Tiger’s Sheep-skin Suit

George Parkes, Mandeville.

Anansi was a head-man for a man by the name of Mr. Mighty, who employed Anansi for the purpose of minding some sheep. The sheep numbered about two thousand. And from the first day Anansi took over the sheep, the man began to miss one. An’ he steal them until he leave only one. Well, Mr. Mighty would like to find out how the sheep go. He say to Anansi he would give his best daughter and two hundred pound to find out how the sheep go.

Anansi say the best way to find it out is to make a ball. Anansi have a friend name of Tiger, call him ‘Brar Tiger’. He went to Tiger an’ tell him Mr. Mighty promise to give his daughter an’ two hundred pound to whomsoever tell how the sheep go. Anansi now is a fiddler, an’ he say that he will play the fiddle an’ Tiger play the tambourine, but before he go to the ball he will give Tiger a sheepskin coat, sheepskin trousers, a sheepskin cap, a sheepskin boot; an’ when him, Tiger, hear him play,

“Mister Mighty loss him sheep, It stan’ lik’ a Tiger t’iefee,”

him, Tiger, mustn’t think him the same one; it’s one clear out the country. And he is to play his tambourine, say,

“Fe tre-ew, bredder, fe tre-ew, It ’tan lik’ a it mak me clo’es.”

Now then, Anansi go back to Mr. Mighty an’ tol’ him that there is a man coming to the ball wearing a suit of sheep-skin clo’es,—dat is the man who steal the sheep.

Mr. Mighty give out invitation to all the high folks, all the ladies and gentlemen all aroun’, to attend the ball at that same date. The night of the ball, Anansi went with his fiddle an’ Tiger with his tambourine in the suit of sheep-skin clo’es. At the time fix, Anansi tune up his fiddle, ‘he-rum, te-rum, she-rum.’ Tiger now trim the tambourine, ‘ring-ping, ring-ping, ring-pong, pe-ring-ping, double-ping, tong!’ Anansi says, “Gentlemen an’ ladies, ketch yo’ pardner!” Anansi play,

“Mr. Mighty loss him sheep, Mr. Mighty loss him sheep, Mr. Mighty loss him sheep, It stan’ lik’ a Tiger t’iefee.”

Tiger say,

“Fe tre-ew, bredder, fe tre-ew, Fe tre-ew, bredder, fe tre-ew, Fe tre-ew, bredder, fe tre-ew, It ’tan’ lik’ a it mak me clo’es.”

Anansi go to Mr. Mighty an’ say, “Me an’ dat man workin’ an’ I didn’t know he was such a t’ief! he steal de sheep till he tak skin an’ all mak him clo’es!” An’ as they were going back to their places Anansi say, “Hell after you t’-night, only t’ing you don’t know!” Tiger say, “What you say, Bra’?”—“Me say, you not playing strong enough, you mus’ play up stronger!”

Anansi say again, “Gentlemen an’ ladies, ketch ’em a pardner!” an’ sing,

“Mr. Mighty loss him sheep, It ’tan’ lik’ a Tiger t’iefee.”

Tiger say,

“Fe tre-ew, bredder, fe tre-ew, It ’tan’ lik’ a it mak me clo’es”.

Mr. Mighty got right up an’ said to Tiger, “Yes, that is the man what steal all my sheep!” Tiger say, “No!!” Anansi say, “Yes, that is the man what steal all the sheep, an’ I an’ that man eatin’ an’ I didn’t know that man was such a t’ief!” An’ Tiger was arrested an’ got ten years in prison, an’ Anansi get the two hundred pounds an’ the best daughter to marry to.