Read Ebook: Jamaica Anansi stories by Beckwith Martha Warren Roberts Helen H Helen Heffron Contributor

Font size: 10 px 15 px 20 px 25 px 30 px 35 px

Background color: BlackWhiteGrayLight GrayDark GrayDim Gray

Text color: BlackWhiteGrayLight GrayDark GrayDim Gray

Apply/Save settings

Ebook has 2669 lines and 132334 words, and 54 pages

PAGE Contents v Preface xi

ANIMAL STORIES.

OLD STORIES, CHIEFLY OF SORCERY.

MODERN EUROPEAN STORIES.

SONG AND DANCE.

Witticisms 179 Riddles 183 Index to Riddles 219 Abbreviations of Titles 223 Notes to the Tales 233 Index to Informants 291

PREFACE

The stories in this collection were taken down from the lips of over sixty negro story-tellers in the remote country districts of Jamaica during two visits to the island, one of six weeks in the summer of 1919, the other of five weeks in the winter of 1921. The music was all recorded during the second visit by Miss Helen Roberts, either directly from the story-teller or from a phonographic record which I had made. In this way the original style of the story-telling, which in some instances mingles story, song and dance, is as nearly as possible preserved, although much is necessarily lost in the slow process of dictation. The lively and dramatic action, the change in voice, even the rapid and elliptical vernacular, can not appear on the printed page. But the stories are set down without polish or adornment, as nearly as possible as they were told to me, and hence represent, so far as they go, a true folk art.

Although some story-tellers claimed to know "more than a hundred" stories, no one narrator gave me more than thirty, and usually not more than four or five at one interview.

To all such story-telling, as to riddling and song, the name of "Anansi story" is applied,--an appellation at least as old as 1816, when Monk Lewis in his journal describes the classes of "Nancy stories" popular in his day among the negroes as the tragical witch story and the farcical "neger-trick." The "neger-trick" harks back to slave times and is rarely heard to-day; tales of sorcery, too, are heard best from the lips of older narrators. Modern European fairy tales and animal stories have taken their place. Two influences have dominated story-telling in Jamaica, the first an absorbing interest in the magical effect of song which, at least in the old witch tales, far surpasses that in the action of the story; the second, the conception of the spider Anansi as the trickster hero among a group of animal figures. Anansi is the culture hero of the Gold Coast,--a kind of god--, just as Turtle is of the Slave coast and Hare of the Bantu people. "Anansi stories" regularly form the entertainment during wake-nights, and it is difficult not to believe that the vividness with which these animal actors take part in the story springs from the idea that they really represent the dead in the underworld whose spirits have the power, according to the native belief, of taking animal form. The head-man on a Westmoreland cattle-pen even assured me that Anansi, once a man, was now leader of the dead in this land of shades. However this may be, the development of Jamaican obeah or witchcraft has been along the same two lines of interest. Magic songs are used in communicating with the dead, and the obeah-man who sets a ghost upon an enemy often sends it in the form of some animal; hence there are animals which must be carefully handled lest they be something other than they appear.

Riddling is a favorite pastime of the Jamaica negro. Much is preserved from old African originals in the personification of common objects of yard and road-side, much is borrowed also from old English folk riddling. That this spread has been along the line of a common language is proved by the fact that only a dozen parallels occur in Mason's Spanish collection from Porto Rico, at least ten of which are quoted by Espinosa from New Mexico, while of collections from English-speaking neighbors, fourteen out of fifty-five riddles collected in South Carolina and nine out of twenty-one from Andros Island are found also in Jamaica. Particular patterns are set for Jamaica riddling into which the phrasing falls with a rhythmical swing careless of rhyme,--"My father has in his yard" and "Going up to town." The giving of a riddle is regularly preceded by a formula drawn from old English sources--

Riddle me this, riddle me that, Perhaps you can guess this riddle And perhaps not!

generally abbreviated into

Riddle me riddle, Guess me this riddle, And perhaps not.

The art is practised as a social amusement, groups forming in which each person in the circle must propound riddles until his supply is exhausted or his riddle unguessed.

My own work as a collector in this engrossing field of Jamaican folk-lore owes much to those collectors who have preceded me and who have enjoyed a longer and more intimate acquaintance than has been possible for me with the people and their idiom;--to Monk Lewis, a true folk-lorist, whose "Journal" of 1816 is of the greatest interest to-day, to Mr. Walter Jekyll and his excellent volume of songs and stories in the Folk-lore Publications of 1907, and to the writers of nursery tales, Mrs. Milne-Home, Pamela Smith, and Mrs. W. E. Wilson . I take this opportunity also to acknowledge most gratefully the many courtesies for which I am indebted during my visits to the island. I particularly wish to thank Professor Frank Cundall for his advice and cooperation, and for the use of the invaluable West India library connected with the Jamaica Institute in Kingston where I was able to consult books not easily to be found in library collections. To the Hon. and Mrs. Coke-Kerr, to Mrs. Harry Farquharson and to the Rev. and Mrs. Ashton I am gratefully indebted for many courtesies in the task of finding reliable native informants. To these informants themselves,--to Simeon Falconer, William Forbes, George Parkes, and a score of others I owe thanks for their ready response to my interest. In America also I wish to thank Mrs. Elsie Clews Parsons for suggestions as to method and for the use of her valuable bibliography and Mrs. Louise Dennis Hand for help with Spanish collections, and to express my grateful obligations to Professor Franz Boas for his patient editing and valuable bibliographical suggestions.

The Folk-lore Foundation Vassar College Martha Warren Beckwith April, 1924.

ANIMAL STORIES.

a. The Fish-basket.

George Parkes, Mandeville.

One great hungry time. Anansi couldn't get anyt'ing to eat, so he take up his hand-basket an' a big pot an' went down to the sea-side to catch fish. When he reach there, he make up a large fire and put the pot on the fire, an' say, "Come, big fish!" He catch some big fish put them aside. He said, "Big fish go, make little fish come!" He then catch the little fish. He say, "Little fish go, make big fish come!" an' say, "Big fish go, make little fish come!" He then catch the pot full an' his hand-basket. He bile the pot full and sit down and eat it off; he then started home back with the pot on his head and the basket. Reaching a little way, he hide the pot away in the bush an take the basket along with him now.

While going along, he meet up Tiger. Now Tiger is a very rough man an' Anansi 'fraid of him. Tiger said to him, "What you have in that basket, sah?"--speak to him very rough. Anansi speak in a very feeble voice, say, "Nothing, sah! nothing, sah!" So both of them pass each other, an' when they went on a little way, Tiger hide in the bush watching Anansi. Anansi then sit down underneath a tree, open his basket, take out the fishes one one, and say, "Pretty little yallah-tail this!" an' put it aside; he take out a snapper an' say, "Pretty little snapper this!" an' put it one side; he take out a jack-fish an' say, "Pretty little jack-fish!" an' put it one side. Tiger then run up an' say, "Think you havn't not'ing in that basket, sah!" Anansi say, "I jus' going down to the sea have a bathe, sah, an' I catch them few 'itte fishes." Tiger say, "Give it to me here, sah!"--talk in a very rough manner. An' Tiger take it an' eat them all an' spit up the bones. Anansi then take up the bones an' eat them, an' while eating he grumble an' say, "But look me bwoy labor do!" Tiger say, "What you say?" Anansi say, "Fly humbug me face, sah!" .

So both of them start to go home now with the empty basket, but this time Anansi was studying for Tiger. When he reach part of the way, Anansi see a fruit-tree. Anansi say, "What a pretty fruit-tree!" . Tiger say, "Climb it, sah!" . So when Anansi go up an' pull some of the fruit, at that time Tiger was standing underneath the tree. Anansi look down on Tiger head an' said, "Look lice in a Brar Tiger head!" Tiger said, "Come down an' ketch it, sah!" Anansi come down an' said to Tiger he kyan't ketch it without he lean on the tree. Tiger said, "Lean on the tree, sah!" The hair on Tiger head is very long. So while Anansi ketchin' the lice, Tiger fell asleep. Anansi now take the hair an' lash it round the tree tie up Tiger on the tree. After he done that he wake up Tiger an' say that he kyan't ketch any more. Tiger in a rough manner say, "Come an' ketch it, sah!" Anansi say, "I won't!" So Anansi run off, Tiger spring after him, an' fin' out that his hair is tied on the tree. So Tiger say, "Come an' loose me, sah!" Anansi say. "I won't!" an' Anansi sing now,

"See how Anansi tie Tiger, See how Anansi tie Tiger, Tie him like a hog, Tiger, See how Anansi tie Tiger, Tie him like a hog, Tiger!"

An' Anansi leave him go home, an' a hunter-man come an' see Tiger tie on the tree, make kill him.

b. The Storm.

Vivian Bailey, Mandeville.

Brer Tiger got a mango-tree in his place. Brer Nansi go an' ask if he could sell him a ha' penny wort' of mango. Brer Tiger say no. Brer Nansi well want de mango. Brer Nansi say, "Law pass dat eb'ry man have tree mus' tie on it 'cause going to get a heavy storm." Brer Tiger say, well, mus' tie him to de mango-tree. After Brer Nansi tie Tiger, climb up in de mango-tree, an' eb'ry mango he eat tak it an' lick Brer Tiger on de head. After he eat done, he shake off all de ripe mango an' pick dem up go away leave Brer Tiger tie up on de mango-tree.

Brer Tiger see Brer But pass an' ask Brer But to loose him. Brer But say dat he kyan't stop. Brer Tiger see Brer Ant passing, ask Brer Ant to loose him; Brer Ant say he kyan't depon haste. Brer Tiger see Brer Duck-ants passing an' ask him fe loose him. An' don' know if him will loose him, for don' know if him will put up wid him slowness, for Duck-ants is a very slow man. After him loose him, Brer Tiger tell him many t'anks an' tell him mus' never let him hear any of Duck-ants's frien's pass him an' don' call up "How-dy-do."

Brer Nansi in a cotton tree were listening when dey talking. De nex' evening, Brer Nansi go to Brer Tiger yard an' knock at de door. An' say, "Who is deah?" an' say, "Mr. Duck-ants's brudder." An' dey tak him in an' mak much of him, get up tea because it was Mr. Duck-ants's brudder, an' after dat go to bed. In de morning provide tea for Mr. Duck-ants 'fore he wake, an' when he wake an' was washin' his face he got to tak off his hat. An' Brer Nansi is a man wid a bald head, an' dey got to fin' out it was Brer Nansi an' dey run him out of de house.

a. The King's Two Daughters.

William Forbes, Dry River.

Deh was Anansi. He go out an' court two young lady was de king daughter an' mak dem a fool, an' dem ketch him an' tie him, an' de two sister go an' look a bundle a wood fe go an' mak a fire under a copper fe bu'n him wid hot water. An' after when dem gone, he see Tiger was coming. Anansi said, "Lawd! Brar Tiger, I get into trouble heah!" An' said, "Fe wha'?" An' say, "King daughter wan' lib wid dem, come tie me." Tiger say, "You fool, mak y' loose an' tie me!"

Anansi tie Tiger dere now an' Anansi go to a grass-root an' dodge. An' when de misses go t'row down de wood at de fire-side, de littlest one say, "Sister! sister! look de little uncle wha' we tie heah, him tu'n a big uncle now!" Sister say, "I soon 'big uncle' him!" an' dem mak up de fire bu'n up de water, tak two ladle an' dem dashey upon Tiger. An' him jump, an' jump, pop de rope, tumble dump on de grass-root whe' Anansi was. Anansi laugh "Tissin, tissin, tissin!"

An' Tiger jump 'pon Anansi, say, "We mus' go look wood gwine to bu'n your back!" Tiger see some good wood on a cotton-tree well dry, an' Tiger say, "I don' care wha' you do!" An' when Anansi go up on cotton-tree, him chop one of de limb pum! an' 'top, an' chop again pum! an' holla, "None!" Tiger say, "Cut de wood, man!" An' holla again, "None!" Tiger said, "Cut de wood, I tell you, come down mak I bu'n you." Anansi say, "You stan' upon de bottom say 'cut de wood,' but you know Hunter-man look fe you las' yeah track? Wha' you t'ink upon dis yeah track worse!" an' Tiger run. Anansi say, "He run, Massa Hunter-man, gone up on hill-side, gone dodge!" He move from dere gone on ribber-side. Anansi holla, "Him gone, Massa Hunter-man, a ribber!" Tiger wheel back. An' Anansi holla to him say go to a sink-hole, an' Anansi get rid of him an' come off.

Jack man dora!

b. The Gub-gub Peas.

George Parkes, Mandeville.

A man plant a big field of gub-gub peas. He got a watchman put there. This watchman can't read. The peas grow lovely an' bear lovely; everybody pass by, in love with the peas. Anansi himself pass an' want to have some. He beg the watchman, but the watchman refuse to give him. He went an' pick up an' old envelope, present it to the watchman an' say the master say to give the watchman. The watchman say, "The master know that I cannot read an' he sen' this thing come an' give me?" Anansi say, "I will read it for you." He said, "Hear what it say! The master say, 'You mus' tie Mr. Anansi at the fattest part of the gub-gub peas an' when the belly full, let him go.'" The watchman did so; when Anansi belly full, Anansi call to the watchman, an' the watchman let him go.

After Anansi gone, the master of the peas come an' ask the watchman what was the matter with the peas. The watchman tol' him. Master say he see no man, no man came to him an' he send no letter, an' if a man come to him like that, he mus' tie him in the peas but no let him away till he come. The nex' day, Anansi come back with the same letter an' say, "Master say, give you this." Anansi read the same letter, an' watchman tie Anansi in the peas. An' when Anansi belly full, him call to the watchman to let him go, but watchman refuse. Anansi call out a second time, "Come, let me go!" The watchman say, "No, you don' go!" Anansi say, "If you don' let me go, I spit on the groun' an' you rotten!" Watchman get frighten an' untie him.

Few minutes after that the master came; an' tol' him if he come back the nex' time, no matter what he say, hol' him. The nex' day, Anansi came back with the same letter an' read the same story to the man. The man tie him in the peas, an', after him belly full, he call to the man to let him go; but the man refuse,--all that he say he refuse until the master arrive.

The master take Anansi an' carry him to his yard an' tie him up to a tree, take a big iron an' put it in the fire to hot. Now while the iron was heating, Anansi was crying. Lion was passing then, see Anansi tie up underneath the tree, ask him what cause him to be tied there. Anansi said to Lion from since him born he never hol' knife an' fork, an' de people wan' him now to hol' knife an' fork. Lion said to Anansi, "You too wort'less man! me can hol' it. I will loose you and then you tie me there." So Lion loose Anansi an' Anansi tied Lion to the tree. So Anansi went away, now, far into the bush an' climb upon a tree to see what taking place. When the master came out, instead of seeing Anansi he see Lion. He took out the hot iron out of the fire an' shove it in in Lion ear. An Lion make a plunge an' pop the rope an' away gallop in the bush an' stan' up underneath the same tree where Anansi was. Anansi got frighten an' begin to tremble an' shake the tree. Lion then hol' up his head an' see Anansi. He called for Anansi to come down. Anansi shout to the people, "See de man who you lookin' fe! see de man underneat' de tree!" An' Lion gallop away an' live in the bush until now, an' Anansi get free.

William Forbes, Dry River.

Tiger was walking to a yard an' see two young misses, an' he was courting one of de young misses. An' as Anansi hear, Anansi go up to yard where de young misses is; an' dey ax him said, "Mr. Anansi, you see Mr. Tiger?" An' said, "O yes! I see Mr. Tiger, but I tell you, missus, Tiger is me fader ol' ridin'-horse." An' when Tiger come to misses, dem tell him. An' said him gwine Anansi, mak him come an' prove witness befo' him face how he is fader ol' ridin'-horse!

An' when him come call Anansi, say, "Want you to come prove dis t'ing you say 'fore de misses," Anansi say, "I nebber say so! but I kyan' walk at all." Tiger said, "If I hab to carry you 'pon me back, I will carry you go!" Anansi said, "Well, I wi' go." Anansi go tak out him saddle. Tiger say, "What you gwine do wid saddle?" Anansi say, "To put me foot down in de stirrup so when I gwine fall down, I weak, I can catch up." An' tak him bridle. Tiger say, "What you gwine do wid it?" Say, "Gwine put it in you mout', when I gwine to fa' down I can catch up." Tiger say, "I don' care what you do, mus' put it on!" An' him go back an' tak horse-whip. An say, "Wha' you gwine do wid de horse-whip?" An' say, "Fe when de fly come, fan de fly." An' put on two pair of 'pur. An' say, "Wha' you gwine do wid 'pur?" An' say, "If I don' put on de 'pur, me foot wi' cramp." An' come close to yard an' close in wid de 'pur an' horse-whip, an' mak him gallop into de yard. An' say, "Carry him in to stable, sah! I mak you to know what Anansi say true to de fac', is me fader ol' ridin'-horse."

Tiger tak to wood, Anansi sing a'ter him, "Po' Tiger dead an' gone!"

Si-lay-na, Si-lay-na, Si-lay-na bom, Eb-ry-bod-y Si-lay-na, Si-lay-na, Si-lay-na bom, Si-lay-na, Si-lay-na. Po' Ti-ger dead and gone, Si-lay-na, Si-lay-na, Si-lay-na, Eb-ry-bod-y go look fo' dem wife, Si-lay-na, Si-lay-na, Eb-ry-bod-y go look fo' dem wife, Si-lay-na, Si-lay-na, Si-lay-na bom.

George Parkes, Mandeville.

Anansi was a head-man for a man by the name of Mr. Mighty, who employed Anansi for the purpose of minding some sheep. The sheep numbered about two thousand. And from the first day Anansi took over the sheep, the man began to miss one. An' he steal them until he leave only one. Well, Mr. Mighty would like to find out how the sheep go. He say to Anansi he would give his best daughter and two hundred pound to find out how the sheep go.

Anansi say the best way to find it out is to make a ball. Anansi have a friend name of Tiger, call him 'Brar Tiger'. He went to Tiger an' tell him Mr. Mighty promise to give his daughter an' two hundred pound to whomsoever tell how the sheep go. Anansi now is a fiddler, an' he say that he will play the fiddle an' Tiger play the tambourine, but before he go to the ball he will give Tiger a sheepskin coat, sheepskin trousers, a sheepskin cap, a sheepskin boot; an' when him, Tiger, hear him play,

"Mister Mighty loss him sheep, It stan' lik' a Tiger t'iefee,"

Share on: WhatsApp @Hash Facebook Tweet