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Jamaican song and story

Part 4 — CXXIX.

Reading edition

2nd Figure.

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Rise a roof in the morning, Rise a roof in the morning; Tell all the nigger them to come, come, come, Rise a roof in the morning. The Monkey and the Baboon them was sitting on the wall, Rise a roof in the morning; I an' my wife cannot agree, Rise a roof in the morning. She 'pread me bed on the dirty floor, Rise a roof in the morning; For Devil made the woman an' God made man, Rise a roof in the morning.

"Rise a roof" seems to mean, as far as I can understand the explanation, "raise the roof"; as we might say, "row enough to blow the roof off."

"Baboon" always has this accent on the first syllable and a French a.

The Blacks do not mind calling themselves niggers, but a White man must not call them so. To say "black nehgher" is an offence not to be forgiven. The word is used again quite kindly in the following:—

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