141. Tacoomah Makes A Dance.

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,

Wid a jump, wid a jump, like a tenky bunna."

[1. The tune is that of the Devil in the Cock and Corn story, number 85.]

{p. 171}

Robin Redbreast say,

"Jock, Jock, when you coming home?"

Jock said,

"Tomorrow evening."

"What in your right?"

"Boot an' spur."

"What in your left?"

"Bow an' arrow."

Jock said,

"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."

[1. The dialogue is taken from a popular game.

2. I asked, 'Who is Jock?"--"Jock man dora."]