Suriname folk-lore

31.

Anąnsi bɛn go na Konu hoso, a tai̯g' Konu, taki ɛ̨ŋ rei̯ Tigri. Konu taki, ‘Yu sową p'kin, p'kin Anąnsi! Na wąn lei̯-tɔri fō yu. Mi n'ɛ bribi yu. Mi sɑ ɑksi Tigri.’ A taki, ‘Konu, yu kąn bribi mi. Yu sɑ si taki na tru.’ Konu sɛn' wąn bɔskopu gi na Tigri sɛn' kari hɛm fō a kɔm yɛre wą' sani. Tigri bɛn brei̯t' so tɛ... fō di a ką' go na Konu hoso. A dɛ̨ŋki, ‘Sɔrt' bɔskopu Konu sɑ habi fō mi?’ Ma di a go 'a Konu hoso nąŋga so wąn presiri hati, Konu aksi hɛm taki, ‘Tigri, yu sowąn trąŋga bɩgi meti, yu sɑ meki p'kin, p'kin Anąnsi rei̯ yu?’ Tigri hatibrɔ̨', a taki, ‘Konu, mi dɛ gowɛ wąntɛ wąntɛ, mek' Anąnsi kɔm, bikasi a lei̯ gi mi.’

A yurutɛm wąn fō den p'kin fō Anąnsi bɛn dɛ a strati de prei̯, a miti Tigri 'a pasi. A taki, ‘Yu boi̯, pɛ yu tata dɛ? Mi dɛ go sɔri hɛm lei̯ gi mi tidɛ.’ Ala dati Anąnsi bɛn tai̯gi 'a boi̯ kaba. Anąnsi taki hɛm, ‘Ɛf' yu si mi Tata Tigri, kaba aksi fō mi, dąn yu mu' tai̯gi hɛm, taki mi dɛ sɩki, mi habi trąŋga kɔrsu.’ So na boi̯ piki Tigri taki, ‘Mi Tata Tigri, mi papa sɩki, a i bei̯fi nąŋga kɔrsu na hoso.’ Tigri taki, ‘M' n' habi trɔbi. Ma a mu' kɔm na Konu hoso nąŋga mi, awas' mi tyari hɛm srefi.’

Tigri kɔm na Anąnsi hoso, a tak', ‘Sa Akuba, pɛ 'a boi̯ Anąnsi dɛ?’ Akuba taki, ‘Mi Tata, a i sɩki, kɔrsu dɛ mor' hɛm.’ Tigri tak' ‘Pɛ a dɛ? Mek' mi go shi 'ɛ̨m.’ Akuba tyari Tata Tigri go na ɩnisei̯ na Anąnsi bɛdɛ. Tigri aksi hɛm taki, ‘Yu boi̯ Anąnsi, sąn yu go tak' 'a Konu hoso?’ Anąnsi piki hɛm taki, ‘Mi Tata Tigri, mi dɛ sɩki. Ma Konu lei̯ gi mi, mi no tak' so.’ Tigri taki, ‘Mi n'a trobi, ma kɔm nąŋga mi na Konu hoso.’ Anąnsi piki hɛm taki, ‘Tyɛ! Mi Tata Tigri, luku fa mi dɛ bei̯fi. Mi no mąŋ waka. Yu no wakti tɛ mi kɔm bɛtrɛ?’ Tigri taki, ‘No, no, mi no ką' wakti. Yu mu' kɔm nō, tide srɛfi.’ Anąnsi taki, ‘Wɛ, mi Tata, mi no mąŋ waka, fa mi dɛ go waka go na Konu hoso?’ Tigri taki, ‘Wɛ, kɔm sidǫ' na mi baka. Mi sɑ tyari yu.’ Anąnsi taki, ‘Wɛ, mi Tata, mi 'a' wan p'kin saka di̯a, nąŋga wan dei̯ką. Yu no kąn mek' mi tek'

[p. 202]

hɛm fō te mi dɛ kɔru?’ Tigri taki, ‘A bǫn, tek' hɛm. Ma yu mu' kɔm wantɛm, wantɛm.’ Anąnsi krɛ̨ŋ na na Tigri baka, dą' Tigri tek' pasi. Dą' den gowe na Konu hoso.

Anąnsi dɛ seksek' hɛm srefi na Tigri baka. Tigri taki, ‘Yu boi̯, są' yu mek' so? Sidǫ' bǫ'!’ Anąnsi taki, ‘Mi Tata, na kɔrsu. Mi habi wąn sani di̯a. Yu no wani mek' mi pɔt' gi yu na yu mɔfo so mi kɔm wan p'kin stei̯fi te mi hɔri hɛm?’ Tigri taki, ‘A bǫ'.’ Tigri dɛ waka baka hesi hesi.

Anąnsi seksek' hɛm srɛfi baka. Tigri taki, ‘Yu boi̯ Anąnsi, są' yu mek' so? Yu dɛnk' te yu dɛ mek' so, mi n'e go tyari yu na Konu hoso fō sɔri yu fa yu dɛ lei̯?’ Anąnsi taki, ‘Tye! Mi Tata, mi 'a' wąn sani di̯a lei̯k' wąn sadri. Yu no ką' mek' mi sütu mi futu go na ɩnisei̯, dą' mi ką' sidǫn wą' p'kin mɔro bɛtre?’ Tigri taki, ‘Mi n'a trɔbi. Du są' yu wani, ma yu mu' go na Konu hoso.’ Anąnsi wer' 'a sadri gi Tigri.

Den waka wą bǫ' pis' baka, Anąnsi si Konu hoso na ɛ̨ŋ fesi farawɛ. A bɩgɩn sekseki ɛ̨ŋ srɛfi baka. A dɛ bei̯fi. Tigri taki, ‘Yu boi̯, są' yu dɛ mek' so? Di yu si Konu hoso, yu bɩgɩn bei̯fi, no? Mi dɛ go puru lei̯ gi yu.’ Anąnsi taki, ‘Mi Tata, na bei̯fi, mi ɛ bei̯fi na kɔrsu, nąŋga wąn p'kin maskita 'ɛ bet' mi.’ Tigri taki, ‘Mi no tai̯g' yu kaba mi no ha' trɔbi? Yu bei̯fi, ɛf' yu no bei̯fi, yu mu' go. Yu no si Konu hoso 'a yu fesi?’ Anąnsi taki, ‘Mi Tata, wą' lasti sani mi'ɛ go bɛgi yu. Mi'a' wąn p'kin wɩpi di̯a. Yu no kąn mek' mi nak' den maskita nąŋga hɛm? Dąn mi no sɑ bei̯fi so mɛni mɔro.’ Tigri taki, ‘A bǫ'. Mi n'a trobi. Mi tyar' yu go na Konu hoso sɔri fa yu lei̯ gi mi bɩgi, bɩgi man.’

Anąnsi fɩri taki ɛ̨ŋ weri tɔ̨ gi Tigri, nąŋga sadri, habi wɩpi na hɛm hanu. 'A yurtɛm Anąnsi si den suma na barkɔ̨' fō Konu, a wɩpi Tigri dri tɛtei̯. Tigri dyɔmpo na lɔktu. Anąnsi taki, ‘Kǫn, kǫn!’ Tigri hatibrɔ̨n. Tigri dɛ lɔ̨'. Anąnsi dɛ hɔri na tɔ̨ nō mō gi hɛm, ɛn a de bari, ‘Konu, Konu, kɔm luku, Anąnsi 'ɛ rei̯ Tigri.’ Tigri bɛn syɛm so tɛ... ma Anąnsi bɛn rei̯ hɛm kaba.

31. Anansi Rides Tiger.²

Anansi went to the King's house, and he said to the King that he rode Tiger. The King said, ‘So little a spider as you! This is one of your lies. I do not believe you. I will ask Tiger.’ He said, ‘King, you can believe me. You will see that it is true.’ The King sent a message to Tiger to call him to come and hear something. Tiger was happy so till... that he could go to the King's house. He thought, ‘What kind of a message will the King have for me?’ But as he went to the King's house with such pleasant feelings, the King asked him, said, ‘Tiger, you are such a strong and big animal and you allow little Anansi to ride you?’ Tiger was angry, and he said, ‘King, I am going at once, at once, to make Anansi come, because he lied about me.’

As one of Anansi's children was playing in the street, he met Tiger on the road. He said, ‘You boy, where is your father? I am going to show him how he lied about me today.’ All that [meanwhile] Anansi had told the boy already. Anansi had said to him, ‘If you see Father Tiger, the moment he asks you for me, then you must tell him that I am sick, and that I have high fever.’ So the boy answered Tiger, said, ‘Father Tiger, my father is sick. He is at home shaking with fever.’ Tiger said, ‘That doesn't bother me. But he must come to the King's house with me, even if I must carry him.’

Tiger came to Anansi's house, and he said, ‘Sa Akuba, where is the boy Anansi?’ Akuba said, ‘Father, he is sick, fever has gripped him.’ Tiger said, ‘Where is he? Let me go see him.’ Akuba took Tiger to Anansi's bed. Tiger asked him, said, ‘You boy Anansi, what did you go and say at the King's house?’ Anansi answered him, said, ‘Father Tiger, I am sick. The King lied about me, I did not say that.’ Tiger said, ‘That doesn't bother me. But come with me to the King's house.’ Anansi answered him, said, ‘Tye! Father Tiger, look how I am trembling. I cannot travel. Can you wait until I am better?’ Tiger said, ‘No, no. I cannot wait. You must come now, this very day.’ Anansi said, ‘Well, Father, I cannot walk. How am I going to travel to the King's house?’ Tiger said, ‘Well, come sit on my back. I will

2 Told by 6. Comparative references as for preceding tale.

[p. 203]

carry you.’ Anansi said, ‘Well, Father, I have one small sack here, and a blanket. Won't you let me take them to use when I am cold?’ Tiger said, ‘All right, take them. But you must come at once, at once.’ Anansi climbed up on Tiger's back, and Tiger went on his way. Then they went to the King's house.

Anansi shook as he sat on Tiger's back. Tiger said, ‘You, boy, why do you act so? Sit still!’ Anansi said, ‘Father, it is the fever. I have something here. Won't you let me put it in your mouth, so that I might brace myself a little when I hold on to it?’ Tiger said, ‘All right.’ Tiger traveled on in great haste.

Anansi shook again. Tiger said, ‘You, boy Anansi, why do you act so? Do you think if you carry on so, I won't take you to the King's house to show how you lied?’ Anansi said, ‘Tye! Father, I have something here like a saddle. Couldn't you let me shoot my feet inside it, then I could sit a little better?’ Tiger said, ‘I don't care. Do what you like, but you must go to the King's house.’ Anansi put the saddle on Tiger.

They traveled a good piece farther, and Anansi saw the King's house some distance ahead. He began to shake himself again. He was shivering. Tiger said, ‘You boy, why are you carrying on so? When you see the King's house you begin to tremble, no? I am going to show up your lie.’ Anansi said, ‘Father, my shivering is from fever, and a small mosquito bit me [too].’ Tiger said, ‘Didn't I already tell you I don't care? Whether you shake or you don't shake, you must go. Don't you see the King's house ahead of you?’ Anansi said, ‘Father, one last thing I am going to beg of you. I have a small whip here. Couldn't you let me strike at the mosquitoes with it? Then I wouldn't shake, so much.’ Tiger said, ‘All right. I don't care. I am taking you to the King's house to show how you lied about an important man like me.’

Anansi felt for the bit he had put on Tiger, and the saddle, and he had the whip in his hand. The moment Anansi saw all the people on the King's balcony, he gave Tiger three lashes with the whip. Tiger jumped in the air. Anansi said, ‘Kon! Kon!’¹ Tiger was angry. Tiger ran. Anansi pulled at the bit all the harder, and he called, ‘King, King, come look, Anansi is riding Tiger.’ Tiger was ashamed so till... but Anansi was already riding him.

1 Imitating the sound made when driving a horse.