An’ Aliminty was a hunter and hear de singin’ an’ say, “Dat is Alimoty v’ice!” An’ he came to de Lion yard an’ kill de Lion. [[89]]
78. The Fish Lover. [[Note]]
a. Timbo Limbo.
Thomas White, Maroon Town.
A man had one daughter an’ de daughter was name’ Lydia. An’ him wife die an’ him married to anudder woman. An’ she have some chil’ren fe de man, an’ she like fe him chil’ren more ’n de daughter-in-law. Mostly it’s de daughter-in-law she impose upon to do de work. An’ she sen’ Lydia fe water, give him a big jug fe go to de ribber; an’ de jug is mor’n Lydia weight, dat she alone can’t help up de jug, an’ de mudder-in-law won’t sen’ none fe him pickney fe go an’ help up Lydia. When Lydia get to de ribber-side, Lydia was crying dat de jug is too hebby an’ him kyan’t get no one to help him up. An’ a Jack-fish was in de ribber hear de lament, an’ went up an’ said to de young woman if him wi’ be a wife fe him he wi’ help him up when him come to de ribber-side. An’ Lydia consent to de Jack-fish to be a wife to him, an’ Lydia fill him jar wid water an’ de Jack-fish help him up an’ ’he went to de yard.
De mudder-in-law ask him who ’he had a ribber-side to help him up wid de jar, an’ Lydia says dat ’he has no one. De mudder-in-law says, “Yes, you mus’ have some one!” She says, “No, mudder-in-law, I had no one to help me but me alone; it’s me alone helping up myself.” An’ one mo’ning Lydia tek up de jug an’ went to de ribber-side. An’ what de mudder-in-law did, him sen’ one of him chil’ren to follow Lydia an’ to watch him at de ribber-side to see who help him up wid de jar. An’ when Lydia go, him had to sing to call de Jack-fish; when de Jack-fish hear de voice of Lydia, him will come up to help her. De fish name is Timbo Limbo an’ de song is dis,
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