53. Why Woodpecker Bores Wood. [[Note]]
Samuel Wright, Maroon Town, Cock-pit country.
There was a bird name of Woodpecker promise his mother to bury him into a stone, an’ go all about an’ tell all his frien’ dat him gwine to bury him mother into a stone. An’ de mother was poorly unto death an’ he went to go an’ bore a stone, an’ he turn back an’ said, “Mother, I try the stone but I can’t bore it. I’ll bury you into a wood.” An’ he bore de wood. An’ after de death of his mother, he buried him into a wood. That is the reason the wood-pecker bore the wood.
54. Why Crab is afraid after Dark. [[Note]]
Richard Morgan, Santa Cruz Mountains.
Crab go to God to gi’ him head. God tell him he mus’ go back, “Tomorrow come, I will give you head.” After Crab gwine home, he rej’ice into him, he singin’,
“T’ank God, tomorrow God a’mighty gi’ me head!
T’ank God, tomorrow God a’mighty gi’ me head!”
He dance until he muddy de water. Nex’ day he went to God a’mighty fe get head. God tell him say, “Stop! after you don’ get head yet you go an’ muddy water; den if you get head you will do worse. So you mus’ carry your head upon your shoulder all de days of you life.” So when Crab returning home, when him ketch Orange Bay[1] an’ stan’ der call Daniel name, said him wouldn’t trust a shadder after dark, for him don’t know when dey pick him up t’row him into his basket.