Grace Before Meat

a. Monkey and Anansi.

Samuel Christie, St. Anne’s Bay.

Anansi and Monkey were travelling; they were two good friends together. Anansi ask Monkey, “Brer Monkey, how much cunnie you have?” Said, “Brer, me have plenty plenty!” Anansi said, “Brer, me only have one one-half; I keep the one fe meself an’ give me friend the half.”

Trabble on, trabble on, until they see Tiger in one deep hole. Anansi say, “Brer Monkey, you have plenty cunnie an’ long tail; sen’ down tail into the hole an’ help Brer Tiger!” While him sen’ down him tail, Anansi climb one tree. Tiger come out of the hole now, lay hold on Monkey, say, “I nyam you t’-day!” Anansi on the tree laughing. Monkey into a fix now, don’t know how to get away. So Anansi call out to Tiger, “Brer Tiger, you ketch Monkey now you gwine eat him?” Tiger say, “Yes, I gwine eat him.” Anansi say, “Do like me, now. Open you two hand an’ clap wid joy, say, ‘I get Monkey!’” That time he open his two hand, Monkey get free. Tiger run after Monkey, Anansi mak his way down from the tree, go home.

b. Goat and Anansi.

Henry Spence, Bog, Westmoreland.

Anansi and Tiger go out hunting one day. Tiger catch one wild goat, Anansi no catch one. Anansi say to him, “Brar Tiger, wha’ you say when you catch dis goat?” So Tiger say, “Not’ing!” Anansi say, “Brar Tiger, nex’ time when you catch goat so, you mus’ put goat under yo’ arm an’ knockey han’ at top say, ‘T’ank de Lord!’” An’ Tiger did so an’ de goat get away gone; de two lose.