Tiger’s Bone-hole

William Forbes, Dry River, Cock-pit country.

Tiger had a big pot o’ meat, an’ him boil an’ lef’ it gone a groun’. An’ he have a bone-hole; when he ate de meat, t’row it into de hole. An’ Anansi tak him wife an’ t’ree pickney an’ he say dey five gwine to de house an’ get into de pot eat de meat. An’ after dey hear Tiger was coming, him an’ him wife an’ de t’ree pickney, five of dem, go in de hole. An’ Tiger come an’ say, “Not a creetur nyam dis meat but Brar Nansi!” An’ Tiger begin now eat meat, an’ de first bone him t’row into de hole, him knock one of de pickney. An’ as he go fe holla, Anansi says, “Shut yo’ mout’, sir, don’ cry!” An’ he eat again, t’row out anodder bone, knock anodder pickney. As him go fe cry, say “Shut yo’ mout’, sir!” As he eat anodder bone again, he knock de las’ pickney, mak t’ree. Tell him say him mustn’t cry. Ate anodder bone an’ t’row it in de hole, knock de mudder. As him go fe cry, say, “Shut yo’ mout!” An’ de las’ bone he eat, knock Anansi in a head. Anansi say, “Mak we all holla now in a de hole!” So dey all holla “Yee! yee-e-e!” in a de hole, an’ as dey holla, Tiger get frighten’ an’ run lef’ de house, an Anansi an’ wife an pickney come out tak all de meat go away, run him out of his house ’count of dat bone-hole!

Jack man dora!