WHY TUMBLE-BUG ROLLS IN THE DUNG
There was a young lady, was the king daughter. Her father said who come with a jar of money will get that young lady to marry.
Tumble-bug get a jar of money.
Anansi get a jar and couldn't get no money to put in it; get some cow dung and some horse dung, fill up the jar.
And after them was going up to the young lady, them catch [arrive] to a shop. And the two jar favor one another.
And Anansi said, "Brer Tumble-bug, let we go in the shop, go get a drink." And Anansi said, "Must buy a bread, come."
And as he come out, him take up Tumble-bug jar and left for him jar. And Tumble-bug take up Anansi jar.
And when them go up to the young lady in the king yard, Anansi said, "Master, must bring a clean sheet, go throw out money out of jar!"
And he throw out money — wa-a-a-a-a!
And as Tumble-bug throw, him throw out horse-dung and cow-dung.
Anansi said, "Take it up, take it up, take it up, you nasty fellow, carry out the miss's yard!"
That is why you see Tumble-bug roll in filth today today.
Story Title: Why Tumble-Bug Rolls in the Dung
Storyteller: William Forbes, Dry River, Cock-pit country.
Book Title: Jamaica Anansi Stories
Author: Martha Warren Beckwith
Published: 1924
Rights: CC0 Public Domain
Online Source: Sacred Texts Archive
Process: I have removed the eye-dialect, along with editing for punctuation and paragraphing.
Story Notes from Author (Beckwith): Compare Tremearne, 261; FL 21:498 — 499; Christensen, 96-98; and note to number 35 in this collection.
Additional Notes: The phrase "today today" [until this day, until now] resembles the Gullah "there there."