XVII Man-Crow42
Once there was a bird in the wood name Man-crow, an’ the world was in darkness because of that bird.
So the King offer thousands of pounds to kill him to make the world in light again.
An’ the King have t’ree daughter, an’ he promise that, if anyone kill Man-crow, he will make them a very rich man an’ give one of his daughter to marry.
So t’ousands of soldiers go in the wood to kill Man-crow. An’ they found him on one of the tallest trees in the woods. An’ no one could kill him, an’ they come home back.
So there was a little yawzy fellah call Soliday.
An’ he say to his grandmother:—“Gran’mother I am very poor. I am going in the wood to see if I can kill Man-crow.”
An’ the grandmother answer:—“Tche, boy, you better go sleep a fireside than you go to the wood fe go dead.”
“Gran’mother, I goin’ to town fe buy six bow an’ arrow.”
So he went to Kingston an’ bought them.
An’ when him return home he ask his grandmother to get six Johnny-cake roast, an’ he put it in his namsack, an’ he travel in the wood.
He s’arch until he find the spot a place where Man-crow is, an’ he see Man-crow to the highest part of the tree.
An’ he call to him with this song:—
[XML]
Good marnin’ to you, Man-crow,
Good marnin’ to you, Man-crow,
Good marnin’ to you, Man-crow,
How are you this marnin’?
An’ the bird answer:—
[XML]
Good marnin’ to you, Soliday,
Good marnin’ to you, Soliday,
Good marnin’ to you, Soliday,
How are you this marnin’?
An’ Soliday shot with his arrow at Man-crow an’ two of his feather come out.
An’ Man-crow come down to the second bough.
An’ Soliday sing again:—
[XML]
Good marnin’ to you, Man-crow,
Good marnin’ to you, Man-crow,
Good marnin’ to you, Man-crow,
How are you this marnin’?
An’ Man-crow answer as before:—
[XML]
Good marnin’ to you, Soliday,
Good marnin’ to you, Soliday,
Good marnin’ to you, Soliday,
How are you this marnin’?
An’ he fire after Man-crow an’ two more feather fly out.
An’ so the singing an’ shotting go on.
At every song Man-crow come down one branch, an’ Soliday fire an arrow an’ knock out two feather, till five arrows gone.
So Brother Annancy was on a tree watching Soliday what he is doing.
An’ the song sing for the sixth time, an’ Man-crow jump down one more branch.
An’ Soliday put his last arrow in the bow an’ took good aim an’ shot after Man-crow.
So he killed him an’ he drop off the tree.
An’ Soliday go an’ pick up the bird an’ take out the golden tongue an’ the golden teeth, an’ shove it in a him pocket, an’ Soliday come straight home to his grandmother.
An’ Annancy come off the tree an’ take up the bird, put ahm a him shoulder, cut through bush until he get to the King gate, an’ he rakkle at the gate.
They ask:—“Who come?”
He say:—“Me, Mr. Annancy.”
An’ they say:—“Come in.”
An’ the King said:—“What you want?”
“I am the man that kill Man-crow.”
An’ they take him in an’ marry him to one of the King daughter an’ make a very big table for him an’ his family.
They put him in the middle of the table, but he refuse from sit there. He sit to the doorway to look when Soliday coming. (The King then do know that that fellah up to trick.) An’ directly Annancy see Soliday was coming, he stop eating, ask excuse, “I will soon be back.” An’ at that same time he gone outside into the kitchen.
An’ Soliday knock at the gate.
An’ someone answer him an’ ask:—“What you want?”
“I am the boy that kill Man-crow.”
An’ they said:—“No, impossible! Mr. Annancy kill Man-crow.”
An’ he take out the golden tongue an’ teeth an’ show it to the King, an’ ask the question:—“How can a bird live without teeth an’ tongue?”
So they look in the bird mouth an’ found it was true.
An’ they call Annancy.
An’ Annancy give answer:—“I will soon be there.”
An’ they call him again.
An’ he shut the kitchen door an’ said:—“Me no feel well.”
All this time Brother Annancy shame, take him own time fe make hole in the shingle get ‘way.
They call him again, they no yerry him, an’ they shove the kitchen door.
Annancy lost in the shingle up to to-day.
An’ the King marry Soliday to his daughter an’ make him to be one of the richest man in the world.
Jack Mantora me no choose none.
Notes
Yawzy. Yaws is a disease very prevalent among the Negroes. It causes ulcers to form on the soles of the feet. In old slave days every estate had its yaws-house for the accommodation of the sufferers. This complaint does not attack the Whites.
six bow an’ arrow, a bow and six arrows, we suppose.
Johnny-cake, journey cake made of flour and water fried in lard.
spot a place, spot of place, exact place.
ask excuse, asks to be excused. Pronounce the s like z.
shame, etc., was ashamed and was quietly making a hole in the shingle roof so as to get away.