The Goat in the Lion’s Den

Henry Spence, Bog, Westmoreland.

Goat wid two kids were trabbling one day long trabbling, an’ trabble till almost evening, an’ rain commence to fa’ now. So ’eh see a great rock, an’ mudder an’ two kids went under de rock to shelter, didn’t know dat was de lion house. So de lion see de t’ree goat coming, he grunt like a great rolling. De mudder of de goat frighten. ’he said to de lion, “Good-evening, minister!” an’ de lion tell him “Evening.” An’ he said to de lion him looking fe a minister to baptize dese two kids, an’ say, want to give dese two kid a name. De lion said to him, “Dis one name is ‘Dinner’ an’ dis one name is ‘Breakfas’ tomorrow’ an’ you, de mudder, name is ‘Dinner tomorrow’!”

So after him get dese t’ree name, de goat was well frighten how to come out back; an’ de two kid hear de name dem got, so de heart commence to leap bup, bup, bup! De lion ax de mudder what’s de matter wid de two kid. De mudder said, “As de room is so hot, dey seem terrify.” An’ de mudder said as dey is in heah, kyan’ go, if he would jus’ allow de two kid to go outside get a little air. De lion agree, until when dinner-time come on ’em mus’ go in back. An’ de mudder whisper to de two kid mus’ mek de way as sharp as ever dey can mek it befo’ dusk. So when de lion see it coming on evening an’ no see de two kid come back, commence to roll again, she commence wonder how dem stay out too long, so ax de lion if de lion allow him to go bring dem back in befo’ de time too late. De lion agree. An’ when de mudder go out, neber see one back—eb’rybody gone!

Meaning of dat, a woman have more knowledge dan a man.