Suriname folk-lore

[p. 346]

107.

Te wą' mą' no sabi naki na poku, a taki 'a poku n'e bǫn.

Wą' mąn go luku wąn dąnsi, ma di dɛ i dąnsi, dan nō mō a i tai̯gi dɛm trawąn taki, na poku no dɛm nak' bǫ'. Ma na poku bɛn dɛ naki bǫ'. Ma na suma di bɛn naki 'a poku yɛre sąn a taki, dan a kari hɛ̨m a taki, ‘Mi dɛ go luku wą' sani, kɔm naki pikinso gi mi.’ Ma di a go, dan den suma no mąŋ fō dąnsi, bika' a no dɛ naki na poku bǫ'. Di na suma di bɛn dɛ naki na poku kɔm, a taki, ‘Wɛ, baya, fa a de nō mō na mąn taki na poku no bǫ', ma a no bɛn sabi fō naki hɛm?’ Dąn na trawąn bɛn wani fō firi hɛm; na dɑti meki a bɛn kali hɛm kɔm naki na poku.

[p. 347]

107. The Boastful Drummer.¹

When a man does not know how to play the drum, he says the drum is not good.

A man went to watch a dance, but when they were dancing, then he at once said to the others, said, the drum was not being played well. But the drum was being played well. But the man who was playing the drum heard what he said, and he called to him and he said, ‘I am going to look for something, come and play a little for me.’ But when he went, then the people could not dance, because he did not play the drum well. When the man who had been playing the drum came, he said, ‘Well brother, how is it that the man said the drumming was not good, but he does not know (how) to play it?’ [For] the other had wanted to test him; that was why he had called him to come and play the drum.

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