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

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

him, Tiger, mustn't think him the same one; it's one clear out the country. And he is to play his tambourine, say,

"Fe tre-ew, bredder, fe tre-ew, It 'tan lik' a it mak me clo'es."

Now then, Anansi go back to Mr. Mighty an' tol' him that there is a man coming to the ball wearing a suit of sheep-skin clo'es,--dat is the man who steal the sheep.

Mr. Mighty give out invitation to all the high folks, all the ladies and gentlemen all aroun', to attend the ball at that same date. The night of the ball, Anansi went with his fiddle an' Tiger with his tambourine in the suit of sheep-skin clo'es. At the time fix, Anansi tune up his fiddle, 'he-rum, te-rum, she-rum.' Tiger now trim the tambourine, 'ring-ping, ring-ping, ring-pong, pe-ring-ping, double-ping, tong!' Anansi says, "Gentlemen an' ladies, ketch yo' pardner!" Anansi play,

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

Tiger say,

"Fe tre-ew, bredder, fe tre-ew, Fe tre-ew, bredder, fe tre-ew, Fe tre-ew, bredder, fe tre-ew, It 'tan' lik' a it mak me clo'es."

Anansi go to Mr. Mighty an' say, "Me an' dat man workin' an' I didn't know he was such a t'ief! he steal de sheep till he tak skin an' all mak him clo'es!" An' as they were going back to their places Anansi say, "Hell after you t'-night, only t'ing you don't know!" Tiger say, "What you say, Bra'?"--"Me say, you not playing strong enough, you mus' play up stronger!"

Anansi say again, "Gentlemen an' ladies, ketch 'em a pardner!" an' sing,

"Mr. Mighty loss him sheep, It 'tan' lik' a Tiger t'iefee."

Tiger say,

"Fe tre-ew, bredder, fe tre-ew, It 'tan' lik' a it mak me clo'es".

Mr. Mighty got right up an' said to Tiger, "Yes, that is the man what steal all my sheep!" Tiger say, "No!!" Anansi say, "Yes, that is the man what steal all the sheep, an' I an' that man eatin' an' I didn't know that man was such a t'ief!" An' Tiger was arrested an' got ten years in prison, an' Anansi get the two hundred pounds an' the best daughter to marry to.

a. The Escape.

Joseph Macfarlane, Moneague, St. Ann.

One day was an old lady name Mis' Madder, had twenty sheep. Mr. Anansi went an' gi' her a hen an', couple week after, Mr. Anansi went back fe de hen. An' said, "Didn't you gi' me de hen, Mr. Anansi?" An' said, "Oh, no! Missus, me hen wud have hegg, hegg, on hegg, chicken on chicken!" An' said, "De only t'ing I can do' Mr. Anansi, go in de sheep-pen an' tak a sheep!" It went on till de nineteen was gone, leave one. Tiger says, "Mis' Madder, I'll kill de sheep tak a half an' ketch Mr. Anansi." Tiger kill i', put 'e skin over himself. When Mr. Anansi come, Tiger bawl like a sheep "Ba-a-a-a!" Miss Madder say, "All right, Mr. Anansi, I don' wan' to hear any more talkin'; tak' de las' sheep an' go." Anansi say, "T'ank you, Miss Madder, won' come back an' worry you fe no more fowl!"

When he went off, under way said, "Yah! dis sheep hebby, sah!" Went home, de wife an' chil'ren sit roun' him wid bowl an' knife. Mr. Anansi tak de knife cut de t'roat an' say, "Lawd! me wife, dis fellow fat till no hav any blood!" Cut de belly come down, Tiger jump out hold him. Mr. Anansi say, "He! he! Brar Tiger, wha' you do?" Tiger say, "Miss Madder ha' twenty sheep an' if me no tie you, him wi' say you an' me eat dem." Anansi say, "If dem tak dem big banana trash tie me, I wi' be glad, but if dey could a tak dat 'itte bit o' banana t'read tie me, I should be so sorry!" An' dey tie him wid de small banana trash an' t'row into de sea, an' he jus' open his leg an' run under water. An' from dat time you see Anansi running under water.

b. The Substitute.

Samuel Christie, St. Ann's Bay.

Anansi is a smart one, very smart, likes to do unfair business. So one day was walking t'ru a lady property an' kill a little bird; so him pass de lady yard an' say, "Missus, me beg you mak little bird stan' till me come back?" Lady said, "Put it down, Anansi." Lef' de bird an' he never come back till he know de bird spile. De lady t'row de bird. He come back, say, "Missus, me jus' call fe de litt'e bird me lef' t'odder day. Say, "Anansi, de bird spoil an' me t'row it away!"--"No, missus, you kyan' t'row 'way me bird! Jus' call an' me want i'!" Lady say, "Well, Anansi, before you ill-treat me, go in de sheep-pen an' tak a sheep."

Anansi was quite glad fe dat, get a sheep fe de bird! An' go down fin' a sheep-pen wid plenty of sheep. Anansi go an' tak dat one, an' after dat, ev'ry night he tak one. Lady fin' all de sheep was los', so tell de head man mus' keep watch of de sheep-pen. So de head-man was Tiger. Tiger tak out dat sheep was in de sheep-pen an' dress himself wid sheep-skin. Anansi have suspicion an' get a frien' to go wid him dat night, ask de frien' to catch de sheep. So as him frien' t'row on de rope on Tiger head, Anansi fin' it was Tiger an' him ask excuse, go to a good distance where can mak escape, holla, "Dat somet'ing you ketch deh no sheep,--Brar Tiger!"

Tiger tie de frien' carry him up to de yard tell de mistress dis is de man been destroying de sheep all de time!

c. In the House-top.

Thomas White, Maroon Town, Cock-pit country.

Mr. Goolin pay Anansi a hundred poun' to mak him wife talk, an' Anansi was live upon Mr. Goolin ev'ry day an' go to Mr. Goolin yard ev'ry day fe money. Mr. Goolin get tired of Anansi an' couldn't get rid of Anansi out of him yard. Tiger hear, an' go to Mr. Goolin tell him dat him will stop Anansi from comin' in yard. An' so Tiger did; Tiger turn a big barrow an' go lie down in de common. Anansi come now an' say, "Mawnin', Mr. Goolin." Mr. Goolin say, "Mawnin', Mr. Anansi." Anansi says, "I might well tell you de trut'! De amount of what money you pay me fe yo' wife, it is not enough!" Mr. Goolin says, "Well, I have no more money to pay you again." Anansi says, "O Mr. Goolin! you couldn't tell me a word as dat!" Mr. Goolin says to Anansi, "Mr. Anansi, all I can do fe you, go in de common see a big barrow lie down dere. You can go catch it."

Anansi tek him rope an' go in de common an' him tie de big barrow an' him put it jus' right across him shoulder. An' he was goin' along till him ketch part of de way, him says to himself, "Ha! if I didn't cunnie, I wouldn't get dis big barrow t'-day." So look an' see a long beard come down on him face. Dat was Tiger! Tiger go fe shake him an' he say, "O Brar Tiger, no shake! no shake! no shake!"

Anansi run fe him house an', when he get near, him holler to him wife say, "Shet de back do', open de front do', Brar Tiger come!" Wife say, "Wha' you say? say wash out de pot?"--"No! shet de back do', open de front do'!"--"Wha' you say? put on de pot, come?" Him say, "No-o-o! s-h-e-t de b-a-c-k d-o-o-o! o-p-e-n de f-r-o-n-t d-o-o-o-o!"

Wife put up all dem chil'ren quite a-top, and, as Anansi put down Tiger, Anansi fly up a-top, too.

An' Tiger was layin' down in de hall middle, an' all de chil'ren an' de wife, dem all upon house-top. Anansi have six chil'ren. De chil' one of dem, says he hungry. As de chil' say he hungry, Anansi shove down dat chil' t' Brar Tiger. Tiger swallow him. Anodder cry out hungry again; Anansi shove him down, Tiger swallow him. Anodder one cry hungry again; Anansi shove him down gi' Tiger, Tiger swallow him. Deh's t'ree gone. Him was deh again till anodder one cry hungry; Anansi shove him down to Tiger, Tiger swallow him. For a good time again de odder one cry out hungry; Anansi shove him down gi' Tiger, Tiger swallow him. Good time again, de las' chil' lef', him cry hungry. Anansi shove him down gi' Tiger, Tiger swallow him. Lef' him an' him wife, two single, now. Anansi fell in sleep. De wife tak needle an' t'read an' sew Anansi trouser-foot upon her frock-tail. When Anansi wake out of sleep, him wife cry hungry now. Anansi shove down him wife to give Tiger. De woman frock-tail sew up on Anansi trouser-foot an' ketch him up back. An' de lady was deh for a good time until him cry hungry again an' Anansi shove him down gi' Tiger an' Tiger swallow Mrs. Anansi.

Anansi was deh on de house-top until he feel hungry now. An' says to Tiger, "Brar Tiger, you know what you do? I's a man dat's so fat, if I drop on de bare eart' I's goin' to mash up; so if you want me to eat, you want to cut a whole heap a dry trash." An' Tiger went an' cut a whole heap a dry trash an' carried de dry trash come an' he t'rown de dry trash.

Anansi said to Tiger, "Brar Tiger, ketch, ketch, ketch, comin' down!" An' Anansi let himself off of de house-top an' drop in de trash, an' Tiger was upon hard sarchin' an' couldn't fin' Anansi until t'-day!

Jack man dora, choose none!

Richard Morgan, Santa Cruz Mountains.

One day, Hanansi go Tiger house an' eat breakfas' every day, an' tell Tiger, say, "Brar Tiger, to-morrow you mus' come a my house; but when you hear me makin' noise you mus' come, for dat time breakfas' is on, but when you hear me stay still you mustn't come at all." So when Tiger go, Hanansi eat done. And say, "Brar Tiger, you foot short!" Tiger say, "No, me no hear you mak noise!" Hanansi say, "No, so me said, for when man makin' noise he kyan' eat." An' say, "Well, nex' day come back." When Tiger come, Hanansi tak shame, gi' him little breakfas' but say, "Brar Tiger, when we go fe eat, when I say 'Nyammy nyammy nyammy' you mus' say, 'Nyam a wha' eat'." So Hanansi stay deh eat everyt'ing, Tiger never get one.

Tiger study fe him. Nex' day he go to Tiger yard. When Tiger gi' him breakfast an' gi' him enough meat he said to Tiger, "Brar Tiger, a whe' you get meat every day so?" Tiger said, "You know how me come by dis meat? When I see a cow lie down, I go up an' run me han' inside of de cow an' hol' de man tripe, so I never out of meat." So Hanansi went his way an' do de same. De cow frighten on de hill-side an' turn head right down to lowland. Hanansi say, "Do, Brar Cow, don't shut up me han'!" Cow fasten de han' de better an' gallop right down de hill an' drag Hanansi over de stone. Dat's de reason let you see Hanansi belly white.

William Forbes, Dry River, Cock-pit country.

Blinkie an' Anansi was gwine in a wood. Dem gwine in a wood fe go look egg, bird egg. An' Anansi tell Blinkie when little bird say, "Who wan' little egg?" Blinkie fe say him want little egg, an' when de big bird say, "Who wan' big egg?" Anansi say, "Me wan' big egg!" An' in de night when he get all de big egg, Blinkie get vex' an' lef' Anansi in de bush an' him fly away wid de light.

An' Anansi come a Tiger house in a night. Tiger had a sheep in yard. Anansi say, "Brar Tiger, if you gi' me dinner fe eat t'-night, I gi' you all de egg." An' Tiger say yes, an' Tiger go to de sheep an' say, "Lay out, lay out, sheep!" He lay out roas' fowl, roas' duck, an' all sort a t'ings. Anansi get at it.

When he eat, say want to sleep Tiger house. Tiger set 'corpion roun' de egg. When Anansi put han' in to tak de egg, 'corpion bite him. An' holla, "Aye-e-e!" Tiger say, "Brar Anansi, wha' ha' you?" An' say, "Me t'ree litt'e pickney an' me wife mak me a cry!" Den, when Tiger gone t' bed, he t'ief away de sheep.

William Forbes, Dry River, Cock-pit country.

Tiger had a big pot o' meat, an' him boil an' lef' it gone a groun'. An' he have a bone-hole; when he ate de meat, t'row it into de hole. An' Anansi tak him wife an' t'ree pickney an' he say dey five gwine to de house an' get into de pot eat de meat. An' after dey hear Tiger was coming, him an' him wife an' de t'ree pickney, five of dem, go in de hole. An' Tiger come an' say, "Not a creetur nyam dis meat but Brar Nansi!" An' Tiger begin now eat meat, an' de first bone him t'row into de hole, him knock one of de pickney. An' as he go fe holla, Anansi says, "Shut yo' mout', sir, don' cry!" An' he eat again, t'row out anodder bone, knock anodder pickney. As him go fe cry, say "Shut yo' mout', sir!" As he eat anodder bone again, he knock de las' pickney, mak t'ree. Tell him say him mustn't cry. Ate anodder bone an' t'row it in de hole, knock de mudder. As him go fe cry, say, "Shut yo' mout!" An' de las' bone he eat, knock Anansi in a head. Anansi say, "Mak we all holla now in a de hole!" So dey all holla "Yee! yee-e-e!" in a de hole, an' as dey holla, Tiger get frighten' an' run lef' de house, an Anansi an' wife an pickney come out tak all de meat go away, run him out of his house 'count of dat bone-hole!

Jack man dora!

Charles Wright, Maroon Town, Cock-pit country.

Anansi an' Tiger bot' of them fin' one keg of butter. Anansi says to Tiger, "Let us hide it in the bushes." Some days after, Anansi says to Tiger, "I receive a letter for a christening." When he return, Tiger ask him the name of the chile. He says the name is "Top take off." Another week came again. He say receive another letter for another christening. After he come back, Tiger ask him what's the name of the chile again. He says, "Catch in de middle." An' the las' week he went back for another christening. Tiger ask him when he come back what's the name of the chile. He says, "Lick clean."

Now he says, "Tiger, let us go look for this keg of butter." He carried Tiger all over the place walkin' until he get tired, an' when he nearly catch to the place where they hid the butter he said, "Tiger, we are tired, let us go for a sleep!" An' after Tiger was sleeping, he went to the keg, he took a bit of stick an' he scrape as much as he can get from the keg, an' he wipe a little on Tiger mouth an' he wipe a little at the tail. Then he climb a tall tree now and he make a wonderful alarm that Tiger eat butter until he melt butter!

a. The Tell-tale.

Simeon Falconer, Santa Cruz Mountains.

Brer Tiger and Brer Anansi went to river-side. Brer Anansi said, "Brer Tiger, tak out your inside an' wash it out." Brer Tiger did so. "Now, Brer Tiger, dip your head in water wash it good." The moment Brer Tiger put his head in water, Anansi took up the inside and run away with it give to his wife Tacoomah to boil.

Next morning he heard that Tiger was dead. He called all the children to know how they were going to cry. Each one come say, "Tita Tiger dead!" The last child he called said, "Same somet'ing pupa bring come here las' night give Ma Tacoomah to boil, Tita Tiger gut."--"Oh, no!" said Anansi, "Pic'ninny, you can't go." So they lock up that child. So man hear him crying ask him what's the matter. "I wan' to go to Tita Tiger's funeral!" Let him out to go. When Anansi see him coming, he run away and tak house-top and since then he never come down.

b. The Monkeys' Song.

Share on: WhatsApp @Hash Facebook Tweet