The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-12
o LnRr.
TIVE Specimens or THE stories Toia By THE We
Eroch In the wcst Indies.

In Jamaica folk lore Br' Tuckomcr and Br'
Nancy usually figure as tho leading characters.
Br Tuckomor is represented as n cunning. un-
scrupulous rogue. II creature OF many cxpcdi.
ents; Br' Nancy, simple and unsuspccting, Is
the victim OF his tricks.
III you ask tho brown children. who always
have n large rGpcrtory OF Nancy stories on
hanu, what II Tuckomer Is. they will probably
tell you that he is u "long legs" when YOU arc
introduced to Br' Tuckomer in person you may
lind that he is II small.bodied. spldcr.likc insect
and be told that n Nancy is another long logs"
Further investigation may show Br' Tuckomer
III his den between tho wall and tho frame OF a
window, where, behind n tiny and very dusty
cobwcb curtain, he assiduously watches for
flies instead of using his ample leisure In laying
traps for the weak and unwary Br' Nancy.
In the following story Br' Nancy is more for
tnnate than usual in finally getting the ndvan-
tnRe OF the witty and graccless Tuckomer. In
Jamaican dialect tho "a" has always the broad
or continental sound and the personal pronoun
Is masculine.
"'Br' Nancy him war gwine to a ball. an
Tuckomcr him shy him mus go long, too; but
him hab no clos to wear. an him say to Br'
Nancy:
lyon len me you clos while me dance ono
dance. an you kin dance dc Mex
IAN Br' Nancy say him would. An him stan
outside de ballroom while Tuckomer danced do
frs dance, but Tuckomer him keep right on q
dancin', an no glib Br' Nancy u chance to dance
at all. An binc by Br' Nancy him git tired q
waitin' an him hollors:
"'Tuckomer, Tuckomer. gi' me me coat; Tuck
omer. Tnckomer, gi' me ne coat
AN Tuckomer. who war dancin'. him fin
him coat IL comm off, an him say:
"'Hi. it's gittin mighty hot here. Me tink
neil tex of me coat But him neber stop q
dancin'.
AN Br' Nancy him wait awhile longer. don
him holler:"
"'Tuckomer. Tuckomer. gi' me me waistcoat;
Tuckomcr, Tuckomer, gi' me me waistcoat.'
AN wen Tuckomcr hn' him waistcoat a
comm off him say:
Iii, it's gittin' mighty hot TO- sure. Me tink
nell take off me waistcoast.'
AN pretty soon Br' Nancy him boiler:
"'Tuckomer. T~uckomer. gil mo me shirt;
Tuckomer, Tuckomer, RI me me shirt
wen TuckoDier fin him shirt n comm off,
him tink 1t war time fur him to lcbc io' sure,
N The intT Tdpcs o. s OF Br' Tiger Tiger b into ,b LILY ny alice Alice
points to possible French influences, and may be
tic one witt the brown children. and sounds
best when told at night by the fading embers;
kitchen. 1t Is ms follows:
Allie Mortie hab a berry cruel mmdder.in-law
lStePm,H Inc Mnpl vo AN 70 h dnm SAY yo to Bb, T ags Eee, ,mv
Allie Mortie. Me will put MIN at de foot OBJ de
bed % M?y E 89p E Fin git ,h him him would do it. Bot
lady's IstepmothsT'sl chillun at dc foot OF 90
lady's chillnn, an no keel Allie Mortie. An dc
lady say to Br' Tiger:
Mortie. but you mus come back tonight an
keel him fc sure. Me will put him at de foot oh
de a Gsd way sbey You Xxi, kin f H., h TIeer come Allie uor,,e
put one OBJ de chillun at dc foot Of de bed. an
BT, Tiger kill all de lady's chillqn, an no kill
VIVA for you keel all me chillun. an no
keel Allie Mortief You mus, come tonight an
IAn'Allie Mo Sim mndder come . an, dream can,
viii sec !" banana ash shu %iHl an nh him M mus put %n him hi"
Ven br' Tiger come him viii Keel Dc banana
come him tex de banana shuck out on de barbe-
cue and keel hin, dead. An wen him see him
keel a banana shuck an no Allie Mortie. him
"'Hi, me neber see any one so smart as dat
An Allie Mortie's mudder come an dream
to him an tell him to tex a quart bottle an go
out an al him viii see 2 black S, cow. AN an, him mus mus,
time wen him hear Br' Tiger be him him holleI
THE following is repeated in high. pitched reel.
tativel:
ANY good family come along yere.
See Allie NORTH,
Iel MIN M want nliT. want ulfH yeTe,
him mus drop a lill' oh de milk, an Br' Tiger
will etop to lick 1t up. SO wen Allie Mortie hear
Br' Tiger boiler:
Amy good family come along yere,
See Allie Mortie,
Tell him me " ant him. want him yere,
him drop a ill oh de milk, an Br' Tiger stop to
lick ii up. An all de time Allie Mortie war goin'
along him war cryin':
"Any one see me brudder Dick or me brudder Sam ?
Tell him Allie MortIe want him. want him yere.
A Allie Mortie's brudder war on de hill
sawin' wood, an Dick say:
Amt dat me sister. Allie Mortie, me hear
jes now An Sam say:
mo. him no hear anything
An es den Allie Mortie come to dc gate, an
Dick. him run an open de gate, an Allie Mortie
fall down at him feet. An Dick tex him up, an
carry him into de house. an put him on de bed.
An den him load de gun, an stan Mt de gate,
an wait 70 Br' Tiger. An wen Br' Tiger come
to de gate him hollcr:
Amy good family come along yere
See Allie Mortie2
Tell him me want him. want him yere.
Den Dick lower de gun an shoot Br' Tiger
dead. Den de two brudder go to dc cruel mud
der-inlaw an shy:
Me come to see me sister, Allie Mortie.
Me lis sen him out to pick up stick TO- d.
tie,' MUM Allie Mortic! Allie Mortie,
.MumF Allie Mortic! Allie Mortie!' Mum /
But him t'ink Br' Tiger keel Allie Mortic. Hin
no know way him day. Den dc brudder say:
10y sen Br' Tiger to keel me sister, Allit
j MOrtie. but mo hab him Sufer"