Suriname folk-lore

7.

Den bɛn dɛ tu sisa. Dia bɛn dɛ frei̯ wąn fō den sisa. Ma nō, Dia lɔbi 'a wą' sisa, ɛn 'a sisa bɛn lɔbi Dia tu. Ma nō, Dia bɛn weri moi̯. A no bɛn weri lei̯k' wąn meti. A de proro. Ma nō Anąnsi bɛn dɛ. Anąnsi si na srefi sisa, en a lɔbi hɛm. Ɛn 'a sisa taki, ‘No, no, Anąnsi. Mi man Dia na wą' tumusi moi̯ man. A wer' tumusi moi̯ krosi. Ɛf' a-i-kɔm so, a gi lɔbi.’

Ma nō, wąn neti, Dia nąŋga Anąnsi miti. Anąnsi taki, ‘Mat' Dia, na umą fō yu a moi̯, ba.’ Ma Dia taki, ‘Wɛ, mi lɔbi hɛm. Mi nąŋga ɛ̨ŋ no sɑ prati tɛ dɛdɛ.’

Anansi sɑ taig' na wąn fō den sisa taki, ɛ̨ŋ no sabi fa 'a sisa ką' tek' Dia. Dia mɔrsu.

[p. 162]

Wɛ, Dia nąŋga Anąnsi den sɑ bɛn dɛ na ɩni wąn vɛ̨ŋkre, drɩ̨ŋgi wąn sopi. A sɑ tai̯gi a Dia, a tak', ‘Dia, yu no mu' kari mi “Mat' Anąnsi” mɔro. Yu mu' taki “Mi Kaka”.’ Nō mō Dia taki, ‘No, no, mat' Anąnsi, mi no kąn du dɑti.’

Nō na uma a taki, ɛfu Dia nąŋga Anąnsi lɔbi hɛm trutru, dą' tidɛ-neti den kɔm sribi nąŋga hɛm na ɩni wą' kamera. Wɛ nō, a di den didǫ', dąn mat' Anąnsi opo sa‧afri, a go 'a Dia sei̯, go mek' mɔrsu. A i tɛm Dia drei̯, ala ɛ̨ŋ sikin mɔrsu. Dąn nō, mat' Anąnsi go didǫ' sa‧afri baka na hɛm prei̯si. Wɛ, a di Dia wei̯ki, a smeri 'a mɔrsu. Nō mō a bɩgin kari Anąnsi, a taki, ‘Mi Kaka, mi Kaka, mi Kaka.’ Nō mō Anąnsi hati brɔ̨n. A tak', ‘Yu kaka, ɛf' no yu kaka, sąn mi 'a trɔbi dia!’ Nō mō Dia taki, ‘Mi Kaka, luk' wąn sani na mi tapu. Na yu kaka, na Mi Kaka.’

So, fa Dia opo mamɛntɛm, ɛ̨ŋ heri sɩkin mɔrsu. A puru 'a krosi, a lɔ̨nwe na busi. A no kɔm mɔro. A syɛm tumusi. Anąnsi taki nō, ‘Nō, mi no bɛn tai̯gi taki na Dia mɔrsu?’

So Anąnsi teki na umą, a tro nąŋga hɛm. So Anąnsi wɩni.

7. Slandering a Rival: Anansi and Deer.³

There were two sisters. Deer was courting one of the sisters. But now, Deer loved one of the sisters, and the sister loved Deer, too. But now Deer dressed nicely. He did not dress like an animal. He was spruced up. But now there was Anansi. Anansi saw the same sister, and he loved her. And the sister said, ‘No, no, Anansi. My man Deer is a very nice man. He wears the nicest clothes. When he comes [dressed] so, one must love him.’

But now, one night, Deer and Anansi met. Anansi said, ‘Friend Deer, your woman is pretty, brother.’ But Deer said, ‘Well, I love her. She and I will not part until death.’

Anansi will say to one of the sisters, that he does not understand how the sister can take Deer. Deer is dirty.

3 Told by 4. See reference to preceding tale.

[p. 163]

Well, Deer and Anansi will be in a rum shop, drinking rum. He will say to Deer, say, ‘Deer, you mustn't call me “Friend Anansi” any longer. You must say “My Excrement”.’ At once Deer said, ‘No, no, friend Anansi, I can't do that.’

Now the woman said, if Deer and Anansi loved her truly, then tonight they should come to sleep with her in a room. Well now, when they lay down, then friend Anansi got up softly, and he went to Deer's side, and he dirtied it. When Deer turned, his entire body was dirty. Now then, friend Anansi went back to his place and lay down softly. Well, when Deer awoke, he smelt the excrement. At once he called Anansi, and he said, ‘My Excrement, My Excrement, My Excrement.’ At once Anansi was angry. He said, ‘Your excrement, or not your excrement, what is that to me?’ At once Deer said, ‘My Excrement, look, there is something on me. It is your excrement, my Excrement.’

So, when Deer got up in the morning, his entire body was dirty. He took off his clothes, and he ran away to the bush. He came no more. He was too ashamed.¹ Anansi said, ‘Now, didn't I tell you that Deer was dirty?’

So Anansi took the woman, and he married her. So Anansi won.

1 Lit., ‘he shame too much’.