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176 NEGRO FOLK-SONGS
Lydia Gumbel, of Straight College, New Orleans, sends a Creole song which shows Bre'r Rabbit in festive attire, and mood:
Met Mister Rabbit one night, All dressed in his plug hat. He turned his nose up in the air, Said, "I 'se gwine to Julia's ball, So good night, possums all."
The possum is another favorite with the darky as piece de resistance for either a meal or a folk-song. The Negro is fond of singing about what lies nearest his heart, — or his stomach, — and there is no one dish more delectable to him than a fat possum planked with "sweet 'taters." In my book, "From a Southern Porch," I quote several "possum songs" at length, wherein the darky recounts the capture of the wily animal and gives detailed directions for cooking it. Here are new "possum songs" not included in that volume.
This first one comes from Texas, where it was sung by a group of Negroes working on the road. A friendly collector loitered near till he jotted down the words.
Great Big Nigger Siton' on a Log
Jakey went out a-hunthV on one moonshiny night.
He treed a possum up yonder out o' sight.
Tuck his little ax an' begin to chop,
"Look out, dere, coon I Somp'n's gwine to drop!" In de mawnin' you shall be free, Hoopy-doodle-doo, you shall be free, When de good Lawd set you free.
Great big nigger sittin' 'hin' a log, Hand on de trigger an' de eye on de hog. Gun went bang, an' hog went zip! Nigger run wid all his grip.
Po' mourner, you shall be free,
Hoopy-doodle, an* you shall be free,
When de good Lawd set you free.
My gal, she's de big town talk, Her foot covers de whole sidewalk, Her eyes like two big balls o' chalk, Her nose is lak a long cornstalk.
Sister Mary, you shall be free,
In de mawnin' you shall be free.
Po? mourner, you shall be free,
When de good Lawd set you free. |
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