GR MEMOIRS OF V VOL. Ill 1895 BAHAMA SONGS AND STORIES A CONTRIBUTION TO FOLK-LORE BY CHARLES U'EDWARDS, Ph. D. u PROFESSOR OF BIOLOGY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI OCT ^ sm^\ BOSTON AND NEW YORK ^ufili^l^eti for €l^e American f oift^Store J^ocietp Bp HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN AND COMPANY LONDON: DAVID NUTT, 270, 271 STRAND LEIPZIG: OTTO HARRASSOWITZ, QUERSTRASSE, 14 189s €^' Copyright, 1895, By The American Folk-Lore Society. A/i rights reserved. The Riverside Press, Cambridge, Mass., U. S. A. Electrotyped and printed by H. O. Houghton and Company, To MY FATHER AND MOTHER PREFACE. While this work is intended as a contribution to folk- lore, yet it is hoped that the songs and stories will appeal to those not specially interested from the scientific stand- point. The genetic relation existing between the tales and music of the Bahama and of the United States negroes will be readily discerned. Parallels from accessible collections of American, and of native African, folk-lore are indicated. The material for this paper was collected during the sum- mer of 1888, at Green Turtle Cay, of 1 891, at Harbour Island, and of 1893, at Bimini. The stories I.-XL, and XXXIV., and a portion of the Introduction, were pub- lished in " The American Journal of Psychology," vol. ii. No. 4, Worcester, 1889; and stories XXXI. and XXXV.- XXXVIII., in the "Journal of American Folk-Lore," vol. iv. Nos. XII. and XIV., Boston and New York, 1891. I wish to express my thanks to President G. Stanley Hall, who has kindly permitted me to use again the material which appeared in " The American Journal of Psychology ; " to Mr. A. E. Sweeting, of Harbour Island, Bahamas, who was good enough to note down the music to most of the songs ; and to Mr. William Wells Newell, for valuable advice and assistance in connection with the publication. C. L. E. University of Cincinnati, June, 1895. CONTENTS. PAGE Introduction 13 SONGS. I. I LOOKED o'er YANDER 2$ II. Lord, I wish I could Pray . 24 III. Hail! King of the Jews 25 IV. Didn't it Rain, my Elder . . . . . .25 V. Git on Board 26 VI. Who built de Ark? 27 VII. Beautiful Sta'h . . 27 VIII. Go DOWN, Moses .28 IX. Dear Sister, yi Feet Strike Zion 28 X. Love bro't de Savye' down 29 XL When de Moon went down 30 XII. Jesus heal' the Sick 31 XIII. O! LooK-A Death ......... 32 XIV. I tho't I SAW my Brothe' 33 XV. Ev'rybody wants to Know 34 XVI. Ev'ry Day be Sunday 35 XV 1 1. Good News in the Kingdom 36 XVI 11. Dig my Grave Long and Narrow 37 XIX. I WISH I COULD Pray 38 XX. Don't you feel the Fire a-burnin' 39 XXI. Opon de Rock 40 XXII. Turn Back an' Pray . .41 XXIII. Come out the Wilderness 42 [XXIV. Um Died once to Die no Mo* 43 XXV. The-r Heaven Bells are Ringin' 44 XXVI. Jesus bin Hyere 45 XXVII. Do YOU Live by Prayer? ....... 45 XXVIII. I can't stay in Egypt Lan' 46 XXIX. Nothin' but the Righteous 47 XXX. Death was a Little T'ing 48 XXXI. My Jesus led me to the Rock 49 XXXII. Com' 'long, Brother 49 XXXIII. Never a Man Speak like this Man .... 50 XXXIV. Goin' to Ride on de Cross . 51 XXXV. Don't you Weep after me 52 XXXVI. Oh ! We all got Religion $5 X Contents, XXXVII. I Wan' to Go to 'Evun 57 XXXVIII. I Long to See That Day 58 XXXIX. Lawd, Remember me ........ 59 XL. We 'll git Home by and by 60 STORIES. I. B' Rabby in de Corn-Field 63 11. B' Helephant and B' Vw'ale 65 III. B' Rabby, B' Spider, an' B' Bouki . . . . . 65 IV. B' Man, B' Rat, an' B' Tiger-Cat 66 V. B' Bouki an' B' Rabby 67 VI. B' Baracouti an' B' Man 68 VII. B' Loggerhead and B' Conch 69 VIII. B' Crane-Crow, B' Parrot, and B' Snake . . . .70 IX. B' Cricket and B' Helephant 70 X. B' Crane-Crow an' B' Man 71 XI. De Big Worrum 72 XII. B' Rabby an' B' Tar-Baby . . . . . . .73 XIII. B' Big-Head, B' Big-Gut, an' B' Tin-Leg. ... 75 XIV. B' Rabby had a Mother 76 XV. B' Man, B' Woman, an' B' Monkeys. . . . . jS XVI. B' Rabby, B' Bouki, an' B' Crow yj XVII. De Man an' de Dog 79 XVIII. B' Loggerhead, B' Dog, an' B' Rabby 80 XIX. B' Devil an' B' Goat 80 XX. B' Hellibaby an' B' Dawndejane 82 XXI. 'Bout a Bird 83 XXII. A Young Lad an' 'is Mother 84 ; XXIII. B' Parakeet an' B' Frog 85 XXIV. 'Bout B' Dog, B' Cat, B' Rabbit, an' B' Goat ... 86 XXV. The Lady an' 'er Two Dawtahs an' 'er Husband . ^7 XXVI. A Young Lady an' 'er Son 87 XXVII. B' Goat, B' Bouki, an' B' Rabbit 88 XXVIII. The Woman an' 'eh Husban' 89 XXIX. B' Big-Head an' B' Little-Head 90 XXX. A Boy an' Sheep 90 XXXI. De Girl an' de Fish 91 XXXII. Three Boys an' One Woman 92 XXXIII. A Lady an' 'er Two Dawtahs . 93 XXXIV. B' Jack an' B' Snake 94 XXXV. B' Little-Clod an' B' Big-Clod 95 XXX VI. De Woman an' de Bell-Boy 97 XXXVII. Greo-Grass an' Hop-o'-my-Thumb 97 XXXVIII. De Debble an' Young Prince had a Race . . .99 Appendix loi LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE Channel between a " Cay " and " the Main " A Village Street >■ . . Frontispiece Celebration of Emancipation, Harbor Island i8 A Group of Children ) . Celebration of Emancipation — the Procession > Scene at the Celebration of Emancipation . . . , . 90 BAHAMA SONGS AND STORIES. INTRODUCTION. The Bahamas include over three thousand islands, most of which are quite small. As a whole, these islands, not being separated by great distances, present a striking homogeneity, both in their coral- line origin and in the life and surroundings of the people. Just as the biologist acquires an insight into the complex problems of struc- ture and function presented by a living thing, by comparing its life- history with the environment, so in studying a folk-lore, a knowledge of its philosophy is gained by considering the life-history of the community in which the folk-lore has developed in relation to the surrounding conditions. In the Bahamas are found a most interesting succession of three generations of coral formations. First is the main island, sometimes from fifty to one hundred miles long and from one to ten miles wide, with hills reaching the height of one hundred feet, and forests of large pine-trees. Then extends the chain of cays ^ a few miles to seaward, each from a few acres to three or four square miles in area, seldom being more than one half or three quarters of a mile wide, with hills not higher than eighty feet. Upon these cays, with the exception of the cocoa-palms, grow only small bushes and stunted trees, while coral plantations still flourish on the ocean side. Lastly arises still farther at sea the present reef, with living polyps almost to the crest, where, broken into caps of foam, the waves from the deep Atlantic are somewhat arrested in their impetuous course. Seen from a distance, the islands appear as dark, low-lying sand- bars, but when closely approached the vegetation, as intensely green as the deep sea is blue, adds beauty to the monotonous land. The coralline sand of the shore is made up of the triturated skeletons of corals and of echinoderms, the shells of mollusks, and the stony secretions of many other animals and of algae. It is washed over and ^ From the Spanish cayo^ a rock. 14 Introduction, over by water as pure as crystal, and bleached in the sun of unend- ing summer until it becomes as white as snow. The shoals about are also of this constantly shifting sand, and so the shallow water is rendered a chalky green shade, affording a remarkable contrast with the wonderful blue of the subtropical sea.^ Between *' the main " island and its series of satellite cays extends a generally navigable channel, which, protected from the ocean swell and yet with every advantage of the ocean breeze, affords an excel- lent roadstead for vessels. Here the water takes on every shade over the white sand, according to the varying depth, from palest green to deepest blue. It is a sight of peculiar beauty to see, in the early morning, the small boats of the natives, which, with large white sails, are almost like gulls skimming over the transparent waters. As nature first leaves the coral island, there is but little soil, and so the plants found are such as can adapt themselves at the root to crannies in the rock and thus gain some sustenance from the mould of their ancestors, while from the air the leaves breathe in the rich supplies of gases and moisture. The formation longest exposed, the main island, has thus accumulated the most soil, and supports forests or prairies of considerable extent. The first settle- ments were in some cases made by families of loyalists who fled from the American colonies during the Revolution, while in other cases the colonists have come directly from Great Britain. The towns have grown slowly, for the most part by the natural increase of the few first families ; and, because of repeated intermarrying among these family stocks, at present nearly all of the people are inter- related. The population is about evenly divided on the basis of color, although, as in the West Indies, the percentage of increase of the negroes over the whites is becoming greater every year. Whether the pessimistic predictions of Trollope and of Froude, of negro supremacy and a return to African barbarism, shall be fulfilled in the Bahamas, as apparently already in Hayti, it is difficult to say. The comparatively poorer soil of the Bahamas, compelling the negro to work if he would survive, will be a strong factor in keeping up the civilization already attained. Usually, among the ''out islands," the town is found upon one of the cays, on the side facing the channel. Imagine a seacoast town in North Carolina, isolated as much as possible from railroads and ocean steamers, and its people leading a seafaring life with farm- work at odd intervals, transport it to a small coral island, then you ^ These shoals sometimes reach gigantic proportions, as in the Great Bahama Banks, where, for over hundreds of square miles, the water is but a few fathoms in depth. Upon these shallows, beyond the sight of land, one has the peculiar impression of sailing over a submerged Sahara, or an infinite mill-pond ! Introduction, 1 5 can gain a very fair outline for the picture of one of these Bahama towns. But there are touches of local coloring quite necessary to complete the picture. Horses and carriages are rarely found on the '* out " islands, so roads for their accommodation are not essential, and the streets are often not wider than a city sidewalk. The squares into which the town is divided are proportioned to the streets in size, so that the first effect is of an overgrown doll-town ! The streets are made by smoothing off the naturally jagged points left by the action of water upon the coral sandstone of which the cay is composed, and they are of dazzling whiteness. The houses are generally of frame, three or four sometimes crowded upon the same small lot, and, whenever the owner can afford the display, painted white, a most disagreeable continuation of the glare from the street and seashore. The principal industries are the raising of pineapples, oranges, and sisal, and the gathering and curing of sponges. Many ships are of native manufacture, and all the lads, from the earliest years, are taught the various trades of the sea. The sea, too, is a storehouse of food, for fish is to the Bahaman what beef is to the Englishman, and nowhere will one find the fish more delicious. Sweet potatoes, cocoanuts, bananas, oranges, sapodillas, avocado-pears, plantains, soursops, star-apples, rose-apples, and many other tropical luxuries add to the delights of the table. The fields are scattered along " the main " for ten miles on either hand, whither the men sail in the morning, coming back at night. The chief farming implements in the Bahamas, as has been aptly said, are the pickaxe and the machete. With the former a natural crevice in the rock is somewhat widened, and therein a pineapple slip or some seed is planted ; while with the machete, a long, broad- sword sort of knife, the weeds and bushes are cut down. The Bahamas have been subjected to periodical booms. Before the days of the lighthouses, "wrecking" was the most profitable business. Many richly-laden vessels went to pieces on the treach- erous coral reefs, and the people of the nearest communities secured, in the name of salvage, a large percentage of the valuables from the wreck. The story is told that when one of the governors was going back to England he asked, at a farewell meeting, what he could do of most importance for the colony. With one voice the people said, " Have the laws establishing the lighthouses repealed ! " Then sugar became the one thing to raise, and only after much expensive machinery had been imported was it discovered that the soil was not rich enough to grow sugar. Then blooded horses for the American market claimed attention, but a lack of proper diet for the horses ended that enterprise. Now it is sisal, the plant which in Yucatan 1 6 Introduction, has given the world most of its best hemp. The native Bahama variety is said to produce a better quality of fibre than that of Yuca- tan ; so everybody is raising the young plant, and thousands of acres of previously unoccupied lands are being devoted to the cul- ture of sisal. There seems a fair chance that this industry will prove of lasting benefit to the colony. The Bahama people are intensely pious. The whole social life centres in the church. Those mad days of the buccaneers are gone. For the ribald songs of the riotous pirates we have the solemn hymns of the Wesleyans, and the chant of the English Church. Lighthouses have taken from the coral reefs their former terror. The laws against swearing are quite severe ; and, what is even more necessary, the good old patriarch, who holds all the offices from chief magistrate to street commissioner, is strict in the enforcement of the laws, so that the ordinary street talk is quite a relief to one who is familiar with the profanity of American streets. The colored people, everywhere gossipy, good-natured, and reli- gious, having here been emancipated for over fifty years, have become somewhat educated and unusually independent. Socially the races are more nearly equal than anywhere else on the globe. Schools and churches are occupied in common. Miscegenation, so prevalent in Nassau, the capital, has not prevailed in the " out " islands to any extent. Of course, in each community one may find a circle of intelligent white people to whom the negroes can never be more than servants. But to keep up this satisfactory relation is every year a more perplexing problem. Some of the first negroes who came to the cays were slaves of the loyalists ; but aside from these, the large majority indeed, have come by direct descent from native Africans. There yet lives in Green Turtle Cay one old negro, " Unc' Yawk," who, bowing his grizzled head, will tell you, " Yah, I wa' fum Haf'ca." It is with the negroes that one associates the picturesque and beautiful surroundings in the Bahamas. Their huts, so often thatched with palmettos, are built on the low, sandy soil of the town. There grow the graceful cocoa palms v/ith long, green leaves which rustle as sadly as do those of oak and chestnut in the autumn woods of the north, suggesting the gentle murmur of falling raindrops. There, too, the prickly pear, like an abatis, bristling all over with needles, seems to guard the luxuriant blossoms of the great oleander bush, dispensing sweetest perfume from its midst. Apparently every hut has its quota of a dozen little black " Conchs," ^ of as- sorted sizes, who think the palmetto-thatched cottage a palace 1 The native Bahamans have been nicknamed " Conchs," from the predomi- nance there of a mollusk of that name. Introduction, i ^ and the yard a menagerie, wherein the pigs and chickens and dogs are animals created for their special amusement. There are but few stoves and chimneys in the Bahamas. Boiling and frying are done in a small shed, over an open fire built on a box of sand ; while for the baking is employed an oven of the same sort as our foremothers knew by the name of the " brick oven." It is a cone, made of coral sandstone, into the upper half of which is hollowed an oven. The "mammy" and children do most of the housework ; while the lord and master, when not at sea or on the farm, plays checkers or lies in a hammock reading a novel. There is one piece of work, however, in which husband and wife share, and that is the chastisement of the children. They chastise with a club, and regularly every twenty-four hours the screaming of the tortured child comes from the hut, or surrounding bushes, to tell its sad tale of remaining barbarism ; but the negro child has a disposition full of sunshine, and in a few moments after being beaten will sing like the happiest being on earth. The evening is the playtime of the negroes. The children gather in some clump of bushes or on the seashore and sing their songs, the young men form a group for a dance in some hut, and the old people gossip. The dance is full of uncultured grace ; and to the barbaric music of a clarionet, accompanied by tambourines and tri- angles, some expert dancer " steps off " his specialty in a challeng- ing way, while various individuals in the crowd keep time by beating their feet upon the rough floor and slapping their hands against their legs. All applaud as the dancer finishes ; but before he fairly reaches a place in the circle a rival catches step to the music, and all eyes are again turned toward the centre of attraction. Thus goes the dance into the night. The strangest of all their customs is the service of song held on the night when some friend is supposed to be dying. If the patient does not die, they come again the next night, and between the dis- ease and the hymns the poor negro is pretty sure to succumb. The singers, men, women, and children of all ages, sit about on the floor of the larger room of the hut and stand outside at the doors and windows, while the invalid lies upon the floor in the smaller room. Long into the night they sing their most mournful hymns and " an- thems," and only in the light of dawn do those who are left as chief mourners silently disperse. The " anthem " No. i (given below) is the most often repeated, and, with all the sad intonation accented by tense emotion of the singers, it sounds in the distance as though it might well be the death triumph of some old African chief ! Each one of the dusky group, as if by intuition, takes some part in the melody, and the blending of all tone-colors in the soprano, tenor. 1 8 Introduction. alto, and bass, without reference to the fixed laws of harmony, makes such peculiarly touching music as I have never heard elsewhere. As this song of consolation accompanies the sighs of the dying one, it seems to be taken up by the mournful rustle of the palms, and to be lost only in the undertone of murmur from the distant coral reef. It is all weird and intensely sad. This custom of coming together and singing all night is gener- ally called the " settin' up." It has its merry as well as its sad side. On great occasions, as " Angus' eve' night," the celebration of the emancipation of African slaves on British soil, and *' Chris'mus," the "settin' up" gives us the negro in his best mood. It is about two hours after nightfall, when the sun dropping like a great golden ball below the distant sea-line has surrendered the sky to the myriad stars, that the dusky forms of the negroes begin gliding into the scene of the '' settin' up." It is a long time beginning, with much mirth and joking and gleaming of ''ivory." But at last the largest room of the largest hut is filled with chairs, and the chairs with gayly dressed colored folk. One man, better dressed than the others and probably better educated, "lines off," in sonorous voice, the words of some good old hymn. Around the centre table with him are the principal singers, and standing back of these, with a shining "beaver" on his head as a badge of office, is the leader. He lifts his hands, his face shines with pride, his rich barytone voice pours forth the line, and the hymn begins. Then all voices, joining to- gether every shade of tone, send out into the beautiful night that rapturous, voluptuous music of the civilized Africans. The hymn swells, the ivory teeth gleam, and the wave of sound rolls on. The leader reaches out his great hands, as if to raise the song aloft, and shouts his commands of " Not so fas', now ! " " Min' de word ! " and other encouraging words, while his body sways back and forth. Then the old men interject their admonitions, "Not so much talkin' ! " "Dem ladies dere is la'ffin' too much!" "Now, j'ine in ! " and so on. The hymns continue until after midnight, when comes a pause, with refreshments of cofiee and bread. After this come the " anthems," or folk-songs, that have not been learned from a book. The negro sings now ; body, soul, voice, smile, eyes, all his being sings, as if he were created only for music ! Some woman or man carries the refrain and all "j'ine in," from the wise patriarch, with his crown of yellow-gray wool, to the veriest picka- ninny. But how can one describe this music, vibrating in the dead of night to the pulse-beats of human hearts .<* As well try to de- scribe the song of the thrush or the voice of the palm ! The folk-tales are most popular among the children, and indeed are handed down from generation to generation principally by them. Celebration of Emancipation^ Harbor Island Introduction. 1 9 After the short twilight and the earlier part of the evening, when singing and dancing amuse the children, comes the story-telling time par excellence. This is usually about bedtime, and the little " Conchs " lie about upon the hard floor of the small hut and listen to one of the group, probably the eldest, "talk old stories." With eyes that show the whites in exclamation, and ejaculations of " O Lawd ! " '' Go' ! " '* Do now ! " etc., long drawn out in pleasure, the younger ones nestle close together, so "■ De Debbie " won't get them, as he does '' B' Booky " or " B' Rabby " of the story. These tales are divided into two classes, '^ old stories " and fairy stories ; the former particularly constituting the negro folk-lore, while the latter have been introduced from the same sources as the ordinary fairy tales of English children. It is often difficult to make the class distinction, for it is a curious fact that some of the fairy tales have been translated, so to speak, into old stories, and one easily recognizes in such a tale as "B' Jack an' de Snake " its Eng- lish ancestor of Jack the Giant-Killer. The folk-lore proper is mostly concerning animals, which, personi- fied, have peculiar and ofttimes thrilling adventures. Where, in our own negro-lore, the animals are called "Brer" by Harris, and " Buh " by Jones, among the Bahama negroes the term is contracted to " B'," and so one finds in " B' Rabby, who was a tricky fellow," the " Brer Rabbit " whom Uncle Remus has made famous to us as the hero of the folk-lore of the South. The conventional negro dialect, generally used in our American stories, will apply to the Bahama negroes only in part ; for their speech is a mixture of negro dialect, "Conch" cockney, and correct English pronunciations. In the following stories, which are given as nearly as possible verbatim, this apparent inconsistency will be noticed, for in the same story such expressions, for example, as " All right" and "Never mind" may be given in the cockney "Hall right" in negro dialect " N'er min', " or pronounced as written in correct English, and one never knows which pronunciation to ex- pect. In these stories one readily detects the influence of physical envi- ronment and the play of native invention in the predominance given to those animals and plants locally prominent, acting their parts among scenes borrowed from local surroundings. On the other hand, the introduction of the lion, elephant, and tiger suggests an heredity from African ancestors ; while similarly the rabbit, in the title role of hero, as rabbits are not indigenous to the Bahamas, points to the influence of American negro-lore. The isolation of the " out " islands from foreign influences, the scanty supply of books and newspapers, and the great lack of what are generally 20 Introduction, termed amusements, have given especially good conditions for the development of a folk-lore at once recognized as peculiar and sec- tional. An indescribable flavor is added to these tales by the environ- ment of the people. An island out in the Atlantic arises, with low shores, from that indescribable blue water, and is covered by the paler blue of the skies of "Summerland." Heated by the glaring sun of midday, the smooth streets and long, hard beaches dazzle one with their whiteness ; or, bathed in silver radiance by the queen of night, these bare spaces stretch out like great ghosts of them- selves, cloaked in the grim darkness of surrounding vegetation. Querulous gulls catch fish in the tide-pools ; cunning little lizards, from orange-tree and stone wall, watch your every step ; and along the ocean beach sand-crabs swiftly run to the sheltering holes when you approach. In the clear water of the sea-gardens, one beholds the fans and feathers of the sea waving in response to tide and bil- low, and beneath them the creeping stars, the spiny urchins, and long, brown sea-cucumbers crawling among the tentacled annelids and anemones. Chasing in and out, above and around these more simply organized creatures, are fishes, banded in gold and black and orange, with long, waving filaments to their fins, and high foreheads which solemnly suggest an intellect only developed in higher forms. Then, finally, those colonies of coral animals which inhabit the top of a submarine precipice built of the skeletons of their ancestors through millions of generations, and which erelong will die to com- plete the foundation for another island or series of islands, are the high lights, as well as the shadows, of the picture. There is perpetual beauty on land and in the sea, while the balmy, equable air invites one to sail over the blue waters, or to lie in a hammock beneath the palms and listen to some black " Conch " "talk old stories." In each community one boy becomes much the best story-teller, and from such a source I took most of the follow- ing tales. But the quick, short gesture, the peculiar emphasis on the exciting words and phrases, the mirth now bubbling from eyes which anon roll their whites in horror, in short the Othello part of the tales, I cannot give. SONGS. I. I LOOKED O'ER YANDER. r&iz±: tm:h± E^ 151=^ ■i^r*- ^ I looked o'er yan- der ; what I see? Somebod- y 's dy - ing ev - 'ry day. |^ See bright an - gels stand- ing dere ; Somebod- y 's dy - ing ev - 'ry day. ^ Chorus. m " I 1 — t==tt ^-» ^-U: * ^— Ev - 'ry day, pas - sin' a - vay, Ev - 'ry day, pas - sin' a - vay, ^-•-i ^a^ -A — ^ — ^- A=it A- 9^^T Ev - 'ry day, pas -sin' a - vay ; Somebod-y 's dy - ing ev - 'ry day. I looked o'er yander ; what I see ? Somebody 's dying ev'ry day. See bright angels standing dere, Somebody 's dying ev'ry day. Cho. Hell is deep, an' dark as 'spair. Somebody 's dying ev'ry day. Stop, O sinne' don' go dere. Somebody 's dying ev'ry day. Cho. Satin farred ^ 'is ball at me, Somebody 's dying ev'ry day. 'Is ball had missed an' dropped in hell, Somebody's dying ev'ry day. Cho. I looked on mi ban's ; mi ban's looked new, Somebody's dying ev'ry day. I looked on mi feet ; mi feet looked new, Somebody 's dying ev'ry day. Cho. 1 Fired, threw. 24 Bahama Songs and Stories, O come along, Moses, don' git lost ! Somebody 's dying ev'ry day. Stretch you' rod an' come acrost, Somebody 's dying ev'ry day. i ii? II. LORD, I WISH I COULD PRAY. w 'm ^=J~ •— -•- s :[= ^- 1=: Lord, I wish I could pray like Daniel pray; Lord, I wish I could Htt it ^ ^ ^ /■f^j+ f ^ p • » « • « -/^V-tf h — h — f* — m — — 1- — ^ Pt _|B^_ 1—^ h 5 — yi — k --U — ^— —]/ — LZ^ — =t:p U — — P pray like Dan - '1 pray; Lord, I wish I, . . . Lord, I P tr. wish I, . . Lord, I wish I could pray like Dan - '1 pray. Lord, I wish I could pray like Daniel pray ; Lord, I wish I could pray like Dan'l pray ; Lord, I wish I, Lord, I wish I, Lord, I wish I could pray like Dan'l pray. Go Gabrul, go soun' de trumpet now ; Go Gabrul, go soun' de trumpet now ; Go Gabrul, go Gabrul, Go Gabrul, go soun' de trumpet now. Lord, I wish I was in Heaving to-day ; Lord, I wish I was in Heaving to-day ; Lord, I wish I, Lord, I wish I, Lord, I wish I was in Heaving to-day. Lord, I wish I had wings like an angel's wing ; Lord, I wish I had wings like an angel's wing; Lord, I wish I, Lord, I wish I, Lord, I wish I had wings like an angel's wing. Did nt it Rain\ my Elder, III. HAIL! KING OF THE JEWS.* 25 ^m 9 ^—n-» M—^ w — ^—\^- =]: ^ :f=?c ^-- ■f— N 5^^ L^ :S Hail! King of the Jews,Hail! Star of de Eas'. I 'm com-in' to worship thee, Fine. ^m: Yes, 0.. W 1 N it was Je - sus my Lord. He's bin down hyere, he / r i^ b K ^ ^^ f\ > ^ \W—^ JS _P • ^ J 1 J N s * 1 S___ J * 1 V- ) U • m went up gain, Yes, it was Je sus my Lord. He h#^^>- I^ "i^-T" — N — N" =fc -A ^5- ^ . — ^- — 1 — H- --A- -J 11 -f^fe-L s ~^d S^-if" -•-v — • — -* ^-^ — • — li ^— -i^- 41 went up a -gain, an' 'E come no more, Yes, it was Je - sus my Lord. IV. DIDN'T IT RAIN, MY ELDER. ^=^z p-r -•— £ W f? fe -i&- Did n't it rain, my el - der,Did n't it rain,good Lord,Did n't it rain for - ty days. Chorus. =i: :i -t t -b*- P -<5^ For - ty days an' for - ty nights,Lord,didn't it rain for - ty days. Did n't it rain, my elder, Did n't it rain, good Lord, Did n't it rain forty days. Cho. Didn't it rain. Great Sestern, Did n't it rain to Key West too, - Did n't it rain forty days. Cho. Did n't it rain, my Leader, Did n't it rain to Rocky Bay too. Did n't it rain forty days. Cho. 1 In this and the following songs where only one stanza is given, others are extemporized by the singers. 26 Bahama Songs and Stories, Chorus V. GIT ON BOARD. -^;- Git on board, lit - tie chil - drun, Git on bo'd, lit - tie w — #— — •— — •— — ^— —0-r- =^-. — • — -• •— —m — ^ --•-^ — •— — h/— — •— — V— ^^ — b^_ -% — 1 — —V— — 1 — - V — tf-^ -u- _-^_ — t/- -5/- ^ -V chil-drun, Git on bo'd, lit - tie chil-drun, It's room fah ma - ny a Fine. r\. tEE^ ^=3^=^ —N- :^ m mo'-o. Says No - ah. En - och, an' E - li - jah,Lord, and all the Pro -phets too, No sec -ond class on bo'd detrain. No diff-ren' in de fa-are. Git on board, little childrun, Git on bo'd, little childrun, Git on bo'd, little childrun, It 's room fah many a mo'-o. Says Noah, Enoch, an' Elijah, Lord, and all the Prophets too. No second class on bo'd de train. No difFren' in de fa-are. Cho. Git on bo'd, ye swearers. Git on bo'd, rum drinkers. Git on bo'd, backsliders. There 's room fah many a mo'-o. The Gospel sails are histed. King Jesus is de crew. Bright angels is de captain, Lawd, An' what's a heavenly crew. Cho. Beautiful Stah, 27 VI. WHO BUILT DE ARK? Chorus. ?= ^_? — ^ ^ -4 ?Ef ^— ff f ^ p—f t;=t=£ =t= •— ^ K — K- V — ^ :t: Who built de ark ? I don' know,mi Lord. Who built de ark? I don' know,mi Lord. Fene. F^ -^ — A- ^ -jH m ^ — •— ,•- s~ -r- — •— p =*q H — ^i- — 1 — 17- -^- -^ -k- -b- — U- -V =t • =i- Who built de ark ? I don' know, mi Lord ; No'h built de ark one day. ±1 § s The first thing that No - ah did, 'E frame de ark right thro'. The second thing that No- ah did, 'E plank de ark right thro'. vn. BEAUTIFUL STA'H. i ^ -fv— IS — rv P^ bi:^ fv— P • d ^^^—^ Beau-ti - ful sta'h,sta'h,sta'h!Beauti-fulsta'h,bright mahnin' sta'h.Beau-ti' ful Fine. fe ^^ -F — y- :^=:|: •F 1 F- ES^^Ef±e *z:bti3t sta'h,sta'h,sta'h,good Lawd,a sta'h in der East. Al-tho'you see me go 'long so. m. a 0>-' — ^ J I S i I -• •- S ^-^ ^ • tt^: #- #^ Sta'h in de East, I have my tri -ahls here be - low,The sta'h in de East. 28 Bahama Songs and Stories, VIII. GO DOWN, MOSES. 1 — ^2 ^ m — t^ -A N H m — » . ^ ^: — /" ^ i L/ P- — 1* — —li — ^ -^ d ^ ,^ r— 1 * 1 Vv 7 H^ 1^ \j u 1 • -'^ - u L \j 1 K. Go down, Mo - ses, hoi ' de key, Don' let de vwin' bio' L/ s 1 r^ l» a N' N 1 m 1^ 1 1 (? fm J ' s' -' 1 ■ r V Y—^— — m — ^ V 1- 1 \ — u on de right - eous. Hey ! Hey ! Hey, my soul. Go down, Moses, hoi' de key, Don' let de vwin' bio' on de righteous. Hey ! Hey ! Hey, my soul. Hey ! come a fish by the name of vw'ale. Swallowed brothe' Jonah by the head an' tail-a, Hey ! Hey ! Hey, my soul. You want to go to heaven vw 'en you die. Jus' stop you' tongue from telling them lies. Hey ! Hey ! Hey, my soul. IX. DEAR SISTER, YI FEET STRIKE ZION. ^ ?^z±: -• — •- iipp3 it= 'V- Dear sis - ter, yi feet strike Zi - on, The lamps are lit - ted on you, I Chorus. fv^ t ? .^-^— V :tc -^- -i& — bid . ole 'ell a long fahr-well,The lamps are lit - ted on you. Love is the way, ■^— ^r :b -^nn^ -m — •- M-Vr 5-4^^^ ^=w ■y-^- ^ g^^ Love is the way. Is the way to get to 'ev - un. By faith and humble pray'r. ("With Dear brother, father, uncle, mother, etc., verses are made until all of the family and friends are brought in.) Love bro't de Savye down. 29 X. LOVE BRO'T DE SAVYE' DOWN. Chorus. -^ -^ Fine. ^izFf=r±fc^ :[=^-=^t= ±~^ ^ — ^ -^ -^-^C»— ^»— ^ £3^ -i^G* -1^- V— l.^,— K — k^ — h— 1/ M-V—V—V — ^ Love,]ove,love bro't de Savye' down,Love,love,love fah me. Take a lit-tle peep o - ve' B.C. ■:X I ^— F — ff-^=5=^— f--h=? tt=t: M — K g=^ t:: -^ # ^ ^—V—V—V- Jeffrey's wall, Love fah me. See them sinners when they rise an' fall,Love fah me. Chorus. Love, love, etc. Take a little peep ove' Jeffrey's wall. Love fah me. See them sinners when they rise an' fall, Love fah me. Cho. Chorus. Haid get wet with de midnight dew. Love fah me, The mahnin' star was a witness too, Love fah me. Cho. Chorus. Satin fi'ed 'is ball at me, Love fah me, 'Is ball vwent misst, an' d rapped in hell, Love fah me. Cho. ZO Bahama Songs and Stories, XL WHEN DE MOON WENT DOWN. :^ ^ Si -• — 0' When de moon went down in pur - pie stream,pur - pie stream, When de D+t 1 s_ /^ • - y ft r 1 ^ r ^ 1* / a a J 1 i ' r r :3 t= -^^ # — • — . ..,...[, ' \^ -1 1 — r^ «J t^ sta's re - fused to shine,When ev - 'ry sta' dat dis - ap - peah, King ^ B p p -- Je - sus will be mine, King Je - sus will be mine. When de moon went down in purple stream, Purple stream, When de sta's refused to shine. When ev'ry sta' dat disappeah, King Jesus will be mine, King Jesus will be mine. When de sun went down in purple stream, Purple stream. When de sta's refused to shine, When ev'ry sta' dat disappeah, ' King Jesus will be mine. King Jesus will be mine. Jesus heaV the Sick, 31 XII. JESUS HEAL' THE SICK. fcnzij^ '^4=^ ^ V :=rn: jimL Je - sus heal' the sick, gave sight to the blind, An' 'e made the -If— ^ ^- ^=t crip - pie to walk an' talk. 'E roll the stone from o - ver the A A -^^^E^ -a^- A- -H- :^: grave, An' 'e gave them com - mish- un to fly. Bow low. An' 'e m W t- ^ -^ 8/ - ^^ i gave them com- mish - un to fly, Bro - the' Lass' -rass. An' 'e :i7^ — ^ 1 K-r- ^=1^ =1: Ef ^ N— gave them com- mish - un to fly, Si - mon Pe - ter. An' 'e =1=1^ - pierced 'im to 'is ten - der side, An' I won' die no mo'. Chorus. Good news, etc. The Roman soldier pierced my Lawd, An' I won' die no mo' ; They pierced 'im to 'is tender side, An' I won' die no mo'. Cho. Chorus. I sahr Kin' Peter on the sea, An' I won' die no mo' ; 'E left 'is net an' foller'd m.e, An' I won* die no mo'. Cho. Chorus. Come on, Moses, don' get doubt, An' I won' die no mo' ; Stretch your rod an' come across. An' I won' die no mo'. Cho. Chorus. I do believe wi-rout I doubt. An' I won' die no mo'. The Christians has a right to shout, An' I won' die no mo'. Cho. Dig my Grave Long an Narrow, Chorus. I heard sich a ramblin' in the sky, An' I won' die no mo' ; I thought my Lawd was passin' by, An' I won' die no mo'. Cho. 37 XVIII. DIG MY GRAVE LONG AN' NARROW. fe^^?=t dz 3Et ^— s feF* =t iK- Dig my grave long an' nar-row,Make my cof - fin long and strong. fc:r=i^ W ^ J -4 — ^^ — ^ s t Bright an - gels to my feet, Bright an - gels to my head,Bright -N— A- fei^ P-^ ^EE«^^ •^^ ^^— ^ in :t tt=f — i^ — 1»^ — ^ an - gels to car-ry me when I die. Oh ! mi lit-tle soul goin' shine,shine, -^ lJ>^> ff # - ^'^ ^^^ ^r— ^ — ^— r- T^Hr^ — ^j — V — ^ — • — al ai ^ — f^ 1^* — H^ — y — ff — # — ^ ^ — %u > ^ ^ V—)i — k — * *- • • al ijl -^ — ^ t;^ >; — * — •— Oh ! mi lit - tie soul goin' shine like a stahr, Oh ! mi lit - tie soul goin' -p\^b ^ •— — •— -A— r— — ^— — f— ^ • m -^- -^ —1 -x=- =H — ^ -^ -1/ ^^ u k— -l;n= =tt: # 41 shine like a stahr, good Lawd, I 'm bound to 'evin at rest. 38 Bahama Songs and Stories. ^? #=* XIX. I WISH I COULD PRAY. :^ -N— 1 I wish I could pray like Ma - ry Mahg - 'a - lene, I ^iit a< g— -•- 1^ N-) -It — p- :[:: wish I could pray like Ma -ry Mahg'a -lene ; I wish I could pray,Lawd,I ^ -P- — ^ :f= =&=-' t= =lv 4:: A— A- =1^ ^1 wish I could pray,Lawd,I wish I could pray,Lawd,like Mary Mahg-'a-lene. I wish I could pray like Mary Mahg'alene, I wish I could pray like Mary Mahg'alene ; I wish I could pray, Lawd, I wish I could pray, Lawd, I wish I could pray, Lawd, like Mary Mahg'alene. Teach me the way like Mary Mahg'alene, Teach me the way like Mary Mahg'alene ; Teach me the way, Lawd, Teach me the way, Lawd, Teach me the way, Lawd, like Mary Mahg'alene. Anybody here like Mary Mahg'alene, Anybody here like Mary Mahg'alene ; Anybody here, Lawd, Anybody here, Lawd, Anybody here, Lawd, like Mary Mahg'alene. Cast out seven devils like Mary Mahg'alene, Cast out seven devils like Mary Mahg'alene ; Cast out seven devils, Lawd, Cast out seven devils, Lawd, Cast out seven devils, Lawd, like Mary Mahg'alene. Do7it you feel the Fire a-burnin. 39 XX. DON'T YOU FEEL THE FIRE A-BURNIN'. Chorus. ±s± CJV t=?: lEl :m ?S i^* — ^- ^i=^=^-=^-=i=i -\- — N- ^ Don't you feel the fire a -bum- in', You feel the fire a- burn - in', You :1^ j^: ^ ■ N ^^=1 — m feel the fire burn - in', So pre - cious to your soul ? iJ: .(B-l_#_^-^«- m m- ^— («- 1/ — ^^ — ^ p- aK*-J-HP-E3l: t^t^ :t^=^ Rise an' give to glo-ry,Shout Hal-le- lu - iah,Rise an'give to glo - ry. So i Sl* 1^=lL=i: NT-r^— fr= ]g: «=p: *^ pre - cious to your soul. My broth-er, you feel the fire a - burn - in', You 4? — ^ ^ — ^^. — ^ — I :=^ ^^ m-f i= -V — " feel the fire a - burn - in', You feel the fire a - burn - in', So fi^^^^^ =^: & P' F P' f i^^tziU ^ • f — •— # pre-cious to your soul. 0^ if Rise an' give to glo - ry. Shout Hal-le - lu - iah, L/J+M.-^ m . m . 1 P ' m 1 yn if 1 y' ■ y 1 \j P ' ^ m • m ' ((^ \j y y y 1 \j V. .#.. 1 ^ y 'u ^ \j ^j 1 kJ ^ ¥ ^ \J Rise an' give to glo - ry, So pre - cious to your soul. ( All verses are alike except for the substitution of the names of the other relations, leaders, min- isters, etc., etc., in the place of brother.) 40 Bahama Songs and Stories. XXI. OPON DE ROCK. -^-=^- s IzE ^ -<5i- Bro - the' An-drew, whey you bin when de dry wea - the' come ? v-^^ ^ r-^ — 1— N O -^ — ^ p p p p / \\ \^ m f m m 1 ^ am 1 J J 1 1 I 1 {(\^\>\\j\ \ 1 _^ w w \j y V}k I u^l V— - 1 — \ m Bin-a on de rock, says,wait-in' for rain. Bro-the' An-drew, whey you 12—- -^- ^fe *: -^^^EE^^^ Xr- t: -- there you '11 drink your full sup - ply, Turn back an' pray. Chorus. Pray, leader, pray, etc. Go down to the fountain if you dry, Turn back an' pray ; An' there you'll drink your full supply. Turn back an' pray. Cho. Chorus. I was a mourner jus' like you, Turn back an' pray ; Oh ! did n't I mourn till I get through, Turn back an' pray. Cho. Chorus. Oh ! the tallest tree in Paradise, Turn back an' pray ; Them Christians calls it "Tree of Life,** Turn back an' pray. Cho. Chorus. Hark ! Hark ! I heard 'im groan. Turn back an' pray ; I heard 'im groan those pitiful groans, Turn back an' pray. Cho. 42 Bahama Songs and Stories, Chorus. Mary weep an' Martha mourn, Turn back and pray ; Yes ! my Lawd was crucified, Turn back an' pray. Cho. XXIII. COME OUT THE WILDERNESS. :^? 4=i^ -^- i Moth- er, for your soul's sake, Come out the wil - der- ness, i i==t ^ :1i Come out the wil - der - ness, Come out the wil - der = ness ; i W- 2; Moth - er, for your soul's sake. Come out the wil - der - ness, ^ Chokus. -• •- # — !»- £E^t Talk - in' a - bout the Lawd. Bin long time a - fct V- is S ft -&- talk - in' 'bout the Lawd! Bin a longtime a- talk-in"bout the Lawd! (A number of verses formed with brother, sister, etc.) Um Died once to Die no Mo\ 43 XXIV. UM DIED ONCE TO DIE NO MO'. -9r -Ai t. t: P Um died once to die no mo', Ah, ^^- Um :5== It -b'- t=t:: died once to die no mo', Um bin on the se - cret prayer. Um died once to die no mo', Ah-a-a, Um died once to die no mo\ Um bin on the secret prayerv My mother, sence I saw you last, Ah-a-a, My mother, sence I saw you last, Um bin on the secret prayer. Um bin down an' view the cross, Ah-a-a, Um bin down an' view the cross, Um bin on the secret prayer. Goin' to walk an' talk with the angels, Lawd, Ah-a-a, Goin' to walk an' talk with the angels, Lawd, Um bin on the secret prayer. Um bin down to Jacob's well, Ah-a-a, Um bin down to Jacob's well, Um bin on the secret prayer. Bin an' drink the living springs, Ah-a-a, Bin an' drink the living springs, Um bin on the secret prayer. Dear father, sence I sahr you las', Ah-a-a, 44 Bahama Songs and Stories, Dear father, sence I sahr you las', Um bin on the secret prayer. I'll shout my way to 'eaven, Lawd, Ah-a-a, I'll shout my way to 'eaven, Lawd, Um bin on the secret prayer. XXV. THE-R HEAVEN BELLS ARE RINGIN'. Chorus. a &: W=^- f^^ -bf- The-r heav - en bells are ring - m Arch - an jels are Fine. ntt N 1 IT ^ 1 ' " \j ! , 1 , K yi "s> ■■ m 1 -h- ^ l^ y y 1^ V • • 1 sing - in'; The-r heav - en bells are ring - in', In de mah - nin*. -^ — N- Oh come my dear - es' sis - ter, An' don' you wan' to go, To ^ I t ^ 2; sit 'long side a Je - sus. An' don' you wan' to go ? ( Any number of verses may be made by substituting the words "mother," " father," etc., for sister " in the above.) Do you Live by Prayer. 45 i^^i^ S:^ XXVI. JESUS BIN HYERE. --t t-^EE^- ^— '^^^ Je - sus bin hyere, bin hyere ; Bless my soul, an' fci: Id? gone. ^- t z? Je - sus bin hyere, bin hyere. Oh de Lawd pass by. I XXVII. DO YOU LIVE BY PRAYER.? vd^ .(Z- t=F -2?i- f— ^ Do you live by prayer PDoyou live by prayer ? Oh yes, I do live by prayer. Do you live by prayer ? Do you live by prayer } Oh yes, I do live by prayer. Re-e-member me, Re-e-member me, Oh yes, remember me. Have you passed here before } Have you passed here before 1 Oh yes, I have passed here before. When I can read My title clear To mansions in the skies, I '11 bid farewell To ev'ry fear. An' wipe my weepin' eyes. Then I can smile At Satan's rage To see a burnin' world. 46 Bahama Songs a^id Stories, XXVIII. I CAN'T STAY IN EGYPT LAN'. :rf=^ :i|^ ^£ =iP=i^ V- V- O sin - ne' man, how can you stan', I can - not stay in de D V (Cs 3 V , ^ m P ' 1^ N -t%^-J- -r~ ^ -r- ~s- P f U — b^ — ^— i^ -J -j^- Lm k V [^ y 1/ / V « E - gyptla-an'; My gos - pel go - in' from sho' to sho', Chorus. ^ /TS A- 1^ r-iv- I ^ afiE :t can't stay in E- gypt Ian'. Ca - an't stay a- way, Ca - an't stay a - way, ^1 # ^i^ li- atn Ca - an't stay a - way,mi Lord,Can't stay in de E ■ gypt Ian'. sinne' man how can you stan', I cannot stay in de Egypt Ian' ; My gospel goin from sho' to sho', I can't stay in Egypt Ian'. Cho. To-morrow mornin', baptisum day ; I cannot stay in de Egypt Ian' ; My gospel goin' from sho' to sho', I can't stay in Egypt Ian'. Cho. 1 looked on mi feet ; mi feet looked new, I cannot stay in de Egypt Ian' ; I swear by God I was runnin' too, I can't stay in Egypt Ian'. Cho. Nothin but the Righteous, 47 XXIX. NOTHIN' BUT THE RIGHTEOUS. ^ feS^ =1^ 4--^ i-» 1 Noth - in' but ^ \ N the Right- eous shall get N N ^ v in the gate, A 1^ B R K K fS ^' K h 1 ^^t#- -O 9 # • J ' ml • • • ^ r; — LEl 1 U — V V — — i Noth - in' but the Right- eous shall get in the gate, i^i=^^=^^^S i=^: :B w- ^=^ Noth -in' but the Righteous shall get in the gate, O Lawd,howlong ? Nothin' but the Righteous shall get in the gate, Nothin' but the Righteous shall get in the gate, Nothin' but the Righteous shall get in the gate ; O Lawd, how long? Teach me the way to get in the gate, Teach me the way to get in the gate, Teach me the way to get in the gate ; O Lawd, how long? Give me the faith to get in the gate, Give me the faith to get in the gate. Give me the faith to get in the gate ; O Lawd, how long? Give me the hands for to shout that day, Give me the hands for to shout that day. Give me the hands for to shout that day ; O Lawd, how long? Nothing but the Righteous shall wear the crown, Nothing but the Righteous shall wear the crown. Nothing but the Righteous shall wear the crown, O Lawd, how long? Slip an' slide those golden streets. Slip an' slide those golden streets, Slip an' slide those golden streets ; O Lawd, how long? 48 Bahama Songs and Stories, XXX. DEATH WAS A LITTLE T'ING. rT\ V^ • — • 4=: .— L-^ -k- -t -t Death was a lit - tie [t'ing, It go from do' to do', Oh you J2_-^ — - — 1 1 — ^ — ^ — ^- take 'im in de si • ■ len' grave, [t nev - er to rise no J , \> s s A 1 / b m m r ^ m ((\^ a J J r r 1 . __P _ ff 1 \s) • 1 1 1 , 1^, 1 «J w ^ u^ 1/ mo'. Oh glo :i ry Hal - le - lu - jah ! Praise ye A- the D.B. I Jig -($'- Lawd, Oh glo - ry Hal - le - lu ( Sing from •8' to D. S. unto the end.) jah ! Go an' serve de Lawd. Death was a little t'ing, It go from do' to do', Oh you take 'im in de silen' grave, It never to rise no mo'. Oh glory Hallelujah ! Praise ye the Lawd, Oh glory Hallelujah ! Go an' serve de Lawd. It is death, Hallelujah ! Praise ye de Lawd, It is death. Hallelujah ! I 'm goin' serve de Lawd, Pray, brother. Hallelujah ! Praise ye de Lawd. Pray, my brother. Hallelujah ! I 'm goin' serve de Lawd, Sing, sister. Hallelujah ! Praise ye de Lawd, Sing, sister. Hallelujah ! I 'm goin' serve de Lawd. Coni ^longy Brother, 49 XXXI. MY JESUS LED ME TO THE ROCK. r=fcfe s ±. H \- tif: ^^-»—n -^^- My Je - sus led me to the rock; Oh my! Oh my! I t s N — ^ — ^ — ^^- H ^- -^-> -K— N— •- heard such a ram -blin' in the sky, I tho't 't was my Lord comin' down. XXXII. COM' 'LONG, BROTHER. 5f=^ :p=P- X^ ^^-# E -» — •- ^ -to*» 'V — h -^»! — F My broth - er, it 's no par - tik - a - lar place fah you, An' I Fine. ^- -P-— t SE2 =i: ^ -«- sahr a cit- y in my new. Com"long, brother, go with me, I D+t It N N /Cs L/Sa*^ n ' N ^ 1 N "T" ^*^:|- ^ ~m ^ — • -J— -^ H -^ #- f» ^ _j__ LM) ,^ 1 —•-J 1 — 1 — sahr a cit in my new. Com', go with me to the &S- House of God, I sahr cit in my new. My brother, it's no partikalar place fah you. An' I sahr a city in my new. Com' 'long, brother, go with me, I sahr a city in my new. Com', go with me to the House of God, I sahr a city in my new. Jacob's ladde' mus' be long, I sahr a city in my new. so Bahama Songs and Stories, De angels shout from heavin down, I sahr a city in my new. Pray, my brothe', you soon be free, I sahr a city in my new ; Pray with the Spirit God in your soul, I sahr a city in my new. XXXIII. NEVER A MAN SPEAK LIKE THIS MAN. Chorus. Oh ^ M. * - i' 1 '^ 1 m m z A li t"' I m r k irh ^ 1 • r bf ^ V V ^ \s\) 4- V \/ 1/ V, [/ «J 1/ / V V Oh ! look - a' death, look - a' death, She 's trav - 'lin' thro' [the fc:?- 1^- -jJi -I- i Ian', She 's trav; - 'lin' thro' the Ian', For I nev - e' EiNB. sawhr w r :i man for to speak like this man. I wish ole Sa -tan would be still, I An' let me do my Mas- ter's will, I i 1^ m ^> B.C. :F^=t^F I nev - e' sawhr a man for nev - e' sawhr a man for to speak like this man to speak like this man. Chorus. Oh! look-a' death, etc. I wish ole Satan would be still, I neve' sawhr a man for to speak like this man ; And let me do my Master's will, I neve' sawhr a man for to speak like this man. Cho. Chorus. I heard sich a ram'lin' in the sky, I neve' sawhr a man for to speak like this man ; I tho't my Lawd was passin' by, I neve' sawhr a man for to speak like this man. Cho. Goin to Ride on de Cross, Chorus. Jacob's ladder mus' be long, I neve' sawhr a man for to speak like this man ; The angels shout from 'eavin down, I neve' sawhr a man for to speak like this man. Cho. 51 Chorus. I saw King Peter on the sea, I neve' sawhr a man for to speak like this man ; He left his net an' follow me, I neve' sawhr a man for to speak like this man. Cho. XXXIV. GOIN' TO RIDE ON DE CROSS. crahs, Goin' to ride on de cross, In heaven for - ev n+t /^ L/^ON ^ «« m P 1 s S N 1 1 x ^ \ R« \ ' ' r K R 1 1 \ \ irn i J • ■ J J I' S^ s^ J J P \s\) 4- • • • J V ^ "^ • . ^ ^ ^ J 1 Oh mi Je - sus ride on de cross, Goin' to ride on de y'^ m m m » P 1 n N s 11 /\ \ ]• \j r 1 1 J P K^ (V __ N_ p irh ^j ^j J y J • J ^ < <^j 11 • W J-^-^ ^— V 1 ^ » ^ II mo . Oh mi Jesus ride on de cross, Goin to ride on de crahs, Goin' to ride on de cross. In heaven foreve'mo'. Jesus says 'e bette' than gole, Says 'e bette' than gole. Says 'e bette' than gole. In heaven foreve'mo'. 52 Bahama Songs and Stories, XXXV. DON'T YOU WEEP AFTER ME. i ^^3^^^='^=^ ^^ ^-r 1^ -& P^3E? ttc When um dead an' bur - ied, Don't you weep af - ter me [— &«TTS-t- -f- -N -hH v-^- -^— t- m ^— J -•'— - • —m — =^J- -5= -\T. b — f^ —^ — When um dead an' bur - ied, Don't you weep af - ter me i Ss«=F: ^ w When um dead an' bur - ied, Don't you weep af Ss«=F ter t ^- -^- -^ me. For don' want you to weep af ter me. When um dead an' buried, Don't you weep after me ; When um dead an' buried, Don't you weep after me ; When um dead an' buried. Don't you weep after me, For I don' want you to weep after me. Saihn' on the ocean, Don't you weep after me ; Sailin' on the ocean, Don't you weep after me ; Sailin' on the ocean, Don't you weep after me, For I don' want you to weep after me. In the old ship of Zion, Don't you weep after me^ ; In the old ship of Zion, Don't you weep after me ; In the old ship of Zion, Don't you weep after me, For I don' want you to weep after me. Dont you Weep after Me, 53 Kin' Peter is the capt'in, Don't you weep after me ; Kin' Peter is the capt'in, Don't you weep after me ; Kin' Peter is the capt'in, Don't you weep after me. For I don' want you to weep after me. Bright angels is the sailors, Don't you weep after me ; Bright angels is the sailors, Don't you weep after me ; Bright angels is the sailors. Don't you weep after me. For I don' want you to weep after me. You poor distressed sinners, Don't you weep after me ; You poor distressed sinners, Don't you weep after me ; You poor distressed sinners, Don't you weep after me, For I don' want you to weep after me. Oh, look-a' Mary, Don't you weep after me ; Oh, look-a' Mary, Don't you weep after me ; Oh, look-a' Mary, Don't you weep after me. For I don' want you to weep after me. She 's lookin' over Jordun, Don't you weep after me ; She 's lookin' over Jordun, Don't you weep after me ; She 's lookin' over Jordun, Don't you weep after me, For I don' want you to weep after me. Oh, look-a' Martha, Don't you weep after me ; Oh, look-a' Martha, Don't you weep after me ; 54 Bahama Songs and Stories, Oh, look-a' Martha, Don't you weep after me, For I don' want you to weep after me. Oh, run along my friends, Don't you weep after me ; Oh, run along my friends, Don't you weep after me ; Oh, run along my friends. Don't you weep after me, For I don' want you to weep after me. Tell my Lawd I'm coming. Don't you weep after me ; Tell my Lawd I'm coming. Don't you weep after me ; Tell my Lawd I'm coming, Don't you weep after me. For I don' want you to weep after me. (There seems to be no end to the verses of this song.)^ Oh ! We all got Religion, 55 XXXVI. OH! WE ALL GOT RELIGION. V "0 N IV m . m f m cv H / Z P m • E W # r^ i a .__L(_._ 1^ Iv ! , 1 \M;.4- • / "■ — U— 1/ V — U— 1 • 1 My fa - the', where war you? My fa - the' , where w^ar you ? My t: fa - the', where war you, When my good Lawd was there? Chorus. Oh ! we all got re - li- gion in that day, in that day, in that day ; Oh! we t 9 -h ^ ^^ ^- ^V- ^-=x :t: all got re - li-gion in that day. Wait on, the trump shall sound. My fathe', where war you ? My fathe', where war you ? My fathe', where war you, When my good Lawd was there.? Cho. My mothe', where war you.'' My mothe', where war you? My mothe', where war you, When my good Lawd was there .^^ Cho. My brothe', where war you.f* My brothe', where war you.? My brothe', where war you, When my good Lawd was there } Cho. You swearers, where war you .? You swearers, where war you .? You swearers, where war you, When my good Lawd was there } Cho. You drunkards, where war you } You drunkards, where war you } You drunkards, where war you, When my good Lawd was there. Cho. 5^ Bahama Songs and Stories, My mourners, where war you ? My mourners, where war you? My mourners, where war you, When my good Lawd was there ? Cho. My leaders, where war you ? My leaders, where war you? My leaders, where war you. When my good Lawd was there? Cho. Chorus. ( To be sung after last verse.) Oh, the jin-i-wine religion In that day, in that day, in that day ; Oh, the jin-i-wine religion in that day. Wait on, the trump shall sound. / Wa7z to Go to ^Evun, 57 XXXVII. I WAN' TO GO TO 'EVUN. Chorus. *=fc ::& Sati t^^ -#-•-•- :tq Give a - way, Jor - dun, Give a - way. Jor - dun, Give a - way. V ^ i> V s N \ \ \^ K N N N 1 / J J 1 \' _^ R K i\ m -• — • — J 1 i ' 1 IT \ * ^ m m ^ 1 v^ ; — • • ^ 1 Jor - dun, I wan' to wan' to go to 'ev - un to see my Lawd. I see bright an - gels D.C. 1 yjf ^ m \ \ N N ^ ^ _S ^ ^ III / K K N K N J J J III f? b 1 ■ -•— m m m • « ^ II v^ ^ 'l> 1/ ^ • 1 1 c- stand - in' there, I wan' to go to 'ev - un to see my Lawd. Chorus. Give away, Jordun, etc. I look'd over yander ; \vhat I see ^ T wan' to go to 'evun to see my Lawd. I see bright angels standin' there, I wan' to go to 'evun to see my Lawd. Cho. Chorus. The talles' tree in Par-i-dise, I wan' to go to 'evun to see my Lawd. The Christians call it " Tree of Life," I wan' to go to 'evun to see my Lawd. Cho. Chorus. Jus' le' me put on mi long white robe, I wan' to go to 'evun to see my Lawd. I '11 march Jerusalem 'round an' 'round, I wan' to go to 'evun to see my Lawd. Cho. 58 Bahama Songs and Stories, XXXVIII. I LONG TO SEE THAT DAY. Chorus. P drz: Roll, Jor In rt - din, ^ roll, Je - ru - sa - lem my hap - py .home ; Fine. /■, t> ^ K p ^ 1 ^ * w- j' o . m ^ ' J »' 1 ^^ _i * -" 1 1 # * 1 ; d 1 'l^ L 1 K> Roll, Jor - din, roll, long to see that day. 1^ 1^=^=1: :^^=1^ li— --t- fi-A I wish ole Sa - tan would be still, I long to see that day ; An' -K ^ ^ \ V N V s s: N- :1^ I 4-- ^-4 let me do my Mas - ter's will, I long to see that day. Chorus. Roll, Jordin, roll, etc. I wish ole Satan would be still, I long to see that day ; An' let me do my Master's will, I long to see that day. Cho. Chorus. Run up, father, before too late, I long to see that day ; Bfo' King Jesus shet 'is gate, I long to see that day. Cho. Chorus. You knock me down, I rise agen, I long to see that day ; An' fight you with my fired sword, I long to see that day. Cho. Chorus. or Satan's med an' I am gled, I long to see that day ; Because 'e misst the soul of men, I long to see that day. Cho. Lawd, Remember Me, 59 XXXIX. LAWD, REMEMBER ME. ^^ m^ ^ iS^ -&- De win' bio' eas' an' de win' bio' wes', It bio' like Judg-men' day. Chorus. :^: -V 5 — ^ X-'- -^ j^=3^ ^ H \- o n+t if It sin - ne' you bet - ter pray, Do, Lawd, re - mem -bei me ! B.S. y *^j(- ^ Rn r~^- t=^ -~T- ^—-ii—& i :^— -• — •— U sang - e wi - ley, come home, U sang - e wi - ley, come home, :^: -A- ^ V 9-r -v^ Come, come, come, come,come ketch you yi a mah. m^t w --■^ del - e - wah, ^— , — ^ del - e - wah. My moth We know you, you ain't the one. She went hup to the house an' de nex' eldes' siste' came down an' sang de same song, an' 'e tol' 'er to go back ; she was n't the one. Afte' she went up de younges' siste' came down ; de one 'e wanted fah a wife. She sung de same song. Then 'e paddled 'is boat in to de shore ; caught 'er by de han' an' dragged 'er into de B' Parakeet an B' Frog, 85 boat. Tol' 'er 'f she did n' have 'im 'e sink de boat, and 'e '11 turn to cub,i aj^' si^e '11 tyj-n to a porper.^ She tol' 'im, '* No ! " an 'e sunk de boat. She turn to a porper, an' 'e turn to a cub ; and the porper beat the cub, an' from dat day till now the porper always beats de cub. E bo ban, my story 's en', etc. XXIII. B' PARAKEET AN' B' FROG. Once it vwas a time, etc. You know 't was a man ; 'e had nine acre' of groun' to cut down. An' 'e said, 'f 'e could get anybody to cut it down in a week, that 'e would give 'im 'is eldes' daughter to wife an' t'ree hunderd dollah. Miste' B' Frog says, " I t'ink 'f deys any workin'man in de worl', Miste' B' Frog de man ! " Miste' B' Frog started. Met Miste' B' Parakeet; says, "If you come go with me an' help me to cut down this piece of groun' I give a good breakfas'. B' Parakeet says, '* All right, I go." 'E put 'im in a bag an' carried 'im. W'en'e got dere Miste' B' Frog got up in a tree. 'E says, " I t'ink 'f deys any work- in'man in de worl', Miste' B' Frog 's de man ; Quaw-aw-aw, Quaw- aw-aw ! " Not a leaf did drop. Miste' B' Parakeet came out an' went up in a tree an 'e commence to sing : — to yum-bay, yat - en - day, yum - bay, O to yum-bay. An' half an acre fell down. Wen B' Frog look 'e saw de man's daughter comin'. 'E said, " Parakeet come down out o' that tree ; get in dis bag ; don' let 'eh see ye." Wen she got dere she say, " I t'ink if dey 's any workin'- man in de worl', Miste' B' Frog de man." 'E ax 'er fah a kiss. She tol' 'im, '* No, wait till to-morrah." Nex' day she came back again. Said to him, " What 's dat pretty song I heard you singin' befo' I got dere 1 " 'E said to 'er, '' De only song in de worl' I been singin' ; *I think 'f dey's any workin'man in de worl', Miste' B' Frog's de man ; Quaw-quaw-aw ! " She says, " I thought I heard one prettier than that." An' 'e ask 'er fah a kiss, an' she gave it to 'im. Miste' B' Parakeet did n' like it. Nex' day B' Parakeet went again with B' Frog. B' Parakeet got up in a tree ; began to sing : — 1 Man-eating shark. 2 Porpoise. 86 Bahama Songs and Stories, *' O to yum-bay, yat-en-day, yum-bay, O to yum-bay." Wen B' Frog saw 'er comin' again de nex' day, 'e say, ** Fah Gawd sake, B' Parakeet come down an' git in dis bag ! " B' Para- keet say, "No, I ain't comin' down to-day." B' Frog say, ''B' Para- keet, fah Gawd sake, come down!" 'E say, "No, I ain' comin' down ! " Then de girl come in de fiel' an' B' Frog sunk unde' de dry leaves an' just lef 'is head out, 'e was so shame' ! She said, " I thought it wan't Miste' B' Frog doin' all dis work ! " She went home an' tol' her fathe' ; an' B' Frog wanted to beat Miste' B' Para- keet. An' B' Parakeet said, " Cut 'im off in de eas' ! " Miste' B' Frog turn 'n' run to westward. Miste' B' Parakeet said, " Cut 'im off to westwahd ! " B' Frog met a goat. 'E say, "Did you see B' Parakeet.?" 'E say, "All that fray I an' 'im had is done." Miste' B' Parakeet married de lady an' got 'er three hunderd dollahs. E bo ban, my story 's en', etc. XXIV. 'BOUT B' DOG, B' CAT, B' RABBIT, AN' B' GOAT. Once it vwas a time, etc. Had a dinnah one day an' had a lot o' beef. B' Dog was a very great lover of a beef bone. Whiles dey were 'roun' de table heatin', B' Goat threw lot o' beef bone out o' de window. B' Dog turn 'roun' an' looked at it short. B' Cat says, "Min', B' Dog, don't make no shame here to-day" (by bad habits of jumpin' out de window fah beef bone). B' Rabbit throwed out one. B' Dog jumped out de window afte' it; B' Cat out afte' B' Dog; chasin' 'im. Afte' B' Cat foun' 'e could n' ketch 'im, 'e went back to de house. Said, " Did n' I tell you 'bout havin' B' Dog here } Did n' I tell you B' Dog make a shame } " B' Cat was as bad as B' Dog ; 'e was chasin' 'im to get it. That story 's ended. E bo ban, my story 's en,' etc. A ' Young Lady an 'er Son, 87 XXV. THE LADY AN' 'ER TWO DAWTAHS AN' 'ER HUSBAN'. Once it vwas a time, etc. 'Eh husban' gener'ly like peppah in 'is food. Dis day 'e came home off de fiel', she had peas fah dinnah. They was n't peppah enough fah 'im. Tol' 'is wife to go an' git some mo' peppahs. ^She went an' got 'er han' full. She mashed them up an' put it in de peas. Then 'e et two spoonfuls ; 't was so peppery 'e ax fah watah. 'E sent de heldes' dawtah to de well fah watah. When she got there, B' Parakeet jumped out with 'is fiddle. Commence to play this : — Kan i it wan't no dip - pe' in de well. Kan - gi yang. She jumped out an' begun to dance. De nex' eldes' come down. Said, '* Mah 's goin' to kill you ! " When she went to draw de watah, 'e played de same song with 'is fiddle. She went out fah a pardne' fah 'eh siste'. When they look again, de mothe' come down. When she went to go to dip de watah B' Parakeet played de same song. She went out to dance. Then 'eh husban' come down. When 'e went to get in de well to drink de watah, B' Parakeet went down an' played de same song with 'is fiddle an' 'e went out pard- ner fah 'is wife. 'E dahnced till 'e dahnced 'eself dead. E bo ban, my story 's en', etc. XXVI. A YOUNG LADY AN' 'ER SON. Once it vwas a time, etc. The lady she had a drum in de house ; she told her son not to beat it. That if he would beat it the spirits would dreg him away. Afte' she was gone out a hearin' 'e got de drum an' commence to knock : — Mama gone in bay- road,Papa soon come back,On-ly poor me won't,On-ly Bahama Songs and Stories. I — R— i"-i — P-i"R — RR"!' — | ™ ^ ™ i ™i- 1 \~A — hH 1 1 i 1 — I 1 1 1 1 — l-d- poor me won't,Dumeracker,Dumeracker,Dumeracker,Dumeracker,I wan' to go ; 4-ji-4-^-n^-^-^-^-ii-^—^—d-^-id—4- ii-'^ it ~- Dumeracker,Dumeracker,Dumeracker,Duineracker, I wan' to go. When 'e looked 'e saw the spirits comin'. Say, " Boy beat dat t'in^ 'gain ; le' me dance ! " 'E says, " I cahn' knock ! " 'E says, *' O B' Frog, come knock dis t'ing for me ! " B' Frog say, " I cahn' knock." 'E says, " O B' Yabby, knock dis t'ing fah me." B' Yabby says, " I cahn' knock." 'E say, *' O B' Monkey, knock dis t'ing fah me!" B' Monkey say, ''I tell you what I do." 'E say, "Go to you' pa's trunk an' git me t'ree shillin' flakes o' tobacco." 'E went an' got 'im de tobacco. B' Monkey put one piece in 'is mouth, an' 'e commence to knock de drum : — Ma-ma gone in bay-road, etc. 'E kep' B' Monkey knockin' all day. Afte' that the spirits went away. E bo ban, my story 's en', etc. XXVII. B* GOAT, B' BOUKI, AN' B' RABBIT. Once it vwas a time, etc. Dey went in de sea one day. B' Rabbit had a very splendid chain around 'is neck. 01' man came an' taken 'is chain. B' Rabbit say, " Oh, B' Bouki an' B' Goat ; come, go git me chain." B' Bouki say, '* You want you' chain go you'sel' ; we ain' goin' with ye." B' Rabbit stahrted. 'E run ; 'e run ; till 'e caught up de ol' man. 'E says, "Master," says, "please to gi* me my chain." 'E says, "You ride me from here way to dat hill yande', I gi' you you' chain." 'E rode 'im from theh to thet hill ; set 'im down ; say, " Maste', gi' me my chain." 'E say, " Now ride me from dat hill way to dat bother hill, way yande', an' I gi' you you' chain." ('E wanted to kill B' Rabbit.) Put 'im down. 'E say, " Ride me to dat house in de wally, way yonde', an' I gi' to you." 'E rode 'im to dat house. Man took 'im an' t'row 'im in de house. 'E say, " You stay theh." De man had a gold band an' a horse. Comin' towards dinnah time 'e says, "What you' mah does give you fah you' dinnah.?" The Woman an 'eh Husband 89 B' Rabbit said, " My mah always gi' me pebble soup." Man went an' take an' fill de pot full o' pebbles. 'E says, " Well, how much wood you* mah does take t " " T'ree cords." De man went an' got one cord ; 'e burnt dat out. Taken 'is fork to try 'em to see 'f dey was done. Wen 'e struck 'em dey went Ka-bang ! " Then stahrted to go fah de othe' cord. B' Rabbit went an' taken de man's gold band an' horse. When B' Rabbit got home he hid de band an' horse. or man stahrted to look fah 'is horse. First house 'e come to was B' Rabbit's house. 'E says, " Oh, little boy, you see any little boy go by with a horse an' drum t ^ B' Yabby say, " Yes, Masse' ; I see 'im go way up de street." 'E say, " 01' man come git some sour." ^ B' Rabbit had a hole dug unde' de floo' ; had some boards laid on it. An' 'e set the man's cheh. right ove' that hole ; an' the table. De man say, *' I would n' matte' gittin' somet'in' to eat, Beyeh." ^ Afte' de man was finish eatin', B' Rabbit gi' de man a pipe to smoke. De fellah laid on de arm-cheh ; commence to smokin'. B' Rabbit taken 'is feet an' move away de board. 01' man went down ; table, chehr, an' all. B' Rabbit sung out, '*Full^ up, mah, full up, pa ; full up, mah, full up, pa ! " Dey fulled de hole right up an' beatin' it down. An' thus ended that 'ol' story. E bo ban, my story 's en', etc. XXVIII. THE WOMAN AN' 'EH HUSBAN*. Once it vwas a time, etc. No' a woman ; 'er husban' was very sick. She went to de doctah to see w'at she mus' do fah 'im. Doctah tol* 'er she mus' put 'im in a wahm bath. She went home an' het the hoven as hot as she could be. Then she swept de coals out an' set 'im inside o' her ; stoped de hoven up. W'en she went to it through the day to take 'im out, behol' e' was settin' hup grinnin'. She says, " It 's doctah's orders ; 'grin an' bear it !' " W'en she went to take 'im out she says, *' O Gawd, my husban 's dead!" She ran off fah de doctah. Doctah, 'e says to 'er, " You fool, you ! I did n' tell you to do dat ; I tell you to put 'im in a wahm bath." E bo ban, my story 's en', etc. 1 Band. * 2 Limes. ^ Brother. * Fill. 90 Bahama Songs and Stories, XXIX. B' BIG-HEAD AN' B' LITTLE-HEAD. Once it vwas a time, etc. B' Big-head an' B' Little-head went fah a walk one day. Dey met up by a whole lot o' pears. Dey set down an' het all dey want. Afte' dey was finish' eatin' de pears, dey went to look fah some watah. Dey met up by a hole o' watah. B' Big-head say to B' Lit- tle-head, " Le' me drink first." B' Little-head say, " No, le' me drink first." B' Little-head stoop down to drink much as 'e want. B' Big-head went to drink. De mo' B' Big-head use' to drink, de mo' 'is head use' to grow. Wen 'e had enough, 'e said, " O B' Lit- tle-head, come pull me out ! " B' Little-head say, " I cahn' pull you out ! " 'E caught hold 'im, 'e pull ; 'e cahn' pull 'im out. 'E say, " O Gaw', B' Big-head, look at de Devil ! " Wen B' Big-head raise 'e broke 'is head off, an' left it in de hole. 'E went home runnin' with no head, an' dat ended de 'old story. E bo ban, my story 's en', etc. XXX. A BOY AN' SHEEP. Once it vwas a time, etc. A boy, once he was mindin' sheep, 'E los' one of 'is sheep one night. He watch how a deer sleep. Caught de deer an' 'e carried 'im 'ome. Got 'im five hunderd dollahs fah dat. Nex' night 'e los' anothe' of 'is sheep. Wen' an' watched how a 'helephint sleep. Elephint sleep leanin' against a tree. Boy got two bags. 'E wet 'em with kerosene oil, an' hung 'em up unde' de tree. B' Helephint picked up de bags : '* Hunh, covehs smell sweet to-night." Shoved 'is head in ; in de bags. Boy came an' burnt 'im up there. 'E went an' 'e got 'im three hunderd dollahs fah that. 'E left off mindin' sheep. 'E went to a man to mind 'oses. Ev'ry year dis man, w'at 'e went to mind 'oses to, got to change one o' 'is dawtahs fah watah. This was de las' dawtah 'e had to change fah watah, when de boy went dere to stop. The boy axed de coach- man o' de carriage to let 'im go. Coachman taken 'im ; kicked 'im down in de mud. Went an' shook all de shep'erd needles out o' de bag. 'E says, " Pick 'em up one by one, an' put 'em in de bag." Scene at the Celebration of E?7iancipation De Girl an de Fish, 91 De coachman stahrted out to go to change de girl fah watah. The boy went up on de 'os' stable. Said, " Needles, go in de bag ! " De needles went in de bag. Boy went down an' got 'is 'os' an' kerridge ; dressed down fine, in a suit o' diagonal an' a beaver. When dey got there, when dey was about to change eh fah watah, that boy was there, a mile off in 'is kerridge. 'E says, " Befo' dis man shall have dis woman, let two boar lizards fight." When 'e look de two boar lizards was on de groun' fightin'. While de two lizards was fightin' dey got de watah an' went away ; carried de girl back home again. Nex' year dey went to change eh again. De boy axed de coach- man to let 'im go again. Coachman told 'im, *' No, 'e was n't to go." De boy did n't say nothin'. Wen dey went dere dey met de boy dere in de kerridge ; dey didn't know 'im. 'E says, *' Befo' dis man shall have dis woman let two cocks fight." Wile de two cocks was fightin' 'e taken out 'is han'ke'chief outen 'is pocket an' put a red stain on it. Passed it to the girl. W'en she went home she went an' cahed it to 'er fathe'. 'Eh fathe' called all de high people of dat place an' said, " 'F any man can get dat stain out o' that handke'- chief, 'e give 'eh to 'im fah wife an' two thousan' dollahs." All on 'em was tryin', dey could n' git it out. This fellah haxed them to let 'im try it. Fathe' told 'im, ''AH right, 'e could try it." 'E rolled up 'is sleeve ; spread the handke' chief over 'is harm ; then 'e spit on it, taken 'is hand an' rubbed over it. The stain went out. Her fathe' give 'er to 'im to wife an' 'is two thousan' dollahs. Dat en's de hold story. E bo ban, my story 's en', etc. XXXI. DE GIRL AN' DE FISH.i Dis day dis girl vwen' down to de sea for salt vwatah. She ketch one little fish hout de conch shell.^ She name 'im Choncho-wally. She put 'im in de vwell. Ev'ry mohnen she use' to put some 'er breakfas' in de bucket an' carry to de fish ; an' some 'er dinner, an' some 'er supper. She feed 'im 'till 'e get a big fish. Dis mohnin, vw'en she vwen' to cahy de breakfas' for 'im, she sing : — 1 In this and the following tales, generally given as " fairy stories," one may detect elements of the familiar marchen of universal folk-lore. For XXXI., cf. "The Golden Fish," Fortier, Jour. Am. Folk-Lore, 1888. 2 One of the common sports of Bahama children is to catch tiny fish which find harbor in old conch shells. 92 Bahama Songs and Stories, p ^pn^ — 4 * ^ -F^ ^-f* — a^ * ^-F | •—