Stone That Wore a Beard, A

"ONE day Spider go fo' set trap inside one big bush (forest). He meet one big stone wey duh get plenty bear'-bear'. [1] Dis not to true stone, he nar one debble wey bin turn stone."

               A prolonged "Y-a-h-oh!" of assent from the women squatted about on the floor, accompanied by the swaying of bodies, and the exclamation from some one: "Nar true word yo' duh talk," showed how heartily they believed in the power of their devils to assume any form they willed, in order to carry out their purposes. It was a sympathetic audience that followed the remainder of the story. The children were listening open-eyed in silent eagerness. Mamenah went on impressively.

               "Ef pusson say de stone get bear'-bear' (beard), he go fa' down de same place close de stone, he go wan' die. So one day, w'en Spider go set trap to dis place, he meet de stone. Now he say: 'L-a-w-cus! Dah stone get plenty bear'-bear'.' So he fa' down de same place. He no able fo' grap (get up) all day. W'en at las' he betty leelee bit, he go home.

               "Spider wan' fo' make cunnie fo' yeat he cumpin (companion), en he come fin' out say dis plan go be fine fo' get um. So one day he go to Deer, he tell um, say:

               "'Fren, come go follow me, I go look me trap.'

               "Deer say: 'All ret.'

               "All two dey walker half way, den Spider say:

               "'Deer, make yo' go befo', I go show yo' de road; de road nar dis.'

               "W'en dey done reach close de stone, Spider 'tan' up, he wait. Deer go, him too big fool, him say: 'L-a-w-cus! Look dah stone, he get plenty bear'-bear'.'

               "Nar so he fa' down deh, he wan' die. Spider make hase come cut he t'roat, he kare um go, he en he pickin en he wef. Dey yeat de Deer all.

               "De odder tem he go call Feleentambo (gazelle), he say: 'Fren', come go follow me, I go set me trap.'

               "So w'en dey duh go, he 'tan' up one side, he tell Feleentambo make he go befo'. W'en Feleentambo go he see de stone, he no keep he mout', he say: 'Dah stone get plenty bear'-bear'.' So he fa' down deh. Spider run, he cut he t'roat.

               "Nar so he do all dem odder beef. At las' he go call Cunnie Rabbit, he say: 'Fren', come go follow me to me trap.'

               "Well, dey go. W'en dey reach close de stone, Spider 'tan' up, he say: 'Fren', pass befo', look de trap ef he ketch.'

               "Cunnie Rabbit go befo', he go see de stone heah, but he silence. Spider wait, he wait fo' hearee ef he go talk, but he no talk. So he call Cunnie Rabbit, he say: 'Wey t'ing yo' see?'

               "Cunnie Rabbit say: 'I no see anyt'ing.'

               "Spider tell um, say: 'Yo' no see yandah to dat stone?'

               "Cunnie Rabbit say: 'Wey t'ing?'

               "Spider put he han' to he chin, he say: 'Yo' daddy no get so?'

               "But Cunnie Rabbit get sense, he no talk, so Spider tell Cunnie Rabbit: 'Make yo' mus' say "Stone get pl----"

               "Cunnie Rabbit hese'f say: 'Stone get pl----'

               "Spider vex, he say: 'Ah, me fren', yo' stupid! Make yo' mus' say: 'Dah stone get plenty b--'

               "Well Cunnie Rabbit say: 'Dah stone get plenty b--'

               "Spider say: 'Ah, me fren', yo' no kin say de stone get plenty bear'-bear'?'

               "So Cunnie Rabbit hese'f say so, en dey all two fa' down de same place. Dey wan' fo' die, dey no able fo' grap (get up). Nar deh, Trorkey go meet dem. Well, because Cunnie Rabbit bin good pusson, Trorkey he hase (raise) um up, en Cunnie Rabbit go 'way. Trorkey say: 'I bin go lif' yo', Spider, but bimeby yo' go lie 'pon me; yo' go say yo' fine Trorkey fa' down so heah, en yo' se'f bin he'p um.'

               "Spider say: 'No, I no go do so.' He beg Trorkey sotay (till) Trorkey he'p um, he hase um up.

               "F'om dat day Cunnie Rabbit get sense. Spider hese'f no able um, [2] he pass all odder beef."

               A delighted little exclamation from Konah greeted this praise of her Cunnie Rabbit. For several minutes after the close of the narrative, there was an indistinguishable jabber of voices, all eager to add some "debble story", if possible more exciting than the one just told.

               Finally Mammy Magbindee gained the right of way, and her story was: [THE GIRL THAT PLAITED THE DEVIL'S BEARD.]