In this first story, Anansi's wife is named Tacoomah but, as you will see in other stories, sometimes Tacoomah is the name of one of Anansi's friends, and sometimes it is name of Anansi's son (although the usual name for Anansi's son is "Cunnie-more-than-father").
In the second story, Anansi uses the "saying grace" trick, which you can also find in a Brer Rabbit story: Brer Wolf Says Grace.
[Notes by LKG]
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.
Eating Tiger's Guts
Brer Anansi said, "Brer Tiger, take out your inside and wash it out."
Brer Tiger did so.
"Now, Brer Tiger, dip your head in water, wash it good."
The moment Brer Tiger put his head in water, Anansi took up the inside and run away with it give to his wife Tacoomah to boil.
Next morning he heard that Tiger was dead. He called all the children to know how they were going to cry. Each one come say, "Tita Tiger dead!"
The last child he called said, "Same something Papa bring come here last night, give Ma Tacoomah to boil, Tita Tiger gut."
"Oh, no!" said Anansi. "Pickney, you can't go." So they lock up that child.
So man hear him crying, ask him what's the matter.
"I want to go to Tita Tiger's funeral!"
Let him out to go.
When Anansi see him coming, he run away and take house-top and since then he never come down.
Monkey and Anansi.
Anansi ask Monkey, "Brer Monkey, how much cunning you have?"
Said, "Brer, me have plenty plenty!"
Anansi said, "Brer, me only have one one-half; I keep the one for meself and give me friend the half."
Travel on, travel on, until they see Tiger in one deep hole.
Anansi say, "Brer Monkey, you have plenty cunning and long tail; send down tail into the hole and help Brer Tiger!"
While him send down him tail, Anansi climb one tree. Tiger come out of the hole now, lay hold on Monkey, say, "I eat you today!"
Anansi on the tree laughing. Monkey into a fix now, don't know how to get away. So Anansi call out to Tiger, "Brer Tiger, you catch Monkey, now you gonna eat him?"
Tiger say, "Yes, I gonna eat him."
Anansi say, "Do like me now. Open you two hand and clap with joy, say, 'I get Monkey!'"
That time he open his two hand, Monkey get free.
Tiger run after Monkey, Anansi make his way down from the tree, go home.
(400 words)
