'f, se'f, wey get de wattah side. So de debble call um fo'
try um, he say: 'Tittie, come feel me louse.'
"De pickin no know say de debble get plenty yi', so w'en he duh feel
dis debble he louse, he see de bald head, he make as ef he wan' fo'
conk (strike) um."
Konah gave this little scene with realistic mimicry, and naturally
provoked a shout of laughter. As soon as it seemed safe, Konah added:
'He no mean do um, he jus' make trick.'
"De debble he see um, he say: 'All ret', but he no talk. He was' de
'tick-'poon, he no wrap um. W'en he see dis girl nar bad girl, he duh
try um agin, he say: 'Now yo' take four egg.'
"So w'en de pickin go to de co'ner, he see dem big, big, big egg, he
take um. He get big yi. De debble tell um, say: 'Wen yo' go far leelee
bit, yo' mus' bus' de one; w'en yo' go far agin, yo' mus' bus' odder
one; w'en yo' go agin, yo' bus' odder; w'en yo' reach to yo' mudder
heen ho'se, de las' one yo' bus'.'
"So w'en he go leelee far f'om de debble, he bus' one. Now de honey
(bees) come out, dey sting um, dey sting um, dey sting um. W'en dey
tire dey lef um. He go agin, he bus' de one wey make two. Dem snake dey
come wrap um all nah (on) he foot, nah he han', nah he neck, nah he
wais' all; he no know how fo' do agin. W'en dey done hole um long tem,
now dey lef um. W'en he go leelee bit mo', he bus' odder one. So so big
man come out, dey get big whip, dey flog um, dey flog um, dey flog um
tay dey tire; so dey go. He mammy duh look nah road, he anxious. W'en
he pickin come, he see he face all swell. W'en he reach to he mammy
heen ho'se, he bus' de las' egg. Now fiah get out, burn de ho'se, burn
he mammy en hese'f."
This part of the story was quite as effective as that had been where
the other child broke the magic eggs, but the interest, though equally
intense, was of a different nature. Never had story heartier reception,
or better rendering. Simple young hearts, naturally emotional and
responsive, were enchanted by the fairy-tale; and Konah, all a-tremble
with excitement, threw all the ardor of her fresh young soul into the
telling.
After the exclamations had quieted sufficiently, she added
impressively, and with serious gravity:
"Now dis story learn we fo' no do bad to pickin wey no get mammy or
daddy."
Other children were anxious to share in the story-telling; and a little
girl, seizing the first favorable opportunity, repeated an impossible
tale which she had once heard.
TOOTHACHE ENTAILED.
"Now one boy bin go nah bush fo' cut stick. Well, one ooman bin nah
wuld wey get long teet'. Dem people wey (who) duh story, dey say de
teet' come out f'om heah, dey reach to Freetown. Well, me wey (who) no
duh story, I say dey reach to de end of dis Africa.
"Well, de boy go meet dese teet' heah, he say: 'Dis nar long 'tick.' He
begin fo' cut um. De ooman duh holler. De boy hase (raise) he cutlass
up, he knock dis 'tick agin--b-o-o-m-katay! De ooman duh holler: 'Me
teet' oh, dat nar me teet'!'
[Illustration: Toothache.
[_See p. 276._]
]
"De boy no duh hearee; he cut, he cut. De ooman still duh holler: 'Now
me teet', oh! now me teet'!'
"De boy duh cut, he no hearee, he jus' duh cut, en de ooman duh cry.
Now he reach close de ooman, en he hearee wey de ooman duh cry: 'Now me
teet', oh! now me teet!'
"Now hese'f talk to de ooman, he say: 'Mammy, make I cut um done, he
too long.'
"De ooman say: 'But I no go bear, yo' go hurt me too much.'
"De boy say, 'Well, me no duh hearee agin, I duh cut um, I duh finis'
um.'
"He cut um tay (till) he reach close de ooman, now; de ooman jus' kin
reach de boy, he han' kin grip um. Well, de boy say: 'All ret, I duh
lef now. But he no lef, he jus' duh wait leelee bit tay de ooman done
forget how he suffer. He go agin, he cut de teet' tay he cut um short
inside de mout'. Teet' no bin in de wuld. Nar dat ooman bring teet' nah
wuld, en de boy bin cut um, scatter um, he gie all man teet'. Story
done."
The story-teller this time was not gifted, and so the story failed to
make much of an impression. In the lull that followed, Konah asked:
"Yo' know wey t'ing make Spider him middle leelee so?"
They did not know, but were ready to be informed, and Konah was just as
ready to tell them. She had heard the explanation from Sobah, only a
few days before; so, with the consciousness of having something new to
impart, she related this very plausible occurrence.
WHY MR. SPIDER'S WAIST IS SMALL.
"One tem one king make big dinnah in all him town, en tell all dem beef
fo' come yeat. Wen Spider hearee all dis, he greedy too much, he wan'
yeat in all dem town yeah, but he no know nah which town dey go cook
fus'. So he call all heen pickin, en tell dem 'bout de big dinnah.
Dey all glad fo' hearee. Den he take plenty rope, en go wid all heen
pickin sotay (till) he reach to de middle of de road; de place wey all
dem cross-road meet, wey go to all dem town. He 'tan' up deh. He tie
all den rope nah heen middle, en he gie all de end to heen pickin, en
tell dem fo' go to all dem town fo' watch. He say de place wey dey cook
fus', de pickin mus' draw de rope, so he kin come yeat. But de people
done cook nah all dem town de same tem. So w'en dey begin fo' cook,
dem pickin begin fo' pull de rope 'tronger de same tem; dey draw all
togedder, en so dey draw long tem. Now because all de pickin get 'trenk
equal, Spider no go _any_ town, he jus' 'tan' up wey de rope meet nah
de middle. He no get not'ing fo' yeat dis whole day. De pickin duh
draw Spider sotay he middle small, en now dat bin make Spider wais'
leelee tay (till) to-day."
[Illustration: Why Mr. Spider's waist is small.
[_See p. 279._]
]
Just as the story ended, a shrill voice called from another hut, and
several "pickins" scudded away to perform the required service. The
spell of enchantment was broken by the rude interruption, and could not
be conjured back that evening. Not till dreams came, did Konah find
herself again in fairy-land.