The time hard. Anansi said to Tacoomah, “How going to manage wid de hard time?” So Tacoomah said, “You know we do? I will get me machete[1] an’ I go half shut de door, den I will say, ‘Police, I sick!’ ” Den, when people come, Tacoomah take de machete an’ chop dem, put dem in de barrel for de hungry time. Anansi say, “Brar Tacoomah, barrel nearly full?”—“No, Brar.” He cry out again how Tacoomah poorly; an’ de people come an’ as dey come, he kill dem put in barrel to serve in hungry time.
Den Goat up on de hill-side say he see everybody goin’ in, nobody come out; de house so little, how is it gwine to hold all doze people? So Goat come down now off de hill-side to see how Tacoomah. He peep in. Tacoomah say, “Come in!” an’ Goat run right back up hill-side. An’ from dat day, Goat stay up on hill-side.
[1] A machete is a broad heavy knife used to clear brush, cut cane, etc. [↑]
19. Dog and Dog-head. [[Note]]
Richard Morgan, Santa Cruz Mountains.
Hanansi an’ Tacoomah dey goin’ out huntin’ to steal cow. De two of dem have der dog. Dey walk. Hanansi, hungry tak him; he eat de dog body an’ tak de dog-head put into his side-bag. Me’while dey gwine in de bush, Tacoomah dog tackle a cow. Hanansi run drive away Tacoomah dog an’ tak fe him dog-head fasten on de cow an’ call out to Tacoomah, “I tackle one fellah!”
Tacoomah know dat was fe him dog ketch de cow. Tacoomah lef’ him went away get one whip an’ go to clear place. He fire de whip an’ say, “A no me, sah! a pupa, sah!” Hanansi holla, “Brar, wha’ dat?” Tacoomah fire de whip again, say, “Don’ my dog ketch buckra cow, sah! a pupa dog ketch it!” Hanansi call out to Tacoomah, “Tacoomah, you fool! you ever hear so-so[1] dog-head kyan ketch cow?” So Hanansi run leave de cow; Tacoomah go an’ clean it up. [[23]]