Moses Hendricks, Mandeville.
Anansi and Dog were friends. They wanted to go into cultivation, so both of them went out in search of good lands to rent. They came across a nice bit of land. Anansi fell in love with the spot; Dog fell in love with the spot too. Anansi said to Dog he remembered when he was a little boy his father planted yams on that very spot of land,—“An’ the yams did bear.” Dog said, “How they bear big?” Anansi said, “Brar Dog, they bear big, they bear big like me leg!” (Anansi’s leg is jus’ like a thread!) Brar Dog say, “Before I work an’ plant yam, an’ the yam not bigger than you leg, I sooner walk round an’ look!” That’s the reason why, when you’re eating, a dog ’sure to be looking at you.
49. Why Rocks at the River are covered with Moss. [[Note]]
Sarah Vassel, Bog, Westmoreland.
Anansi was gwine out one day an’ he stop a ribber-side a-eatin’. A rock-stone beg him, an’ wouldn’t gi’ him none. After eat done, wan’ to get up; rock-stone hol’ him an’ he couldn’t get up. [[58]]An’ began to bawl. A man was coming pas’ same time an’ ask him, “Bredder Anansi, who been a cry heah?” Anansi said, “Don’ know!” An’ de man go inside de bush, go hide. Anansi holla, an’ he come out an’ he catch him by his two han’ an’ draw him right up. Half a him ’kin lef’ on de stone. Moss a grow upon rock-stone a ribber-side, Anansi skin a grow deah.
50. Why Ground-dove Complains. [[Note]]
Simeon Falconer, Santa Cruz Mountains.
Tiger planting corn, and birds and everyt’ing destroying de corn, so him get Dove to help him fe watch who is destroying de corn. So after dey sit up de whole night fo’ to watch de corn, next day Tiger him go sleep. Bredder Dove go back in de day now and destroy de corn. So de nex’ day, Tiger went in de day and dodge in de ground. Bredder Dove have a gang, an’ Tiger were slap him on de ears and he sing out, “Me ears! me ears! me ears!” An’ from dat day to dis de dove singing, “Me ears!”