Oh, will you wear blue? Oh, will you wear blue? Oh, will you wear blue, Milly Biggers? "I won't wear blue, It's too much lak Missus' shoe. I'll wear me a cotton dress, Dyed wid copperse an' oak-bark."

You sholy would wear gray? You sholy would wear gray? You sholy would wear gray, Milly Biggers? "I won't wear gray, It's too much lak Missus' way. I'll wear me a cotton dress, Dyed wid copperse an' oak-bark."

Well, will you wear white? Well, will you wear white? Well, will you wear white, Milly Biggers? "I won't wear white, I'd get dirty long 'fore night. I'll wear me a cotton dress, Dyed wid copperse an' oak-bark."

Now, will you wear black? Now, will you wear black? Now, will you wear black, Milly Biggers? "I mought wear black, Case it's de color o' my back; An' it looks lak my cotton dress, Dyed wid [33]copperse an' oak-bark."

[33] Copperse is copperas, or sulphate of iron.

HALF WAY DOINGS

My dear Brudders an' Sisters, As I comes here to-day, I hain't gwineter take no scripture verse Fer what I'se gwineter say.

My words I'se gwineter cut off short An' I 'spects to use dis tex': "Dis half way doin's hain't no 'count Fer dis worl' nor de nex'."

Dis half way doin's, Brudderin, Won't never do, I say. Go to yō' wuk, an' git it done, An' den's de time to play.

Fer w'en a Nigger gits lazy, An' stops to take short naps, De weeds an' grass is shore to grow An' smudder out his craps.

Dis worl' dat we's a livin' in Is sumpen lak a cotton row: Whar each an' ev'ry one o' us Is got his row to hoe.

An' w'en de cotton's all laid by, De rain, it spile de bowls, If you don't keep busy pickin' In de cotton fiel' of yō' souls.

Keep on a-plowin', an' a-hoein'; Keep on scrapin' off de rows; An' w'en de year is over You can pay off all you owes.

But w'en you sees a lazy Nigger Stop workin', shore's you're born, You'se gwineter see him comin' out At de liddle end of de horn.

TWO TIMES ONE

Two times one is two. Won't you jes keep still till I gits through? Three times three is nine. You 'tend to yō' business, an' I'll 'tend to mine.

HE PAID ME SEVEN (PARODY)

"Our Fadder, Which are in Heaben!"— White man owe me leben and pay me seben. "D'y Kingdom come! D'y Will be done!"— An' if I hadn't tuck dat, I wouldn' git none.

PARODY ON "REIGN, MASTER JESUS, REIGN!"

Oh rain! Oh rain! Oh rain, "good" Mosser! Rain, Mosser, rain! Rain hard! Rain flour an' lard an' a big hog head Down in my back yard.

An' w'en you comes down to my cabin, Come down by de corn fiel'. If you cain't bring me a piece o' meat, Den bring me a peck o' meal.

Oh rain! Oh rain! Oh rain, "good" Mosser! Dat good rain gives mō' rest. "What d'you say? You Nigger, dar!"— "Wet ground grows grass best."

A REQUEST TO SELL

Gwineter ax my daddy to sell ole Rose, So's I can git me some new clō's. Gwineter ax my daddy to sell ole Nat, So's I can git a bran' new hat. Gwineter ax my daddy to sell ole Bruise, Den I can git some Brogran shoes. Now, I'se gwineter fix myse'f "jes so," An' take myse'f down to Big Shiloh. I'se gwine right down to Big Shiloh To take dat t'other Nigger's beau.

WE'LL STICK TO THE HOE

We'll stick to de hoe, till de sun go down. We'll rise w'en de rooster crow, An' go to de fiel' whar de sun shine hot, To de fiel' whar de sugar cane grow. Yes, Chilluns, we'll all go! We'll go to de fiel' whar de sun shine hot. To de fiel' whar de sugar cane grow.

Oh, sing 'long boys, fer de wuk hain't hard! Oh scrape an' clean up de row. Fer de grass musn' grow, while de sun shine hot, In de fiel' whar de sugar cane grow. No, Chilluns. No, No! Dat grass musn' grow, while de sun shine hot, In de fiel' whar de sugar cane grow.

Don't think 'bout de time, fer de time hain't long. Yō' life soon come an' go; Den good-bye fiel' whar de sun shine hot, To de fiel' whar de sugar cane grow. Yes, Chilluns. We'll all go! Good-by to de fiel' whar de sun shine hot, To de fiel' whar de sugar cane grow.

A FINE PLASTER

W'en it's sheep skin an' beeswax, It shō's a mighty fine plaster: De mō' you tries to pull it off, De mō' it sticks de faster.

A DAY'S HAPPINESS

Fust: I went out to milk an' I didn' know how, I milked dat goat instid o' dat cow; While a Nigger a-settin' wid a gapin' jaw, Kept winkin' his eye at a tucky in de straw.

Den: I went out de gate an' I went down de road, An' I met Miss 'Possum an' I met Mistah Toad; An' ev'y time Miss 'Possum 'ould sing, Mistah Toad 'ould cut dat Pigeon's Wing.

But: I went in a whoop, as I went down de road; I had a bawky team an' a heavy load. I cracked my whip, an' ole Beck sprung, An' she busted out my wagin tongue.

Well: Dat night dere 'us a-gittin' up, shores you're born. De louse go to supper, an' de flea blow de horn. Dat raccoon paced, an' dat 'possum trot; Dat ole goose laid, an' de gander sot.

MASTER KILLED A BIG BULL

Mosser killed a big bull, Missus cooked a dish full, Didn't give poor Nigger a mouf full. Humph! Humph!

Mosser killed a fat lam'. Missus brung a basket, An' give poor Nigger de haslet. Eh-eh! Eh-eh!

Mosser killed a fat hog Missus biled de middlin's, An' give poor Nigger de chitlin's. Shō! Shō!

YOU HAD BETTER MIND MASTER

'Way down yon'er in 'Possum Trot, (In ole Miss'sip' whar de sun shines hot) Dere hain't no chickens an' de Niggers eats c'on; You hain't never see'd de lak since youse been bo'n, You'd better mīn' Mosser an' keep a stiff lip, So's you won't git sōl' down to ole Miss'sip'.



LOVE RHYME SECTION

PRETTY LITTLE PINK

My pretty liddle Pink, I once did think, Dat we-uns shō' would marry; But I'se done give up, Hain't got no hope, I hain't got no time to tarry. I'll drink coffee dat flows, From oaks dat grows, 'Long de river dat flows wid brandy.

A BITTER LOVERS' QUARREL—ONE SIDE

You nasty dog! You dirty hog! You thinks somebody loves you. I tells you dis to let you know I thinks myse'f above you.

ROSES RED

Rose's red, vi'lets blue. Sugar is sweet but not lak you. De vi'lets fade, de roses fall; But you gits sweeter, all in all.

As shore as de grass grows 'round de stump, You is my darlin' Sugar Lump. W'en de sun don't shine de day is cold, But my love fer you do not git old.

De ocean's deep, de sky is blue; Sugar is sweet, an' so is you; De ocean waves an' de sky gits pale, But my love are true, an' it never fail.

YOU HAVE MADE ME WEEP

You'se made me weep, you'se made me mourn, You'se made me tears an' sorrow. So far' you well, my pretty liddle gal, I'se gwine away to-morrow.

MOURNING SLAVE FIANCEES

Look down dat lonesome road! Look down! De way are dark an' cōl'. Dey makes me weep, dey makes me mourn; All 'cause my love are sōl'.

O don't you see dat turkle dove, What mourns from vine to vine? She mourns lak I moans fer my love, Lef' many a mile behin'.

DO I LOVE YOU?

Does I love you wid all my heart?— I loves you wid my liver; An' if I had you in my mouf, I'd spit you in de river.

LOVERS' GOOD-NIGHT

Cotton fields white in de bright moonlight, Now kiss yō' gal' an' say "Good-night." If she don't kiss you, jes go on 'way; Hain't no need a-stayin' ontel nex' day.

VINIE

I loves coffee, an' I loves tea. I axes you, Vinie, does you love me?

My day's study's Vinie, an' my midnight dreams, My apples, my peaches, my tunnups, an' greens.

Oh, I wants dat good 'possum, an' I wants to be free; But I don't need no sugar, if Vinie love me.

De river is wide, an' I cain't well step it. I loves you, dear Vinie; an' you know I cain't he'p it.

Dat sugar is sweet, an' dat butter is greasy; But I loves you, sweet Vinie; don't be oneasy.

Some loves ten, an' some loves twenty, But I loves you, Vinie, an' dat is a plenty.

Oh silver, it shine, an' lakwise do tin. De way I loves Vinie, it mus' be a sin.

Well, de cedar is green, an' so is de pine. God bless you, Vinie! I wish you 'us mine.



LOVE SONG RHYME SECTION

SHE HUGGED ME AND KISSED ME

I see'd her in de Springtime, I see'd her in de Fall, I see'd her in de Cotton patch, A cameing from de Ball.

She hug me, an' she kiss me, She wrung my han' an' cried. She said I wus de sweetes' thing Dat ever lived or died.

She hug me an' she kiss me. Oh Heaben! De touch o' her han'! She said I wus de puttiest thing In de shape o' mortal man.

I told her dat I love her, Dat my love wus bed-cord strong; Den I axed her w'en she'd have me, An' she jes say "Go long!"

IT IS HARD TO LOVE

It's hard to love, yes, indeed 'tis. It's hard to be broke up in min'. You'se all lugged up in some gal's heart, But you hain't gwineter lug up in mine.

ME AND MY LOVER

Me an' my Lover, we fall out. How d'you reckon de fuss begun? She laked licker, an' I laked fun, An' dat wus de way de fuss begun.

Me an' my Lover, we fall out. W'at d'you reckon de fuss wus 'bout? She loved bitters, an' I loved kraut, An' dat wus w'at de fuss wus 'bout.

Me an' my Lover git clean 'part. How d'you reckon dat big fuss start? She's got a gizzard, an' I'se got a heart, An' dat's de way dat big fuss start.

I WISH I WAS AN APPLE

Oh: I wish I wus an apple, An' my Sallie wus anudder. What a pretty match we'd be, Hangin' on a tree togedder!

But: If I wus an apple, An' my Sallie wus anudder; We'd grow up high, close to de sky, Whar de Niggers couldn' git 'er.

We'd grow up close to de sun An' smile up dar above; Den we'd fall down 'way in de groun' To sleep an' dream 'bout love.

And: W'en we git through a dreamin', We'd bofe in Heaben wake. No Nigger shouldn' git my gal W'en 'is time come to bake.

REJECTED BY ELIZA JANE

W'en I went 'cross de cotton patch I give my ho'n a blow. I thought I heared pretty Lizie say: "Oh, yon'er come my beau!"

So: I axed pretty Lizie to marry me, An' what d'you reckon she said? She said she wouldn' marry me, If ev'ybody else wus dead.

An': As I went up de new cut road, An' she go down de lane; Den I thought I heared somebody say: "Good-bye, ole Lize Jane!"

Well: Jes git 'long, Lizie, my true love. Git 'long, Miss Lizie Jane. Perhaps you'll [34]sack "Ole Sour Bill" An' git choked on "Sugar Cain."

[34] Sack = To reject as a lover.



COURTSHIP RHYME SECTION

ANTEBELLUM COURTSHIP INQUIRY

(He) Is you a flyin' lark or a settin' dove? (She) I'se a flyin' lark, my honey Love. (He) Is you a bird o' one fedder, or a bird o' two? (She) I'se a bird o' one fedder, w'en it comes to you. (He) Den, Mam: I has desire, an' quick temptation, To jine my fence to yō' plantation.

INVITED TO TAKE THE ESCORT'S ARM

Miss, does you lak strawberries? ***** Den hang on de vine. ***** Miss, does you lak chicken? ***** Den have a wing dis time.

SPARKING OR COURTING

I'se heaps older dan three. I'se heaps thicker dan barks; An' de older I gits, De mō' harder I sparks.

I sparks fast an' hard, For I'se feared I mought fail. Dough I'se gittin' ole, I don't co't lak no snail.

A CLANDESTINE LETTER

Kind Miss: If I sent you a letter, By de crickets, Through de thickets, How'd you answer better?

Kind Suh: I'd sen' you a letter, By de mole, Not to be tōl'; Fer dat's mō' secretter.

ANTEBELLUM MARRIAGE PROPOSAL

(A proposal of marriage with the answer deferred)

(He) De ocean, it's wide; de sea, it's deep. Yes, in yō' arms I begs to sleep, Not fer one time, not fer three; But long as we-uns can agree.

(She) Please gimme time, Suh, to "reponder;" Please gimme time to "gargalize;" Den 'haps I'll tu'n to "cattlegog," An' answer up 'greeable fer a s'prise.

IF YOU FROWN

If you frowns, an' I frowns, W'en we goes out togedder; Den all de t'other folks aroun' Will say: "De rain is fallin' down Right in de sunshine wedder!"

"LET'S MARRY" COURTSHIP

(A proposal of marriage, with a provisional acceptance)

(He) Oh Miss Lizie, how I loves you! My life's jes los' if you hain't true. If you loves me lak I loves you, No knife cain't cut our love in two.

(She) Grapevine warp, an' cornstalk fillin'; I'll marry you if mammy an' daddy's willin'.

(He) Rabbit hop an' long dog trot! Let's git married if dey say "not."

COURTSHIP

(A proposal of marriage with its acceptance)

Kind Miss: I'se on de stage o' action, Pleadin' hard fer satisfaction, Pleadin' 'fore de time-thief late; Darfore, Ma'm, now, [35]"cravenate."

If I brung to you a gyarment; To be cut widout scissors, An' to be sewed widout thread; How (I ax you) would you make it, Widout de needle sewin' An' widout de cloth spread?

Kind Suh: I'd make dat gyarment Wid love from my heart, Wid tears on yō' head; We never would part.

[35] Cravenate = consider.

I WALKED THE ROADS

Well: I walked de roads, till de roads git muddy. I talked to dat pretty gal, till I couldn' stan' study.

Den: I say: "Love me liddle," I say; "Love me long." I say: "Let dat liddle be 'doggone' strong! For, shore as dat rat runs 'cross de rafter, So shore you'se de gal, you'se de gal I'se after."

PRESENTING A HAT TO PHOEBE

Sister Phoebe: Happy wus we, W'en we sot under dat Juniper tree. Take dis hat, it'll keep yō' head warm. Take dis kiss, it'll do you no harm.

Sister Phoebe: De hours, dey're few; But dis hat'll say I'se thinkin' 'bout you. Sugar, it's sugar; an' salt, it's salt; If you don't love me, it's shō' yō' own fault.

WOOING

W'at is dat a wukin At yō' han' bill on de wall, So's yō' sperit, it cain't res', An' a gemmun's heat, it call?

Is you lookin' fer sweeter berries Growin' on a higher bush? An' does my combersation suit? If not, w'at does you wush?



COURTSHIP SONG RHYME SECTION

THE COURTING BOY

W'en I wus a liddle boy, Jes fifteen inches high; De way I court de pretty gals, It make de ole folks cry.

De geese swim in de middle pon'. De ducks fly 'cross de clover. Run an' tell dem pretty gals, Dat I'se a-comin' over.

Ho! Marindie! Ho! Ho! Missindie! Ho! Ho! Malindie! Ho! my gal! I'se gwine now to see ole Sal.

PRETTY POLLY ANN

I'se gwineter marry, if I can. I'se gwineter marry pretty Polly Ann.

I axed Polly Ann, fer to marry me. She say she's a-lookin' fer a Nigger dat's free.

Pretty Polly Ann's jes dressed so fine! I'll bet five dollars she hain't got a dime.

Pretty Polly Ann's jes a-puttin' on airs, She won't notice me, but nobody cares.

I'll drop Polly Ann, a-lookin' lak a crane; I 'spec's I'll marry Miss Lize Jane.



MARRIAGE RHYME SECTION

SLAVE MARRIAGE CEREMONY SUPPLEMENT

Dark an' stormy may come de wedder; I jines dis he-male an' dis she-male togedder. Let none, but Him dat makes de thunder, Put dis he-male an' dis she-male asunder. I darfore 'nounce you bofe de same. Be good, go 'long, an' keep up yō' name. De broomstick's jumped, de worl's not wide. She's now yō' own. Salute yō' bride!



MARRIED LIFE RHYME SECTION

THE NEWLY WEDS

First Mont': "Set down in my cabin, Honey!" Nex' Mont': "Stan' up, my Pie." Third Mont': "You go to wuk, you Wench! You well to wuk as I!"

WHEN I GO TO MARRY

W'en I goes to marry, I wants a gal wid money. I wants a pretty black-eyed gal To kiss an' call me "Honey."

Well, w'en I goes to marry, I don't wanter git no riches. I wants a man 'bout four foot high, So's I can w'ar de britches.

BOUGHT ME A WIFE

Bought me a wife an' de wife please me, I feeds my wife un'er yon'er tree. My wife go: "Row-row!" My guinea go: "Potrack! Potrack!" My chicken go: "Gymsack! Gymsack!" My duck go: "Quack-quack! Quack-quack!" My dog go: "Bow-bow!" My hoss go: "Whee-whee! Whee-whee!" My cat go: "Fiddle-toe! Fiddle-toe!"

WHEN I WAS A "ROUSTABOUT"

W'en I wus a "Roustabout," wild an' young, I co'ted my gal wid a mighty slick tongue. I tōl' her some oncommon lies dere an' den. I tōl' her dat we'd marry, but I didn' say w'en.

So on a Mond'y mornin' I tuck her fer my wife. Of co'se I wus 'spectin' an agreeable life. But on a Chuesd'y mornin' she chuned up her pipe, An' she 'bused me more 'an I'd been 'bused all my life.

On a Wednesd'y evenin', as I come 'long home, I says to myse'f dat she wus all my own; An' on a Thursd'y night I went out to de woods, An' I cut me two big fine tough leatherwoods.

So on a Frid'y mornin' w'en she roll me 'er eyes, I retched fer my leatherwoods to give 'er a s'prise, Dem long keen leatherwoods wuked mighty well, An' 'er tongue, it jes rattle lak a clapper in a bell.

On a Sadd'y mornin' she sleep sorter late; An' de las' time I see'd her, she 'us gwine out de gate. I wus feedin' at de stable, lookin' out through a crack, An' she lef' my log cabin 'fore I could git back.

On a Sund'y mornin', as I laid on my bed, I didn' have no Nigger wife to bother my head. Now whisky an' brandy jug's my biges' bes' friend, An' my long week's wuk is about at its end.

MY FIRST AND MY SECOND WIFE

My fust liddle wife wus short an' fat. Her face wus as black as my ole hat, Her nose all flat, an' her eyes sunk in, An' dat lip hang down below her chin. Now wusn't I sorrowful in mind?

W'en I went down to dat wife's brother; He said: "She 'us tired. Gwineter marry 'nother." If I ever ketches dat city Coon, He railly mought see my razzer soon. Den I 'spec's he'd be troubled in mind!

My nex' wife hug an' kiss me, She call me "Sugar Plum!" She throw her arms 'round me, Lak a grapevine 'round de gum! Wusn't dat glory to my soul!

Her cheeks, dey're lak de cherry; Dat Cherry, it's lak de rose. Wid a liddle dimple in her chin, An' a liddle tu'ned up nose! Oh, hain't I happy in mind!

I'se got you, Lou, now fer my wife. Keep new Coons 'way, "My Pie!" Caze, if you don't, I tells you now, Dat we all three mought die. Den we'd be troubled in min'!

GOOD-BY, WIFE!

I had a liddle wife, An' I didn' want to kill 'er; So I tuck 'er by de heels, An' I throwed 'er in de river. "Good-by, Wife! Good-by, Honey! Hadn' been fer you, I'd a had a liddle money."

My liddle fussy wife Up an' say she mus' have scissors; An' druther dan to fight, I'd a throwed 'er in three rivers. But she crossed dem fingers, w'en she go down, An' a liddle bit later She walk out on de groun'.



NURSERY RHYME SECTION

AWFUL HARBINGERS[36]

W'en de big owl whoops, An' de screech owl screeks, An' de win' makes a howlin' sound; You liddle wooly heads Had better kiver up, Caze de "hants" is comin' 'round.

[36] This little rhyme is based upon a superstition once current among Negroes, to the effect that bad luck would come when a screech owl called near your home at night unless, upon hearing him, you would stick the handle of a shovel into the fire about which you were sitting, or would throw salt into it. The word "hant" means ghost or spirit.

THE LAST OF JACK

I had a liddle dog, his name wus Jack; He run forty mile 'fore he look back. W'en he look back, he fall in a crack; W'en he fall in a crack, he break 'is back; An' dat wus de las' o' poor liddle Jack.

LITTLE DOGS

I had a liddle dog; his name wus Ball; W'en I give him a liddle, he want it all.

I had a liddle dog, his name wus Trot; He helt up his tail, all tied in a knot.

I had a liddle dog, his name wus Blue; I put him on de road, an' he almos' flew.

I had a liddle dog, his name wus Mack; I rid his tail fer to save his back.

I had a liddle dog, his name wus Rover; W'en he died, he died all over.

I had a liddle dog, his name wus Dan; An' w'en he died, I buried 'im in de san'.

MY DOG, CUFF

I had a liddle dog, his name wus Cuff; I sent 'im to town to buy some snuff. He drapped de bale, an' he spilt de snuff, An' I guess dat speech is long enough.

SAM IS A CLEVER FELLOW

Say! Is yō' peaches ripe, my boy, An' is yō' apples meller? Go an' tell Miss Katie Jones Dat Sam's a clever feller.

Say! Is yō' cherries red, my boy, An' is yō' plums all yeller? Oh please run tell Miss Katie Jones Dat Sam's a clever feller.

THE GREAT OWL'S SONG

Ah-hoo-hoo? Ah-hoo-hoo? Ah-hoo-hoo——? An' who'll cook fer Kelline, an' who'll cook fer you——? I will cook fer myse'f, I won't cook fer you. Ah-hoo-hoo! Ah-hoo-hoo! Ah-hoo——!

Ah-hoo-hoo! Ah-hoo-hoo! Ah-hoo-hoo! Ah-hoo——! I wonder if Kelline would not cook fer Hue——? Fer dis is Big Sandy! It's Big Sandy Hue——! Ah-hoo-hoo! Ah-hoo-hoo! Ah-hoo-hoo! Ah-hoo——!

Ah-ha-hah! Ah-ha-hah! Ah-ha-hah! Ah-hah——! I thought you 'us ole Bill Jack as black as de tah. You really must 'scuse me, my "Honey Lump Pa." Ah-ha-hah! Ah-ha-hah! Ah-ha-hah! Ah-hah——!

An' since I'se been Kelline, an' you'se Big Sandy Hue; I will cook fer myse'f, an' I will cook fer you. I'll love you forever, an' sing in de dew: "Ah-hoo-hoo! Ah-hoo-hoo! Ah-hoo-hoo! Ah-hoo——!"

Yes!—Ah-hoo-hoo! Ah-hoo-hoo! Ah-hoo-hoo! Ah-hoo-all! Now, we'll cook fer ourse'fs, but who'll cook fer you all? Fer Tom Dick an' his wife, fer Pete Snap an' Shoe-Awl, Rough Shot De Shoe-boot, an' de Lawd He knows who all?

HERE I STAND

Here I stan', raggity an' dirty; If you don't come kiss me, I'll run lak a tucky.

Here I stan' on two liddle chips, Pray, come kiss my sweet liddle lips.

Here I stan' crooked lak a horn; I hain't had no kiss since I'se been born.

PIG TAIL

Run boys, run! De pig tail's done. If you don't come quick, You won't git none.

Pig ham's dere, Lakwise middlin's square; But dese great big parts Hain't no Nigger's bes' fare.

A, B, C

A, B, C, Doubled down D; I'se so lazy you cain't see me.

A, B, C, Doubled down D Lazy Chilluns gits hick'ry tea.

A, B, C, Doubled down D, Dat "cat's" in de cupboard an' hid. You see?

A, B, C, Doubled down D, You'd better come out an' wuk lak me.

NEGRO BAKER MAN

Patty cake! Patty cake! Nigger Baker man. Missus an' Mosser gwineter ketch 'im if dey can. Put de liddle Nigger in Mosser's dish pan, An' scrub 'im off good fer de ole San' Man.

STICK-A-MA-STEW

Stick-a-ma-stew, he went to town. Stick-a-ma-stew, he tore 'is gown. All dem folks what live in town Cain't mend dat randsome, handsome gown.

BOB-WHITE'S SONG

Bob-white! Bob-white! Is yō' peas all ripe? No—! not—! quite!

Bob-white! Bob-white! W'en will dey be ripe? To-mor—! row—! might!

Bob-white! Bob-white! Does you sing at night? No—! not—! quite!

Bob-white! Bob-white! W'en is de time right? At can—! dle—! light!

COOKING DINNER

Go: Bile dem cabbage down. Turn dat hoecake 'round, Cook it done an' brown.

Yes: Gwineter have sweet taters too. Hain't had none since las' Fall, Gwineter eat 'em skins an' all.

CHUCK WILL'S WIDOW SONG

Oh nimber, nimber Will-o! My crooked, crooked bill-o! I'se settin' down right now, on de sweet pertater hill-o.

Oh nimber, nimber Will-o! My crooked, crooked bill-o! Two liddle naked babies, my two brown aigs now fill-o.

Oh nimber, nimber Will-o! My crooked, crooked bill-o! Don't hurt de liddle babies; dey is too sweet to kill-o.

BRIDLE UP A RAT

Bridle up er rat, Saddle up er cat, An' han' me down my big straw hat.

In come de cat, Out go de rat, Down go de baby wid 'is big straw hat.

MY LITTLE PIG

You see: I had a liddle pig, I fed 'im on slop; He got so fat Dat he almos' pop.

An' den: I tuck de liddle pig, An' I rid 'im to school; He e't ginger cake, An' it tu'n 'im a fool.

But: He grunt de lessons, An' keep all de rule, An' he make 'em all think Dat he learn in de cool.

IN A MULBERRY TREE

Jes looky, looky yonder; w'at I see! Two liddle Niggers in a Mulberry tree. One cain't read, an' de t'other cain't write. But dey bofe can smoke deir daddy's pipe.

"One ma two! One ma two!" Dat Mulberry Witch, he [37]titterer too. "Big bait o' Mulberries make 'em bofe sick. Dem liddle Niggers gwineter roll an' kick!"

[37] Titterer means laugh.

ANIMAL ATTIRE

Dat Coon, he w'ar a undershirt; Dat 'Possum w'ar a gown. Br'er Rabbit, he w'ar a overcoat Wid buttons up an' down.

Mistah Gobbler's got beads 'roun' 'is nec'. Mistah Pattridge's got a collar, Hun! Mistah Peacock, a fedder on his head! But dese don't stop no gun.

ASPIRATION

If I wus de President Of dese United States, I'd eat good 'lasses candy, An' swing on all de gates.

ANIMAL FAIR

Has you ever hearn tell 'bout de Animal Fair? Dem birds an' beasts wus all down dere. Dat jaybird a-settin' down on 'is wing! Has you ever hearn tell about sitch a thing As whut 'us at dat Animal Fair?

Well, dem animals had a Fair. Dem birds an' beasts wus dere. De big Baboon, By de light o' de moon, Jes comb up his sandy hair.

De monkey, he git drunk, He kick up a red hot chunk. Dem coals, dey 'rose; An' bu'nt 'is toes! He clumb de Elephan's trunk.

I went down to de Fair. Dem varmints all wus dere. Dat young Baboon Wunk at Miss Coon; Dat curled de Elephan's hair.

De Camel den walk 'bout, An' tromped on de Elephan's snout. De Elephan' sneeze, An' fall on his knees; Dat pleased all dem monkēys.

LITTLE BOY WHO COULDN'T COUNT SEVEN

Once der wus a liddle boy dat couldn' count one. Dey pitched him in a fedder bed; 'e thought it great big fun.

Once der wus a liddle boy dat couldn' count two. Dey pitched him in a fedder bed; 'e thought 'e 'us gwine through.

Once der wus a liddle boy dat couldn' count three. Dey pitched him in a fedder bed; 'e thought de Niggers 'us free.

Once der wus a liddle boy dat couldn' count fō'. Dey pitched him in a fedder bed; 'e jumped out on de flō'.

Once der wus a liddle boy dat couldn' count five. Dey pitched him in a fedder bed; 'e thought de dead alive.

Once der wus a liddle boy dat couldn' count six. Dey pitched him in a fedder bed; 'e never did git fix!

Once der wus a liddle boy dat couldn' count seben. Dey pitched him in a fedder bed; 'e thought he's gwine to Heaben!

MISS TERRAPIN AND MISS TOAD

As I went marchin' down de road, I met Miss Tearpin an' I met Miss Toad. An' ev'ry time Miss Toad would jump, Miss Tearpin would peep from 'hind de stump.

I axed dem ladies fer to marry me, An' bofe find fault wid de t'other, you see. "If you marries Miss Toad," Miss Tearpin said, "You'll have to hop 'round lak you'se been half dead!"

"If you combs yō' head wid a Tearpin comb, You'll have to creep 'round all tied up at home." I run'd away frum dar, my foot got bruise, For I didn't know zackly which to choose.

FROM SLAVERY

Chile: I come from out'n slavery, Whar de Bull-whup bust de hide; Back dar, whar dis gineration Natchully widdered up an' died!

THE END OF TEN LITTLE NEGROES

Ten liddle Niggers, a-eatin', fat an' fine; One choke hisse'f to death, an' dat lef' nine. Nine liddle Niggers, dey sot up too late; One sleep hisse'f to death, an' dat lef' eight. Eight liddle Niggers want to go to Heaben; One sing hisse'f to death, an' dat lef' seben. Seben liddle Niggers, a-pickin' up sticks; One wuk hisse'f to death, an' dat lef' six. Six liddle Niggers went out fer to drive; Mule run away wid one, an' dat lef' five. Five liddle Niggers in a cold rain pour; One coughed hisse'f to death, an' dat lef' four. Four liddle Niggers, climb a' apple tree; One fall down an' out, an' dat lef' three. Three liddle Niggers a-wantin' sumpin new; One, he quit de udders, an' dat lef' two. Two liddle Niggers went out fer to run; One fell down de bluff, an' dat lef' one. One liddle Nigger, a-foolin' wid a gun; Gun go off "bang!" an' dat lef' none.

THE ALABAMA WAY

'Way down yon'er "in de Alerbamer way," De Niggers goes to wo'k at de peep o' de day. De bed's too short, an' de high posts rear; De Niggers needs a ladder fer to climb up dere. De cord's wore out, an' de bed-tick's gone. Niggers' legs hang down fer de chickens t' roost on.

MOTHER SAYS I AM SIX YEARS OLD

My mammy says dat I'se too young To go to Church an' pray; But she don't know how bad I is W'en she's been gone away.

My mammy says I'se six years old, My daddy says I'se seben. Dat's all right how old I is, Jes since I'se a gwine to Heaben.

THE ORIGIN OF THE SNAKE

Up de hill an' down de level! Up de hill an' down de level! Granny's puppy treed de Devil.

Puppy howl, an' Devil shake! Puppy howl, an' Devil shake! Devil leave, an' dere's yō' snake.

Mash his head; de sun shine bright! Mash his head; de sun shine bright! Tail don't die ontel it's night.

Night come on, an' sperits groan! Night come on, an' sperits groan! Devil come an' gits his own.

WILD HOG HUNT

Nigger in de woods, a-settin' on a log; Wid his finger on de trigger, an' his eyes upon de hog. De gun say "bam!" an' de hog say "bip!" An' de Nigger grab dat wild hog wid all his grip.

A STRANGE BROOD

De ole hen sot on tucky aigs, An' she hatch out goslin's three. Two wus tuckies wid slender legs, An' one wus a bumblebee. All dem hens say to one nudder: "Mighty queer chickens! See?"

THE TOWN AND THE COUNTRY BIRD

Jaybird a-swingin' a two hoss plow; "Sparrer, why not you?" "W'y—! My legs so liddle an' slender, man, I'se fear'd dey'd break in two."

Jaybird answer: "What'd you say?— I sometimes worms terbaccy; But I'd druther plow sweet taters too, Dan to be a ole Town Tacky!"

Jaybird up in de Sugar tree, De sparrer on de groun'; De jaybird shake de sugar down, An' de sparrer pass it 'roun'.

De jaybird say: "Save some fer me; I needs it w'en I bakes." De sparrer say: "Use 'lasses, Suh! Dat suits fer Country-Jakes!"

FROG IN A MILL ([38]GUINEA OR EBO RHYME)

Once dere wus er frog dat lived in er mill. He had er raker don la bottom o' la kimebo Kimebo, nayro, dilldo, kiro Stimstam, formididdle, all-a-board la rake; Wid er raker don la bottom o' la kimebo.

[38] For explanation, read the Study in Negro Folk Rhymes.

STRONG HANDS

Here's yō' bread, an' here's yō' butter; An' here's de hands fer to make you sputter.

Tetch dese hands, w'en you wants to tetch a beaver. If dese hands tetch you, you'll shō' ketch de fever.

Dese hands Samson, good fer a row, W'en dey hits you, it's "good-by cow!"

TREE FROGS (GUINEA OR EBO RHYME)

Shool! Shool! Shool! I rule! Shool! Shool! Shool! I rule! Shool! Shacker-rack! I shool bubba cool.

Seller! Beller eel! Fust to ma tree'l Just came er bubba. Buska! Buska-reel!

WHEN I WAS A LITTLE BOY

W'en I wus a liddle boy I cleaned up mammy's dishes; Now I is a great big boy, I wears my daddy's britches. I can knock dat Mobile Buck An' smoke dat corncob pipe. I can kiss dem pretty gals, An' set up ev'ry night.

GRASSHOPPER SENSE

Dere wus a liddle grasshopper Dat wus always on de jump; An' caze he never look ahead, He wus always gittin' a bump.

Huddlety, dumpty, dumpty, dump! Mind out, or you will git a bump; Shore as de grass grows 'round de stump Be keerful, my sweet Sugar Lump.

YOUNG MASTER AND OLD MASTER

Hick'ry leaves an' calico sleeves! I tells you young Mosser's hard to please. Young Mosser fool you, de way he grin. De way he whup you is a sin.

De monkey's a-settin' on de end of a rail, Pickin' his tooth wid de end of his tail. Mulberry leaves an' homespun sleeves! Better know dat ole Mosser's not easy to please.

MY SPECKLED HEN

Somebody stole my speckled hen. Dey lef' me mighty pōo'. Ev'ry day she layed three aigs, An' Sunday she lay fō'.

Somebody stole my speckled hen. She crowed at my back dō'. Fedders, dey shine jes lak de sun; De Niggers grudged her mō'.

[39]De whis'lin' gal, an' de crowin' hen, Never comes to no good en'. Stop dat whis'lin'; go on an' sing! 'Member dat hen wid 'er shinin' wing.

[39] An old superstition.

THE SNAIL'S REPLY

Snail! Snail! Come out'n o' yō' shell, Or I'll beat on yō' back till you rings lak a bell.

"I do ve'y well," sayed de snail in de shell, "I'll jes take my chances in here whar I dwell."

A STRANGE FAMILY

Once dere's an ole 'oman dat lived in de Wes'. She had two gals of de very bes'. One wus older dan de t'other, T'other's older dan her mother, An' dey're all deir own gran'mother. Can you guess?

GOOD-BY, RING

I had a liddle dog, his name wus Ring, I tied him up to his nose wid a string. I pulled dat string, an' his eyes tu'n blue. "Good-by, Ring! I'se done wid you."

DEEDLE, DUMPLING

Deedle, deedle, dumplin'! My boy, Pete! He went to bed wid his dirty feet. Mammy laid a switch down on dat sheet! Deedle, deedle, dumplin'! My boy, Pete!

BUCK AND BERRY

Buck an' Berry run a race, Buck fall down an' skin his face.

Buck an' Berry in a stall; Buck, he try to eat it all.

Buck, he e't too much, you see. So he died wid choleree.

PRETTY LITTLE GIRL

Who's been here since I'se been gone? A pretty liddle gal wid a blue dress on.

Who'll stay here when I goes 'way? A pretty liddle gal, all dressed in gray.

Who'll wait on Mistess day an' night? A pretty liddle gal, all dressed in white.

Who'll be here when I'se been dead? A pretty liddle gal, all dressed in red.

TWO SICK NEGRO BOYS

Two liddle Niggers sick in bed, One jumped up an' bumped his head. W'en de Doctah come he simpully said: "Jes feed dat boy on shorten' bread."

T'other liddle Nigger sick in bed, W'en he hear tell o' shorten' bread, Popped up all well. He dance an' sing! He almos' cut dat Pigeon's Wing!

GRASSHOPPER SITTING ON A SWEET POTATO VINE

Grasshopper a-settin' on a sweet tater vine, 'Long come a Blackbird an' nab him up behind.

Blackbird a-settin' in a sour apple tree; Hawk grab him up behind; he "Chee! Chee! Chee!"

Big hawk a-settin' in de top of dat oak, Start to eat dat Blackbird an' he git choke.

DOODLE-BUG

Doodle-bug! Doodle-bug! Come git sweet milk. Doodle-bug! Doodle-bug! Come git butter. Doodle-bug! Doodle-bug! Come git co'n bread. Doodle-bug! Doodle-bug! Come on to Supper.

RAW HEAD AND BLOODY BONES[40]

Don't talk! Go to sleep! Eyes shet an' don't you peep! Keep still, or he jes moans: "Raw Head an' Bloody Bones!"

[40] Repeated to restless children at night to make them lie still and go to sleep.

MYSTERIOUS FACE WASHING

I wash my face in de watah Dat's neider rain nor run. I wipes my face on de towel Dat's neider wove nor spun.— I wash my face in de dew, An' I dries it in de sun.

GO TO BED

De wood's in de kitchen. De hoss's in de shed. You liddle Niggers Had better go to bed.

BUCK-EYED RABBIT! WHOOPEE![41]

Dat Squir'l, he's a cunnin' thing; He tote a bushy tail. He jes lug off Uncle Sambo's co'n, An' heart it on a rail.

Dat Squir'l, he's a cunnin' thing; An' so is ole Jedge B'ar. Br'er Rabbit's gone an' los' his tail 'Cep' a liddle bunch of ha'r.

Buckeyed Rabbit! Whoopee! Buckeyed Rabbit! Ho! Buckeyed Rabbit! Whoopee! Squir'l's got a long way to go.

[41] The explanation of this rhyme is found in the Study in Negro Folk Rhymes.

CAPTAIN COON

Captain Coon's a mighty man, He trabble atter dark; Wid nothin' 'tall to 'sturb his mind, But to hear my ole dog bark.

Dat 'Possum, he's a mighty man, He trabble late at night. He never think to climb a tree, 'Till he's feared ole Rober'll bite.

GUINEA GALL

'Way down yon'er in Guinea Gall, De Niggers eats de fat an' all. 'Way down yon'er in de cotton fiel', Ev'ry week one peck o' meal. 'Way down yon'er ole Mosser swar'; Holler at you, an' pitch, an' r'ar; Wid cat o' nine tails, Wid pen o' nine nails, Tee whing, tee bing, An' ev'ry thing!

FISHING SIMON

Simon tuck his hook an' pole, An' fished on Sunday we's been told. Fish dem water death bells ring, Talk from out'n de water, sing— "Bait yō' hook, Simon! Drap yō' line, Simon! Now ketch me, Simon! Pull me out, Simon! Take me home, Simon! Now clean me, Simon! Cut me up now, Simon! Now salt me, Simon! Now fry me, Simon! Dish me up now, Simon! Eat me all, Simon!" Simon e't till he wus full. Still dat fish keep his plate fall. Simon want no mō' at all, Fish say dat he mus' eat all. Simon's sick, so he throw up! He give Sunday fishin' up.

A STRANGE OLD WOMAN

Dere wus an ole 'oman, her name wus Nan. She lived an 'oman, an' died a man. De ole 'oman lived to be dried up an' cunnin'; One leg stood still, while de tother kep' runnin'.

IN '76

Way down yonder in sebenty-six, Whar I git my jawbone fix; All dem coon-loons eatin' wid a spoon! I'll be ready fer dat Great Day soon.

REDHEAD WOODPECKER

Redhead woodpecker: "Chip! Chip! Chee!" Promise dat he'll marry me. Whar shall de weddin' supper be? Down in de lot, in a rotten holler tree. What will de weddin' supper be? A liddle green worm an' a bumblebee, 'Way down yonder on de holler tree. De Redhead woodpecker, "Chip! Chip! Chee!"

OLD AUNT KATE

Jes look at Ole Aunt Kate at de gyardin gate! She's a good ole 'oman. W'en she sift 'er meal, she give me de husk; W'en she cook 'er bread, she give me de crust. She put de hosses in de stable; But one jump out, an' skin his nable. Jes look at Ole Aunt Kate at de gyardin gate! Still she's always late.

Hurrah fer Ole Aunt Kate by de gyardin gate! She's a fine ole 'oman. Git down dat sifter, take down dat tray! Go 'long, Honey, dere hain't no udder way! She put on dat hoe cake, she went 'round de house. She cook dat 'Possum, an' she call 'im a mouse! Hurrah fer Ole Aunt Kate by de gyardin gate! She's a fine playmate.

CHILDREN'S SEATING RHYME

You set outside, an' ketch de cow-hide. I'll set in de middle, an' play de gol' fiddle. You set 'round about, an' git scrouged out.

MY BABY

I'se de daddy of dis liddle black baby. He's his mammy's onliest sweetest liddle Coon. Got de look on de forehead lak his daddy, Pretty eyes jes as big as de moon.

I'se de daddy of dis liddle black baby. Yes, his mammy keep de "Sugar" rollin' over. She feed him wid a tin cup an' a spoon; An' he kick lak a pony eatin' clover.

A RACE-STARTER'S RHYME

One fer de money! Two fer de show! Three to git ready, An' four fer to go!

NESTING

De jaybird build on a swingin' lim', De sparrow in de gyardin; Dat ole gray goose in de panel o' de fence, An' de gander on de t'other side o' Jordan.

BABY WANTS CHERRIES

De cherries, dey're red; de cherries, dey're ripe; An' de baby it want one. De cherries, dey're hard; de cherries, dey're sour; An' de baby cain't git none.

Jes look at dat bird in de cherry tree! He's pickin' 'em one by one! He's shakin' his bill, he's gittin' it fill', An' down dat th'oat dey run!

Nev' mind! Bye an' bye dat bird's gwineter fly, An' mammy's gwineter make dat pie. She'll give you a few, fer de baby cain't chew, An' de Pickaninny sholy won't cry.

A PRETTY PAIR OF CHICKENS

Dat box-legged rooster, an' dat bow-legged hen Make a mighty pretty couple, not to be no kin. Dey's jes lak some Niggers wearin' white folks ole britches, Dey thinks dey's lookin' fine, w'en dey needs lots of stitches.

TOO MUCH WATERMELON

Dere wus a great big watermillion growin' on de vine. Dere wus a liddle ugly Nigger watchin' all de time. An' w'en dat great big watermillion lay ripenin' in de sun, An' de stripes along its purty skin wus comin' one by one, Dat ugly Nigger pulled it off an' toted it away, An' he e't dat great big watermillion all in one single day. He e't de rinds, an' red meat too, he finish it all trim; An' den,—dat great big watermillion up an' finish him.

BUTTERFLY

Pretty liddle butterfly, yaller as de gold, My sweet liddle butterfly, you shō' is mighty bold. You can dance out in de sun, you can fly up high, But you know I'se bound to git you, yet, my liddle butterfly.

THE HATED BLACKBIRD AND CROW

Dat Blackbird say unto de Crow: "Dat's why de white folks hates us so; For ever since ole Adam wus born, It's been our rule to gedder green corn."

Dat Blackbird say unto de Crow: "If you's not black, den I don't know. White folks calls you black, but I say not; Caze de kittle musn' talk about de pot."

IN A RUSH

Here I comes jes a-rearin' an' a-pitchin', I hain't had no kiss since I lef' de ole kitchin. Candy, dat's sweet; dat's very, very clear; But a kiss from yō' lips would be sweeter, my dear.

TAKING A WALK

We's a-walkin' in de green grass dust, dust, dust. We's a-walkin' in de green grass dust. If you's jes as sweet as I thinks you to be, I'll take you by yō' liddle hand to walk wid me.

PAYING DEBTS WITH KICKS

I owes yō' daddy a peck o' peas. I'se gwineter pay it wid my knees. I owes yō' mammy a pound o' meat; An' I'se gwineter pay dat wid my feet. Now, if I owes 'em somethin' mō'; You come right back an' let me know. Please say to dem ('fore I fergets) I never fails to pay my debts.

GETTING TEN NEGRO BOYS TOGETHER

One liddle Nigger boy whistle an' stew, He whistle up anudder Nigger an' dat make two. Two liddle Nigger boys shuck de apple tree, Down fall anudder Nigger, an' dat make three. Three liddle Nigger boys, a-wantin' one more, Never has no trouble a-gittin' up four. Four liddle Nigger boys, dey cain't drive. Dey hire a Nigger hack boy, an' dat make five. Five liddle Niggers, bein' calcullated men, Call anudder Nigger 'piece an' dat make ten.

HAWK AND CHICKENS

Hen an' chickens in a fodder stack, Mighty busy scratchin'. Hawk settin' off on a swingin' lim', Ready fer de catchin'.

Hawk come a-whizzin' wid his bitin' mouf, Couldn' hold hisself in. Hen, flyin' up, knock his eye clean out; An' de Jaybird died a-laughin'.

MUD-LOG POND

As I stepped down by de Mud-log pon', I seed dat bullfrog wid his shoe-boots on. His eyes wus glass, an' his heels wus brass; An' I give him a dollar fer to let me pass.

WHAT WILL WE DO FOR BACON?

What will we do fer bacon now? I'se shot, I'se shot de ole sandy sow! She jumped de fence an' broke de rail; An'—"Bam!"—I shot her on de tail.

A LITTLE PICKANINNY

Me an' its mammy is both gwine to town, To git dis Pickaninny a liddle hat an' gown. Don't you never let him waller on de flō'! He's a liddle Pickaninny, Born in ole Virginy. Mammy! Don't de baby grow?

Setch a eatin' o' de honey an' a drinkin' o' de wine! We's gwine down togedder fer to have a good time; An' we's gwineter eat, an' drink mō' an' mō'. Oh, sweet liddle [42]Pickaninny, Born in ole Virginy. Mammy! How de baby grow!

[42] Pickanniny appears to have been an African word used by the early American slaves for the word baby.

DON'T SING BEFORE BREAKFAST[43]

Don't sing out 'fore Breakfast, Don't sing 'fore you eat, Or you'll cry out 'fore midnight, You'll cry 'fore you sleep.

[43] A superstition.

MY FOLKS AND YOUR FOLKS

If you an' yō' folks Likes me an' my folks, Lak me an' my folks, Likes you an' yō' folks; You's never seed folks, Since folks 'as been folks, Like you an' yō' folks, Lak me an' my folks.

LITTLE SLEEPING NEGROES

One liddle Nigger a-lyin' in de bed; His eyes shet an' still, lak he been dead.

Two liddle Niggers a-lyin' in de bed; A-snorin' an' a-dreamin' of a table spread.

Three liddle Niggers a-lyin' in de bed; Deir heels cracked open lak shorten' bread.

Four liddle Niggers a-lyin' in de bed; Dey'd better hop out, if dey wants to git fed!

MAMMA'S DARLING

Wid flowers on my shoulders, An' wid slippers on my feet; I'se my mammy's darlin'. Don't you think I'se sweet?

I wish I had a fourpence, Den I mought use a dime. I wish I had a Sweetheart, To kiss me all de time.

I has apples on de table, An' I has peaches on de shelf; But I wish I had a husband— I'se so tired stayin' to myself.

STEALING A RIDE

Two liddle Nigger boys as black as tar, Tryin' to go to Heaben on a railroad chyar. Off fall Nigger boys on a cross-tie! Dey's gwineter git to Heaben shore bye-an'-bye.

WASHING MAMMA'S DISHES

When I wus a liddle boy A-washin' my mammy's dishes, I rund my finger down my th'oat An' pulled out two big fishes!

When I wus a liddle boy A-wipin' my mammy's dishes, I sticked my finger in my eye An' I shō' seed liddle fishes.

De big fish swallowed dem all up! It put me jes a-thinkin'. All dem things looks awful cu'ous! I wonder wus I drinkin'?

WILLIE WEE

Willie, Willie, Willie Wee! One, two, three. If you wanna kiss a pretty gal, Come kiss me.

ONE NEGRO THEME SUNG WITH "FROG WENT A-COURTING"

[music]

FROG WENT A-COURTING

De frog went a-co'tin', he did ride. Uh-huh! Uh-huh! De frog went a-co'tin', he did ride Wid a sword an' a pistol by 'is side. Uh-huh! Uh-huh!

He rid up to Miss Mousie's dō'. Uh-huh! Uh-huh! He rid up to Miss Mousie's dō', Whar he'd of'en been befō. Uh-huh! Uh-huh!

Says he: "Miss Mousie, is you in?" Uh-huh! Uh-huh! Says he: "Miss Mousie, is you in?" "Oh yes, Sugar Lump! I kyard an' spin." Uh-huh! Uh-huh!

He tuck dat Mousie on his knee. Uh-huh! Uh-huh! He tuck dat Mousie on his knee, An' he say: "Dear Honey, marry me!" Uh-huh! Uh-huh!

"Oh Suh!" she say, "I cain't do dat." Uh-huh! Uh-huh! "Oh Suh!" she say, "I cain't do dat, Widout de sayso o' uncle Rat." Uh-huh! Uh-huh!

Dat ole gray Rat, he soon come home. Uh-huh! Uh-huh! Dat ole gray Rat, he soon come home, Sayin': "Whose been here since I'se been gone?" Uh-huh! Uh-huh!

"A fine young gemmun fer to see." Uh-huh! Uh-huh! "A fine young gemmun fer to see, An' one dat axed fer to marry me." Uh-huh! Uh-huh!

Dat Rat jes laugh to split his side. Uh-huh! Uh-huh! Dat Rat jes laugh to split his side. "Jes think o' Mousie's bein' a bride!" Uh-huh! Uh-huh!

Nex' day, dat rat went down to town. Uh-huh! Uh-huh! Nex' day dat rat went down to town, To git up de Mousie's Weddin' gown. Uh-huh! Uh-huh!

"What's de bes' thing fer de Weddin' gown?" Uh-huh! Uh-huh! "What's de bes' thing fer de Weddin' gown?"— "Dat acorn hull, all gray an' brown!" Uh-huh! Uh-huh!

"Whar shall de Weddin' Infar' be?" Uh-huh! Uh-huh! "Whar shall de Weddin' Infar' be?"— "Down in de swamp in a holler tree." Uh-huh! Uh-huh!

"What shall de Weddin' Infar' be?" Uh-huh! Uh-huh! "What shall de Weddin' Infar' be?"— "Two brown beans an' a blackeyed pea." Uh-huh! Uh-huh!

Fust to come in wus de Bumblebee. Uh-huh! Uh-huh! Fust to come in wus de Bumblebee. Wid a fiddle an' bow across his knee. Uh-huh! Uh-huh!

De nex' dat come wus Khyernel Wren. Uh-huh! Uh-huh! De nex' dat come wus Khyernel Wren, An' he dance a reel wid de Turkey Hen. Uh-huh! Uh-huh!

De nex' dat come wus Mistah Snake. Uh-huh! Uh-huh! De nex' dat come wus Mistah Snake, He swallowed de whole weddin' cake! Uh-huh! Uh-huh!

De nex' come in wus Cap'n Flea. Uh-huh! Uh-huh! De nex' come in wus Cap'n Flea, An' he dance a jig fer de Bumblebee. Uh-huh! Uh-huh!

An' now come in ole Giner'l Louse. Uh-huh! Uh-huh! An' now come in ole Giner'l Louse. He dance a breakdown 'round de house. Uh-huh! Uh-huh!

De nex' to come wus Major Tick. Uh-huh! Uh-huh! De nex' to come wus Major Tick, An' he e't so much it make 'im sick. Uh-huh! Uh-huh!

Dey sent fer Mistah Doctah Fly. Uh-huh! Uh-huh! Dey sent fer Mistah Doctah Fly. Says he: "Major Tick, you's boun' to die." Uh-huh! Uh-huh!

Oh, den crep' in ole Mistah Cat. Uh-huh! Uh-huh! Oh, den crep' in ole Mistah Cat, An' chilluns, dey all hollered, "Scat!!" Uh-huh!!! Uh-huh!!!

It give dat frog a turble fright. Uh-huh! Uh-huh! It give dat frog a turble fright, An' he up an' say to dem, "Good-night!" Uh-huh! Uh-huh!

Dat frog, he swum de lake aroun'. Uh-huh! Uh-huh! Dat frog, he swum de lake aroun', An' a big black duck come gobble 'im down. Uh-huh! Uh-huh!

"What d'you say 'us Miss Mousie's lot?" Uh-huh! Uh-huh! "What d'you say 'us Miss Mousie's lot?"— "W'y—, she got swallered on de spot!" Uh-huh! Uh-huh!

Now, I don't know no mō' 'an dat. Uh-huh! Uh-huh! Now, I don't know no mō' 'an dat. If you gits mō' you can take my hat. Uh-huh! Uh-huh!

An' if you thinks dat hat won't do. Uh-huh! Uh-huh! An' if you thinks dat hat won't do, Den you mought take my head 'long, too. Uh-huh!!! Uh-huh!!!

SHOO! SHOO!

Shoo! Shoo! What'll I do? Run three mile an' buckle my shoe?

No! No! I'se gwineter go, An' kill dat chicken on my flō'.

Oh! My! Chicken pie! Sen' fer de Doctah, I mought die.

Christmus here, Once a year. Pass dat cider an' 'simmon beer.

FLAP-JACKS

I loves my wife, an' I loves my baby: An' I loves dem flap-jacks a-floatin' in gravy. You play dem chyards, an' make two passes: While I eats dem flap-jacks a-floatin' in 'lasses.

Now: in come a Nigger an' in come a bear, In come a Nigger dat hain't got no hair. Good-by, Nigger, go right on back, Fer I hain't gwineter give you no flap-jack.

TEACHING TABLE MANNERS

Now whilst we's here 'round de table, All you young ones git right still. I wants to l'arn you some good manners, So's you'll think o' Uncle Bill.

Cose we's gwineter 'scuse Merlindy, Caze she's jes a baby yit. But it's time you udder young ones Wus a-l'arnin' a liddle bit.

I can 'member as a youngster, Lak you youngsters is to-day; How my mammy l'arnt me manners In a 'culiar kind o' way.

One o' mammy's ole time 'quaintance. (Ole Aunt Donie wus her name) Come one night to see my mammy. Mammy co'se 'pared fer de same.

Mammy got de sifter, Honey; An' she tuck an' make up dough, Which she tu'n into hot biscuits. Den we all git smart, you know.

'Zerves an' biscuits on de table! Honey, noways could I wait. Ole Aunt Donie wus a good ole 'oman, An' I jes had to pass my plate.

I soon swallered down dem biscuit, E't 'em faster dan a shoat. Dey wus a liddle tough an' knotty, But I chawed 'em lak a goat.

"Pass de biscuits, please, Mam! Please, Mam, fer I wants some mō'." Lawd! You'd oughter seed my mammy Frownin' up, jes "sorter so."

"Won't you pass de biscuit, please, Mam?" I said wid a liddle fear. Dere wus not but one mō' lef', Sir. Mammy riz up out'n her chear.

W'en Aunt Donie lef' our house, Suh, Mammy come lak bees an' ants, Put my head down 'twixt her knees, Suh, Almos' roll me out'n my pants.

She had a great big tough hick'ry, An' it help till it convince. Frum dat day clean down to dis one, I'se had manners ev'r since.

MISS BLODGER

De rats an' de mice, dey rund up stairs, Fer to hear Miss Blodger say her prayers. Now here I stan's 'fore Miss Blodger. She 'spects to hit me, but I'se gwineter dodge her.

THE LITTLE NEGRO FLY

Dere's a liddle Nigger fly Got a pretty liddle eye; But he don't know 'is A, B, C's. He up an' crawl de book, An' he eben 'pears to look; But he don't know 'is A, B, C's.

DESTINIES OF GOOD AND BAD CHILDREN

One, two, three, fō', five, six, seben; All de good chilluns goes to Heaben. All de bad chilluns goes below, To [44]segashuate wid ole man [45]Joe.

One, two, three, fō', five, six, seben, eight; All de good chilluns goes in de Pearly Gate. But all de bad chilluns goes the Broad Road below, To segashuate wid ole man Joe.

[44] Segashuate means associate with.

[45] Read first stanza of "Sheep Shell Corn," to know of ole man Joe.

BLACK-EYED PEAS FOR LUCK

One time I went a-huntin', I heared dat 'possum sneeze. I hollered back to Susan Ann: "Put on a pot o' peas."

Dat good ole 'lasses candy, What makes de eyeballs shine, Wid 'possum peas an' taters, Is my dish all de time.

[46]Dem black-eyed peas is lucky; When e't on New Year's day, You always has sweet taters, An' 'possum come your way.

[46] This last stanza embodies one of the old superstitions.

PERIWINKLE[47]

Pennywinkle, pennywinkle, poke out yō' ho'n; An' I'll give you five dollahs an' a bar'l o' co'n. Pennywinkle! Pennywinkle! Dat gal love me? Jes stick out yō' ho'n all pinted to a tree.

[47] The Periwinkle seems to have been used as an oracle by some Negroes in the days of their enslavement.

TRAINING THE BOY

W'en I wus a liddle boy, Jes thirteen inches high, I useter climb de table legs, An' steal off cake an' pie.

Altho' I wus a liddle boy, An' tho' I wusn't high, My mammy took dat keen switch down, An' whupped me till I cry.

Now I is a great big boy, An' Mammy, she cain't do it; My daddy gits a great big stick, An' pulls me right down to it.

Dey say: "No breakin' dishes now; No stealin' an' no lies." An' since I is a great big boy, Dey 'spects me to act wise.

BAT! BAT![48]

Bat! Bat! Come un'er my hat, An' I'll give you a slish o' bacon. But don't bring none yō' ole bedbugs, If you don't want to git fersaken.

[48] A superstition that it is good luck to catch a bat in one's hat if he doesn't get bedbugs by so doing.

RANDSOME TANTSOME

Randsome Tantsome!—Gwine to de Fair? Randsome Tantsome!—W'at you gwineter wear? "Dem shoes an' stockin's I'se bound to wear!" Randsome Tantsome a-gwine to de Fair.

ARE YOU CAREFUL?

Is you keerful; w'en you goes down de street, To see dat yō' cloze looks nice an' neat? Does you watch yō' liddle step 'long de way, An' think 'bout dem words dat you say?

RABBIT HASH

Dere wus a big ole rabbit Dat had a mighty habit A-settin' in my gyardin, An' eatin' all my cabbitch. I hit 'im wid a mallet, I tapped 'im wid a maul. Sich anudder rabbit hash, You's never tasted 'tall.

WHY THE WOODPECKER'S HEAD IS RED

Bill Dillix say to dat woodpecker bird: "W'at makes yō' topknot red?" Says he: "I'se picked in de red-hot sun, Till it's done burnt my head."

BLESSINGS

The chivalry of the Old South rather demanded that all friends should be invited to partake of the meal, if they chanced to come calling about the time of the meal hour. This ideal also pervaded the lowly slave Negro's cabin. In order that this hospitality might not be abused, the Negroes had a little deterrent story which they told their children. Below are the fancied Blessings asked by the fictitious Negro family, in the story, whose hospitality had been abused.

BLESSING WITH COMPANY PRESENT

Oh Lawd now bless an' bīn' us, An' put ole Satan 'hīn' us. Oh let yō' Sperit mīn' us. Don't let none hongry fīn' us.

BLESSING WITHOUT COMPANY

Oh Lawd have mussy now upon us, An' keep 'way some our neighbors from us. For w'en dey all comes down upon us, Dey eats mōs' all our victuals from us.

ANIMAL PERSECUTORS

I went up on de mountain, To git a bag o' co'n. Dat coon, he sicked 'is dog on me, Dat 'possum blowed 'is ho'n.

Dat gobbler up an' laugh at me. Dat pattridge giggled out. Dat peacock squall to bust 'is sides, To see me runnin' 'bout.

FOUR RUNAWAY NEGROES—WHENCE THEY CAME

Once fō' runaway Niggers, Dey met in de road. An' dey ax one nudder: Whar dey come from. Den one up an' say: "I'se jes come down from Chapel Hill Whar de Niggers hain't wuked an' never will."

Den anudder up an' say: "I'se jes come here from Guinea Gall Whar dey eats de cow up, skin an' all."

Den de nex' Nigger say Whar he done come from: "Dey wuked you night an' day as dey could; Dey never had stopped an' dey never would."

De las' Nigger say Whar he come from: "De Niggers all went out to de Ball; De thick, de thin, de short, de tall."

But dey'd all please set up, Jes lak ole Br'er Rabbit W'en he look fer a dog. An' keep it in mind, Whilst dey boasts 'bout deir gals An' dem t'other things: "Dat none deir gals wus lak Sallie Jane, Fer dat gal wus sweeter dan sugar cane."



WISE SAYING SECTION

LEARN TO COUNT

Naught's a naught, Five's a figger. All fer de white man, None fer de Nigger.

Ten's a ten, But it's mighty funny; When you cain't count good, You hain't got no money.

THE WAR IS ON

De boll-weevil's in de cotton, De cut-worm's in de corn, De Devil's in de white man; An' de wah's a-gwine on. Poor Nigger hain't got no home! Poor Nigger hain't got no home!

HOW TO PLANT AND CULTIVATE SEEDS

Plant: One fer de blackbird Two fer de crow, Three fer de jaybird An' fō' fer to grow.

Den: When you goes to wuk, Don't never stand still; When you pull de grass, Pull it out'n de hill.

A MAN OF WORDS

A man o' words an' not o' deeds, Is lak a gyarden full o' weeds. De weeds 'gin to grow Lak a gyarden full o' snow. De snow 'gin to fly Lak a eagle in de sky. De sky 'gin to roar Lak a hammer on yō' door. De door 'gin to crack Lak a hick'ry on yō' back. Yō' back 'gin to smart Lak a knife in yō' heart. Yō' heart 'gin to fail Lak a boat widout a sail. De boat 'gin to sink Lak a bottle full o' ink. Dat ink, it won't write Neider black nor white. Dat man o' words an' not o' deeds, Is lak a gyarden full o' weeds.

INDEPENDENT

I'se jes as innerpenunt as a pig on ice. Gwineter git up ag'in if I slips down twice. If I cain't git up, I can jes lie down. I don't want no Niggers to be he'pin' me 'roun'.

TEMPERANCE RHYME

Whisky nor brandy hain't no friend to my kind. Dey killed my pō' daddy, an' dey troubled my mind. Sometime he drunk whisky, sometime he drunk ale; Sometime he kotch de rawhide, an' sometime de flail.

On yon'er high mountain, I'll set up dar high; An' de wild geese can cheer me while passin' on by. Go 'way, young ladies, an' let me alone; For you know I'se a poor boy, an' a long ways from home.

Go put up de hosses an' give 'em some hay; But don't give me no whisky, so long as I stay. For whisky nor brandy hain't friend to my kind; Dey killed my pō' daddy, an' dey troubled my mind.

THAT HYPOCRITE

I tell you how dat hypocrite do, He come down to my house, an' talk about you; He talk about me, an' he talk about you; An' dat's de way dat hypocrite do.

I tell you how dat hypocrite pray. He pray out loud in de hypocrite way. He pray out loud, got a heap to say; An' dat's de way dat hypocrite pray.

I tell you how dat hypocrite 'ten', He 'ten' dat he love, an' he don't love men. He 'ten' dat he love, an' he hate Br'er Ben; An' dat's de way dat hypocrite 'ten'.

DRINKING RAZOR SOUP

He's been drinkin' razzer soup; Dat sharp Nigger, black lak ink. If he don't watch dat tongue o' his, Somebody'll hurt 'im 'fōr' he think.

He cain't drive de pigeons t' roost, Dough he talk so big an' smart. Hain't got de sense to tole 'em in. Cain't more 'an drive dat ole mule chyart.

OLD MAN KNOW-ALL

Ole man Know-All, he come 'round Wid his nose in de air, turned 'way frum de ground. His ole woolly head hain't been combed fer a week; It say: "Keep still, while Know-All speak."

Ole man Know-All's tongue, it run; He jes know'd ev'rything under de sun. When you knowed one thing, he knowed mō'. He 'us sharp 'nough to stick an' green 'nough to grow.

Ole man Know-All died las' week. He got drowned in de middle o' de creek. De bridge wus dar, an' dar to stay. But he knowed too much to go dat way.

FED FROM THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE

I nebber starts to break my colt, Till he's ole enough to trabble. I nebber digs my taters up Wen dey's only right to grabble. So w'en you sees me risin' up To structify in meetin', You can know I'se climbed de Knowledge Tree An' done some apple eatin'.

THE TONGUE

Got a tongue dat jes run when it walk? It cain't talk. Got a tongue dat can hush when it talk?— It cain't squawk.

BRAG AND BOAST

Brag is a big dog; But Hold Fast, he is better. Dem big black rough hands, Dey cain't write no letter.

Boast, he barks an' growls loud; But Bulger, he hain't no shirker. Dat big loud mouf Nigger, He hain't never no worker.

SELF-CONTROL

Befo' you says dat ugly word, You stop an' count ten. Den if you wants to say dat word, Begin an' count again.

Don't have a tongue tied in de middle, An' loose frum en' to en'. You mus' think twice, den speak once; Dat [49]donkey cain't count ten.

[49] The somewhat less dignified term was more commonly used.

SPEAK SOFTLY

"Wus dat you spoke, Or a fence rail broke?" Br'er Rabbit say to de Jay [50]W'en you don't speak sof', Yō' baits comes off; An' de fish jes swim away.

[50] The last three lines of the rhyme was a superstition current among antebellum Negroes.

STILL WATER RUNS DEEP

Dat still water, it run deep. Dat shaller water prattle. Dat tongue, hung in a holler head, Jes roll 'round an' rattle.

DON'T TELL ALL YOU KNOW

Keep dis in min', an' all 'll go right; As on yō' way you goes; Be shore you knows 'bout all you tells, But don't tell all you knows.

JACK AND DINAH WANT FREEDOM[51]

Ole Aunt Dinah, she's jes lak me. She wuk so hard dat she want to be free. But, you know, Aunt Dinah's gittin' sorter ole; An' she's feared to go to Canada, caze it's so cōl'.

Dar wus ole Uncle Jack, he want to git free. He find de way Norf by de moss on de tree. He cross dat [52]river a-floatin' in a tub. Dem [53]Patterollers give 'im a mighty close rub.

Dar is ole Uncle Billy, he's a mighty good Nigger. He tote all de news to Mosser a little bigger. When you tells Uncle Billy, you wants free fer a fac'; De nex' day de hide drap off'n yō' back.

[51] The writer wishes to give explanation as to why the rhyme "Jack and Dinah Want Freedom" appears under the Section of Psycho-composite Rhymes as set forth in "The Study——" of our volume. The Negroes repeating this rhyme did not always give the names Jack, Dinah, and Billy, as we here record them, but at their pleasure put in the individual name of the Negro in their surroundings whom the stanza being repeated might represent. Thus this little rhyme was the scientific dividing, on the part of the Negroes themselves, of the members of their race into three general classes with respect to the matter of Freedom.

[52] The Ohio River.

[53] White guards who caught and kept slaves at the master's home.



FOREIGN SECTION

AFRICAN RHYMES

The rhymes "Tuba Blay," "Near Waldo Tee-do O mah nah mejai," "Sai Boddeoh Sumpun Komo," and "Byanswahn-Byanswahn" were kindly contributed by Mr. John H. Zeigler, Monrovia, Liberia, and Mr. C. T. Wardoh of the Bassa Tribe, Liberia. They are natives and are now in America for collegiate study and training.

NEAR-WALDO-TEE-DO O MAH NAH MEJAI

OR

NEAR-WALDO-TEE-DO IS MY SWEETHEART

1. A yehn me doddoc Near Waldo Tee-do. Yehn me doddoc o-o seoh-o-o. Omah nahn mejai Near Waldo Tee-do. Omah nahn mejai Near Waldo Tee-do.

Translation

Near Waldo Tee-do gave me a suit. He gave me a suit. Near Waldo Tee-do is my sweetheart. Near Waldo Tee-do is my sweetheart.

TUBA BLAY

OR

AN EVENING SONG

1. Seah O, Tuba blay. Tuba blay, Tuba blay.

2. O blay wulna nahn blay. Tuba blay, Tuba blay.

Translation

1. Oh please Tuba sing. Tuba sing, Tuba sing.

2. Oh sing that song. Tuba sing, Tuba sing.

THE OWL

We are indebted for this Baluba rhyme to Dr. and Mrs. William H. Sheppard, pioneer missionaries under the Southern Presbyterian Church. The little production comes from Congo, Africa.

Sala wa mĕn tĕnge, Cimpungelu. Sala wa mĕn tĕnge, Cimpungelu. Meme taya wewe, Cimpungelu. Sala wa mĕn tĕnge, Cimpungelu.

Translation

The dancing owl waves his spread tail feathers. I'm the owl. The dancing owl waves his spread tail feathers. I'm the owl. I now tell you by my dancing, I'm the owl. The dancing owl waves his spread tail feathers. I'm the owl.

SAI BODDEOH SUMPUN KOMO

OR

I AM NOT GOING TO MARRY SUMPUN

1. Sai Sumpun komo. De Sumpun nenah? Sumpun se jello jeppo Boddeoh Sumpun.

2. Sai Sumpun komo. De Sumpun nenah? Sumpun auch nahn jehn deddoc. Boddeoh Sumpun.

Translation

1. I am not going to marry Sumpun. What has Sumpun done? Sumpun doesn't live a seafaring life Boddeoh Sumpun.

2. I am not going to marry Sumpun. What has Sumpun done? Sumpun does not support me. Boddeoh Sumpun.

BYANSWAHN-BYANSWAHN

OR

A BOAT SONG

Ō-Ō Byanswahn blay Tanner tee-o-o. O Byanswahn jekah jubha. De jo Byanswahn se kah jujah dai. Ō Byanswahn blay dai Tanner tee-o-o.

Translation

Oh boat, come back to me. Since you carried my child away, I have not seen that child. Oh boat come back to me.

THE TURKEY BUZZARD

Dr. C. C. Fuller: a missionary at Chikore Melsetter, Rhodesia, Africa, was good enough to secure for the compiler this rhyme, written in Chindau, from the Rev. John E. Hatch, also a missionary in South Africa.

Riti, riti, mwana wa rashika. Ndizo, ndizo kurgya ku wande. Riti, riti, mwana wa oneka. Ndizo, ndizo ti wande issu.

Translation

Turkey buzzard, turkey buzzard, your child is lost. That is all right, the food will be more plentiful. Turkey buzzard, turkey buzzard, your child is found. That is all right, we will increase in number.

THE FROGS

The following child's play rhyme in Baluba with its translation was contributed by Mrs. L. G. Sheppard, who was for many years a missionary in Congo, Africa.

Cula, Cula, Kuya kudi Kunyi? Tuyiya ku cisila wa Baluba. Tun kuata tua kuesa cinyi? Tua kudimuka kua musode.

Translation

Frogs, frogs, where are you going? We are going to the market of the Baluba. If they catch you, what will they do? They will turn us all into lizards.

JAMAICA RHYME

BUSCHER GARDEN

This Negro rhyme from rural Jamaica was contributed by Dr. Cecil B. Roddock, a native of that country. The word Buscher means an overseer or master of a plantation.

All a night, me da watch a brother Wayrum; Wayrum ina me Buscher garden. Oh, Brother Wayrum! Wha' a you da do, To make a me Buscher a catch a you? Oh a me Buscher, in a me Buscher garden; Me a beg a me Buscher a pardon!

VENEZUELAN NEGRO RHYMES

These Venezuelan rhymes: "A 'Would be' Immigrant" and "Game Contestant's Song," came to us through the kindness of Mr. J. C. Williams, Caracas, Venezuela, S. A. He is a native of Venezuela.

GAME CONTESTANT'S SONG

We're going to dig! We're going to dig a sepulcher to bury those regiments. White Rose Union! Get yourself in readiness to bury those regiments. Oh Grentville! [54]Cici! Cici! Beat them forever.

Sa your de vrai! We'll send them a challenge, To mardi carnival. Sa your de vrai!!

[54] Cici = a kind of game.

A "WOULD BE" IMMIGRANT

Conjo Celestine! Oh He was going to Panama. Reavay Trinidad! Celestine Revay, la Grenada! What d'you think bring Celestine back? What d'you think bring Celestine back? What d'you think bring Celestine to me? Twenty cents for a cup of tea.

TRINIDAD NEGRO RHYMES

We are very grateful to Mr. L. A. Brown for his kindness in giving to us the two Venezuelan rhymes which follow. His home is in Princess Town, Trinidad, B. W. I.

UN BELLE MARIE COOLIE

OR

BEAUTIFUL MARIE, THE EAST INDIAN

Un belle Marie Coolie! Un belle Marie Coolie! Un belle Marie Coolie! Vous belle dame, vous belle pour moi. Papa est un African. Mamma est un belle Coolie. Un belle Marie Coolie! Vous belle dame, vous belle pour moi.

Translation

Beautiful Marie, the East Indian! Beautiful Marie, the East Indian! Beautiful Marie, the East Indian! You beautiful woman, you're good enough for me. Papa is an African. Mamma is a beautiful East Indian. Beautiful Marie, the East Indian! You beautiful woman, you're good enough for me.

A TOM CAT

My father had a big Tom cat, That tried to play a fiddle. He struck it here, and he struck it there, And he struck it in the middle.

PHILIPPINE ISLAND RHYME

The following rhyme came to me through the kindness of Mr. C. W. Ransom, Grand Chain, Ill., U.S.A. Mr. Ransom served three years with the United States Army in the Philippine Islands.

See that Monkey up the cocoanut tree, A-jumpin' an' a-throwin' nuts at me? El hombre no savoy, No like such play. All same to Americano, No hay dique.



Part II

A STUDY IN NEGRO FOLK RHYMES

The lore of the American Negro is rich in story, in song, and in Folk rhymes. These stories and songs have been partially recorded, but so far as I know there is no collection of the American Negro Folk Rhymes. The collection in Part I is a compilation of American Negro Folk Rhymes, and this study primarily concerns them; but it was necessary to have a Foreign Section of Rhymes in order to make our study complete. I have therefore inserted a little Foreign Section of African, Venezuelan, Jamaican, Trinidad, and Philippine Negro Rhymes; and along with them have placed the names of the contributors to whom we are under great obligations, as well as to the many others who have given valuable assistance and suggestions in the matter of the American Negro Rhymes recorded.

When critically measured by the laws and usages governing the best English poetry, Negro Folk Rhymes will probably remind readers of the story of the good brother, who arose solemnly in a Christian praise meeting, and thanked God that he had broken all the Commandments, but had kept his religion.

Though decent rhyme is often wanting, and in the case of the "Song to the Runaway Slave," there is no rhyme at all, the rhythm is found almost perfect in all of them.

A few of the Rhymes bear the mark of a somewhat recent date in composition. The majority of them, however, were sung by Negro fathers and mothers in the dark days of American slavery to their children who listened with eyes as large as saucers and drank them down with mouths wide open. The little songs were similar in structure to the Jubilee Songs, also of Negro Folk origin.

If one will but examine the recorded Jubilee songs, he will find that it is common for stanzas, which are apparently most distantly related in structure, to sing along in perfect rhythm in the same tune that carefully counts from measure to measure one, two; or one, two, three, four. Here is an example of two stanzas taken from the Jubilee song, "Wasn't That a Wide River?"

1. "Old Satan's just like a snake in the grass, He's a-watching for to bite you as you pass.

2. Shout! Shout! Satan's about. Just shut your door, and keep him out."

An examination of stanzas in various Jubilee songs will show in the same song large variations in poetic feet, etc., not only from stanza to stanza; but very often from line to line, and even from phrase to phrase. Notwithstanding all this variation, a well trained band of singers will render the songs with such perfect rhythm that one scarcely realizes that the structure of any one stanza differs materially from that of another.

A stanza, as it appears in Negro Folk Rhymes, is of the same construction as that found in the Jubilee Songs. A perfect rhythm is there. If while reading them you miss it, read yet once again; you will find it in due season if you "faint not" too early.

As a rule, Negro Folk verse is so written that it fits into measures of music written 4/4 or 2/4 time. You can therefore read Negro Folk Rhymes silently counting: one, two; or, one, two, three, four; and the stanzas fit directly into the imaginary music measures if you are reading in harmony with the intended rhythm. I know of only three Jubilee Songs whose stanzas are transcribed as exceptions. They are—

(1) "I'm Going to Live with Jesus," 6/8 time, (2) "Gabriel's Trumpet's Going to Blow," 3/4 time, and (3) "Lord Make Me More Patient," 6/8 time. It is interesting to note along with these that the "Song of the Great Owl," the "Negro Soldier's Civil War Chant," and "Destitute Former Slave Owners," are seemingly the only ones in our Folk Rhyme collection which would call for a 3/4 or 6/8 measure. Such a measure is rare in all literary Negro Folk productions.

The Negro, then, repeated or sang his Folk Rhymes, and danced them to 4/4 and 2/4 measures. Thus Negro Folk Rhymes, with very few exceptions, are poetry where a music measure is the unit of measurement for the words rather than the poetic foot. This is true whether the Rhyme is, or is not, sung. Imaginary measures either of two or four beats, with a given number of words to a beat, a number that can be varied limitedly at will, seems to be the philosophy underlying all Negro slave rhyme construction.

As has just been casually mentioned, the Negro Folk Rhyme was used for the dance. There are Negro Folk Rhyme Dance Songs and Negro Folk Dance Rhymes. An example of the former is found in "The Banjo Picking," and of the latter, "Juba," both found in this collection. The reader may wonder how a Rhyme simply repeated was used in the dance. The procedure was as follows: Usually one or two individuals "star" danced at time. The others of the crowd (which was usually large) formed a circle about this one or two who were to take their prominent turn at dancing. I use the terms "star" danced and "prominent turn" because in the latter part of our study we shall find that all those present engaged sometimes at intervals in the dance. But those forming the circle, for most of the time, repeated the Rhyme, clapping their hands together, and patting their feet in rhythmic time with the words of the Rhyme being repeated. It was the task of the dancers in the middle of the circle to execute some graceful dance in such a manner that their feet would beat a tattoo upon the ground answering to every word, and sometimes to every syllable of the Rhyme being repeated by those in the circle. There were many such Rhymes. "'Possum Up the Gum Stump," and "Jawbone" are good examples. The stanzas to these Rhymes were not usually limited to two or three, as is generally the case with those recorded in our collection. Each selection usually had many stanzas. Thus as there came variation in the words from stanza to stanza, the skill of the dancers was taxed to its utmost, in order to keep up the graceful dance and to beat a changed tattoo upon the ground corresponding to the changed words. If any find fault with the limited number of stanzas recorded in our treatise, I can in apology only sing the words of a certain little encore song each of whose two little stanzas ends with the words, "Please don't call us back, because we don't know any more."

There is a variety of Dance Rhyme to which it is fitting to call attention. This variety is illustrated in our collection by "Jump Jim Crow," and "Juba." In such dances as these, the dancers were required to give such movements of body as would act the sentiment expressed by the words while keeping up the common requirements of beating these same words in a tattoo upon the ground with the feet and executing simultaneously a graceful dance.

It is of interest also to note that the antebellum Negro while repeating his Rhymes which had no connection with the dance usually accompanied the repeating with the patting of his foot upon the ground. Among other things he was counting off the invisible measures and bars of his Rhymes, things largely unseen by the world but very real to him. Every one who has listened to a well sung Negro Jubilee Song knows that it is almost impossible to hear one sung and not pat the foot. I have seen the feet of the coldest blooded Caucasians pat right along while Jubilee melodies were being sung.

All Negro Folk productions, including the Negro Folk Rhymes, seem to call for this patting of the foot. The explanation which follows is offered for consideration. The orchestras of the Native African were made up largely of crudely constructed drums of one sort or another. Their war songs and so forth were sung to the accompaniment of these drum orchestras. When the Negroes were transported to America, and began to sing songs and to chant words in another tongue, they still sang strains calling, through inheritance, for the accompaniment of their ancestral drum. The Negro's drum having fallen from him as he entered civilization, he unwittingly called into service his foot to take its place. This substitution finds a parallelism in the highly cultivated La France rose, which being without stamens and pistils must be propagated by cuttings or graftings instead of by seeds. The rose, purposeless, emits its sweet perfume to the breezes and thus it attracts insects for cross fertilization simply because its staminate and pistillate ancestors thus called the insect world for that purpose. The rattle of the crude drum of the Native African was loud by inheritance in the hearts of his early American descendants and its unseen ghost walks in the midst of all their poetry.

Many Negro Folk Rhymes were used as banjo and fiddle (violin) songs. It ought to be borne in mind, however, that even these were quite often repeated without singing or playing. It was common in the early days of the public schools of the South to hear Negro children use them as declamations. The connection, however, of Negro Folk Rhymes with their secular music productions is well worthy of notice.

I have often heard those who liked to think and discuss things musical, wonder why little or no music of a secular kind worth while seemed to be found among Negroes while their religious music, the Jubilee Songs, have challenged the admiration of the world. The songs of most native peoples seem to strike "high water mark" in the secular form. Probably numbers of us have heard the explanation: "You see, the Negro is deeply emotional; religion appealed to him as did nothing else. The Negro therefore spent his time singing and shouting praises to God, who alone could whisper in his heart and stir up these emotions." There is perhaps much truth in this explanation. It is also such a delicate and high compliment to the Negro race, that I hesitate to touch it. One of the very few gratifying things that has come to Negroes is the unreserved recognition of their highly religious character. There is a truth, however, about the relation between the Negro Folk Rhyme and the Negro's banjo and fiddle music which ought to be told even though some older, nicer viewpoints might be a little shifted.

There were quite a few Rhymes sung where the banjo and fiddle formed what is termed in music a simple accompaniment. Examples of these are found in "Run, Nigger, Run," and "I'll Wear Me a Cotton Dress." In such cases the music consisted of simple short tunes unquestionably "born to die."

There was another class of Rhymes like "Devilish Pigs," that were used with the banjo and fiddle in quite another way. It was the banjo and fiddle productions of this kind of Rhyme that made the "old time" Negro banjo picker and fiddler famous. It has caused quite a few, who heard them, to declare that, saint or sinner, it was impossible to keep your feet still while they played. The compositions were comparatively long. From one to four lines of a Negro Folk Rhyme were sung to the opening measures of the instrumental composition; then followed the larger and remaining part of the composition, instruments alone. In the Rhyme "Devilish Pigs" four lines were used at a time. Each time that the music theme of the composition was repeated, another set of Rhyme lines was repeated; and the variations in the music theme were played in each repeat which recalled the newly repeated words of the Rhyme. The ideal in composition from an instrumental viewpoint might quite well remind one of the ideal in piano compositions, which consists of a theme with variations. The first movement of Beethoven's Sonata, Opus 26, illustrates the music ideal in composition to which I refer.

So far as I know no Caucasian instrumental music composer has ever ordered the performers under his direction to sing a few of the first measures of his composition while the string division of the orchestra played its opening chords. Only the ignorant Negro composer has done this. Some white composers have made little approaches to it. A fair sample of an approach is found in the Idylls of Edward McDowell, for piano, where every exquisite little tone picture is headed by some gem in verse, reading which the less musically gifted may gain a deeper insight into the philosophical tone discourse set forth in the notes and chords of the composition.

The Negro Folk Rhyme, then, furnished the ideas about which the "old time" Negro banjo picker and fiddler clustered his best instrumental music thoughts. It is too bad that this music passed away unrecorded save by the hearts of men. Paul Laurence Dunbar depicts its telling effects upon the hearer in his poem "The Party":

"Cripple Joe, de ole rheumatic, danced dat flo' frum side to middle. Throwed away his crutch an' hopped it, what's rheumatics 'gainst a fiddle? Eldah Thompson got so tickled dat he lak to los' his grace, Had to take bofe feet an' hold 'em, so's to keep 'em in deir place. An' de Christuns an' de sinnahs got so mixed up on dat flo', Dat I don't see how dey's pahted ef de trump had chonced to blow."

Perhaps a new school of orchestral music might be built on the Negro idea that some of the performers sing a sentence or so here and there, both to assist the hearers to a clearer musical understanding and to heighten the general artistic finish. The old Negro performers generally sang lines of the Folk Rhymes at the opening but occasionally in the midst of their instrumental compositions. I do not recall any case where lines were sung to the closing measures of the compositions.

It might seem odd to some that the grotesque Folk Rhyme should have given rise to comparatively long instrumental music compositions. I think the explanation is probably very simple. The African on his native heath had his crude ancestral drum as his leading musical instrument. He sang or shouted his war songs consisting of a few words, and of a few notes, then followed them up with the beating of his drum, perhaps for many minutes, or even for hours. In civilization, the banjo, fiddle, "quills," and "triangle" largely took the place of his drum. Thus the singing of opening strains and following them with the main body of the instrumental composition, is in keeping with the Negro's inherited law for instrumental compositions from his days of savagery. The rattling, distinct tones of the banjo, recalling unconsciously his inherited love for the rattle of the African ancestral drum, is probably the thing which caused that instrument to become a favorite among Negro slaves.

I would next consider the relation of the Folk Rhymes to Negro child life. They were instilled into children as warnings. In the years closely following our Civil War, it was common for a young Negro child, about to engage in a doubtful venture, to hear his mother call out to him the Negro Rhyme recorded by Joel Chandler Harris, in the Negro story, "The End of Mr. Bear":

"Tree stan' high, but honey mighty sweet— Watch dem bees wid stingers on der feet."

These lines commonly served to recall the whole story, it being the Rabbit's song in that story, and the child stopped whatever he was doing. Other and better examples of such Rhymes are "Young Master and Old Master," "The Alabama Way," and "You Had Better Mind Master," found in our collection.

The warnings were commonly such as would help the slave to escape more successfully the lash, and to live more comfortably under slave conditions. I would not for once intimate that I entertain the thought that the ignorant slave carefully and philosophically studied his surroundings, reasoned it to be a fine method to warn children through poetry, composed verse, and like a wise man proceeded to use it. Of course thinking preceded the making of the Rhyme, but a conscious system of making verses for the purpose did not exist. I have often watched with interest a chicken hen lead forth her brood of young for the first time. While the scratching and feeding are going on, all of a sudden the hen utters a loud shriek, and flaps her wings. The little chicks, although they have never seen a hawk, scurry hither and thither, and so prostrate their little brown and ashen bodies upon the ground as almost to conceal themselves. The Negro Folk Rhymes of warning must be looked upon a little in this same light. They are but the strains of terror given by the promptings of a mother instinct full enough of love to give up life itself for its defenseless own.

Many Rhymes were used to convey to children the common sense truths of life, hidden beneath their comic, crudely cut coats. Good examples are "Old Man Know-All," "Learn to Count," and "Shake the Persimmons Down." All through the Rhymes will be found here and there many stanzas full of common uncommon sense, worthwhile for children.

Many Negro Folk Rhymes repeated or sung to children on their parents' knees were enlarged and told to them as stories, when they became older. The Rhyme in our collection on "Judge Buzzard" is one of this kind. In the Negro version of the race between the hare and the tortoise ("rabbit and terrapin"), the tortoise wins not through the hare's going to sleep, but through a gross deception of all concerned, including even the buzzard who acted as Judge. The Rhyme is a laugh on "Jedge Buzzard." It was commonly repeated to Negro children in olden days when they passed erroneous judgments. "Buckeyed rabbit! Whoopee!" in our volume belongs with the Negro story recorded by Joel Chandler Harris under the title, "How Mr. Rabbit Lost His Fine Bushy Tail," though for some reason Mr. Harris failed to weave it into the story as was the Negro custom. "The Turtle's Song," in our collection, is another, which belongs with the story, "Mr. Terrapin Shows His Strength"; a Negro story given to the world by the same author, though the Rhyme was not recorded by him. It might be of interest to know that the Negroes, when themselves telling the Folk stories, usually sang the Folk Rhyme portions to little "catchy" Negro tunes. I would not under any circumstances intimate that Mr. Harris carelessly left them out. He recorded many little stanzas in the midst of the stories. Examples are:

(a) "We'll stay at home when you're away 'Cause no gold won't pay toll."

(b) "Big bird catch, little bird sing. Bug bee zoom, little bee sting. Little man lead, and the big horse follow, Can you tell what's good for a head in a hollow?"

These and many others are fragmentarily recorded among Mr. Harris' Negro stories in "Nights With Uncle Remus."

Folk Rhymes also formed in many cases the words of Negro Play Songs. "Susie Girl," and "Peep Squirrel," found in our collection, are good illustrations of the Rhymes used in this way. The words and the music of such Rhymes were usually of poor quality. When, however, they were sung by children with the proper accompanying body movements, they might quite well remind one of the "Folk Dances" used in the present best up-to-date Primary Schools. They were the little rays of sunshine in the dark dreary monotonous lives of black slave children.

Possibly the thing which will impress the reader most in reading Negro Folk Rhymes is their good-natured drollery and sparkling nonsense. I believe this is very important. Many have recounted in our hearing, the descriptions of "backwoods" Negro picnics. I have witnessed some of them where the good-natured vender of lemonade and cakes cried out:

"Here's yō' cōl' ice lemonade, It's made in de shade, It's stirred wid a spade. Come buy my cōl' ice lemonade. It's made in de shade An' sōl' in de sun. Ef you hain't got no money, You cain't git none. One glass fer a nickel, An' two fer a dime, Ef you hain't got de chink, You cain't git mine. Come right dis way, Fer it shō' will pay To git candy fer de ladies An' cakes fer de babies."

"Did these venders sell?" Well, all agree that they did. The same principle applied, with much of the nonsense eliminated, will probably make of the Negro a great merchant, as caste gives way enough to allow him a common man's business chance. Of all the races of men, the Negro alone has demonstrated his ability to come into contact with the white man and neither move on nor be annihilated. I believe this is largely due to his power to muster wit and humor on all occasions, and even to laugh in the face of adversity. He refused during the days of slavery to take the advice of Job's wife, and to "Curse God and die." He repeated and sang his comic Folk Rhymes, danced, lived, and came out of the Night of Bondage comparatively strong.

The compiler of the Rhymes was quite interested to find that as a rule the country-reared Negro had a larger acquaintance with Folk Rhymes than one brought up in the city. The human mind craves occasional recreation, entertainment, and amusement. In cities where there is an almost continuous passing along the crowded thoroughfares of much that contributes to these ends, the slave Negro needed only to keep his eyes open, his ears attentive, and laugh. He directed his life accordingly. But, in the country districts there was only the monotony of quiet woods and waving fields of cotton. The rural scenes, though beautiful in themselves, refuse to amuse or entertain those who will not hold communion with them. The country Negro longing for amusement communed in his crude way, and Nature gave him Folk Rhymes for entertainment. Among those found to be clearly of this kind may be mentioned "The Great Owl's Song," "Tails," "Redhead Woodpecker," "The Snail's Reply," "Bob-white's Song," "Chuck Will's Widow Song," and many others.

The Folk Rhymes were not often repeated as such or as whole compositions by the "grown-ups" among Negroes apart from the Play and the Dance. If, however, you had had an argument with an antebellum Negro, had gotten the better of the argument, and he still felt confident that he was right, you probably would have heard him close his side of the debate with the words: "Well, 'Ole Man Know-All is Dead.'" This is only a short prosaic version of his rhyme "Old Man Know-All," found in our collection. Many of the characteristic sayings of "Uncle Remus" woven into story by Joel Chandler Harris had their origin in these Folk Rhymes. "Dem dat know too much sleep under de ash-hopper" (Uncle Remus) clearly intimates to all who know about the old-fashioned ash-hopper that such an individual lies. This saying is a part of another stanza of "Old Man Know-All," but I cannot recall it from my dim memory of the past, and others whom I have asked seem equally unable to do so, though they have once known it.