XVIII.

Me dear man, look yeah! Jus’ fancy, if life were a t’ing dat money could buy, de rich would all live an’ all like me poor one here would ha’ fe dead!

RIDDLES.

Riddle me riddle Guess me this riddle And perhaps not!

1. My father have a thing in his yard; nobody can ride him but little Johnny.

—Grass-quit riding a grass-stalk.

2. My father have a thing in his yard and never ride him till him back break.

—House-roof; a man sits astride it to mend the thatch.

3. My father have a little pony in him yard and there’s only one man, little Johnny, can ride it. Johnny ride with a pair of white reins and he go over a bridge. [75]

—Needle is the pony, thread the reins, the crooked finger is the bridge, and the thimble is Johnny.

4. My father has a horse in his yard; it jump an’ jump, an’ de rein get shorter an’ shorter.

—Needle and thread.

5. My father have a grey horse in him yard, ride him nowhere but on him tail. [76]

—Pipe.

a) My father saddle his horse at his head an ride him at his tail.

6. My father have a horse in his yard; you can’t ride him or he buck into you.

—Steel-yard.

7. Me fader hab a cock in him yard; eb’ry crow him crow fire.

—Gun.

a) My father have a dog in his yard; every time it bark it bark fire.

b) My fader hab a donkey, an’ eb’ry bray him bray fire.

8. My father have a thing in his yard and he run from yard to yard.

—Dog.

9. My father have a hen in his yard, you kyan’ tell what the chicken be till he hatch. [77]

—Wife; you can’t tell whether the child will be boy or girl until it is born.

10. My father have a thing in his yard, cry for the crop once a year.

—Coffee-pulper.

11. My father has a thing in his yard; the more him feed, the more him hungry.

—Stove.

12. My father have a thing in his yard, have to blind it to use it.

—Scissors.

13. My father have a t’ing in him yard; when it sick it look up to heaven, when it get better it look down to the devil. [78]

—Bunch of Bananas.

14. My father has a cock in his yard, doesn’t crow till the sun is hot.

—Castor-oil bean, which cracks open in the sun.

15. My father have a thing in his yard, run off cover up the whole ground.

—Pumpkin-vine.

16. My father have ten trees in his yard an’ two taller than the rest.

—Fingers.

17. My father got a tank in his yard, don’t care how the rain come never catch water; but soon as little dirt get into it, it full.

—Eye.

18. My father have a tank in his yard; when the rain fall it doesn’t catch and when the dew fall it catch.

—Coco leaf, because it sheds water like quick-silver.

19. My father have a thing in his yard; it button from head to foot.

—Pingwing, because the leaves are stuck with pitch.

20. My father have a t’ing in him yard, cutting like a tailor cutting cloth. [79]

—Banana leaf (because when the tree begins to fruit, the leaf slits into ribbons.)

21. My father got a thing in his yard deep as well an’ is not well, an’ the whole sea does not fill it.

—Sieve.

22. Me fader have a t’ing in him yard; the more you cut it the longer it get. [80]

—Grave.

a) My father make a door an’ it was too short; he cut it and it became longer.

b) Me father have a stick an’ cut it an’ it become longer.

23. My father have a thing in his house, cut it every day and kyan’ taste it.

—Cord.

24. We have a t’ing in the yard an’ no man can tell where it end.

—Buggy wheel.

25. My father have a white house in him yard; if you go in you kyan’ come out, if you come out you kyan’ go in. [81]

—Egg.

26. My father have a house without window or door.

—Egg.

a) There is a white house on the hill up yonder without a window, without a door; and yet somebody live in there. [82]

27. Me fader hab a man an’ he kyan’ stan’ up till him belly full.

—Bag.

28. Me father have a black servant and when he feed her she bawl. [83]

—Frying-pan.

29. My father have three daughters and you can’t tell me the oldest one.

—Three tumblers.

30. Me fader hab a lil bwoy sleep wid him every night; and every call him call him, de lil bwoy run.

—Dog-flea.

31. My father have twenty-five white horses in a row; if one trot all trot, if one gallop all gallop, if one stop all stop, and one cannot go on without the other. [84]

—Teeth.

32. Me fader hab a long whip and a number of cows; ebery wield him wield it, it touch ebery one. [85]

—Tongue and teeth.

33. Me fader hab a horse; eb’ry lep em lep em lef’ piece a em gut.

—Needle and thread. [86]

34. My father have a pony; every jump he jump he stop a gap.

—Needle and thread.

35. My father have a horse and a spur; every time he spur, blood will flow.

—Match-box and match.

36. My father have a horse and every walk he walk he drop silver.

—Snail.

37. My father have a horse; carry him down to the river to drink and without he pull out the tongue, can’t drink.

—Bottle and cork.

38. My father have a horse; hol’ him a’ him two ears, him bite a him tail.

—Scissors.

39. My father have a rooster, got no coop can keep him but one.

—Fire; only water can keep fire.

40. My father have a pig; cut him at his head he don’t die, cut him at his tail he die.

—Tree.

41. My father have a pen of sheep an’ don feed nowhere but on the hill-side.

—Lice on the head.

42. My father has a bull, can’t feed but upon three ridges.

—Cooking-pot with three legs.

43. My father have a houseful of children; if you touch one, whole of them cry.

—Gungo peas.

a) My sister have a whole house o’ pickney and if you touch one, everyone cry.

b) I have a whole pen of guinea-pig an’ if you touch one dey all holla.

44. My father has a houseful of children and everyone of them has a red cap. [87]

—Woodpeckers.

a) Me fader come out wid a whole ship-load o’ Guinea people; everyone has red.

45. My father has a houseful of children; every time they come out they come out with red head.

—Annata.

46. Me fader hab a houseful o’ chil’ren an’ eb’ryone a dem a black head.

—Ackee.

a) Me ma ha’ one Guinea ship a pickney; eb’ryone a dem head black.

b) A woman has a whole lot of children and all come out with black heads and red dresses.

47. My father has a houseful of children and everyone of their heads turn out of doors.

—Nails in a house.

48. Me fader have a whole shipload of Bungo nager an everyone have a white head.

—Castor-oil bean.

a) My father hab a whole house of children; everyone have a white head.

b) Me mudder hab a whole shipload o’ guinea-pig, all born at one quality head.

49. My father has a shipload of Guinea people, but all their heads is turned down.

—Bottles packed in straw.

50. Me fader hab a Guinea ship o’ nager; eb’ryone o’ dem a t’ree foot.

—Cooking-pots.

51. My father sent for a ship-load of men and everyone come with arm akimbo. [88]

—Coffee-pots.

52. My father sent for a ship-load of soldiers and everyone come with one eye.

—Needles.

a) Me fader hab a whole Guinea ship a nager; eb’ryone come wid one eye.

b) I hab a pen o’ sheep, but eb’ryone hab one eye.

53. My father have a piece of white yam that serve the whole world. [89]

—Moon.

a) One piece a afoo (white) yam nyam, serve the whole worl’.

b) One piece of yellow yam serve the whole world.

c) Me fader hab a half side o’ bammie (cake of kasava meal) an’ him share it fe de whole world.

54. Me fader hab a pepper-tree; eb’ry night all de pepper ripe, an eb’ry morning you wouldn’t find one pepper an de tree. [90]

—Stars.

a) I go to bed and leave my pepper-tree full of peppers, and wake in the morning, there isn’t one there.

b) Me fader got a rose-tree in him yard; eb’ry night he blow, an by time de fe clean, eb’ry one gone.

c) Me fader hab a heap a white plate pon a blue table; wash de plate in de evening an’ turn him down, an’ in de morning don’ see one.

55. Me fader hab a pepper-tree an i nebber ripe till night come.

—Stars.

56. Me fader hab a tree full apple an’ not a man can count them.

—Stars.

a) My sheet I cannot fold, My money I cannot count.

—Cloud and stars.

57. My father has a sheet that covers the whole world.

—Cloud.

58. My father has a lamp that shines over the whole world.

—Moon.

59. My father have a house up on one post. [91]

—Umbrella.

60. My father have two ponds; when he lie down at night, he turn up one and turn down one.

—Ears.

61. My father have a well; it have neither top nor bottom, yet it hold water.

—Sugar-cane.

62. My father have something without top or bottom, had it with him wherever he go.

—Ring

a) The king of France sent to the king of Spain to get a tub without a bottom.

63. My father has a house with three doors and can walk only through one.

—Three openings in a cocoanut shell; one drinks through only one.

64. My father has a gig to make; the more him pare it the bigger it get. [92]

—Hole.

65. My father have a thing go up chimbly chip chirrup. [93]

—Fire.

66. My father have one thing in his hand and throw it and it support the whole of Jamaica. [94]

—Corn-grain.

67. Me father sen’ ten men fe ketch one t’ief. [95]

—Ten fingers to catch one louse.

a) Ten men go to Bullinton fe bring down one prisoner; only two bring him down.

b) One prisoner stan’ pon Marley hill; ten policemen go fe tek him down; two bring him to de station do, an’ de sentence pass pon de finger-nail.

c) My father tek a bwoy to court; de sentence pass pon finger-nail.

68. My fader sen’ me fe go pick out a woman fe me wife; those laugh will be the bes’ fe tek, but those not better left, fe they will kill me.

—Ackee; this refers to the common warning that the fruit is safe to eat only after it has ripened and split in the sun.

69. My father plant a acre a kasava; only one white belly rat a eatey off.

—Grater for preparing kasava meal.

70. My father give me one root kasava an’ a quart of fine salt; if I don clever I wouldn’t taste it.

—Egg; the salt cannot penetrate the shell.

a) I put on one coco on the fire to boil and I put in a gallon of salt, and the salt never tasted it.

b) I have a t’ing and don’t care how much salt I put in it, when I go to eat it I have to put salt on it.

71. My father gave me some seed to sow; the ground is white and the seed is black. [96]

—Black ink on white paper.

72. My father was in Green Island cutting chip and the chip never fly. [97]

—Clock.

73. Mother put on a pot of food to boil; the top boil before the bottom.

—Pipe.

74. Going up to town my face turn to town; coming back from town my face turn to town.

—Climbing a tree.

75. I was going up to town one morning, met a man; I tell him ’Mawnin’ and he wouldn’t speak to me, and when I was coming back early in the evening he speak to me.

—Trash, noiseless to the tread when cold, crackles when warmed by the sun.

76. I was going up Sand-hill and saw a man and suck his blood and throw him over the wall. [98]

—Orange.

77. When I was going up to town I met a man; his head is fire an’ his mouth is bone. [99]

—Rooster.

a) As I was going through Bramble hall, An old man gave me a call; His beard was flesh, his mouth was horn, And this old man was never born.

b) Got to a gentleman’s yard and his mouth was hard and his beard was flesh.

78. I was going over Dingledown hill and I saw a grey horse.

—Moon.

79. Picking juketa (?) going to town, picking juketa coming from town and can’t get my hands full.

—Dew and sweat.

80. I gwine to town wid a hand o’ ripe plantain; I hungry an’ couldn’t taste it.

—Fingers.

81. I was going to town; I mash a plate and when I was coming back I found it new.

—Ants’ nest.

82. As I was going up to town I hear the bells of heaven ring; man tremble, beast tremble, cause the devil to break his chain.

—Earthquake.

83. Going up a lane I see a drink an’ see a chaw.

—Cocoanut.

a) Dere’s a cup an’ in de cup dere’s a chaw; no man to clear dis chaw.

84. A man was going to Kingston, saw two roads and took both. [100]

—Trousers.

85. I heard that my father was dead in Kingston; I went there and took a piece of his bone and made increase.

—Kasava root.

86. I heave up a t’ing white an’ it come down red.

—Egg.

87. In England I am, in Jamaica I stand.

—A man took soil from Jamaica, put it in his boots, went to England.

88. I went to town, I walk in town, I eat in town, and yet I don’t know town.

—A woman was breedin’. She went to town an’ after she come home the baby born, grow a big man, don’ know town.

89. A man going to town and he face town, and when he coming back he face down to Montego Bay.

—Train running between Kingstown and Montego Bay.

90. A man going up to town; he walk on his head going up, he walk on his head going back. [101]

—Horse-shoe-nail.

91. Riding in to town, two talking to each other and none understand what the other was saying.

—Two (?) new saddles creaking ru-u-u-u-u.

92. Four men going up to town; all were talking and not one could understand the other.

—Four buggy wheels.

93. Four bredder walk a road and not one can touch. [102]

—Four buggy wheels.

94. Some white ladies were walking to Kingston, and all the walk they walk they couldn’t catch each other.

—Mile-posts.

95. Three brothers in one house and never see each others’ face until dead.

—Three beans in one castor-oil pod.

96. Two sister on ribber side; no one could never wash the other.

—Two bottles.

97. Two sawyers were sawing from morning till night and never saw a bit of dust. [103]

—Clock.

98. Three man start fe go a heaven; one go half way an’ turn back, one go right up, and one no go at all.

—Fire: spark, smoke and ashes.

99. A man walk around four corners of the world and make a house; rain come catch him a door, dew fall on him, sun burn him, and he have no shelter of his own.

—Ladder.

a) A man build a fine up-stairs house, and he have to sleep outside.

100. A man mek him house an’ him sleep outside.

—Axe.

101. A man work for rich and work for poor and yet his head outside.

—Nail-head.

102. There was an old man that live never building house till rain come. [104]

—John Crow: as soon as rain come he begin to cut posts, say he will build him a house. When sun comes out, he come to dry himself; never build house any more.

103. Man mek him house, an’ him bade da a do. [105]

—Ear of corn.

a) Old man in his room and the beard out in the hall.

104. Vineyard man walk through vineyard grass-piece and neither make track nor road.

—Sun.

105. I know a man talk every second.

—Sea.

a) I know a man; every talk he talk his mouth-corner foam.

106. Born from de worl’ mek an’ nebber a month ole yet. [106]

—Moon.

107. Baby born an’ vanish.

—Moon.

108. I know a baby born widout belly.

—Skelion (tin can).

109. Tallest man in Kingston don’ have any belly.

—Bamboo.

a) A man stan’ up widout guts.

110. Holler belly mumma, humpback pupa, pickney wid t’ree foot.

—Cooking-pot.

111. Born in white, live in green, die in red, bury in black. [107]

—Coffee.

112. He laugh plain and talk plain but havn’t any life.

—Talking-machine.

113. Going up to town me coatie torn-torn and not a seamstress in a town could sew it. [108]

—Banana leaf.

a) Mrs. Queen coat-tail tear an’ never mend.

114. I think I will shoot God, and God say I mus’ shoot the earth. [109]

—Banana shoot.

115. I was tying mat ever since an’ I never lay down on one.

—Pumpkin-vine.

116. If me stan’ me kimbo; if me lie me kimbo. [110]

—Coffee-pot.

117. A thousand hungry men kill a thousand bullocks.

—Hunger kill men.

118. And smart as little Tommie be, one man kill the whole world.

—Mr. Debt.

119. Woman have a chile an’ fust begin larnin’ larn him fe t’ief. [111]

—Hawk.

120. Black man dance on white man table.

—Black ink on white paper.

a) Mr. Blackman sit pon Mr. Whiteman table.

b) Black man sit down on white man chair.

c) Black man dance on white man head.

d) Black man dance on white man sheet.

121. A black man sit upon a white man head.

—Ackee.

122. A white man stand upon a black man head.

—Bammie on griddle.

123. A black man sit upon a red man head.

—Pot on fire.

124. John Redman tickle John Blackman till him laugh puco-puco. [112]

—Fire under boiling pot.

a) A red man tickle a black man make him belly boil up.

b) John Redman beat John Blackman till him gallop.

125. Mr. Redman box Mr. Blackman make Mr. Whiteman laugh.

—Fire, baking-pan and bammie.

126. The white man take a red cloth tie his head.

—Tooth and gum.

127. Mr. Blackman was going to town; him drop him kerchief an’ couldn’t pick it up.

—Crow drops a feather.

128. Miss Nancy was going to Kingston; she drop her pocket handkerchief never turn round to pick it up.

—Bird drops a feather.

a) Miss Nancy was going up-stairs and she lose her pocket handkerchief and she would not turn round to pick it up.

b) Queen of Sheba riding out; Her kerchief drop and couldn’t pick it up.

129. Little Miss Nancy sit at the pass; everyone that come give him a kiss.

—Fly.

130. Little Miss Nancy tie up her frock and wheel round three times.

—Turn-stick in the pot.

131. Little Miss Nancy like to dance and dance so rough.

—Pepper.

132. Miss D. June (?) cutting wood for a year, never get a bundle.

—Woodpecker.

133. Little Johnny fell in the water and never drowned.

—Bottle.

134. Aunty Mary cut two packey, not one bigger than the other. [113]

—Heaven and earth.

a) Ole man Brenta sit on a stump, cut two packey not one bigger than the other.

—Cloud on the earth (?).

135. Send bwoy to fetch doctor, doctor come before bwoy. [114]

—Boy climbing after a cocoanut; nut falls before boy comes down.

136. Dead carry the living over Napoleon’s grass-piece. [115]

—Ship at Sea.

a) Look through a diamond I see the dead carry the living.

137. A hen have six chickens; and hold the hen, the chickens cry.

—Guitar with six strings.

138. Two horses were galloping and neither of them could catch one another. [116]

—Two mill-rollers.

139. One John-crow sit down on three cotton-tree.

—Cooking-pot set on fire-stones.

140. A fleety horse get up over a broken bridge. [117]

—Needle and thread.

a) A frisky horse and a frisky mare was going up to mountain hill.

141. John, the mule, in the stable, his tail outside.

—Fire in the kitchen, smoke outside.

142. Stick a hog at its head and it bleed at its tail. [118]

—Pipe.

143. Kingston bully-dog bark, Montego bully-dog answer.

—Rooster; when one crows at one end of the island, another answers at the other end.

144. England dog bark, Jamaica dog sound.

—Newspaper.

145. Portland dog bark, Westmoreland dog hear. [119]

—Thunder.

146. Jamaica bully-dog bark, Kingston bully-dog keep silent.

—Great gun.

147. Rope run, horse stan’ up.

—Pumpkin-vine and pumpkin.

148. Old England dead an never rotten.

—Bottle (of ale).

149. Water grow.

—Sugar-cane.

150. Water stan’ up.

—Sugar-cane.

151. No ca how time hard, one coco full pot.

—Foot in a boot.

152. One bammie shingle off Mt. Olivet church.

—Moon.

153. One little bit o’ bag hold three.

—Castor-oil bean-pod.

154. A gully with two notch in it.

—Purse.

155. What water wash, sun can’t dry.

—Butter.

156. Up the hill, down the hill; yet never tired.

—Road.

a) Up the hill, down the hill; Stand up still.

157. Chaw fine and never tired.

—Saw.

158. This corner, this corner is no corner at all.

—Ring.

159. Chip-cherry, beer, cedar.

—White man (cedar), black-wife (chip-cherry), brown child (beer).

160. Stump to stump; dig out stump out of dogwood heart.

—Jigger.

161. A ’tump in a pond; all the rain can’t cover the ’tump-head.

—Turn-stick in the pot.

162. There’s a rope and every bump a sheet of paper.

—Pumpkin-vine.

163. Sack a back an’ not de front.

—Finger-nail.

164. Roomful, hallful; you can’t get a spoonful. [120]

—Smoke.

165. Knock an’ stan’ up.

—Mat.

166. Water a-bottom, fire a-top.

—Lamp.

167. Hell a-top an’ hell a-bottom.

—Frying-pan.

168. Hair a-top, hair a-bottom; only a dance in the middle.

—Eye-lashes and eye.

169. Hairy within and hairy without; lift up your foot and poke it in. [121]

—Stockings.

170. Outside black, inside red; cock up your foot and poke it in. [122]

—Boot.

171. White a top, black a middle and red a bottom. [123]

—Bammie, baking-iron and fire.

172. White as snow but not snow; green as grass but not grass; red as blood but not blood. [124]

—Coffee-blossom and berry.

173. Green as grass, not grass; stiff standing in the bed; and the best young lady is not afraid of handling it. [125]

—Onion.

174. White within, black within, red without.

—Ackee.

175. Hard as rock, not rock; white as milk, not milk.

—Cocoanut.

176. High as the world; red as blood but not blood; blue as indigo; but not indigo; high as granadillo temple.

—Rainbow.

177. When it come it does not come; when it does not come it come. [126]

—Rat and corn.

178. Four sit down on four waiting till four come.

—Cat on the table waiting for a rat.

179. Six and four waiting for twenty-four.

—Six holes in four horse-shoes waiting for twenty-four nails.

180. Nine run, one come, two run.

—Nine man run for the doctor, one baby born, two nipples run.

181. Ten on to four. [127]

—Ten teats on a cow (?).

182. Six is in, the seventh is out; set the virgin free.

—Hen hatching six chicks.

183. Blackey cover ten.

—Boots cover toes.

184. Two peepers, two pokers, two waddlers, and one zum-zum. [128]

—Cow.

185. Up chip-cherry, down chip-cherry; not a man can climb chip-cherry. [129]

—Smoke.

186. Whitey whitey can’t climb whitey whitey.

—Smoke.

187. Half a ’tumpy sit down on ’tumpy; when a go, a don’ see nothing but half a ’tumpy.

—Broken bottle on stump.

188. Climb up Zion hill, pick Zion fruit, come down Zion hill, drink Zion water.

—Climbing a cocoanut tree, picking the nut, coming down, drinking the milk.

a) Go up Mount Zion, drink Zion blood, eat de flesh, dash away de bone.

189. Tetchie in, tetchie out; all hands can play on it.

—Lock and key.

a) Tickle me in, tickle me out; all hands can play on tickle.

190. Hip hop; hip hop; jump wide.

—Flea.

a) Dip dup, a yard wide.

191. Drill a hall, drill a room; lean behind the door. [130]

—Broom.

a) Jig a hall, jig a room; go a corner, go stan’ up behin’ de door.

192. Little titchie above ground.

—Ants.

193. Every jump shiney jump, whitey hold it back.

—Needle and thread.

194. Miss Witty wit and wit till she wit out her last wit.

—Needle and thread.

195. Earie, hearie, earie, knock, pom!

—Brushing (the hair).

196. Papa take hairy-hairy put in blackey-blackey.

—Brush and blacking.

197. Unco Joey takin’ long hairy-hairy somet’ing; shubbin’ Aunty Mary hairy-hairy somet’ing.

—Making a broom.

198. Long Aunty Long-long, no one can long as Aunty Long-long.

—Road.

199. Whitey-whitey send whitey-whitey to drive whitey-whitey from eating whitey-whitey.

—White man sends his white boy to drive the white goat out of the cabbage-patch.

200. Sleepy-sleepy under nyammy-yammy tree; killy-killy come to sleepy-sleepy; nyammy yammy drop, kill killy-killy; walkey-walkey come nyam (eat) nyammy-yammy, leave sleepy-sleepy. [131]

—Man sleeping under a tree; snake comes to kill man; cocoanut falls and kills snake; another man comes, eats the cocoanut, leaves the first man.

201. Limb fell lamb; down fell lamb in the cow coram.

—Limb falls, knocks lamb into the cow-dung.

202. If I had my pretty little caney, bigny-pigny could not kill kum-painy.

—If I had my revolver, the wild hog could not kill my dog.

203. I was going out and I saw some pigs, and if I had my hansom-cansom I would carry home some bigny-pigny.

—If I had my gun, I would carry home some pigs.

204. I send for my man Richard to bring me tomery-flemery-doctory to mortify unicle-cornicle-current out of my pinkicle-pankicle-present. [132]

—To bring my three dogs to drive three pigs out of the garden.

205. There is a boat an’ in that boat a lady sat, an’ if I should tell you the name of that lady I should be blamed, for I’ve told you the riddle twice. [133]

—The lady’s name was Anne.

206. I was going up to Hampton lane (a local name); I met a man, an’ drew off his hat an’ drew off his glove, an’ he gave me his love. Take him an’ call him; his name is twice mention as this riddle begun. [134]

—His name is Andrew.

a) As I was going up to St. Andrew’s church, I met St. Andrew’s scholar. St. Andrew’s scholar drew off his hat an’ drew off his gloves: tell me the name of the scholar.

b) I was going up on Oxford street, I met an Oxford boy. He took out his pen an’ drew his name; what was his name?

c) Once as I was crossing the Montego Bay bridge, I met a Montegonian fellow. He took off his hat an’ drew off his glove; guess me his name; I’ve mentioned it in this riddle.

207. I an’ my dog ben up the lane catching a buck an’ a doe. Whoever tell me my dog’s name, there is my dog. [135]

—The dog’s name is Ben.

a) “Good morning, Mr. Ben; ben meke a meet. I come to borrow yo’ dog go hunting. I don’ know his name.” “Take him an’ call him; his name is twice mention as this riddle begun.”

208. Megs, Pegs an’ Margaret is my true lover; but it’s neither Megs, Pegs nor Margaret.

—Anne is my lover.

209. Trick, track and trawndy, Which was Trawndy Grawnby?

—Witch.

210. There are 4000 people to draw in one carriage; how can they do that?

—Mr. & Mrs. Thousand and their two children.

211. Mr. Lets was walking and Mr. Lets was riding and Mr. Lets was walking again. Can you tell me who the gentlemen were?

—Horse, master and dog, all named ’Lets’.

212. My father has a long bench in his house, an’ to guess me how many people sit on that bench.

—One man named ‘More’. (The trick is, at each guess to say More.)

213. Bees bite honey, honey run.

—A horse named Honey.

214. Twelve pear hanging high, Twelve men passing by; Each pick a pear, How many pear remain? [136]

—Eleven; the man’s name is Each.

215. A man without eyes Went out to view the skies; He saw a tree with apples on, He neither took apples off nor left apples on. [137]

—A one-eyed man; two apples on the tree.

216. I was going up Hampton lane, I met a man have seven wives; the seven wives have seven sacks, the seven sacks have seven kits, how many were there going to Hampton? [138]

—Only one—I.

217. A duck before a duck, a duck after a duck, a duck in the midst of two ducks. How many ducks was going along?

—Three.

218. I was travelling and six ducks flying, one before the five; and I took up my gun and I shoot one of the ducks and drop on the ground. Guess how many ducks remain? [139]

—None; the rest fly away.

219. A parson and his daughter, a doctor and his wife; and there is three apples to share among them. How will they share it? [140]

—Each takes one; the parson’s daughter is the doctor’s wife.

220. Run, Ricky, run; run up the Ahe river, run; run with a long trail, run up the Ahe river, run; run, Ricky, run? How many r’s in that?

—No r’s in ‘that’.

221. Mr. Parott was sitting on a tree; some pigeons were flying by. The pigeon say, “Good morning, Mr. Parrot.” The parrot say, “Good morning, Mr. Hundred.” The pigeon say, “I’m not ‘hundred’; want twice as much, half as much, quarter as much, and you, Mr. Parrot, to make a hundred.” Tell me how many pigeons were flying. [141]

—Thirty-six.

222. I hire laborers for a shilling a day; I get twelve laborers. I give a man two pence, a woman ha’ penny, a pickney one farthing. How many of each do I hire?

—Five men, one woman, six pickney.

223. My father gave me a horse to go sell for ten pounds and to eat my breakfast out of the money and bring home the same ten pounds. How could I do that?

—Take the shoes off the horse and sell them separately.

224. In a rainy season the Cabrietta overflows a path where a poor coolie-man and his family had to cross. He then made a dray for conveying them to and from their work. Dray cannot carry more than 150 lbs. at a time. Coolie-man weighs 150 lbs., wife 150 lbs. and two sons together 150 lbs. How must they get over.

—Two sons go over; one remains, the other returns. The mother goes over; boy returns, takes over brother returns. Father goes over; boy brings over brother. [142]

a) The same story with a fox, goose and bag of corn.

225. My fader got six sheep. He send his son to de pen. ‘My son, go an’ count me six sheep, but you musn’ count me “one, two, t’ree, four, five, six”. You musn’t count “four an’ two, six”. You musn’t count “t’ree an’ t’ree, six”. You musn’ count “five an’ one, six”, but count me my six sheep!

—Dis, dat, de other, De ewe, de ram, de wether.

226. I gwine to make a dance; I want you there. You mus’n’t come a day, you mus’n’t come a night, you mus’n’t ride a horse, you mus’n’t ride a mule, you mus’n’t ride a jackass. An’ if you come, you mus’n’t come into me house an’ you mus’n’t stay outside. [143]

—You must come riding a cow, between day and night; and when you come, stand on the threshold, neither in nor out.

227. Under the earth I stand, Silver and gold was my tread. I rode a t’ing that never was born, And a bit of the dam I hold in me han’. [144]

a) On green grass I stand On gravel I stand, I ride a colt that was never in foal, And I beat up the mother old dum-skin in me hand.

b) Under de eart’ I go, Plant trash I stan’; I ride a t’ing that never was born Wid an ole be damn in me han’.

228. Little Miss Netticoat with her white petticoat, She has neither feet nor hands; The longer she grows the shorter she stands. [145]

—Candle.

a) Miss Nancy sits around de door; The longer him stan’ deh, de shorter him grow.

229. Hoddie Doddie with a round black body Three legs and a wooden hat—What’s that? [146]

—Cooking-pot.

230. Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall; And all the king’s horses and all the king’s men Couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty together again. [147]

—Egg.

231. Round as a marble, deep as a cup; Ten men from Jericho can’t lift it up. [148]

—Sink-hole.

232. Handsome protector dressed in green, Handsome protector sent to the queen. [149]

—Parrot.

233. Under gravel, top o’ gravel; Tell the devil I’ll travel.

—Water.

234. Tires a horse, worries a man; Tell me this riddle if you can. [150]

—Saddle.

235. Hitchity, hitchity on the king’s kitchen door; All the king’s horses and all the king’s men Could never move Hitchity, hitchity off the king’s kitchen door. [151]

—Sunshine.

236. Flour from England, fruits from Spain, All met together in a shower of rain; Had on a napkin tied with a string,— If you tell me this riddle, I’ll give you a ring.

—Duckanoo (pudding boiled in a cloth).

237. I was going through a field of wheat, I picked up something nice to eat; It was neither feather, flesh nor bone, But I kept it till it walk alone. [152]

—Egg.

238. In a garden was laden a beautiful maiden As ever was seen in the morn. She was made a wife the first day of her life, And she died before she was born. [153]

—Eve.

239. There was a man of Adam’s race, He had a certain dwelling-place; He wasn’t in earth, heaven or hell,— Tell me where that man did dwell. [154]

—Jonah in the whale’s belly.

240. Formed long ago, yet made to-day, Employed while others sleep; What few would like to give away, Or any like to keep. [155]

—Bed.

241. Legs have I but seldom walk, I backbite all, but never speak.

—Flea.

242. There was a man of Adam’s race Who had no legs, no body but waist.

—Ring.

243. When first I appear I seem mysterious, But when I am explained I am nothing serious.

—Riddle.

244. A curtain drawn as fine as silk, A marble stone as white as milk; A thief appear and break them all, Out start the golden ball. [156]

—Egg.

245. I came from beyond the ocean, I drink water out of the sea, I lighten a many a nation, And give myself to thee.

—Sun.

246. My first is a circle, my second a cross; If you meet my whole, lock out for a toss. [157]

—O-X.

247. My father send me to market to carry home three-fourths of a cross, a circle complete, a right angle with two semi-circles meet, a triangle with a cross, two semi-circles, and circle complete. [158]

—T-O-B-A-C-C-O.

248. Five letters in an invitation spell my name, Backward and forward it answer the same; Take away the first letter and the first of humanity race, Take away the second and the thing that make the water-wheel turn. Take away the third, and the first of the alphabetical verb.

—Madam, Adam, dam, am.

249. Give a number that isn’t even: cut off the head, you get it even; cut off the tail, your mother’s name you shall find. [159]

—Seven, even, Eve.

250. What word of one syllable, take away two letters and leave two syllables? [160]

—Plague, ague.

251. A word of one syllable which, when two is taken off, ten remain.

—Often, ten.

252. Give me ‘black water’ in three letters.

—I-n-k.

253. Spell me a broken wall in three letters.

—G-a-p.

254. What is it that is once in a minute, twice in a moment, and not once in a thousand years? [161]

—Letter M.

255. What is it that we see every day, King George himself sees, and God never sees? [162]

—Our equal.

256. What is that which if you have not you would not like to get and if you have you would not like to lose? [163]

—A bald head.

257. What is it, when Adam was four days old it was four days old, and when Adam was four-score years and four days old it remained four days old? [164]

—Moon.

258. What is that which Christ had not, Napoleon had, Kaiser has and no woman ever has?

—A wife.

259. What is it that is too much for one, enough for two, and nothing at all for three?

—A secret.

260. The river is bank to bank; how will you get over?

—By bridge.

261. Suppose all the tree was one tree and all the man was one man and all the axes one ax; and suppose the one ax fell the one tree and the one tree kill the one man, who would leave to tell the tale?

—Women.

262. Higher than God, lower than the devil; the dead feed on it but not the living. [165]

—Nothing.

263. There was a woman born, live an’ die; never go to corruption, never see God face.

—Lot’s wife.

264. There is a thing on earth that God could do but didn’t, the devil had’nt got the power, and men do it. [166]

—Baptism.

265. What is the cleanest thing in a dirty woman’s house?

—Egg.

266. What is the bes’ furniture for a man’s house?

—The daughter.

267. Why do a tailor and a plantain resemble?

—One cuts to fit, the other is fit to cut.

268. Why do a well-dressed lady and a chair resemble?

—Because they both use pins.

269. Why does a judge and a mile-post resemble?

—One justifies the mile and the other the law.

270. What makes the devil and a shoemaker resemble?

—The devil seek after a sinner’s soul and the shoemaker after a boot sole.

271. Mr. Bigger has a baby; out of Mr. Bigger and his baby which is the bigger?

—Baby is a little Bigger.

272. If an elephant’s four feet cover four acres of land, what will his tail cover?

—The skin.

273. What money in the world is the hardest money to change?

—Matrimony.

274. A reason why a moth-eaten coat is like a bible?

—Both of them is holy (holey).

INDEX TO RIDDLES.

Ackee, 46, 68, 121, 174. Andrew, 206. Annata, 45. Anne, (205), (208). [167] Ants, 192. Ants’ nest, 81. Ashes, 98. Axe, 100.

Bag, 27. Baking-pan, 125, 171. Bald head, (256). Bamboo, 109. Bammie, 122, 125, 171. Banana leaf, 20, 113. Banana shoot, 114. Bananas, bunch of, 13. Baptism, (264). Bed, (240). Bird, 128. Birth, 9, 88, 180. Blacking, 196. Boot, 151, 170, 183. Bottle, 96, 133, 187. Bottle of ale, 148. Bottle and cork, 37. Bottles packed in straw, 49. Bridge, (260). Broom, 191, 197. Brush, 195, 196. Butter, 155.

Can, 108. Candle, (228). Castor-oil bean, 14, 48, 95, 153. Cat, 178. Chickens, 182. Child, 159. Clock, 72, 97. Cloud, 57, 134. Cloud and stars, 46. Cocoanut, 63, 83, 135, 175, 188, 200. Coco leaf, 18. Coffee, 111, 172. Coffee-pot, 51, 116. Coffee-pulper, 10. Cooking-pot, 42, 50, 110, 123, 124, 130, 139, 161, (229). Cord, 23. Cork, and bottle, 37. Corn, and rat, 177. Corn-ear, 103. Corn-grain, 66. Cow, 181, 184. Crow, 102, 127.

Daughter, (266). Debt, 118. Dew and sweat, 79. Dog, 8, (202). Dog-flea, 30. Duckanoo, (236).

Ear, 60. Ear of corn, 103. Earth, 134. Earthquake, 82. Egg, 25, 26, 70, 86, (230), (237), (244), (265). Equal, (255). Eve, (238). Eye, 17, 168. Eye-lashes, 168.

Feather, 127, 128. Fingers, 16, 80. Fingers catching lice, 67. Finger-nail, 163. Fire, 39, 65, 98, 123, 124, 125, 141, 171. Fire-stones, 139. Flea, 30, 190, (241). Fly, 129. Foot, 151. Frying-pan, 28, 167.

Goat, 199. Grass-quit, 1. Grater, 69. Grave, 22. Griddle, 122, 125, 171. Guitar, 137. Gum, 126. Gun, 7, 146. Gungo peas, 43.

Hawk, 119. Heaven, 134. Hen, 182. Hole, 64, 179, (231). Horse-shoe nail, 90, 179. Hunger, 117.

Ink on paper, 71, 120.

Jigger, 160. Jonah and the whale, (239).

Kasava, root, 85. Key, 189.

Ladder, 99. Lamb, 201. Lamp, 166. Letter M, (254). Lice, 41, 67. Lock, 189. Lot’s wife, (263).

Mat, 165. Match-box and match, 35. Mile-posts, 94. Mill-rollers, 138. Moon, 53, 58, 78, 106, 107, 152, (257).

Nail, finger, 163. Nail, in a house, 47, 101. Nail, horse-shoe, 90, 179. Needles, 52. Needle and thread, 3, 4, 33, 34, 140, 193, 194. Newspaper, 144. Nipples, 180. Nothing, (267).

Onion, 173. Orange, 76. Ox, (246).

Paper, 71, 120. Parrot, (232). Peas, Gungo, 43. Pepper, 131. Pig, (202), (203), (204). Pingwing, 19. Pipe, 5, 73, 142. Pot, coffee, 51, 116. Pot, cooking, 42, 50, 110, 123, 124, 130, 139, 161, (229). Pumpkin-vine, 15, 115, 147, 162. Purse, 154.

Rainbow, 176. Rat, and cat, 178. Rat, and corn, 177. Riddle, (243). Ring, 62, 158, (242). Road, 156, 198. Roof, 2. Rooster, 77, 143.

Saddle, 91, (234). Saw, 157. Scissors, 12, 38. Sea, 105, 136. Secret, (259). Ship, at sea, 136. Sieve, 21. Smoke, 98, 141, 164, 185, 186. Snail, 36. Soil, 87. Spark, 98. Stars, 54, 55, 56. Steelyard, 6. Stockings, 169. Stove, 11. Strings, of a guitar, 137. Stump, 187. Sugar-cane, 61, 149, 150. Sun, 104, (245). Sunshine, (235). Sweat, and dew, 79.

Talking-machine, 112. Teats, 181. Teeth, 31, 32, 126. Thunder, 145. Tin can, 108. Tobacco, (247). Toes, 183. Tongue, 32. Tooth, 126. Train, of cars, 89. Trash, 75. Tree, 40. Tree, climbing a, 74, 135, 188. Trousers, 84. Tumblers, 29. Turn-stick, 130, 161.

Umbrella, 59.

Water, (233). Wheel, buggy, 24, 92, 93. Wife, 9, 88, 159, (258). Wife, Lot’s, (263). Witch, 209. Women, (261). Woodpecker, 44, 132.

ABBREVIATIONS OF TITLES.

1. Jamaica references.

Bates, JAFL [168] 9 Creole Folk-lore from Jamaica; I. Proverbs; II. Nancy stories; by William C. Bates. JAFL 9: 38–42; 121–126. 1896. Bell Obeah, by H. J. Bell. London 1889. Cundall FL [169] Folk-lore of the Negroes of Jamaica, by Frank 15, 16 Cundall. FL 15: 87–94; 206–214; 450–456; 16: 68–77. 1904, 1905. Jekyll Jamaica Song and Story, by Walter Jekyll, with an introduction by Alice Werner. Publications Folk-Lore Society 55, London, 1907. Lewis Journal of a West India Proprietor (1815–1817), by Matthew Gregory Lewis. London, 1834. Milne-Home Mama’s Black Nurse Stories, by Mrs. M. P. Milne-Home. Edinburgh & London, 1890. Musgrave, FLR [170] Ananci Stories, furnished by W. A. S. Musgrave. 3 pt. 1 FLR 3, pt. 1; 53–54. London, 1880. Newell, JAFL 9 Abstracts from Milne-Home, by W. W. Newell. JAFL 9: 126–128. 1896. Robinson, FL 4 Obeah Worship in East and West Indies: in Jamaica, by May Robinson. 207–213. 1893. Smith Anancy Stories, by Pamela Coleman Smith. New York, 1899. Smith, JAFL 9 Two Negro Stories from Jamaica, by Pamela Coleman Smith. 278. Trowbridge, JAFL 9 Negro Customs and Folk-stories of Jamaica, by Ada Wilson Trowbridge. 279–287. 1896. Udal, FL 26 Obeah in the West Indies, by J. S. Udal. 253–295. London, 1915. Wake, FLJ 1 Ananci Stories (abstracts from Lewis), by C. Staniland Wake. FLJ 1: 280–292. London, 1883. Wona Selection of Ananci Stories, by Wona (Mrs. Charles Wilson). Kingston, 1899.

2. General References.

Arcin La Guinée française, by André Arcin. Paris, 1907. Backus, JAFL 11 Animal Tales from North Carolina, by Emma M. Backus. JAFL 11: 284–291. 1898. Backus, JAFL 12 Tales of the Rabbit from Georgia Negroes, by Emma M. Backus. JAFL 12: 108–115. 1899. Backus, JAFL 13 Folk-tales from Georgia, by Emma M. Backus. JAFL 13: 19–32. 1900. Backus, JAFL 25 Negro Tales from Georgia, collected by Mrs. Backus & Mrs. Leitner. 125–136. 1912. Barker West African Folk-tales, by W. H. Barker & Cecilia Sinclair. London, 1917. Basset, 1 Contes Populaires Berbères, by René Basset. Collection de Contes et de Chansons Populaires 12, Paris, 1887. Basset, 2 Nouveaux Contes Berbères, by René Basset. Collection de Contes et de Chansons Populaires 23, Paris, 1897. Bérenger-Féraud Contes Populaires de la Senegambia, by L. J. B. Bérenger-Féraud. Collection de Contes et de Chansons Populaires 9, Paris, 1885. Bleek Reynard the Fox in South Africa; or Hottentot Fables and Tales, by Wilhelm Heinrich Imanuel Bleek. London, 1864. Bleek, Bushman Specimens of Bushman Folk-lore, by W. H. I. Bleek, edited by Lucy C. Lloyd, with an introduction by George McCall Theal. London, 1911. Boas, JAFL 25 Notes on Mexican Folk-lore, by Franz Boas. JAFL 25: 204–260. 1912. Boas and Simango, Tales and Proverbs of the Vandau of Portuguese S. JAFL 35 Africa. JAFL 35: 151–204. Bolte und Polívka Anmerkungen zu den Kinder- und Hausmärchen der Brüder Grimm. 3 vols. Leipzig, 1913–1918. Bundy, JAFL 32 Folk-tales from Liberia, by Richard C. Bundy. JAFL 32. 406–427. 1919. Callaway Nursery Tales, Traditions and History of the Zulus, by H. Callaway. London 1868. Chatelain Folk-tales of Angola, by Héli Chatelain. MAFLS [171] 1. 1894. Christensen Afro-American Folk-lore. Told around cabin fires of the Sea Islands of South Carolina, by A. M. H. Christensen. Boston, 1892. Cleare, JAFL 30 Four Folk-tales from Fortune Islands, Bahamas, by W. T. Cleare. JAFL 30: 228–229. 1917. Cronise and Ward Cunnie Rabbit, Mr. Spider and the other Beef. West African Folk-tales, by Florence M. Cronise and Henry W. Ward. London & New York, 1903. Dayrell Folk-stories from Southern Nigeria, West Africa, by Elphinstone Dayrell, with an introduction by Andrew Lang. London, 1910. Dähnhardt Natursagen, by Oskar Dähnhardt, Leipzig, 1907–1912. Dennett Notes on the Folk-lore of the Fjort (French Congo), by R. E. Dennett. Publications Folk-Lore Society 41, London, 1897. Edwards Bahama Songs and Stories, by Charles L. Edwards. MAFLS 3, 1895. Ellis, Tshi The Tshi-speaking Peoples of the Gold Coast of West Africa, by Alfred Burdon Ellis. London, 1887. Ellis, Ewe The Ewe-speaking Peoples of the Slave Coast of West Africa. London, 1890. Ellis, Yoruba The Yoruba-speaking Peoples of the Slave Coast of West Africa. London, 1894. Elmslie FL 3 Folk-lore Tales of Central Africa (Nyassaland), by D. Elmslie. FL 3: 92–110. 1892. Ernst, VBGAEU 20 Tio Tigre y Tio Conejo (Venezuela), by A. Ernst. Verh. Berlin Ges. Anthrop., Ethn. u. Urgesch. 20: 274–278. Espinosa, JAFL 24, New-Mexican Spanish Folk-lore, by Aurelio M. 27 Espinosa. JAFL 24: 397–444; 27: 119–147. 1911, 1914. Espinosa, JAFL 27 Comparative Notes on Spanish Folk-tales, JAFL 27: 211–231. 1914. Espinosa, JAFL 27 Folk-tales of the Tepecanos, collected by J. Alden Mason, edited by Aurelio M. Espinosa. JAFL 27: 148–210. 1914. Espinosa, JAFL 28 Folk-tales from Oaxaca, collected by Paul Radin, edited by Aurelio Espinosa. JAFL 28: 390–408. 1915. Ferrand Contes Populaires Malgaches, by Gabriel Ferrand. Collection de Contes et de Chansons Populaires 19, Paris, 1893. Fortier Louisiana Folk-tales in the French Dialect and English Translation, by Alcée Fortier. MAFLS 2, 1895. Frobenius Volksmärchen der Kabylen, by Leo Frobenius, Jena, 1921. Frazer, FLJ 7 A South African Red Riding-Hood, by J. S. Frazer. FLJ 7: 167–168. Harris, Friends Uncle Remus and His Friends. Boston & New York, 1892. Harris, Nights Nights with Uncle Remus. Boston & New York, 1911. Harris, Uncle Remus Uncle Remus, His Songs and His Sayings, by Joel Chandler Harris. New York & London, 1919. Hartt Amazonian Tortoise Myths, by Charles F. Hartt. Rio de Janeiro, 1875. Hollis, Masai The Masai, Their Language and Folk-lore, by A. C. Hollis. Oxford, 1905. Hollis, Nandi The Nandi, Their Language and Folk-lore. Oxford, 1909. Jacottet Treasury of Basuto Lore, by E. Jacottet. Part 1. Folk-tales of the Basuto, South Africa & London, 1908. Johnston, JAFL 9 Two Negro Tales (Louisiana), by Mrs. William Preston Johnston. JAFL 9: 194–198. 1896. Jones Negro Myths from the Georgia Coast, by C. C. Jones. Boston & New York, 1888. Junod Les Chants et les Contes des Ba-Ronga de la Baie de Delagoa, by Henri A. Junod. Lausanne, 1897. Klunziger Upper Egypt, by Karl B. Klunziger. New York, 1878. Koch-Grünberg Vom Roroim zum Orinoco, by Theodor Koch-Grünberg, Berlin, 1916. Koelle African Native Literature, or Proverbs, Fables and Historical Fragments in the Kanuri or Bornu Language (and translation) by S. W. Koelle. London, 1854. Krug, JAFL 25, 32 Bulu Tales from Kamerun, West Africa, by Adolph N. Krug. JAFL 25: 106–124, 1912. Kunst, JAFL 28 Some Animal Fables of the Chuh Indians (Guatemala), by J. Kunst. JAFL 28: 353. 1915. Lee, JAFL 5 Some Negro Lore from Baltimore, by Collins Lee. JAFL 5: 110–112. 1892. Lenz Araukanische Märchen und Erzählungen, by Dr. Rudolf Lenz. Valparaiso, 1896. Lenz, Estudios Estudios Araucanos, by Dr. Rudolph Lenz. Anales de la Universidad de Chile, Santiago de Chile 1895–97. MacDonald Africana, by Duff MacDonald. London, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, 1882. Mason, JAFL 27 Folk-tales of the Tepecanos, by J. Alden Mason, edited by A. M. Espinosa, JAFL 27: 148–210. 1914. Mechling, JAFL 25 Stories from Tuxtepec, Oaxaca, by W. H. Mechling. JAFL 25: 199–203. 1912. Mechling JAFL 29 Stories and Songs from the Southern Atlantic Coastal Region of Mexico, by W. H. Mechling. JAFL 29: 547–558. 1916. Nassau Where Animals Talk. West African Folk-lore Tales, by Robert H. Nassau. Boston, 1912. Nassau, JAFL 28 Batanga Tales. JAFL 28: 24–51. 1915. (Text in JAFL 30: 262–268.) Parsons, Andros Folk-tales of Andros Island, Bahamas, by Elsie Island Clews Parsons. MAFLS 13, 1918. Parsons, Sea Folk-lore of the Sea Islands, South Carolina, by Islands Elsie Clews Parsons. MAFLS 16, 1923. Parsons, JAFL 30 Tales from Guilford County, North Carolina, JAFL 30: 168–200. 1917. Parsons, JAFL 30 Tales from Maryland and Pennsylvania. JAFL 30: 209–217. 1917. Parsons, JAFL 30 Ten Folk-tales from the Cape Verde Islands. JAFL 30: 230–238. 1917. Parsons FL 28, 29, The Provenience of Certain Negro Folk-tales. FL 30 28: 408–414; 29: 206–218; 30: 227–234. London, 1917, 1918, 1919. Parsons, JAFL 32 Folk-tales from Students in Tuskegee Institute, Alabama; Folk-tales from Students in the Georgia State College, (edited). JAFL 32: 397–405. 1919. Penard, JAFL 30 Surinam Folk-tales, by A. P. & T. E. Penard. JAFL 30: 239–250. 1917. Radin, JAFL 28 Folk-tales from Oaxaca, collected by Paul Radin, edited by Espinosa. JAFL 28: 390–408. 1915. Rattray Hausa Folk-lore, customs, proverbs, collected and transliterated, by R. S. Rattray, with a preface by R. R. Marett. 2 Vol. Oxford, 1913. Rattray, Chinyanje Some Folk-lore Stories and Songs in Chinyanje, by R. S. Rattray, London, 1907. Recinos, JAFL 31 Cuentos Populares de Guatemala, by Adrian Recinos. JAFL 31: 472–487. 1918. Renel Contes de Madagascar, by Charles Renel. Collection de Contes et de Chansons Populaires 37, 38, Paris, 1910. Rivière Contes Populaires de la Kabylie du Djvrdjvra, by J. Rivière. Collection de Contes et de Chansons Populaires 4, Paris, 1882. Saurière Cuentos populares araucanos y chilenos, S. de Saurière, Revista de Folklore Chileno, 7: 1–282, Santiago de Chile, 1918. Schwab, JAFL 27, 32 Bulu Folk-tales, by George Schwab. JAFL 27: 266–288; 32: 428–437. 1914, 1919. Smiley, JAFL 32 Folk-lore from Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Florida, by Portia Smiley. JAFL 32: 357–383. 1919. Smith Brazil, the Amazons and the Coast, by Herbert Smith. New York, 1879. Steere Swahili Tales as Told by Natives of Zanzibar, by Edward Steere. London, 1889. Stewart, JAFL 32 Seven Folk-tales from the Sea-islands, South Carolina, by Sadie E. Stewart. JAFL 32: 394–396. 1919. Theal Kaffir Folk-lore, by George McCall Theal. London, 1882. Torrend Specimens of Bantu Folk-lore from Northern Rhodesia, by J. Torrend. London & New York, 1921. Tremearne Hausa Superstitions and Customs, by A. J. N. Tremearne. London, 1913. Tremearne, Tailed Tailed Head-hunters of Nigeria, by A. J. N. Head-hunters Tremearne, London, 1912. Tremearne FL 21, 22 Fifty Hausa Folk-tales, by A. J. N. Tremearne. FL 21: 199–215; 351–365; 487–503. 22: 60–73; 218–228; 341–348; 457–473. 1910 & 1911. Weeks, FL 12 Stories and other Notes from the Upper Congo, by John H. Weeks. FL 12: 181–189. 1901. Weeks, FL 20 Leopard in the Maise-farm; a Lower Congo Folk-tale. FL 20: 209–211. 1909. Zeltner Contes du Senegal et du Niger, by Fr. De Zeltner. Collection de Contes et de Chansons Populaires 40, Paris, 1913.

3. Riddle References.

Andros Island [Parsons] Riddles from Andros Island (Bahamas), by Elsie Clews Parsons. JAFL 30: 275–277. 1917. Argyleshire [Maclagen] Games and Diversions of Argyleshire, by R. C. Maclagen. PFLS [172] 47: 179–184. 1901. Canadian [Waugh and Canadian Folk-lore from Ontario, by F. W. Wintemberg] Waugh and W. J. and K. H. Wintemberg. JAFL 31: 63–72; 123–124; 133. 1918. Catalan [Briz] Endevinallas Populares Catalanas, by F. P. Briz. Barcelona, 1882. Dorsetshire: Notes and Dorsetshire Riddles. Notes and Queries, 3rd Queries series 9: 50. 1866. Eastern Bantu [Seidel] Geschichten und Lieder der Afrikaner, by A. Seidel, 176–309. Berlin, 1899. England, Nursery Rhymes Nursery Rhymes of England, by J. O. of [Halliwell] Halliwell, Percy Society 4: 91–97. London 1842. English: Booke of Merry Booke of Merry Riddles, by J. O. Halliwell Riddles [Halliwell] 1629. Literature of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries. London, 1851. English: Fashionable Fashionable Puzzler or Book of Riddles, Puzzler selected: with remarks on riddles by Mrs. Barbauld. New York, 1835. English: New Collection New Collection of Enigmas, Charades, Transpositions. London, 1791. English: Popular Rhymes Popular Rhymes and Nursery Tales, by J. O. and Nursery Tales Halliwell. 1848. [Halliwell] English: Puniana Puniana, edited by the Hon. Hugh Rowley. London, 1872. English: Puzzles Old and Puzzles Old and New, by Professor Hoffman. New London and New York, undated. English: Riddler (New The Riddler: Paradoxes and Puzzles (paper). Haven) New Haven, 1835. English: Riddler The Riddler. No. 4. Cornhill, Boston (paper, (Boston) undated). Guilford County Negro Riddles from Guilford County, North [Parsons] Carolina, by Elsie Clews Parsons. JAFL 30: 201–207. 1917. Hausa [Tremearne] Hausa Superstitions and Customs, by A. J. N. Tremearne, 58–60. London, 1913. Holme Riddles [Tupper] Holme Riddles: 1640, by Frederick Tupper. Publications of the Modern Language Association, New Series 9: 211–272. 1903. Irish [McCall] Folk-lore Riddles: Irish and Anglo-Irish, by P. J. McCall. Journal of the National Literature Society of Ireland 1 pt. 2. Lancashire, Notes and Household Riddles, Notes and Queries, 3rd Queries series, 9: 86. Lincolnshire: Notes and Lincolnshire Riddles. Notes and Queries, 3rd Queries series 8: 502–504. 1865. Mexican [Boas] Notes on Mexican Folk-lore, by Franz Boas. JAFL 25: 227–231. 1912. Mexican [Recinos] Riddles from Mexico, by A. Recinos. JAFL 31: 537–549. 1918. Nandi [Hollis] The Nandi: their Language and Folk-lore, by A. C. Hollis, 133–151. Oxford, 1909. New Mexican Spanish New Mexican Spanish Folk-lore: Riddles, by [Espinosa] A. M. Espinosa. JAFL 28: 319–352; 31: 363–364. 1915, 1918. New Orleans (Perkins) Riddles from Negro School children in New Orleans, La., by A. E. Perkins. JAFL 35: 105–115. Pennsylvania Dutch Pennsylvania German Riddles and Nursery [Stoudt] Rhymes, by Ino. Baer Stoudt, JAFL 19: 113–121. 1906. Porto Rican [Mason] Porto Rican Folk-lore: Riddles, by J. A. Mason. JAFL 29: 423–504. 1916. Scotland, Popular Rhymes Popular Rhymes of Scotland, by Robert of [Chambers] Chambers. London and Edinburgh, 1841. Suaheli [Velten] Hundert Suaheli-Rätsel, by C. Velten. Mitteilungen des Seminars für Orientalische Sprachen zu Berlin: Afrikanische Studien 1–11. Berlin, 1904. Suahili [Steere] Swahili Tales as told by Natives of Zanzibar, by Edward Steere, 419–421. London, 1889. Welsh-Gypsy [Sampson] Fifty Welsh-Gypsy Folk-riddles, by John Sampson. Journal of the Gypsy-lore Society 5: 241. 1911. West Highlands Popular Tales of the West Highlands, by J. [Campbell] F. Campbell, 2: 406–423. London, 1890. Yorkshire: Notes and Yorkshire Riddles, by Baring Gould. Notes Queries and Queries, 3rd series 8: 325. 1865.

NOTES.

1. TYING TIGER.

Parkes heard this story in St. Ann Parish. Milne-Home, 99–108, tells it of Anansi and “Lion,” who takes the place of Tiger in earlier Jamaica story-telling. In a famous Jamaica digging-song, the words “Tiger-Lion” are coupled much as we should say “John Smith.”

The story falls into three parts. (1) A bully takes for himself the food-supply of one weaker than himself, who dares not object. (2) The bully is tricked into allowing himself to be tied; when he is tormented or robbed of the food he is monopolizing. (3) He either dies, or he is rescued and (a) falls upon his rescuer, or (b) invites him to dinner, when he is again tricked by his first victim, who personates the animal who has released him and enjoys his hospitality until detected and pursued.

Compare: Callaway, 29; 358; Theal, 110; Jacottet, 20–22; Dayrell, 93–97; Barker, 55–58; Cronise and Ward, 209–213; Ellis, Ewe 274; Rattray, 2: 74–82; Smith, 549–551; Lenz, 41; Christensen, 23–25; Harris, Nights, 327–329; Friends, 21–23; Ernst, VBGAEU 20: 275; Koch-Grünberg, 2: 141; Saurière, 95–100; Lenz, Estudios, 202, 210.

(1) The fish-basket story occurs in Dayrell and in Barker (antelope in a bundle). In Milne-Home, Anansi catches the fish by pretending he is going to give them new life.

(2) The tying trick is variously treated. In Callaway, 29, and Theal, the “cannibal’s” hair is plaited into the thatch, in Jacottet, the tail; in Callaway, 358, the tail is fastened into the ground. In Dayrell, the two play at tying each other (as in numbers 16 and 37) and the weaker animal refuses to untie the stronger. In Barker, the stronger animal consents to be hung in order to have his teeth beautifully filed. In Cronise & Ward and in the American versions (Harris, Christensen, Lenz, Ernst), the tying takes place under pretence of storm, but a pretence made plausible by shaking the trees as if a storm were coming. In Jacottet’s story, Lion, whose tail has been thatched into the hut, prays for a storm to kill his tormentor; it comes and destroys Lion himself. In Koch-Grünberg (Taulipang), the story is mixed with the motive of the support of the stone.

Tormenting the tied victim by throwing at him the remnants of the feast occurs in Theal, Cronise & Ward, Dayrell (salt and pepper). In Callaway and Lenz, he is severely beaten.

(3) Release by “White-ants” occurs in Barker, Cronise & Ward, Smith; by “Bush-rat” in Dayrell, where the story ends, as in number 12c, by the released victim falling upon his rescuer. In Milne-Home, this motive is also suggested. In Ellis, “Bush-rat” is freed by “Snail.” Compare Nassau, 46, where the swollen Leopard, freed from his predicament by Crab, turns and eats up his rescuer. The overheard invitation occurs in Barker, Smith, Milne-Home.

2. TIGER AS SUBSTITUTE.

The two episodes do not, so far as I know, occur in African collections, and in American collections they belong to a single story.

Compare: (Mexico), Boas, JAFL 25: 205; Parsons, Andros Island 82–85; Sea Islands, 40–43; Edwards, 63; JAFL 30: 229; Backus, JAFL 13: 22–24; JAFL 32: 400–402; Harris, Nights, 12–17; 179–185; Uncle Remus 140–145; Hichiti Indians, JAFL 26: 214.

In Edward’s and Parsons’s versions, the two episodes of tying in the garden and tying up while the water is scalding belong together; one is the conclusion of the other. In Mrs. Parsons’s version, the boy says when he finds Boukee tied in place of Rabby, “O pa! de leetle man grow beeg!” Edward’s version says, “Pa, dey big one here!”—“Don’t care if ’e big one or little one, I goin’ to scal’ him!” is the answer. In Boas’s Mexican Rabbit cycle, Rabbit is caught in a woman’s chile-garden by means of the tar-baby, is hung in a net while water is heating, pretends he is to marry, and persuades Coyote into his place. The “dear old woman” says “Ah! How did the Rabbit turn into a coyote?”

The story is related to Grimm 8, discussed by Bolte u. Polívka 1: 68. In Boas’s Mexican cycle, Rabbit escapes from Coyote by leaving him playing the guitar for a marriage couple. Anansi is represented as an accomplished fiddler in numbers 4, 10b, 14, 15, 20, 40, 43, 44, 47b, 93, 94, 131, 141. See numbers 1 and 21b and Boas’s discussion, JAFL 25: 248–250.

3. TIGER AS RIDING-HORSE.

The story is very common in Jamaica and presents no local variations from the form familiar in America. In Parkes’s version, the “two misses” become two “post-mistresses”. In a version by Knight, a school-master in the Santa Cruz mountains, Tacoomah is the horse and the story ends, “From that day the saddle fasten on Brer Tacoomah’s back.” Knight explained that “Brer Tacoomah is a large spider with yellow spots and a broad back shaped like a saddle,” and that the story was told to explain this characteristic.

Other Jamaica versions are found in Milne-Home, 51–63; Pamela Smith, 17; and Wona, 19–23. In Wona’s version, the story is made to explain “why gungo-peas are always covered with Tacoomahs,” a species of spider.

Compare Parsons, Andros Island, 30 and note; Sea Islands, 53; for comparative references.

Tremearne, FL 21:205, and Tailed-Head-Hunters, 322, tells a Hausa story of a Hyena who has stolen a holy man’s horse. Spider offers to bring the Hyena to him in its place, and persuades Hyena, under pretence of taking him to a dead animal, to be saddled and bridled and ridden by Spider to the holy man, who then mounts Hyena and completes his journey.

In Ellis, Yoruba 265, Tortoise rides Elephant into town to sustain an idle boast.

In Smith’s Brazil version, the little animal is tied on for safety, and takes care to slip into a hole when he finally dismounts.

In Ernst, VBGAEU 20:277 (Venezuela), Rabbit rides Tiger across a river. The story is coupled here with the murder in mid-stream.

4. TIGER’S SHEEP-SKIN SUIT.

Parkes heard this story in St. Ann Parish. Wona, 62–67, tells how Anansi steals Monkey’s clothes and passes the theft off on “Bone.”

Compare: Tremearne, FL 21:352; Harris, Nights; 68–74; Parsons, Sea Islands, 145; JAFL 32:366.

The common theme of teaching to an unsuspecting comrade an incriminating song (as in Parsons, Sea Islands, 145) is here emphasized by a second intrigue, that of the sheep-skin suit. The idea seems related to the next number. In Wona, 30–36, Tacoomah puts on a sheep-skin and hides in the fold from which the sheep are being stolen, Anansi ties and accuses him because he wears the sheep-skin.

5. TIGER CATCHING THE SHEEP-THIEF.

The story of the sheep-thief and the disguised watchman is popular in Jamaica, especially in St. Ann Parish, and I have given three versions in order to show the range of variation and the persistence of the essential plot. I have abbreviated White’s version without other change except the insertion of the incident of the misunderstood warning, which comes from another version and commonly precedes the episode of the “refugees in the roof.” Besides these three versions, Wona has the story, 30–36, and in Jekyll, 88, Tiger puts on a similar disguise at the conclusion of Annancy and Candle-fly (see number 7).

The tale falls into three parts. (1) A flock of sheep disappear one by one. (2) Tiger, or his equivalent, puts on the animal’s skin in order to catch the thief. (3) The thief is caught, but escapes his captor; or he provides a substitute; or he is pursued and takes refuge in the roof.

Compare: Tremearne, 214–216; Barker, 131–132; Parsons, Andros Island, 117–119; Edwards, 67–68.

(1) The witty opening of the Jamaica versions based on a compensation motive (see numbers 22 and 63), in which the rascal takes advantage of an open-handedness common to aristocratic wealth, does not occur outside Jamaica. Compare Tremearne, FL 21: 213–214. In Parsons, he pleads his wife’s illness; in Edwards and Barker, he is a mere thief. In Barker, as in Jamaica, the story accepts the absurdity that all the sheep have disappeared except the last.

(2) The thief-catcher is “head-man” in Edwards as in Jamaica; in Barker he is a man who comes to town; in Wona, he is Tacoomah; in Parsons, a lion gets in with the sheep and is taken as the plumpest of them.

(3) Barker’s version has a moralizing tendency; it is the friend who accompanies the thief who, at a flash of lightning, detects the trap and escapes. In Edwards, as in version (b), the rascal shifts the burden to his unsuspecting accomplice and himself escapes. Edwards and Parsons both conclude with the episode of taking refuge in the roof, as in version (c). For references see Parsons, 117 note 2.

For the incident of the misunderstood warning, compare: Tremearne, FL 21: 206; Renel 2: 7, 8; Theal, 165; Harris, Nights, 82; Trowbridge, JAFL 9: 286.

There can be no doubt that the essential plot is a version of the Sindibad fable of the thief among the beasts, who caught the lion by mistake, told in Comparetti’s translation from the Portuguese in his “Researches Concerning the Book of Sindibad”, PFLS 9: 144. A rich herder camps beside a village at night. A prowling lion gets among the beasts. A thief comes and, feeling the animals to see which is the plumpest, lays hands upon the lion.

6. TIGER’S BREAKFAST.

For the first breakfast trick, compare number 57a; for the second, 43. For Tiger’s revenge, see number 38.

7. EGGS AND SCORPIONS.

Jekyll tells the same story in Annancy and Candle-fly, 86–89; Wona, in Anancy and Fire-fly, 24–29; Pamela Smith, in Anancy and Ginger-fly. Milne-Home, 35–39, contains the scorpion episode. Compare Tremearne FL 21: 360.

The plot is in two parts. (1) Anansi goes on an egg-hunt at night with Fire-fly as guide, but is deserted because of his greed. (2) He stumbles upon Tiger’s house at night, and tries to steal back the eggs which Tiger has set Scorpions to guard. The parallel of this story with number 39 is obvious. Jekyll’s version takes on elements of the sheep-stealing story, number 5. A Mandeville version reads much like Milne-Home’s:

Bra Anansi an’ Bra Tiger went out to go an’ steal some eggs. Bra Anansi took a rubber bag an’ Bra Tiger took a canvas bag. When Bra Tiger bag full, Bra Anansi jus’ half. Bra Tiger would not wait any longer. He leave him an’ he go away.

Anansi was filling the bag, there he see a light coming, think it was Bra Tiger an’ cry out, “Lor’, Bra’r, Bra’r, yo’ jus’ coming to meet me?” But it wasn’t Tiger; it was the man watchin’ the eggs.

An’ when he went up to hol’ him he said, “Do, sah! do, sah! don’ carry me to massah to-night. Tie me to yo’ bed-side to-night till a mawnin’!” An’ when the man was sleeping, he call to Bra Rat, “Bra’r Rat, run come here let me tell you somethin’!” When Bra Rat come he said, “Jes’ loose me, I hev some egg here to give you!” An’ he loose him, he simply went right away,—never give Bra Rat anything.

8. TIGER’S BONE-HOLE.

The popular story of the bone-hole is better in action than on paper. A lad in Ballard’s Valley gave me a similar story of John-Crow’s bone-hole, ending with the dash of boiling water which has rendered John-Crow permanently bald (see number 47). After dictating the story he said, “Now I will tell it so as to make it funny”, and he proceeded to retell the tale in rapid dialogue, changing his voice to imitate the speakers and representing in pantomime the action of eating and throwing the bones, of ducking to escape them, and of playing the fiddle. As in this case, the dictated stories often only approximately render the style of actual oral delivery.

Compare Cronise and Ward, 214–218. For negro ideas about the “bone-heap” see Bleek, Bushman Folk-lore, 275–283.

9. THE CHRISTENING.

The Jamaica version of this wide-spread tale (Grimm 3, discussed in Bolte u. Polívka, 1: 9–13), has no local peculiarities. Compare Parsons, Sea Islands, 5–9 and references; also Frobenius 3: 13–16.

It consists of two parts. (1) A rascal excuses himself three times for leaving his companion, on the plea of a summons to a christening, in order to rob a tub of butter which the two hold in common. (2) By smearing the innocent companion with the butter, he makes him appear the guilty one.

The first part is the distinguishing feature of the tale. A stolen food-supply is one of the commonest episodes in negro trickster stories and common tests to detect the thief occur:—(a) Taking a purge to detect stolen food as in Dennett, 92. (b) Jumping over a fire, as in Harris, Uncle Remus, 84; Nights, 253–254; JAFL 30: 193; 32: 394; and numbers 21 a and 36. (See Bolte u. Polívka 1: 39). (c) Jumping over, or walking, a string, as in Theal, 115; Junod, 105; Boas and Simango JAFL 35: 193; Compare also Monk Lewis’s story of the test in crossing a river, 253–254, illustrated in number 80.

The trick to “incriminate another fellow” is, regularly, to smear the innocent victim with food while he sleeps. Compare: Bleek, 18; Callaway, 169; Theal, 93–97; Junod, 102; Dayrell, 53–54; Harris, Uncle Remus, 83; Parsons, Sea Islands, 8–14; also, Haida Indians, Swanton 113 (Bur. of Am. Ethn. Bull. 29).

The blood-smearing of the innocent victim in Leopard’s Marriage Journey, Nassau, 85–95, is a particular instance of the same motive. The sheep-skin suit and the song in the mouth of the unsuspecting victim, serve as witty substitutes for this common device for the incriminating of an innocent person by the guilty.

In Arcin, 473, the common food-supply is stored in a granary of which Rabbit steals the key, eats the food, and scatters the remains in the house of the guardian Hyena.

10. EATING TIGER’S GUTS.

The “Just so” story, number 51, is another version of the diving plot, which is popular in Jamaica. Jekyll tells it, 7–9, in form (b).

Compare: Chatelain, 205; Junod, 208; Renel, 254; JAFL 32: 395; Nights, 373–377; Parsons, Sea Islands, 40.

In all these cases, the trickster proposes diving and eats a store of food while his companion is in the water. The grotesque idea of bodily dismemberment coupled with the diving episode, I do not find in any of the parallels noted. In Parsons, Andros Island, 73, Boukee and Elephant go out bird-hunting. Boukee shoots Elephant and brings him home to the family. Boukee is brought to justice because the children are overheard singing,

“Me an’ Mamma’n Pappa Eat my belly full o’ pot o’ soup Bo’o’ Elephin got (gut), oh!”

For the incriminating song in version (b), see number 4.

11. THROWING AWAY KNIVES.

The story furnishes a good instance of local setting for an old tale, the pine-apple being well known in Jamaica. It takes two forms, that of leaving behind an implement necessary for the enjoyment for some food-supply, and that of throwing it away, in both cases under the impression that the adviser has done the same, as in number 13.

Compare, for both spoon and knife episodes, Theal’s Hlakanyana cycle, 105–107; for the knife, Nassau, 85; 90; for the spoon, Chatelain, 17 (incomplete); Tremearne, 231–233. In Dayrell, 51, the abandoned implement is a drinking-horn. In the Bahama versions of the same story (Parsons, Andros Islands, 70–74; Edwards, 80–82) the episode does not appear.

12. GRACE BEFORE MEAT.

The same story is told in Jekyll, 77. For the introduction, compare Tremearne, FL 21: 502, and many Berber trick stories, e.g. Basset 1: 1, 3; 2: 12, 18, 76, 87. A version from Henry Spence, the Bog song leader, exactly follows the Aesopic model of Grimm 75 discussed in Bolte u. Polívka 2: 119–121.

De Fox ax de cat how much trick him got. Puss say, “I have one.” De Fox say him have ten time ten. So one day Dog start de Cat an’ de Fox. So after de Cat run fe de tree, never miss de tree at all, run to de top an’ sit down look upon Fox now an’ de dog. An’ all de trick de Fox got, de Dog ketch him.

For Monkey’s helping Tiger out of the hole and Tiger’s ingratitude, compare Tremearne, FL 21: 362.

For the escape by saying grace, compare: Bleek, 23; Jones, 109–110; Harris, Nights, 152–153 and see number 59b.

13. SEEING TROUBLE.

The complete story is made up of three parts. (1) Some inexperienced animal wants to know “what trouble is”. (2) The rascal gets him into difficulty; (3) and helps him out again.

Compare: Zeltner, 105–107; Tremearne, FL 21: 499–500; Jones, 107–109; Parsons, Sea Islands, 59–61.

(1) Only Jones, Parsons and the Jamaica version (a) have the introduction, which suggests the story (Grimm 4) of the lad who did not know what fear was.

(2) One of three plots is employed to teach wisdom. In Jones (see number 30c and Gerber’s Great Russian Animal Tales, 12, 16) the rascal gives his victim a bull-dog in a bag and bids him let it out in an open field. In Parsons, he sets on fire the deep grass in which his victim lies sleeping. In Zeltner, Hyena and Hare catch four lion cubs; Hare pretends to kill his two, and Hyena follows his supposed example. In Tremearne, Hyena and Jerboa on a wedding journey are lodged in the goat-house and the fowl-house respectively. Jerboa proposes they have a feast, then counsels the host to count the fowls and the goats. None of his fowl are missing, but Hyena has eaten a goat. In Ferrand, Madagascar, 207, it is proposed to kill mothers. One pretends to, the other thinks it real and does it. See number 136.

In Gerber’s Great Russian Animal Tales, 13, the Fox, having placed some chickens under her, pretends to be tearing out and eating her own entrails. Bear tries to do the same and kills himself.

(3) The escape into a hole is very common. The usual method of rescue is to throw dust, pepper or spit into the eyes of the watcher at the hole. Compare: numbers 5c, 23, 27a, and Zeltner, 107; Nassau, 45, 46; Smith, 549; Harris, Uncle Remus, 52; Nights, 285; Fortier, 115; Jones, 108; JAFL 30: 178; Parsons, Andros Island, 118 and note for references.

The “sweet” eye-water suggests such a tale as Tremearne, FL 21: 364, where Goat smears honey upon Hyena’s sinew, with which he is doing some mending for Lion, and by giving Lion a taste of it provokes an attack upon Hyena.

14. NEW NAMES.

The trick to save a mother in time of famine from a mutual agreement of sacrifice to hunger, has a great vogue in Jamaica. I got two versions, and Pamela Smith tells it as “Parrot, Tiger and Anancy,” 52–54.

Compare: Dayrell, 86–90; Dennett, 85; Harris, Nights, 233–236; 237–241; Fortier, 109; Parsons, Andros Island, 116–117; JAFL 30: 230–231.

Only in the Jamaica versions and in Parsons does the trick consist in teaching a hidden name. In P. Smith, after saving his mother by teaching her the new name, Anansi hides her in a tree and the story follows 17 a. Dayrell, and Harris 237–241, tell the tree story. In Dennett, she is hidden in a cave, where she is discovered by treachery and killed. In Harris 233–236, Wolf’s mother is taken first to market and sold, and Rabbit tricks Wolf out of horses, wagon and provisions by the familiar device of burying the tails; but the story is incomplete, as it does not explain how Anansi got out of the bargain. In Fortier, the two mothers are tied, one with a rope, the other with a cob-web, and one mother escapes. The tying trick precedes the tail-burying in Parson’s Portuguese version, JAFL 30: 230–231.

In Chatelain, 141–145, four brothers-in-law refuse food to their brother’s wife because she does not know their names. A bird sings them to her as follows:

Listen, I will tell thee; (One is) Tumba Sekundu; (One is) Tumba Sekundu Muna; (One is) Tumba Kaulu; (One is) Tumba Kaulu Muna.

For the hidden name theme which forms the basis of this story, see note to number 69.

15. LONG SHIRT.

Hendrick’s version of this good story is the only one I heard in Jamaica. It has a European coloring in the speaking garment, which resembles the English versions of Jack and the Bean-stalk. The setting of the dance resembles number 4, but in this story the dance plays no motivating part. For the horn as stump see Aesop, Phaedrus 2: 8. The conclusion is no doubt a turn of Hendrick’s own, as he was fond of explanatory endings and got one in whenever he could.

16. SHUT UP IN THE POT.

This common African story is not popular in America in this form, either because the idea is repulsive or because it is too simple to make a good story. The essential feature, that of taking turns going into the pot, is employed in number 37, and resembles the playing at tie each other of number 1. It is used in some versions of number 98. In Wona, 14–18, Anansi gets the animals into his pot by proposing a weight-testing contest.

Compare: Jacottet, 12–14; Junod, 91; Dayrell, 36–37; Elmslie, FL 3: 104–105; Boas and Simango JAFL 35: 168–170.

In Dayrell’s version, Bat pretends to make soup by jumping into a pot which he has previously prepared with food, and persuades his companion to scald himself to death by imitating him. Yeats drew his play of the “Pot of Lentils” from an Irish version in which a stone serves as the magic means instead of the magician’s person.

17. HOUSE IN THE AIR.

The story of obtaining entrance to a hidden food-supply “in the air” takes two general forms in Jamaica—first, that in which a song serves as pass-word, as in the voice-softening Rapunzel plot, number 91; second, that of the lost pass, numbers 22 and 100. The lost pass takes two directions; there is either a forgotten pass-word or a destroyed “key.”

The story is popular in Jamaica. See Jekyll, 23–25, Pamela Smith, 52–54; Backus, JAFL 11: 288–289.

Compare: Dayrell, 86–90; Parsons, Andros Island, 5–7; 8–9; Sea Islands, 36; Harris, Nights, 236–241.

Version (a). Dayrell, Harris and Pamela Smith use the episode to complete the mother-eating story; the trickster hides his relative in a tree in order to evade his share of the bargain.

In Bleek, 7, 9, and Theal, 190, a trickster offers to act as carrier for the Lion’s prey, conveys it to a height, then pretends to draw the Lion up with a rope but lets him fall when he is part way up.

Version (b). The version is so incomplete that its connections are difficult to trace. In Chatelain, 133, when the women from Sun and Moon who have come to draw water go back up to heaven on the cobweb that Spider has woven, Frog goes along with them to woo the daughter of Sun and Moon for his master. In Dennett, 74, the Spider climbs up to the blue vault of heaven and draws up the other animals to woo Nzambi’s daughter.

Versions (c) and (d). In Parsons, Andros Island, 5–7, the trickster visits some fat pea-fields in the air belonging to “dose speerits which you call witch people” and gets a dash of hot water, as in number 1 b. In version (d), the trickster himself employs the hot water in the popular John-crow peel-head episode with which the story concludes; see number 48. Backus’s Jamaica version ends in the same fashion.

The idea of the liver as the “key” to the house occurs in Chatelain, 113. The trickster, after trying in vain to kill a monster by cutting off his head, gets himself swallowed and “goes to look into his hearts (i.e. “liver” and “inner organs” generally, says the note) whether these are the keys.”

18. GOAT ON THE HILL-SIDE.

This well-known East Indian fable is common in Jamaica. Jekyll gives a version, 20–22.

Compare: Parsons, Andros Island, 88–89 and note for references; also Chatelain, 189–191; Junod, 123–124; Edwards, JAFL 4: 52.

The ruse is one generally planned by the weak trickster for his strong but dull-witted companion, as in number 23. There is a tendency to place the incident among the monkeys, as in number 37. In Parsons’s three versions the slaughter is made among them; in Jekyll’s version, in a second of my own from Mandeville, and in Jacottet’s form, it is the monkey or baboon who discovers the trick. In Tremearne, FL 21: 209–210, a bird gives warning; in Chatelain, a deer.

19. DOG AND DOG-HEAD.

This story is told everywhere in Jamaica, but I find no African version and Mrs. Parsons says (JAFL 32: 391) that, although she heard it “over and over again” in South Carolina, it was altogether unknown in North Carolina; see Sea Islands, 1–5. Such a distribution argues a fairly modern origin for the complete form of the story.

The story has two parts. (1) Two friends, who have, one a dog and the other a dog-head, go hunting, and the owner of the dog-head claims the spoils for his own. (2) His companion, who dares not dispute him, recovers the spoils by pretending that the owner is come to punish the theft.

An introduction sometimes tells how the friends come by the dog and dog-head. Each gets a present of a dog, but one is so greedy that he eats his down, beginning at the tail, until only the head is left. When his friend jeers at him, he makes a bet that his dog-head will catch the prey. The business of deciding at which end to begin to eat the dog is used as a humorous episode detached from the rest of the story, the victim sometimes escaping in the meantime.

The trick of claiming the cow as the prey of the dog-head may be related to such stories as that of Basset 2: 88, in which the man lays the new-born calf beside his own bull and declares that the bull has mothered it.

For the revenge, compare Rivière, 11; Harris, Nights, 131–132.

20. TACOOMAH’S CORN-PIECE.

See number 21.

21. ANANSI AND THE TAR BABY.

For the distribution of the Tar-baby story in negro folk-lore and its relation to negro practices compare: Boas, JAFL 25: 247–250; Tremearne, 20–24; Parsons, Andros Island, 12–13; Sea Islands, 26–29. For Spanish see Espinosa (Cuentos populares españoles, Stanford University 1923, Vol. I, p. 80.)

Version (a). Of all the devices to catch a thief, the tar-baby story is by far the most popular in Jamaica. Despite its conformity to negro practices, the uniformity of style in which the story is treated shows that it is not here developed upon a naturalistic basis. On the other hand, the trick of the escape into the habitat does not often occur in Jamaica, perhaps because it is more amusing when coupled with the figure of Rabbit, as in 59 a. For other instances of the fire-test see notes to number 9.

Version (b). Jamaica thief stories lay emphasis upon the unexpectedness of the thief’s identity. In version (a) and in number 50, it is the watchman himself who is robbing the garden. In (b) it is the intimate friend. In (c) it is the father of the family. Pains are taken, moreover, to divert suspicion. In number 20, Anansi establishes an alibi by playing all night at a dance while his gang rob the field; in Junod, 102, Rabbit makes his companion put him under a mortar at night and fasten his feet, then wriggles out of the trap and returns to it again. The device in version (b) seems to be native to Jamaica.

The escape by means of a substitute is more dramatically handled than in Mrs. Parsons’s Bahama versions, 15–16, but as Goat is generally a wary animal in Jamaica stories, the ending must be derived from the “Boukee and Rabby” cycle of the Bahama and Louisiana equivalents. For the substitute theme, compare numbers 2, 4, 5b, 10b, 58.

Version (c). Compare: Bleek, 80–82; Cronise and Ward, 101–111; Barker, 69–72. For the detection of the father by the son, see Cunnie-more-than-father, number 23.

22. INSIDE THE COW.

According to Mrs. Parson’s analysis in Andros Island, 2–10, the story of the lost pass takes four forms: (1) across water, (2) inside a tree, (3) to the sky, (4) inside the cow. To all these passages, a magic pass is attached, and either a violated prohibition or a forgotten pass-word traps the intruder until the master of the place appears.

In Jamaica, the story is very popular. (1) occurs in numbers 7, 39, 58, out of which, however, the pass-word has dropped; (2) is wanting; (3) is found in number 17; (4) appears in numbers 6 and 38 and in a number of current versions which contain the episode of cutting meat from inside the cow, but lack the other elements of the story.

For the pattern of Parkes’s story, which falls into five parts, compare: Tremearne, 257–260; Ellis, Yoruba, 271; Barker, 81–84; Cronise and Ward, 231–238; Nassau, 35–37; 202–207; Fortier, 31; 111; Harris, Uncle Remus, 166–168; Christensen, 108; Edwards, 77; Parsons, Andros Island, 2–10; Rattray, 2: 88.

(1) The trickster discovers food in a neighbor’s possession in Tremearne, Nassau, 203, Fortier, 31, Harris, Christensen, Edwards, Parsons, 3, 4, 27.

(2) His impatience leads him to create a “mock sunrise.” In Tremearne, he burns the roof; in Christensen, he sets a tree on fire; in Ellis, he simulates the cock-crowing; in Barker, he makes the children rattle their spoons and sweep the floor.

In Parkes’s version, Anansi wakens at the cow-boy’s bell, and the reference to the “river-side” connects the story with the crossing water variant. As in Cronise and Ward, after learning the trick from his friend, he goes off alone for a supply without calling his neighbor.

In Jones, 11–14, and Harris, Friends, 6–11, the Sun promises to find food for the hungry Hawk if he can ever catch him in bed. When Rooster finally wakes Hawk in time to catch the Sun, the angry lord gives Hawk permission to catch chickens.

(3) In cutting the meat from inside the cow, in spite of warning he cuts a vital organ in Nassau, Cronise and Ward, Harris, Fortier, Parsons, 9; and numbers 17c and 17d of this collection.

In Fortier, 31 (see number 7), instead of taking one egg from each nest as bidden, he takes all. In Ellis, he forgets the pass-word.

(4) When the owner of the dead cow comes to cut it up, the trickster hides in some organ, which the owner’s daughter takes to the brook to wash. He jumps out, pretends that he was in the brook bathing, complains of the insult and gets the cow as damages. So Cronise and Ward, Nassau, Edwards. In Tremearne, he gets a whole elephant for himself.

(5) He carries the cow away into a lonely place in order to enjoy the whole, and Dry-head gets it away from him; see numbers 29, 30. The episode does not occur in other versions. In Cronise and Ward, he gets three cows by means of the tail in the ground trick. In Harris, he is given his companion’s head, who gets shut up with him and upon whom he has laid the blame of killing the cow.

23. CUNNIE-MORE-THAN-FATHER.

Parkes gave me the only version of this admirable story that I found in Jamaica and I did not find it in this form in other American collections. The essential idea is that of repeated attempts by a parent to turn over to an enemy an adroit child, who each time outwits his would-be captor. The plot is common in Africa. In Rattray, Chinyanje, 133–136; Torrend, 183–185; Junod, 158–163, a woman steals from a monster, who demands her unborn child in compensation. After his birth, the monster comes for his prey. The parent attempts to beguile the child into his hands by sending him to fetch something from the place where the monster lies concealed. Each time the child escapes. Finally the child climbs a tree and throws down fruit (Torrend and Junod) or wood (Rattray) into the open mouth of his enemy, thus choking and killing him.

For a similar sequence of attempts to entrap a weaker enemy, compare the Coyote and Rabbit cycle from Mexico, Boas, JAFL 25: 205, 236, 246, and 260 referring to Preuss; and two versions of the same story by Mechling, JAFL 25: 201–202.

Parkes’s version includes five episodes, three of which belong to the regular cycle; the first and the last are indeterminate.

(1) The child proves too clever for the parent. Barker, 24, says, “Anansi is the Spider, and with him is generally associated his son, Kweku Tsin.” Stories about the two bring out the superior wit of the son and the jealousy of the father. Compare numbers 19, 21 c, 24 in this collection.

In the African stories cited above, the motive for seeking to entrap the child is one of compensation for stolen food. In the Mexican cycle, the dull-witted strong animal has been made to suffer punishment for a stolen food-supply, in place of the real thief. In Jamaica, the child’s exposure of a hidden food-supply is used as the motive.

The story of the yam’s hidden name is universally known and enjoyed in Jamaica. It belongs to the group of hidden-name stories discussed under number 69. See Milne-Home, 56–57, De Affassia, and compare Musgrave, 53–54.

(2), (3). The child first sticks a fire-stick into the pepper-bush behind which his enemy lies in wait, then throws bags of ants into his face as he waits under a cocoanut tree.

In the African and Mexican parallels, the trickster throws down fruit,—prickly-pears in Mexico. In every case, two fruits are thrown harmlessly, then the fatal fruit. Compare Parsons, Andros Island, 40. In Georgia, Backus, JAFL 13: 22–23, pepper is the missile. In Nassau, 25–30, bags of ants and pepper are thrown to detect the pretended dead. This may be related to the bee trick in the Mexican cycle. In the Jamaica episode of the “refugees in the roof,” numbers 5 c and 27, after the wife and children have dropped and been devoured, Anansi puffs dust into the pursuer’s eyes and escapes. Dust is thrown in Parsons, Sea Islands, 54, and in other instances in the same collection.

(4) For the episode of detecting a hidden enemy by calling upon the place where he is hidden to speak, compare Steere, 377; Rattray, 134; Renel 2: 92, 93; Fortier, 110; Harris, Friends, 143–146; and Boas’ Mexican cycle, JAFL 25: 208 and reference, note page 248.

(5) For the trick of changing places in the coffin and the pretended pastures under sea, compare 107, 108.

24. THE DUCKANO TREE.

Tacoomah in this tale plays the part of Cunnie-more-than-father of the preceding as a spy to discover a hidden food-supply. It is a very popular Jamaica story, told by Milne-Home, 120–124; Wona, 62–66; Pamela Smith, 78.

Compare Edwards, 79; Dayrell, 26–28.

The story has three parts. (1) The son by means of a trail of ashes discovers a hidden food supply. (2) He takes all but one fruit and charms that so that his father cannot pick it. (3) Dog picks it up and swallows it, is pursued, discovered by his eyes in the ground, and the stolen fruit is squeezed out of him, thus causing the “sink places” in his two sides.

(1) For the trail of ashes compare Barker, 51–54; Arcin, 478; Dayrell, 27; Nassau, 204, 141, 155; Harris, Friends, 15–20.

(2) In Dayrell’s story of The King’s Magic Drum, the king gives Tortoise a tree which bears foo-foo once a year and drops foo-foo and soup once a day, but will lose the power if visited twice. The son follows and breaks the spell. The Kaffir “Iron John” story of The Bird that made milk (Callaway, 99–104; Theal, 29–39), is the story of a food-producing animal trapped by the father and let loose by the son.

In Barker, Anansi, to punish men, gets the wisdom of the world sealed up in a jar and attempts to hide it away from everyone but himself in the top of a tall tree. His son, Kweku Tsin, follows him to the tree where he is hiding it, and, in his anger, Anansi lets the jar fall and break.

(3) In Theal, 158–168, a man whose greed in hiding a food-supply from his family has been discovered and punished, calls upon his dogs to aid him. Later his son escapes from the cannibals by slipping into a hole.

25. FOOD AND CUDGEL.

The first form of this story is very common in Jamaica. It is told by Pamela Smith, Candoo, 28–30; Wona, Do-mek-I-see, 9–18. The introductory trick is generally told as an independent witticism.

Compare: Basset 11, 93–95; 102; Barker, 39–44; Dayrell, 20–28; Parsons, Andros Island, 141 and note for further references. See Grimm 36, The Wishing Table, the Gold-ass, and the Cudgell in the Sack, discussed in Bolte u. Polívka, 2: 336–361.

26. THE RIDDLE.

Hendricks called this riddle test a “Nansi story,” although another which he told me,—that of bringing water in a basket by daubing the basket with clay—he said was “not exactly a Nansi story.”

27. ANANSI AND BROTHER DEAD.

The story of “Brother Dead” is one of the best known of Jamaica stories. Trowbridge, 282, says Death is looked upon as Anansi’s brother. “Anansi fool ’em all; nobody can fool Anansi, only Bredder Dead,” old Forbes said at the end of a trick story. Every Jamaica collection includes a version. See Jekyll, 31–34; Milne-Home, 40–41; Trowbridge, JAFL 9: 286–287; Pamela Smith, 69–70; Wona, 73–77. For other references, compare Parsons, Andros Island, 117–119 and note 2, page 117.

The story turns upon Anansi’s stealing from Death’s provision field, as in 17b. All the versions except Wona’s version end with the episode of “refugees in the roof,” as in number 5c; an episode related to the fruit-dropping or dust-blinding incident as a means of getting rid of a strong enemy who is lying in wait for a weaker; as in numbers 13c, 23.

In Wona’s version, which has retained a European underworld coloring, Anansi passes fields of fat cattle and comes finally to the city of Death. He greases the hinges of the gate with the fat of the sheep he has killed out of Death’s flocks, and when he flees, the gate opens for him. Nevertheless, the shadow of death jumps upon his back. He asks various friends to take it off, and finally succeeds in throwing it to earth; later he picks and eats callalu (Jamaica greens) from the spot where it fell. This latter part of the story is the “Dry-head” episode of numbers 22 and 30.

In the ordinary Jamaica version, the comedy of getting the food, bringing the wife, attempting Death’s destruction, take the place of the underworld detail. Another Maroon version begins:

Anansi get a daughter he call Mat, an’ he go to a place where he was hunting an’ see a man sitting down all day sharpening pegs. Anansi go an’ say “Morning, Brar Dead!” Not a ’peak, only keep on work all a time. He go up on his lof’ have lots of dry meat, an’ he tek as much an’ carry it down an’ bile his food. Anansi don’ walk where rope is set against de water, walk a different pass.

After Anansi has left his daughter with Dead, the story runs:

Him daughter want water, say, “Brar Dead, want water.” Not a answer. Him follow de pass an’ go down to whe’ de water deh; an’ him drop in Brar Dead’s rope an’ he catch him. An’ Dead run down an’ tek him off de stick an’ lick him.—“Brar Dead, I’m yo’ wife! yo’ wife, Brar Dead! Don’ kill me! don’ kill me!” Don’ hear a word, not a word. Kill him an’ cut him up an’ carry him put him up in lof’, mek fire under him, dry him.

In Trowbridge, Death is a loquacious planter and the story runs like any thieving plot. In the Maroon version the figure of “Brother Dead” corresponds with that of the “Piercer of Souls” or the “fisherman” in American Indian stories of the trickster’s visit to the underworld, e.g. Relation de la Nouvelle France, 1636, p. 106; Petitot, Traditions Indiennes des Déné Dinjé, p. 33. The American Indian fisherman is spearing or angling for fish; the Jamaica figure of Death is trapping game. Both tricksters make their way in by avoiding Death’s trap.

The incident of tying Death’s hair in order to burn him up corresponds to the hair-plaiting in Callaway, 29, and Theal, 110, where the trickster sets fire to the hut and burns up his host.

Version (b) shows a simpler handling of similar incidents.

28. BROTHER DEAD AND THE BRINDLE PUPPY.

The second story of “Brother Dead” is mixed up with obeah beliefs and it is hard to tell where the pattern ends and improvisation begins. Brother Dead, like the sorcerer, evidently sends a shadow in the shape of a brindled pup to pursue and catch Anansi. The song, meanwhile, plays a part in the conjuring. Words and tune are African. The old Maroon who gave me the trap-setting picture of “Brar Dead” quoted in the note to the last number, concluded as follows:

“When he (Dead) ketch to a cross-path, tek him lance an’ see one little maugre dog into a hole an’ dig him out an’ say to de puppy, ‘Ai! Brar, fo’ kitty a shall man bra!’ If he had caught Anansi, he would kill Anansi.”

I was unable to get an explanation of the sorcerer’s phrase.

Compare, for the guardian dog, the story of Sarah Wintun by Lewis, 291, and see number 72. Jamaica sorcerers send a helping spirit in animal form to work their revenge.

29. THE COWITCH AND MR. FOOLMAN.

The very popular Jamaica story of the “cowitch tree” is here combined with another equally popular story. (1) Anansi wins a bet to fell a tree in a cowitch property without scratching himself. (2) He loses the reward by being out-tricked by another fellow whom he has himself hoped to dupe and who pretends that the cow has sunk into the ground all but its tail.

The story occurs in Pamela Smith, 75–77; Milne-Home, 89–90; and a confused version in Jekyll, 29–30. Compare also number 52.

(1) The cowitch idea seems to be late Jamaican. In P. Smith, Anansi picks cocoa-nuts in spite of ants and wasps and gets a cow as reward. In Milne-Home, he cuts down the tree without brushing off ants, and gets the king’s daughter. In number 52, Toad succeeds in cutting down the tree the chips of which return magically to their place, and wins the king’s daughter. Generally outside Jamaica, the reward is the king’s daughter and the difficulty arises from stinging insects or from a useless weapon.

Compare Barker, 159–161; Tremearne FL 21: 353–354; Lenz, 31–32; Harris, Nights, 216–222 and note to 222; Jones, 17; Parsons, Sea Islands, 3.

In Barker, the king promises an elephant to the man who can cut down a tree with a wooden axe. Anansi conceals a steel axe and calls the watcher’s attention to various animals at a distance while he uses it.

In Harris, Wolf forbids his daughter to all wooers who slap at mosquitos. Rabbit wins her by describing where his grandfather was speckled.

In Jones, the king will give his daughter to Wolf or Rabbit, whichever will endure the sand-fly longest without slapping it. Rabbit wins by describing the colors on his father’s horse.

In Tremearne, the task is to remove a heap of manure without either taking food or spitting, and Spider conceals in his quiver the means to fulfil these needs unsuspected. The story ends as in number 44.

In Lenz, the tree is to be chopped down with a single stroke by the one who wants to marry the daughter.

The test theme of the tree-chopping is familiar to European story. In Grimm, 79, the boy has to hew down a tree with a blunt axe as one of the tasks set by the Water-nix; see Bolte u. Polívka 2: 140–146. In Grimm 193, the Drummer has to hew down the tree with an axe of lead and wedges and mallet of tin; see Bolte u. Polívka 3: 406–417. The idea of stinging insects or plants as a test of self-control seems to be African and may be suggested by such ceremonial initiations into manhood as are described by Hollis, The Nandi, 54.

In Jamaica, the reward of self-control is not a wife but a cow. This the winner desires to eat entirely by himself. The “whole cow” theme so popular in Jamaica, occurs in 19, 22, 30, and in 6, 7, 11, 21, 23, 24, 25, 34, 39, 132 of this collection, the story turns upon a trick to secure the whole of a common food-supply.

The Foolman episode is told by Milne-Home, 109–113, of Anansi’s wife and “Quanqua.”

In P. Smith, the very popular “Dry-head” episode accounts for the loss of the cow, as in numbers 22 and 30.

In Barker, Anansi intends to get the cow to himself, but he loses it by the trick of stealing the tied animal. See Parsons, FL 28: 411–413.

For the trick of tails in the ground, compare Harris, Nights, 234–236; 247–258; Uncle Remus, 101–103; Christensen, 89–90; JAFL 26: (Hitchiti Indians) 215–216; (General) 30: 228; (Cape Verde) 230; 31: (Guatemala) 474; 32: (Virginia) 368; (Georgia) 403.

30. DRY-HEAD AND ANANSI.

The “Dry-head” episode is very popular in Jamaica. From Jekyll’s version, 48–49, I have corrected my version 30c as Johnson gave it and made Dry-head, not Anansi, the victim of the bag trick. Johnson was not a reliable informant. Other Jamaica versions occur in Pamela Smith, 75–76, as the conclusion to the “cowitch” story, and in Wona, 44–50.

The story falls into three parts. (1) Anansi pretends that he is about to die unless he has the whole of a fat barrow to himself. (2) He carries it away into the woods to eat and inadvertently picks up Dry-head, who devours the whole. (3) He invents an expedient to get rid of Dry-head.

Compare Surinam, JAFL 30: 244–246; Madagascar, Renel 2: 1–2; 57–59; Kaffir, Theal, 158–162; Upper Congo, Weeks FL 12: 82–83; West African, Tremearne, FL 22: 61–63; Barker, 66; Cronise and Ward, 287–290; Rattray, 2: 106–122.

(1) Rattray’s Hausa version is identical with the Jamaican. The Surinam story lacks the Dry-head ending. In the Madagascar and Congo stories, the trick turns upon pretending that a spirit warns the wife against poison if she partakes of her husband’s food. In Theal, Kenkebe visits his father-in-law in time of famine, is feasted on an ox and given bags of corn, which he conceals. Compare numbers 21 c, 23, 24, 25, and 29.

(2) A Masai story (Hollis, 15) tells of two brothers who are given a bullock to slaughter. They carry it to “a place where there was no man or animal, or bird, or insect, or anything living,” and a devil puts them to much inconvenience. The pursuit of Anansi by the shadow of Death, in the Wona version of 27, has already been referred to in the Dry-head episode. In Barker, 81–84, the stolen flour-producing stone which Anansi is carrying off, sticks to his head and grinds him to pieces, as referred to in the note to number 22.

In Theal, Kenkebe’s wife and son hide themselves behind the rock which conceals his secret store, and push over a stone which pursues him as far as his own house.

In Barker, 66, the king gives to the greedy man a box so enchanted that it can never be put down.

In Sac and Fox Indian tales, JAFL 15: 177, the monster-killing twins bring home a rock which sticks upon their backs until they carry it to its place again.

In the Ojibway Nanabushu cycle, Jones, Pub. Eth. Soc. 1: 117–127, Nanabushu is cooking a deer. The branches of the tree creak and he gets up to grease them and is caught and hung there. Meanwhile, the wolves come and eat up the deer. He finally escapes, discovers that the brains of the deer are still left in the deer-skull, transforms himself into a snake and crawls into the head. Turning too quickly back into human shape, he gets caught with the skull fast to his head and has to carry it about with him until he manages to break it against a rock.

(3) The regular Jamaica conclusion of the Dry-head episode seems to be the Aesopic one in which a bird carries him in air and drops him, not against a rock but, in Jekyll, “in the deepest part of the woods;” in version (c), “in a sea-ball.” In another version not printed here, Anansi takes in an old man because he has some food with him; but when the food gives out, the man “become a Dry-head on him,” and Anansi puts him off on Tacoomah, who leaves him by the sea so that a wave comes up and drowns him. In version (a) Anansi burns him up. Version (b) is a witticism in the same class as “Dry-head and the Barber” in this collection.

In Pamela Smith’s version, Anansi shoots the bird who is doing him the favor of carrying off Dry-head. See note to number 70 and compare P. Smith, 59–64, in which Tiger, pursued by the “Nyams,” begs one animal after another to hide him, but always lets his presence be known. Finally, when Goat kills the “Nyams,” he eats Goat with the “Nyams.”

In Dorsey, The Pawnee, 126, and Traditions of the Arikara, 146–148, Coyote, pursued by a Rolling Stone, takes refuge with the Bull-bats and is defended by them. In the Pawnee version, he later insults his rescuers.

31. THE YAM-HILLS.

The yam-hill story is very common in Jamaica. Parkes learned it in Kingston. Pamela Smith tells it, page 59 and JAFL 9: 278. Sometimes a song accompanies the story. The number of Yam-hills varies.

Compare Cronise and Ward, 167–171; Parsons, Andros Island, 109.

The story depends upon the idea that it is unlucky to reveal to others a marvel one has seen oneself, or to repeat certain taboo words. A lad in the Santa Cruz mountains explained the taboo by saying that Anansi had “six” legs. Another said that Anansi’s mother’s name was “Six.” So in Pamela Smith (JAFL 9: 278), the Queen’s name is “Five.” Compare Rivière, 177; Krug, JAFL 25: 120; Schwab, JAFL 32: 437, and the next two numbers in this collection.

32. THE LAW AGAINST BACK-BITING.

Parkes learned this story on board ship coming from Africa. It is common in Jamaica, and the wit by which the revenge is effected seems to be an individual invention, as it varies from story to story. In Junod’s Ba-ronga version (156–158), Piti, the fool, amuses himself by the roadside instead of going to herd cattle. Everyone who reproaches him falls dead. Later he restores his victims to life by means of fire.

33. FLING-A-MILE.

Jekyll, 152–155, has a good version of this very popular Jamaica story.

Compare the Bulu tales, Schwab, JAFL 27: 284–285; 32: 434.

In JAFL 27, Turtle sets a trap and by pretending to teach other animals who come along one by one how to use it, he catches one victim after another until he is himself caught.

In JAFL 32, Pangolin offers to initiate the animals one by one and makes them climb a tree and jump upon a concealed rock, which kills them. Turtle finally circumvents the trick.

In a Jamaica version collected in Mandeville, Anansi holds a butchering at a place where there is a tree which seizes any person who leans against it and flings him upon a lance which Anansi has set up.

34. BUT-BUT AND ANANSI.

The very popular story of Butterfly’s revenge is a somewhat obscured version of an old theme—the Jataka story of The Quail’s Friends, Francis and Thomas, 247–250. Compare Steel-Temple, Wide Awake Stories, 184; Gerber, Great Russian Animal Tales, Pub. Mod. Lang. Asso. of Am. 6: No. 2: 19–20; Grimm 58, The Dog and the Sparrow, discussed in Bolte u. Polívka 1: 515–519.

Though common to-day, the story seems to be of comparatively late introduction. Old Edwards, over eighty, heard it when he was “ripe.” Compare Tremearne, 231.

35. TUMBLE-BUG AND ANANSI.

The story of Tumble-bug’s revenge is even more common than the last number. In Wona, 51–55, Tumble-bug is carrying butter and Anansi only lard. Anansi proposes that they put their loads together, sees that Tumble-bug’s is at the bottom, and makes the ruling in order that he may get the butter and Tumble-bug the lard. Compare number 46 and the opening episode of the last number.

The revenge story is recent. In Wona, Tumble-bug suffers further at Anansi’s hands.

In Tremearne, FL 21: 213–214, Tortoise and Spider have a bull in common; Tortoise eats the liver and Spider claims in compensation the whole bull. Tortoise pretends dead and frightens Spider, who thinks it is a spirit and gives him everything.

36. HORSE AND ANANSI.

For the trick of sending after fire in order to enjoy the whole of a common store compare Koelle, 166–167; Tremearne, 255, 263; Hartt, 34; Harris, Friends, 79–80; Nights, 282–284; Christensen, 89; Georgia, JAFL 32: 403.

For the trick of leaving the knife or the spoon behind, see number 11 in this collection.

For the fire-test see 21a and note to number 9.

It is clear, from the picture drawn of Horse as he starts for the Fire, that the story-teller thinks of the actors in the story as animals, even when he shows them behaving like human beings.

37. ANANSI IN MONKEY COUNTRY.

Mrs. W. E. Wilson (Wona) thinks that the second version of the story, told by Jekyll, 70–72, is not a true negro form, because of the great respect in which Jamaica negroes hold the rites of the established church.

Compare Cronise and Ward, 133–145; Fortier, 24–27.

As a device for getting victims cooked and eaten, the story is related to numbers 16 and 38 in this collection.

38. CURING THE SICK.

In Parkes’s version, the substitution of the human for the fish victim not only spoils the wit of the story but obscures its relation to the story of Anansi’s visit to fish-country as it appears in number 39. The identity of the two is proved by the structure of the story, which falls into two parts. (1) Anansi, pretending to cure a sick relative, eats her instead. (2) The mule offers to avenge her and plays dead outside Anansi’s door; when he attempts to make use of her for food, she drags him into the water and drowns him, as in number 6.

For (1) compare Cronise and Ward, 226–230, where Rabbit pretends to cure Leopard’s children and eats them up; Nassau, 125–126, where Tortoise pretends to bring children out of Crocodile’s hundred eggs, and eats them all.

(2) In Parsons’s Portuguese negro story, JAFL 30: 231–235, Lob escapes from the island where the indignant birds have abandoned him, by bribing Horse-fish to carry him across. He promises to pay her well, but abandons the horse-fish as soon as he touches shore. She remains weeping on the shore. Lob thinks her dead and starts to cut her up. She drags him into the sea and drowns him. There are small touches in the story which prove its identity with the Jamaica version. When Lob’s wife weeps, Lob says, “She is just playing with me, she is not going to do anything.” In Parkes’s story, Anansi says to the mule who is dragging him into the sea, “A little fun me mak wid you, no mean i’.” In both Jamaica versions, Mule turns Anansi over to the vengeance of the fishes; in the Portuguese, he is drowned.

In Jekyll, 135–137, an old lady meddles with a jar she has been told not to touch and which, as soon as she gets her hand in, drags her to the sea and drowns her.

In Jekyll, 125, “Cousin Sea-mahmy” makes his son Tarpon carry Anansi to shore, and Anansi gets him into the pot by the trick of taking turns weighing each other, as in number 16.

In Pamela Smith, 44–46, Anansi eats the sick mother under pretence of cure, and bribes Dog to carry him across the river, but there is no vengeance; Dog himself is swallowed by Crocodile.

39. ANANSI, WHITE-BELLY AND FISH.

Jekyll, 129–131, and Milne-Home, 35–39, have excellent versions of this very popular Jamaica story, which, in its full form, is made up of four episodes. (1) The birds take Anansi across the water to their feeding-place where, because of his bad behavior, they abandon him. (2) Anansi visits Fish and claims relationship. Fish tests him with a cup of hot pop, which he cools in the sun under pretence of heating it hotter. (3) He is lodged for the night with a box of eggs, all of which he eats but one; and when called upon to count the eggs, brings Fish the same one every time, after wiping off the mark. (4) Fish sends her children to row him home. He fools them out of heeding her call when she discovers the loss of the eggs. Once on shore, he fries and eats the children.

Compare Tremearne, 265–266; Head-hunters, 324–326; Rattray, 2: 88–104; Parsons, Portuguese negroes, JAFL 30: 231–235; Andros Island, 2–3.

(1) The episode of the birds’ feeding-place is to be compared with that of Fire-fly and the egg-hunt, number 7, and with the visit “inside the cow,” number 22. In the Portuguese version, the birds take Lob to a dance and he sings insulting songs because there is no feast.

(2) The test of relationship occurs in Jekyll and in Tremearne, Head-hunters. It belongs to the same class of boasts as those of the Clever Tailor in Grimm 20 and 183.

(3) In Milne-Home, the scorpion trick is employed to guard the eggs, as in number 7, and Anansi complains of “fleas” biting him. The episode is lacking in Jekyll.

In Tremearne, Head-hunters, when Spider breaks the egg-shells, the children cry out to know what is the matter and Spider says he is hiccoughing.

The egg-counting trick generally occurs in a different connection. The trickster visits Tiger’s house, eats all the cubs but one, and counts that one many times. Compare Callaway, 24–27; MacDonald 1: 55–56; Theal 111; Jacottet, 40–45; Rattray, Chinyanje, 137–138; Harris, Nights, 346–348.

(4) In Jekyll, Anansi visits “Sea-mahmy,” who is a mermaid, and her son, “Trapong,” or tarpon, takes him home. In Milne-Home, “Alligator” is host; a “boatman” the ferryman. Lob gets “aunt” sea-horse to carry him to shore. In my Jamaica versions, the sons are the ferrymen and are generally cooked and eaten at the other end. The misinterpreted call occurs in all Jamaica versions and in Tremearne, Head-hunters. In the Lob story, Lob mutters an insult; when asked to repeat his words, he declares that he has merely praised the sea-horse’s swimming; compare Parsons, Sea Islands, 54–56. For the fate of the ferryman, see also note to number 38 and compare Anansi’s treatment of Rat in the note to number 7.

40. GOAT’S ESCAPE.

The story of Goat’s Escape is a favorite in Jamaica. See Milne-Home, 58–60; 65–66. It falls into two parts. (1) Goat and Dog are pursued and Dog escapes over a river which Goat cannot cross. (2) Goat transforms himself into a stone, which the pursuer himself throws across the river. The introduction to the flight varies but (2) remains constant.

Compare: Jacottet, note page 262; Parsons, Andros Island, 103 and note; Jones, 121–123; 133–136.

Version (a). Compare Jones, and Milne-Home, 58–60.

Version (b). In Jekyll, 46–47, Puss gives the rats a ball and only those members of the family escape who attend to little Rat’s warning, for he has heard the cat’s song. Compare Chatelain, 189–191, and see note to number 86, where the little brother or sister discovers by the words of a song a treacherous intention.

41. TURTLE’S ESCAPE.

See number 58, part (3).

42. FIRE AND ANANSI.

A less witty version of this popular Jamaica story occurs in Jekyll, 129–131.

In Dayrell, 64–65, Sun and Water are great friends. Sun visits Water, but Water never visits Sun. At length, Sun invites Water and builds a great compound to receive him and his friends. All come, take possession, and crowd Sun and his wife, Moon, out into the sky.

43. QUIT-QUIT AND ANANSI.

A story which turns upon teaching the wrong song to a dull-witted rival, never fails to raise a laugh in Jamaica. See numbers 4, 106 in this collection.

44. SPIDER MARRIES MONKEY’S DAUGHTER.

Compare Tremearne FL 21: 353–354 and number 92 of this collection.

45. THE CHAIN OF VICTIMS

Common as is the story of the “chain of victims” in Africa, Falconer gave me the only version I heard in Jamaica.

Compare Koelle, 158–161; Dayrell, 6–10; Nassau, 245–247; Tremearne, 373–374; FL 21: 211–212; Lenz, 39–40; Boas, JAFL 25: 207–209; Rattray, 2: 58–72.

46. WHY TUMBLE-BUG ROLLS IN THE DUNG.

Compare Tremearne, 261; FL 21: 498–499; Christensen, 96–98; and note to number 35 in this collection. [173]

47. WHY JOHN-CROW HAS A BALD HEAD.

The explanatory story of “John-crow peel-head” is very popular in Jamaica. See Pamela Smith, 25–26, and number 17d.

48. WHY DOG IS ALWAYS LOOKING.

In Milne-Home, 121, “Jack Spaniard” (a wasp-like fly) laughs at Mosquito’s boast till “he broke his waist in two.”

In Jones, 22, Sparrow makes the boast about his father’s crop of potatoes. [174]

49. WHY ROCKS AT THE RIVER ARE COVERED WITH MOSS.

See Milne-Home, 94–95; Jekyll, 52.

Compare Parsons, Andros Island, 119–121 and note for references; Bundy, JAFL 32: 412–413, and see note to number 138.

For a discussion of Grimm 110, The Jew among Thorns, see Bolte u. Polívka 2: 490–503.

50. WHY GROUND-DOVE COMPLAINS.

See number 21.

51. WHY HOG IS ALWAYS GRUNTING.

See number 10. In Pamela Smith’s “Dry-head” story, Anansi’s nose turns long, and he goes about persuading other people to screw on snouts.

52. WHY TOAD CROAKS.

See note to number 29.

53. WHY WOODPECKER BORES WOOD.

In Barker, 123, three sons wish to do honor to their mother and the first declares that he will make her a “sepulchre of stone.”

54. WHY CRAB IS AFRAID AFTER DARK.

The story represents a very wide-spread folk motive—that of a weak being who appeals to some deity for more power, but whose request is proved to be either needless or disastrous.

In Tremearne, FL 21: 360, an old woman is to teach Spider cunning. She sends him for a bottle of lion’s tears, an elephant’s tusk, a dog’s skin. Spider secures them all, and escapes her when she tries to kill him. She says, “If I taught you more cunning, you would destroy everybody.” This story is popular in Sea Islands, according to Dr. Parsons, JAFL 32: 404, and Sea Islands, 14–19. Compare Bundy, JAFL 32: 416–417, and note, page 416.

In Tremearne, 270–271, Snake promises Scorpion a poison that will kill a man at once. Scorpion accidentally bites Snake, and she refuses the poison lest he kill everybody.

In Fortier, 13–19, the Devil gives the little Earthworm his wish: “I want to become big big and beat everybody who will come to trouble and bother me. Give me only that and I shall be satisfied.” The consequences are disastrous for the earth-worm.

In Folk-tales of the Malagasy, FLJ 1: 238–239, “the little Round Boy” smokes out God’s children and so wins his desire.

In Ralston, 1–20, Sukra grants all an ambitious king’s wishes until he finally wishes to push Sukra himself off his seat. See Grimm, 19, The Fisherman’s Wife, Bolte u. Polívka 1: 138–148.

Compare the Panchatantra story quoted by Ralston, introduction to Tibetan Tales, Liii, of the weaver who asks for two pairs of arms and two heads in order to work faster, but is pelted by his terrified neighbors for his pains.

55. WHY MICE ARE NO BIGGER.

Compare Parsons, Sea Islands, 19–22.

56. RAT’S WEDDING.

This story is told in Milne-Home, 63–64. [175]

57. COCKROACH STORIES.

For version (a) compare number 6.

For version (b) compare Tremearne, 314; Parsons, Andros Island, 90–91 and note.

58. HUNTER, GUINEA-HEN AND FISH.

The story as Williams tells it is made up of three parts. (1) Bird and Hunter set up the same home without either knowing of the other. (2) Bird supplies Fish with wings and brings him to the feeding-patch, then takes the wings and flies away when Hunter comes in pursuit. (3) Fish is captured as the thief, but escapes by song and dance into the sea.

(1) See Grimm 27, Bremen Town Musicians, Bolte u. Polívka, 1: 237–239. Compare Barker, 141–143; Tremearne, FL 21: 495; Renel 2: 12–13; Parsons, Andros Island, 135; Rattray, 2: 34.

(2) The episode is identical with Anansi and the Birds in number 39, but motivated differently. See numbers 2b, 5b, 21b. In Bates’s Jamaica version, JAFL 9: 122–124, Mudfish is left in the Watchman’s hands without the preliminary episode of the common dwelling, and the escape is effected in the same manner.

(3) See number 41 and compare Renel 2: 165; Parsons, Andros Island, 135–137 and references note 2, page 137.

59. RABBIT STORIES.

These three and number 17b are the only Rabbit stories I heard in Jamaica. A woman named Ellen told the stories to the lads from whom I heard them, but she refused to be interviewed. See numbers 21a, 12, 23.

60. THE ANIMAL RACE.

The wit of the animal race turns upon the fact that a slow animal, contrary to all expectation, wins over a swift. The story takes three forms. (1) The swift animal is so sure of winning that it delays and “slow but sure wins the race.” (2) The little animal wins by hanging on behind while the other runs, and thus slipping in ahead at the end. (3) The slow animal arranges a relay by placing one of its kind along the road and taking its own position in hiding near the goal. See Dähnhardt 4: 46–96.

(1) The classic Aesopic moral appears in Parsons, Andros Island, 102–103; and in JAFL 30: 214.

(2) Compare Barker, 155–157; Madagascar, FLJ 2: 166–168; Natchez Indians, Swanton, JAFL 26: 203; Saurière, 104; Lenz, Estudios, 185, 187.

In Grimm 20 (Bolte u. Polívka 1: 148–165), while the giant bears the trunk of the tree on his shoulders, the valiant tailor rides home from the forest in the branches and pretends that he has been carrying the heavier load of the two.

(3) The Jamaica stories always follow the form of the relay race, as in Jekyll, 39–43. Compare Basset 1: 15; Bleek, 32; Frobenius 3: 15; Rattray, Chinyanje 131; Renel 2: 150–152; Schwab, JAFL 27: 277; Hartt, 7–15; Smith, 543; Christensen, 5–9; Jones, 5–6; Edwards, 69; Harris, Uncle Remus, 87–91; Boas, JAFL 25: 214–215; Parsons, Sea Islands, 79; JAFL 30: 174; 32: 394; and references to American Indian stories in Boas, JAFL 25: 249; Ponape, Hambruch, Südsee-Märchen, p. 196; note, p. 347.

The story is told in Grimm 187, discussed by Bolte u. Polívka 3: 339–355.

For the flying-trial for a bride, compare Parsons, Andros Island, 101.

61. THE FASTING TRIAL.

See number 149, where the bird in the tree starves and Hopping Dick on the ground picks up worms and wins the match. In this story, though incomplete, it is intimated that the bird in the tree wins.

Compare Dayrell, 153–155; Harris, Nights, 370–373; Fortier, 34–37; Parsons, Andros Island, 97—99.

In Dayrell, the birds propose to starve seven days to see which will be king. One leaves a hole out of which he creeps unobserved to feed.

In Harris, as in this Jamaica version, the winning bird takes up his station in the tree; the “fool bud” stays down by the creek.

In Parsons, one bird chooses a fruit tree, the other a “dry” tree. The song sung by the winning bird runs,—

“This day Monday mornin’ Tama tama tam!”

and so on for the remaining days of the week.

In Fortier, the lady-love brings food to her favorite bird. The cooing song in the Jamaica versions suggests this connection.

62. MAN IS STRONGER.

Compare Koelle 177–179; Harris, Nights, 33–38; 330–333; Radin, JAFL 28: 397–398, and see Grimm 72, discussed by Bolte u. Polívka 2: 96–100, and Sebillot, Le Folk-lore de France, 3: 63.

63. THE PEA THAT MADE A FORTUNE.

Compare: Bleek, 90–94; Callaway, 37–40; Theal, 102–105; Renel 2: 60–63; Rivière, 95–97; Tremearne, 237–242; FL 21: 213–214; Barker, 177–180; Cronise and Ward, 313; Torrend, 169–172; Elmslie, FL 3: 92–95; Krug, JAFL 25: 113–114; Harris, Friends, 182–186, and see Grimm 83, Hans in Luck; Bolte u. Polívka 2: 201–203.

64. SETTLING THE FATHER’S DEBT.

For similar “enigmatic phrase” stories compare Basset 2: 147–148; Rivière, 160–162; Renel 2: 82–84; 89–90; 164–165. The version, however, resembles the drolls from the Wye valley recorded in FL 16:178, 352.

65. MR. LENAMAN’S CORN-FIELD.

Parkes gave me the only version I got of this good story in Jamaica; he heard it in the parish of St. Ann. Barker, 181–184, tells the same for “Farmer Mybrow,” but only to the harvesting. In Cronise and Ward, 152–159, a man tries to harvest rice in Devil’s Town. The Devil does all the work, but eventually the pot of rice runs back to the Devil.

66. SIMON TOOTOOS. [176]

I heard this story more than once in Jamaica.

Compare Renel 2: 167–168; 283–286; Bundy, JAFL 32: 420; Parsons, Andros Island, 62–65 and 62, note 1, for references.

In a manuscript story shown me by Mrs. W. E. Wilson (Wona) which she took down from her old nurse, the same song is adapted to another story of a disobedient boy. In this tale, the boy insists upon going out late at night. He is at last captured by an ogre named “Time-an’-tootoos” who carries him off to devour. Father, mother and sister refuse his cry for help, but the brother finally hears him and comes just in time to his rescue. The song runs:

Me muma, oh, me muma, oh, Time-an’-tootoo, oh, lennan boy! Me muma, oh, me muma, oh, Time-an’-tootoo, oh, lennan boy! Carry him go ’long, carry him go long, Hard ears baby, oh, lennan boy!

For the story, compare Parson’s Andros Island, “Disobedient Boy,” 155–156, and see Jacobs’s tale of Mr. Miacca, English Fairy Tales, third edition, revised, 171; Grimm, 42, The Godfather, Bolte u. Polívka 1: 375–377. This is the only case in which I found the same song adapted to the dialogue of two different stories.

67. THE TREE-WIFE.

Compare Torrend, 40–44. For the answering spittle, compare Tremearne, 210; answering tufts of hair, Theal, 131; see note to number 15 and Bolte u. Polívka 1: 499; 2: 526–527. For beliefs about tracing something lost by means of spittle, see JAFL 2: 51, 52.

68. SAMMY THE COMFEREE.

This curious story seems to be a cross between the Potiphar’s wife episode with which the ballad of “Young Seidal” opens, and the African tale of the lard girl who melts if exposed to the sun.

Compare Dayrell, 1–2; Tremearne, 192; Parsons, Andros Island, 125 and note 2 for references.

69. GRANDY DO-AN’-DO.

In a Jamaica version by P. Smith, the story takes the form of the transformed mistress (numbers 84, 87). Toad betrays the witch to her suitor and teaches him the name by pronouncing which he discovers her true nature. In another Jamaica story (P. Smith, 38–40), the monster does not harm the woman who knows his name.

The story belongs to the group of fatal-name stories so popular in Jamaica. See numbers 14, 17, 23, 31, 44, 75, 87, 88, 89, 92, 93. All turn upon name customs and superstitions such as are touched upon in Tremearne, 178–182; Renel, 2: 39–40; Theal 2: 214; and discussed in Clodd’s Magic in Names, New York, 1921; Frazer’s Golden Bough (1911) 3: 318–418. See also Bolte u. Polívka 1: 490–498, on Grimm 55.

Compare Junod, 309–313; Tremearne, 274–278; 349–350; Dayrell, 79–80; Parsons, Andros Island, 114–115; Sea Islands, 22–23.

In this story, (1) a servant, refused food unless she tells the name of her mistress, learns the secret from a friendly animal; (2) the mistress discovers the traitor and avenges herself upon him or is herself vanquished.

(1) In some African versions, girls come to wed a desirable suitor, who kills them if they cannot tell his name. One girl is polite to an old woman, who tells her the secret.

(2) In some African versions, as in number 93, the name is fatal. In Jamaica, its possession wins a reward, and the interest is likely to turn upon an explanatory ending. For the incident of singing the name, see Musgrave, FLR 3: 1: 53–54. For the bull-fight, see number 88, and compare Cronise and Ward, 55–65.

70. JACK AND HARRY.

This fragmentary story belongs, with the Man-crow story of number 90, to a much longer African story which relates the adventures of a child-hero whose father, dying, leaves instructions that the child’s will shall never be crossed. Incidents succeed one another of inhuman ingratitude and of intrepid heroism, based on the possession of magical powers, until the boy finally kills a bird-monster and performs other remarkable exploits.

Compare Tremearne, How Auta killed Dodo, 408–412; Zeltner, Histoire de Kama, 47–62.

“Harry” in this story is the counterpart of the older sister who acts as Kama’s mentor in Zeltner’s version, and of “Barra” in Tremearne. The four episodes are common to this and the Kama story,—the stolen breakfast, the insult to the sheltering old woman, and the two episodes of the breaking of the rescuing eagle’s wing, followed immediately by the abuse of the friendly tortoise. In Zeltner, the tortoise has restored the children to life. The common-place incidents of the Jamaica version are in curious contrast with the rich and varied phantasmagoria of the Senegambian tale.

The flight which brings disaster to the kindly shelterers occurs in the story of Tiger’s pursuit by the “Nyams,” told by Pamela Smith, 59–65. Compare Tremearne, 344–346.

In Europe, the story of the Bear’s son in folk-tale and of Robert the Devil in romance have points in common with this story. See Grimm 90; Bolte u. Polívka 2: 285–297; as also Grimm’s Thumbling stories, numbers 37 and 45, and note (3) to number 30.

71. PEA-FOWL AS MESSENGER.

Jekyll, 84–85, connects the animal competitors with the story of making the dumb girl speak, as in numbers 95, 96. In Milne-Home, 73–77, the animals compete to sing at the king’s dance. In African parallels, some peril is involved of which a bird is to bear warning. But in all my versions and in those given by Mrs. Parsons from Andros Island, 112–113, the birds summon the father of a new-born child. The song of one of my versions from Maroon-town runs,

Mr. Canoe-lo, Mr. Canoe-lo, I want de key of de hall door, Mistress Canoe hard labour.

Mrs. Parsons says that the negroes of Andros Island agreed that this was the most popular story on the island.

Compare Torrend, 87–88; Junod, 140–141; Dennett, 103–104; Jacottet, 108; Theal, 63–66; Renel 1: 32–34; 279–281, 282–287; Parsons, Andros Island, 112–113; Sea Islands, 106.

Peafowl’s reward gives an explanatory turn to the end of the story. In Hendricks version from Mandeville, Peafowl sings,

Mister Conna Levrin, Mister Conna Levrin, When she’s going to die, ah-h!

The husband reaches home in haste. The lady gives Pea-fowl the promised reward, and “he took the bag of gold and the silver, and in his joy he threw it right over his head, over his entire body, never remembered his two feet. That’s the reason why Pea-fowl’s so handsome all over—has such beautiful feathers and such ugly feet.”

72. THE BARKING PUPPY.

On the whole, the bird is a friendly spirit, the dog an unfriendly in African story. Here, as in number 28, the dog takes the place of the warning bird. The idea seems to be here that the dog, by calling his master’s name, invokes his spirit.

Compare Junod, 93; Parsons, Andros Island, 165; and “The Hobyahs” in Jacobs, More English Fairy Tales, 127.

In Junod, Dove warns Hippopotamus against Rabbit; Rabbit kills Dove. The feathers give warning; Rabbit burns all the feathers but one and mixes them with dirt; then the one feather gives warning.

In Chatelain, 129, a dog warns of a murder. See note to number 73.

In Callaway, 52, a witch’s flesh is ground to powder and thrown into the water in order that it may not come back to life.

73. THE SINGING BIRD.

In Jekyll, 14–16, the incident of the warning bird is employed in the story of the two sisters, number 74. Version b is a poor rendering of Jekyll, 96–97.

In Theal, 217–220, the younger of two brothers secures a magic gift of cattle. The elder lets him down into a water-hole to drink and, leaving him there, goes home with the cattle. A warning bird leads rescuers to the place. See, for the same story, Jacottet, 60–62 and note; Folk-Lore Jour. of. So. Af. 1: 139–147.

For the incident of the warning bird compare Torrend, 17; note 24–26; 166–167; Theal, 219; Renel 1: 30–31; Dayrell, 110–114; FLJ (SA) 1: 75–79. The motive is common in ballads; e.g. JAFL 20: 253. In the Cinderella story, it is a bird who gives warning of the false bride; e.g. Callaway, 130–135. Not all birds, only certain species, are looked upon as “prophet birds.” See Cronise and Ward, 175; Dennett, 8. That these birds may be regarded in some cases as the actual soul of the murdered person is evident from Renel’s story.

In Parsons, Andros Island, 129–132, a tree sings of a murder. See Grimm 47, The Juniper Tree, and Bolte u. Polívka 1: 412–423 on Grimm 28, The Singing Bones.

74. TWO SISTERS.

Jamaica versions of this popular story appear in Milne-Home, 70–72; Jekyll, 14–16; Trowbridge, JAFL 9: 283–284. Parsons Andros Island, 150–152, has equivalent versions.

The False Bride motive is very common in African story. Compare Callaway, 105–130; 303–316; Theal, 56–66; 144–147; 151–154; Jacottet, 90–99; Torrend, 66–68; Dayrell, 126.

In number 101, the true bride comes at night and sings and is detected through the words of her song. In this story, she comes at night to suckle her child; see the Child ballad version noted by Parsons, and Bolte u. Polívka 1: 76–96, on Grimm 11, Brother and Sister. In Theal, 55–66, the drowned woman comes at night to suckle her child, is watched, and a net set to catch her. In Theal, 144–147, the snare and the milk are set for the false instead of for the true bride as a test of her witch nature because no witch’s tail can escape the attraction of milk. This is like the old fable of the cat who became a lady, but betrayed her origin when a mouse ran across the floor.

75. ASSONAH.

This story has some elements in common with number 90. It falls into two parts. (1) A huge beast comes daily to the house and is finally shot. (2) A boy who must discover the name of the beast learns it by chance from an old woman and wins the reward.

(1) Compare Backus, JAFL 13: 27, where the animal is a bear.

(2) The connection between the first and the last part of this story, which seems to belong to the fatal name series, is lost. For the old woman as informant, compare references to number 69. For the audience, the point of the story evidently lay in the comic way in which Brown held up the imaginary monster’s skin between thumb and fore-finger and said, “No (is it not?) Assonah ’kin?” Assonah is generally supposed to be an elephant.

76. THE GREEDY CHILD.

The idea of a water spirit who allows no one to cross a river without an offering of food, seems to be common in West Africa; e.g. Dayrell, 107–114. Jekyll, 100–101, Dry River, has a Jamaica version of this story. Compare also Tremearne, 209–210, 307–314.

77. ALIMOTY AND ALIMINTY.

For the exchange of colors see Bolte u. Polívka 1: 124–126. For place-changing and killing of the wrong victim see the same, 499–501. Compare Parsons, Sea Islands, 128.

The incident is common in African story, e.g. Tremearne, 430; Dennett, 47; Torrend, 33; Junod, 163. The setting of the story is often similar to number 23 where a parent calls upon outside aid to get rid of a troublesome child.

78. THE FISH LOVER.

This story is very common in Jamaica. See Milne-Home, 91–93, and compare Renel 1: 203–204; 206–208 (origin of water-beings); Renel 2: 268–269; Parsons, Andros Island, 61, and note for references; Sea Islands, 137.

In Smith, 573–584, a young man changes into a fish in order to escape the attentions of the ladies. He comes out when his mother calls him. He is finally lured out and caught in the meshes of his lover’s hair.

In Grimm 8, Bolte u. Polívka 1: 69–70, a little girl is forced by her brothers to go out and cut peat with a dull knife. Her elf-lover stretches out a sharp knife to her from the hill where he lives and tells her to call him by striking on the stone. The brothers wonder how she can cut the peat, and spy upon her. They strike the stone, take the knife and cut off the elf’s hand, who thereafter disappears.

79. JUGGIN STRAW BLUE.

The story is confused in the telling. It has three parts. (1) A water-being helps a girl who is abused by her aunt and sent to fetch water with too heavy a jug. (2) The water-being pursues and carries off the girl, though she is locked in an iron chest. (3) The girl’s lover comes to her rescue and defeats the monster. See the next number and perhaps 99.

80. THE WITCH AND THE GRAIN OF PEAS.

There are two parts to this story. (1) The witch step-mother discovers that the girl has eaten food in her house and threatens to drown her. (2) The lover comes to rescue her and fights the step-mother.

(1) Compare Jacottet, 166–175, and Lewis, 253–255.

(2) For the fight, compare numbers 69, 79, 88, 89, 90. For the fight with eggs see number 79 and compare Fortier, 11–13. Eggs are used as propitiatory offerings to a water monster, as in Dayrell, 130, and are among the most useful objects employed for conjuring. In Zeltner, 1–6, eggs are used for magical purposes in the fight with a witch, but arrows serve as the actual weapons.

81. THE WITCH AT BOSEN CORNER.

This nursery tale was commonly recited to me by women, and a great many versions differed only in trifling respects from the pattern employed in the oldest Jamaica version on record, Lewis, 255–259.

Here the girl breaks a jug and is sent to get a new one. Three old women appear to her one after another, the last of them headless, to test her courtesy. The cat appears, the rice is cooking. The eggs to be selected are the “silent” ones out of a number of fine large ones that cry “take me.” Out of the first egg comes the jug after which she has been sent; the other two make her fortune.

P. Smith’s version, 31–34, has more direct Frau Holle incidents. The good girl fulfils as she advances the requests of the grass, ping-wing and bramble, the fruit-tree and the cow. When the old woman sends her to draw water with a basket, Turtle tells her to put a plantain-leaf inside. She selects a little ugly calabash. When she is pursued by “axe-men” (as in number 82), the things she has been kind to befriend her, as in Wona’s version of Brother Dead.

In a manuscript version in the collection of Mrs. W. E. Wilson (Wona), Yuckie and Jubba are the two daughters. Yuckie has a present of a string of amber beads. She puts them about her neck and says “bad dey behind you, good dey before you,” but this only in dream. She loses the beads in the river and is turned out of the house. On her way, she sees and greets kindly a foot and a hand, and scratches the back of an ugly old woman, without complaining of the insects which sting her. The pot of rice, the cat, and the eggs are as above. The fine eggs say “Tek me no,” the dirty ones, “No tek me.” Compare FLJ (SA) 1; 111–116, where the girls pretend to throw their beads into the water and thus deceive one girl into doing so, who has then to go down to the home of the water monster to get them back.

The variants from Andros Island, Parsons, 17–26, show no such uniformity. They are sometimes confused with the pumpkin story of Parsons, 26–27, and Milne-Home, 84–88, in which the choice of pumpkins is like that of the eggs in this story.

The theme is very common in African collections. Compare MacDonald 1:298–301; Junod, 191–192; 237–242; Torrend, 75–80; Tremearne, 307–314; 401–407; Barker, 89–94; Nassau, 213; Renel 1:50–64; Bundy, JAFL 32:406; and Parsons, Andros Island, note 1, page 17 for further references. See Grimm 24, Frau Holle; Bolte u. Polívka 2:207–227.

82. THE WITCH AND THE THREE DOGS.

This is one of the longest stories I heard in Jamaica. The leading Maroon story-teller recited it to me in full audience, and I heard it repeated by another Maroon in much less detail. Numbers 83, 84 and 89 have points of likeness to it.

It has five parts. (1) Two brothers are out penning cattle and one, going for fire, surprises a witch in the act of feeding her family, which she carries about in her own body. (2) The witch, bent on revenge, follows them home and proposes, as a test for a husband, knocking a calabash from her head with a missile; the boy throws a frail missile and succeeds. (3) At night, the witch sharpens her razor to kill him, but each time she approaches, one of his dogs warns him. (4) The boy departs with his bride, leaving his dogs chained, but he places a pot in the middle of the floor and warns his mother when the liquid in the pot begins to boil to loosen the dogs to his rescue. (5) He climbs a tree to escape the witch. She produces axes and axe-men by tapping her body and proceeds to chop the tree, which he restores magically until his dogs rush in and tear up the witch.

Compare Barker, 123–128; Callaway, 51–54; Chatelain, 103–110; Jacottet, 58; Renel 1:86–93; Theal, 46; Tremearne, 432–441; Zeltner, 61; FLJ (SA) 1:13–17; 21–25; Lenz, 15–17; Edwards, 72; Harris, Friends, 91–100; Parsons, Andros Island, 66–70; Sea Islands, 80–88; JAFL 30:189–190; JAFL 25:259; 32:399–400.

(1) “Possessing the fire” is a sign of magic power, according to Junod, 157, note. In Edwards, “De big worrum” has fire. A father sends two sons in turn to fetch it, but as they reach after the fire the worm swallows them. The father goes with a lance that glistens, is swallowed, cuts open the worm and rescues all the people the worm has swallowed. In Renel, 88, the pursuing monster swallows people alive. Compare Tremearne, and Parsons, Andros Island, 67, 68.

In Tremearne, a hunter sees a witch knocking herself and feeding monsters all over her body. In Jacottet, an axe chops out of the body of the witch the cows which are the cause of the two brothers’ quarrel.

(2) In Barker, the episode of the calabash is attached to the story of the hunter, told in number 84. The elephant whose tail he has cut off turns into a lady and goes to find her mutilator. She proposes a test similar to the test in this story. In Tremearne, the witch proposes the test, as in this story, because the hunter has seen more than he should.

(3) For this episode see note to number 83 and references. In Tremearne, the boy’s father insists upon the son’s taking a horse, a sword, and gourds. When the witch sharpens her teeth to eat the boy, the horse wakens him. In Parsons, Andros Island, 68, the boy escapes the witch’s razor by turning into a bucket of water.

(4) It is not clear how this episode of the life token got attached to the story. I do not find it in African versions. That it is fairly constant is shown in Parsons, 66, 67, 69. In the more common form of the story of the Two Brothers, with which this story has some elements in common, the life-token often takes the form of a knife stuck in a tree; see number 104. In Tremearne, 298, the treed husband has carried his flute, with which he warns his wife to loosen his dogs very much in the manner of Roland at Roncevalle. In Jekyll, 35, the water in a white saucer set in the sun turns to blood, but this is a Blue-beard story.

(5) Climbing a tree to escape an enemy is one of the commonest episodes in African flight stories. See number 89. Here it occurs combined with the axe-chopping contest and the rescue by dogs, who rush in at the end and tear the pursuer to pieces. In Tremearne, the woman transforms herself in various ways before the dogs succeed in killing her. They then devour every drop of her blood. In number 104, the dogs are restrained from taking part in the fight with the witch by being chained by the witch’s hair. This episode is also of frequent occurrence in American Indian lore. See Parsons, Zeitschrift für Ethnologie 54:1–29 (1922).

In some cases, e.g. in Theal, Zeltner, Harris, 85–90, and in FLJ (SA), the tree-cutting episode occurs independently of the rescuing dogs.

83. ANDREW AND HIS SISTERS.

The story appears in Milne-Home, 114–120.

Compare Chatelain, 145–151; 103–111; Renel 1:77–81; 2:261–265; 265–267; Ferrand, 119–122; Torrend, 159–163; Tremearne, 432–441; Callaway, 53; Theal, 124–126; Cronise and Ward, 178–186; Dennett, 52; Barker, 97–101; Junod, 144–148; Edwards, 92–93; Parsons, Andros Island, 44.

See numbers 82 and 86. It is the imitative “Sharpen me razor” song which makes the story successful with an audience.

84. THE HUNTER.

The story is popular in Jamaica and is told interchangeably of man or woman wooer.

Compare Barker, 123–128; Cronise and Ward, 261–262; Tremearne, 292–293; FL 22:457–458; Harris, Friends, 91–100; Parsons, Andros Island, 65 and reference note 3.

The point of the story is voiced in Nassau, 15; “If you find a friend, it is not well to tell him all the thoughts of your heart. If you tell him two or three, leave the rest.” In Cronise and Ward, the man reveals all his resources for transformation but the last, which is “dat t’ing wey turn fas’ fas’ pon top de wattah.” In Tremearne, FL 22, he starts to say the word for “ring” (zoba) gets as far as “zop” and is interrupted. In Barker there is a further Delilah turn to the story. He escapes twice by transformation; finally the witch gets his god, while he sleeps with his head in her lap, and burns it. Before it is quite consumed, it turns him into a hawk and he flies away.

In Harris, the version follows the story of the witch and the three dogs as in number 82.

85. MAN-SNAKE AS BRIDEGROOM.

Besides the last number, three other types of monster marriage stories are common in Jamaica, all of which, though versions overlap or vary, follow a fairly fixed pattern. They may be distinguished as the Snake husband, the Devil husband, and the Bull husband.

The Snake husband story is very common. Besides the half dozen here set down of the many versions offered me, seven Jamaica stories already collected follow the general pattern with more or less exactness. See Lewis, 291–296, Sarah Wintun; Milne Home, 54–55, The Sneake; 46–50, De Sneake an’ de King’s Darter; Bates, JAFL 9:121, The Yalla Snake; Jekyll, 26, The Three Sisters; 102–104, Yellow Snake; 65, Tacoma and the old Witch Girl.

The story has three parts. (1) A difficult young lady refuses all suitors, but falls in love with a Snake dressed as a handsome man. (2) He has borrowed his fine parts and on the journey home drops them one by one, becomes a Snake, and takes her to his home. (3) Her brothers hear her song of distress and rescue her just as the Snake is about to swallow her. These elements are fairly constant in modern Jamaica versions.

(1) “The pick and choose” idea occurs in Bates’s, all Jekyll’s and all my versions, although the idea that fine clothes do not make the man is also emphasized.

For the “pick and choose” motive, compare Zeltner, 85, where the girl refuses to marry anyone but “un homme n’avant aucune ouverture;” Nassau, 68, where she will have no man with “even a little bit of a blotch on his skin;” Tremearne, FL 22:346, where he must have “not one blemish;” and Christensen, 10, where the girl refuses to marry anyone with a scratch on his back. In none of these cases does the husband take the form of a Snake. Compare also Jacottet, 126–159, where are recorded five snake-husband stories, four of which are enchanted beast stories (two of the “Beauty and the Beast” type and two of the “Yonec” type), and the fifth is a good and bad-mannered girl story, none of which use the “pick and choose” motive.

(2) The borrowed clothes appear in both Milne-Home’s versions, in Bates’s, in two of Jekyll’s and in two of mine. In Milne-Home, the story ends with the dropping of the clothes; in Jekyll and in two of mine, the monster carries her to his den or “stone-hole.”

The clothes-borrowing idea occurs in Cronise and Ward, 178–186, where “half-man” borrows his other half; in Dayrell, 39; Fortier, 71; Hollis, Masai, 201–202; Parsons, Andros Island, 48 iv, 49 v, 50 i, 53 iv, and in Sea Islands, 46.

(3) In Jekyll, 102, and all my versions, the girl’s song for help and the answering swallowing song furnish the main interest of the story; and the rescue by the brothers follows in Jekyll and in my two versions. In my third version, the Snake swallows the girl while her parents are sleeping. In Lewis’s much earlier story, a jealous sorceress gives her step-daughter over to a great black dog named Tiger, who takes her away to his den. She sings until her hunter brothers hear her song, rush in and rescue her.

In Renel 1:275–277, a girl weds a beast in disguise, because of his handsome clothes, is carried away to his hole, and finally attracts her mother’s ears by her song of lamentation. In other African stories of monster marriages, the song is entrusted to a bird messenger.

For the rescue, see Jekyll’s Bluebeard story, 35–37; Bleek, 61–64; Christensen, 10–14; and numbers 83 and 86.

Evidently the story has become fixed in Jamaica out of a number of different elements and does not depend upon a common source. The lesson to the over-fastidious girl, ridicule of her fear of the ordeal of marriage, and the old setting of the rescue by hunter-brothers, are drawn together into a coherent story. It is the song that makes the story popular.

86. THE GIRLS WHO MARRIED THE DEVIL.

The flight from a Devil husband has also taken on a fixed form in Jamaica in contrast to the number of variants related on Andros Island and the much more complex versions known in Africa. It is possible that this is true only for the localities visited.

The story has three parts. (1) A girl marries a handsome man against her little brother’s warning. (2) The man, who is usually the devil, carries her home, accompanied in secret by the brother, locks her up, and sets a cock to watch her. (3) An old woman befriends her, they feed the cock with various grains and finally escape over the river in the Devil’s magic boat, pursued by the Devil.

Jekyll, 148–151, The Devil and the Princess, has a version of this story.

Compare Zeltner, 85–90; Nassau, 68–76; Fortier, 68–75; Jones, 82–88; Chatelain, 99–101; Barker, 97–101; Jacottet, 160–166; Callaway, 78–85; Christensen, 10–14; Tremearne, FL 22: 346–348; Dayrell, 38–41; 98–103; Parsons, Andros Island, 49–54; Sea Islands, 45–49; JAFL 30: 181–183; JAFL 12: 126–130; and see references to numbers 83 and 85.

(1) In the Snake marriage, number 85, there is no rejected warning, but the hunter-brothers come to the rescue. In numbers 83 and 87, it is the despised little brother who effects the escape.

(2) In Jacottet, a girl is carried away to the land of the half-bodied people and guarded by horns that cry out. They are silenced by pouring in hot water and stuffing them with stones. In Barker, the dragon who carries away Anansi and his son sets a white cock to warn him if they try to escape. In Christensen, a fly guards the girl and Tiger comes running at its call. In Fortier and JAFL 12: 128, roosters guard the girl. In Callaway, an old woman warns the Pigeons when the girl escapes.

(3) The only version of the flight theme which I found developed in Jamaica is that of the evasion of the guardian cock by feeding him enough corn so that the girl can get across the river before the cock summons the husband.

In some flight stories, it is the pursuing monster himself who is silenced with the corn-throwing. In Nassau, the fleeing girl throws out three gourdfuls of seed which the Leopard stops to pick up. In Chatelain, the woman throws out calabashes of seed to the pursuing cannibal. Compare Renel 1: 38–40; 2: 262–263; Ferrand, 119–122.

The appearance of both the kindly maid-servant and the helpful brother in the Jamaica versions is irrelevant. The immense popularity of the theme of the despised little brother probably makes his appearance an inthrust. In Zeltner, Nassau and Jones, a friendly horse accompanies the bride. In JAFL 12: 126–130, a friendly ox belonging to the husband carries the bride. So also in Parsons, Andros Island, 51–52 ii, and in JAFL 30: 181, the friendly animal is taken from the husband’s fields.

In Zeltner and Jones, the horse warns its mistress; in Dayrell the old mother sends her home because the girl is kind to her; in Fortier, because she is sorry for her; in JAFL 12, the old wife sends her away because she is jealous. In Dayrell, 101, a skull to which she has been kind acts the part of helper.

In Zeltner, Nassau, Fortier, Jones and Parsons, Andros Island, 52–54 iii, iv, and Sea Islands, the flight develops into an obstacle race. In Parsons, 50–51, and Tremearne, the fugitives escape by transformation. In Callaway, the sea divides; in Fortier, the Crocodile carries the girl over and drowns her pursuer. Riddling questions are to be answered in JAFL 12; Parsons, Andros Island, 52 iii; Sea Islands, 46; JAFL 30; see Jekyll, 26–28. A secret door gives a Blue-beard turn to the versions of Jones, Fortier, and Parsons, Andros Island, 44–45, and Sea Islands, 47–49; see Jekyll, 35–37.

The Jamaica version is on the whole bare of incident. Interest centers in the imitative songs of swallowing, of running, and in the boat-call, to the exclusion of any further development of the flight theme.

87. BULL AS BRIDEGROOM.

The story of the beast-husband transformed by means of a song is very common in Jamaica. It occurs in Milne-Home, 42–45, and Jekyll, 73–77; 132–135.

Compare Junod, 246–253; Parsons, Andros Island, 39–43 and references in note 1.

In Parsons’s Andros Island variants, the transformed beast is the wife (compare number 84) and has the form of a bird, as in Jekyll’s two versions, one of which, 132–135, ends with the “Yonec” story. In all the versions I heard, and in Milne-Home, the wooer is a bull.

88. THE TWO BULLS.

See Jekyll’s version, 114–116, called “Timmolimmo,” a name which is also given to the bull of number 89 in some versions. In Theal, 56–66, a mysterious and beautiful woman who goes to the river only at night is named “Tangalimlibo.” Her enemies persuade her to go out by day and she is taken by the river, returns to suckle her child, and is at last ransomed by sacrificing an ox which seems to bear the same name as the woman.

In this challenge story, the bull has killed, not the mother, as in number 89, but her sons, and has unwittingly fathered his successful antagonist, who has been brought up in secret. The father’s secret name is evidently learned from the mother.

For the tossing trick, see number 69.

89. BALLINDER BULL.

This is one of the best-known stories in Jamaica. See Milne-Home, 67–69, Garshan Bull; P. Smith, 55–58, Bull Garshananee. All follow about the same pattern, and the same may be said of other versions collected in Jamaica which are not set down here.

In a version given by Mrs. Elizabeth Hilton, the boy buys twelve buta (arrows) and a bottle of water and a bottle of rum. When he calls “Geshawnee,” the bull says, “Since I have been in this place, I never heard anyone call my name.” The boy stays up the tree into which he has climbed by the formula, “Bear up, me good tree, bear up! I have often seen me father fell a green tree and leave a dry one.”

In a Mandeville version by John Macfarlane, the boy’s name is “Simon Tootoos,” the bull’s “Garshanee.” The woman makes him a pudding and he takes six eggs each of hen, turkey and bird. He opens three gates with song, and the giant appears in the form of a bull. He climbs a cotton-wood tree. When the bull throws arrows at him he says, “I see me father take his little finger and catch longer arrows than those!” He catches twelve, with which he pelts the bull in return.

Neither of these versions ends with the false claim.

In another Mandeville version given by a lad, Clarence Tathum, the slayer of the mother is a giant named “Tako-rimo.” The son takes a yard of tobacco and a pone. With the tobacco, he bribes the watchman to give him information about the giant and an iron-crow-bar. He goes inside and sees a servant lousing the giant’s head. “Massa, der is someone calling you name,” says the servant. “Who would calling my name so uncommon?” answers the giant. The giant flings a sword, which the boy catches and himself flings the crowbar and kills the giant. The story goes on to tell how the boy is imprisoned by the brother, “Giant Despair,” and escapes exactly as in the tale of “Jack the Giant-Killer,” while the giant falls into a trench and is killed.

In Stephen Johnson’s version from Claremont, a huge animal by the name of “Grandezee” kills the mother but spares the child. To escape the beast, the boy climbs a tree and sings, “Bear up, me good tree, for I often see me father get down tall trees and ketch them up again!” He throws three pegs and pegs down Grandezee and takes out the golden tongue and teeth. The false claim follows.

In a version from Brownstown by Emanuel Johnson, “Geshawnee was a kind of witch t’ing live into de river.” He has seven heads. Sammy cuts seven lances, climbs a tree and calls his name. He says, ‘From day I’m born, never see a big man call me name, much more a little boy!’ He knocks his side and brings out axe-men, rain and cattle, which attack the tree in vain. Sammy sings, “Bear up, me good tree, bear up. I oftentimes see me father cow haul down a tree an’ me father say, ‘Bear up, me good tree, bear up,’ an’ that tree bear up.” Sammy kills the monster. The story of the false claim follows.

In Parsons’s fragment, 145–146, the name is Kramytadanta. The boy takes a bottle of water and a loaf and sings from the tree.

Seven episodes regularly belong to the story. (1) A bull (or monster) kills a woman whose new-born son is saved and brought up by a woman-friend or relative. (2) The boys at school mock at him because he has no father, and he learns the story of his parentage. (3) He takes certain objects for slaying the monster. (4) He sings a name-song as challenge. (5) He climbs a tree which resists attack. (6) He slays the beast by hurling missiles from the tree. (7) Anansi claims the deed.

Compare Zeltner’s stories of Soundita, 1–6, and Kama, 54–61; Renel 1:82–85; 117–118; Tremearne, 408–412; Lenz, 22; Fortier, 11–13; Harris, Friends, 86–89; Boas, Notes, JAFL 25:258.

(1) In the less sophisticated versions, the bull kicks the child from the “breeding” woman.

(2) See Burton’s Arabian Nights Tales (Burton Club, 1885) 1:231. The mocking incident is common in Maori tales.

(3) In Zeltner’s “Soundita” story, the contest with a witch turned buffalo is carried on with three magic eggs and three magic arrows. In Fortier, the boy fights the bull with flap-jacks. The arrows suggest the weapons used in the fight of Sir Percival with the Red Knight in the English romance version. See also number 79, 80, 82.

(4) By comparing this bull version with Harris, Friends, 86–89, and Fortier, 11–13, it is clear that the North American version contained the two episodes, that of exposing the bull husband by means of a song, as in number 87, and that of the challenge to conflict which completes number 89 in Jamaica. In Harris, the word used for the bull transformation is “Ballybaloo-bill,” which is very close to my “Ballinder bull.” The more common name in Jamaica is “Geshawnee,” as in P. Smith’s version and Johnson’s song. But in Johnson’s song, as in Harris, the boy is named Sammy and his small size emphasized. In the Harris-Fortier version, one episode is used to motivate the other. The first episode explains the rather mysterious use of the song in the Ballinder Bull story and in number 88, where the bull seems surprised that anyone knows enough to challenge him by name and where the knowledge itself seems bound up with his defeat. In Jekyll’s version of number 88, when the son challenges the father by name a cow calls, “Master, master, I hear some one calling your name.” The bull answers, “No, no, not a man can call my name!” At some stage in transmission a fatal name motive must have dropped out and a magic song taken its place.

This comparison with Harris and Fortier merely proves a relation with the Jamaica story. It by no means explains the original source of the American version, or its exact relation to the other bull stories collected; namely, numbers 84 and 88. Zeltner’s story of Soundita, 3–5, has perhaps more elements in common with the Harris-Fortier story than any other African parallel, and further analysis may decide whether the complex Senegambian story is in the direct line or merely has gathered episodes from a common source.

(5) and (6) See note to number 82 and Bolte u. Polívka, discussing Grimm 60, Two Brothers.

(7) The episode of the mock claim appears also in the next number and in 97.

90. BIRD ARINTO.

Jekyll, 54–57, Man-Crow, tells the same story. See also numbers 70 and 89.

The story occurs as an episode in Zeltner’s Kama, 54–61 and Tremearne’s How Auta Killed Dodo, 408–412.

For the golden tongue and teeth see numbers 90, 95, and Jekyll, 56; and compare Zeltner, 5.

91. TIGER SOFTENS HIS VOICE.

Parkes heard his version on Cape Coast, Africa.

Jekyll, 108–113, Leah and Tiger, tells the story. In my number 17a, it is the mother who is hidden away. In Bahama versions, Parsons, 35–39, the plot turns upon the rescue of the lost girl through song rather than, as in Jamaica, upon the voice-changing trick by which she is stolen.

Compare Jacottet, 62–69, Tremearne, 401; FL 21: 492–493; Hollis, Masai, 153–155; Callaway, 142–144; Theal, 118–120; Renel 1: 247–249; Frazer, FLJ 7: 167–168; Harris, Nights, 251–252; 257–260; Parsons, Sea Islands, 50–52; Rattray 2: 14.

See Grimm 5, Wolf and Kids; Bolte u. Polívka 1: 37–42, and Grimm 12, Rapunzel; Bolte u. Polívka 1: 97–99.

92. AND 93. HIDDEN NAMES; ANANSI AND MR. ABLE.

These two numbers are closely related to number 69. The plot turns upon tricks to discover a hidden name. The only difference between them is that in one story it is possession of one or more girls’ names, in the next, that of a person whose name the girls alone know, upon which the plot depends. All the variants play upon the idea of concealing a listener to surprise the keeper of the secret (invariably girls) into betraying each other. See Jekyll, 11–13, where the king and queen kill themselves, as in number 93, when they hear the girls’ names sung.

Compare Barker, 45–49; Dayrell, 79–80; Dennett, 35–38; Parsons, Andros Island, 117.

In Dayrell, Tortoise gets the wives to call out the husband’s name in fright, and he is so ashamed when he hears it that he takes to the water.

In Barker, Anansi drops down bananas sweetened with honey to the girls and they call to each other in surprise.

94. THE KING’S THREE DAUGHTERS.

This story may be a fragment of the hidden name series in which the song has lost the revelation of the name, and the introduction omits the trick to discover it. If so, it has become a fixed variant. P. Smith, 35–37, tells it much as in the present version.

The story has points of resemblance to the European tale of the boy who is admitted to the princess’s chamber in the form of a singing bird. See number 113 and compare Spanish-American forms, JAFL 25: 191–208; JAFL 27: 135–137.

95. THE DUMB CHILD.

Parkes heard this story in Sierra Leone, Africa. In Jekyll, 84–85, Dummy, it is Pea-fowl whose song the child imitates, and the story follows that of the sweet-voiced bird of number 71.

It resembles the European task-theme which turns upon making some over-serious person laugh. See Grimm 7; Bolte u. Polívka 1: 59–67; and Grimm, 64; Bolte u. Polívka, 2: 39–44. See also Jataka Tales (Francis & Thomas, Cambridge, 1916), 363.

Its relation to the motive of getting a sight of the teeth is not clear. In Jones, 117–118, one of the tasks imposed by the king for the hand of his daughter is to bring him Alligator’s teeth. Rabbit plays to Alligator until he shuts his eyes and opens his mouth to laugh, then knocks out his teeth. For the golden teeth see note to number 90.

In a Maori story, White 2: 145–146, a chief sends women to detect an offender. They are to know him by a certain lost tooth. They identify him by singing and dancing until he laughs and exposes the cavity.

96. THE DUMB WIFE.

I take this story to be a modern adaptation of 95, invented in the Maroon section. Another Maroon gave me a similar version under a different name. The whole point lies in the constant repetition of the burial song.

97. LEAP, TIMBER, LEAP. [177]

98. THE BOY FOOLS ANANSI.

Jekyll, 99, uses the same motive.

Compare Callaway, 19–21; Theal, 99; Renel 1: 109–110; Ferrand, 75; Rivière, 229; Chatelain, 191–195; Hollis, Nandi, 101–102; Jacottet, 260; Uncle Remus, Nights, 315–318.

99. THE WATER CRAY FISH.

In Jacottet, 166–174, Mosimoli has been killed by her step-mother for cooking and eating taboo food. When her step-sister comes to the water to fill her pitcher, Mosimoli comes out of the water, beats her and gives her muddy water to drink, singing, “My father and mother are the crocodile.” Compare 79, 80, of this collection and Parsons, Andros Island, 140. The story is a mere fragment, but belongs to the very great number of tales which turn upon a broken taboo driving a supernatural visitor back to its original abode. The success of the story doubtless depends upon the song interest.

100. ALI BABA AND KISSEM.

Versions of Ali Baba in Jamaica differ in no way from those with which we are familiar.

101. BULL-OF-ALL-THE-LAND.

Old Forbes gave me the only version of this story I heard in Jamaica. In Trowbridge, JAFL 9: 284–285, the song and the incident of the three drops of blood occur, but the king is “King Tonga” and there is no beast transformation. The husband is lost by letting a little dog kiss him, as in number 105 and in Parsons, Andros Island, 55, 59, not by his wife’s burning the skin as in this version.

For the song at night as a means of recognition see number 74.

See Grimm 88, The Singing Soaring Lark; Bolte u. Polívka 2: 229–273.

102. THE BOILING POT.

See Grimm 3, Our Lady’s Child; Bolte u. Polívka 1: 13–21.

103. THE TWELVE ONE-EYED MEN.

See The Third Kalender’s Tale in Burton’s Arabian Nights’ Tales (Burton Club 1885), 1: 151–160.

104. BIRD AND HUNTER.

Common as is this story in Africa, I heard only one version in Jamaica. See also numbers 82a and 103 and Grimm 60, Two Brothers, Bolte u. Polívka 1: 528–556.

Compare Junod, 276–292; Jacottet, 56; Basset, 2: 103–107; Rivière, 193; Dennett, 60–64; Chatelain, 89–97; Lenz, 15–17.

105. JACK AND THE DEVIL ERRANT.

The story is told by Monk Lewis, 301–307. See also numbers 101, 111, 112, 113, 119.

Compare Ferrand, Madagascar, 102–113; Parsons, Andros Island, 54–60 and note for references. See Boas, JAFL 25: 256, for the relation of the story to “John the Bear.”

See Grimm 113, The King’s Children, Bolte u. Polívka, 2: 516–527.

106. THE MAGIC HAT AND THE STAFF OF LIFE.

Numbers 106–109 and 133–136 belong to the Little Peasant cycle of stories, Grimm 61, Bolte u. Polívka 2: 1–18.

This number contains three episodes. (1) Three men trick another into selling a cow cheap by pretending it is a goat. He avenges himself by selling them (2) a magic hat which he claims will pay the cost of what they buy, (3) a staff of life through which they are themselves destroyed.

The first episode occurs in Heetopades of Veeshnoo-Sarma, Wilkin’s translation (London, 1787), 261–262, 266. The second is episode D in Bolte u. Polívka’s analysis. The third is episode G in Bolte u. Polívka; see note to 109.

107. UNCLE GREEN AND JACK.

See Bolte u. Polívka 2: 1–18. The story is composed of three episodes. (1) A nephew sells to his miserly uncle a means for making pots self-cooking. (2) In revenge, he is put into a bag to be thrown into the sea; exchanges places with a shepherd and gets his sheep, (3) then pretends to his uncle to have got them underseas and persuades him to try the same means of enriching himself. The first is a modification of the self-cooking vessel, which is episode C in Bolte u. Polívka’s analysis.

Compare Clouston, Popular Tales 2: 243, 263, for Norse (Dasent) and Italian (Crane) parallels; Espinosa, Pedro de Ordimales cycle, JAFL 27: 169, and discussion, 220–221.

The second and third are episodes H and J in Bolte u. Polívka. See numbers 23 and 108 in this collection.

108. BIG BEGUM AND LITTLE BEGUM.

See note to number 106. The story is a version of Hans Anderson’s Big Claus and Little Claus, Grimm 61; Bolte u. Polívka 2: 1–18 and contains three episodes. (1) “Little Begum” tricks “Big Begum” into killing his oxen to get gold. (2) and (3) He exchanges places in the bag, gets a drove of sheep, and tricks “Big Begum” into getting himself drowned in the same bag, as in number 107.

(1) Episode F in Bolte u. Polívka’s analysis. This informant’s stories were not well motivated; the version does not explain how “Little Begum” sold the pretended magic hide. In Arcin, 475–476, Zeltner, 62–72, and Parsons, Andros Island, 86, the episode is accompanied by the trick of the life-giving staff (G′ and see number 106); in Edwards, 95–96, by the trick of the dead mother pretended slain (G″ and see number 135).

(2) and (3) In Fortier, 88–89, as in this version, (1) is accompanied by the bag trick, episodes H and J in Bolte u. Polívka’s analysis. See also number 23.

Compare the “Pedro Ordimales” cycle in Recinos, JAFL 31: 474–477.

109. THE FOOL AND THE WISE BROTHER.

The detail of this story proves a folk rather than a literary source.

The story has three parts. (1) The foolish brother kills his mother in the bath. (2) The two brothers hide in a tree under which robbers are dividing their spoil and frighten the robbers away by dropping down a weight upon them. (3) One robber returns, and gets his tongue cut out.

Compare Zeltner, 62–72; Arcin, 477; Lenz, 51–53; Parsons, Andros Island, 92–94 and reference note; Sea Islands, 132; Espinosa, JAFL 27: 119–120; Recinos, JAFL 31: 473–474.

(1) See Grimm 147, Old Man Made Young Again, Bolte u. Polívka 3: 193–199, where the killing hot bath is identified with the fire bath which restores the old to youth, but which either fails when attempted by a pretender or is employed as a trick to destroy a powerful enemy; e.g. Ferrand, Madagascar, 67. In Arcin and Zeltner, the story follows this order: (1) Gold-producing animal, (2) Life-giving staff, (3) Ear cut off, the life-giving staff taking the place of the killing hot bath. In a Jamaica version from Richard Morgan, the killing hot bath is followed by the story of carting the mother about as if she were alive and extracting hush money from her pretended murderers, as in number 135 (episode G” in Bolte u. Polívka’s analysis of Grimm 61).

(2) and (3) See Grimm 59, Frederick and Catherine; Bolte u. Polívka 1: 520–528.

110. THE CHILDREN AND THE WITCH.

See Grimm 15, Hansel and Gretel, Bolte u. Polívka 1: 115–126. Numbers 83, 98, 115, 119, have some points in common with this story.

111. THE BOY AND THE MERMAID.

This fragment must belong to a story of a child promised before its birth to a water-spirit, as in Grimm 181 and Parsons, Sea Islands, 137.

112. DIFFICULT TASKS.

The fragment belongs to a story of difficult tasks, as in number 105.

113. THE GRATEFUL BEASTS.

See Grimm 197, The Crystal Ball, Bolte u. Polívka 3: 424–443; and compare: Chatelain, 65–81; Lenz, 25–27; Mason and Espinosa, JAFL 24: 398; discussed by Espinosa, JAFL 27: 212–213.

114. JACK AND THE BEAN-STALK.

See Joseph Jacobs, English Fairy Tales (Putnam, 1898), 59–68, and compare Parsons (Maryland and Pennsylvania), JAFL 30: 212–213.

115. JACK AND THE DEVIL.

See Jekyll, 35–37, Mr. Bluebeard, and Grimm 46, Fitcher’s Bird, Bolte u. Polívka 1: 398–412.

116. JACK’S RIDDLE.

See Grimm 22, The Riddle, Bolte u. Polívka 1: 188–202 and compare Barker, 171–175; Fortier, 62–69; Recinos, JAFL 31: 475–476.

117. JACK AS FORTUNE-TELLER.

See Grimm 98, Doctor Know-all, Bolte u. Polívka 2: 401–413, and compare Jones, 68–72; Fortier, 116; Harris, Friends, 32–33; Smiley, JAFL 32: 370; Espinosa, JAFL 24: 415–419; discussed by Boas, JAFL 25: 251, and by Espinosa, JAFL 27: 215–216.

118. ROBIN AS FORTUNE-TELLER.

See note to number 117.

119. JACK AND THE GRATEFUL DEAD.

See number 113 and Boas’s discussion, JAFL 25: 256–257. This is the story of Thorsteinn, the King’s Son in Icelandic Legends (Arnason) translated by Powell & Magnussen (London, 1866), 527–540.

120. THE BOY AND HIS MASTER.

See Grimm 68, The Thief and his Master, Bolte u. Polívka 2: 60–69; and compare Tremearne, 223–224; Mason and Espinosa, New Mexico, JAFL 24: 423–424.

121. THE LANGUAGE OF BEASTS.

See Grimm 17, The White Snake, Bolte u. Polívka 1: 131–134; and Aarne’s study, Der Tiersprachen verstehende Mann, in FF Communications No. 15. Compare Koelle, 143–145; Basset 2: 119–124; Junod, 314–317; Chatelain, 219–223; Smith, 565.

122. THE THREE PIECES OF ADVICE.

Compare Steere, 413; Mason & Espinosa, JAFL 24: 408–411: discussed by Espinosa, JAFL 27: 213–214.

123. THE BROTHERS AND THE LIFE-TREE.

See Grimm 107, The Two Travellers; Bolte u. Polívka 2: 468–482 and compare Dayrell, 58–60; Espinosa, JAFL 27: 191–195.

124. THE SKILLFUL BROTHERS.

See Grimm 129, Four Skillful Brothers, Bolte u. Polívka 2:165–169 and compare Cronise and Ward, 200–205; Renel 1:215–223; Dennett, 33–34; Parsons, Sea Islands, 75.

125. THE THREE SILLIES.

See Grimm 34, Clever Elsie, Bolte u. Polívka 1:335–342, and Clouston, Book of Noodles, 7. Compare Parsons, Andros Island, 128–129; Sea Islands, 94.

126. A MISUNDERSTANDING.

See Grimm 84, Hans Married, Bolte u. Polívka 2:203–204.

127. BIG-HEAD, BIG-BELLY AND LITTLE-FOOT.

The story is very common in Jamaica. See Grimm 18, The Straw, the Coal and the Bean, Bolte u. Polívka 1:135–137, and compare Parsons, Andros Island, 147.

128. THE GOAT IN THE LION’S DEN.

129. DONKEY, CAT AND THE LION’S HEAD.

The familiar episode of the Wolf’s head which occurs early in the Reynard cycle (see Percy Society Publications 12, Introduction, pages xxxiii-xxxiv) is, in African stories, often combined with that of the Goat in the Lion’s den (or the Hyena’s). Compare Rattray, Chinyanje, 149–152; Tremearne, 227–229; FL 22:63–65.

130. CLEVER MOLLY MAY.

See Grimm 77, Clever Gretel, Bolte u. Polívka 2:129–131; and Parsons, Sea Islands, 140. From this point in the group of stories Anansi is introduced in the role of hero.

131. DANCING TO ANANSI’S FIDDLE.

See Grimm 110, The Jew among Thorns, Bolte u. Polívka 2:490–503; and compare Bundy, JAFL 32:412–413.

132. ANANSI CLAIMS THE DINNER.

Compare Nassau, 42–44; Tremearne, FL 21:212; Krug, JAFL 25:106–107.

133. ANANSI SEEKS HIS FORTUNE.

See note to number 106, and Grimm 104, Wise Folks, Bolte u. Polívka, 2:440–451. One version from Parsons, Andros Island, 93–94, connects this episode with those of the frightened robbers and the tongue-cutting in number 109.

134. THE PANNIER JAR.

See note to number 106. This is episode F‴ in Bolte u. Polívka’s analysis of Grimm’s Little Peasant. Compare Parsons, Sea Islands, 89; JAFL 32: 372, and note for references.

135. ANANSI KILLS HIS GRANDMOTHER.

See note to number 106. This is episode G″ in Bolte u. Polívka’s analysis of Grimm’s “Little Peasant.” Compare Parsons, Andros Island, 87 and note for references.

136. WHITE-BELLY AND ANANSI.

See note to number 106. The trick corresponds to F′ or G′ in Bolte u. Polívka’s analysis of The Little Peasant.

137. MONKEY HUNTS ANANSI.

See Boas, JAFL 25: 223–226, where the Devil is the rival sorcerer.

138. ANANSI AND THE PIG.

See Grimm 72a, Bolte u. Polívka, 2: 100–106; and compare Parsons, Andros Island, 108 and note; discussion of Spanish forms by Boas, JAFL 25: 252, note; by Espinosa, JAFL 27: 222–227.

139. THE FIFER.

The story is common in Jamaica. See Jekyll, 98–99. It was told me as a “speak-acting” story, but as I could get no other of exactly the same character, I do not know how common it used to be to present a Nansi story in this way. The Nansi story is now given in the form of a dramatic monologue or rehearsed simply as a tale.

For the story of “The Fifer,” six actors were required, one to represent the boy, one the father, and four others the “wild beasts.” “Anansi,” “Dry-head,” “Tacoomah” and “Tiger” were the “beasts.” Roe said that “the one who takes the son’s part tells the story.” The dramatization went on much like a school exercise performed by grown men, with improvised action and (probably) extemporized dialogue. It ended in a dance in which all six joined.

Compare Tremearne, 301; Harris, Nights, 370–373; Edwards, 87–88; Parsons, Andros Island, 137–138.

The story seems to be drawn from such prohibitions against whistling at night or whistling more than twice when walking at night or through a haunted forest as are quoted by Sebillot, Le Folk-lore de France 1: 159, 283. He tells a Breton story of a lad who forgot the prohibition and found himself mocked and followed by the Devil, who bore him off just as he had reached home. Compare number 66, note.

141. TACOOMAH MAKES A DANCE.

Medleys of this character seem to have been a popular form of entertainment and may still be common, though the examples I have were given me in every case by old men. They are composed of scraps of song or whole scenes from well-known Nansi stories, together with game-songs, imitations of animal sounds, and “rhyming,” strung together much like our own musical medleys—the last line of one suggesting the first of the next. In this example, story-songs from numbers 97 and 86 are followed by a game dialogue; next by some animal imitations; last, by a specimen of Jamaica “rhyming.” Other examples of this kind of improvised “rhyming” are:

“Mr. Might, jump up a height, after a kite, And knock his eye, upon his hog-sty, and cry out ‘hi! oh, my! why should I die’.”

“There is a boat, and in the boat, is a goat, and has a long coat, catch him under the throat.”

142. ANANSI MAKES A DANCE.

The songs of this medley at first follow the story of Goat’s escape from the dance, number 40, combined with the parallel story of Rat’s escape from Puss’s dance. The song is taken from a popular game in which one player represents the cat, another the rat; all the others form a line with clasped hands, and Puss tries to catch Rat through the line, while all sing the song. The bull’s song belongs to number 88 or 89. Anansi’s fifing is possibly taken from 139.

143. RED YAM.

Old Mary Roden was bed-ridden and lived in a one-roomed hut, the floor of which was falling in. The little grandchild, when prompted to “make a figure,” danced quite spontaneously to the rhythm of the grandmother’s quavering song. The same is true of the next two numbers. Songs sung to be danced to in this fashion have rather the monotonous rhythm of a drum-beat than any melody in our sense of the word. For the story, see number 23.

145. FOWL AND PRETTY POLL.

Literally this means, Fowl wants to be married to Parrot in church, but Parrot has no good clothes. Parrot wants Crow to marry her in church, but he says he can’t because of his peelhead (or perhaps he wants to in spite of this peelhead). Compare the witticism vi.

146. THE CUMBALO.

Sarah Findley was an old-time negress who lived in a little hut far out in the bush. She danced to the song with a queer jumping motion like boys playing leap-frog and with all the agility of a young girl. The dance as a wake game is performed upon two parallel bars held by four men. One informant called it dancing “Calimbe.”

149. ANIMAL TALK.

Again there are, in this medley which imitates animal sounds, reminiscences of consecutive Nansi stories—Crab’s words, in number 54; Ground Dove’s in 50. For the fasting contest, see number 61.

Tremearne, 28, says that the imitation of animal cries is a favorite device in African story-telling. Compare Hollis, Nandi, 109–111, where a great many examples are given of this kind of entertainment.

WITTICISMS.

I & II. These old-fashioned slave stories are from old Vassel Edwards at Retirement, in the Cock-Pit country. They belong to the “nager-trick” stories quoted by Lewis.

III. The Congo negro is said to be duller-witted than negroes from the Gold Coast. To call a man a “Congo” is hence a term of ridicule.

IV. This witticism is common. In one version, the man was said to be “walking in Kingston.” Mrs. Elizabeth Hilton gave me a version she learned from Henry Roe, school-master at Retirement, which bears the marks of having been put together by some literary entertainer.

“Massa Peter was a funny sort of a buckra massa. He was “mustafenia” (white by law). Massa Peter an’ me, we go to school together. We were readin’ in a ‘pellin’ (book) an’ we were doin’ jumba fraction sum.

“From the day me leave school me never see Marse Peter any more till one day we buck up. A glad to see him till a couldn’t glad any more. Marse Peter went a tell me somet’ing, a laugh till me belly nearly pop.

“Marse Peter was the sort of boy used to go out after hours. Him ma tell him if him (she) been dead before him, she will show him token (frighten him). But Marse Peter never will believe her. One night, Marse Peter go out. When him coming back, he catch right at the cross-road where dem Taylor boy used to sit down a day-time, an’ smell somet’ing funny, but he never know wha’. He been ’fraid, but afterward he no ’fraid again. An’ see one man come wid litt’e fire. He say, ‘I beg you a light, sah!’ The man give him a light. The man has some teeth a his mouth, they long like a Jack-ass a laugh a sun-hot. Marse Peter pass the man. He meet up another man. He say, ‘Look here, me frien’, I meet a man jus’ roun’ the turning, have teeth long like a Jack-ass a laugh a sun-hot.’ The man said, ‘Teeth like these do they long?’ Marse Peter run an’ he run an’ never stop runnin’ till he meet up a mother bed. From that, Marse Peter never go af’er no girl again. Marse Peter behave a good buckra massa af’er this.”

V. The witticism is used in a good many connections. In one story, a man finds a boy by the roadside and takes him home. When he asks the boy to blow the fire, the duppy says, “Me kyant blow de fire, for me dead long time an’ dirt eat out all me teet’.” The man beats him and he runs away crying, “Lor! me dead two time.” In another version, “Rolling Calf” takes possession of a house. While he is asleep, the owner makes an iron fork red hot and catches him about the neck.

VI. See number 145.

VIII. Compare Cundall, FL 15:91, where the “Rolling Calf,” afraid of the moon, tumbles over into the stream and sprains his foot. He says, “A don’t mind the wet, a wet, but the ’prain a ’prain me foot’.”

X. In Tremearne, FL 22:222–223, Lizard and Mouse both court a woman. Mouse tells her that Lizard is blind, can’t see at night; Cock tells her that Rat is a thief, can’t be seen in the market.

In Koelle, 174–177, Toad and Rat have a wager to see if one can do what the other cannot. Toad passes a crowd with a whole skin; Rat is pursued with sticks and stones.

XI. See number 48.

XII. From Alexander Archibald, near Mandeville.

XIII. From Mrs. Matilda Hall, Harmony Hall. See number 4.

XVI. This and the next two witticisms were written out by some young lads in Bethlehem, Santa Cruz Mountains.

SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES.

46. WHY TUMBLE-BUG ROLLS IN THE DUNG.

In Seidel’s story of the “Miracle of the Sidi” (Geschichten und Lieder der Afrikaner, 105), the devil dares the Sidi to marry a slave to a princess. The father of the princess has set to her wooers the supposedly impossible task of filling a bag with hyacinths out of hyacinth season. The Sidi fills the bag with stones and bids the slave empty it out before the king, when the stones are by miracle turned into hyacinths.

48. WHY DOG IS ALWAYS LOOKING.

A Jamaica negro proverb runs, “Darg say befo’ him plant yam fe look like masquita’ foot, him satisfy fe tun beggar.” See Cundall’s collection (Kingston, 1910), 211.

56. RAT’S WEDDING.

It is not the wooden foot-bridge but any drain beside the road—the gutter—which Jamaicans call a ‘water table.’

66. SIMON TOOTOOS.

For the music of these songs see Publications of the Modern Language Association of America, 39 (1924): 482.

97. LEAP, TIMBER, LEAP.

An old man over eighty who was present at the recital of this story remembered hearing it when he was a little boy. Hauling lumber was in old days accompanied by song. The story turns upon a theme common in American Indian hero cycles, that of a trickster’s claim to magical powers which he does not possess.

INDEX TO INFORMANTS.

1. Alexander, Emily, aged 15. She came to my room in the evening after her work was done at the hotel and recited to me more than twenty stories which she had from her father, who was a native of Mandeville, and with which she was in the habit of entertaining the other young people employed at the hotel.

See 108, 109, 110, 111, 130.

2. Archibald, Alexander, aged 62. He was “tea-meeting chairman” in the district of New Green, near Mandeville. I visited him at his home one late afternoon. Seated on his own door-step in the midst of a circle of his neighbors, he recited six stories with much wit and good humor.

See 32b, 36.

3. Bailey, Vivian, a lad, also of Mandeville.

See 1b.

4. Baker, Maud, aged 21. She called upon me with her stories, which she had from her father, a native of Dry River, though she herself had been educated in Kingston.

See 102, 106.

5. Barrett, Eliza, aged 30. She was one of a group of women who were friends of the colored housekeeper at Harmony Hall.

See 92b (1).

6. Barrett, George, aged 60 or over. He visited me at Harmony Hall with a group of men from Maroon Town. They would spend a whole morning or even all day telling stories in this way, first one and then another taking his turn and each making way for the other with a fine sense of fair play.

See 57b (2), 76a, 84a.

7. Brown, Arthur, aged 23. He was a friend of the chauffeur for the hotel at St. Ann’s Bay and took me down to his mother’s house at Steeretown, where he gathered a group for story-telling, each one reciting one or two stories in turn.

See 127a.

8. Brown, Margaret, aged 55, mother of Arthur.

See 47a.

9. Brown, Philip, aged 19, a jolly contingent of Caledonia, near Mandeville.

See 75, 76b.

10. Brown, T., another contingent, a Claremont lad who had picked up a quantity of stories but recited them in a slovenly way, without wit or point.

See 117.

11. Christie, Samuel, over 60. He was one of the group at Steeretown, near St. Ann’s Bay, and a good story-teller.

See 5b, 12a, 14.

12. Collins, Benjamin, a crippled lad of George’s Valley, near Mandeville.

See 11a.

13. Daley, Edward, part East Indian. He was in the prison-gang whose overseer I was interviewing.

See 132.

14. Dodd, Emiline, under 30. She visited the house at Lacovia where I was staying.

See 86b.

15. Doran, Grace, very old. She was from Whitehall, near Harmony Hall. She interpolated her stories with songs in the old style, but talked so rapidly I was unable to follow except in snatches.

See 27a.

16. Edwards, Vassel, over 80. His father and mother had been slaves in the same district, one at Retirement, where he himself had lived all his life and was now deacon in the Scotch Presbyterian church.

See 134 and the first two witticisms.

17. Falconer, Simeon, aged 47. He was an intelligent and resourceful man, a church member but nevertheless a frequenter of wakes, where he learned his stories. He dictated his stories to me at his home, without audience, and on various visits. His little sitting-room held a mahogany table set against the wall, at each end two mahogany chairs, in which we sat, and a curiously carved chair which a friend had brought him from Africa.

See 10a, 16, 17a, 50, 62, 64.

18. Findley, Sarah, “over 50.” She was mother to one of the house-girls at Bethlehem, in the Santa Cruz Mountains, an old-time woman and quite illiterate.

See 146.

19. Forbes, William, over 75. He came from Dry River and was one of my best story-tellers. He had been song-leader and “Tea-meeting chairman” for his district and was much respected for his intelligence and sense of order. He came at several different times and sang or told stories with equal ease and with a freshness and delight which was contagious, never failing to bring a small gift from his garden and never arguing over the pay. He had a very long-shaped head and beaming eyes.

See 2a, 3, 7, 8, 11b, 24, 25b, 46, 70, 85c, 86a, 101, 140, 141, 142.

20. Ford, May, a young girl. She was of the better class, daughter of the lodging-house keeper at Newmarket, in Westmoreland.

See 44.

21. Foster, Alexander, aged 40, one of the Maroon story-tellers.

See 88.

22. Gentle, Julia, over 70. She came to me twice at Bethlehem in the Santa Cruz mountains and recited the stories with great rapidity as if she knew them by heart in a fixed form, among them some English ballads of second rate interest.

See 18, 60b, 61, 69b, 77, 112.

23. Hall, Matilda, aged 50, one of the women who came to me at Harmony Hall, and a good singer and story-teller.

See 57c, 71a, 85b, 148.

24. Harris, William, a young man. He came from a shop at Maggotty and was scarcely able to speak from bashfulness.

See 73b.

25. Hendricks, Moses, over 60. He was a white man, but lived with his negro family like one of the race; an excellent story-teller, dictating some fifteen stories to me at three different visits to his house.

See 13b, 15, 25a, 26, 29, 35, 48, 69a, 99, 138.

26. Hilton, Elizabeth, aged 41. She was care-taker at Harmony-Hall and a fine intelligent type. In the evening when her work was done, she recited to me some thirteen stories learned from her mother who was brought up at Harmony Hall, and from an old school-master at Retirement.

See 37a, 40b (1), 84b, 104, 105.

27. Hilton, Norman, aged 13, son to Elizabeth.

See 5.

28. Hilton, James Anderson, aged 33, one of the Maroon men.

See 149.

29. Iron, Adolphus, about 50. A reputed humorist from Golden Grove near Claremont, but disappointing in frock coat at the lodging house.

See 20, 37b.

30. Johnson, Emanuel, about 40, from Orange Hill near Brownstown.

See 30c, 97a.

31. Jones, Stanley, aged 27, one of the Claremont group.

See 21c, 133.

32. Macfarlane, Joseph, aged 14. He was a natural clown, long and loose-jointed. It was in the evening after work at Moneague and he stood in the middle of the group and acted out the story he was telling in rapid, unintelligible dialect, and with excellent mimicry of both speech and gesture. Afterward he recited it to me more slowly, possibly more in detail.

See 5a, 129.

33. Macfarlane, Rennie, aged 11. He was employed at the hotel in Mandeville.

See 27b, 38a, 59.

34. Morgan, Richard, about 50. He was an entertainer in the Santa Cruz district and came over to Falconer’s for two days to give me these stories.

See 6, 17d, 19, 21a, 34, 45, 52, 54, 55, 57a, 85a (1), 87a, 89, 92b (3), 93, 98, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 136, 137.

35. Morris, Margaret, aged 85. Her memory wandered unless prompted by her son-in-law, at that time captain of the Maroons.

See 74.

36. Morrison, Vincent, aged 20. He was a Mandeville lad and claimed to “compose” his stories.

See 94.

37. Parkes, George, over 40. This blind man had lived in different parts of the island and been over-seas in Africa. He had picked up stories wherever he went, and he took great pleasure in reciting them to me. He gave me fifteen at different visits, all very full and accurate. He was an indifferent singer and made no attempt to act out the story.

See 1a, 2b, 4, 21b, 22, 23, 30a, 31, 32a, 33, 38b, 65, 87b, 91, 92a, 95.

38. Pottinger, Henry, over 70. We were gathered one evening in his son’s cottage near Claremont for story-telling when the old man made his appearance chanting a nonsense line as he came. It seemed to be a kind of formal prelude to the occasion, but I could not get the words.

See 103.

39. Pottinger, Richard, over 40. He was son to Henry, with a great local reputation. A group gathered in his house two evenings after work and told stories in turn as seemed to be the custom.

See 40a, 78c, 115.

40. Ramtalli, (Mrs.) about 30. She was of the better educated class, from St. Mary’s parish, and wife of the East Indian school-master at Maggotty.

See 39, 90.

41. Roach, David. He was at Lacovia with a company of strolling players at Christmas-time, but he came from Savannah-la-mar.

See 43a, 79.

42. Robinson, Howard, from Retirement.

See 97b.

43. Roden, Mary Jane, over 80. She was bedridden. The cottage had one room and the floor was partly broken through. Her daughter was ironing, the little grandchild danced to the songs she crooned.

See 143, 144, 145.

44. Roe, Charles, aged 50, one of the Maroons.

See 28, 125.

45. Roe, Martha, aged 74, also a Maroon.

See 81, 82b.

46. Roe, Richard, aged 55, another Maroon.

See 139.

47. Samuels, Etheline, aged 14, from Claremont.

See 63.

48. Saunders, William, a lad employed at the hotel in Mandeville.

See 17b.

49. Smith, James. He belonged to the group who gathered at Pottinger’s near Claremont, a younger, better educated man, who claimed to be a “composer.”

See 113, 127b.

50. Spence, Henry, “over 50.” He was song-leader for the workmen on the Bog estate in Westmoreland and recited some twenty stories at two different interviews, all briefly and with wit.

See 10b, 12b, 41, 42, 43b, 47b, 92b (2), 118, 128.

51. Tathum, Clarence, aged 20, from Mandeville.

See 114, 116.

52. Thompson, Charles, aged 18, a Maroon.

See 32c.

53. Tomlinson, Florence, aged 54. She was formerly house-servant on the Cornwall estate and was accustomed to entertain with stories and dancing.

See 78b, 87c, 126.

54. Townsend, Alexander, over 65. He was father of the penman at the Flamstead ranch and was invited up to the house on Christmas afternoon to sing and tell stories.

See 100.

55. Tulloch, aged 22. He was from Higginstown and acted as chauffeur at the hotel at St. Ann’s Bay.

See 17c.

56. Vassel, Sarah, a girl employed on the Bog estate.

See 49, 131.

57. Watkins, Susan, aged 23, from Claremont.

See 13a, 147.

56. Watson, Ethel, aged 32. She told stories one morning while tending her sick child at Roseberry Bush, in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

See 13c.

59. White, Thomas, about 40. On my first visit to Maroon Town in the cock-pit country, he was selected as the leading Maroon story-teller to recite stories for me in the church vestry, where half the town gathered as audience. Others he gave me at Harmony Hall. The music he dictated to Miss Roberts at a later visit. He was one of my best informants, though an adroit padder with an eye to compensation.

See 5c, 66, 67, 68, 78a, 80, 82a, 83, 87a (note), 93, 96.

60. Williams, Alfred, his friend. He was the Maroon song-leader and, with White, led the games and sports. A good singer, but an indifferent story-teller.

See 40b (2), 60a, 72, 73a.

61. Williams, Ezekiel, aged 43. At the time of my first visit to Harmony Hall, he was head-man on the estate. He was brought up at Retirement, a big man, very black, timid through superstition, but full of genuine delight in acting and music.

See 30b.

62. Williams, Thomas, about 70. He was a good entertainer, a man of the old type, living near Harmony Hall.

See 56, 58, 107.

63. Witter, Oliver, a lad. He was a school-boy at Bethlehem, and wrote out for me the text of six stories.

See 71b.

64. Wright, Charles, aged 44. He was one of the group at Harmony Hall, but not a Maroon.

See 9.

65. Wright, Eliza, aged 30. From Maroon Town.

See 57b (1).

66. Wright, Samuel, aged 28, a Maroon.

See 53.

NOTES

[1] depon here signifies “because of.”

[2] A kettle.

[3] Tall bush peas, one of the commonest and most prized of Jamaica crop.

[4] Anansi here claims the power of a sorcerer.

[5] Record was poor and could only be taken in part.

[6] See story 96.

[7] The misunderstood warning is inserted from another narrator.

[8] This means, “Eat, eat, eat”;—“Don’t want anything to eat.”

[9] Fire-flies are common in Jamaica.

[10] Pineapple.

[11] Anyone who has a knife can eat pineapple; anyone who has none cannot eat pineapple.

[12] A duppy is a ghost, spirit, or any supernatural apparition, but here probably refers to the Devil.

[13] Crow’s name in French stories.

[14] A machete is a broad heavy knife used to clear brush, cut cane, etc.

[15] So-so means “only.”

[16] Colloquial for “getting me into trouble.”

[17] “A lie, sir!”

[18] Yeye is Jamaican for “eyes”.

[19] “Dry-head is one of the same species, but he is a different man from them.” “Dry-head is a man always hide himself in the bush to eat up what Anansi or Tacoomah have,” Parkes says.—He figures as a kind of old man of the sea in the Anansi stories.

[20] Tack means a “trick”.

[21] A yellow yam, the favorite vegetable food of the negro is called “afoo yam”.

[22] Fawning means “feigning”.

[23] A cement platform for drying coffee or piment berries.

[24] A kind of plant with poisonous juice.

[25] By himself, alone.

[26] From this point the story follows a Lacovia version.

[27] Wild yam.

[28] “Go-long-go” corresponds with “Dry-head” in other versions. See note to 22.

[29] “You ate the meat and gave me none.”

[30] A pit in the ground near the sea-coast, into which the waves wash is called a “sea-ball.”

[31] “A very hasty temper.”

[32] Oonoo is Jamaican for “you.”

[33] “In your district.”

[34] Butterfly.

[35] A Jamaican food-basket, woven deep and square in shape.

[36] A soiled garment should never be left about lest it be used by the sorcerer to bewitch the owner. Burning such a garment produces a skin disease exactly like a burn, according to the common belief.

[37] A shallow flaring bowl.

[38] “I thought you were dead.”

[39] Assono is a large animal, unidentified. See story 75.

[40] The repetition is distributive and means “until to-day.”

[41] A local place-name.

[42] A wooden foot-path is laid above the level of high water at the side of a road likely to be flooded in high water. This is called a ‘water table’.

[43] The pot’s equilibrium was disturbed by the impact.

[44] This is a reference to the common saying, Cockroach never so drunk, no walk a fowl yard.

[45] A round tin cooking pot is called a “bonpon”. So is a high round hat.

[46] A trap.

[47] A cooking-pot.

[48] The song sung is the Koromanti Death Song, always used by the Maroons at a burial.

[49] Carencron.

[50] Sung by Mrs. Williams.

[51] An overseer on an estate.

[52] An estate devoted to cattle-raising.

[53] “Only.”

[54] The proverb is added from an old mammy of over a hundred years.

[55] Framboesia, popularly called “yaws” is a contagious though curable skin disease common among young negroes of the West Indies. It begins with a blister and spreads over the whole body. See Lewis, West Indies, p. 208.

[56] Thomas White’s version of this song is as follows:

Pon, pon, me dearie. Pon, pon, me dearie. Ah, me Nancy, me dear, dear.

Oh, oh, you, oh, oh, you, da me Nancy, da me Nancy, What a fine gal!

[57] Jamaica children compose a “secret song” which they amuse themselves with at play or sing when they are walking alone.

[58] In a Brownstown version of the same story, the song is as follows:—

Gashawnee, oh, Gashawnee, oh, Gashawnee, Look how little bit a Sammy call yo’ name, why.

[59] Pronounced “roon”.

[60] The song appears twice in the story, the first time only four measures; it was explained that the second time the song must stop as given because that is how the Anansi Story ends.

[61] The record is uncertain in places.

[62] It is my trade.

[63] The song was sung by Alfred Williams.

[64] The tune is that of the Devil in the Cock and Corn story, number 85.

[65] The dialogue is taken from a popular game.

[66] I asked, “Who is Jock?”—“Jock man dora.”

[67] The record was faulty.

[68] Part of the first of the song is missing; phonograph needle was put down too late.

[69] The narrator continued with the following which, she insisted, belongs with the song:

Tom drunk, but Tom no fool, Tom drunk, but Tom no fool, Trala-la-la-la-la-la.

This last measure may be repeated at will, or the whole three about Tom. The oftener it is sung, the sweeter the song, in Mother Roden’s opinion and in that of many others.

This singer was most uncertain; in intonation, repetitions, etc. she varied exceedingly and agreed that any way the song was repeated to her by the transcriber was correct, no matter how it was sung. The transcriber, therefore, will not vouch for these three tunes. The old woman is a cripple and can neither read nor write. H. R.

[70] Jamaica negroes speak of the groom at a wedding as “the bride.”

[71] Two school-mistresses in Bethlehem, Santa Cruz Mountains, gave the following list of “born-day names” which belong to negro children in Jamaica according to the day of the week upon which they are born. See Jekyll, int. x (l.c.).

An old woman who was telling me of some obeah practises assured me that the obi-man (sorcerer) did not use a man’s common name when he wanted to bewitch him, but his “born-day” name.

BOYS GIRLS

Sunday Quashy Quashiba Monday Quaco Juba Tuesday Cubena Cuba Wednesday Cudjo Bennie Thursday Quaw Abba Friday Cuffy Pheba Saturday Quamin Benneba.

[72] The music was recorded by a colored boy who was organist in the church at Bethlehem. The dance (also called “calimbe”) is performed at wakes, two men holding a couple of sticks parallel while a third dances upon them to the strains of the song.

[73] A ring-shaped pack made of banana leaves to protect the head when carrying burdens.

[74] “Rolling Calf” is a duppy with fiery eyes and flames issuing from its nostrils. It drags a chain about its neck, the rattle of which strikes terror to night travellers.

[75] Cf. No. 140, p. 199.

[76] Cf. No. 142, p. 199.

[77] Cf. Suaheli (Velten):

85. There is a buried thing; who can tell the sort of banana, to him will I give an amulet.

—Woman with child.

[78] Cf. No. 114, p. 196.

[79] Cf. No. 113, p. 196.

[80] Cf. No. 64, p. 190. English: Riddles (Boston):

What thing is that which is lengthened by being cut at both ends?

—A ditch.

[81] Cf. Porto Rican (Mason and Espinosa):

288. Una arquita muy chiquita, blanquita como la sal; todo el mundo la sabe abrir, pero nadie la sabe cerrar.

[82] Cf. West Highlands (Campbell):

A little clear (?) house and its two doors shut.

Suaheli (Velten):

4. My house has no door.

Suahili (Steere):

1. My house is large; it has no door.

Eastern Bantu (Seidel):

9. There is a house without a door.

Porto Rican (Mason and Espinosa):

291. Una casa sin ventanas sin puerta ni brujeria, que tiene un galán adentro, por dónde se metería?

Canadian: Ontario, JAFL 31:68:

A little house full of meat, No door to go in and eat.

—A nut

[83] Cf. Suaheli (Velten):

24. A Grandmother sits on the stool and weeps there.

—Cooking-pot.

[84] Cf. Nursery Rhymes of England (Halliwell):

CXLVIII. Thirty white horses on a red hill, Now they tramp, now they champ, now they stand still.

[85] Cf. Holme riddles:

(125) Four and twenty white Bulls sate upon a stall, forth came the red Bull & licked them all.

Yorkshire riddles (Notes & Queries, 3rd series, VIII):

Four-&-twenty white beasts, And t’ red one licks them all.

Canadian: Ontario, JAFL 31:67

Zulu:

3. I puzzle you with a goat-ram which grazes, and white goats; it moves about much, but they eat in one place.

Catalan:

XVIII. Un convent de monjas blancas, dintre hi ha un frare vermell que ’ls hi repica las ancas.

[86] Cf. Booke of Merry Riddles (Halliwell):

LX. What is it goes through thicke & thin And draws his guts after him?

Holme riddles:

(59) Wha is that as goes throw the heye and leves his gutes after it.

Welsh-Gypsy:

33. What goes through the hedge and leaves its guts behind?

Canadian: Ontario, JAFL 31:69.

[87] Cf. Suaheli (Velten):

41. All my children have on turbans.

—Mushrooms.

46. My children all wear clothes and a cap on the side of the head; who has no garment and no cap, he is not my child.

—Fingers. (?)

54. I have seen twenty children in a row with bright frocks on.

—Crows.

Suahili (Steere):

6. My children have turbans; he who has no turban is no child of mine.

—A kind of fruit.

[88] Cf. No. 116, p. 196.

[89] Cf. Suaheli (Velten):

77. My half cocoanut spreads over the whole town.

—Moon.

Filipino (Starr):

78. A single grain of rice filled the whole house.

—Lamp.

[90] Cf. Suaheli (Velten):

72a. I laid down meal in the evening and in the morning nothing was there.

b. I spread out my strips of matting at night; next morning I went out and found nothing there.

Eastern Bantu (Seidel):

12. I spread my bananas on a rock; the next morning all had been stolen.

Porto Rican (Mason and Espinosa):

225. Allá arriba hay un plato lieno de aceitunas; de día se recogen, y de noche se riegan.

[91] Cf. Suaheli (Velten):

28. I have built me a great house; it stands upon one post.

Hausa (Rattray) 153:

I built a hut with only one post to prop up the roof.

[92] Cf. No. 22, p. 185.

Welsh-Gypsy: Gypsy Lore 5:241:

29. What grows bigger the more you cut away from it?

[93] Cf. No. 185 p. 203.

[94] Cf. Suaheli (Velten):

57. One is father of a hundred.

[95] Cf. Holme riddles:

12. In thickest woods j hunt whith eagles 10 after the chase which when (?) j doe descry j dispossesse me of not usefull then & what j take not only that keep j.

—A man scratching his head with both his hands.

[96] Cf. Irish Folk-Lore Riddles, 67:

Riddle me, riddle me, Randy Row, My father gave me some seed to sow; The seeds were black, the ground was white, Riddle me that against Saturday night.

Porto Rican (Mason and Espinosa):

151. Sábana blanca está tendida, semilla negra se va por encima, tres que la riegan y dos que la miran.

Catalán (and see note):

XXV. Lo camp es blanch, la llavó es negra, cinch son los bous que menan la rella.

[97] Cf. No. 97, p. 194.

[98] Cf. Nursery Rhymes of England (Halliwell):

CLIV. When I went up sandy-hill, I met a sandy boy; I cut his throat, I sucked his blood, And left his skin a hanging-o.

Welsh-Gypsy Folk-riddles:

24. I was going over a bridge; I saw a yellow man. I lifted him up. I drank his blood, and I threw him down.

Lincolnshire riddles (Notes and Queries 3rd series, VIII):

As I was going over London Brig, I spies a little red thing; I pick it up, I suck it blood, And leaves it skin to dry.

Canadian; Ontario:

As I went over London bridge, I met my sister Mary; I cut off her head and drank her blood and left her body standing.

—Whiskey in a bottle.

[99] Cf. Booke of Merry Riddles (Halliwell):

IX. What is that, that hath a beard of flesh, a mouth of horn, and feet like a griffon?

Popular Rhymes of Scotland (Chambers):

Page 109. Mouth o’ horn, and beard o’ leather; Ye’ll no guess that though ye were hanged in a tether.

Catalan:

Page 217. Hi ha un home que porta un vestit fet de pedassos, du la barba de carn y de la cara d’os.

[100] Tremearne, 58:

I have two roads open, though I follow the wrong one I am not lost.

[101] Cf. Booke of Merry Riddles (Halliwell):

XXX. What is it that goes to the water on the head?

Welsh-Gypsy, page 251:

35. What goes to the village head downwards?

Irish Folk-Lore Riddles:

I go round the land and round the land And sleep at night on my head.

—Nail in a brogue.

Canadian; Ontario, JAFL 31:68.

Pennsylvania German JAFL 19:116:

Was ist das? Fern armer Drop muss die Steg uf und ab geh uf em Kop?

[102] Cf. No. 138, p. 199.

West African (Seidel), page 176:

6. Two things early and late together yet never touch.

—Parallel roads.

7. Three children all alike who are constantly together yet never touch each other.

Catalan (and see notes):

CCVII. Quatre germanas corren agualmènt qui part estan posades y agual trebal sostenan y una vol a conseguir l’altra y no s’alcansen.

[103] Cf. No. 72, p. 191.

[104] Cf. Jones, 4; Harris, Nights, 363; Tremearne, 269–270.

[105] Cf. Suaheli (Velten):

47. There is an old man; he himself stays within but his beard is outside.

[106] Cf. No. 257, p. 216.

[107] Cf. Porto Rican (Mason and Espinosa):

113 b. Blanco fué mi nacimiento, amarilla mi vejez; y negro me estoy poniendo cuando me voy a morir.

[108] Cf. No. 20, p. 185.

Nandi (Hollis), 138:

There lives by the river a woman who has many garments. What is she?

—The wild banana plant.

[109] Cf. No. 13, p. 184.

[110] Cf. No. 51, p. 188.

[111] Cf. Nandi (Hollis), page 135:

I have a child who is known to steal.

—Rat.

[112] Spanish Mexican, JAFL 30:230:

A little black one above, and red Juan below.

—Baking plate on fire.

[113] Cf. Nandi (Hollis), 141:

I slaughtered two oxen, one red and the other white, and their hides were alike.

—Earth and sky.

[114] Cf. Suaheli (Velten):

49a. I send a man to call some one; he comes before the messenger returns.

49b. The messenger sent is not yet returned; the one sent for arrives.

49c. I am sent to call my friend; the friend is come, I am not returned.

Porta Rican (Mason and Espinosa):

174. Mandé un muchacho a un mandado; primero vino el mandado que el muchacho.

[115] Cf. Irish Folk-lore Riddles:

Irish: As I looked out of my parlour window I saw the dead carrying the live; Wasn’t that a wonderful thing?

—Train full of people.

Gaelic: As I was at my window, I looked through my gold ring; I saw the dead carrying the living, Wasn’t that a wondrous thing?

—Ship.

Popular Rhymes of Scotland (Chambers), 110:

As I lookit owre my window at ten o’clock at night, I saw the dead carrying living.

Welsh-Gypsy: 27: The dead carries the living.

[116] Cf. No. 93, p. 194.

[117] Cf. No. 3, p. 183.

[118] Cf. No. 5, p. 183.

[119] Cf. Suaheli (Velten):

44. When the lion roars it is heard everywhere.

Nandi (Hollis), p. 145:

A tree fell in Lumbwa and its branches reached Nandi.

—A great gun.

[120] Cf. Yorkshire Riddles (Notes and Queries 3rd series, 8:325):

A house full, a hoile (coal-hole) full, Ya’ canna’ fetch a bowl full.

Canadian: Ontario, JAFL 31:71.

Welsh-Gypsy, 247:

6. A roadful, a barnful; thou canst not catch a pipeful.

—Wind.

[121] Cf. Porto Rican (Mason and Espinosa) 301 b, New Mexican Spanish 328:

Pelú por fuera pelú por dentro; abre el agujero y ensartalo adentro.

[122] Cf. Suaheli (Velten):

97. Lift up, let it fall: kiba kipandika, kiba kipandua.

[123] Cf. West Highlands (Campbell), II, 420:

Red below, black in the middle, white above.

—Fire, griddle and oatcake.

[124] Cf. Irish Folk-lore Riddles: 75:

Gaelic: As white as flour, and it is not flour; as green as grass and it is not grass, as red as blood and it is not blood; as black as ink and it is not ink.

—Blackberries.

[125] Cf. Booke of Merry Riddles (Halliwell):

IV. What is that that is rough within and red without And bristled like a hare’s snout; There is never a lady on the land But will be content to take it in her hand.

—Eglantine.

[126] Cf. Harris, Nights, 75.

[127] Cf. Holme riddles:

36. Flink flank under a bank 10 about 4.

—Woman milking a cow.

Welsh-Gypsy, 248:

14. In a field I saw 10 pulling 4.

—Girl’s fingers milking.

Canadian, Ontario: JAFL 31:67:

Ink, ank you bank, Ten drawing four.

[128] Cf. West Highlands (Campbell), 412:

Four shaking and four running, Two finding the way and one roaring.

Catalan (and see notes):

CXLVI. Dos puntxets, dos ullets, quatre massas y una escombra.

Filipino (Starr):

a) Four posts, one whip, two fans and two bolos.

b) Four earth-posts, two air-posts and whip.

c) One pointing, two moving, four changing.

[129] Cf. No. 65, p. 190.

Irish Folk-lore Riddles, 68:

Chip, chip cherry and all the men in Derry, Wouldn’t climb the walls of chip, chip cherry.

[130] Cf. Holme riddles, 225:

(44) what is that that goes round about the house and stands behind the door.

Irish Folk-lore Riddles:

I go round the house upstairs and downstairs and sleep at night in a corner.

[131] Cf. Porto Rican (Mason and Espinosa):

179. Debajo de un come, come estaba un dorme, dorme; cayó el come, come, y despertó el dorme, dorme; se levantó el dorme, dorme y se comió al come, come.

—El coco y el que se lo come.

New-Mexican Spanish, 336:

Durmilis Durmilis está durmiendo, Martiris Martiris está llegando Si no fuera por Cominis Cominis Durmilis Durmilis estuviera muerto.

[132] Cf. Irish Folk-lore Riddles:

As I went out a hazeum-gazeum I saw a shrinkum-pinkum Carrying away kum-painy.

—A fox stole a goose at night.

Holme riddles, 233:

(108) As j went through my houter touter houter perly j saw one Mr. higamgige com over the hill of parley but if j had my tarly berly, tarly berly berly j would have bine met with Mr. Higamgige come over the hill of parley.

—A man going ou’ a hill a flee flew over his head.

(237) As j went over Hottery Tottery, etc.

Popular Rhymes of Scotland (Chambers), 113:

Ha! master above a master, etc.

Catalan:

XXX. En Penjim Penjoy penjava, etc.

[133] Cf. Booke of Merry Riddles (Halliwell):

XV. Yonder side sea, there is a bote, The king’s daughter of England there she sate; An if you tell her name no man it wot What is the maid’s name that sate in the boate.

—Her name is Anne; for in the fourth line it saith An if ye tell me her name; but this riddle is not to be seene on the booke, but to be put without the booke, or else it will be soone understood.

[134] Cf. Holme riddles, 234;

(111) As j went by the way j met with a boy j took him my friend for to bee he took of his hat an drew of his gloves and so saluted mee.

Lincolnshire riddles (Notes and Queries 3rd series, VIII), 503:

As I was going over Westminster Brig, I met a Westminster scholar, etc.

[135] Cf. Dorsetshire (Notes and Queries 3rd series IX), 50:

A body met a body In a narrow lane, Says the body to a body, Where hast thou a-ben?

I’ve ben in my wood A-hunting me some roe. Then lend me thy little dog That I may do so.

Then take it unto thee. Tell me its name; For twice in the riddle, I’ve told you the same.

Holme riddles, 237:

(137) There was a king met a king, etc.

—The men’s names were King and the dog’s name was Bin.

[136] Cf. Catalan (and see notes):

CI. Dotze frares d’un convent dotze nespras per tots tenen, cada qual se’n menja una y encar quedan onze nespras.

New Mexican Spanish: 152, 153.

[137] Cf. Booke of Merry Riddles (Halliwell):

XLIV. I came to a tree where were apples; I eat no apples, I gave away no apples, nor I left no apples behinde me; and yet I eat, gave away, and left behind me.

—Three apples. I eat, give away, and leave one apple.

Holme riddles, 237, [135].

Popular Tales of the West Highlands (Campbell), II, 419:

A man went eyeless to a tree where there were apples. He didn’t leave apples on it, and he didn’t take apples off.

—There were two and he took one.

[138] Cf. Nursery Rhymes of England (Halliwell), 958:

As I was going to St. Ives, etc.

Lancashire (Notes and Queries, 3rd series 9:86).

Canadian, Ontario, JAFL 31:71.

[139] Cf. Catalan (and see notes):

CCLIX. Un cassador surt a cassar. A dalt de un arbre hi ha quatre aucells. Etgega un tret. Ne mata dos. Quants aucells quedan dalt del arbre?

Porto Rican (Mason and Espinosa):

741. En un árbol había cien pájaros. Un cazador tiró y cayó uno muerto al suelo. Cuántos quedaron arriba?

Canadian, Ontario, JAFL 31:72.

[140] Cf. Porto Rican (Mason and Espinosa):

726. El zapatero y su hija, el sastre con su mujer, comieron de nueve huevos y les tocaron a tres.

—La hija del zapatero era la mujer del sastre.

[141] Porto Rican (Mason and Espinosa):

734 (a). Pasaba un grupo de palomas por donde estaba un gavilán y el gavilán les dijo:

—Adios mis cien palomas. Ellas le contestaron diciéndole:

—Nosotras, la mitad de nosotras, una cuarta parte de nosotras otras tantas como nosotras y usted, señor gavilán, hecemos el ciento cabal. Cuántas palomas irían volando?

Arabian Nights Tales [Burton, Burton Club, 5:236].

[142] Cf. Canadian, Ontario, JAFL 31:63.

Argyleshire, 181:

Man, wife and sons to be ferried across.

Ibid.

Fox, goose and bag of corn.

West Highlands (Campbell), 408:

Three jealous soldiers and their wives in a boat that holds two.

Booke of Merry Riddles (Halliwell), 72:

Lamb, wolf and ‘bottle of hay.’

The Riddler (New Haven, 1835), 5:

Wolf, goat and cabbages.

Attributed to Alcuin, in Wright, Biographia Britannica Literaria, London, 1842, 1:74.

[143] Cf. Grimm, 94, The Peasant’s Wise Daughter:

“Then said the king, ‘Come to me not clothed, not naked, not riding, not walking, not in the road, not out of the road, and if thou canst do that I will marry thee.’ So she went away, put off everything she had on, and then she was not clothed, and took a great fishing net, and seated herself in it and wrapped it entirely round and round her, and then she was not naked, and she hired an ass and tied the fisherman’s net to its tail, so that it was forced to drag her along, and that was neither riding nor walking. The ass had also to drag her in the ruts, so that she only touched the ground with her great toe, and that was neither being in the road nor out of the road.”

[144] Cf. “Flores” of Pseudo-Bede (III) Mod. Phil. 2:562:

Sedeo super equum non natum, cujus matrem in manu teneo.

Booke of Merry Riddles (Halliwell):

XL. On greene grass I go And on oaken beames I stand, I ride on a mule that was never folde, And I holde the damme in my hand.

Solution: It is a fole ridden on, cut out of the dammes belly, and a bridle made of her skinne.

Porto Rican (Mason and Espinosa):

769. Ando en quien no fué nacido, ni esperanza de nacer; su madre traigo en los brazos. Adivina lo que puede ser.

Irish Folk-lore Riddles, 70:

O’er the gravel I do travel, On the oak I do stand, I ride a mare that never was foaled, And hold the bridle in my hand.

—A sailor on board ship.

See Story No. 26, p. 33.

[145] Cf. Nursery Rhymes of England (Halliwell), 93.

Irish Folk-lore Riddles, 68.

Holme riddles, 223:

(27) j have a little boy in a white cote the bigger he is the lesser he goes.

[146] Cf. West Highlands (Campbell), 2:419:

Totaman, Totaman, little black man, Three feet under and bonnet of wood.

Welsh-Gypsy:

Black within and black without, Four legs an’ a iron cap.

Lincolnshire Riddles (Notes and Queries, 3rd series, VIII), page 503, etc.

[147] Cf. Nursery Rhymes of England (Halliwell), page 92.

Irish Folk-lore Riddles: 68.

Hitly, Hatly etc.

[148] Cf. Holme riddles, 230: 232:

(82) What is that that is round as a cup yet all my lord oxen cannot draw it up.

—A well.

Canadian, Ontario, JAFL 31: 67:

Round as a well, deep as a bowl, long handle, little hole.

—A frying-pan.

Yorkshire (Notes and Queries 3rd series, 8: 325).

[149] Cf. Nursery Rhymes of England (Halliwell), 96:

CLV. Highty, tighty, paradighty clothed in green, The king could not read it, no more could the queen; They sent for a wise man out of the east, Who said it had horns but wasn’t a beast.

—Holly tree.

Lancashire (Notes and Queries, 3rd series, IX), 86:

Itum Paraditum all clothed in green, etc.

—Parrot.

[150] Canadian, Ontario, JAFL 31: 68.

Brown I am and much admired; Many horses have I tired; Tire a horse and worry a man; Tell me this riddle if you can.

[151] Lincolnshire Riddles (Notes and Queries, 3rd series, VIII), 503:

Hickamore, ’ackamore Sits over th’ kitchen-door, Nothing so long, and nothing so strong As Hickamore, ’ackamore, Sits over th’ kitchen-door.

—A cloud.

[152] Cf. Lincolnshire Riddles (Notes and Queries, 3rd series, VIII), 503.

Canadian, Ontario, 68.

[153] Cf. Popular Rhymes of Scotland (Chambers), III.

English: New Collection, 14.

Riddler, 18, etc.

[154] Cf. Popular Rhymes of Scotland (Chambers), 108.

[155] Ascribed to Charles James Fox (1749–1806) in Modern Sphinx 17.

Cf. Nursery Rhymes of England (Halliwell), 91.

Canadian, Ontario, 70.

[156] Cf. Canadian, Ontario, 69:

English: Fashionable Puzzler, 58:

In marble walls as white as milk, Lined with a skin as soft as silk, Within a fountain crystal clear, A golden apple doth appear. No doors there are to this strong hold, Yet thieves break in and steal the gold.

[157] Cf. English: Puniana, 34, etc.

[158] Cf. English: New Collection, 13:

XXI. Three-fourth of a cross and a circle complete, Two semi-circles and a perpendicular meet, A triangle standing on two feet, Two semi-circles and circle complete.

English: Fashionable Puzzler, 241, etc.

[159] Cf. English: Puzzles Old and New, 320:

From a number that’s odd cut off its head, It then will even be, Its tail, I pray, next take away, Your mother then you’ll see.

English: Puniana, 99, etc.

[160] Cf. English: Riddler, 12.

English: Puniana, 217, etc.

[161] Cf. English: Puniana, 217.

Porto Rican (Mason and Espinosa):

342. Una en un minuto, dos en un momento, y ninguna en un siglo.

[162] Cf. Popular Rhymes and Nursery Tales (Halliwell), 143:

10. What God never sees, What the King seldom sees, What we see every day,— Read my riddle, I pray.

Irish Folk-lore Riddles:

(Gaelic) I sought for it and found it, ’twas easy its finding, The thing that God never found and never can find.

Welsh-Gypsy, 247:

What is it God does not see, etc.

Catalan, 80:

CVI. Qu’es aixó? Lo pastò’ ho veu á la montanya y no ’u veu lo rey de Espanya.

Porto Rican (Mason and Espinosa); 300.

[163] Cf. Booke of Merry Riddles (Halliwell):

LXIII. What is that no man would have and yet when he hath it will not forgoe it?

—A broken head.

Irish Folk-lore Riddles: 74:

I have it and I don’t think much of it; but if I had it not, there would be great grief on me.

[164] Cf. No. 106, p. 195.

English: New Collection, 180:

There is a thing was three weeks old When Adam was no more; This thing it was but four weeks old When Adam was four-score.

Irish and Anglo-Irish: Folk-lore Riddles, 76.

Canadian, Ontario, 70.

[165] Cf. Porto Rican (Mason and Espinosa):

389. Qué es lo que el muerto come, que si el vivo lo come se muere también?

[166] Cf. Porto Rican (Mason and Espinosa):

90 (Cf. 17) En el mundo no lo hubo, en la tierra no se halló; Dios, con ser Dios no lo tuyo, y un hombre a Dios se lo dió.

New-Mexican Spanish, 321:

Se que en el cielo no lo hubo, siendo Dios quien lo inventó; y si el mismo Dios lo tuvo, fué un hombre quien se lo dió.

[167] Numbers enclosed within parentheses belong to the last group and are not strictly Jamaica folk riddles.

[168] Journal of American Folk-Lore. (New York.)

[169] Folk-Lore. (London.)

[170] Folk-Lore Record. (London.)

[171] Memoirs of the American Folk-Lore Society. (New York.)

[172] Publication of the Folk-Lore Society. (London.)

[173] See supplementary note, p. 289.

[174] See supplementary note, p. 290.

[175] See supplementary note, p. 290.

[176] See supplementary note, p. 290.

[177] See supplementary note, p. 290.