October 29. Story of the Day: The Pea that made a Fortune.

This story comes from Jamaica Anansi Stories by Martha Warren Beckwith.

This is an example of ATU 2034C. Lending and Repaying.

Looking for more stories? Click here for previous Stories-of-the-Day.

THE PEA THAT MADE A FORTUNE

One day an old lady was traveling on the road and she picked up a green pea and she planted it. And after it grew, her goat ate it off.

She cried upon the goat and told it that she wanted the peas. The goat said that he didn't have anything to give her, but she could take one of his horns. She took the horn and went to the river-side to wash it. The river took it away from her.

She cried upon the river, and the river said it didn't have anything to give her but a fish. She went further. She met a man who was very hungry. She gave the man the fish.

After the man ate it, she cried upon the man. The man gave her a moreen [piece of cloth]. She went a little further and saw a cow-boy. She gave him the moreen.

After he had worn it out, she cried upon him for it. He said he didn't have anything to give her but his whip. She went a little further and saw a man driving cows. She gave the whip to the man.

After the man had lashed it out, she cried upon him, so he gave her a cow; and from the cow she made heir riches.

(Gut River, Jamaica)

NOTES. Told by Etheline Samuels, Claremont, St. Ann.

CHAIN: pea - horn - fish - cloth - whip - cow

August 10. Story of the Day: Chain of Victims

Today's story is from Jamaica Anansi Stories by Martha Warren Beckwith. You can find out more about Beckwith's remarkable career as an anthropologist at Wikipedia, which is also where you can find out more about the trickster Anansi.

The story is classified as ATU 2024. Rabbit Borrows Money.

If you trace that eat-or-be-eaten chain closely, you'll see that Anansi didn't tell the monkey to kill the dog (at least in this storyteller's version)... so maybe Brar Dog will come back around asking for his money after all!

Looking for more stories? Click here for previous Stories-of-the-Day.

THE CHAIN OF VICTIMS

Hanansi saw Brar Hog an' said, "Brar Hog, lend me a dollar, to-morrow, twelve o'clock, come fe it."

An' saw Brar Dog an' said, "Brar Dog, len' me a dollar, to-morrow, twelve o'clock, come fe it."

An' saw Brar Monkey an' say, "Brar Monkey, len' me a dollar, to-morrow, twelve o'clock, come fe it."

An' saw Brar Tiger an' said, "Brar Tiger, len' me a dollar, to-morrow, twelve o'clock, come fe it.

An saw Brar Lion an' say, "Len' me a dollar, to-morrow, twelve o'clock, come fe it."

Nex' day hear some one knock at de door. Hanansi said, "Who come deah?"

"Me, Brar Hog."

An' he say, "Come in."

He an' Hog stay dere talkin' an' hear anodder knockin'. An' say, "Who come deah?"

"Me, Brar Dog."

He say, "Brar Hog, you run go in dat room, fe Dog too bad; if him catch you him are goin' to kill you!"

Dog come in.

Him stay dere talkin' until hear anodder knock an' said, "Who come deah?"

"Me, Brar Monkey."

An' say, "Come in"; an' say, "Brar Dog, you run go in dat room dere an' when you go you see Brar Hog un'er de bed, kill him."

Him an' Monkey talk till Tiger come knock at de door, an' Hanansi say, "Who knock deah?"

"Me, Brar Tiger."

An' say, "Brar Monkey, run go in dat room hide or Tiger ketch you!"

When Brar Tiger come in, him an' Hanansi deh talkin' till he hear annodder knock. An' say, "Who come deah?"

"Brar Lion."

An' say, "Brar Tiger, you run go in dat room deh; you see Brar Monkey, kill him!"

So as Lion come in he tell Brar Lion, "Look heah! have plenty o' meat. Brar Tiger gone in dere; you gwine go kill him!"

Lion went in an' kill Tiger.

Me'while de Lion kill Tiger, Hanansi go out de kitchen door dig one deep hole an' ca' say, "Brar Lion, run come heah! We go put on little hot water fe clean up doze fellah!"

As Lion jump out of de house, feel so glad, gallop on to de kitchen, he got down in de hole an bre'k his neck.

So Hanansi said, "You brute! look how much money I borrow from you, an' I have all yo' bone to crack t'-night!"


NOTES. Told by Richard Morgan, Santa Cruz Mountains

Beckwith. Anansi and the Pig Coming from Market.

This is from Jamaica Anansi Stories by Martha Warren Beckwith.

This is yet another example of ATU 2030. The Old Woman and her Pig. Not the emphasis here on Anansi's characteristic greediness: he wants to get a job done for free, intead of paying someone to help him.

ANANSI AND THE PIG COMING FROM MARKET

Anansi took the job to sweep the market. After he swept the market and got the pay, he bought a pig called 'wee pig'. On his way home he had to cross a stream. He couldn't get the pig across. He wouldn't carry it himself and he wouldn't pay anyone to assist him,--wanted free help.

So he saw a dog coming along. He said, "Br'er Dog, I beg you bite this pig, make this pig jump over the river, make Anansi get home."

Dog said no, couldn't do it.

He saw a stick coming along, said, "Do, Br'er Stick, I beg you lick this dog, make this dog bite this pig, make this pig jump over this river, make Anansi get home."

Stick said no, couldn't do it.

He see Fire, say, "Do, me good Fire, burn this stick, make this stick lick this dog, make this dog bite this pig, make this pig jump over this river, make Anansi get home."

Fire says no.

He sees Water. "Do, me good Water, I beg you out this fire, make this fire burn this stick, make this stick lick this dog, make this dog bite this pig, make this pig jump over the river, make Anansi get home."

Water said no.

He saw a cow coming. "Do, Br'er Cow, drink this Water, make this water out this fire, make this fire burn this stick, make this stick lick this dog, make this dog bite this pig, make this pig jump over this river, make Anansi get to go home."

Cow said no.

He saw a butcher coming. "Do, me good butcher, I beg you butcher this cow, make this cow drink this water, make this water out this fire, make this fire burn this stick, make this stick lick this dog, make this dog bite this pig, make this pig jump over this river, make Anansi get home!"

Butcher said no, wouldn't do it.

He sees Rope coming along. "Do, Br'er Rope, I beg you hang this butcher, make this butcher kill this cow, make this cow drink this water, make this water out this fire, make this fire burn this stick, make this stick lick this dog, make this dog bite this pig, make this pig jump over the river, make Anansi get home!"

Rope said no.

Saw Grease coming along. "Do, me good Grease, grease this rope, make this rope hang this butcher, make this butcher kill this cow, make this cow drink this water, make this water out this fire, make this fire burn this stick, make this stick lick this dog, make this dog bite this pig, make this pig jump over the river, make Anansi get home!"

Grease said no.

He saw a Rat. Said, "Do, me good Rat, gnaw this grease, make this grease grease this rope, make this rope hang this butcher, make this butcher kill this cow, make this cow drink this water, make this water out this fire, make this fire burn this stick, make this stick lick this dog, make this dog bite this pig, make this pig jump over this river, make Anansi get home!"

Rat says no.

Saw Puss coming along. "Do, Br'er Puss, I beg you kill this rat, make this rat gnaw this grease, make this grease grease this rope, make this rope hang this butcher, make this butcher kill this cow, make this cow drink this water, make this water out this fire, make this fire burn this stick, make this stick lick this dog, make this dog bite this pig, make this pig jump over this river, make Anansi get home!"

Puss says, "Yes, I will kill your rat!"

Rat says, "Before you kill me, I will gnaw the grease!"

Grease says, "Before you gnaw me, I will grease the rope!"

Rope says, "Before you grease me, I will hang the butcher!"

Butcher says, "Before you hang me, I will kill the cow!"

Cow says, "Before you kill me, I will drink the water!"

Water says, "Before you drink me, I will out the fire!"

Fire says, "Before you out me, I will burn the stick!"

Stick says, "Before you burn me, I will lick the dog!"

Dog says, "Before you lick me, I will bite the pig!"

Pig says, "Before you bite me, I will jump over the river!"

So away went the pig over the river; and him and Anansi went home safe and without expense.

(wikimedia)

NOTES. Told by Moses Hendricks, Mandeville.