Bull-of-all-the-land

William Forbes, Dry River, Cock-pit country.

Der was a bull name King Henry and, in de day, Bull-of-all-de-Land. Well, in de day him put on bull clo’es an’ de night him turn man. An’ one night de wife him lib wid mek up fire and bu’n de bull clo’es, an’ after she bu’n de bull clo’es, de man lef’ de wife. Have t’ree pickney; an’ she tell him to give him clo’es and she take her finger, prick, an’ drop t’ree drops of blood on de shirt-front. An’ him go away lef’ ’em fe t’ree years.

An’ after him lef’ ’em, she mash t’ee pairs of shoes to fin’ him. An’ she walk till she catch a river-side see a washer-woman. An’ he said who would wash but de t’ree drops of blood, him will marry to her. Den de woman dat was washing de shirt-front say, “Me lady, if you wash out de t’ree drops of blood, I will show you King Henry.” Well den, only cut a lime an’ ’queeze it pon de t’ree drops a blood an’ wash off! An’ de washer-woman run leave de woman at river-side an’ run up to King Henry, say, “I wash de blood!” An’ after she go up, him kep’ her in de yard, send off fe a minister, say in t’ree days fe marry de woman a wash out de blood.

In de night, dem put de strange lady into a close room against King Henry, but de woman didn’t know de king is dere. And dis woman dat say him wash out de blood, gib him laudanum in tea an’ he drop asleep. Den when de minister come, him hear it de two night de woman was singing; and he talk to King Henry say what woman singing to him at night. And say, “What woman?” And say what he drink in his tea. Nobody in de district know his name Bull-of-all-de-Land, only dis woman; all other know him King Henry. Well de next night sing again:

Phonograph record 35, transcribed by Helen Roberts.

Return to me! Return to me, Return to me, me bull ob a’ de lan’. Return to me king Henry Return to me I hab t’ree drops ob blood, I wash fe you. Return to me. Return to me I hab t’ree drops ob blood, I hab wash fe you. Return to me, king Henry, Return to me, Return to me, me bull ob a’ de lan’. [61]

As King Henry hearing de singing, jump right up. An’ de nex’ day marry de woman, mek her a lady. Fe nobody else know he is Bull-of-all-de-Land.