Suriname folk-lore

128.

Kri, kra! Harki tɔri!
Opo yei̯si drapɛ! Yɛre tɔri!
Mąn dɛ! Kri, kra!

Wąn mama bɛn dɛ, a bɛn habi wąn pɔti p'kin boi̯. 'A boi̯ no bɛn habi krosi na hɛm s'kin. Ɛn 'a mama bɛn habi dri hagu dɛ̨' kweki. Wąn dɛ dąnsi apuku. Wąn dɛ dąnsi susa. Wąn dɛ dąnsi walsi. Wɛ, di na pina kɔm kɩsi, na mama a tai̯gi na boi̯, ɛn na boi̯ bɛn nem Boni-boni...

Harki dɛ!
Na tɔri sɑ go!
Na tɔri mus' kąn go!
Ma na tɔri habi moximɔlyɔn nąŋga syuba-syuba.

... Wɛ, di pina bɛn kɩs', na mama a tai̯gi na boi̯, a taki, ‘Wɛ, mi boi̯, mi srefi si yu no habi nɔtį fō nyąm. Dą' tek' na wąn hagu dɩs' di dąnsi apuku, tyari go seri hɛm, mek' wi kąn feni nanyąm.’

[p. 402]

Ma, sɛns na hagu bɛn dɛ p'kin, na boi̯ bɛn leri hɛm dąnsi.

Bato!

Sɩ̨ŋ', sɩ̨ŋ', mi dɩndyamaka,

Sɩ̨ŋ', sɩ̨ŋ', mi dɩndyamaka,

Sani sɑ dɛ, mi dɩndyamaka. ¹

... Wɛ, mi mąn, na so na boi̯ bɛn tek' na wąn hagu di dɛ dąnsi apuku, a bɛn tyari hɛm fō go seri.

Ma nō, krɔsibei̯ fō na kɔndre bɛn habi wąn prɩncɛs. 'A prɩncɛs a moi̯. A bɛn hąnsi mɔro sɔ̨n. Mɔro yu dɛ luku hɛm, mɔro a dɛ hąnsi. Ma di na boi̯ sɑ dɔro na na kɔndre krɔsibei̯, wąn-tu sɔrdati sɑ tap' hɛm, taki, ‘Boi̯, pɛ yu dɛ go? Dapɛ suma no mąŋ pasa.’

So na prɩncɛs a bɛn waka na ɩni dyari, a si na boi̯ nąŋga na hagu. So a bɛn kari na boi̯, a taki hɛm lɔbi na hagu, ɑksi na boi̯ sąn 'a hagu dɛ du. A taki, ‘Na hagu dɩsi, a dąnsi apuku.’ Dą' a tai̯gi na boi̯, taki, ‘Wɛ, mek' a dąnsi.’

Ɛn no ɛf' na hagu bɩgin fō dąnsi wɩnti, ala suma dɛ lɔ̨'. A dɛ wąn presiri fō si. Ɛn na wɩnti sɩ̨ŋgi fō na hagu:

Yɔrka d'a sabana,
Pɛ a dɛ?
Yorka wɛri wei̯ti,
Pɛ a dɛ?
Yɔrka d'a sabana,
A dɛ 'a bɛri-pɛ.
Yɔrka wɛri wei̯ti,
A dɛ 'a bɛri-pɛ.

So 'a prɩncɛs ɑksi na boi̯, ‘Hau̯mɛni yu wani fō na hagu?’ Na boi̯ taki, ‘Ah, mi prɩncɛs, mi no wani mɔni. Ma, ɛf' yu wani du mi wąn presiri, dąn mek' mi si yu bɔbi, dąn mi sɑ gi yu na hagu.’ Na prɩncɛs luku hɛm, a lafu. A taki, ‘Tɔx, yu dɛ na lau̯ boi̯. Yu suku nanyąm, yu suku bɔbi?’ Ma na prɩncɛs a bɛn lɔbi na hagu, so a bɛn sɔri na boi̯ hɛm bɔbi. Ɛn sąn na bɔbi bɛn dɛ, mi mąn? Tu gotu bɔbi. So na boi̯ bɛn habi wąn p'kin buku, a skrifi hɛm na ɩni na buku.

Ɛn so, di na boi̯ go na hoso, hangri na bɛn mɔro na mama tumusi, ɛn 'a yurtɛm na mama aksi hɛm, ‘Boni-boni, pɛ na hagu dɛ? Yu sɛri hɛm kaba?’ na boi̯ tak', ‘No, mi mama, na 'agu lusu na mi 'anu. Mi suk so tɛ ... Mi no mąŋ kɩs' ɛ̨ŋ.’ 'A mama go tek' wąn tɩki, ɛn tak', ‘Ɛf' yu no kyɛ' na 'agu kɔm, mi sɑ brok' yu 'ɛdɛ nąŋga wąn tɩki.’ So na boi̯ bɛn frede. A lɔ̨' gowɛ, go kɩbri ɛŋ...

1 Told by 4. Compare Santo Domingo, Andrade 47-48, No. 22. The resemblance may be noted of the motif of locking the three characters in the room to the West African theme of locking a suitor with the girl he wishes in a room for five, eight, or ten days, during which he must go without food, as, e.g., in Tremearne (III) 336-338.

[p. 404]

 

Harki tɔri!

 

Ɛ̨' yɛre tɔri!

 

Suma sɑ tek' mi tɔri tya' go baka, a sɑ trǫ' wą' marmustǫ!

... So na m'ma bɛn kali ɛ̨ŋ baka, a tai̯gi, ‘Boni-boni, mi p' kin.’ A bɛn dɛ wąn boi̯ fō tɩ̨n-na-sei̯bi yari. A taki, ‘Luku, mi dɛ bɛgi yu, luku fa mi no 'abi fō nyąm. Luku fa wi dɛ pina, ɛn tek' na wąn 'agu dɩsi, dɩsi dɛ dąnsi walsi, dąn yu dɛ go ser' ɛ̨ŋ. Ma tąŋgi, tąŋgi, no mek' a lusu mɔro gowɛ.’ Ɛn so na boi̯ bɛn teki pasi baka. A bɛn dɔro na ɩn' na prɩncɛs kɔndre baka...

Kri, kri! Ala mąn n'ɛ̨' kra, kra!
Ɛn so, na boi̯ bɛn sɩ̨ŋgi gi na 'agu -

Selina fanei̯da

San 'ɛdɛ yu dɛ krei̯?

Yu lɔb' mi fō mi mɔni,

Ma i no lɔb' mi fō mi parson,

Na dati yu dɛ krei̯.

Bato! 'A tɔri mus' kąn go!
A habi maxmɔriɔn nąŋga shuba, shuba.

... Wɛ, mi mąn, a di na prɩncɛs si na twei̯dɛ 'agu, a taki, ‘Boni-boni, mi boi̯, sɛr' dɩsi gi' mi, ɛn somɛni mɔni yu wani mi sɑ pai̯ yu f' ɛm. Ma nɔiti mi si wąn 'agu dans' lei̯k wąn libi suma!’ Ɛf' na 'agu dąns wąn walsi di̯a, yu 'ɛ firi na wɩ̨nti fō na 'agu tɛ na strati. Na boi̯ tak', ‘Ax, mi prɩncɛs, mi no kąn sɛr' ɛ̨ŋ gi' yu.’ Ɛn na boi̯ bɩgɩn lafu. 'A boi̯ taki, ‘Mi prɩncɛs, mi bɛgi yu wąn sani, ma 'i no sabi ɛf' yu sɑ wani. Mi wani mɛk' mi si yu komba. Dąn mi gi yu na 'agu fō soso.’ Ɛn na prɩncɛs luk' ɛ̨ŋ, a taki, ‘Tɔx, yu na wąn soso boi̯. Yu no kąn mąn dɛ nɔtį nąŋga mi. Wɛ, mi sɑ sɔri yu.’ Ma di na prɩncɛs sɔr' ɛ̨ŋ, sąn a sɔr' ɛ̨ŋ wą' kalbon komba. Na boi̯ lafu, a gi' na prɩncɛs na 'agu.

Nō, den prɩncɛs a bɛn kɩs' tu 'agu k'ba, wąn den dąns' wɩnti apuku, ɛn wąn dɛ dąns walsi. Ɛn so na boi̯ bɛn skrif' na ɩn' na buku baka...

Arki tɔri, mi mąn!
Arki tɔri!
Anansi-tɔri mąn di̯aso!

Ɛn so na boi̯ gowe n'a m'ma baka, ɛn a tai̯gi ɛ̨ŋ m'ma, a taki, ‘Mi m'ma, no fredɛ. Gudu yuru sɑ kɔm.’ A tak', ‘Ma mi m'ma,

[p. 406]

yu s'rɛf si mi no 'abi krosi. Ma mi bɛg' yu, meki moiti. Yu bai̯ wąn brau̯ yas gi mi, nąŋga wą' bruku, wąn krɔmpu gi mi.’ 'A m'ma tak', ‘A bǫn, mi p'kin.’

So na boi̯ da 'abi wąn tra 'agu, di meki dri, dą' a i dąnsi susa. Ɛf' n'agu naki ɛ̨ŋ futu na grɔ̨', 'a grɔ̨n dɛ priti fō n' agu kɔ̨' dąns' so moi̯. Ma, di na m'ma dɛ sribi, a so na boi̯ tek' na 'agu, a gowe na s'ref prɩncɛs kɔndre baka. Ɛn dapɛ a b'gɩn sɩ̨ŋgi na susa, sɩ̨ŋgi gi' n'agu fō' na dąnsi:

Aleisi-ɛ fadǫ',
Kɔm piki ɛm, ba,
Sani dɛ.
Aleisi-ɛ fadǫ',
Kɔm piki ɛm, ba.

ai̯, di na prɩncɛs si dɑti, a presiri a no fō taki. A tak' na 'agu a mus' 'abi. Ɛ̨ŋ a lɔbi na 'agu tɛ ... a lɔbi libi-abra. Ɛn nō, na prɩncɛs kar' ɛm, ɛn taki, ‘Boni-boni, mi boi̯, awis' nei̯gi 'ɔndro xɔldō dat' mi dɛ gi 'i f'ɛ̨ŋ.’ A taki, ‘No, no, mi prɩncɛs, mi no kąn sɛr' ɛ̨ŋ gi' yu.’ 'A boi̯ lafu, 'a boi̯ tak', ‘Mi prɩncɛs, mi bɛg' yu wąn sani dat' yu sɑ du, mi prɩncɛs.’ Prɩncɛs tak', ‘Wɛ, sąn sɑ dɛ dati, mi boi̯.’ A taki, ‘Mi prɩncɛs, mi wani si yu botu.’ Ma na botu fō na prɩncɛs bɛn 'abi wą' gotu kɛti nąŋga spri w'wiri. Ɛn so na boi̯ gowe, a gi' na prɩncɛs na 'agu.

Ɛn na boi̯ bɛn dɛ. Na boi̯ bɛn dopo na Lɔ̨nsu Kirki, ɛn na boi̯ bɛn lɔbi fō bikti. Ɛn nō, te 'a boi̯ go na 'oso nō, a mek' 'ɛm mama mek' wąn blau̯ bruku, nąŋga wąn blau̯ yas gi' ɛm. Ɛn wąn af' yuru na baka, wąn masra, nąŋga ɛ̨' sei̯ birmąn sɑ kari ɛ̨' m'ma taki, ɛ̨ŋ lei̯si na kɔranti taki, wąn prɩncɛs habi dri sani na ɛ̨ŋ s'kin, ma suma sab' den frag fō pur' den sani di dɛ na ɩn' na prɩncɛs s'kin, ɛ̨ŋ sɑ tro nąŋga 'ɛm, ɛn kɩs' na kɔndre.

Ɛn so na boi̯ a bɛn yeri dɑti. So wąn Sɔnde na boi̯ go na bɩkti na pater. Ɛn nō, na boi̯ bɩgin fō bɩkti gi' pater. Pater ɑks' ɛ̨ŋ tak', ‘Mi boi̯, luku fa i ɛ pina. Ɛf' yu bɛn mąŋ pur' den san' na prɩncɛs s'kin 'i bɛn sɑ puru!’ Ma nō, na boi̯ tak', ‘Pater, yu wani mi tai̯g' yu są' na fɔsi wąn?’ Pater taki, ‘Yu no sab' nɔtį, mąn.’ 'A boi̯ tai̯gi, ‘Mi wan' tai̯g' są' na fɔsi wąn.’ A tak', ‘Tai̯g' mi, nō.’ A taki...

Arki tori!

... ‘Pater, mek' mi tak' yu tɔri. 'A fɔs san' di na prɩncɛs habi, a tu diamanti bobi.’ Al' a bɛn tai̯g' den pater, a tek' 'ɛm buku, a

[p. 408]

skrifi. A tak', ‘Boni-boni, sąn mɔro?’ A tak', ‘Pater, mi no sab' mɔro, yɛri?’...

Wɛ, mi mąn, 'a tɔr' sɑ go!

... Wɛ, Mɔ̨nde, dem go pur' na frag na prɩncɛs kɔndre. Ala den bɩgi bakra mu' go pu' frag. Pater na fɔsi wąn. Boni-boni weri ɛ̨ŋ p'kin blau̯ yas, ɛ̨ŋ p'kin blau̯ bruku, ɛ̨ŋ krɔmpo, bɛn dɛ wą' pɔti boi̯. 'A tɛm dɑti, pater 'abi bɩgi baruba. Ma di den dɔro na prɩncɛs kɔndre fō pur' na frag, pater na fɔs' wąn di na go na ɩni fō pur' na frag. A yeri sąn na boi̯ taki, 'a dɑti a go taki fō puru. Wɛ, a di pater go fō puru na frag, dem aksi ɛ̨ŋ, ‘Sąn' na da fɔsi sani di prɩncɛs 'abi?’ Pater laf'. A tak', ‘Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! Na fɔs' sani? Ax, na tu diamanti bobi.’ Pɛ Konu 'ɛ tɛnapu, a skreki tɛ 'i skreki libi-abrą. Aksi pater, ‘San na ɛ̨' twei̯de wą'?’ Pater prakseri, a tak' so nɔtį tɛ pater b'gin skreki. A ben skrek' so tɛ ... fō dɛdɛ. A no bɛn mąŋ sidǫ' mɔro.

Ɛn di dę' kar', den kar' na boi̯. Dę' taki, ‘Yu boi̯, yu sɑ mąŋ pur' frag? San yu kɔ̨ du di̯aso!’ A taki, ‘Mi sɑ pur' frag tɛ ... frag libi-abrąŋ.’ A taki, ɛ̨ŋ puru mɔro lei̯k' den dɛ̨ŋki. Konu tak', ‘Są na fɔs' sani dat' na prɩncɛs 'abi?’ A tak', ‘Ah, Koni, na fɔs san' di prɩncɛs habi? Tu diamanti bobi.’ Koni naki ɛ̨ŋ futu gi' 'a boi̯, ‘Tapu yu mɔfo. Dati yu yɛri pater taki diɔnsro.’ 'A boi̯ taki, ‘Na mi s'refi bɛ̨' tai̯g' pater a bɩktri.’ Pater skrek' so tɛ fō dɛdɛ. Aks' na boi̯ sąn na da twei̯di wą'. ‘Na twei̯dɛ wąn na karbɔnkle komba.’ Pɛ Konu tinapu, a skrei̯ki, a hari ɛ̨ŋ 'ɛdɛ wiwiri, fō wąn pikin mu' pur' so wąn frag. ‘Ɛn na derd' wąn?’ Konu taki, ‘Są' na dɛrdɛ wą'?’ A taki, ‘Na dɛrdɛ wąn, mi Konu, wąn gotu kɛti nąŋga gotu sɛnari spri' wiwiri.’

Al' dem bakra skreki. A opo na boi̯ nąŋga situru na tapu fō prisiri. Ma tɔx den fen' taki na boi̯ no fɩti fō tro nąŋga na prɩnces. Dę' wani meki pater fō tro nąŋga prɩncɛs. Ɛn so dę' gi' na boi̯ fei̯f' ɔndro xoldu fō a go nyąm. Ɛn na Konu taki dem, a taki na boi̯ nąŋga pater, a tak', ‘Tamara nei̯ti, tin' yuru, mi sɑ s'rotu yu nąŋga pater nąŋga prɩncɛs na ɩn' wąn kamera. Prɩncɛs sɑ dɛ na mɩndri, pater na leti 'anu, en Boni-boni na kruptu 'anu. Ɛn fei̯fi yuru mamąntɛn, suma di mi si prɩncɛs sɑ 'brasa, dat' sɑ trō nąŋg' i, kɩsi na heri kɔndre.’...

[p. 410]

 

Bato!

 

Kri, kra! Dą' i tak' wąn trǫn,

 

Anąnsi kɔni, kɔni, kɔni mąn,

 

Kɔni dɛ mɔro mi.

So na boi̯ dɔro na 'i 'oso nąŋga presiri. A yur' fō na boi̯ dɔro na 'oso, a taki, ‘Nō, m'ma, nyąm ɛn drɩ̨ŋgi, presiri. Mi wɩni feti k'ba.’ Ɛ̨ŋ presiri fō di na m'ma si na fei̯fi hɔndro xɔldu, a krei̯, a 'blasa na boi̯. Na boi̯ tak', ‘Mi m'ma, n'a' fredɛ. Teki dɩsi. Tamara mi go fet' wąn mɔro bɩgi feti.’ So na boi̯ du, mi mąn. A dɛ aksi ɛ̨ŋ m'ma tin xoru. So na boi̯ dɛn go na bakri-'oso, ɛn mek' dem meki wąn paki sui̯ti-kuku, ɛn a meki wąn tra paki nąŋga shialap-kuku. Ɛn a bai̯ wąn batra lafɛndra. Ɛn a tai̯gi mama, a tai̯g' di a gō.

Ɛn so di a gō, mi mąn, a mit' na nei̯gi yuru na nei̯ti. Pater sidǫ' kaba, lei̯ki wąn grą' masra. A wakti fɔs' na yur' kɔm. So na tin' yur' na nei̯t, prɩncɛs nąŋga pater nąŋga Boni-boni, dąn dɛm seroto dɛm na ɩni wąn kamera. Na kamera bɛn moi̯ tɛ ... moi̯ libi-abra. Na bɛdi bɛn krįn, dat' a no fō taki. Wɛ, di den didǫ kaba, dą' wąn san' fō ɛlfi yur' na neti, na boi̯ prakseri na wąn Lɔ̨nsu boi̯, so pater nąŋga ɛ̨ŋ bɛn gowɛnti. Ɛn 'a boi̯ bɩgin nyąm wąn fō den paki sukru-kuku. Ɛn 'a kuku bɛn sui̯ti tɛ ... a sui̯ti den libi-abra, tɛ prɩncɛs s'rɛfi na lɔstu na kuku fō na boi̯. Ma prɩncɛs prei̯ lei̯k' a bɛn sribi. 'A boi̯ taki, ‘Sribi na dɛdɛ, umą kiri mąn.’

Wɛ, di pater si dɑti, a tak', ‘Boni-boni, mi boi̯, luku wąn sani 'ɛ go miti ųnu tide neti.’ A boi̯ tak', ‘Pater, 'i a leti. Ɛf' mi mąŋ opo gowe, mi sɑ gowe.’ Ma a taki, ‘Pater, ɛf' yɛ froferi, mi wą-tu sukru-kuku dia, dąn 'i tek' wąn-tu nyąm.’ Pater tak', ‘ai̯!’ Ɛn na boi̯ gi na pater wąn fō den sui̯ti kuku, a nyąm. A bɛn fen' na kuku so sui̯ti, a ɑks' na boi̯, a tak', ‘Yu 'ab mɔro?’ 'A boi̯ tak', ‘Yu wan' mɔro?’ Dąn na boi̯ gi pater nō di kuku di a meki nąŋga shalap.

Ma, dɛ wąn sani fō wąn yuru na neti, pater fir' ɛ̨ŋ bɛr' b'gin hati ɛ̨ŋ. A tak', ‘Boni-boni, mi boi̯, mi go dɛdɛ dia. Fu wą' prɩncɛs 'ɛdɛ mi no wąn' dɛdɛ, ɛn yu mu' prakser' tak' na 'oso sroto, so ląŋga Konu no kɔm op' ɛ̨ŋ a no ką' opo.’ So di pater fir' ɛ̨ŋ bɛri 'ati ɛ̨ŋ, ɛ̨ŋ a tai̯g' na boi̯, a tak', ‘Boni-boni, 'i sab' są'? Mi 'ɛ go mɔrso na ɩn' na 'oso, ma mi no kąn lɛpi.’ Dą' nō, Boni-boni a go lei̯, a tak', ‘Mi Gadō, pater! Mi brib' den go kir' ųnu dia. Wɛ, mi s'rɛf' a dɛ fo du, tu.’

[p. 412]

Lei̯k' mi dɛ tai̯g' yu, pater go na baka na dɔro, a mɔrs' na bak' ɛm dɔro. Ɛn no, dia mɔrs' na bak' 'a dɔro, a no sab' są' fō du, a kɔ̨n didǫ' baka. So na 'er' kamɛra a kɔm smer' mɔrso, tɛ prɩncɛs s'ref' bɛn kąn dɛdɛ.

Ɛn no, Boni-boni, a na dri yuru na nei̯ti, a sɑ tai̯g' pater, taki, ‘Mi drɩ̨ŋ na mɔrsu di pater mɔrsu dapɛ, ɛf' pater no pur' ɛ̨ŋ, dem sɑ kir' pater.’ So pater bɛn kɔm fredɛ, a taki. ‘Mi Gadu! dąn mi a fō nyąm ɛ̨'.’ Dąn na boi̯ gō lei̯ no, 'a boi̯ taki, ɛ̨ŋ s'ɛf' mus' nyąm f'i tu.

Wɛ, mi mąn, a kɔm fo yur' na neti. Na koru bɛn kɩsi prɩncɛs k'ba. Tu mąn-suma bɛn didǫ', ɛn so, so a bɛn kɩsi takru prakseri na ɛ̨ŋ 'ɛdɛ. A bɛn wani fō brasa pater. Ɛn wąn sąn' fō alfu fei̯fi mamantɛ̨' pater go, a nyąm di f'ɛ̨ŋ mɔrsu baka. Ɛn so na baka a teki figi na grǫ'. Ɛn so, wąn sąn' fō tu mɩnɩt fō fei̯fi yuru, na mei̯dji drai̯, a wan' bras' a pater, ma na smer' bɛn tumusi gi' ɛ̨ŋ, a drai̯ g'a na Boni-boni sei̯. A drai̯ g'a pater baka. A no kąn mąŋ. A yuru dati, Boni-boni a trowe lafɛndr' na ɛ̨ŋ s'kin, ɛn di na mei̯djɛ drai̯ na dri trǫ' na Boni-boni sei̯, a fei̯fi yu' na mamantɛ̨'.

Tɛ dę' opo na dɔro, den si prɩncɛs nąŋga Boni-boni fa dem brasa. So na boi̯ bɛn a fu trō nąŋga na prɩncɛs, kɩs' 'a kɔndre. Ɛn so pater ben shɛ̨m. A no bɛn mą' fō waki mɔro, fō swaki ɔr' 'ɛ̨ŋ. Ɛn na pater go pur' ɛ̨ŋ barba. Na fō dat 'ɛdɛ meki pater n'e kweki barba mɔro...

Nō, na tɔri mus' kąn go.

... Ɛn so na boi̯ bɛn trō, ɛn a kɩs' na kɔndre. En na p'pa na Konu a no bɛn dɛ tefredu fō na prɩncɛs trō nąŋga na boi̯. Ma tɔx den tro...

... Ɛn so, mi s'rɛf' bɛn nyąm 'a trō-'oso, ɛn dę' süt' mi nąŋga wą kanǫ', te mi sidǫ' di̯aso. Ɛn so na tɔri kɔm k'ba. Ɛn so na boi̯ bɛn sɩ̨ŋgi,

Ɛmɛlina, todowai̯s',
Ɛmɛlina, todowai̯sɛndɛ.

128. Riddling for the Princess: Priest's Deception: Sleeping-mat Test.

Kri, kra! Harken to the story!
Open your ears there! Hear the story!
There are men! Kri, kra!

There was a mother who had a poor son. The boy had no cloth to cover his body. And his mother had three pigs which she was raising. One danced apuku.² One danced susa.³ One danced the waltz. Well, when hard times came, the mother said to the boy, whose name was Boni-boni...

Harken!
The story will go on!
The story must go on!
But the story has moximolyon and syuba-syuba.

... Well, when hard times came, the mother said to her boy, she said, ‘Well, my boy, I myself see you have nothing to eat. Then take the pig that dances apuku, and go sell him, so that we may find some food.’

2 The name for the sacred ‘little people’ of the bush, as well as the dances for them.

3 This is recognised by natives of the bush and town as an African dance. It is danced by men only. The pantomime is that of combat with shield and spear.

[p. 403]

But, since the pig had been little, the boy had taught him to dance.

Bato!

Sing, sing, my dindyamaka,

Sing, sing, my dindyamaka,

Things will happen, my dindyamaka.¹

Well, my man, and so the boy took the pig that danced apuku, and took it away to sell.

But now near the village lived a princess. The princess was beautiful. She was handsomer than the sun. The more you looked at her, the more handsome she was. But as the boy will be approaching the neighboring kingdom, several soldiers will stop him, and say, ‘Boy, where are you going? People cannot pass there.’

So the princess was walking in the yard, and she saw the boy with the pig. She called the boy, and she said she liked the pig, and asked the boy what the pig did. He said, ‘This pig dances apuku.’ Then she said to the boy, said, ‘Well, let him dance.’

And now if the pig began to dance winti,² all the people ran. It was a pleasure to see. And the pig's winti song (was):

Ghosts are in the cemetery,
Where are they?
Ghosts wear white,
Where are they?
Ghosts are in the cemetery,
They are in the burial ground.
Ghosts wear white,
They are in the burial ground.³

So the princess asked the boy, ‘How much do you want for the pig?’ The boy said, ‘Ah! my princess, I do not want money. But, if you want to give me pleasure, then let me see your breasts, and then I will give you the pig.’ The princess looked at him, and she laughed. She said, ‘You are a silly boy. Are you looking for food, or are you looking for breasts?’ But the princess liked the pig, so she showed the boy her breasts. And what were the breasts, my man? Two golden breasts. So the boy had a small book, and he wrote it in his book.

And so, when the boy went home, the mother was suffering from hunger, and when his mother asked him, ‘Boni-boni, where is the pig? Did you sell it already?’ the boy said, ‘No, mother, the pig, it got away from my hands. I looked for him so till... (but) I could not catch him.’ The mother went to take a stick, and said, ‘If you do not bring the pig, I will break your head with a stick.’ So the boy was afraid. He ran away, and hid himself....

1 Song No. 121. Dɩndyamaka is the porcupine.

2 I.e., began to dance for a spirit.

3 Song No. 124.

[p. 405]

 

Harken to the story!

 

And listen to the story!

 

He who takes this story, and repeats it, will turn to marble!

So the mother called him again. She said, ‘Boni-boni, my son.’ He was a seventeen year old boy. She said, ‘Look, I beg you, look how I have nothing to eat. Look how we are suffering, and take this pig, this one that dances waltz, and go sell him. But please, please, do not let him get loose again and run away.’ And so the boy took his path again, and he came once more to the kingdom of the princess...

Kri, kra! All men on their kra, kra!
And so, the boy sang to the pig -

Selina fanaida

Why do you cry?

You love me for my money,

But you do not love me for myself,

That is why you cry.¹

Bato! The story must go on!
It has maxmorion and shuba, shuba.²

Well, my man, when the princess saw the second pig, she said, ‘Boni-boni, my boy, sell me this, and I will pay you for him as much money as you want. But [for] never did I see a pig dance like a human being!’ If the pig danced a waltz here, you felt the pig's winti as far as the street. The boy said, ‘Ah, my princess, I cannot sell him to you.’ And the boy began to laugh. The boy said, ‘Ah! my princess, I beg of you one thing, but I do not know if you will agree. I want you to let me see your navel. Then I will give you the pig for nothing.’ And the princess looked at him, and she said, ‘You are still only a boy. You cannot do anything with me. Well, I will show you.’ But when the princess showed him, what she showed him was a black diamond navel. The boy laughed; and he gave the princess the pig.

Now the princess had got two pigs already, one that danced apuku winti, and one that danced waltz. And so the boy wrote in the book again....

Harken to the story, my man!
Harken to the story!
An Anansi-story teller is here!

And so the boy went to his mother again, and he said to his mother, he said, ‘Mother, don't be afraid. Good times will come.’

1 Song No. 146.

2 Same informant gave to these words this different pronunciation, and said that they meant ‘nice, nice’.

[p. 407]

He said, ‘But mother, you yourself see I have no clothes. But I beg you share with me. Buy me a blue coat, and a pair of breeches, and a pair of sandals.’ The mother said, ‘All right, my son.’

So the boy had another pig, which made three, and he danced susa. If the pig struck his foot on the ground, the earth burst open that a pig should come to dance so beautifully. But, while the mother was sleeping, the boy took the pig, and he went back to the kingdom of the same princess. And there he began to sing the susa song for the pig to dance:

The rice is falling,
Come pick it, brother,
Things are there.
The rice is falling,
Come pick it, brother.¹

When the princess saw that, she was pleased beyond words.² She said she must have the pig. And she loved the pig till... there was love to spare. And now, the princess called him, and said, ‘Boni-boni, my boy, I will even give you nine hundred guilders for him.’ He said, ‘No, no, my princess, I cannot sell him to you.’ The boy laughed, and the boy said, ‘Princess, I beg you to do one thing, princess.’ The princess said, ‘Well, what will that be, my boy?’ He said, ‘Princess, I want to see your thighs.’ But the princess' thighs had a gold chain and [golden] pubic hair. And so the boy went away, and he gave the princess the pig.

And the boy was there. The boy was baptized in the Roman Church, and the boy liked to confess. And now, when the boy went home now, he had his mother make him a pair of blue breeches, and a blue coat. And a half hour later, a man accompanied by their nearby neighbor will call on his mother, and say he read in the paper that a princess had three things on her body, but he who knows how to answer³ the questions what there is on the body of the princess will marry her, and get the kingdom.

And so the boy had heard that. So one Sunday the boy went to the priest for confession. And now the boy began to confess to the priest. The priest asked him, said, ‘My boy, see how you suffer. If you were able to guess the things on the princess' body you would guess!’ But now the boy said, ‘Pater, do you want me to tell you what the first one is?’ The priest said, ‘You know nothing, man.’ The boy said, ‘I want to tell what the first one is.’ He said, ‘Tell me, now.’ He said...

Harken to the story!

...‘Pater, let me tell you a story. The first thing the princess has is two diamond breasts.’ All he told the priest, he [the priest] took

1 Song No. 138.

2 Lit., ‘to pull’.

3 Lit., ‘It is not to say’.

[p. 409]

his book, and he wrote. He said, ‘Boni-boni, what else?’ He said, ‘Pater, I do not know more, hear?’...

Well, my man, the story will go on!

... Well, Monday, they went to the kingdom of the princess to answer the questions. All the important bakra must go to answer the questions. The priest was the first one. Boni-boni wore his little blue coat, and his little blue breeches, and his sandals, he was a poor boy. At this time the priest had a long beard. But when they arrived at the kingdom of the princess to answer the questions, the priest was the first one who went in to answer the questions. He heard what the boy had said, and that was what he was going to say to guess. Well, when the priest went to answer the questions, they asked him, ‘What is the first thing the princess has?’ The priest laughed. He said, ‘Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! The first thing? Ah, two diamond breasts.’ Where the King was standing, he was frightened till... there was fright to spare. He asked the priest, ‘What is the second one?’ The priest studied and he said such nonsense till the priest began to be afraid. He was afraid so till... death. He could not sit down any more.

And when they called, they called the boy. They said, ‘You boy, you will be able to answer the questions? What are you doing here?’ He said, ‘I will answer the questions till... there are questions to spare.’ He said he would answer more than they thought. The King said, ‘What is the first thing that the princess has?’ He said, ‘Ah, King, the first thing the princess has? Two diamond breasts.’ The King struck the boy with his foot. ‘Shut your mouth! You heard the priest say that just now.’ The boy said, ‘I, myself had told the priest at confession.’ The priest was frightened to death. Asked the boy what the second one was. ‘The second one is a black diamond navel.’ Where the King was standing, he was frightened, and he pulled his hair that such a youngster should answer such a question. ‘And the third one?’ the King said, ‘What is the third one?’ He said, ‘The third one, my King, is a golden chain, and golden pubic hair.’

All the bakra were frightened. They lifted the boy and the stool [upon which he sat] for joy. But yet they found that the boy was not fit to marry a princess. They wanted to have the priest marry the princess. And so, they gave the boy five hundred guilders to go and eat. And the King said to them, he said to the boy and the priest, he said, ‘Tomorrow night, at ten o'clock, I will lock you and the priest and the princess in a room. The princess will be in the middle, the priest on the right hand, and Boni-boni on the left hand. And at five o'clock in the morning, whomever I see the princess embracing, that one will marry her, and get the entire kingdom.’...

[p. 411]

 

Bato!

 

Kri, kra! Then he said at once,

 

Anansi is a cunning, cunning, cunning man,

 

Cunning is more than I am.¹

So the boy went home happy. When the boy came home, he said, ‘Now mother, eat and drink, [and] be happy. I have already won the fight.’ When the mother saw the five hundred guilders, she was so happy that she wept, and she embraced the boy. The boy said, ‘Mother, don't be afraid. Take this. Tomorrow I am going to fight a greater fight.’ So the boy did, my man. He asked his mother for ten guilders. So the boy went to the bake-shop, and had them make one package of sweet cakes, and make another package of laxative cakes. And he bought a bottle of lavender water. And he told his mother, he told her when he went.

And so when he went, my man, it was nine o'clock at night. The priest was already sitting there like a great man. He was waiting for the hour to come. So at ten o'clock at night, they locked the princess and the priest and Boni-boni in a room. The room was beautiful till... there was beauty to spare. The bed was so clean that it is beyond words. Well, as they were lying down, then about eleven o'clock at night, the boy studied he was a Roman Catholic boy, so that he and the priest were acquainted. And the boy began to eat one of the sugar cakes. And the cakes were sweet till... there was sweetness to spare, till the princess herself yearned for the boy's cakes. But the princess pretended to be asleep. The boy said, ‘Sleep is death, woman kills man.’

Well, when the priest saw that, he said, ‘Boni-boni, my boy, look, something is going to happen to you tonight.’ The boy said, ‘Pater, you are right. If I could get up, and go away, I would go away.’ But he said, ‘Pater, if you like a few of the cakes, then you can take a few, and eat.’ The priest said, ‘Yes!’ And the boy gave the priest one of the sweet cakes, and he ate it. He found the cake so sweet, that he asked the boy, he said, ‘Have you more?’ The boy said, ‘Do you want more?’ Then the boy gave the priest now the cakes which he had made with the laxative.

But, at about one o'clock at night, the priest felt his belly begin to hurt him. He said, ‘Boni-boni, my boy, I am going to die. I don't want to die for the sake of a princess, and you must study that the house is locked, and as long as the King does not come to open it, it cannot open.’ So the priest felt his belly hurt him, and he said to the boy, he said, ‘Boni-boni, you know what? I am going to defecate in the house, but [for] I can't help it.’ Then now Boni-boni is going to lie, and say, ‘My God, pater! I believe they are going to kill you here. Well, I myself, have to do it, too.’

1 Song No. 131.

[p. 413]

As I tell you, the priest went behind the door and he defecated behind the door. And now, when he defecated behind the door, he did not know what to do, he came and lay down again. So the whole room came to smell, until the princess herself could die.

And now, at three o'clock at night Boni-boni will tell the priest, will say, ‘I dreamed if the priest does not remove the excrement he defecated there, they will kill the priest.’ So the priest became afraid, he said, ‘My God! then I have to eat it.’ Then the boy is going to lie now, and the boy is going to say, he himself must eat his, too.

Well, my man, it was four o'clock at night. The princess was cold. Two men were lying [beside her], and so a wicked thought came into her head. She wanted to embrace the priest. And about half past four in the morning the priest went and he ate his excrement. And so after that he wiped up the ground. And so about two minutes to five o'clock, the Princess turned and she wanted to embrace the priest, but the smell was too much for her, and she turned, and went to Boni-boni's side. She turned again to go to the priest. She could not. At that time, Boni-boni poured lavender water on his body, and when the girl turned for the third time to Boni-boni's side, it was five o'clock in the morning.

When they opened the door, they saw how the princess and Boni-boni were embracing. So the boy had to marry the princess, and receive the kingdom. And so the priest was ashamed. He could not walk any more, for feebleness seized him. And the priest went and pulled out his beard. That is why priests do not grow beards any more...

Now, the story must go on.

And so the boy married, and received the kingdom. And the father, the King, was not pleased that the princess [should] marry the boy. Yet they were married...

And so I myself ate at the wedding feast, and they shot me with a cannon, till I sat down here. And so the story comes to an end. And so the boy was singing,

Emelina, todowais',
Emelina, todowaisende.¹

1 Song No. 115.