Suriname folk-lore

11.

Konu bɛn habi wą prei̯si nąŋga ala sɔrtu frōxtu, nąŋga ba'ana, nąŋga tra sɔrtu nanyąm. Ma dɔro-suma bɛn dɛ fufuru den fruxtu nąŋga den nanyąm. So Konu bɛn mek' den pɔt' wąŋ bɩgi tarapopki na ɩni na dyari.

Nō, na neti, na fufurumą' kɔm. Dɩsi bɛn dɛ mat' Anąnsi. 'A yurtɛm a si na poptyi, a skrei̯ki fō meki wą fąnsoisi. A tak', ‘Mi tata, fa yu tą?’ Ma a no bɛn kɩsi wąn wɔrtu baka. A taki, ‘Ɛf yu no piki, mi de gi yu wą' krap!’ Na pɔptki no de piki. Anąnsi naki hɛm wą' kofu. Hɛm 'anu fasi. A tak', ‘Ɛf' yu no lus' mi, m' de gi yu wą' trawą nąŋga na trasei̯ hanu!’ Anąnsi 'ɛ naki nąŋga na trasei̯ hanu. Ma dati hanu a fasi tu. A taki, ‘Ɛf yu no lus' mi, mi dɛ buku yu.’ Anąnsi buk' ɛ̨ŋ. Hɛm hɛdɛ fasi. A tak', ‘Ɛf' yu no lus' mi, mi 'ɛ skɔp' yu!’ So Anąnsi skɔp' hɛm. Ma a no bɛn ką' du nɔti mɔro, bikasi hɛm hɛdɛ, hɛm futu nąŋga ɛ̨ŋ hanu bɛn fasi. So a fō tą' dapɛ te den bɛn kɔm feni hɛm. Dɛn mek' wąŋ sabi-taki, tak' na Anąnsi na na fufurumą'. So Konu taki, ɛ̨ŋ dɛ go kiri Anąnsi.

Fɔs' Anąnsi dɛ go dɛde, a sɛn' kar' den pikin fō hɛm. A taki, ‘Mi pikin, yu si mi dɛ go dɛde. Ma są' yu dɛ go du gi mi?’ ɩbriwą' fō den pikin bɛn tai̯gi hɛm wąn lau̯-lau̯ sani, ma na mɔro pikin wą' bɛn tai̯gi hɛm taki, ‘Mi papa, yu sabi są' mi dɛ go du? Pɛ den sɑ pɔti yu fō kiri, mi sɑ kɩbri na tapu wą' hei̯ bɔm. Dą' mi sɑ sɩŋgi:

Den kir' Anąnsi tɛ...
Den kir' Anąnsi tɛ...
Heri kɔndre sɑ su'ųŋ;
Ala suma sɑ dɛdɛ;
Konu srefi sɑ dɛdɛ,
Anąnsi wawą sɑ tą'.

'A yurtɛm Konu yere na stɛm dɛ sɩ̨ŋgi, a taki, ‘Sąn 'a dati?’

Anąnsi taki, ‘Tyɛ! Mi Konu, yɛre, Gadu srefi dɛ bɛgi gi mi.’

Konu taki, ‘A no tru. Wą' fufurumą' mu' kɩsi strafu.’

Anąnsi taki, ‘Tyɛ, mi Konu, yu sɑ yɛre taki na tru, bikasi Gadu dɛ go bɛg gi mi agɛn.’ Wantɛm den yɛre na stɛm baka:

[p. 168]

 

Den kir' Anąnsi tɛ...

 

Den kir' Anąnsi tɛ...

 

Heri kɔndre sɑ su'ųŋ;

 

Ala suma sɑ dɛdɛ,

 

Konu srefi sɑ dɛdɛ,

 

Anąnsi wawą' sɑ tą'.

So Konu bɛn kɔm skreiki. A kɔm fredɛ. A kɔm lusu Anąnsi.

11. Tar Baby: God Above.¹

The King had a place with all kinds of fruit, and plantains, and other kinds of food. But outsiders were stealing the fruit and the food. So the King made them put up a large tar doll in the yard.

Now the thief came at night. This was friend Anansi. When he saw the doll he was alarmed. He said, ‘Father, how are you?’ But he did not get a single word in answer. He said, ‘If you do not answer, I will slap you.’ The doll did not answer. Anansi struck him a blow. His hand stuck. He said, ‘If you do not release me, I will give you another with my other hand.’ Anansi struck with the other hand. But that hand stuck, too. He said, ‘If you do not release me, I will butt you.’ Anansi butted him. His head stuck. He said, ‘If you do not release me, I will kick you.’ So Anansi kicked him. But he could do nothing more because his head, his feet, and his hands were stuck. So he had to remain there until they came and found him. They made an announcement that Anansi was the thief. So the King said he would kill Anansi.

Before Anansi was going to die, he sent to call his children. He said, ‘My children, you see I am going to die. But what are you going to do for me?’ Each one of his children told him a foolish thing, but the youngest one said to him, said, ‘Father, you know what I am going to do? I am going to hide on top of a tall tree, where they will put you in order to kill you. Then I will sing:

They kill Anansi till...
They kill Anansi till...
The whole country will be flooded;
All the people will die;
The King himself will die,
Anansi alone will remain.’²

When the King heard the voice singing, he said, ‘What is that!’

Anansi said, ‘Tyɛ! Listen, my King, God himself pleads for me.’

The King said, ‘It is not true. A thief must receive punishment.’

Anansi said, ‘Tyɛ, my King, you will hear that it is true, because God will plead again for me.’ At once³ they heard the voice again:

1 Told by 6. References for Tar Baby as in tale No. 8, for God Above as in tale No. 12.

2 Song No. 116.

3 Lit., ‘one time’.

[p. 169]

 

They kill Anansi till...

 

They kill Anansi till...

 

The whole country will be flooded;

 

All the people will die,

 

The King himself will die,

 

Anansi alone will remain.

Then the King grew alarmed. He was afraid. He freed Anansi.