Part 1 — XXXIX. OPEN SESAME.

One day there was a very hard time, an' Annancy an' his family was dying for hungry.

An' there was a regiment of soldier find out a silver mine.

An' when they find it out they made a very large house.

An' they move the money an' put it in the house, an' when they are moving it they t'ought that nobody see them.

What that smart fellah Mr. Tacoma does.

He hide himself on a tree, seeing them when they passing with the money.

An' when they reach to the house, the house work with no key, an' they has a certain word to use when they want the door to open. They say "Open Sesame."

An' they go in an' t'row in the money, an' when they coming out of the house they say "Shut Sesame," and the door lock.

An' Tacoma hear what they say.

An' he go home an' harness up his cart with his mule an' drive to the house.

An' when he go him use the same word an' the door open. An' he go in an' load the cart, an' when he load done he drive home.

When he come home he want to measure the money an' he couldn' get no quart pot, an' he sent to his neighbour Mr. Annancy an' borrow his quart pot.

An' continually so he go an' come back, him still borrowing Annancy quart pot.

An' Annancy think it very hard, say:—"Somet'ing Bro'er Tacoma is measuring." An' Annancy want to know what it is.

A second day when Tacoma sent for the quart pot again Annancy 'tudy a plan.

When Tacoma come him give it to him, an' as Tacoma reach his yard don't begin measure yet, Annancy tell one of his picny that they must go a Bro'er Tacoma yard an' tell him that him really want the quart pot, must make haste make haste send it at once.

An' when the picny go he tell him must look an' see what Bro'er Tacoma measuring. An' he couldn' find out.

An' a third day him sent to the shop an' buy penny halfpenny white flour, an' when him gone home he make it to paste an' piecen the quart pot bottom inside, an' said to himself:—"Anyt'ing Bro'er Tacoma measure, whether fe rice or gungo or flour, or either money, one must fasten in the flour."

An' when Tacoma come back he sent for the quart pot.

An' when Tacoma measure done he send it back. An' as he send it a very large two an' sixpence piece fasten in the flour.

An' Annancy say:—"T'ank God I find out what Bro'er Tacoma doing with my quart pot."

An' same time he goes to Tacoma yard an' begins to cry upon Tacoma that Bro'er Tacoma must carry him an' show him where he get the money.

Tacoma didn' agree.

Annancy cry an' cry till him tell him that he must get a cart an' a mule to-morrow evening, an' when him passing he will call to him.

An' Annancy couldn' wait, an' him harness up his cart from morning an' watching out for Brother Tacoma.

An' he watch an' watch till Tacoma come.

When Tacoma was coming he lash him whip, an' as he lash, Annancy lash his own too.

An' they started.

An' when they get to the house Tacoma say "Open Sesame," an' the door open.

An' they run the cart up to the door mout' an' load it, an' they come out an' drive home.

An' by the time Tacoma get home to his yard Annancy t'row out his money an' turn back again.

An' when he go he use the same very word an' the door open.

Annancy load his cart an' when him coming home he meet Tacoma on the road an' through his strongy yeye an' his ungratefulness he want to shoot Tacoma cart a gully an' to kill his mule, that him one may be the master of the bank.

An' Annancy made a sing when he is coming home:—

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Right t'rough, right t'rough de rocky road, oh Charley Marley call you, Mid a rock, mid a rock, mid a rock, me Charley, Charley Marley call you; Oh de han'some gal are no fe you one; Oh Charley Marley call you.

NOTES.

Here is another story founded on Ali Baba, which differs considerably from the previous one of "Blackbird and Woss-woss." The chief peculiarity of this version is that the entrapping through forgetfulness of the password is altogether lost.

Hard time. This refers to the months of June and July when provisions are scarce. The old yams are done and the new ones are not in yet. Subsistence has to be eked out with a few sweet potatoes and the mangoes, which are abundant in these months, and go on till the October rains bring back a season of plenty.

so he go, as he goes.

piecen, a nice word. They use it also in speaking of the patching of old clothes.

lash him whip, crack his whip as a signal.

strongy yeye, covetousness. To give the pronunciation a y has to be tacked on to strong.

him one, he alone.

The exact application of the song is doubtful. The end is pretty clear, meaning:—all the good things are not for you alone, Tacoma. It will be observed in this and some other stories that Jack Mantora, etc., is omitted. That is because they have no tragic termination.