141. Tacoomah makes a Dance. [Note]
Reading edition
141. Tacoomah makes a Dance. [Note]
William Forbes, Dry River, Cock-pit country.
Tacoomah make a dance, get Anansi for de fiddler, an’ Grass-quit was coming as a fiddler too. Robin Redbreast was to play de music, Monkey was to blow de bugle. Well, after de night de dance commence. Anansi gwine to play,
“Queena bunna, ring-ki-ting,
You sen’ fe great Grass-quit,
You don’ sen’ fe me!
Anansi draw bow so sweet, ring-ki-ting,
Anansi draw bow so sweet, ring-ki-ting.”
Tacoomah say,
“You ya, you ya, so ya, me ya,
Wid a fort tumba like a tenky bunna,
Robin Redbreast say,
“Jock, Jock, when you coming home?”
Jock said,
“Tomorrow evening.”
“What in your right?”
“Boot an’ spur.”
“What in your left?”
“Robin redbreast
Was pretty well dressed,
And he was into his nest,
And a puppy went into his nest
And broke his neck t’ru distress.”
Well, den, Turtle an’ Duck goin’ in de river fe go an’ swim, an’ dem is to run to a hill-side in de river. An’ Cock is de judge. Den Cock went to sing fe dem—
“Co co re co.”
Duck an’ Turtle swim—
“Shekey, shekey, shee-e-e.”