One day once ’pon a time de King hab a party of ladies an’ genelmen.
An’ arter de party, de band was ter come an’ play. But de fiddler was
took sick, so dey could not dance. So de King said, “I am gwine ter
sen’ ober ter my frien’s an’ ask dem ter come an’ sing.” So he sen’,
an’ de genelman say he was very glad an’ his family was Dog, Peafowl,
and Tiger. So he sen’ Missis Duck fus, an’ dey said, “Can you sing? let
me har you voice.”
Dey put her in a rocking-chair ’pon de platform, an’ de Duck say,
“Hahh! hahh!” an’ den he say, “Dat will not do. Sen’ for Dog.” An’ dey
took her an’ put her in a coop, an’ all de ducks come round an’ ask to
have her let out, an’ say, “Hahh! hahh! hahh!”
Den dey sen’ for Dog an’ tole him dat if he fin’ a salt beef bone in de
road, he mus’ not pick it up, ’cos it mek him rough in his troat. So
Dog did not pick it up, but pass it; but arter, when he go, his voice
did not suit either. Dey tole Dog to sing, an’ he said, “How! how!
how!” An’ de King say, “Don’t wan’ a man ter ask me how—he will not
do.” Dey saw a Fowl coming. “Can you sing?” An’ de Fowl say “Ka! ka!
ka!” an’ dey said, “Dat will not do,” an’ dribe de Fowl ’way. De Cock
came in arter, an’ de Cock said, “Coquericou,” an’ dey said, “De King
don’ wan’ ter know when de daylight, sah!” De King came in an’ said,
“All dese people cannot sing; dey will not do.”
Dey sen’ Tiger, an’ dey said, “You must not pick up a big salt beef
bone in de road.” An’ de Tiger did pick it up, an’ Tiger could not
sing, an’ said, “Grum! grum! grum!”
“Dat voice is wuss dan all, dat voice will not do.”
Den dey sen’ off for Peafowl, but Peafowl would not go. Dey went back
ter dinner, all de people went back ter dinner, an’ when dey were at
dinner in a large house, de Peafowl came in an’ sing—