Negro Folk Rhymes Part 5

I put sweet taters in de pan, 'Twus de bigges' eatin' in de lan'.

DEVILISH PIGS

I wish I had a load o' poles, To fence my new-groun' lot; To keep dem liddle bitsy debblish pigs Frum a-rootin' up all I'se got.

Dey roots my cabbage, roots my co'n; Dey roots up all my beans.

Dey speilt my fine sweet-tater patch, An' dey ruint my tunnup greens.

I'se rund dem pigs, an' I'se rund dem pigs.

I'se gittin' mighty hot; An' one dese days w'en n.o.body look, Dey'll root 'round in my pot.

PROMISES OF FREEDOM

My ole Mistiss promise me, W'en she died, she'd set me free.

She lived so long dat 'er head got bal', An' she give out'n de notion a dyin' at all.

My ole Mistiss say to me: "Sambo, I'se gwine ter set you free."

But w'en dat head git slick an' bal', De Lawd couldn' a' killed 'er wid a big green maul.

My ole Mistiss never die, Wid 'er nose all hooked an' skin all dry.

But my ole Miss, she's somehow gone, An' she lef' "Uncle Sambo" a-hillin' up co'n.

Ole Mosser lakwise promise me, W'en he died, he'd set me free.

But ole Mosser go an' make his Will Fer to leave me a-plowin' ole Beck still.

Yes, my ole Mosser promise me; But "his papers" didn' leave me free.

A dose of pizen he'ped 'im along.

May de Devil preach 'is funer'l song.

WHEN MY WIFE DIES

W'en my wife dies, gwineter git me anudder one; A big fat yaller one, jes lak de yudder one.

I'll hate mighty bad, w'en she's been gone.

Hain't no better 'oman never nowhars been bo'n.

W'en I comes to die, you mus'n' bury me deep, But put Sogrum mola.s.ses close by my feet.

Put a pone o' co'n bread way down in my han'.

Gwineter sop on de way to de Promus' Lan'.

W'en I goes to die, n.o.body mus'n' cry, Mus'n' dress up in black, fer I mought come back.

But w'en I'se been dead, an' almos' fergotten; You mought think about me an' keep on a-trottin'.

Railly, w'en I'se been dead, you needn' bury me at tall.

You mought pickle my bones down in alkihall; Den fold my han's "so," right across my breas'; An' go an' tell de folks I'se done gone to "res'."

ONE TUNE USED WITH "BAA! BAA! BLACK SHEEP!"

[music]

BAA! BAA! BLACK SHEEP

"Baa! Baa! Black Sheep, Has you got wool?"

"Yes, good Mosser, Free bags full.

One fer ole Mistis, One fer Miss Dame, An' one fer de good n.i.g.g.e.r Jes across de lane."

Poor liddle Black Sheep, Poor liddle lammy; Poor liddle Black Sheep's Got no mammy.

HE WILL GET MR. c.o.o.n

Ole Mistah c.o.o.n, at de break o' day, You needn' think youse gwineter git 'way.

Caze ole man Ned, he know how to run, An' he's sho' gone fer to git 'is gun.

You needn' clam to dat highes' lim', You cain't git out'n de retch o' him.

You can stay up dar till de sun done set.

I'll bet you a dollar dat he'll git you yet.

Ole Mistah c.o.o.n, you'd well's to give up.

You had well's to give up, I say.

Caze ole man Ned is straight atter you, An' he'll git you sho' this day.

BRING ON YOUR HOT CORN

Bring along yo' hot co'n, Bring along yo' col' co'n; But I say bring along, Bring along yo' [13]Jimmy-john.

Some loves de hot co'n, Some loves de col' co'n; But I loves, I loves, I loves dat Jimmy-john.

[13] Jimmy-john = a whiskey jug.

THE LITTLE ROOSTER

I had a liddle rooster, He crowed befo' day.

'Long come a big owl, An' toted him away.

But de rooster fight hard, An' de owl let him go.

Now all de pretty hens Wants dat rooster fer deir beau.

SUGAR IN COFFEE

Sheep's in de meader a-mowin' o' de hay.

De honey's in de bee-gum, so dey all say.

My head's up an' I'se boun' to go.