T’APPIN[1] ( Terrapin)
Told by Cugo Lewis, Plateau, Alabama. Brought to America from West Coast Africa, 1859.
It was famine time an’ T’appin had six chillun. Eagle hide behin’ cloud an’ he went crossed de ocean an’ go gittin’ de palm oil; got de seed to feed his chillun wid it. T’appin see it, say ahol’ on, it har’ time. Where you git all dat to feed your t’ree chillun? I got six chillun, can’t you show me wha’ you git all dat food?” Eagle say, “No, I had to fly ’cross de ocean to git dat.” T’appin say, “Well, gimme some o’ you wings an’ I’ll go wid you.” Eagle say, “A’ right. When shall we go?” T’appin say, “ ’Morrow morning’ by de firs’ cock crow.” So ’morrow came but T’appin didn’ wait till mornin’. T’ree ’clock in de mornin’ T’appin come in fron’ Eagle’s house say, “Cuckoo—cuckoo—coo.” Eagle say, “Oh, you go home. Lay down. ’Tain’t day yit.” But he kep’ on, “Cuckoo, cuckoo, coo,” an’ bless de Lor’, Eagle got out, say, “Wha’ you do now?” T’appin say, “You put t’ree wings on this side an’ t’ree on udda side.” Eagle pull out six feathers an’ put t’ree on one side an’ t’ree on de udda. Say, “Fly, le’s see.” So T’appin commence to fly. One o’ de wings fall out. But T’appin said, “Da’s all right, I got de udda wings. Le’s go.” So dey flew an’ flew; but when dey got over de ocean all de eagle wings fell out. T’appin about to fall in de water. Eagle went out an’ ketch him. Put him under his wings. T’appin say, “I don’ like dis.” Eagle say, “Why so?” T’appin say, “Gee it stink here.” Eagle let him drop in ocean. So he went down, down, down to de underworl’. De king o’ de underworl’ meet him. He say, “Why you come here? Wha’ you doin’ here?” T’appin say, “King, we in te’bul condition on de earth. We can’t git nothin’ to eat. I got six chillun an’ I can’t git nothin’
- ↑ “T’appin” and “Brer Buzzard” were collected by Mr. Fauset in the South August, 1925.
245
