Part 1 — XXVI. THE THREE PIGS.

One day a Hog have three Pig an' the three of them was boy. When they were about two month the father died, so the mother grow them up herself. When the Pig them come to big young man the mother said to the first son:—"Me son, a time fe you go an' look you own living."

The day come when he was to start. The mother tie up his clothes an' give him, an' said:—"If you get work sen' an' tell me."

The Pig start.

As he was going he meet a man with a cart of hay.

He said:—"Please, sir, you can give me that hay that I may go an' build a house?"

The man give him.

Pig go an' make up a house with his hay, an' find it very warm an' comfortable.

One day Wolf come, call:—"Little Pig, little Pig, let me come in."

Pig say:—"No, no, by the hair of my chinnychinchin."

Wolf said:—"I will huff an' I will cuff an' blow you house down."

Wolf huff an' cuff an' blow down the house, an' go in an' eat Pig.

The mother wait an' can't get no letter from the first son.

She send the other one, second to the first, an' that one travel until he meet a man with a cart of kindling.

He say:—"Please, sir, you can give me that kindling that I may go an' build a house?"

The man give him.

He make up his house, an' one day Wolf was passing, see that it was pig house, call to him:—"Little Pig, little Pig, let me come in."

Pig say:—"No, no, no! by the hair of my chinnychinchin."

Wolf say:—"I will huff an' cuff an' will blow you house down."

An' he do so an' go in an' eat Pig.

The mother wait six months an' don't get no letter.

She said:—"Those boy must be get good work an' can't get to write."

The last son she said:—"Me own little son, time fe you go look you living."

Pig say:—"Yes, mumma me wi' go now."

She tie up his bundle give him some money an' kiss him, say:—"You must try write me."

The boy start.

He travel an' travel till night take him. He has to sleep under a stone-hole. When he was sleeping he get a dream that he see his two brother was in a frying-pan. He was so frighten he wake an' start away the same hour. He travel till day clean. At about nine o'clock he get to a big road. He travel on that road till he meet a man with a cart of brick.

He said:—"Please, sir, you can give me that brick that I may go an' build a house?"

The man give him.

He go an' make up a grand house with the brick.

When his house finish Wolf hear, an' come one day, call to Pig:—"Little Pig, little Pig, let me come in."

Pig say:—"No, no, no! by the hair of my chinnychinchin."

So wolf think that this house was like the rest.

He said:—"I will huff an' cuff an' will blow you house down."

He try for one whole day an' never succeed, so he lef an' go home an' 'tudy upon Pig.

One evening he come an' call Pig an' tell him he know where there is a garden of all sort a t'ing, so Pig must come an' let them take a walk.

Pig ask him:—"What time you will be going?"

He said:—"A two in the morning."

Pig 'tart eleven, go an' come back with all good food.

At two Wolf come an' call:—"Little Pig, you ready?"

Pig say:.—"You lated; I go an' come back already."

Wolf was so vex he go home back. He didn' want nothing but to eat Pig.

He said a next day:—"Little Pig, I know where there is a apple tree a Mr. Simmit garden, make we go an' get some."

Pig ask:—"What the time?" Wolf say "T'ree."

Pig go two.

By Pig was on the tree fulling up his basket here come Wolf. Pig was so frighten he was on the tree trimbling. Wolf was quite glad to think he was going to catch Pig. He couldn' stand his ground, but dance about with joy.

Pig say:—"The apple is so sweet that I have fe take a good load. Mr. Wolf, you would like to taste one?"

Wolf say "Yes."

Pig say:—"Let me see if you can run as that apple?"

Pig throw one of the apple far an' Wolf run after it. By the time he is come back Pig get down off a the tree, leave him baskit an' everyt'ing, an' run nearly reach home.

Wolf was so sorry when he come, left the apple an' gone home.

Next night he call to Pig an' tell him that he know where there will be a met, so they must take a walk.

Pig say:—"What hour?" Wolf said "T'ree."

Pig start twelve an' go dance till two. He was the best dancer an' they give him a butter-churn as a reward. As he walking home he see Wolf at a distant coming.

He said:—"My goodness King! What I going to do?"

Nevertheless he get in the churn a roll down the hill.

Wolf see the thing. He run for his home.

The next day he go an' ask Pig if he did go to the ball.

Pig said:—"Yes, an' as I was coming home I see you, an' was so frighten I get in me churn an' roll down to see if you don't run. An' so you did run, Ha! Ha!"

Wolf get vex. He huff an' cuff all day again to see if he could broke down the building, but all he do he has to lef' it.

So one rain night he send his wife with a young baby to see if Pig would take her in by changing her voice.

She went an' call:—"Mr. Pig, please Sir, if you can give a night rest, Sir; for rain, an' I am from far."

Pig said:—"No, I don't take in no stranger whatever, especially you, Mrs. Wolf. You husban' try an' try an' can't manage, an' now him send you to see if you can kill me."

Mrs. Wolf commence to climb the chimley.

Pig put a big copper of water on the fire an', by the time she reach the top an' was coming down the chimley, she drop in the water an' dead, she an' the child.

Wolf come again an' call Pig.

An' Pig take up this song:—

[Listen] [XML]

Wolf, Wolf, Wolf! no use you try fe come in, You wife dere da ready; Ha! Ha! Ha! You wanta try fe come in, Come Wolf, Me will put you both together.

Wolf get worser vex, commence to beat Pig house with all his might an' couldn' get in. He climb up the chimley, an', by he fe get to the top, the pot of boiling water was long time ready waiting for him, an' he going down in a haste make a slip, drop in the water.

Pig salt them an' put them in his cask to soak, an' write to invite his mother to help him eat them for he find out it was them eat his two brother.[46]

Jack Mantora me no choose none.

NOTES.

Pig them. Read these words together, not, Pig—them come.

you can give, can you give.

huff, scratch with the hoof.

kindling, small wood to light fires with.

day clean. Day is clean when you can see to walk.

big road, one that is what the Italians call carozzabile, carriageable. In the hills of Jamaica the roads are for the most part mere mule tracks.

Simmit, Smith.

make we go, let us go.

What the time? at what time?

By Pig, as Pig.

fulling, trimbling, always so.

when he come, etc., when he came back to the tree, that he left the apples and went home.

met, meeting, ball.

da ready, already.

by he fe get, by the time he got.

cask to soak. Salt meat is kept in a tub of brine.