[[34]]
The king couldn’t guess it; he said, “You must explain to my satisfaction.” And he said, “I have me hat full of dirt” (took off his hat and show him), “one boot with silver” (he was standing on silver), “the other boot with gold” (he was standing on gold also). He rode “a colt that was never born” (he cut that out of the mother’s belly), and “a bit of the dam” he held in his hand—that was the mare’s skin he had as a bridle. The king reprimanded him and said, “Go on, me good man, go about your business!”
Jack man dory! Anansi got him off, Anansi was a smart man!
27. Anansi and Brother Dead. [[Note]]
a. Brother Dead’s Wife.
Grace Doran, Whitehall, Cock-pit country.
One day Anansi was walking an’ walk till he go into a wood and see a man have a barbecue[1]—plenty of meat. An’ him go an’ say, “Hi, Brar! how you do?” Man no ’peak. “Brar, you have plenty of meat an’ you want some one fe ’top wid you?” Man no ’peak. Say, “Brar, gi’ me little breakfas’ now?” Man no ’peak. Say, “Oh, Brar, you no talk, but me going to tak litt’e fe me breakfas’.” Man no ’peak. Nansi go up on barbecue say, “Brar say me mus’ tak meat.” No ’peak to him yet. Tak de meat an’ say, “Brar, gi’ me you pot?” Man no ’peak to him. Say, “Brar, mus’ put on yo’ pot go get meat.” Man no ’peak. Put on de pot an’ go on de barbecue fetch meat. When he cook done, tak him bag, load up, say, “Brar, me gwine now.” Man no ’peak. “To-morrow I come back see you, an’ I see you need servant an’ I going to bring one of me daughter.” No ’peak.
De nex’ day say, “Wife, I go in Dead country an’ buck up Brar Dead. Have plenty of meat. Gwine a carry me daughter down to country to work for him an’ cook for him.” Daughter name Sindy. When he go again, Dead sit down got him comb combing hair, long hair cover him face. Say, “Brar Dead, I promise bring a servant for you, but him hungry so me going to tak me eat.” Dead no ’peak. An’ tak de jug, put on pot, tak water, an’ go up on barbecue tak meat an’ him cook, say, “Brar Dead, I gwine, but I coming back to-morrow.” An’ go back say, “Enough meat dar, an’ Brar say come back to-morrow.” Nex’ day come back. Dead no say one word, got long bow an’ arrow in hand. Don’t see him daughter. Go up on barbecue an’ see him daughter finger have a ring. Say, “I mak you ’peak t’-day!” An’ tak Dead hair [[35]]and tak one long pla’t tie heah, and tak one long pla’t tie deah, and tak two pla’t behind tie up on tree. An’ as him gwine away, pile up dry trash an’ light up de head wid fire. Dead shake head when de plat’ burn off; and shake again, de odder pla’t pop off; an’ tak up him bow an’ arrow an’ run after Anansi.