Suriname folk-lore

[p. 186]

21.

Dagu nąŋga Tigri bɛn meki barki fō nyąm Krabita. Dagu nąŋga Tigri tyari Krabita go na Tigri hoso. Dagu pɔt' wąn bǫ' bɩgi pat' watra 'a fai̯ya fō te a hati fō den pɔt' Krabita na ɩni. Ma na Dagu bɛn habi na wroko fō go luku te 'a watra hati. Ala yurutɛ̨' Tigri sɛni hɛm, a de kɔm piki taki na watra no hati yɛte, bikasi ɛ̨ŋ hati bɛn kɔm drei̯. A ben kɔm kɩs' sari-hati fō Krabita. So di Tigri sɛni hɛm tak' go luku ɛf' na watra hati, Dagu ɑksi Tigri 'a taki, ‘A mɔro bɛtre yu go dɩs' lesi go luku?’ Tigri taki, ‘A bǭ'.’

'A yurtɛm, te 'a Tigri gowe, Dagu nąŋga Krabita sɛt' lɔ̨' gowe. Na yurtɛm Tigri drei̯ kɔm baka, a si taki Krabita nąŋga Dagu gowe. So Tigri sab' są' Dagu du. A sɛti lɔ̨' na dem baka.

Dagu nąŋga Krabita lɔ̨' te den kɔm dɔro na fesi wą' kriki. Ma nō, fa Dagu dɛ go du nąŋga Krabita? Bikasi Krabita no sabi swɛ̨ŋ. Dagu taki, ‘Mat' Krabita, yu sab' są' mi 'ɛ go du 'ąŋga yu? Mi 'ɛ dik' wąn bɩgi hɔro, dąn mi dɛ pɔti yu na ɩni. Dąn mi tap' hɛm baka, ma mi dɛ lib' den tutu na lɔktu.’ Dagu du so. Di a kaba, a kɔti-go na abrasei̯.

Pikinso na baka Tigri dɔro na fesi na kriki, ɛn a si Dagu na abrasei̯. Ma Tigri srɛfi frede watra. So Dagu dɛ na abrasei̯, i Tigri syɛm. Tigri taki, ‘Yu boi̯ Dagu, pɛ yu pɔti Krabita?’ A taki, ‘Mi no sabi. Krabita go na busi.’ Dagu taki, ‘Mi Tata Tigri, yu hati dɛ brɔ̨n 'ąŋga mi, no?’ Tigri taki, ‘Yu boi̯, ɛf' mi go kɩs' yu, mi go sɔri yu.’ Nō mō Dagu piki Tigri taki, ‘Mi Tata Tigri, ɛf' yu hati 'ɛ brɔ̨n 'ąŋga mi trutru, tek' den tu pis' tɩki frɩ̨ŋ nak' mi.’

Tigri nąŋga na hatibrɔ̨n a grabu den tu pis' tɩki, ala dɑti na Krabita tutu, a frɩ̨ŋ 'ɛm go na abrasei̯ fō naki Dagu. 'A yurtɛm, te a fadǫ' na abrasei̯, Tigri si tak' na Krabita.

Na srɛfi hatibrɔ̨' dati fō tigri mek' a no kąn si krabita nąŋga dagu, a no suku fō nyąm den.

[p. 187]

21. Plot to Cook Goat: Bone for a Stump.¹

Dog and Tiger had made a bargain to eat Goat. Dog and Tiger took Goat to Tiger's house. Dog put a large pot of water on the fire, so that when it was hot, they could put Goat in it. But Dog had the task to go and see if the water was hot. Every time Tiger sent him, he came and answered that the water was not yet hot, because he had a turn of heart. He had become sorry for Goat. So when Tiger sent him to see if the water was hot, Dog asked Tiger, he said, ‘It is best you go and look this time.’ Tiger said, ‘All right.’

When Tiger went away, Dog and Goat set out on a run. When Tiger returned, he saw that Goat and Dog were gone. So Tiger knew what Dog did. He set out to run after them.

Dog and Goat ran until they came to a creek. But now, what was Dog to do with Goat? Because Goat did not know how to swim. Dog said, ‘Friend Goat, you know what I am going to do with you? I will dig a large hole, then I will put you in it. Then I will fill it in again, but I will leave the horns out.’² Dog did so. When he was through, he crossed to the other side.

A little later Tiger came to the creek, and he saw Dog on the other side. But Tiger himself was afraid of water. So Dog was on the other side, and Tiger was ashamed. Tiger said, ‘You boy Dog, where did you put Goat?’ He said, ‘I don't know. Goat went to the bush.’ Dog said, ‘Father Tiger, you are angry at me, no?’ Tiger said, ‘You boy, if I catch you, I will show you.’ At once Dog answered Tiger, said, ‘Father Tiger, if you are really angry at me, take the two sticks and fling them at me.’³

Tiger in anger snatched the two sticks, which were⁴ Goat's horns, and he flung them to the other side, in order to strike Dog. When they fell on the other side, Tiger saw that it was Goat.

And that same anger is the reason why tigers cannot see goats and dogs without seeking to eat them.

1 Told by 6. For comparative references, see Tale 18.

2 Lit., ‘in the air’.

3 Lit., ‘fling strike me’.

4 Lit., ‘all that were...’