Suriname folk-lore

42.

Anąnsi fen' wan wɩpi na ɔndro watra. Dą' a tyari hɛm kɔm na ɛ̨ŋ hoso. Ma te yu tai̯g na wɩpi taki, ‘Mi wɩpi, opo,’ dą' ala sɔrtu nyam kɔm na tap' tafra.

Dą' Anąnsi no wani meki den pikin fō ɛ̨ŋ nąŋga ɛ̨ŋ umą sabi. Dąn a dɛ go ɛ̨ŋ wąwan na tapu na sɔdro; dąn te a nyąm, dąn a dɛ kɔm. Ma wan fō den pikin kɩbri luku ɛ̨ŋ san a dɛ du, dąn di Anąnsi gowɛ, dąn na pikin teki den trawan, dąn den go na tapu na sɔdro. Dąn den tai̯g' na kravasi, ‘Mi kravasi opo.’ Dąn di na kravasi opo, dąn ala sɔrtu nanyąm kɔm na tapu tafra. Dąn den nyąm.

Ma di Anąnsi kɔm, dąn a sabi. Dąn ɛ̨ŋ hatibrɔ̨n. Dąn a taki, ‘Mi 'ɛ go sar' hɛm.’ Dąn a go, a teki na kravasi a pɔri ɛ̨ŋ. Dąn den pikin go baka. Dąn di den taki, ‘Mi kravasi opo,’ no mo kravasi bɩgin wɩp' den. Dąn den bɩgin lɔ̨'. 'A kravasi wɩpi den lɔ̨' 'a den baka.

'A dati hɛdɛ meki Anąnsi kɩbri na ɩni pɔst' hɔro tɛ tidɛ.

42. The Magic Whip.¹

Anansi found a whip under the water. Then he brought it to his house. But when you said to the whip, said, ‘My whip, open,’ then all sorts of food came to the table.

Then Anansi did not wish to have his children and his wife know about it. Then he alone went on the ceiling; then when he had eaten, he came down. But one of his children hid to see what he was doing, and when Anansi went away, then the child took the others and they went upstairs. Then they said to the whip, ‘My whip, open.’ Then when the whip opened, all sorts of food came to the table. Then they ate.

But when Anansi came he knew of this. Then he was angry. Then he said, ‘I am going to show them.’ Then he went and took the whip and spoiled it. Then the children went back. Then when they said, ‘My whip, open,’ instantly the whip began to whip them. Then they began to run. The whip ran after them, beating them.

That is why Anansi (spiders) hide in post holes until today.

1 Told by 1. Comparative references as for the preceding tale, and in addition, for Gold Coast (Ashanti), see Rattray (I) 213-219, No. 55.