Negro Folk Rhymes Part 9

Here Rattler! Here!

BROTHER BEN AND SISTER SAL

Ole Br'er Ben's a mighty good ole man, He don't steal chickens lak he useter.

He went down de chicken roos' las' Friday night, An' tuck off a dominicker rooster.

Dere's ole Sis Sal, she climbs right well, But she cain't 'gin to climb lak she useter.

So yonder she sets a sh.e.l.lin' out co'n To Mammy's ole bob-tailed rooster.

Yes, ole Sis Sal's a mighty fine ole gal, She's sho' extra good an' clever.

She's done tuck a notion all her own, Dat she hain't gwineter marry never.

Ole Sis Sal's got a foot so big, Dat she cain't wear no shoes an' gaiters.

So all she want is some red calico, An' dem big yaller yam sweet taters.

Now looky, looky here! Now looky, looky there!

Jes looky!--Looky 'way over yonder!-- Don't you see dat ole gray goose A-smilin' at de gander?

SIMON SLICK'S MULE

Dere wus a liddle kickin' man, His name wus Simon Slick.

He had a mule wid cherry eyes.

Oh, how dat mule could kick!

An', Suh, w'en you go up to him, He shet one eye an' smile; Den 'e telegram 'is foot to you, An' sen' you half a mile!

n.o.bODY LOOKING

Well: I look dis a way, an' I look dat a way, An' I heared a mighty rumblin'.

W'en I come to find out, 'twus dad's black sow, A-rootin' an' a-grumblin'.

Den: I slipped away down to de big White House.

Miss Sallie, she done gone 'way.

I popped myse'f in de rockin' chear, An' I rocked myse'f all day.

Now: I looked dis a way, an' I looked dat a way, An' I didn' see n.o.body in here.

I jes run'd my head in de coffee pot, An' I drink'd up all o' de beer.

HOECAKE

If you wants to bake a hoecake, To bake it good an' done; Jes' slap it on a n.i.g.g.e.r's heel, An' hol' it to de sun.

Dat snake, he bake a hoecake, An' sot de toad to mind it; Dat toad he up an' go to sleep, An' a lizard slip an' find it!

My mammy baked a hoecake, As big as Alabamer.

She throwed it 'g'inst a n.i.g.g.e.r's head An' it ring jes' lak a hammer.

De way you bakes a hoecake, In de ole Virginy 'tire; You wrops it 'round a n.i.g.g.e.r's heel, An' hol's it to de fire.

I WENT DOWN THE ROAD

I went down de road, I went in a whoop; An' I met Aunt Dinah Wid a chicken pot o' soup.

Sing: "I went away from dar; hook-a-doo-dle, hook-a-doo-dle."

"I went away from dar; hook-a-doo-dle-doo!"

I drunk up dat soup, An' I let her go by; An' I tol' her nex' time To bring Missus' pot pie.

Sing: "Oh far'-you-well; hook-a-doo-dle, hook-a-doo-dle; Oh far'-you-well, an' a hook-a-doo-dle-doo!"

THE OLD HEN CACKLED

De ole hen she cackled, An' stayed down in de bo'n.

She git fat an' sa.s.sy, A-eatin' up de co'n.

De ole hen she cackled, Git great long yaller laigs.

She swaller down de oats, But I don't git no aigs.

De ole hen she cackled, She cackled in de lot, De nex' time she cackled, She cackled in de pot.

I LOVE SOMEBODY

I loves somebody, yes, I do; An' I wants somebody to love me too.

Wid my chyart an' oxes stan'in' 'roun', Her pretty liddle foot needn' tetch de groun'.

I loves somebody, yes, I do, Dat randsome, handsome, Stickamastew.

Wid her reddingoat an' waterfall, She's de pretty liddle gal dat beats 'em all.

WE ARE "ALL THE GO"

Yes! We's "All-de-go," boys; we's "All-de-go."

Me an' my Lulu gal's "All-de-go."

I jes' loves my sweet pretty liddle Lulu Ann, But de way she gits my money I cain't hardly understan'.

W'en she up an' call me "Honey!" I fergits my name is Sam, An' I hain't got one nickel lef' to git a me a dram.

Still: We's "All-de-go," boys; we's "All-de-go."

Me an' my Lulu gal's "All-de-go."

She's always gwine a-fis.h.i.+n', w'en she'd oughter not to go; An' now she's all a troubled wid de frostes an' de snow.

I tells you jes one thing dat I'se done gone an' foun': De Nigs cain't git no livin' 'round de Co't House steps an' town.

AUNT DINAH DRUNK

Ole Aunt Dinah, she got drunk.