Suriname folk-lore

115. 'A so du wi ala.

Wąn mąn a kɔmopo na pranasi, beina 'a boto sųŋgu. Dąn di a gō na pranasi baka, a tai̯gi ɛ̨ŋ birmąn taki, ‘Watra dɛ seki na liba. Beina mi sųŋgu.’ Na birmąn taki, ‘Są' mi mu du?’

[p. 356]

No ląŋga na baka, na birmąn 'ɛ go na foto, dąn a sųŋgu na pasi. Ala ɛ̨ŋ lai̯ gowɛ. Di a kɔ̨' na pranasi, a go tai̯gi na birmąn fa a sųŋgu. Dąn 'a birmąn tai̯gi ɛ̨ŋ taki, ‘'A so du wi ala. Tra dei̯, tɛ mi bɛn tai̯g' yu taki, “Beina mi sųŋgu,” yu bɛn taki, “Są mi mu du”?’

115. No Sympathy.³

A man left the plantation, and his boat very nearly sank. Then when he returned to the plantation, he said to his neighbor, he said, ‘The river was rough. I almost sank.’ The neighbor said, ‘What can I do (about it)?’

3 Told by 1.

[p. 357]

Not long after, the neighbor went to the city, and he sank on the way. All his load was lost. When he came to the plantation, he went to tell his neighbor about how he had sunk. Then the neighbor said to him, said, ‘It will happen to all of us. The other day when I said to you, said, “I almost sank,” you answered, “What can I do (about it)”?’