Suriname folk-lore

77. Pikį Puspusi nąnga Pikį Alata.

Pikį' Puspusi nąŋga pikį' Alata bɛn dɛ bɩgi mati. Ala dei̯ dɛm dɛ go prei̯ makandra. Ma Alata no bɛn sabi-taki ɛ̨ŋ na Puspusi s'ti-mɔfo, en Puspusi sɛrɛfi no bɛn sabi-taki Alata na ɛ̨ŋ s'ti-mɔfo.

Ma wąn dei̯ di Pikį' Alata kɔ̨' na 'oso, ɛ̨ŋ mama ɑksi ɛ̨ŋ taki, ‘Nąŋga suma yu de prei̯?’ A taki, ‘Nąŋga mati pikin Puspusi.’ Ɛn na sɛrefi tɛ̨' di Puspusi bɛn gowe na 'oso, ɛ̨ŋ mama ɑksi ɛ̨ŋ taki, ‘Nąŋga suma yu dɛ prei̯?’ A taki, ‘Naŋga pikin Alata.’ No, Alata mama tai̯g' gi ɛm taki, ‘Yu no mu' pre' nąŋga pikį' Puspusi mɔro, bika' yu na hɛm s'ti mɔfo.’ Ɛn da sɛrefi yuru, tu, mama Puspusi bɛn dɛ tai̯g' gi' pikin Puspusi taki, ‘Yu dɔ̨' mą' yu, yu no sabi taki na yu s'ti mɔfo? Tɛ yu de prei̯ nąŋga hɛm, yu muso naki 'ɛm.’

Na tamara, di dem kɔ̨' na strati, no mō pikin Puspusi kari mat' Alata taki, ‘Yu n'e kɔm pre nąŋga mi mɔro?’ No mō pikin Alata piki 'ɛm taki, ‘ai̯, bai̯ya, bɩgi suma dɛ na yu kɔndre, ɛn bɩgi suma dɛ na mi kɔndre tu.’

77. Enemy Playmates: Kitten and Rat.²

Kitten and little Rat were great friends. Every day they went to play together. But Rat did not know that he was Cat's favorite food, and Kitten himself did not know that Rat was his favorite food.

But one day, when little Rat came home, his mother asked him, said, ‘With whom do you play?’ He said, ‘With friend Kitten.’ And at the same time, when Kitten went home, his mother asked him, said, ‘With whom do you play?’ He said, ‘With little Rat.’ Now Rat's mother said to him, said, ‘You must not play with Kitten any more, because you are his favorite food.’ And the same hour, also, mother Cat was saying to Kitten, saying, ‘You stupid fellow, don't you know that he is your delicacy? When you play with him, you must strike him.’

The next day, no sooner did they come on the street than Kitten called friend Rat, said, ‘Aren't you coming to play with me any more?’ At once little Rat answered him, said, ‘Yes, brother, there are wise people³ in your village, and there are wise people in my village, too.’

2 Told by 1. Comparative references as for the preceding tale.

3 Lit., ‘big people’.