Jamaica: Guinea-Chick and Horse

In the first story, Anansi makes a law against insulting other people: "if anyone talk de other one, he dead," i.e. if you talk about someone, you will die. Once again, as in the story about the yam hills, you will see Anansi fall into his own trap, this time tricked by Guinea-chick.

In the second story, you get to see one animal, Goat, learn from the foolish mistakes made by Horse, so that in the end of the second story, Anansi is again outwitted!

[Notes by LKG]

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This story is part of the Jamaican Stories unit. Story source: Jamaica Anansi Stories by Martha Warren Beckwith (1924). I have removed the eye-dialect.

(speckled guinea fowl)

Guinea-Chick

Anansi make law if anyone talk the other one, he dead. He get up on one cave roadside, go working ground.

Cow a-pass, go see him.

Anansi say, "Just a-try a-work one ground here."

So when Cow go long, pass him, Cow say, "Chuh! Man fool! Man can't work ground upon rock-stone!"

As Cow say so, Cow tumble down dead. Then Anansi go pick him up, go eat.

Hog came. Hog ask him say, "What you a-doing here?"

"A-try a-work a ground."

Hog pass him. "Chuh! Man can't look upon rock-stone and say me work ground!"

As Hog say so, him drop dead. Anansi pick him up, go eat.

Guinea-chick say, "I will go there!" Guinea-chick put on him clothes same as a-go market. So when he come and see Anansi upon the stone a-dig, tie him head with a check handkerchief — that are Guinea-chick — and pass Anansi, no speak to him.

That time him go long Anansi say, "That there fool!" Then Anansi drop dead.

Jack man dory!

Horse and Anansi

Anansi call Horse a-go bush, cut plantain. When they cut done, they carry out in the open, they begin to play stick, lick stick.

Then Anansi said, "Brer Horse, we hungry now; we don't have no fire for roast plantain." So say to Horse, "Go see fire quite yonder? Go there, go take fire come, make we roast plantain!"

Horse fling up him tail on back, gallop, gone.

Meanwhile him gone, Anansi strike him tinder-box and build a fire, roast every plantain, eat all the plantain, leave only four.

Horse gallop away and can't catch the fire and turn back.

Anansi say, "Brer Horse, when you gone, one man pass here, give me fire and me roast the plantain; as me roastee done, one man come beat me and take away the plantain only left them four here give me!"

So Brer Horse say, "Never mind! You take two, me take two."

So Horse takee.

That time Brer Goat go bush, kneel down, watch Brer Anansi, watch what take place; so the next day, Goat say him will go with Anansi.

Them two go, them two cut plantain, and them come out upon the open and them play.

So Anansi said, "Brer Goat, we hungry now and we have no fire. See fire quite yonder? Gallop go get fire and come." Goat gallop, go round clump of bush, go kneel down on knee, go watch him. Him strike him tinder-box make a fire, peel every plantain, put a fire. When the plantain roast, he scrape every bit.

As him scrapee, Goat get up a-come. Goat cut stick and him jump one side so him put circle round the fire-side, and say to Anansi, "Put you hand in now, sir!" And jump the other side and put circle again.

So then Anansi begin to beg, and Goat take away everything, didn't give him one!

Jack man dory!

Next: Anansi in Monkey Country / The Fishes

(500 words)