Part 1 — XXVII. DUMMY.

There was a man couldn' talk, called Dummy.

One day Annancy bet the King he going to make Dummy talk.

So the King say:—"If you make Dummy talk I will give you one of my daughter fe marry."

Well, Annancy went to Hog, ask him:—"Bro'er Hog if I carry you fe Dummy, whé you wi' say?"

Hog say:—"Me wi' say ugh! ugh!"

Annancy say:—"You won't do."

He went to Goat:—"Bro'er Goat, if I carry you fe Dummy, whé wi' you say?"

"Me wi' say Meh—eh—eh!"

"You won't do."

So he went to fowl.

Fowl say:—"Me wi' say Clk! Clk! Clk!"

"You won't do."

So he went to Bro'er Peafowl an' ask him:—"What you will say if me carry you fe Dummy?"

Peafowl say:—"Me wi' say:—

[Listen] [XML]

"Chirryway, Chirryway, Chirryway dem dé, Chirryway, Constan' dead to-day, Chirryway."

Then Annancy say:—"A you me wanty."[47]

So Annancy beg Bro'er Peafowl he must come with him to Dummy.

An' when Dummy hear the tune it sweet him so, he commence to shake him head an' hum.

So them went to the King yard, Peafowl before, Dummy in the middle, Annancy dé a back.

An' as they reach up Annancy say "Wheugh!" being him breat' gone an' him tired, but peafowl never cease with the song.

When Annancy got him breat' he say to the King:—"Master me a come, me a go make Dummy talk."

Then the King say:—"I will like to hear Dummy talk."

An' Peafowl sing an' sing, an' make all sort of figure before Dummy.

Dummy commence to shake him head two t'ree time de way de song sweet him.

At last Dummy begin to hum.

As Peafowl see him commence to hum, Peafowl make a sudden spring, went up to Dummy with a great flourish, an' at last Dummy sing right out the same as Peafowl:—

[Listen] [XML]

"Chirryway, Chirryway, Chirryway dem dé, Chirryway, Constan' dead to-day, Chirryway."

An' Annancy get the bet an' the King marry him off.

An' Annancy give Peafowl gold all over his body an' six quarts of corn. From that Peafowl cover all over with gold.

NOTES.

Whé you wi' say, what will you say?

sweet him so, pleased him so much.

Constan', Constance.