Red Yam

Mary Jane Roden, Brownstown, St. Ann.

Anansi and Tacoomah have two little boy. So Anansi go to him ground, he have a yam name of ‘red yam’. So when he carry home de yam, if de two little boy don’ tell him de name of de yam, don’ give ’em no dinner. So one night de little boy say, (dance to the fiddle and drum),

“Poor me bwoy, papa no gi’ me no dinner! If I don’ know de yam name, papa no gi’ me no dinner! Poor me bwoy, me go fe dead fe hungry, da la!”

Another day papa go to ground. So the little boy follow him go right outside a bush, go set for him. When him coming back he fall down, say, “Now me little red yam mash up!” So when him come home an’ said to the little boy, “Come, me pickney, pupa come an’ if you tell me de name of dis yam to-night, I goin’ to give you a good supper,” the little boy say,

“T’ank God, me know him name, T’ank God, me know him name, T’ank God, me know him name!”

“Come, now, tell me!”

“Ai! red yam, t’ank God a red yam!”

(dance and play the fiddle and drum).

When the papa boil the dinner, give him a big dinner fe him call the name. When he eat the big dinner the papa gi’ him the night, boy sing,

Pupa, de yam name red e yam? Yes, ma bwa, name red e yam.

Belly full to-night wid me red yam. Eat, ma bwa, eat, ma bwa, Eat, ma bwa, de yam name red e yam Sing, ma bwa, Sing, ma bwa, Sing, ma bwa, de yam name red e yam. Laugh, ma bwa, laugh, ma bwa, laugh, ma bwa, de yam name red e yam. Pupa ma belly full wid de red yam, Pupa ma belly full wid red yam. Laugh, ma bwa, laugh, ma bwa, laugh, ma bwa, yo’ belly full wid de red yam. Sing, ma bwa, sing, ma bwa, sing, ma bwa, yo’ belly full wid de red yam. [69]