[1] “A very hasty temper.” [↑]
32. The Law against Back-biting. [[Note]]
a. Duck’s Dream.
George Parkes, Mandeville.
One time Anansi were living in a country an’ the country were very hard; so they pass a law that anyone talk one another, that man will drop down dead. So Anansi say he mus’ eat something out of it, because he’s going to fix himself into a place where people mus’ talk him. So he get a hoe an’ a pick-axe an’ a machete an’ go to a broad flat rock near the side of the road where everyone pass, begun to knock, pong pong pong. Hog was passing. Hog say, “Mawning, Brar Anansi.” Anansi say, “Mawning, Brar Hog.” Hog say, “Wha you do deh?” Anansi say, “Governor pass law an’ say famine coming upon lan’ an’ ev’rybody mus’ work groun’, so me deh try see wha’ me kyan’ do.” So Hog went on. As he went a little way he say, “Odder people work groun’ a good place; Anansi deh work groun’ ’pon rock!” As Hog say so, drop down dead. Anansi turn roun’, pick him up put him in his bag, said, “Dat de way oonoo[1] talk a man!” So now he carry Hog go home go eat him. [[41]]
The nex’ day he went back. Cow was passing. He began to knock, pong pong pong. Cow say, “Mawning, Brar Anansi.” Anansi say, “Mawning, Brar Cow.” Cow say, “A wha’ you deh do deh?” Anansi say, “governor pass a law that a great famine come ’pon land an’ everybody mus’ work groun’.” So cow went on. When he go a little distance he said, “Odder man work groun’ have good place; Anansi work ’pon rock stone!” Cow drop down dead. Anansi tak him up put him in his bag, said, “Dat’s how oonoo talk a man!” He carry home Cow an’ eat him.
Horse and Goat come and they share the same fate. Now a day or two after, while Anansi was there knocking, Duck came up. He said, “Mawning, Brar Anansi.” Anansi said, “Mawning, Brar Duck.” Duck said, “A wha’ you do deh?” Anansi say, “Governor pass law say great famine coming ’pon lan’ an’ ev’rybody mus’ work groun’, so me deh try see wha’ me can do.” Anansi said to Duck, “What is all de strange news a fe you side?”[2] Duck say not’ing strange but only thing he dream a dream las’ night that he’s on the worl’ so long an’ no married yet; so him a go down a bottom yonder go see if him kyan’ get married. So he went on. Anansi then said, “Good people, they get married. Duck an’ all say him want fe married too!” So Anansi drop down dead. Duck turn roun’ an’ pick him up, swallow him, an’ said, “Dat’s de way oonoo talk a man!”