Mammy did not tell this story very often; it was held in reserve as
an especial reward. Whether it was of African origin, and by one of
those strange coincidences bore a resemblance to the classic, or was a
garbled negro version of it, is lost in conjecture; but certain it is,
that almost within ear-shot of a doting but unknowing mother, many a
childish ambition has been fired “ter rise wid Satan.”
And this is the way Mammy told it to the little night-gowned cherubs
whom she wanted to get to sleep:
“Shadrach were de very ol’es’ nigger on de place; he ’lowed he were er
hundud an’ fifty, an’ I reckon he were, ’case he back were doubled up
twel he wa’n’t no tallerer ’n Charlie dar; he face were es black an’ es
wrinkledy es er warnut, he hair were es white es cotton, an’ de long
white beard kim ’mos’ ter he knees, dat tu’n in kinder bow-legged when
he walk.
“He so ole he hain’t fitten ter work none, but he hab er little
couterin’ roun’ ter do ever’day, lack feedin’ de tuckies, shuckin’
corn, er makin’ nets, er sumpen, ’case he ’Ole Miss’ ’low dat Satan sho
gwine fin’ some debilment fur idle han’s ter do, an’ she plum right.
“Shadrach hab plenty er clo’es, plenty ter eat, plenty er ’baccy ter
chaw an’ ter smoke, an’ er good warm cabin; but he ain’ happy yit,
’case hit ’pear lack de debil gib us sumpen ter hone fur, no matter
what we got. Shadrach des wanter know ever’thing dat happin; but he des
es deef es er pos’, an’ dey hain’t nobody wanter tell him no secrets,
’case if yo’ gotter holler hit all ober de place, hit no secret ertall;
so he go erbout putty nigh all de time wid one han’ up ter he year. I
reckon hit were mighty painful ter ’im, but ever’body oughter min’ dey
own business, specuil if dey cain’t hear good.
“But hit go mighty hard wid Shadrach, ’case he git deefer an’ deefer,
an’ cuissomer an’ cuissomer; an’ when he do hear ’em he git ’em so
cross-eyed ’mos’ all de time, ’case he hear so bad, dat he git inter
er heap er trouble, fur dey ’low dat Shadrach were er power ter talk.
[Illustration: “UNDER THE TREES IN THE WOOD-LOT”]
“Hit er mighty bad thing fur ter git inter de fix dat Shadrach done in,
’case hit lack gittin’ bofe foots inter tar—while you’s er-pullin’ one
foot out, de odder gwine sho sink furder in; dey hain’t nuffin but er
good strong pull on de outside dat gwine git yo’ shet uv hit.
“Now yo’ knows, honey, dat dar’s some times er de year dat de debil
plum loose—done free ter go anywhar er ter do anything, an’ he all de
time er-layin’ fur des sech er sof’, mizerbul creetur es Shadrach were.
“Shadrach meet him ’way off unner de trees in de woods-lot, an’ were
powerful glad ter see him when he kim; an’ he git outen he skin, an’
len’ he body ter de debil ter go erbout in, two er free times, ’case
er lot er de niggers seed Shadrach in some mighty quare places fur er
Christiun an’ er shouter. But dat wa’n’t pleasurin’ Shadrach ’bout
hearin’ things, fur de debil cain’t gib er man er pa’r er new years,
an’ he cain’t eben hope him, lessen he gib up he soul. Hit pester
Shadrach mightily, ’case he know he cain’t sarve two marsters, an’ he
mighty feared er de fire down dar; but bimeby, ’fore de debil go back,
he git so cuis ’bout hearin’ an’ knowin’ things dat he done furgit all
he larnin’ an’ he ’ligion, an’ he bargains wid de debil fur he soul.
Better folks an’ whiter folks ’n Shadrach done gone an’ done hit, an’
er-doin’ uv hit yit, ’case de debil he kim ter folks in de ways dey
wants him in dey min’s, but hit hain’t gwine ter pay in de long run;
hit gwine ter peter out mighty painful.
“Well, ole Shadrach he done sell he soul ter de debil fur good, an’
he mighty lively an’ peart erbout hit, an’ dance all unbeknownst—ole
mizerbul Shadrach dance, an’ he er-lookin’ lack he do!—but hit de
debil’s dance, an’ dar hain’t nobody know nuffin ’bout hit but er
hoodoo. Er good hoodoo all de time on de lookout fur de debil, an’ hit
’pear lack de hoodoo hear de debil gib he promus ter Shadrach, if he
sell him he soul, dat he take him wid him ever’ night, when he fly ober
de roofs an’ look down de chimblies, an’ he gwine see ever’thing an’
hear ever’thing—an’ ole Shadrach des couldn’t keep still fur de joy er
thinkin’ ’bout hit.
[Illustration: “HE DES FOLLER UV ’EM EVER’ NIGHT”]
“Sho ’nough, de debil were es good es he word, an’ de hoodoo fin’ de
body er Shadrach in he bed, layin’ lack he sleepin’; but he were des
es cole es def, fur dar wa’n’t no bref in de body, ’case de debil
done taken de sperit out, an’ de hoodoo, while he lookin’, hear two
screech-owls holler an’ laugh, den flop an’ fly erway. Dey taken de
owls’ skins, ’case owls got de bigges’ eyes an’ de bigges’ years er
anything dat b’long ter de debil, an’ kin see in de dark. De jackass
got de longes’ years uv all uv ’em, but de debil hain’t got no holt on
him sence de Lord let him talk ter de man dat try ter make him tromp on
er angil, an’ I reckon dat why de Lord rid on one uv ’em inter de New
Jerusalem.
“Well, de hoodoo he see how things were er-gwine when he hear dem owls,
an’ he hain’t got no call but ter foller uv ’em, ’case if he let de
debil go one single blessed time, he lose dat much uv he power fur
good, so he riz an’ foller.
“At fust, de debil des take Shadrach ober niggerdom in de quarters, an’
oh! how dat littles’ squinchup owl holler an’ laugh when he hear Pomp
an’ Dinah des er-quoilin’ an’ er-quoilin’ in de cabin, an’ dey bofe
so mighty sanctified an’ shout so loud on er Sunday; an’ when he see
Lush—dat he Ole Marse trus’ lack he white—des er-stealin’ sugar fum de
pantry, an’ ole Cindy, ernudder sanctified sister, kerhootin’ roun’ in
de smoke-house widout er light, er-huntin’ fur er ham, he laugh so
loud dat de odder owl hatter shake ’im.
“Hit were er lot er fun ter ole Shadrach, an’ he git so full er dem
things dat he ’mos’ fittin ter bus’ wid hit, ’case he cain’t tell
nobody what he see an’ hear, fur he feared er de debil. He hear all de
secrets er de creepin’ things, an’ larn whar de snakes an’ things hides
in de daytime, an’ es dey riz in de air, de secrets er de things dat
flies in de dark.
“He seed folks er-dancin’ an’ er-mournin’, er-laughin’ an’ er-cryin’,
er-cotin’ an’ er-gamblin’, er-stealin’ an’ er-lyin’, er-sleepin’
de hones’ sleep er de Christiun, an’ er-groanin’ on dey beds er
suff’rin’—de people dat he see an’ know ever’ day—lack dar wa’n’t no
tops ter de houses, ner walls ter ’em nuther. He hear de debil temp’ de
weak, an’ dey fall, an’ de strong, an’ dey hain’t gib in, an’ de debil
kim roun’ ter ’em ergin de nex’ night; an’ all day long ole Shadrach
des er-laughin’ an’ er-chucklin’ an’ er-waitin’ fur night ter come.
“Hit go on dat way fur er long time, but de hoodoo don’ say nuffin; he
des foller uv ’em ever’ night, an’ he putty nigh plum wore out; but he
know dat de debil hain’t got much longer ter tarry, so he bide he time,
fur he gwine fur ter try ter git back ole Shadrach’s soul, ’case er
burnin’, wand’rin’, los’ soul is er mighty hard thing ter steddy on,
an’ de hoodoo were er ’zorter, too.
[Illustration: “HE HEAR MISSAR JONES’S SAMBO FIVE MILE ERWAY”]
“At de fust, Shadrach were mighty happy an’ mighty ’umble ter de debil,
’case he hear more ’n anybody dat got two good years kin hear, an’
see ten times es much. But arter while he git manish, an’ sot in ter
grumblin’, an’ talk back ter de debil some. He done tired er des seein’
niggers; he wanter see what de white folks er-doin’.
“De debil he tell him he better take keer, dat hit hain’t gwine ter be
good fur hese’f fur him ter see an’ hear dat, an’ ’fuse ter rise dat
high wid him; but Shadrach keep er-teasin’ an’ er-teasin’, twel one
dark night de debil he borry two pa’r er buzzards’ wings so’s ter fly
high (dat all he kin git, ’case de eagle hain’t gwine len’ his’n), an’
dey riz ober de top er de talles’ house.
“Hain’t no tellin’ what Shadrach see dat night, an’ arter dat, dar
wa’n’t no doin’ nuffin wid him—he des er-gallopin’ ter ’struction es
fas’ es he kin trabble.
“Es ole es Shadrach were, an’ es doubled up, de oberseer hatter lay de
whup on him two er free times, an’ hit make de Ole Marster feel mighty
bad; an’ all de time de debil des er-aggin’ uv hit on, an’ er-showin’
him down de white folks’ chimblies ever’ night, ’case Shadrach done git
too uppish ter wanter know nuffin ’bout niggers.
“But bimeby he retch de eend uv he rope, an’ he retch hit so powerful
suddent dat hit putty nigh fling him outen he senses.
“He git manisher an’ manisher wid de debil; he done furgit all erbout
de bargain, an’ who de debil were, an’ ’low he hain’t gotter borry no
wings ner nuffin ter rise wid, if de debil do. Dat he gwine rise wid
he own coat-tails—dat any hoodoo kin, an’ he gwine do hit. Po’ fool
Shadrach!—he done furgit he hain’t no hoodoo ner nuffin—nuffin but er
po’ ole sarvent er de debil, an’ hit all fru he power!
[Illustration: “SHADRACH HE RIZ WID HE OWN COAT-TAILS”]
“But de debil do he pleasurin’ an’ hain’t say nuffin; so dat night
when dey riz, de debil he borry de buzzard’s wings ergin fur hese’f;
but Shadrach he riz wid he own coat-tails, an’ de debil he do mighty
’umble, an’ make lack Shadrach doin’ all dis here by hese’f. De debil
gwine let him git mixed an’ tangled up lack er fly in er spider’s web,
an’ Shadrach he sho boun’ ter do hit; fur dat night he hear things
dat sot him putty nigh plum crazy, ’case he done hear too much at las’;
an’ de nex’ day de debil hatter leabe de quarters an’ go back inter
de bad place. He taken Shadrach’s soul wid him, an’ sumpen else dat
oughter b’long ter er good man, ’case Shadrach hain’t eben passable no
mo’.
“Arter de debil go ’way, Shadrach’s years taken ter growin’, an’
dey grows long an’ high an’ thin, an’ hit ’pear lack Shadrach hear
ever’thing at oncet, lack er big roarin’ er waters, so’s he cain’t make
out nuffin.
“He cry out, when nobody ain’ hearin’ nuffin, dat he hear Cindy ’way
down in de cotton-fiel’ er-talkin’ ter herself, an’ he cain’t make
out what she say. Den he hear Missar Jones’s Sambo, five mile erway,
er-yellin’ out sumpen, but he cain’t make hit out; an’ he sot in ter
cryin’ an’ er-moanin’ wid de pain an’ de noises dat ’mos’ bustin’ he
head opin.
“He Ole Marse say he plum crazy, ’case he so mighty ole; but he Ole
Miss ’low he need quinine; an’ dat quinine des de stuff dat de debil
want him ter hab, ’case hit kin work mo’ ’fusion in one hour ’n de
debil kin in er whole day, an’ hit hope de debil mightily, es he
couldn’ be on de groun’ fur ter make Shadrach mo’ painful hese’f.
“An’ Shadrach git ter be so painful wid de hearin’ uv ever’thing plum
mixed up, dat he taken ter w’arin’ big wads er cotton in he years fur
ter shet hit out er de years, dat keeps er-growin’ longer an’ longer,
narrerer an’ narrerer; but de cotton cain’t shet hit out, ’case half uv
hit kim fum de inside, an’ was de wakin’ up uv all dat de debil lef’
Shadrach dat b’long ter er good man.
“De hoodoo he see what were er-ailin’ Shadrach, an’ he mighty sorry fur
him; but he cain’t go ter Shadrach; Shadrach gotter kim ter him ter git
he soul back, an’ hit hatter be er mighty good hoodoo ter do hit den,
so de hoodoo he sot an’ wait.
“Bimeby Shadrach des couldn’ stan’ hit no longer, an’ he des kim
er-rinnin’ ter de hoodoo, all doubled up, wid de long white beard des
er-draggin’ on de groun’, an’ he fingers in he years—dem big years dat
des er-settin’ up on bofe sides he head.
“‘Pear lack Shadrach sho gwine plum crazy ’twixt de mizry an’ de
noises, an’ de hoodoo git ter work quick, fur ter pull de debil outen
Shadrach, so’s Shadrach mought git he soul back.
[Illustration: “IN DE SHAPE UV ER BIG JACK-RABBIT”]
“Shadrach lay on de flo’ er de cabin, des er-rollin’ an’ er-groanin’.
Dey done pour hot lard an’ er whole bottle er laud’num in he years
widout doin’ any good, an’ de hoodoo try ter fling de debil out in de
name er de jackass, de el’phunt, de owl—ever’thing dat he kin think uv
dat got big years; but de debil hain’t come outen him yit.
“Den de hoodoo taken him inter de woods an’ call de name uv er
long-yeared houn’ dat passin’ by, but hit hain’t dat.
“De hoodoo workin’ mighty hard, an’ he stop an’ steddy erwhile, an’ den
he lead Shadrach, wid de thorns des er-t’arin’ uv he beard an’ he knees
an’ he han’s, ober inter er thicket er blackberry-bushes, ter gib de
debil er good chance ter kim out, ’case he sho arter him.
“He make de passes wid he han’s, an’ say de charm, an’ wait erwhile. De
debil he see he chances done plum gone, an’ he hatter gib up de soul,
’case de hoodoo got him in er corner, an’ when he see dat, he des kim
er-lopin’ outen Shadrach inter de blackberry-bushes, in de shape uv er
big jack-rabbit wid great long years.
“Dey say dat ole Shadrach lib ter be er hundud an’ fifty year ol’er ’n
he were, stone-blin’ an’ ’mos’ stone-deef; but he go ’bout powerful
happy twel he die, an’ hain’t nebber git cuissome ’bout hearin’ things
no mo’, ’case he done heared ernough ter las’ him.”