Jamaica: Tiger as Riding-Horse

There is a Brer Rabbit parallel in the story where Brer Rabbit rides Brer Fox to show off in front of the ladies, boasting, just as Anansi does here, that Brer Fox had been his father's riding horse before him: "'Ladies, Brer Fox was my daddy's riding-hoss for thirty year; maybe more, but thirty year that I knows os,' says he" (Mr. Rabbit Grossly Deceives Mr. Fox).

Of course there are not tigers in Jamaica, but the English word tiger has also been used to other large cats. So, for example, it was regularly used in southern Africa to refer to leopards and panthers, and it was used in the Americas to refer to jaguars, pumas, and cougars (compare the phrase "mountain lion" to refer to cougars, pumas, and panthers).

You will see that there is a song here, and many of the Anansi stories are connected with singing and dancing; both Anansi and Brer Rabbit are not only tricksters, but also musicians.

[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.

Tiger as Riding-Horse

Tiger was walking to a yard and see two young misses, and he was courting one of the young misses.

And as Anansi hear, Anansi go up to yard where the young misses is; and they ask him, said, "Mr. Anansi, you see Mr. Tiger?"

And said, "O yes! I see Mr. Tiger, but I tell you, misses, Tiger is me father old riding-horse."

And when Tiger come to misses, them tell him.

And said him going Anansi, make him come and prove witness before him face how he is father old riding-horse!

And when him come call Anansi, say, "Want you to come prove this thing you say before the misses."

Anansi say, "I never say so! But I can't walk at all."

Tiger said, "If I have to carry you upon me back, I will carry you go!"

Anansi said, "Well, I will go."

Anansi go take out him saddle.

Tiger say, "What you gonna do with saddle?"

Anansi say, "To put me foot down in the stirrup so when I gonna fall down, I weak, I can catch up."

And take him bridle.

Tiger say, "What you gonna do with it?"

Say, "Gonna put it in you mouth; when I going to fall down I can catch up."

Tiger say, "I don't care what you do, must put it on!"

And Anansi go back and take horse-whip.

And Tiger say, "What you gonna do with the horsewhip?"

And say, "For when the fly come, fan the fly."

And put on two pair of spur.

And say, "What you gonna do with spur?"

And say, "If I don't put on the spur, me foot will cramp."

And come close to yard and close in with the spur and horse-whip, and make him gallop into the yard, and say, "Carry him in to stable, sir! I make you to know what Anansi say true to the fact: is me father old riding-horse."

Tiger take to wood.

Anansi sing after him,
Poor Tiger dead and gone!
Si-lay-na, Si-lay-na, Si-lay-na bom, 
Everybody!
Si-lay-na, Si-lay-na, Si-lay-na bom, 
Si-lay-na, Si-lay-na.
Poor Ti-ger dead and gone, 
Si-lay-na, Si-lay-na, Si-lay-na,
Everybody go look for them wife, 
Si-lay-na, Si-lay-na,
Everybody go look for them wife, 
Si-lay-na, Si-lay-na, Si-lay-na bom.

Next: Tiger Catching the Sheep-Thief

(spider)

(400 words)