talk. He say, he go put de Bundo. He go to de town, he tell de chief he
wan' to put all fowl Bundo. Now de chief say: 'All ret.'

[28] "Put Bundo" signifies to initiate into the mysteries of the Bundo,
a powerful secret organization for women.

"Spider tell de chief fo' sen' plenty man fo' buil' one big, big ho'se.
Well, w'en dey done buil' dis ho'se heah, Spider say to de fowl:

"'To-morrow so, now make yo' se'f ready, oonah (you) all.'

"Now he go sharp he knef, Wahtah, wootah! wahtah, wootah! De fowl dey
too plenty; dey get one town fo' demse'f, soso fowl (only fowls). Now
Spider he sharp he knef good fashion, he come tell de fowl, he say:

"'Oonah go make de fench 'roun de ho'se, so nobody see de Bundo.'

"Well, w'en dey finis' buil' dis fench wid palm 'roun de ho'se, he tell
de chief, say:

"'I wan' one big, big pot; I wan' plenty ress (rice) fo' de Bundo fo'
yeat.'[29]

[29] The initiation lasts for several weeks, during which period the
candidates are not allowed to mingle with the people of the town. A
supply of food is therefore necessary, and it is this supply that
Spider asks the chief to provide.

"W'en de chief done gie um all dis, Spider say:

"'I wan' plenty palm-ile, twelve jug[30] palm-ile.'

[30] The native jug for storing palm-oil, is a joint of bamboo, stopped
up at both ends, or a gourd.

"Well, w'en de chief done gie um all dis, he ax Spider, say:

"'Wey t'ing yo' wan' agin? Talk, make I gie yo'.'

"Now Spider say: 'I wan' make de fowl gadder one place, make dem go
inside de ho'se.'

"De chief say: 'Dis net heah I go sen' word.'

"Befo' de net done fa' down good fashion, w'en de place dark leelee
bit, de chief heen (his) messenger walker all 'bout wid dis de chief
heen command.[31] He tell de fowl all, make dem mus' gadder mawnin'
early, make dem go inside de ho'se wey dey done buil' fo' um, make
nobody no lef de town fo' go odder place.

[31] The customary way for the chief to issue a proclamation is to send
a town crier around, after the people have gathered in the town for the
night.

"Nah (in the) mawnin' early, all dem fowl meet up one place; dey go
inside de big, big ho'se, en Spider hese'f go inside. Ebery mawnin'
Spider kill 'bout one t'ousan', he put um inside pot."

Konah's quick wit had anticipated Spider's selfish designs, but a
thousand fowls for breakfast seemed such an enormous amount even for
his notorious appetite, that she laughed outright at the absurdity of
it.

The cunning scheme of Mr. Spider, hidden under a cloak of disinterested
service, appealed more strongly to the woman, so she went on with a
touch of irony in her voice:

"Nar dis de Bundo he duh put. He duh yeat all dem fowl him one (alone),
he done um. Only leelee one wey duh hatch he lef.

"Nar de chief ax um, say: 'Which side yo' duh pull de Bundo?'[32]

[32] "Pull de Bundo" signifies a public display just after initiation,
a procession with songs and dances. For this purpose special and
numerous ornaments, and gaudy but scant covering are worn on the
partially nude bodies, which are tattooed and greased until they shine.

By the query: "Which side yo' duh pull de Bundo," the chief implies
that the preparatory rites over which Spider has been supposed to
preside are at an end, and a statement should be made as to the place
where the new members are to be introduced to the public.

"Spider tell de chief de place, den he say:

"'I wan' make yo' buy plenty dress fo' dem. Which tem yo' go buy de
dress? Because I wan' pull de Bundo one tem, make I go.'

"Now the chief gie um all dem t'ing fo' dress dem; hankercher, bead,
all t'ing wey kin tie nah han' nah foot, all t'ing de chief gie um.

"Well, w'en Spider done yeat de fowl, he pack de bone all one place.
Now he tell de chief, he say:

"'To-morrow, w'en de sun middle de sky, I go pull de Bundo.'

"Well, dah net he gadder he pickin all, he say, make dem ready fo' go
dis net.

"Well, all t'ing wey de chief gie Spider fo' de Bundo, he tie um in
bundle, in mat; he gie um to he pickin (pickaninnies) fo' tote (carry);
he lock de do' tight.[33] Now he tell de pickin, say:

"'Dis net yeah, make we come go, make we go walker all net; bimeby de
chief go ketch we, go flog we.'

[33] "Lock" means merely "close," as no stronger method for securing a
door is known than bracing a stick against it. Sometimes a door is only
a suspended mat.

"Dey walker _all net_. Well, w'en do' clean, dey hide nah bush. Spider
know dat Lepped inside dis bush, en Spider hese'f he 'fraid. Well, w'en
de sun middle de sky, dat de tem fo' pull de Bundo, en plenty people
duh gadder. Dey no see Spider nah de ho'se, so dey try fo' open de do'.
Fus' dey no able; dey try long tem befo' dey open dis yeah do'. Now
dey see dis great t'ing wey Spider done do. He pack de bone one side,
he pack de fedder one side. Now de chief say make dem go ketch Spider.
He sen' plenty pusson aftah um. Well, nar de Lepped holler inside bush,
en Spider 'fraid bad; hese'f duh holler because 'fraid duh ketch um.
W'en dem people hearee how Spider holler, dey know which side he duh
hide, en dey go ketch um. W'en dey done ketch um, w'en dey done bring
um nah de road, dey get de pickin all, but Spider he loss f'om dem
han'. He go to one Mory[34] man, he tell um say:

"Make sebby (charm) fo' me, fo' make me joomp lek monkey.'

"De Mory man answer, he say:

"'Yo' mus' gie me one fine present fus'.'

[34] The Mory men, or Mohammedans, travel over the country, gaining
a living by working on the credulity of the superstitious folk. They
manufacture "sebbys" or charms, of which the most common are bits of
Arabic writing, usually taken from the Koran, and enclosed in black
leather of square or oblong shape, measuring an inch or two. These
charms are worn around neck, wrists or ankles.

Natives will sacrifice almost any other possession to procure such
charms. Their awed faith in the potency of charms and fetiches is one
of the most dumbly pathetic facts in African life.

"Now Spider tief plenty clot' en bead f'om de t'ing wey de chief gie
um fo' pull Bundo. He gie um to de Mory man. Now de man make sebby, he
tie um 'pon Spider. He tie one 'pon heen foot, he tie one 'pon de odder
foot; one 'pon de han', one 'pon de odder han'. W'en he finis' he say:

"'Go show yo'se'f to de chief.'

"Well, w'en de chief see Spider, he tell de people, say:

"'Make all man mus' ketch Spider.'

"Dey dribe um, dey dribe um sotay (till) dey reach nah bush. Spider
joomp nah 'tick, he joomp nah odder 'tick lek monkey. He bin get one
sebby (charm) inside he han'. Dis he no fo' wop down. Ef he fo' get
en wop um down, dat go make he lose he power fo' joomp lek monkey do,
en de people dey go ketch um. _All day_ dem people dribe um. W'en net
come dey turn back, go nah town. Dey say dey done try all dem bes' fo'
ketch Spider. Dey wan' ketch um, dey no able, because he duh joomp lek
monkey. Nobody no able ketch monkey nah tree.

"Now all man duh hang head (think) fo' sabbee (know) wey t'ing dey go
do fo' ketch Spider. At las' dey grap (get up), dey go to dis same
Mory man wey Spider bin go to. He de bes' Mory man nah de wuld. W'en
dey meet dis man, dey tell um all t'ing. Now de man say: 'Because oonah
wan' ketch um, make oonah mus' gie me big, big present befo' I go gie
yo' sebby (charm) fo' ketch Spider.'

"Now dey go get de present. He pass de one wey Spider gie, _far_ 'way.
Dey gie um to de man, en de man say:

"'Go ketch one black monkey, come bring me, but make he black fo' true.'

"Well, dey go make trap, dey go ketch dis black monkey heah, but he
no die. Dey go gie um to de man. Now dis Mory man he make _one_ sebby
(charm), same wid Spider yown; he tie um 'pon dis monkey heen neck. He
gie um good whip, fine one; de whip get six rope. He gie dis monkey
sebben man, sebben 'trong man fo' wait tay he ketch Spider, so dey kin
go tie um, bring um come to de chief. Five man no able hole um; because
he get de five sebby, he get five man 'trenk.

"Well, now dis monkey hese'f grap, he go fo' ketch Spider. Spider se'f
grap. He duh joomp, duh joomp, duh joomp sotay he t'ink dis black
monkey yeah he no able fo' ketch um; dat make he no joomp lek wey
he duh joomp befo'. Den de monkey he meet up wid um, he gie Spider
one cut. Nar so dey do, dey joomp all day. De black monkey he follow
behine Spider, he duh flog Spider ef he no joomp quick. Well, Spider
he make hase (haste) agin; he joomp, he joomp, he joomp. Bimeby he go
nah one rock place. De sebby (charm) wey he hole nah he han', de one
wey he no fo' wop down, he take um, lay um 'pon de 'tone weh he sit
down. He done lef dis monkey far distance, because he get five sebby;
de monkey he only get one, so Spider joomp mo' pass monkey. He t'ink
fo' say de monkey no meet um agin. He go nah one fa'm, he root cassada
(cassava), he sit down 'pon rock, he yeat de cassada. Well, dis black
monkey come up wid um. Spider no know; he duh yeat. Now de monkey flog
Spider, he duh flog um. But Spider bin lef de sebby wey he get to he
han', de sebby bin fa' down, so he no get 'trenk fo' joomp. He 'trenk
inside de sebby. Now de monkey hole Spider sotay (till) de people reach
de place. Spider look de sebby (charm) 'pon Monkey heen neck, he wan'
take um. W'en he jog um fo' try pull um, Monkey no 'gree. Now dey tie
Spider, dey kare um go to de chief. De chief put um nah prison, he deh
four day, dey no duh gie um yeat. Well, Spider en Cunnie Rabbit bin
fren; de one cunnie, de odder cunnie. Two cunnie meet up, dey two 'gree
togedder. W'en net come so, Cunnie Rabbit go tief Spider nah prison. He
get magic, he able go inside place wey (which) lock.

[Illustration: The Black Monkey starts after Mr. Spider.

  [_See p. 141._]
]

"Mawnin', w'en dey go nah prison, dey no see Spider inside. Spider he
free, he done go home back.

"So nar Spider bring tief long tem nah de wuld. He bin begin tief, so
now we all duh tief."

Another of Mamenah's neighbors came in just here, with an interesting
bit of news, and story-telling was at an end for this evening.

Konah still sat curled up on the mat, with her woolly head bent low,
and her mind far away in fancy-land. Finally she crept inside the hut
to her hard mud cot, and soon was flying before a black spectre that
in the guise of a monkey kept pursuing her. Again she travelled a path
with heaps of feathers on one side, and piles of bones on the other.
Finally she lost the power to move, and felt herself bound and carried
away to prison, and then in helpless loneliness she sobbed aloud. In
the midst of her distress a kindly voice spoke: "Look me, I yo' fren',
I go he'p yo' come out prison," and Cunning Rabbit stood beside her.
With that her heart gave a bound of joy and relief, the troubled dreams
fled, and sound sleep held her until the light of a new day drove away
all the spectres of the night.

CHAPTER VI

THE BURNING OF THE FARM

The day "fo' bu'n fa'm" had come. The thick underbrush of three or
four years' growth had been laboriously chopped down by men and boys
some weeks before and left in a tangled mass all over the little farm
to become tinder for the flames under the burning sun of the long dry
season now drawing to a close. Sobah had already postponed burning
for several days longer than was necessary, for he had inherited the
procrastinating tendency of his race, whose unwritten motto seems to
be: "Do nothing to-morrow that can be put off until the day after
to-morrow." This morning the sky was clear, and there was no excuse for
further delay. Sobah, Mamenah and Konah started for the little piece of
ground which had been allotted to them by the chief that year, going by
the footpath which led from the village to the farm over the hill, a
mile away. They had gone scarcely a third of the distance when Konah,
who was running carelessly in advance, stumbled over an obstruction
that happened to be lying in the road. This was a bad sign, and nothing
would avert the evil consequences but a return to the village, and a
roundabout journey by another road. So they plodded back, and started
once more by the longer way. Here a new difficulty presented itself.
Just beyond the brook the path led beneath a tree under which a man had
been killed by lightning some months before, and superstition invested
the spot with special terrors. Sobah, however, knew the counter-charm,
and plucking a leaf from a near-by shrub, cast it upon the place and
passed on with an easy mind. Mammy Mamenah and Konah followed with the
same precaution. The farm was reached without any other unfavorable
signs. Some of Sobah's neighbors, earlier arrived, were engaged in
burning an adjoining farm, and the air was heavy with the smoke and
flying cinders. Fagots from the fire furnished torches by which Sobah's
five-acre tract of dry brush was soon transformed into a lake of fire.
The flames writhed and tossed angrily, like some great monster rushing
to devour its prey. Konah was sure some devil was the animating power,
and the uncanny movements of the fiery arms filled even the older ones
with a feeling of awe and dread. It did not take the flames long to do
their work in that dry fuel, and hardly had they died away when flocks
of birds began to circle around the place, waiting for the fire to
cool sufficiently for them to descend and enjoy their feast of roasted
snails. Satisfied with their morning's work, Sobah, Mamenah, Konah, and
the neighbors who had joined them in completing their labor, went to
their farm-house to rest during the heat of the day, then to return to
the village in the cool of the evening.

An hour's quiet repose made Konah's active nature eager for
entertaining occupation. She climbed upon a large stone that lay at
the shady side of the farm-house, and sat with one foot drawn up under
her and the other dangling beside the stone, looking meditatively out
over the blackness and smoke that told where the fire fiend had roared
and revelled with resistless fury a little while before. The feeling
still had possession of her that there was something more than natural
in the way the fire had raged, and to her mind the supernatural was to
be accounted for by multitudinous devil and witch influences. With her
mind full of such thoughts, she was delighted to hear one of the men
putting to Sobah the very questions that were crowding her own mind.
"Oh, debble any place," he explained in reply. "He deh nah cotton-tree,
he deh nah bush, he deh nah wattah, he deh nah groun'. He able fo' turn
anyt'ing; he turn stone, he turn tree, he turn pigeon, he turn pusson.
Pusson kin buil' debble-ho'se, put med'cin' inside wey dribe debble way
f'om fa'm, en wey make he get good heart fo' um. Ef he get good heart,
he no go do um bad. Notting no able fo' do um bad."

This to Konah's mind, bound in the universal network of superstition,
was undisputed fact. Had she not in each transit to and from the farm,
passed a tiny devil-house, placed on the outskirts of her home village?
This presented itself now to her mind's eye: Four sticks driven into
the ground, supporting a frame three feet square, roofed with bamboo,
and enclosed on three sides. The fourth, left open, revealing a devil
in the form of a small stone, a little food near by, the skull of some
small animal, a bottle, a little horn, and some mysterious medicine
tied in a very dirty rag.

The child had never questioned very deeply the significance of each
article, taking the whole by faith as one accepts the religion of
his ancestors, but her developing mind now longed to interrogate her
father, who, she was sure, must be able to explain everything. This,
however, she dared not do, for it was not a child's place to presume;
neither did she care to incur a testy command to be silent, or to
run away and do some work. The reproof she would not so much have
minded, being used to it; but idleness was even sweeter than appeased
curiosity. So she absent-mindedly picked little pieces from the stone
on which she was sitting, and wondered, until presently Sobah, feeling
that he had explained matters sufficiently for any reasonable purpose,
had given himself over to the train of thoughts which his talk had set
in motion, and was ready to tell a story in which Spider and "debble"
were concerned. There was no announcement of the fact, yet by some
occult means everyone knew that the proper time had arrived, and quite
spontaneously turned to listen. A glance at the faces of his audience
was all the encouragement the most exacting story-teller could require,
and Sobah was really fond of being the mouthpiece for the yarns that
Spider spun. The tale embodied some of the unseen powers that they had
been discussing a few minutes before.

SPIDER TRIES TO "BRUSH" THE DEVIL'S FARM.

"One tem Spider he go to 'trange lan'. Well, w'en he reach deh, he go
to de king. De king nar he lan'lord. W'en tem reach fo' brush fa'm, he
ax de king fo' one piece lan' wey de people nebber brush. Dey say one
big debble get de lan', en no man no venture fo' go deh. Spider ax de
king fo' dis same spot, he say he wan' fo' brush deh. De king he tell
um, he say:

"'Nobody wey brush deh kin bring de ress (rice) nah town, he no go even
yeat de ress.'

"Spider say: 'Me go yeat um; I go brush deh, en I go yeat de ress.'

"De king say: 'Well, all ret;' he say. 'Try yo' bes'.'

"Spider he bring cutlass,[35] he go early in de mawnin' fo' go commence
brush befo' de sun hot. W'en he go he jus' duh chop one 'tick, den he
hearee de debble ax:

"'Who chop dah 'tick?'

[35] The cutlass is the general purpose tool used for cutting away
underbrush, for harvesting, and even for the felling of forest trees.

[Illustration: "De pot begin fo' run f'om Spider."

  [_See p. 157._]
]

"Spider say hese'f duh chop dah 'tick.

"Den de debble say: 'By to-morrow yo' go meet I done brush all dis bush
heah.' He tell Spider make he no brush, because he go brush fo' um.

"Spider go fo' drink wattah nah de fa'm-ho'se. Befo' he come back he
meet de bush already brush. He run go nah town, he tell de king, he say:

"'I done finis' brush de fa'm wey yo' gie me.'

"De king answer, he say: 'All ret.'

"Befo' one week tem, de place all done dry fo' burn. Nex' day w'en de
sun all done hot, Spider he go, he set de fiah, he holler, he say:
'Hey! hey! hey!' He do dat fo' make de debble go hear um, so de debble
go ax lek how he duh do befo'. Den de debble ax, he ax: 'Who dat duh
bu'n fa'm?'

"Spider answer um lek he bin do befo'.

"Den de debble say: 'Go sit down, I go bu'n um jus' now fo' yo'.'

"Soon w'en Spider go look, he see de fa'm done bu'n all, he swep' clean.

"Spider go tell de king, he say: 'I done bu'n me fa'm.'

"De king say: 'All ret.'

"He tell de king, he say: 'Buy ress fo' me.'

"De king gie um few hamper ress. Spider make hoe; long, long one. Nah
mawnin' tem he get up, he take de ress, he go nah fa'm early, befo' do'
clean. W'en he reach to he fa'm, he put down he bly (basket), he take
he han', he dip de ress wid um, he hebe (scatter) um, schar-r-r!

"Now de debble ax um, he say: 'Who hebe de ress?' He say: 'I go hebe de
ress, make de pusson no humbug,[36] I go hebe de ress jus' now.'

[36] "Humbug" in the Sierra Leone dialect always means "trouble", and
contains no suggestion of trickery. The thought here is: Let the person
give himself no trouble.

"But de Spider he no see de debble, he jus' duh see de wuk done, en
jus' duh hear de voice, but he no duh see nobody. W'en he 'tay leelee
bit, Spider he see ress all 'pon de groun'. Spider take de hoe, he
scrape de groun', har-r-r!

"W'en de debble he hear, he say: 'Who duh dig de groun' fo' cover de
ress?'

"He say: 'Go home;' he say: 'To-morrow mawnin' yo' go meet I finis' de
place.'

"Spider go, he tell de king, he say 'I finis' plant me ress.'

"De king say: 'All ret.'

"Spider go back agin to de fa'm, he meet de ress already done grow,
done high, he meet de grass begin fo' grow middle de ress. He go fo'
root de grass f'om dah ress; he root one de grass; he root um _hard_,
so de debble kin hear. De debble he ax: 'Who root de grass?' He say:
'Befo' evenin' tem de pusson go meet I root all de grass.'

"Spider go to de fa'm-ho'se wey he sit down. Evenin' tem he come out to
de fa'm, he walk all 'bout, he see de fa'm clean. De ress he _fine_!

"Bimeby de tem reach fo' de ress fo' begin bear, de ress done bear all;
dem bird dey duh come fo' yeat de ress. Spider w'en he meet de bird, he
holler, 'Shoo! shoo!' Dem bird dey all get up, dey fly.

"Den de debble ax um, he say: 'Who duh dribe dem bird?' He say: 'De
pusson no need fo' dribe de bird, I go dribe dem f'om de ress.'

"De debble he dribe dem bird ebery day f'om de ress, tay de ress all
done ripe fo' cut. De fus' day Spider go cut some. Yo' know de fus' day
pusson kin cut leelee fo' yeat, dat all. [37]W'en he go cut de ress,
he go parch um, dry um to de pot; he beat um. He done beat de ress all,
he begin fo' cook, he put big ress nah fiah fo' cook um, he cook all.
Aftah he put de pot nah fiah, en de wattah in de pot done w'am nuff, he
put de ress inside de pot. Jus' de ress done, he take de pot, pin um
down close de fiah. Spider he go huntin', he kill bush beef, he cook
um. Aftah de soup finis', he pull um f'om de fiah, he go was' dem dish
fo' come take up. Spider come fo' touch de pot wey get de ress. De
pot begin fo' run f'om Spider. Spider run aftah de pot, he duh _run_,
duh _run_, duh _run_, duh _run_! Spider done tire, he stop fo' run,
he 'tan' up; de pot se'f 'tan' up. W'en Spider 'tan' up, de pot stop
fo' run. W'en he see dat de pot stop fo' run, well, him begin fo' run,
fo' go take de pot quick. W'en Spider reach close de pot, de pot begin
'gain fo' run. Spider en de pot duh run sotay (till) Spider he tire;
he lef en go back nah fa'm-ho'se, he go sit down. He stay leelee bit,
he see dah empty pot come back inside de fa'm-ho'se en 'tan' up. Spider
no know how fo' do; he sorry, he wan' fo' cry. He say: 'But nebber
min', I tink odder sense wey I go do bimeby, evenin' tem.'

[37] The following account of how Mr. Spider cooks his rice before he
goes to capture the animal from which he makes the stew for the rice,
is an exaggerated illustration of the African tendency to allow each
hour to provide for its need. The custom, however, is to cook the rice,
set it aside to steam under a grass-woven cover, until the stew is
made, and finally to wash the calabashes, _i. e._ gourds which serve as
bowls for food and water. Usually eating from the pot dispenses with
the last part of the ceremony.

"He stay hungry all day. Evenin' tem he cook de ress; he no even wait
fo' de ress fo' finis' cook, he make big cottah,[38] he put um 'pon he
head; he take de pot, he hase um up, put um 'pon he head; he tie de pot
all wid rag 'roun' he head, fash'n um so he no able fo' loose. He start
wid run fo' go nah town. De ress duh boil de same tem dat he duh run.
Jus' he wan' fo' reach de town, de pot slip 'way f'om um. He begin fo'
run aftah de pot, en de pot duh run tay Spider give up, he done tire.
W'en he stay leelee bit, he see de empty pot agin. Spider, because he
no get ress, he 'bliged fo' go pick de leelee young cassada; he cook,
he yeat um.

[38] A circular pad worn upon the head when "toting" a hammock or other
burden.

"De nex' day, de same; he get de same trouble tay he gie up de fa'm
altogedder, en go home.

"De king ax um, he say: 'Spider, how he 'tan'? Dat word wey I bin tell
yo', dat nar (is it) story?'

"He answer um, he say: 'No, nar true word dat yo' bin talk, but nebber
min'.'

"De king ax um, he say: 'Dah ress, yo' bin cut all?'

"He say: 'Yes, I done cut all de ress, he deh 'pon top de fa'm-ho'se
wey I pile um.'

"De king he say: 'Yo' see 'trong head (obstinacy) no good, yo' labor
fo' notting.'

"Spider he bin get 'trong head, dat make he bin see all dis trouble."

Konah followed the story through with intense interest, too absorbed
to ask questions, even if she had dared. A rice pot that could perform
such feats, was an entrancing object to her imagination. So delighted
was she with the magical powers that were manifest in the story, that
she forgot to hear the moral of the tale regarding obstinacy and
self-will. Sobah, however, was so impressed with the application of the
story, that he plunged into the recital of another tale teaching the
same moral, and with a much more tragic outcome.

THE DEVIL TURNS PIGEON

"One big debble ho'se bin close by one town. Dem debble wey bin deh,
dem bad. Dey say: 'Make nobody no fo' set trap inside de bush.' So one
'tranger come to de town. All man tell um say: 'No fo' set trap inside
dah bush (forest),' but he deny; he make 'tronger head, he say he mus'
set trap deh. So he go make trap. W'en he set dis trap inside de bush,
soon one pigeon go inside de trap. Dis bird nar debble wey bin turn
bird en go inside de trap. De bird begin cry, he say: 'Daddy, come
loose me.'

"So de 'tranger go loose de pigeon, he put um one side. De pigeon cry
agin, he say: 'Daddy, kare me go nah ho'se. (De pigeon duh say so).'

"So de man take de pigeon, he kare um go nah ho'se.

"De pigeon cry: 'Daddy, kill me one tem.'

"W'en de man done kill um, he say: 'Daddy, pull de fedder 'pon me.'

"W'en de man done pull de fedder, de pigeon say: 'Clean me.'

"W'en he done clean um, de pigeon say: 'Put pot nah fiah.'

[Illustration: The Devil turns Pigeon.

  [_See p. 160._]
]

"W'en he done put de pot, de pigeon say: 'Cut, cut me.'

"W'en de man done cut um, he say: 'Put me nah pot, cook me one tem.'

"Den de man cook um.

"Now de pigeon say: 'Daddy, put salt,' en he put salt. He say put
peppy, en he put peppy. So de pigeon say: 'Tase de salt, ef he go do
nah de soup.' Now de pigeon say de soup done. W'en he done cole, de
pigeon say: 'Pull me, make yo' yeat me.' Well, w'en de man yeat um he
lef half. De pigeon say: 'Yeat me all.' He yeat all.

"Evenin' tem de man go nah bush agin. Jus' he reach nah bush, he open
he mout' fo' talk. Jus' he open um de bird fly f'om he mout' go 'way,
en hese'f fa' down, he die. W'en de people look fo' um all inside de
bush, dey no see um, de debble done kare um go.

"So deny no good. Ef pusson tell yo' say: 'No do dis t'ing, yo' no mus'
make 'tronger head."

The dreadful consequences that might be expected to follow upon a
headstrong course, Sobah set off with solemn look and awed tone; then
shaking his head warningly, he concluded with the proverb: "Ef yo'
wan' yeat out de debble he yown bowl, make yo' get 'poon wid long
handle."

The story echoed a feeling of universal childhood, the undefined dread
of some mysterious visitation upon disobedience and kindred sins that
finds expression in the goblin stories of all tongues.

Konah felt it keenly, being impressed as much by the solemn manner of
the recital, as by the matter of the story.

The older ones too, being but grown up children, were filled with much
of the same vague awe, but years had dulled the keenness of their
spiritual sensibilities. After some desultory talk on less serious
matters, the men stretched out on the floor of the hut, and were soon
asleep.

CHAPTER VII

MAMMY MAMENAH AND HER FRIENDS

One evening, about a week after the burning of the farm, a little
company of women and children, in varying degrees of undress, was
gathered in the larger room of Mamenah's hut. A fire had been kindled
in the middle of the earthen floor; for the first showers, forerunners
of the coming rainy season, had fallen. The children amused themselves
as inclination led them, with sports ranging from gentle kitten-like
romps, to a genuine fight, with biting, scratching, and hair-pulling
accompaniments.

There was evident among the women, a feeling of abundant leisure, and
of relaxation from responsibility. The "planting" of the rice had been
completed. The seed had been scattered over the lately burned ground,
had been rudely scratched in with a very primitive hoe, and was now
awaiting germination under the moisture of the oncoming rains, and the
warmth of occasional sunshine.

So the women felt free to spend the hours in gossip, and in the
telling of tales. They chatted about personal matters, about the rice
just planted, and then about the precautions taken to ward off evil
influences, and to secure favorable conditions for their crops.

Mammy Mamenah told what a tempting bowl of rice she had prepared and
offered to the spirit that dwelt in the big cotton tree near the corner
of the farm, in order to enlist his kindly offices in guarding the rice
field.

Mammy Yamah had set up a stick at the edge of her farm, and placed on
top of it a bit of medicine wrapped in a leaf, which she had secured
for an exorbitant fee from a medicine man. She was sure that anyone
daring to molest would fall in spasms and die. Each had some specific
with which to avert harm, or to secure favor.

Mammy Magbindee had a bit of news that made Konah's eyes dilate with
wonder. It had been told in the village that very day by a person who
had it from one who saw the mound, and of course it was true. Besides
such occurrences had often been known before, and could not be doubted.
A rich man had died in an adjoining town a few years before, and had
been fittingly buried. Just now the grave had been accidentally opened,
and strange to relate, it was found that gold had grown out of the ears
of the man, and kept on growing until it filled the whole grave. But of
course gold grows this way, for gold is in the world, and if it does
not grow, where does it come from? Freaks of Nature can have but one
cause, the presence of some "devil," and this thought reminded Mammy
Mamenah of an old legend regarding another marvel of nature, which she
proceeded to relate much to the delight of the whole company.

A STONE THAT WORE A BEARD.

"One day Spider go fo' set trap inside one big bush (forest). He meet
one big stone wey duh get plenty bear'-bear'.[39] Dis not to true
stone, he nar one debble wey bin turn stone."

[39] Beard.

A prolonged "Y-a-h-oh!" of assent from the women squatted about on
the floor, accompanied by the swaying of bodies, and the exclamation
from some one: "Nar true word yo' duh talk," showed how heartily they
believed in the power of their devils to assume any form they willed,
in order to carry out their purposes. It was a sympathetic audience
that followed the remainder of the story. The children were listening
open-eyed in silent eagerness. Mamenah went on impressively.

[Illustration: The Stone with the Beard.

  [_See p. 167._]
]

"Ef pusson say de stone get bear'-bear' (beard), he go fa' down de same
place close de stone, he go wan' die. So one day, w'en Spider go set
trap to dis place, he meet de stone. Now he say: 'L-a-w-cus! Dah stone
get plenty bear'-bear'.' So he fa' down de same place. He no able fo'
grap (get up) all day. W'en at las' he betty leelee bit, he go home.

"Spider wan' fo' make cunnie fo' yeat he cumpin (companion), en he come
fin' out say dis plan go be fine fo' get um. So one day he go to Deer,
he tell um, say:

"'Fren, come go follow me, I go look me trap.'

"Deer say: 'All ret.'

"All two dey walker half way, den Spider say:

"'Deer, make yo' go befo', I go show yo' de road; de road nar dis.'

"W'en dey done reach close de stone, Spider 'tan' up, he wait. Deer go,
him too big fool, him say: 'L-a-w-cus! Look dah stone, he get plenty
bear'-bear'.'

"Nar so he fa' down deh, he wan' die. Spider make hase come cut he
t'roat, he kare um go, he en he pickin en he wef. Dey yeat de Deer all.

"De odder tem he go call Feleentambo (gazelle), he say: 'Fren', come
go follow me, I go set me trap.'

"So w'en dey duh go, he 'tan' up one side, he tell Feleentambo make he
go befo'. W'en Feleentambo go he see de stone, he no keep he mout', he
say: 'Dah stone get plenty bear'-bear'.' So he fa' down deh. Spider
run, he cut he t'roat.

"Nar so he do _all_ dem odder beef. At las' he go call Cunnie Rabbit,
he say: 'Fren', come go follow me to me trap.'

"Well, dey go. W'en dey reach close de stone, Spider 'tan' up, he say:
'Fren', pass befo', look de trap ef he ketch.'

"Cunnie Rabbit go befo', he go see de stone heah, but he silence.
Spider wait, he wait fo' hearee ef he go talk, but he no talk. So he
call Cunnie Rabbit, he say: 'Wey t'ing yo' see?'

"Cunnie Rabbit say: 'I no see anyt'ing.'

"Spider tell um, say: 'Yo' no see yandah to dat stone?'

"Cunnie Rabbit say: 'Wey t'ing?'

"Spider put he han' to he chin, he say: 'Yo' daddy no get so?'

"But Cunnie Rabbit get sense, he no talk, so Spider tell Cunnie Rabbit:
'Make yo' mus' say "Stone get pl----"

"Cunnie Rabbit hese'f say: 'Stone get pl----'

"Spider vex, he say: 'Ah, me fren', yo' stupid! Make yo' mus' say: 'Dah
stone get plenty b--'

"Well Cunnie Rabbit say: 'Dah stone get plenty b--'

"Spider say: 'Ah, me fren', yo' no kin say de stone get plenty
bear'-bear'?'

"So Cunnie Rabbit hese'f say so, en dey all two fa' down de same place.
Dey wan' fo' die, dey no able fo' grap (get up). Nar deh, Trorkey go
meet dem. Well, because Cunnie Rabbit bin good pusson, Trorkey he hase
(raise) um up, en Cunnie Rabbit go 'way. Trorkey say: 'I bin go lif'
yo', Spider, but bimeby yo' go lie 'pon me; yo' go say yo' fine Trorkey
fa' down so heah, en yo' se'f bin he'p um.'

"Spider say: 'No, I no go do so.' He beg Trorkey sotay (till) Trorkey
he'p um, he hase um up.

"F'om dat day Cunnie Rabbit get sense. Spider hese'f no able um,[40] he
pass all odder beef."

[40] "No able um", _i. e._ Was not able to surpass him.

A delighted little exclamation from Konah greeted this praise of her
Cunnie Rabbit. For several minutes after the close of the narrative,
there was an indistinguishable jabber of voices, all eager to add some
"debble story", if possible more exciting than the one just told.

Finally Mammy Magbindee gained the right of way, and her story was:

THE GIRL THAT PLAITED THE DEVIL'S BEARD.

"One tem debble bin sit down to de road-side. Any pusson wey bin go nah
dat road, de debble bin yeat um. Well, one day, one girl say:

"'I go kill to-day dis debble heah.'

"W'en he go he meet de debble, he duh sleep close de road-side. De
debble get long bear'-bear' (beard). De girl go soffle, he hole de
bear'-bear', he duh plant (plait) um. Den he draw de debble go nah
town. He draw um, he draw um tay de people inside de town hearee wey de
girl duh draw um, en wey de debble duh sing:

    "Tittie (sissy) duh kare me bear'-bear',
     Tittie duh kare me bear'-bear'.'

"W'en de people hearee um, den go he'p de girl fo' draw. Dey go put de
debble nah big road en kill um. W'en dey done kill um, dey wan' 'plit
um, but somet'ing no bin deh fo' take. One leelee prophet bird[41] come
nah bush, he say:

"'Oonah mus' take dah leelee sharp t'ing nah bush (thorn), oonah kin
'plit um.'

[41] The prophet bird is about the size of a hummingbird. It utters
notes which are believed to indicate danger or success, especially when
heard at the beginning of a journey, or just preceding the beginning of
some task. The sounds from the tiny throat are sufficient to reverse
the best laid plans, or to establish greater confidence in them.

[Illustration: "De debble, he duh sleep close the road-side."

  [_See p. 172._]
]

"Now dem people take dah bird, dey fling um far 'way, but he come agin
back, he say:

"'Oonah take dah leelee sharp t'ing nah bush, 'plit um.'

"Dey fling um agin, but de bird come back agin en sing de same sing.
Dah tem wey make t'ree, dem people say:

"'Make we try ef de t'ing true wey de bird bin talk; ef so, we go make
um fine present.'

"Den dey go take de sharp t'ing. W'en dey jus' touch de debble heen
body so, he 'plit. Wen he 'plit, all den people come out; dey no bin
die, dey bin make fa'm inside de debble; dey bin bu'n fa'm, make
ho'se, dey duh cook, dey duh yeat. W'en he done 'plit, all man come
out, plenty people come out."

Neither story-teller nor listeners realized that there was anything
preposterous in such a being as the one here described. On the other
hand, the gasps and groans that greeted each startling revelation,
contained not a tinge of incredulity, but only a kind of reverence
for this supernatural capacity so in accord with their conception of
spirits and devils.

The several steps leading up to the climax, were rolled off in rapid
succession; "W'en dey touch heen body so, he 'plit, w'en he 'plit
all dem people come out, dey no bin die, dey bin make fa'm inside de
debble, dey bin bu'n fa'm, buil' ho'se, dey duh cook en yeat; plenty
people come out," yet each was rounded off with such peculiar emphasis
of tone and gesture, that it came with a distinct impression of its
own, only heightened by the cumulative effect of succeeding revelations.

A pause of several minutes was necessary before the story could proceed.

"Well, one ole granny, w'en he come out, he say:

"'I fo'get me leelee pot, en me pickin, en me med'cin'.'

"Dem people say: 'No go agin inside dis debble heah!'

"He answer um back, say: 'I mus' go.'

"W'en he go inside, now de t'ing shut.

"Dis tem de bird done fly go, den done present[42] um money en plenty
fine t'ing. Dey try fo' 'plit de debble agin, lek how dey bin do fus'
tem, but dey no able, because de bird bin _make_ um open de fus' tem.
Wey t'ing fo' do? Dey try all kin' of sharp t'ing nah dis wuld, but den
no able. Dey go bury de debble so.

[42] The accent falls upon the first syllable of the verb, the
pronunciation being the same as that of the noun.

"Dat make 'tronger head no good. Ef pusson tell yo' say, make yo' no
mus' do anyt'ing, no do um."

Others were eager to relate stories to match the ones already given,
but quite naturally and woman-like, the one all were most ready to
hear was the one that smacked of romance, and promised to recount the
uncanny courtship and marriage of a beautiful young girl and the devil.
It was Yamah, the youngest woman present, who told the story, and
she told it with an earnestness that might have sprung from personal
experience.

MARRY THE DEVIL, THERE'S THE DEVIL TO PAY.

"Now one day, one mammy get girl pickin (pickaninny). Dis pickin he too
fine. Dem rich people en eberybody go ax fo' um fo' married, but he no
'gree. One rich man he deh down, down, _down_ (south), he get plenty
hoss, plenty people, plenty goat, en plenty t'ing wey I no able fo'
talk. Dis man come fo' see de girl he people, so he go get de girl, but
w'en de people tell dis girl, he no 'gree. De mammy bin tell de girl,
say:

"'Anybody yo' see wey (whom) yo' lek, anyt'ing wey (which) yo' see I
go kill um fo' present um. But de girl no see, anybody wey (whom) he
(she) lek.

[Illustration: Marry the Devil, the Devil to pay.]

"One day dah big, big, big, big debble, nah dah big, big bush, he
hearee dis news, fo' say nobody no able fo' get dis girl heah, en
dis debble he say: 'Nar me go married dis girl.' He grap, he go fix
hese'f good fashion lek pusson. Aintee yo' know say debble he able make
hese'f fine? He able fo' make hese'f fine pass anybody nah dis wuld.
He put on all de bes' clot' wey he kin get fo' len' (borrow). He len'
half side[43] head, half side body, all t'ing half side. So w'en dis
debble finis' fix hese'f good fashion, he call he hammock en four man
fo' tote (carry) um. He tell one man wey he lef' nah ho'se say: 'I duh
go married,' en he start fo' come see dis girl heah. W'en he come, he
reach nah de town wey de girl bin deh. De girl duh 'tan' up close de
windah, he duh look de road. W'en he see dis man yeah duh come, he tell
he mammy, say: 'I done see pusson wey I lek, nar he go marry me.'

[43] For explanation of "half side," see Introduction, page 21.

"W'en de debble come close de ho'se, de girl go meet um, he bring um
come inside.

"De debble say: 'I come fo' marry to yo'.' De girl say: 'All ret.'

"Now de girl go tell he mammy, he say: 'Mammy, dah cow wan' die.'

"Now de mammy say: 'Kill um fo' yo' man.'

"Now de girl say: 'Mammy, dem fowl dey sick.'

"De mammy say: 'Kill um fo' yo' man. Anyt'ing yo' wan', take um.'

"Dis girl yeah, w'en he go cook de beef en de fowl, wid ress en plenty
odder t'ing, he go gie um to de man nah heen ho'se.[44] But dis debble
yeah, he nebber yeat ress oh, he jus' duh yeat pusson, he nebber yeat
odder t'ing. W'en dis girl bin kare dis yeat nah debble heen ho'se,
w'en dah girl done go, de debble dig nah fireside, he put all dis ress
inside dah hole, he cover um. Bimeby de girl come, he t'ink say de man
jus' yeat leelee bit, he ax um, say:

"Wey t'ing yo' no duh yeat fo'?'

[44] The man's house signifies the hut assigned to him by the chief on
his arrival in the town. This custom supplies the lack of hotels.

"De debble say: 'I done yeat plenty.' But dis girl he (she) no know dis
nar debble, oh!

"Well, dis girl heah, he get one brudder wey sick wid craw-craw;
craw-craw[45] 'pon heen skin all. Dis boy wan' go tell dis debble 'How
do'. W'en he go, dis debble holler 'pon um. De boy 'fraid, he go sit
down.

[45] Craw-craw is a very prevalent skin disease, a species of itch not
very contagious.

"Well, dis debble wan' pass go home. De girl say he no go lef, he mus'
go wid de man. Heen people dey no 'gree make he go yet, but he say he
mus' go now, so dey say: 'All ret.'

"Dey gie um all t'ing fo' make um go. Dis same day dey lef de town fo'
go home. W'en dey go, dis boy wey (who) sick wan' fo' follow um. He say
he mus' follow he sister, but de debble no 'gree, he say because de
pickin too waw-waw (ugly).

"So w'en dey go, dah pickin duh follow um leelee (at a distance). Well,
dey walker all day. W'en de debble turn, he see dis pickin yeah, he
ketch um, he flog um, he say: 'No go follow we!'

"So de pickin go hide behine leelee bit, en de two pusson dey duh go.
Soon de debble duck heen han' nah heen pocket,[46] he pull
one white kola,[47] he open um; he gie de girl half, hese'f take half.

[46]When the men choose to clothe themselves further than with the
customary loin cloth, they wear a long loose gown of hand-spun and
woven cloth. Often this has a large pocket sewed on the front.

[47] The kola is eaten to still the pangs of hunger, and because an
appetite for it is easily acquired. Then its intense bitterness becomes
sweet. The white kolas are slightly preferred to the pink, either being
given as a token of friendship and hospitality.

"De pickin come meet dem agin. W'en de man wan' flog de pickin de ooman
say: 'Fren', no flog um, make he follow we.' 'Den de pickin follow
leelee, leelee. Well dey walker all day. W'en dey go, dis debble heen
one side head come out, fa' down. Well dis girl yeah say: 'Fren', look,
yo' head fa' down.'

"Well, de debble pull one sing:

    'Lef um deh (there), lef um deh, Berkinee;
     Lef um deh, oh Berkinee.'"

The song, a weird chant in the minor key, had a slow swinging movement,
and the whole company beat time with hand-claps, bringing the right
hand down slowly upon the left, and swinging the body in unison.
The song was given as a chorus, and served to quicken feeling and
to intensify the interest of the story. When it was ended, Yamah
proceeded:

"Dey go sotay (till) de one foot fa' down. De girl call um back, he
say: 'Fren', yo' foot fa' down.'

"Den de debble pull de same sing:

    'Lef um deh, lef um deh, Berkinee;
     Lef um deh, oh Berkinee.'

"Aftah he done finis' sing, dey go sotay (till) all t'ing nah heen skin
lef half. Dey reach evenin' tem nah (to) de man heen place, en dey come
see dis leelee brudder. Den cook, den yeat.

"Well, de net, w'en dis heen (his) wef done sleep, dis debble grap fo'
kill um, fo' yeat um. He take one big, big knef, he duh sharp um. But
dis pickin yeah, he no sleep, he jus' duh make lek pusson duh make nah
net (snore). W'en de debble finis' fo' sharp he knef, de pickin cry:
'W-e-y-ee! Me craw-craw duh kratch me oh?'

"Den de debble come to um, he say: 'Pickin, yo' no sleep yet?'

"De pickin duh say: 'No, sah, me craw-craw duh hurt me, en me nebber
sleep 'pon bed. I ken lay down 'pon pile country clo'es.'[48]

[48] One country cloth is thought to be sufficient bed for anyone. The
evident purpose of the little boy in asking for a "pile" of clothes is
to give the devil a task requiring much time, in order to delay his
designs against the young woman.

"De debble go bring plenty country clo'es, he make fine bed fo' um. He
put de pickin deh, make um sleep, so he kin yeat dis ooman. But dis
ooman duh sleep oh! He duh sleep, he no know anyt'ing wey duh go on.

"Well, de man mean say de pickin done sleep, en he take he knef, he duh
sharp, sharp um, make he come broke de ooman he head. He say: 'Fo' yeat
pusson, he good, he sweet, en dis ooman he fat.'

"But dat pickin no sleep oh! He cough en de debble say: 'Pickin, yo' no
sleep yet?'

"De pickin say: 'No, sah, hangry done ketch me.'

"De pickin know say dis man wan' yeat dah ooman, so he duh try make
he mus' get some way fo' sabe um (save her); dah make he duh talk all
light t'ing yeah. W'en dah debble gie um yeat, he go put de pickin
agin nah de bed, make he lay down sleep. De tem nar middle net. Well,
dis man yeah, w'en he done sit down long tem, he mean say de pickin
done sleep. He take he knef agin, he sharp um. Now de pickin duh
kratch, kratch he skin. De debble hebe he knef down quick, he go ax de
pickin: 'Wey t'ing make yo' no sleep yet? Wey t'ing dey kin do fo' yo'
craw-craw w'en yo' bin deh to yo' Mammy?'

"De pickin say: 'Dey kin take fis'-net, go take wattah nah wattah-side
fo' was' um. I wan' was', but I nebber was' wid wattah wey dey bin get
nah bowl, excep' de wattah fus' inside fis'-net, befo' dey turn um nah
de bowl.'

"So de debble he grap (get up), he go nah wattah-side, he kare fis'-net
en bowl. W'en he duh duck de fis'-net inside wattah so, en he hase de
fis'-net, de wattah all lef back. Because he wan' hurry yeat de ooman,
he stupid; he no wait t'ink he no able get wattah wid fis'-net. De
pickin bin ax dis t'ing wey hard fo' do, fo' make leelee chance fo'
sabe de ooman. He wake de ooman, he say: 'Yo' no know dat debble wan'
kill yo' dis net yeah? Nar lie I tell um, say he mus' get wattah wid
fis'-net befo' I kin was'. He done go. Grap (get up), make we come go;
ef no so, ef he meet yo', he go kill yo'.'

"Dis boy yeah en dis ooman dey start, dey walker hard dah net. Well,
dah debble, w'en he no able get dis wattah, he come nah ho'se, he meet
de ooman en de pickin done go. So he run go follow dem. He walker sotay
he wan' go meet dem, but dis pickin hearee de debble duh come behine,
he say: 'Come hide!' So dey hide. De debble go sotay he wan' reach nah
town, but he no meet dem, so he come back. Dis ooman en de pickin pass,
go home.

"De girl tell him people all t'ing wey he see, he say: 'Trongah yase
(ears)[49] no good. Ef I bin hearee oonah (you) w'en yo' bin say make I
no go wid dis man, I no fo' see all dis trouble yeah'.

[49] "Trongah yase," _i.e._, "strong ears," wilful disregard of advice.

"So now he make _so_. Ef yo' wan' go any place, ef any pickin wan'
follow yo', no deny. Sometem (perhaps) dis pickin yeah go sabe yo' f'om
big, big trouble."

By the time this story was ended, most of the children were asleep, but
Konah's insatiable hungering after the strange and mysterious, kept her
wide awake. Some of the women, too, were beginning to feel the drowsy
effects of the night, and especially of the close, smoke-laden air
within the over-crowded little room.

Magbindee went to the door, and seeing the moon just then peeping
through a rift in the clouds, rudely awoke her sleeping child, and
started with it to her own hut.

Others followed her example, and soon Sobah's hut was left to stillness
and to dreams.

CHAPTER VIII

CHILDREN OF NATURE

Nature is very human in many of her moods. She has her periods of
feverish energy and impetuous application, then her periods of gentle
outpouring and watchful tenderness, and again her periods of apparent
idleness and indifference. In Temne-land these moods succeed each
other with a regularity and certainty that is quite pronounced. The
dry season just ended, was the period of repose and idleness. Nature
had been taking her vacation. The currents of life stood still, and
vegetation sank into a partially dormant state. Nature, resting, seemed
forgetful of her human children. Day after day, week after week it had
been the same,--sunshine, profuse, clear, steadfast and pitiless; air
quiet and calm and listless.

Then came signs of waking up. The winds arose gradually, becoming more
and more intense, with dashes of rain. Then a tornado swept through
villages and jungles, accompanied by terrific lightning and thunder.
Nature is wide awake now, and has begun work with a haste and energy
that seem intended to atone for the long idleness.

The life currents have started to flow again. Already the steady
rains are falling, and for weeks and weeks they will fall; soaking
everything, flooding the lowland districts, and bringing out everywhere
an incredibly varied and luxuriant vegetation.

Then months hence there will come a rift in the clouds, the sun will
peep through upon the water-soaked earth and teeming vegetation, and
the work of undoing will begin.

But this is anticipation.

The rainy season is on now in earnest. The rice farms need no attention
at present, and other occupations are hindered by the rains. Nature is
also shaping the destiny of her children.

These simple Temne people, freed in a measure from the requirements of
their ordinary occupations, respond the more readily to impulses that
arise from social and intellectual instincts.

Led by the dumb craving of their natures, they have set an evening
for a social gathering at the home of Sobah. The chief attraction,
as everybody knows, will be story-telling, but there is to be no
stiff formality. Everything will be spontaneous, and subject to the
inspiration of the moment.

As the appointed evening comes on, the clouds thicken, and the rain has
become a downpour. But what does that matter? There is little danger
of injuring clothing,--if such an article is in evidence, and as to
discomfort,--well, the street at this moment is full of youngsters who
revel in the mud and water as if that were the acme of earthly bliss.

The older people are following an impulse only a little higher, as they
stalk, heedless of rain, to Sobah's hut. A good fire is burning in the
middle of the room, for the night will be dark and chill. With many a
"How do", many a "Tankee" and many a touching of the inside fingertips,
in conventional hand-shake, the greetings of the hour are passed.
Oleemah has brought with him Soree, his kinsman from a distant village.
Soree and Sobah are old acquaintances and warm friends, and not having
seen each other for months are effusive in their greetings.

With many grunts and exclamations of pleasure they rush at each other
and, swinging the outstretched arm in a semicircle, smite the open
palms together in heartiest good-fellowship.

"Eh, fren, how do, I gladee fo' see yo' fo' true, true," said Sobah
warmly. "How yo' kin 'tan'?"

"I well, tankee," answered Soree, with deep satisfaction, "en I gladee
too much fo' come tell yo' how do. Yo' look lek say de ress bin plenty
since de las' tem we bin meet up; yo' get skin big pass (surpass) me
yown."

Each member of the company was allowed to seat himself as best he
could, on the mud bed, on the floor, on anything. There was no need for
haste, no record of time was kept.

Soree, as the guest from abroad, was questioned eagerly for news of his
country and people, particularly of the war-boys, and he in turn was
quite as interested in the gossip of the village.

Sobah had just related an incident from one of his trading expeditions,
in which he had been imposed upon as to the quality of the articles
bargained for, and in conclusion summed up his observation of human
nature in the proverb: "Fis'erman nebber say he fish rotten."

After Sobah's bit of reminiscence, there was a silence broken only by
the noise of the children, who were amusing themselves in their own
peculiar way. An atmosphere of ease and endless leisure enveloped the
place.

Finally an inspiration came to Mammy Yamah, who was "picking" cotton,
and she said:

"One man bin deh (there), since w'en he born tay to-day, he hair white.
Yo' sabbee (know) dat?" The conundrum was familiar and easy, and one
of the smaller boys, who happened to be listening, answered at once:
"Cotton".

There was a general stir among the pickaninnies, for here was something
within their mental grasp, and they left the dog to sleep undisturbed,
and ceased to play with the tame little ground-squirrel which Gengah
had brought, partly to exhibit to the other children, but chiefly
because he and the squirrel had become boon companions. The minds were
all intent as Soree propounded this riddle:

"One ole man he inside ho'se, but he bear'-bear' (beard) come out nah
do' (door)."

There was a puzzled silence until Oleemah, who sat nearest the door,
and whose eyes were filled with the smoke that sought exit from the
smouldering fire, started up with kindling face and exclaimed: "Eh,
hey! Ladder wey (which) pusson no duh klim."

This second conundrum, familiar to some present, and requiring the same
word for solution as the preceding, was uttered in so triumphant a tone
that a chorus of voices called out the double reply: "Smoke," and the
few who were less rapid in thought echoed the word with equal gusto.

Now came Mammy Mamenah with the following:

"De king he get ho'se, do'-mout' (door-mouth) no deh, windah no deh,
but pusson duh talk inside."

This no one could guess, and Mammy was obliged to point to a hen
sitting on a nest at one end of the mud bed and say wisely: "Dat pusson
duh sabbee; one week tem he go hearee de talk."

The patient brooder looked around as if to corroborate the woman's
testimony, and as if thinking of the baby peeps that would announce
her long vigil ended, and more active work begun.

This broad hint made the solution of the conundrum easy for most of
the company, but Dogbah was still in the dark, as no one had named
the answer specifically. Finally, unwilling to relinquish the point,
although he was sure to bring ridicule upon himself, he asked: "Well,
wey t'ing dat?"[50]

[50] "Wey t'ing dat?" _i.e._ What (thing) is that?

"Yo' stupid too much," replied Oleemah sarcastically. "Yo' no know dat
egg no get do'-mout', no get windah, but pusson duh talk inside?"

Of course there was a loud laugh at Dogbah's expense, but he could
console himself with knowing the solution of a very good conundrum.

Another pause followed, and then a young man who had spent several
months in Freetown, had this to propose:

"Dey sew dress fo' one girl; he no deh, but w'en he reach, de dress
jus' fit um."

Many laughable guesses were made, and occasioned no end of merriment.
After the vain efforts ceased to amuse, the propounder explained that
the dress was a fish-net. When once the comparison was clear, it was
highly appreciated.

Gratified by the prestige his knowledge of town customs gave, the young
man propounded another conundrum that proved almost as puzzling as his
first one. It was this:

"One big ho'se bin deh, he get one post, no mo' (more)."

The problem seemed easy enough, but its solution proved to be a very
difficult matter. Every conceivable likeness to a house with one post
was offered, but still the Freetown sojourner showed his white teeth in
a broad grin, and shook his head.

Konah had been taking lively interest in all the guessing, but thus far
had not been able to give any correct answer except the ones already
familiar to her. This time her active wits were working with unusual
rapidity. The important part of a native house is the roof. Many of the
farm-houses, Konah knew, consisted entirely of a thatch supported by
posts. A short time before, she had seen the chief on a state occasion,
beneath a large white cotton shelter with gay stripes, and--presto! she
had the answer, for that house had but a single post. "Umbrella," she
answered triumphantly, but still there was a look of perplexity on
most of the faces, for the country article was made of bamboo, and was
worn upon the head like a hat. However, as soon as reference was made
to the one which the chief had, the matter was plain, and the conundrum
was recognized as a good one to try on the uninstructed at the first
opportunity.

Mammy Mamenah was making a mat out of palm fibre variously colored,
but her mind had been as active as her fingers, and now she held the
interest riveted upon her by:

"One man get t'ree slave; ef one gone, two no able fo' work."

The three fire-stones for the support of the rice-pot were not far off,
and the sight of them suggested the solution to another woman, who
then, reminded of her afternoon's task of broom-making, said:

"One man get plenty slave, he tie dem 'pon one rope, he hang dem up."

The children had all been used to gathering coarse, stiff grass,
arranging it symmetrically, and tying it at the larger end, to form
a broom, so they felt that the mental gymnastics had reached a point
where they could participate. They had curled up in one corner of the
room, to avoid the sharp tones, and the cuffs on the head that would
follow if they disturbed their elders. Over the spot where they sat,
the thatch was performing an expected part of its function, leaking,
and perhaps the falling drops suggested: "Water hang."

The adults were slow in answering, but the shining black Foday very
proudly responded, "Dat nar orange."

"Water 'tan' up, water grow," suggested by the previous answer, and
propounded by Konah, was at once declared to be sugar-cane; for while
the conundrums were new to some, they were current, and many knew their
solutions.

"Two man bin close togedder, but dey nebber see each odder," was
offered by the young man from Freetown, who thought that he was giving
these rustics another puzzle, but he was much chagrined when "Two yi,"
came in a lusty chorus from the boys' corner, followed by a shout of
derisive laughter. The answer "Two yi," suggested the next conundrum:
"Two man wid ribber middle dem," and likewise suggested the response:
"Two yi en nose," which came promptly.

"Me daddy buil' ho'se, soso (entirely) windah," was a good description
of a fish-net which they had this very day seen woven by a man in the
barri,[51] and consequently the answer was not long delayed.

[51] See footnote page 240.

"One t'ing, yo' walk 'pon um, but he nebber move." There was a moment
of thought, broken by Konah's words: "Dat nar de groun'; but ef we tell
Chameleon he no go believe we, because he t'ink say he one big pusson,
he able fo' bus' de groun', broke um; dat make he duh mas' (tread) um
soffle w'en he walker. Chameleon, wey leelee so!"

Sobah now introduced a slight change in the mental bill of fare.

"Hill," he announced, when there was a pause in the talk that
threatened to be prolonged.

The interest of the company had begun to lag, but was quickened at once
by this announcement. A hill requires effort in the ascent, and the
term as used by Sobah was readily understood to signify a short story
presenting a mental problem for solution, and leaving the question
open for the hearers to exercise their ingenuity, and was a sort of
challenge to find the solution.

"How?" was shouted back by the listeners, demanding to have the story
with its proposition stated.

THE THREE TWINS.

"Hill!"

"How?"

"T'ree twin bin deh, two boy en one girl. One day den two boy go
huntin', but de place wey dey go huntin' bin hilly place, so den lef'
behine de hill. One twin look t'rou' de hill, en see one hog behine de
hill; so he shoot t'rou' de hill, en de shot kill de hog. De odder twin
he go t'rou' de place wey de big shot go, en he take de hog en kare um
go home. W'en dey reach nah ho'se, den meet den sister done finis' cook
de heart of de hog, de liver en de lung, befo' den reach home wid de
hog.

[Illustration: The Three Twins.]

"Now _yo'_ fo' talk which one of dese t'ree twin do de big t'ing pass
(surpass) all."

A lively argument followed this story, and it was evident that there
was a difference of opinion. However, the majority seemed to think "de
girl do de big t'ing pass all."

WHICH TWIN RESTORED HIS FATHER TO LIFE?

Soree, between whom and Sobah was springing up a good-natured rivalry,
now offered a twin story that was one better--in number at least--than
Sobah's.

"Hill!" he announced.

"How?" was the response.

This indicates that all were ready to listen, so Soree related the
following:

"Dis man heah he get four son, dey all twin. De fadder bin huntin' man.
W'en he (his) pickin (pickaninnies) leelee he go huntin'; since dat
he no come back. De wef he (her) heart trouble um, because he no know
wey t'ing become of he man. W'en den four boy no done full grown, dey
sized boy no mo' (merely), dey ax dem mammy 'bout dem daddy en de mammy
answer: 'He bin go huntin'; me no know wey t'ing bin come of um.'

[Illustration: Which twin restored his father to life?

  [_See p. 200._]
]

"So de las' boy, de one wey (who) make four, he say: 'I go surely know
wey t'ing become of me faddah, I mus' fine um.'

"De odder one say: 'Ef yo' fine um, I kin manage fo' make faddah; ef
yo' pick (collect) all de bone I kin join um.' De odder one say 'I kin
gie body'; de odder one say: 'I go gie um life.' But dey no tell de
mudder w'en dey duh talk 'bout dis t'ing, dey jus' ax um which road den
daddy bin take w'en he wan' fo' go hunt. De mammy say: 'Dis back road.'

"Dem four boy dey grap (get up), dey go. Well, dey cut de way t'rough
de bush, dey wandah, dey wandah far 'way nah de bush. De las' one he
see one leelee road, he hole um wid all heen bruddah, he 'tan' up
befo'. W'en dey go, dey go, dey go, dey meet one ribber. Jus' dey reach
deh de las' one see heen fadder gun, en he meet heen dry head (skull).
Now de odder t'ree boy jus' duh come, en de las' one tell um say: 'I
finis' me yown part.'

"Well, de one wey bin say he go join de bone, he dibe bottom de
wattah, he meet all dem bone, he bring um all 'pon top de lan', join
dem all lek pusson, en he say: 'Look, me finis' me yown part.'

"De odder one he mix mud, he plaster um 'pon all de body, make de hair
all. He take palm-leaf, he duck um inside de puttah-put,[52] he fash'n,
fash'n um 'pon de mud. De blackness he duh shine, he fine de man. W'en
he finis' he tell de odder twin, he say; 'Me done me yown part.'

[52] See footnote page 47.

"De one wey pass all fo' ole (old), he get one leelee horn wey kin
protec' de life, kin bring life back. One country-fashion man make de
horn, but not fo' dis purpose, he make um w'en de four twin leelee, fo'
protec' dem, so nobody no go kill de baby. So dis boy go to de fadder
to he nose, he put de horn deh, he blow inside de horn. De fadder
sneeze, he grap, he take heen gun, he go home. Heen wef bin cry, he
t'ink say somet'ing happen to heen pickin, dey all done die, because
since early mornin' dey bin go 'way tay late nah evenin'. Jus' he look
he see he man come nah road. De cry turn to laugh, great joy.

"Well, now dem four boy yeah, which one make dem get fadder?"

Soree allowed the argument to run on for a time, and noticing with deep
satisfaction that opinions were hopelessly divided, closed the matter
by saying with a touch of triumph in his tone: 'Nar dis de question dey
duh argue tay (till) to-day. Yo' no able um.'

Sobah felt that his first story had not won him as much credit as he
deserved, and so was constrained to offer another.

WHICH ONE WAS MOST GREEDY?

"T'ree man bin deh. Dey go far up country wey dey nar 'tranger to de
king en de people. Dey all t'ree greedy too much, en because 'Tuckmah'
mean say greedy pusson, pusson wey get sweet-mout', dis make all man
duh call de one Tuckmahkodinay, de odder Tuckmahfongkah, en de las'
one Tuckmahtontoun. W'en dey reach net tem to one big town, den go to
de king heen (his) ho'se. Dey tell de king 'How do?' dey say: 'We nar
'tranger, we duh come out far country, make we sit down dis net to yo'
town.'

"De king ax um plenty question: which side dey come out; how de ress
'tan', ef he plenty; ef dey bin see war boy w'en dey pass. Dey tell de
king all t'ing wey dey bin see, en he gladee fo' de word wey dey talk;
he gie dem one cow. Fo' few day dey sit down to dis king him town.
Soon one mawnin' dey dribe de cow befo', dey walker tay dey reach to
one leelee fa'm-ho'se; nobody no deh. Tuckmahkodinay he say: 'Make we
kill de cow, make we yeat um.' Dey go inside ho'se, dey fine cutlass,
en calabas', en pot, en all t'ing fo' cook, but pusson no deh. One man
take de cutlass fo' cut de cow he t'roat, fo' kill um. Tuckmahkodinay
say: 'Bimeby de blood go was', I go hang me mout' underneat', make me
ketch de blood.'

"De one wey hole de cutlass mistake, he cut off he cumpin (companion)
him (his) head. He sorry, but wey t'ing fo' do? Nar (there are) de two
man lef'. Dey cook de beef all. W'en dey finis' cook Tuckmahtontoun
tell Tuckmahfongkah, he say: 'Go get wattah, make we yeat.'

"Deep well bin deh, he no far off, so Tuckmahfongkah say: 'Bimeby
Tuckmahtontoun go yeat all de beef w'en I turn me back, make I mus'
walk wid me back' (backwards).

"So he duh do, but befo' he kin t'ink say he reach to de well, he fa'
over inside, he die. Tuckmahtontoun he see say he cumpin no come back,
he say: 'Wey t'ing do Tuckmahfongkah, he no duh make hase come wid
de wattah, make we yeat. I t'ink I betty go mese'f.' He go, he meet
Tuckmahfongkah done die. Hese'f de one man lef'. He take de calabas',
he full um, he hase (raise) um put um 'pon he head, he turn back come
agin to wey he done cook. Befo' he reach close he see Fileentambo
(Gazelle), he holler: 'Oh yah! Dah beef duh t'ief me sweet yeat (meat)
wey I done cook. Ah, m-o-nay! I duh get trouble to-day.'

[Illustration: Tuckmahfongkah fals down the well.]

"He put down de wattah, he run, he call: 'Hah, hah!'

"Jus' de beef hearee dis he turn quick, he see de man, he scare; he
wan' fo' run, he foot slip, go inside de boilin' pot. He pull um quick,
he run, he run. De man say de beef done kare all de sweetness, he
greedy um de leelee bit wey he kare 'pon he foot, so he run aftah um,
he run, sotay (till) he ketch um. W'en he wan' fo' lick de Fileentambo
heen foot, dah foot wey bin inside de pot, Fileentambo he kick de man,
bus' (burst) he t'roat. Tuckmahtontoun fa' down one tem, he die.

"Dem t'ree pusson deh, which one get sweet-mout' pass? Oonah (you) fo'
judge."

Sobah was satisfied that his hill was a difficult one to climb; and,
without waiting to hear the opinions that might be advanced, he turned
his attention to replenishing the fire which had burned low.

The rain continued steadily outside, and a generous share of it found
its way through the thatch. Darkness, thick and impenetrable, enveloped
the hut. Inside, the fire, now blazing afresh, lit up the dusky faces
and cast weird shadows upon the blackened mud walls. The air was thick
with smoke and reeking with odors, but no one heeded that. These
were big, overgrown children, bent on an entire night's amusement
and entertainment in the most refined form they knew; and, like all
children, they must enjoy their game in spite of discomforts, perhaps
even enjoy it the more because of the discomforts.

Soree felt that he was expected to furnish the next story, but some
delicate inner sense told him that they had had enough mental nuts to
crack, and so he considerately turned to stories of a more fanciful and
entertaining type.

"Yo' know dah story 'bout Mr. Spider en Mr. Lepped?" he asked to gain
time to collect his thoughts. They had heard similar stories, but were
just as eager to hear this one. After scratching his head thoughtfully
a few minutes, Soree cleared his throat as a signal that he was ready
to begin.

MR. SPIDER CREATES A FRIGHTFUL TORNADO.

"Now Spider, he en Lepped bin fren' one tem; dey sit down togedder
(live) to one ole fa'm-ho'se. W'en dey go hunt, dey no see any beef.
_So_ dey do tay till hangry ketch um _bad_. Now Lepped say: 'Come go,
Spider, come make we go yeat we (our) pickaninny.'

[Illustration: Mr. Spider creates a frightful tornado

  [_See p. 209._]
]

"Spider say: 'Yes, nar true, but make we yeat yo' yown fus', because
yo' fus' talk.' Lepped 'gree. Bimeby dey done yeat Lepped he pickin
all, en him wef; but not to one day dey yeat all. One day dey kill
one, odder day dey kill one tay (till) all finis'. Turn done come fo'
yeat Spider yown. Spider say: 'To-morrow make we meet to one odder
fa'm-ho'se, bottom one big 'tick (tree) yondah.'

"Lepped say: 'All ret.'

"Now Spider lef Lepped, he go home, he go cut plenty long palm-branch,
big long palm-branch. He tie um, make big bunch. He shabe (divide)
de bunch one one to he (his) pickin en he (his) wef. Well, Spider go
mawnin' to de place, he meet Lepped deh. All two duh sit down talk. Dey
hearee noise. Spider heen wef Nahker en de pickin duh drag dem palm
leaf 'pon de groun' fo' make Lepped t'ink say tornado go come. W'en
Spider en Lepped hearee dis yeah big noise, Spider grap (get up), he
knock he foot 'pon de groun', he say:

"'Mr. Lepped, yo' able fo' sit down? Big breeze duh come, he go sweep
we 'way. De place wey he go lef we, now deh we go die, we no go see
none o' we famble agin.' He say: 'Mr. Lepped, do fren' tie me quick,
befo' dis breeze yeah reach. Make he no kare me go.'

"Lepped say: 'No;' he say: 'Fren', yo' fus' tie me.'

"Spider say: 'No, fren', yo' fus' tie me.'

"Lepped say: 'No, yo' fus'.'

"Spider get up, he say: 'Well, I 'gree, because dis storm heah wan'
big, big people, he go kare yo' up fus' ef I no tie yo'.'

"He kare um to dah big plum tree, he say: ''Tan' up 'traight, no shake,
'tan' up soffle.'

"Lepped he 'tan' up close de 'tick. Spider go cut rope. Long tem Spider
bin huntin' fo' flog Lepped, but he no able um, so now he pull dis
cunnie. All dis tem dey hearee de breeze duh come. Lepped say: 'Make
hase, de breeze duh come.'

"Spider bring de rope, he begin fo' tie Lepped f'om he toe 'roun' de
'tick, tay he reach to he neck, 'roun', 'roun', 'roun' de 'tick. W'en
he finis' Lepped no kin move, he no able fo' shake he body. Spider
laugh, he say: 'I bin do yo' fool.' He tell he pickin, he say: 'Me
pickin, oonah (you) hebe de whip, oonah (you) come, we done ketch de
brah (brother).'

"Him pickin dey klim 'pon de 'tick, dey yeat de plum, dey hebe (throw)
de seed 'pon Lepped he head. Aftah dey done yeat dey come down, dey
begin conk (strike) Mr. Lepped, dey _conk_ um, dey say: 'Yo' nar (are)
dog, yo' kin yeat people. Come yeat we of yo' able.'

"Lepped look dem wid bad yi, but he no know how fo' do.

"Spider tell Lepped, say: 'Aintee (is it not) so any day yo' kin hole
me, yo' flog me?' Now he go broke whip, he say: 'Mese'f I go flog yo'
to-day.'

"Spider bring de whip come, he flog Lepped, he flog um, he flog um.
Lepped he say: 'Do yah!' He beg long, long tem. Spider no 'gree, he
flog um sotay (till) he tire, den he go home."

Loud laughter and explosive ejaculations followed the close of the
story, and showed how thoroughly Spider's successful trick was
appreciated. Soree himself laughed heartily, and added: "Spider he
smart man fo' true, true. Nobody nebber go ketch up wid Spider."

This last remark was directed at Sobah; and he, taking it as a
challenge, proceeded to relate a story in which matters were somewhat
evened up between Leopard and Spider.

MR. LEOPARD SHOWS HIS HAND.

As if to make the retribution appear in the light of poetic justice,
Sobah devised a connecting link between this story and the one just
told.

[Illustration: Mr. Leopard shows his hand.]

"W'en dey reach home," he said, referring to the time Spider flogged
Leopard so unmercifully, "Spider go cut one big calabas' (gourd), he
dig one leelee hole inside um, nuff fo' hese'f to pass. He put um deh
to de co'ner of he ho'se.

"Well, w'en one week done pass, dem bug-a-bug (white ants) dey come
yeat all dem rope, en Lepped go home. He no get 'trenk because he no
bin yeat anyt'ing fo' one week. He go try sotay (till) he ketch leelee
beef, befo' he get 'trenk fo' ketch big beef. De day wey make t'ree,
he get leelee 'trenk, he hole de road, he walker slow, slow, fo' go to
Spider heen ho'se.

"Nahker he duh cook. Den all hearee step. One leelee pickin, wid name
Kokany, wey (which) mean go watch, he go look, he say: 'Mammy, 'tranger
duh come; hide de ress (rice) nah bottom bed.'

"Nahker come out, he peep, he say: 'Spider, we die to-day, Lepped duh
come.'

"Spider call he pickin, he say: 'Ef yo' lef' behine, en yo' get big
trouble, de fault to oonah (you).'

"Dey all duh follow um, go inside de gourd wey (which) 'tan' up nah de
co'ner de ho'se. De place wey dey pass go inside bin up. W'en dey all
done go inside, Spider roll de t'ing over, de mout' he nah de groun'.'

"Lepped come, he meet big pot ress 'tan' up nah de fiah, en one big pot
soup 'tan' up 'pon de groun'. De beef wey dey cook, nar bush-hog. Den
t'ing all done ready was' fo' take up de yeat. Lepped he sit down, he
laugh fus'. Now he take up all dah ress, he take dah soup, he turn dah
soup all 'pon de ress, he yeat _all_, he no lef one grain. Spider wan'
cry, he deh inside dah hole."

This was more than Dogbah could stand. "No talk mo'," he cried
impulsively, "Yo' make mese'f wan' cry fo' yeat dah ress en dah
bush-hog," and he drew in a long breath that seemed to typify the
longing of his soul.

"Ah! Yo greedy (begrudge) pusson too much," Sobah answered sternly, but
deigned no further reply.

"Well, aftah Lepped done yeat, he go outside de fa'm-ho'se, he smell
all 'roun', but he no smell Spider. He go inside, he come smell smell.
He look, he bootoo (stooped over), he peep, he see one leelee gourd
yandah, he go smell deh, he smell ole Mr. Spider. He take he foot, he
krape de gourd, he turn um over. All de spider dey scatter, dey so
plenty he no know which one fo' ketch. All go f'om um, dey all go
inside bush yandah. Bottom one big tree dey go sit down. W'en Lepped
bin yeat dah beef, he hebe (throw) de bone nah groun'. W'en Spider duh
run go, he kare one leelee ole bone wey Lepped t'row 'way. He hole
de bone, he sit bottom one big 'tick, he en he wef en he pickin. Den
come Mr. Lepped, he take swing (sling), he put stone deh, he twis' um
'roun', he sen' um, he knock Bucknaykuhnunt, de mos' large pickin. De
pickin say: 'W-a-y-ee!'

"Spider say: 'Ah! No holler! Shut mout' one tem. Bimeby Lepped go come
ketch we. Take dah bone, make yo' suck um.'

"De pickin no talk, he take de bone, he hole um, but he no suck um, he
too sick fo' suck um. Lepped sen' odder stone, he knock odder pickin.
So he duh do tay he knock de pickin all. Now de same word Spider duh
tell ebery tem to de pickin, but de bone he _one_ no mo'. W'en stone
knock one of he pickin, Spider take de bone f'om de fus', he gie to de
odder one wey las' get de trouble. Now Lepped sen' one stone, he size
pass (beyond) de fus', he sen' um go knock he wef Nahker nah jaw-bone.
He wef say: 'W-y-ee! Me mammy to-day.' (He mean say he mammy kin feel
fo' um pass odder pusson, he wan' see um).

"Spider say: 'Oh, wef! lef' fo' holler, shut mout' one tem. Bimeby
Lepped go ketch we. Take de bone, make yo' suck um.'

"At las' Mr. Lepped take stone big lek dis town, put um inside de
swing. He sen' um go knock Mr. Spider nah he forehead. Spider cry:
'W-a-y-ee! Trouble, trouble! Me mammy to-day!'

"He wef say: 'Ah! Spider, lef fo' holler, shut mout' one tem, bimeby
Lepped go ketch we. Look de bone fo' suck."

"Spider say: 'Yo' craze? Aftah pusson knock yo' cumpin (companion) yo'
no tell um hush-yah?[53] Yo' say make yo' come suck bone. Nar tem dis
fo' suck bone?'

[53] See footnote page 100.

"Spider holler tay Lepped come ketch dem. Now he flog dem all. Nahker
en de pickin dey die, but Spider run go odder country.

"Pusson nebber kill Spider w'en dey flog um; dey make he go so he kin
feel pain, so he kin 'member wey t'ing he do.

"Tay to-day, Spider he en Lepped no to fren' agin."

So matters were equalized, and justice satisfied, but the story-tellers
were not willing to let Mr. Leopard off.

Gondomah's face showed that he was repressing a desire to speak, and,
noticing this, Sobah condescendingly urged him to proceed.

Thus encouraged Gondomah began, rather timidly at first, to recount the
ruse of Mr. Leopard by which he secured food in time of famine.

MR. LEOPARD FOOLS THE OTHER ANIMALS.

"Now two animal get dis play, dah Lepped en all dem beef. All dem beef
bin meet up fo' make play one evenin' tem w'en dem moon duh shine. Dey
gadder 'roun de place, dey tie fench, dey buil' leelee ho'se inside de
fench. De nex' evenin' tem dey play, dey beat de drum, dey dance all.
Now ole Mr. Lepped, hangry duh ketch um, so he come do cunnie. Because
he wan' fo' ketch dem beef fo' make he yeat dem, he lay down, he lay
down flat; he no die, he do cunnie, he shut he yi, he make altogedder
lek die.

"One of Lepped he pickin he come out play. W'en he run inside ho'se he
look heen daddy, he 'fraid fo' true, he come close um leelee bit, he ax
um, say:

"'Daddy, wey t'ing do yo'?'

[Illustration: Mr. Leopard fools the other animals.

  [_See p. 219._]
]

"He no get answer; he pull one big cry, he run tell de odder pickin
say:

"'Eh! M-o-nay! We daddy done die, we no get daddy to-day.'

"Dey all duh cry, duh cry; dey run wid cry to all dem beef fo' say:

"'We daddy done die, make yo' mus' come cry fo' um.'

"Well, all dem beef dey come 'roun' um, dey sorry, dey gadder fo' cry
fo' Lepped wey (which) die. Dey begin fo' make noise, dey cry lek fo'
die pusson. Fus' Cunnie Rabbit come, he look Lepped, he look um long
tem, he say:

"'Dis yeah beef he no die, he jus' duh do cunnie.'

"So he grap (get up), he go sit down yandah fo' run one tem, he say:

"'Die pusson nebber blow (breathe).'

"Well, Lepped jus' duh blow leelee, leelee, w'en dem beef no take
notice.

"W'en Cunnie Rabbit say die pusson nebber blow, dem beef say:

"'Cunnie Rabbit, yo' nar fool!'

"He answer um, say: 'All ret, I fool.'

"Den he go sit down to de las' part yandah, so he kin fus' run go w'en
Lepped go grap (get up) fo' ketch dem beef. Well, dem beef wey say
Cunnie Rabbit fool, dey come sit down close Lepped, dey all duh cry,
duh cry.

"Bimeby Lepped grap fo' ketch, en all dem beef wey bin hearee wey
Cunnie Rabbit talk, dey all run.

"Well, dem beef wey say Cunnie Rabbit fool, Lepped ketch um all.

"'Pon dem beef Lepped en he pickin lib tay (till) hangry tem done."

Gondomah gained confidence as the story proceeded, and was soon
speaking with a freedom and earnestness that would have done even Sobah
credit. Mr. Leopard had found a new champion, and was growing in favor
with an emotional audience, that was ready to applaud any form of
cunning that proved successful. Konah, however, was much gratified to
note that "Cunnie Rabbit" had not been deceived.

A CASE OF "TIT FOR TAT."

In the interval that followed Gondomah's story, a little diversion
occurred. Two of the boys had been tantalizing each other, and matters
had reached such a pitch that one spoke slightingly of the other's
"daddy," and the other retorted by making a loud sucking noise through
his teeth, an insult no Temne lad would allow to go unpunished,
therefore a fight ensued.

"Yo' curse me daddy, I conk (strike) yo'," and the blow came promptly.

[Illustration: A case of Tit for Tat.

  [_See p. 222._]
]

"Yo' suck teet' 'pon me?" and the counter blow was equally prompt. The
battle promised to be prolonged to an extent that would interfere with
the story-telling, so a man near by sent the boys flying to opposite
corners of the room.

When quiet reigned once more, Sobah began the story he was preparing to
relate when the fight started.

"Now Spider he get he village, but he no sleep deh, he sleep nah he
fa'm-ho'se. One day he go set trap, he ketch dah Lepped he pickin
(pickaninny), en he come yeat um. De Lepped no bin deh w'en Spider kare
de pickin go. W'en Lepped come, he cry nah de bush fo' he pickin. Now
de same tem, Spider call he cumpin (companion), 'Come go play, come go
play.' W'en de Lepped hearee um he lef fo' cry, he silence, he come
close de fa'm-ho'se. De Spider no know Lepped deh, he jus' duh talk,
say: 'We yeat fine t'ing, to-day, de t'ing mark, mark. He favor dah
pusson wey duh cry nah bush yandah; dah pusson heen pickin we yeat.'

"De Lepped done hearee um, but Spider no know. He duh talk tay de t'ing
come close um. Jus' he see um he run, he go inside de fa'm-ho'se, he de
only one deh inside. Now he make fiah, he take dem pot, dem kettle, en
all dem t'ing wey (which) pusson get inside ho'se, dem t'ing wey duh
soun'. He beat dem all fo' make big noise: he holler fo' make de Lepped
go say: 'Dey _plenty_ inside de fa'm-ho'se. Now Spider heen wef en heen
t'ree pickin come open de do' fo' come inside. Dis de tem de Lepped
follow come inside. W'en 'fraid ketch Spider en he famble dey all klim,
dey lef' de Lepped sit down nah groun'. W'en he done 'tay leelee bit,
one pickin wey (who) pass dem all fo' young, he say he done tire fo'
hang. Now de daddy say: 'Fa' down make Lepped yeat yo'.'

"Now he fa' down, en de Lepped yeat um.

"Now de nex' one say, hese'f done tire.

"Daddy Spider say: 'Fa' down, now,' en he fa' down, en de Lepped yeat
um.

"Now de odder pickin say he done tire, but dah pickin ole pass de odder
two, he 'trong leelee bit; dah make Spider say: 'Change yo' han'.'

"Now he change he han' fo' some tem, den he say: 'I done tire,' en he
fa' down, en Lepped yeat um.

"At las' de wef Nahker, he say he done tire, en Spider say: 'Yo' wey
big so? Fa' down, now, yo' go get de trouble.'

"Nahker fa' down, Lepped yeat um. Spider he one lef' hang. W'en he
done tire he take leelee condah (bark) wey bin deh 'pon dah 'tick wey
Spider hang, he hebe (throw) um to dah Lepped down. Now de Lepped grip
de condah, he mean say he hole Spider. W'en he duh fet wid de condah
(bark) Spider come down soffle, he run, he go hide. Pusson nebber able
ketch Spider, because he cunnie."

Mr. Spider's ability to get himself out of the most serious difficulty,
was fast bringing him back to the position of popular favorite. It was
not at all to his discredit that he did not risk his life to save his
wife and children. Soree, who had been biding his time, seized the
favorable opportunity to complete the supremacy of Mr. Spider, and
without preliminaries plunged into his story.

DR. SPIDER'S FATAL PRESCRIPTIONS.

"One tem Lepped get t'ree pickin, en heen pickin dey sick, so he duh
walker all 'roun' de country fo' look fo' doctah. Den Spider grap (get
up), he tell Lepped say, he say: 'Now me one big, big doctah. Ef yo'
gie me yo' pickin, I go make dem all well.'

[Illustration: Dr. Spider's fatal prescriptions.

  [_See p. 226._]
]

"So Lepped call de pickin, en he gie um to Spider wid fine present.
Spider take de pickin, en he kare um inside one fench wey he build,
fo' doctah um. He tell Lepped say, he say: 'Make nobody no come inside
heah, en yo'se'f no mus' come inside heah.'

"So Spider dig one long hole f'om he yown home to dah place wey he duh
doctah dem pickin. W'en he done kare dem pickin inside, he run t'rou'
dis hole, en he go to heen ho'se. He call he yown pickin, he say, make
dem bring pot, en ress, en palm-ile, en salt, en peppy. So w'en heen
pickin done bring all dis, Spider grip Lepped heen pickin, en he kill
dem. He make de pickin cook plenty ress, en he yeat dem all, he en him
pickin, but he tell him pickin, make dem no yeat dem bone.

"So aftah one moon, Spider go out to Lepped, he say: 'I ready fo' pull
yo' pickin now, dey done well. But w'en I duh pull dem pickin, I go tie
rope 'pon dem, make yo'se'f draw dem out.'

"So Spider hese'f he go pass t'rou' dis hole heah, he go nah he yown
home. Den he gie signal to Lepped fo' make he draw he pickin out; but
w'en Lepped draw, he see soso (merely) bone, en he fa' down yandah fo'
cry.

"W'en do' clean, Lepped take hese'f, he put hese'f inside one hamper,
en he put coal[54] 'pon hese'f, en he call heen servant, en he tell
heen servant, say: 'Tie me good fashion wid dis cord, en kare me to
Spider, en tell um, say: 'Now me sen' coal fo' um,' fo' Spider was a
blacksmit' at dis tem now.

[54] The coal referred to is charcoal. The natives know nothing of the
natural product.

"So heen servant take de hamper, en he kare um go to Spider, en he tell
um say: 'Daddy Lepped say: "Make I bring dis coal fo' yo'."'

"But Spider look de coal, he see Lepped lay down bottom, he tell he
servant say: 'All ret.'

"So Spider take one iron, he put um nah fiah, en de iron red hot. He
say: 'Make I try dis coal, ef now good coal dis.'

"So he take dis iron, en he chook um t'rou' dis hamper. Den Lepped
holler, en he kill Lepped deh, en make big dinnah fo' hese'f en he
pickin."

There was again a note of triumph in Soree's voice as he recited these
tragic events, for certainly as Mr. Leopard had been disposed of,
Sobah could not produce him alive again in order to make another story.

It was far past midnight, and there were signs of weariness on the part
of the younger members, but there was no thought of breaking up the
gathering. In fact they had been enjoying themselves so genuinely, that
they were scarcely aware of the passage of time.

Sobah arose, placed fresh wood on the fire, causing it to emit a heavy
smoke; then squatting down again on the floor he began to relate
another of Mr. Spider's many exploits.

MR. SPIDER "PULLS" A SUPPLY OF BEEF.

"De Frog he leelee beef. One tem he duh go walker. He meet one cow wey
belong to de king. Well, dis cow, pusson kin kare um ebery mawnin' fo'
go yeat, tie um nah one place (pasture). Well, ef yo' meet dis cow, en
yo' say: 'Cow open!' he kin open he mout', he kin swallow yo'.

"Well, ebery mawnin' de Frog kin go wid leelee knef en bucket, he tell
de cow: 'Open!' De cow kin open he mout', de Frog joomp inside, en
de cow swallow um. De cow fat, en de Frog nebber hurt de cow w'en he
cut dis plenty fat, but he no fo' cut one place, de heart; even ef de
fat plenty deh, he no fo' cut um. Ef he cut um de cow fa' down de same
place, he die. Aintee de life deh to de heart? Aftah de Frog done cut
de fat, he come back to de mout', he say: 'Cow open!' De cow open he
mout', de Frog come out, he go home, he cook. Aftah he finis' cook,
he call Spider come yeat. Aftah dey done yeat, w'en Spider feel de
sweetness, he say:

"'W-y-ee, fren'! Which side yo' go get dis beef yeah?'

[Illustration: Mr. Spider "pulls" a supply of beef.

  [_See p. 231._]
]

"De Frog say: 'I bin go tell yo', but w'en yo' fine anyt'ing sweet fo'
yeat, yo' nebber slack fo' go aftah de same t'ing. Yo' nebber say,
"Make I wait," so ef I tell yo', yo' go kill pusson cow, en I no able
de palaver. I know yo', yo' get big yi.'

"Spider say: 'No, fren', I no go do so.'

"Well, de Frog tell um say. 'All ret, mus' come to-morrow mawnin',
early in de mawnin'.'

"Spider say: 'All ret.' He no sleep; middle de net he get up, he go to
de Frog heen do', he say:

"'Brah, (Brother,) day done broke.'

"De frog come out, he say: 'No, day no broke, do' no clean; wait leelee
bit mo'.'

"Spider go lay down fo' few minute, den he get up, he too eager. He go
to de Frog heen do'-mout', he make noise lek fowl kin make w'en day
wan' break: 'Kokooriko-o-o!' Den he knock. 'Kong, kong!' He say: 'Brah,
day done broke.'

"De Frog say: 'Ah, no! Yo' see yo' yown trick; not yet.'

"Spider go fo' few minute, he come ag'in, he holler lek one bird. Day
kin done begin fo' break, yo' see leelee clear befo' dis bird make
noise: 'Dew, dew, dew, dew!'

"Spider say: 'Brah, day done broke.'

"De Frog come out, he say: 'Lef me! Now so yo' trick 'tan.' He say: 'Ef
yo' humbug me again, I no go kare yo', I go me one (alone).'

"Well, Spider go lay down soffle tay (till) day done broke. Now de frog
go call um. W'en Spider come he take he bly (basket), he follow de
Frog. Dey jus' go tief de grease. Ef de king know, now great trouble
come 'pon dem, dey no get permission fo' do dis t'ing. W'en dey done go
inside, dey begin fo' cut.

"De Frog he tell Spider, he say: 'Yo' see dah place deh?'--he mean de
heart--'I no care ef plenty rich palm-ile deh, no venture fo' cut deh.
De minute yo' touch deh wid knef, de Cow go die.'

"Spider say: 'All ret.' Spider full heen bly, den Frog full heen bowl,
dey go. But w'en dey wan' fo' come out, dey fo' say to de Cow: 'Open.'
W'en dey reach home, de Frog tell Spider: 'To-morrow no come, make we
slack fo' to-morrow.'

"Spider say: 'All ret'; he go home. He en he wef en he pickin dey cook
all, dey yeat all.

"Well, aftah dey done yeat, Spider go, he plant (plait) plenty bly, two
tem as big as de fus'. Mawnin' early he get up, he gie all heen pickin
dem bly, he say: 'Come, oh, go.'

"De Frog bin tell um not to go to-morrow, but he no hearee; he go, he
say: 'Cow open!' De Cow stupid, he open, he swallow Spider wid all heen
pickin. Dey cut, dey full all de bly, dey go home, dey cook, dey yeat.
Dis Frog he no know say Spider bin go deh. Ebery mawnin' now so Spider
duh do. W'en dey cut de grease one day, de nex' mawnin' dey meet mo'
come, but he nebber plenty lek de fus'. One tem Spider no kare none of
heen pickin, he one, no mo', go. He see plenty big, big grease, big,
big fat deh to de heart. He no believe de word Frog bin talk, he get
too big yi. He cut de heart. Jus' he cut um de Cow fa' down one tem.
Spider come, he say: 'Cow open.' Cow no able open, because he done
die. Spider he no know how fo' do. Pusson come evenin' tem fo' de Cow.
Den meet he done die, den 'plit um, dey call de pickin, den gie um de
inside part fo' was'. Dey kare um nah wattah-side, dey was' de heart,
de inside part all. Because Spider leelee, dey no see w'en he joomp
'pon top de bridge. He call, he tell de pickin, say:

"'Look how oonah (you) hebe (throw) dirty 'pon me w'en yo' duh was'
deh.'

"Dem pickin begin fo' beg um, dey say: 'Daddy, do yah, do yah! No do we
not'ing, we no know, we mistake.'

"Spider say: 'I no 'gree.'

"He go nah town to de king, he go lay dis complain'. W'en he done tell
de king all how de pickin do um, de king cut de cow he foot, all de
bigness of he foot,[55] he wan' gie um to Spider.

[55] "De bigness of he foot," _i. e._ leg. In the dialect the foot and
hand may include the leg and arm, there being no distinctive terms for
each.

"Spider say: 'I no wan' dis foolish t'ing yeah.'

"Dem cut de han', dem lay um 'pon de foot. Spider no 'gree. Las' dey
take de head, lay um 'pon top. Spider kin 'trong fo' yeat, he lazy fo'
wuk. I no care ef anyt'ing fo' yeat how he big, he kin take um, but ef
yo' gie um one grain ress fo' tote (carry), he no able um, he heaby.
But how de yeat may big, ef _cow_ yo' gie um, he go hase um go. Spider
take all dis beef, he tote (carry) um go. W'en he reach middle de road,
he see 'tranger duh come, he call quick fo' he'p. He 'krape de groun'
leelee bit, he dig one hole, en he set de cow him head inside de hole;
but he no put all, so dat ef pusson draw um, he no go be hard fo' pull
um deh. He tie rope to de horn, en he do lek say he duh draw. So w'en
he duh do dis, he see dah people duh come yandah wid plenty cow. W'en
dey reach close um, he tell um, say:

"'Oonah come, oonah come quick! De king heen cow wan' fo' go inside
hole.'

"He put heen han' 'pon de head, he do lek he duh draw, he say:

"'Come, he'p me; make we pull de king heen cow f'om dis hole.'

"So de 'tranger all come, dey begin fo' go take de rope, en w'en dey
draw, de cow head bin lef' nah dem han'. Spider make lek he vex 'pon
um, he say:

"'Yo, oh! Oonah done cut off de cow heen head. All ret, oonah take um,
oonah bring odder cow. Ef de king hear jus' now dat oonah kill de cow
(because nar de king life oonah take 'way so), de treatment oonah go
get f'om de king, I no able fo' 'spress um.'

"Dis cow wey Spider done kill bin sacred cow, now he 'tan' fo' de life
of de king. Ef anybody kill de cow, now de king life he cut off. Dey
done pull sacrifice to dis cow.

"Dem 'tranger den 'fraid fo' true. Dey gie Spider one big cow, dey yown
cow wey dey bin bring. Spider say:

"'Now dis one cow oonah gie fo' dis sacred cow? I no wan'.'

"Dem people no know how fo' do, den duh trimble wid fear. Now, dey take
odder large cow, dey gie Spider all two; he refuse. He get big yi, he
say he no wan', he jus' only wan' fo' go 'port dem to de king. Dem
people beg, dey ketch odder cow agin, dey gie Spider de t'ree cow. He
say: 'All ret, oonah go.'

"W'en dey done go, Spider take all heen plenty beef, he go. He done
rich by heen cunnie."

Soree was trying hard to recall a suitable story to follow the one just
ended, but at that very moment a fowl began to crow. "Dah fowl craze,"
exclaimed Oleemah, thinking it impossible that morning was at hand,
and with that he arose and thrust his head out of the window.

"Nar true word dah fowl duh talk," he admitted, as he saw the first
signs of approaching dawn. The clouds had thinned, the rain had almost
ceased, and in consequence the dense darkness was breaking away.

Reminded by these signs that life is not all fiction, Oleemah turned
to the door and strode away to his hut. His movements broke the spell
that had so long held the company, and soon all had scattered to their
several huts, feeling that the night had been well spent.

CHAPTER IX

AN AFTERNOON IN THE BARREH[56]

[56] A barreh is a public meeting-place. A town has one or more,
according to the population. It consists of a mud floor surrounded by a
wall two or three feet high, and covered by a projecting grass or palm
thatch. It is absolutely devoid of furnishings, unless there may be a
hammock, or one or two bamboo stools, occasionally a crude chair, made
of peculiarly forked sticks.

It was some weeks after the night gathering at Sobah's house. A man,
the most skilful weaver in the village, was seated at his simple loom,
which had been set up in the barreh, and was busily engaged weaving
country cloth.

The rain had been but light recently, and this afternoon Nature seemed
undecided whether to smile or to weep. Sunshine and shower engaged in
playful rivalry, but each seemed equally pleased for the other to win.
The air was conducive to idleness, and the barreh was an ideal spot for
loafing. When Sobah reached the place he found a dozen men and women,
and fully as many children, assembled. A few women brought work to busy
their fingers, cotton to spin, and fish-nets to weave, but most were
content to allow the hour to provide for itself.

Of course Konah was there, for her instinct told her that such a time
and place would bring something worth hearing.

Sobah was seated in a hammock, and had unconsciously taken a position
so that the others were grouped around him. The situation was
suggestive, and Oleemah, noticing it, requested a story. As he was
warmly seconded by others, Sobah not unwillingly complied.

THE DANCING BIRD.

"Well, I tell yo' story 'bout one man en one boy," he said after a
little reflection. "Dis man bin huntin' man. One day he go huntin', en
he ketch one fine beef, young beef, en he bring um home. Dis huntin'
man he get plenty pickin. Ef he gie one boy de beef, all de odder go
vex; so he gie dis beef to dem all, fo' make dem play wid um. De beef
no die. Dey mine um[57] sotay (till) he begin use dem. Now one po' boy
bin lib close to dis huntin' man heen ho'se. He en he mammy dey no get
pusson fo' make fa'm fo' dem, en dis huntin' man heen pickin all, dey
nebber 'gree fo' make dis po' boy play wid de beef wey dey get; en de
man hese'f no 'gree. W'en dey go nah fa'm de po' boy take de beef, he
play wid um all day. W'en de man en heen pickin wan' come home f'om de
fa'm, he put um back. Nar so he duh do any day.

[57] "Dey mine um sotay he begin use dem," _i.e._ The boys cared for
the animal until it became accustomed to them.

"One day, w'en he take dis beef, de beef he die nah he han'. He done
'fraid, he lef de beef, he run go home.

"Now dem people come back. W'en dey open de place, dey meet de beef
done die.

"Now dey ax de boy, dey say: 'Who kill dis beef heah?'

"Fus' de boy no wan' fo' answer. Now dey begin fo' knock um, dey knock
um tay (till) he say _he_ kill de beef.

"Now de man say: 'Yo' mus' surely gie back odder beef fo' dis one wey
yo' bin kill.'

"De boy beg _so-t-a-y_, but de man no 'gree. De boy take he cutlass,
he go set trap. Any day he go, but not'ing no ketch. Any day w'en he
come, de huntin' man _mus'_ beat um fo' dat beef.

[Illustration: The Dancing Bird.

  [_See p. 241._]
]

"Now de mammy beg, he beg good fashion, but de man no 'gree fo' lef de
palaver, he say de pickin _mus'_ gie um dah beef.

"De mammy say: 'Well, take me pickin one tem (at once), de t'ing yo'
wan' fo' do, make yo' do um one tem, make I see.'

"Mawnin' de boy set trap, but all day he no ketch. He come home evenin'
tem. W'en he come home he cry, he say: 'Because dey go come beat me.'
Dem pusson dey come home. Sometem de boy bin go hide under he mammy
bed. Nar so dey bin do any day, dey bin beat um any day. Now one day de
boy cry, he come out under rain, he go set trap, en he ketch dis beef
yeah. He gladee, he gladee bad, fo' wey he get um. Now he bring um, he
gie um to dis bad man.

"One day de boy go walker, he go close one big, big wattah; de wattah
'roun'. Now he go meet dah fine, fine bird wey kin sing, kin dance.
He 'tan' lek canary, but not to canary. Alligator bin deh inside de
wattah. W'en dah boy see dah plenty bird over de wattah, he see dey
duh dance, dey duh sing, he wan ketch one, make he sing fo' um. W'en he
try fo' cross, now he fa' down nah de wattah, en alligator come yandah
fo' yeat um. Now he swim, he make hase, en he cross; he go ketch one of
dah bird heah. Now he cross over back, now he come home. W'en he reach
to he ho'se, he put de bird down 'pon de flo'. De bird sing, he dance.
Now plenty people come fo' look dis bird wey duh sing, weh duh dance.
Ef anybody wan' look um, he bring one piece clot' sotay dis po' mammy
rich. Anybody, dah chief, dah king, dey kin come look dis bird how he
kin dance; dey bring present to dis boy. Dis boy keep dis bird inside
bly (basket). Now he go to de fa'm wid he mammy. Well, dis bad huntin'
man, he go pull dis pickin heen bird, he put um down inside de ho'se,
en de bird begin fo' sing, he begin fo' dance. W'en de man see de boy
duh come yandah, he take de bird back quick. De boy come say: 'Who bin
pull dis bird heah?' De man nebber answer. Now de boy say: 'All ret,'
en he lef fo' talk.

"Plenty people come, dey say dey come look dis bird wey kin dance. Dey
bring plenty present fo' gie dis boy heah. Now he pull de bird, de bird
dance, he sing. Dis ooman he rich, he get plenty. Now de pickin put de
bird inside bly agin, en he go to de fa'm wid he mammy. De man pull de
bird agin, he look um. W'en he put de bird down he dance leelee bit,
den he say:

"'Ef yo' wan' make me dance fine, make yo' kare me nah yard. Dah dance
wey I go dance, he go pass all fo' fine.'

"De man he t'ink say dis nar true. He take de bird, kare um go nah
yard; he put um down; de bird fly go. He bin 'deed make dis man fool."

Both Sobah's tone and the drift of the story indicated that a rich
climax was approaching, and many were shaking already with anticipated
pleasure; so the story was interrupted here until the pent-up delight
had been set free.

"Now de boy come home. W'en he go look inside de place, he no see de
bird, he ax he mammy. He mammy say he no know. Now he ax de man, en dis
one say he no know. Now one ole ooman say, 'Dah huntin' man take de
bird,' he say. 'W'en dem people come fo' look de bird, he bin pull um,
bin put um nah yard, en de bird fly, he go.'

"Now de boy go to de man, he say: 'I wan' me bird jus' now, to-day.'

"De man wan' talk de boy, but he say: 'No talk, I go burn yo' ho'se jus
now.'

"De man he nebber sleep, he nebber sit down all day; he walker all day
close de ribber, make trap fo' ketch bird. Now one day he fine de same
wattah, wey de boy bin ketch dis bird. Now he see dem plenty bird wey
duh sing, wey duh dance. W'en he wan' go ketch de bird he fa' down nah
de wattah so, en alligator ketch um, he yeat um.

"Dat make he no good fo' do leelee pickin bad. Ef pusson do leelee
pickin t'ing wey (which) bad, trouble go ketch um wey (which) go pass
he yown."

Kindness towards children is not a part of the Temne social code,
generally, at least not a conscious part; but Sobah was the unconscious
embodiment of many of the better characteristics of his people, and
personal experience had made him more than usually considerate and
gentle. So he felt that this story contained a serious message, and he
was the chosen mouthpiece.

"Now dat bin true word," he added, looking reprovingly around the
company. "Any pusson wey (who) do leelee pickin bad, trouble go ketch
um wey (which) go pass him yown."

After repeating this impressive warning, Sobah sat long in deep
reflection. He was recalling another story, wherein the would-be evil
doer received a just retribution. As soon as he felt moved to speak, he
began his tale.

THE WICKED IS TAKEN IN HIS OWN SNARE.

"Dis 'tory 'bout one boy, he name Pass-all-king-fo'-wise. De boy heen
(his) fadder bin king. Well, de fadder get so many wef dat he no
bin notice w'en one wef bin loss f'om um, bin go hide nah (in) one
fa'm-ho'se. He (she) lib heah tay (till) all he (her) mate (associate
wives') pickin done grow big. Well, one day dese pickin yeah come, dey
brush fa'm. It happen dey begin fo' brush near de same ole fa'm-ho'se
wey (where) dis ooman duh hide. He (she) shame fo' see he mate pickin
all done grow up big, en he yown pickin leelee no mo'. So he (she) run
wid he pickin, come out agin f'om dis fa'm-ho'se, he go far 'way, he
meet big bug-a-bug (ant) hill, he klim 'pon top, he sit down, he say:

"'Oh, I wis' me pickin done 'trong fo' brush lek dis one heah.'

[Illustration: The Wicked is taken in his own Snare.

  [_See p. 249._]
]

"Now de bug-a-bug hill he talk to um, he say: 'Even ef yo' pickin no
'trong nuff fo' brush, I go gie um sense en riches all two.'

"So de ooman say, he say: 'All ret.'

"At once de ooman he see he baby he grow big man, he rich, he get stone
ho'se wid plenty servant, he get santegay (counsellor).

"W'en de king hear say he wef get fine son, he rich, well, de king sen'
one messenger fo' bring um. Dis messenger he bad man, he wicked; so he
tell de king, he say: 'Dis yo' son heah he go take de country f'om yo',
ef yo' no kill um.'

"De king say: 'Which punishment yo' go gie um? Gie um special trial,
special work fo' do. Ef he no able do um, well, we go kill um.'

"One 'tick (tree) bin deh, he high, en de fruit he sweet, but nobody
no dare fo' go up pick um. He get dem antch (ants) wey able fo' sting,
dey poison. So de king he messenger say: 'Make de boy mus' pick all dis
yeah fruit.'

"De king he 'gree, he sen' call he pickin. W'en he come, de king say:
'Look dah 'tick yandah. Ef yo' kin klim dis 'tick, ef to-morrow mawnin'
I meet all dis fruit heah he pick, en deh (there) to one heap bottom de
'tick, I no go kill yo'.'

"De boy say: 'All ret.'

"He go, he tell dis bug-a-bug hill. De bug-a-bug hill tell all dem
antch fo' go pick. Dey pick, dey pick tay (till) middle de net. All de
fruit dey gadder to one place. Now mawnin' de king meet de fruit all
pick. He no talk, he sen' de boy go home.

"Dis bad man he come agin, he tell de king, he say: 'King, yo' bin buy
one cow, de cow done multiply, multiply. Ef dey put dem inside place
wey dey buil' fo' dem, dey pass one hundred plenty. De boy mus' show de
fus' cow wey yo' buy; ef no, he go die.'

"All dis he jus' duh do fo' try kill de boy.

"So de king call he son, he tell um. De boy say: 'All ret, I go come
w'en de sun middle de sky; make dem no open de cowfiel'.'

"So de king 'gree. Well, de boy go, he tell de bug-a-bug hill. Well, de
bug-a-bug hill see one butterfly, he tell um he mus' do wuk fo' um. So
de butterfly tell de boy, he say: 'To-morrow, w'en yo' meet all dem cow
form in row, now de cow wey yo' see I fly 'roun' en sit down 'pon, now
dis de fus' cow wey de king get.'

"To-morrow de very hour, de boy go. Dem people dey form dem cow, put de
fus' cow wey de king buy nah middle dem cow all. W'en de boy 'tan' up,
he look de cow fo' moment, he look, he see de butterfly jus' sit down
'pon de cow, he say: 'Ah! Hey! Look de cow middle yandah.'

"All de people wonder fo' see how de boy wise.

"Evenin' tem dis bad man come agin, he no satisfy. He tell de king, he
say: 'Make dem dig hole _deep_, make dem put plenty knef, plenty broke
bottle all 'roun' de top, all 'roun' de inside; so so knef, so so broke
bottle, down, down. Make dem spread mat 'pon top de hole, jus' cover de
hole; make dem set chair deh.'

"De king 'gree. Den sen' de same messenger fo' go call de boy. W'en de
boy come, dey say dey wan' talk palaver, make he go sit down to dah
chair yandah.

"Well, de boy he go near, he 'tan' up, he tell de king, say:

"'I nebber sit down place excep' I take 'tick, chook de place.'

"De king no know how fo' do, he puzzle. He no lek say no, he no lek say
yes, so he 'gree. De boy go take long 'tick, de 'tick he heaby. He beat
wid um inside de place, de chair fa' down inside hole. De boy no sit
down deh, he go home.

"Now de same bad man he come agin to de king, he tell um say: 'Dis now
de las' chance wey kin kill yo' son, he no go get out of dis.'

"So de king say: 'All ret.'

"Dey sen' fo' de boy, he distant 'bout some few mile, he come. Dey
spread mat 'pon de groun', dey tell um say dey wan' fo' crown um king.
Well, de boy bin come wid one of he servant. Dey tell de boy fo' lie
down 'pon de mat, dey go wrap um, tie um so he no able fo' loose
hese'f; dey lay heaby, heaby stone 'pon um, dey go hebe (throw) um nah
wattah, dey go lef um t'ree day. Dey tell um say, now _so_ dey kin do
fo' crown king.

"Well, dis servant wey bin follow de boy, ef he reach 'tranger place,
ef he fo'get anyt'ing, w'en he ready fo' go fo' um, all dem people
demse'f kin fo'get somet'ing, dey all kin grap (get up) fo' go fine de
t'ing. Well, jus' dey done tie he mastah, en dey ready fo' go hebe um
nah dis deep wattah, de servant say: 'Oh, I fo'get somet'ing one mile
off.'

"Well, all dem people dey grap, (get up) dey all fo'get somet'ing, dey
go. De king se'f he grap, he go. Dey all jus' 'tan' lek crazy.

"Well, w'en dey done go, dis boy heah he call one leelee pickin. De
pickin come, he loose all de rope, en de boy come out. He put heaby,
heaby stone inside de mat, he tie um tight lek wey de people bin tie
um. Well, he go, he go 'way home.

"Now de servant he know say he mastah done go, so he come back, en all
dem people come. Dey hase (raise) de mat up, dey t'ink say dat de boy
inside, dey go hebe um nah de deep.

"T'ree day dey duh hear drum over to de boy he town, dey hear drum en
dance. W'en de t'ree day finis', de boy come to de town, he wear crown,
he sit down 'pon hoss, plenty people duh follow um; dey too sit down
'pon hoss, dey rejoice. W'en de boy reach to de town wey he fadder bin,
he gadder all dem people; he say he wan' fo' come tell dem de t'ing wey
he see w'en he die.

"But dem people no know, dey t'ink say nar (it is) true.

"He tell dem say, w'en he die, aftah dey bin hebe (throw) um nah
wattah, he meet de pusson wey crown um king, en dis pusson tell um,
say: 'W'en yo' go back, make dey mus' crown de same way dis messenger.'
Dat nar de one wey bin try fo' fine all dis trouble fo' de king heen
son.

"Dis man yeah, w'en he heah dat, he try fo' run 'way, fo' 'scape, but
dey ketch um, dey tie um inside mat, wrap um so he no able fo' loose.
Dey lay heaby stone 'pon um, dey go sink um; now he die.

"Dat make he (it is) no good fo' t'ink fo' do bad to yo' cumpin
(companion) w'en he innocent."

Dogbah had been restless throughout these stories. They pointed too
definite a moral to suit him, and he suspected they had a personal
application to some of his own failings.

To change the drift of thought to something more remote, he offered
to tell a story he had heard a short time before, while in a distant
village.

AN OLD MAN TURNS ELEPHANT.

"Some people deh far up, up Mende country. Dey bin ole too much, dey
sick, en all de odder people done tire fo' mine um; dey say dey trouble
too much. Now because dis yeah ole pusson no able any mo' fo' do
not'ing, dem cumpin (companions) bin kare um nah (into) bush; dey bin
brush one place, dey bin buil' one leelee ho'se 'pon top um. But not
too good ho'se dey bin buil', dey jus' buil' bamboo roof fo' cover dis
yeah ole pusson. Dey bin take four mottah,[58] dey put de ole pusson
heen one han' inside one mottah, de odder han' inside odder mottah; one
foot dey put inside de mottah wey make t'ree, en de odder foot inside
de las' mottah. De mottah-pencil (pestle) dey bin put to heen mout' fo'
turn elephan' long, long mout'. Dey take two fannah, dey tie um 'pon he
yase (ears). Well, so dey bin lef um; dey go 'way, aftah dey done buil'
de ho'se.

[58] The mortar and pestle are used in all homes for beating rice. The
fanners are flat woven trays, on which the rice, after it is pounded,
is shaken to remove the chaff.

"Sometem ef pusson go agin fo' look, dey nebber see um. Well, he done
turn elephan'. De foot nar de mottah."

"Nar (is) dat fo' true, true?" asked Konah eagerly, for the
transformation appealed strongly to her imagination.

"Dem people say nar true," answered Dogbah, hedging. "Me daddy cousin
sister-in-law husban' done see um."

"Man kin turn elephan'," asserted Mammy Yamah decisively. "One tem two
girl go nah bush fo' broke wood. Dey hearee monkey wey duh sing one
song. One girl hese'f sing de song, he turn elephan'. De odder girl
scare, he (she) run go home; he tell dem people all. Dem people beg um
sotay (till) he sing de song; he turn elephan'."

[Illustration: An Old Man turns Elephant.

  [_See p. 256._]
]

Sobah listened to Mammy Yamah's excited testimony, and then with an air
of condescension said: "I tell yo' one story."

THE MAN WHO COULD NOT KEEP SECRETS.

All were ready enough to listen, so the story proceeded:

"One huntin' man bin shoot de elephan' plenty, he bin kill um, but
Elephan' kin turn anyt'ing, he kin turn pusson, beef, (animal)
anyt'ing. So one day Elephan' he turn one fine girl, en he come to dis
huntin' man yeah. W'en de man see dis fine girl, he drive heen wef, he
say: 'Yo' mus' go nah kitchen, go cook.' He no wan' make heen wef hear
w'en he en dis girl duh talk.

[Illustration: The Man who could not keep Secrets.

  [_See p. 258._]
]

"De girl come ax de man, say: 'How yo' kin manage fo' kill de Elephan'?'

"De man answer, say: 'Look dah gun, he en de bow en arrow wey bin
nah co'ner. I take um; I load um, w'en I see de Elephan' I shoot um,
_ding_!'

"Well, de ooman say: 'Ef yo' no get de Elephan'?'

"Den de man say: 'I kin turn to dry 'tick (dead tree), make de Elephan'
no see me.'

"Den de girl say: 'But ef de Elephan' mas' (smash) de dry 'tick?'

"Den he tell um say, he kin turn bug-a-bug (ant) hill.

"Den de ooman say: 'Well, ef de Elephan' mas', mas' de bug-a-bug hill?
Wey t'ing yo' go do nex'?'

"Well, de wef come nah co'ner, he duh listen w'en dis man tell all him
secret. Jus' he wan' tell de girl de las' fing lef', den de wef holler
'pon um, say:

"'Yo'! Yo' tell all de word inside yo'?'

"So he no tell de las' t'ing.

"Den dis ooman go, he turn Elephan' agin.

"De nex' day de man grap (get up), he say he go hunt; he meet dis same
ooman done turn Elephan', 'tan' up inside de bush. So he fire. He miss
de Elephan', so he turn dry 'tick, lek how he kin do make Elephan' no
see um. De Elephan' come mas' de dry 'tick, so he turn bug-a-bug hill.
De Elephan' he mas' de bug-a-bug hill. Well, now de las' t'ing lef' wey
de man no bin talk. He grap, he go fa' down inside wattah, he turn dat
t'ing wey turn fas', fas' 'pon top de wattah. He loss f'om Elephan',
but he bin broke, broke all he bone w'en de Elephan' mas' um. F'om dah
tem he no come home fo' two day, so heen people go fine um, dey tote
(carry) um, bring um nah town. F'om dah tem he no able go huntin' tay
(till) he die.

"So ef ooman come to yo', no tell um all de word wey yo' get inside yo'
heart; sometem now debble go turn ooman, sometem now Elephan' turn
ooman, sometem now snake; yo' no know.

"En no man no fo' do bad to heen wef, because widout heen wef, he bin
tell de las' t'ing wey fo' do, make Elephan' no kill um."

"Well," said Sobah, after finishing his story, and noticing that the
showers had entirely ceased, "sun duh shine," and with that he arose
and walked away with the air of one who knows that he has acquitted
himself with credit in the eyes of his fellowmen.

CHAPTER X

KONAH TURNS STORY-TELLER

The next time there was story-telling in Konah's presence, she
unwittingly became the chief actor. It came about in this wise. A pack
of children, tired of romping, had collected under the projecting roof
at the front of Konah's house. Sprawled around in all possible places,
and in all conceivable attitudes, they gave their imagination loose
reins, and seemed to be trying to outdo one another in the extravagance
of their fancies. It was the hour of deep twilight, and the air seemed
to palpitate with an invisible life. Mystery and magic seemed but
harmonies of the hour.

"Ah, hey!" said Konah excitedly, her eyes dancing and her face glowing
with animation, "I get one fine story."

"Pull um!" came in hearty chorus from all around. This is what she
told.

THE DEVIL'S MAGIC EGGS.

"Dis story 'bout two mate (two wives of one husband). De one he die,
he lef he pickin to he mate. Dis ooman no lek um, he hate um, he cruel
to um. De pickin get wattah, he beat ress (rice), he broke wood, he
do eberyt'ing, but w'en he done do all dis, de ooman bin flog um. He
yown pickin he no wuk, he no duh do not'ing. So dey do tay (till) de
two pickin sick wid yaws. Now de ooman sorry fo' he yown pickin, he no
scrub um good; de odder pickin he scrub good, he scrub um wid hatred,
but he make de yaws done quick. Now he tire fo' mine dis pickin, he
wan' make de debble yeat um.

"One day w'en de pickin go nah de kitchen, he mistake, he t'row 'way
(dropped) de ress-'tick nah groun'. So de ooman slap um, he curse,
curse um all. De pickin beg, he beg, he say: 'Oh, Mammy, no do me so.'

"De ooman answer: 'No call me mammy, me not to yo' mammy, yo' mammy
done die wid witch. I no bin sen' um fo' make he go witch, make he mus'
die.' _So_ dis wicked ooman duh curse de pickin. Den he tell um, say,
he mus' go was' dis 'tick nah de debble heen place, far place. Man mus'
take one day fo' reach deh (there) en come back, en leelee pickin no
able fo' walker quick lek man. So dis girl he get up, he start, he take
de ress-'tick fo' go was' um to dah place wey dah debble bin. W'en de
pickin walker 'pon de road, he meet den hoe handle wey bin tie up in
bundle; dey get sense fo' talk, dey know one odder. De pickin meet dem
handle, dey duh walker, dey ax um: 'Yo'! pickin, which way yo' duh go?'

"He tell um all, say: 'Now me mammy sen' me fo' was' dah ress-'tick.'

"W'en he go agin, he meet one man wey jus' get one grain (single) yi.
He ax um, he say: 'Tittie (sissy), which way yo' duh go?'

"De pickin say: 'Me mammy sen' me fo' was' dis ress-'tick.'

"De man show um which way fo' pass. He go tay (till) he reach to de
big debble him place. De debble he get so many yi. He get broad head,
middle he get bald head. So de debble call um, he say: 'Tittie heah,
come feel me louse.'[59]

[59] A common sight among the natives is a little child busily engaged
in picking the lice from the woolly head of some older person.
Sometimes the child's place is taken by the pet monkey. If the monkey
fails to find the object of his search, he loses his temper, and
expresses his feelings in strong language, and in boxing the person's
head.

[Illustration: The Devil's Magic Eggs.

  [_See p. 265._]
]

"So de pickin come feel, feel de debble heen louse. De debble get so
many yi dat ef de pickin do anyt'ing at all fo' play trick, he kin see,
but de pickin no do anyt'ing bad; so de debble take de ress-'tick, he
was' um clean, he wrap um wid one silk hankercher, he gie um. Now he
tell um say:

"'Go back nah co'ner, take four egg.'

"He duh try dis girl fo' see if he hones'. Plenty big egg bin deh, but
de pickin jus' take four; now small, small one he take, he no take de
big one. So de debble tell um say:

"'W'en yo' go leelee far yo' mus' bus' one egg, w'en yo' go agin yo'
bus' de odder, tay (till) yo' bus' de t'ree, but de las' one yo' bus'
um de place wey yo' wan' buil' ho'se.'

"So w'en dis girl go leelee far, he bus' one egg. Now plenty servant
en hammock come out fo' kare um go, en plenty box full of clot' en any
kind of bead.

"W'en he go agin he bus' de odder one, wey make two; he see officer en
sodjer all come out fo' guard um. W'en he go agin he bus' de one wey
make t'ree, en behole gold, silver en diamond, en all dem good, good
stone, en servant fo' tote (carry) dem. Now de las' egg lef'. W'en he
go to one part town wey he wan' fo' buil' ho'se, he bus' de las' egg.
Plenty big ho'se come out; fine buildin' en big wall 'roun' dem, en
goat, en cow. He go inside, he en he sodjer en he servant all. Dem drum
en different, different music all duh play fo' um now."

Of course the interest was intense, while these marvels were being
related. Little outbursts of wonder and delight greeted each new
revelation, but when, to crown all, there was music of all kinds
the children could restrain themselves no longer, but leaped up and
performed an impromptu dance.

This, however, was over in an incredibly short time, and the story was
allowed to proceed.

"De debble done tell dis girl one t'ing fo' do, fo' make heen mudder
come out of de grabe (grave) back. He bin say: 'Bimeby w'en yo' go,
yo' mus' pick ress plenty. W'en yo' done beat um yo' soak um, take de
mottah en de mottah-pencil to yo' mammy heen grabe, make yo' beat de
ress 'pon top de grabe. Wen yo' duh beat so, yo' mus' sing.'

"De pickin do all t'ing lek de debble bin tell um. W'en he duh beat, he
duh sing."

At the first mention of "he duh sing", all hands came into position
to beat time, and as soon as Konah set the measure, all joined in the
rhythmical hand-clapping,

    "Mammy, turn to de wuld back.
    Anyt'ing weh I do, w'en I do um,
    De mammy nebber tankee me.
    He bin jus' flog me, flog me.
    Aftah he flog me done, he say,
    Make I mus' tell um tankee.
    Mammy, come back, come back,
    I duh trouble too much.
    Me mammy come back,
    I done tire of dis mammy."

They easily found a musical note in these lines, however impossible it
may appear to any but an African ear. It was a peculiar, quavering,
minor strain, full of pathetic pleading.

When the song was ended, the story took its regular course.

"De girl beat, he sing, tay (till) de grabe begin crack, begin open. He
sing steady. De grabe 'plit mo', en de mudder head come out. De girl
cry, he say: 'Mammy, come back nah wuld.'

"He wan' go grip he mammy, make he draw um come out nah de hole, but de
debble bin tell um, say: 'Ef yo' see yo' mammy come out, no draw um; ef
yo' draw, he cut middle, en he no come out agin!'

"So de girl no go, he gie de mammy tem, he jus' duh beat, he duh sing

    'Mammy, turn to de wuld back.'

"Now de grabe 'plit mo', en de mammy done pull all heen han'. De pickin
wan' agin fo' go take heen mammy han', but he no do um, he 'member how
de debble bin say: 'Girl, girl, gie yo' mammy tem, he go come nah wuld
back agin.' He sing steady:

    'Mammy, mammy, sorry fo' me,
    I duh trouble.
    Come back nah wuld,
    Come back.'

"By dis tem de mammy done pull all heen skin, he foot lef'. Now he pull
he foot, one foot; de one lef'. De pickin beat, he beat, he beat. Now
de mammy all come out. De girl go hole he mudder, take um go inside de
ho'se dey get, but befo' he do dis, he bin take dis ress-'tick, he sen'
um to he step-mudder, wey bin make um go to de debble place fo' was' de
'tick.

"Well, de step-mudder, w'en he see all de money, en all de fine style,
en all de plenty, plenty t'ing wey dis he mate (her associate wife's)
pickin get, he do careless, he t'row 'way dis 'tick-'poon 'pon de
groun', he tell he yown pickin, he say: 'Make yo' mus' go was' um.'

"But he yown pickin he no train up, he no 'fraid anyt'ing, he no
respec' anyt'ing wey he see. So w'en he duh go nah road, he meet de
hoe-handle 'tan' up nah road, dey say: 'Tittie (sister), how do?'

"De girl duh vex, he say: 'Make I pass. I nebber see t'ing lek dat,
nebber see hoe-handle wey (which) duh talk.'

"Dem 'tick heah bin de debble, wey turn hese'f to different t'ing.

"De pickin go tay (till) he meet de one man wid one yi'. De man say:
'Tittie, how do?'

"De girl vex, he say: 'I nebber see pusson get one yi' middle heen
head.' He say: 'Make I pass, I duh go was' me mammy he ress-'tick; no
tell me how do.'

"De pickin duh talk bad all to dis man. He go tay he meet de daddy
hese'f, se'f, se'f, wey get de wattah side. So de debble call um fo'
try um, he say: 'Tittie, come feel me louse.'

"De pickin no know say de debble get plenty yi', so w'en he duh feel
dis debble he louse, he see de bald head, he make as ef he wan' fo'
conk (strike) um."

Konah gave this little scene with realistic mimicry, and naturally
provoked a shout of laughter. As soon as it seemed safe, Konah added:
'He no mean do um, he jus' make trick.'

"De debble he see um, he say: 'All ret', but he no talk. He was' de
'tick-'poon, he no wrap um. W'en he see dis girl nar bad girl, he duh
try um agin, he say: 'Now yo' take four egg.'

"So w'en de pickin go to de co'ner, he see dem big, big, big egg, he
take um. He get big yi. De debble tell um, say: 'Wen yo' go far leelee
bit, yo' mus' bus' de one; w'en yo' go far agin, yo' mus' bus' odder
one; w'en yo' go agin, yo' bus' odder; w'en yo' reach to yo' mudder
heen ho'se, de las' one yo' bus'.'

"So w'en he go leelee far f'om de debble, he bus' one. Now de honey
(bees) come out, dey sting um, dey sting um, dey sting um. W'en dey
tire dey lef um. He go agin, he bus' de one wey make two. Dem snake dey
come wrap um all nah (on) he foot, nah he han', nah he neck, nah he
wais' all; he no know how fo' do agin. W'en dey done hole um long tem,
now dey lef um. W'en he go leelee bit mo', he bus' odder one. So so big
man come out, dey get big whip, dey flog um, dey flog um, dey flog um
tay dey tire; so dey go. He mammy duh look nah road, he anxious. W'en
he pickin come, he see he face all swell. W'en he reach to he mammy
heen ho'se, he bus' de las' egg. Now fiah get out, burn de ho'se, burn
he mammy en hese'f."

This part of the story was quite as effective as that had been where
the other child broke the magic eggs, but the interest, though equally
intense, was of a different nature. Never had story heartier reception,
or better rendering. Simple young hearts, naturally emotional and
responsive, were enchanted by the fairy-tale; and Konah, all a-tremble
with excitement, threw all the ardor of her fresh young soul into the
telling.

After the exclamations had quieted sufficiently, she added
impressively, and with serious gravity:

"Now dis story learn we fo' no do bad to pickin wey no get mammy or
daddy."

Other children were anxious to share in the story-telling; and a little
girl, seizing the first favorable opportunity, repeated an impossible
tale which she had once heard.

TOOTHACHE ENTAILED.

"Now one boy bin go nah bush fo' cut stick. Well, one ooman bin nah
wuld wey get long teet'. Dem people wey (who) duh story, dey say de
teet' come out f'om heah, dey reach to Freetown. Well, me wey (who) no
duh story, I say dey reach to de end of dis Africa.

"Well, de boy go meet dese teet' heah, he say: 'Dis nar long 'tick.' He
begin fo' cut um. De ooman duh holler. De boy hase (raise) he cutlass
up, he knock dis 'tick agin--b-o-o-m-katay! De ooman duh holler: 'Me
teet' oh, dat nar me teet'!'

[Illustration: Toothache.

  [_See p. 276._]
]

"De boy no duh hearee; he cut, he cut. De ooman still duh holler: 'Now
me teet', oh! now me teet'!'

"De boy duh cut, he no hearee, he jus' duh cut, en de ooman duh cry.
Now he reach close de ooman, en he hearee wey de ooman duh cry: 'Now me
teet', oh! now me teet!'

"Now hese'f talk to de ooman, he say: 'Mammy, make I cut um done, he
too long.'

"De ooman say: 'But I no go bear, yo' go hurt me too much.'

"De boy say, 'Well, me no duh hearee agin, I duh cut um, I duh finis'
um.'

"He cut um tay (till) he reach close de ooman, now; de ooman jus' kin
reach de boy, he han' kin grip um. Well, de boy say: 'All ret, I duh
lef now. But he no lef, he jus' duh wait leelee bit tay de ooman done
forget how he suffer. He go agin, he cut de teet' tay he cut um short
inside de mout'. Teet' no bin in de wuld. Nar dat ooman bring teet' nah
wuld, en de boy bin cut um, scatter um, he gie all man teet'. Story
done."

The story-teller this time was not gifted, and so the story failed to
make much of an impression. In the lull that followed, Konah asked:
"Yo' know wey t'ing make Spider him middle leelee so?"

They did not know, but were ready to be informed, and Konah was just as
ready to tell them. She had heard the explanation from Sobah, only a
few days before; so, with the consciousness of having something new to
impart, she related this very plausible occurrence.

WHY MR. SPIDER'S WAIST IS SMALL.

"One tem one king make big dinnah in all him town, en tell all dem beef
fo' come yeat. Wen Spider hearee all dis, he greedy too much, he wan'
yeat in all dem town yeah, but he no know nah which town dey go cook
fus'. So he call all heen pickin, en tell dem 'bout de big dinnah.
Dey all glad fo' hearee. Den he take plenty rope, en go wid all heen
pickin sotay (till) he reach to de middle of de road; de place wey all
dem cross-road meet, wey go to all dem town. He 'tan' up deh. He tie
all den rope nah heen middle, en he gie all de end to heen pickin, en
tell dem fo' go to all dem town fo' watch. He say de place wey dey cook
fus', de pickin mus' draw de rope, so he kin come yeat. But de people
done cook nah all dem town de same tem. So w'en dey begin fo' cook,
dem pickin begin fo' pull de rope 'tronger de same tem; dey draw all
togedder, en so dey draw long tem. Now because all de pickin get 'trenk
equal, Spider no go _any_ town, he jus' 'tan' up wey de rope meet nah
de middle. He no get not'ing fo' yeat dis whole day. De pickin duh
draw Spider sotay he middle small, en now dat bin make Spider wais'
leelee tay (till) to-day."

[Illustration: Why Mr. Spider's waist is small.

  [_See p. 279._]
]

Just as the story ended, a shrill voice called from another hut, and
several "pickins" scudded away to perform the required service. The
spell of enchantment was broken by the rude interruption, and could not
be conjured back that evening. Not till dreams came, did Konah find
herself again in fairy-land.

CHAPTER XI

WHILE THE BIRDS DID NOT COME

A few weeks later, near the close of the rainy season, Konah and her
mother were at the farm, guarding the ripening rice from the ravages
of birds and other marauders. Two look-out towers, each about six feet
high, stood on commanding elevations near each end of the field. From
the tops of these towers the women kept watch, frightening away the
birds with stones, and slings, and metal rattles. It was now early
afternoon, and the birds were taking a rest until time for their
evening repast. Konah's longing for companionship led her to abandon
her tower, and go over to the one occupied by her mother, who must have
sympathized with the child's feelings, for she did not scold, or drive
her back to the neglected duty, but allowed her to settle down and
indulge her propensity for dreaming.

Konah's natural love for the magical, marvellous and romantic, had been
intensified by the experiences of the preceding weeks and months, until
it had become a controlling passion, so, thinking this a favorable
opportunity, she teased her mother for stories, until that good-natured
soul was forced to comply.

The first story was all the more pleasing to the girl because it