Suriname folk-lore

8. Tara Poptie̯.

Konim habi wąn grɔ̨', a habi furu nanyąm. Dąn Ba Anąnsi bɛn 'ɛ fufuru nanyąm di Konim bɛ̨n prani. Dąn Konim no bɛn sabi suma 'ɛ fufuru nanyąm. Di a wani sabi suma 'ɛ fufuru nanyąm, a pɔti wąn tara-poptie̯ tɛnapu na ɩni grɔ̨'. Dą' Ba Anąnsi go si na poptie̯, dą' a dɛnki na wąn suma dapɛ. A taki, ‘Yu boi̯, są' yu dɛ du dapɛ?’ Na poptie̯ no piki hɛm. A taki, ‘Ɛfi yu no wąni piki, mi dɛ skɔp' yu!’ Dą' a skɔpu hɛm. Dą' ɛ̨ŋ futu fasi. A taki, ‘Lus' mi, no so, mi dɛ naki yu!’ Dąn hɛm hanu fasi tu. Ɛ̨ŋ taki, ‘Mi dɛ skɔpu nąŋga na' tra futu!’ A fasi, tu. A naki na tra hanu. A fasi, tu.

Dą' Konim kɔm feni suma dɛ na fufurumąn. Konim fɔm ɛ̨ŋ te... a kisi ai̯ti futu nąŋga wąn kroi̯s na baka.

8. Tar Baby: How Anansi Came by Eight Legs.²

The King had a field, and it had much food. Then Ba Anansi was stealing the food which the King had planted. Then the King did not know who was stealing the food. When he wanted to know who was stealing the food, he put a Tar-doll in the ground. Then Ba Anansi saw the doll, and then he thought a person was there. He said, ‘You boy, what are you doing there?’ The doll did not answer him. He said, ‘If you won't answer, I am going to kick you!’ Then he kicked him. Then his foot stuck. He said, ‘Loosen me, or I will strike you!’ Then his hand stuck too. He said, ‘I will kick you with the other foot!’ It stuck too. He struck with the other hand. It stuck, too.

Then the King came to find out who the thief was. The King beat him until... he got [to have] eight feet, and a cross on his back.

2 Told by 9. Compare, for Sierra Leone, Thomas (VI) 59-60, Cronise and Ward 101-109, Schlenker 57, No. 2; Liberia (Kpelle), Westermann (III) 388, No. 14, (Gola), ibid. 493, No. 22; Ivory Coast, Tauxier (I) 332, Gagu No. 20; Gold Coast, (Ashanti), Rattray (I) 57-9, Barclay and Sinclair 69-72, No. 10, Herskovits, M. & F. (III), MS No. A6a; Togo (Krachi), Cardinall (I), 234-6, (Ewe), Speiss 106-9, No. 2, Ellis (II) 275-7, No. 4; Dahomey, Herskovits, M. & F. (IV), MS No. 69; Hausa, Tremearne (I) 214-15, No. 9, (II), 212-14, No. 15; Nigeria (Yoruba), Lomax, 5, No. 3, Bouche (II) 223-4, (Warri) Herskovits, M. & F. (II) No. 7, pp. 460-463, (Ikom) Dayrell (II) 3-6, (Ekoi), Talbot (III) 398-9, Mockler-Ferryman 288-9, (Fiort), Dennett 92-93, XXIII, (Bura), Helser 72-3, No. 16; Cameroons (Duala), Lederbogen (II) 58-60; Gabun, Nassau (I) 18-25, Mpongwe No. 2; Congo, Weeks; Angola, Chatelain 183-189, No. 22; East Africa, Werner; U.S. (Louisiana), Fortier (I) 136-7, No. 1 (appendix), Sea Islands, Parsons (II) 26-27, No. 14 I; Jamaica, Beckwith (II) 23-26, No. 21 a-c; Bahamas, Parsons (III) 13-16, No. 10-12; Santo Domingo, Andrade 210-213, No. 156-159; Brazil, Eells 123-131, No. 12. Comparative, Dähnhardt, XV, 26ff.; for general study cf. Espinosa. See Van Cappelle 317-318, No. 12, for another Suriname version of this tale.