Edited by Azizi Powell
This is Part II of a two part pancocojams series that presents examples of rhymes from that refer to food or beverages from African American university professor Thomas W. Talley's 1922 book entitled Negro Folk Rhymes; Wise And Otherwise.
This post presents some additional examples of rhymes (songs) fromThomas W. Talley's 1922 book entitled Negro Folk Rhymes; Wise And Otherwise.hat collection.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2022/02/food-or-beverages-references-in-some.html for Part I of this pancocojams series. Part I provides information about Thomas W. Talley, including information about his now classic collection entitled Negro Folk Rhymes (Wise and Otherwise). That post also presents some examples of this sub-category of rhymes (songs) from that collection.
The content of this post is presented for historical, socio-cultural, and educational purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Dr. Thomas W. Talley for his research and writing. Thanks to all the unknown composer/s of these rhymes (songs) and those people who shared these rhymes Dr. Talley. Thanks to all others who are quoted in this post. In addition, thanks to the original publisher of this collection and thanks to and thanks to The Project Gutenberg for the 2008. Ebook edition of this book.
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Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2022/02/jessica-rose-food-and-slave-communities.html for the closely related pancocojams post entitled "Jessica Rose - "Food And Slave Communities In The Antebellum South" (Excerpt Of A 2016 CUNY Dissertation)." Most of the research that is presented in that dissertation is validated by these Negro Folk Rhymes examples. (That research also presents information about the relationship between poor Whites and enslaved Black people in the southern region of the United States. That subject isn't mentioned in the Negro Folk Rhymes collection.)
PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
These selected examples are presented "as is" in whole or in part in this series according to their page/s in the Project Gutenberg Ebook edition of that collection, with the exception of asterisks between each example and with the exception of the spelling for the referent that is commonly called "the n word". The six letter or five letter forms of that referent is given with amended spelling in this pancocojams series ("Ni&&er"; "Ni &&ah").
In Thomas W. Talley's 1922 book Negro Folk Rhymes, "the n word" was used as a largely non-offensive group referent for Black people. However, in most of the 20th century and in the 21st century "the n word" is usually considered to be a highly derogatory referent whose use is very much discouraged.
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Added: Feb. 22, 2022
Thomas W. Talley's 1922 Negro Folk Rhymes documents that these versions of the rhymes (songs) in his collection were remembered by Talley and/or by other African Americans who shared them with him. It doesn't mean that these examples necessarily originated with African Americans.
It's very difficult if not impossible to know who were the original composers of American [United States] folk songs. To a large extent that is because of racism against Black Americans and the fact that so much of Black history (in the United States and elsewhere, was purposely lost and stolen.
Click https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/05/20/rhiannon-giddens-and-what-folk-music-means for a related article entitled "Rhiannon Giddens and What Folk Music Means".
****
FOOD OR BEVERAGES REFERENCES IN THE 1922 BOOK "NEGRO FOLK RHYMES"
From https://www.gutenberg.org/files/27195/27195-h/27195-h.htm by Thomas W. Talley [originally published 1922]
[Pg 51]
THE OLD HEN CACKLED
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.
[
A SICK WIFE
Las' Sadday night my wife tuck sick,
An' what d'you reckon ail her?
She e't a tucky gobbler's head
An' her stomach, it jes' fail her.
She squall out: "Sam, bring me some mint!
Make catnip up an' sage tea!"
I goes an' gits her all dem things,
But she throw 'em back right to me.
Says I: "Dear Honey! Mind nex' time!"
"Don't eat from 'A to Izzard'"
"I thinks you won' git sick at all,
If you saves pō' me de gizzard."
[Pg 55]
MY WONDERFUL TRAVEL
I come down from ole Virginny,
'Twas on a Summer day;
De wedder was all frez up,
'An' I skeeted all de way!
[Pg 56]
Interlocution:
Hand my banjer down to play,
Wanter pick fer dese ladies right away;
"W'en dey went to bed,
Dey couldn' shet deir eyes,"
An' "Dey was stan'in' on deir heads,
A-pickin' up de pies."
****
[Pg 57]
HARVEST SONG
Las' year wus a good crap year,
An' we raised beans an' 'maters.
We didn' make much cotton an' co'n;
But, Goodness Life, de taters!
You can plow dat ole gray hoss,
I'se gwineter plow dat mulie;
An' w'en we's geddered in de craps,
I'se gwine down to see Julie…..
[
UNCLE NED
Jes lay down de shovel an' de hoe.
Jes hang up de fiddle an' de bow.
No more hard work fer ole man Ned,
Fer he's gone whar de good Ni&&ers go.
Didn' have no eyes fer to see,
Didn' have no teeth fer to eat corn cake,
An' he had to let de beefsteak be…..
****
[Pg 63]
DON'T ASK ME QUESTIONS
Don't ax me no questions,
An' I won't tell you no lies;
But bring me dem apples,
An' I'll make you some pies.
****
[Pg 64]
An' if you ax questions,
'Bout my havin' de flour;
I fergits to use 'lasses
An' de pie'll be all sour.
Dem apples jes wa'k here;
An' dem 'lasses, dey run.
Hain't no place lak my house
Found un'er de sun.
****
[Pg 67]
HAM BEATS ALL MEAT
Dem white folks set up in a Dinin' Room
An' dey charve dat mutton an' lam'.
De Ni&&er, he set 'hind de kitchen door,
An' he eat up de good sweet ham.
Dem white folks, dey set up an' look so fine,
An' dey eats dat ole cow meat;
But de Ni&&er grin an' he don't say much,
Still he know how to git what's sweet.
Deir ginger cakes taste right good sometimes,
An' deir Cobblers an' deir jam.
But fer every day an' Sunday too,
Jest gimme de good sweet ham.
Ham beats all meat,
Always good an' sweet.
Ham beats all meat,
I'se always ready to eat.
You can bake it, bile it, fry it, stew it,
An' still it's de good sweet ham.
****
[Pg 69]
CHICKEN PIE
If you wants to make an ole Ni&&er feel good,
Let me tell you w'at to do:
Jes take off a chicken from dat chicken roost,
An' take 'im along wid you.
Take a liddle dough to roll 'im up in,
An' it'll make you wink yō' eye;
Wen dat good smell gits up yō' nose,
Frum dat home-made chicken pie.
[Pg 70]
Jes go round w'en de night's sorter dark,
An' dem chickens, dey can't see.
Be shore dat de bad dog's all tied up,
Den slip right close to de tree.
Now retch out yō' han' an' pull 'im in,
Den run lak a William goat;
An' if he holler, squeeze 'is neck,
An' shove 'im un'er yō' coat.
Bake dat Chicken pie!
It's mighty hard to wait
When you see dat Chicken pie,
Hot, smokin' on de plate.
Bake dat Chicken pie!
Yes, put in lots o' spice.
Oh, how I hopes to Goodness
Dat I gits de bigges' slice.
****
Play Rhyme Section
[Pg 82]
KISSING SONG
A sleish o' bread an' butter fried,
Is good enough fer yō' sweet Bride.
Now choose yō' Lover, w'ile we sing,
An' call 'er nex' onto de ring….
[
SALT RISING BREAD
I loves saltin', saltin' bread.
I loves saltin', saltin' bread.
Put on dat skillet, nev' mind de lead;
Caze I'se gwineter cook dat saltin' bread;
Yes, ever since my mammy's been dead,
I'se been makin' an' cookin' dat saltin' bread.
I loves saltin', saltin' bread.
I loves saltin', saltin' bread.
You loves biscuit, butter, an' fat?
I can dance Shiloh better 'an dat.
Does you turn 'round an' shake yō' head?—
Well; I loves saltin', saltin' bread.
I loves saltin', saltin' bread.
I loves saltin', saltin' bread.
W'en you ax yō' mammy fer butter an' bread,
She don't give nothin' but a stick across yō' head.
On cracklin's, you say, you wants to git fed?
Well, I loves saltin', saltin' bread.
HE LOVES SUGAR AND TEA
Mistah Buster, he loves sugar an' tea.
Mistah Buster, he loves candy.
Mistah Buster, he's a Jim-dandy!
He can swing dem gals so handy.
Charlie's up an' Charlie's down.
Charlie's fine an' dandy.
Ev'ry time he goes to town,
He gits dem gals stick candy.
Dat Ni&&ah, he love sugar an' tea.
Dat Ni&&ah love dat candy.
[Pg 85]
Fine Ni&&ah! He can wheel 'em 'round,
An' swing dem ladies handy.
Mistah Sambo, he love sugar an' tea.
Mistah Sambo love his candy.
Mistah Sambo; he's dat han'some man
What goes wid sister Mandy.
Pastime Rhyme Section
Pg 94
THE THRIFTY SLAVE
Jes wuk all day,
Den go huntin' in de wood.
Ef you cain't ketch nothin',
Den you hain't no good.
Don't look at Mosser's chickens,
Caze dey're roostin' high.
Big pig, liddle pig, root hog or die!
[
FATTENING FROGS FOR SNAKES
You needn' sen' my gal hoss apples
You needn' sen' her 'lasses candy;
She would keer fer de lak o' you,
Ef you'd sen' her apple brandy.
W'y don't you git some common sense?
Jes git a liddle! Oh fer land sakes!
Quit yō' foolin', she hain't studyin' you!
Youse jes fattenin' frogs fer snakes!
[Pg 97]
CHRISTMAS TURKEY
I prayed to de Lawd fer tucky-o.
Dat tucky wouldn' come.
I prayed, an' I prayed 'til I'se almos' daid.
No tucky at my home.
Chrismus Day, she almos' here;
My wife, she mighty mad.
She want dat tucky mo' an' mo'.
An' she want 'im mighty bad.
I prayed 'til de scales come on my knees,
An' still no tucky come.
I tuck myse'f to my tucky roos',
An' I brung my tucky home.
[
THE RASCAL
I'se de bigges' rascal fer my age.
I now speaks from dis public stage.
I'se stole a cow; I'se stole a calf,
An' dat hain't more 'an jes 'bout half.
Yes, Mosser!—Lover of my soul!—
"How many chickens has I stole?"
Well; three las' night, an' two night befo';
An' I'se gwine 'fore long to git four mō'.
But you see dat hones' Billy Ben,
He done e't more dan erry three men.
He e't a ham, den e't a side;
He would a e't mō', but you know he died.
****
[Pg 107]
COFFEE GROWS ON WHITE FOLKS' TREES
Coffee grows on w'ite folks' trees,
But de Ni&&er can git dat w'en he please.
De w'ite folks loves deir milk an' brandy,
But dat black gal's sweeter dan 'lasses candy.
Coffee grows on w'ite folks trees,
An' dere's a river dat runs wid milk an' brandy.
De rocks is broke an' filled wid gold,
So dat yaller gal loves dat high-hat dandy.
[
WATERMELON PREFERRED
Dat hambone an' chicken are sweet.
Dat 'possum meat are sholy fine.
But give me,—now don't you cheat!—
(Oh, I jes wish you would give me!)
Dat watermillion, smilin' on de vine.
[
"THEY STEAL" GOSSIP
You know:
Some folks say dat a Ni&&er won't steal,
But Mosser cotch six in a watermillion fiel';
A-cuttin', an' a-pluggin' an' a-tearin' up de vines,
A-eatin' all de watermillions, an' a-stackin' up de rinds.
Uh-huh! Yes, I heared dat:
Ole Mosser stole a middlin' o' meat,
Ole Missus stole a ham;
Dey sent 'em bofe to de Wuk-house,
An' dey had to leave de land.
[Pg 111]
A TURKEY FUNERAL
Dis tucky once on earth did dwell;
An' "Gobble! Gobble! Gobble!"
But now he gives me bigges' joy,
An' rests from all his trouble.
Yes, now he's happy, so am I;
No hankerin' fer a feas':
Because I'se stuffed wid tucky meat,
An' he struts in tucky peace.
****
[Pg 112]
CARE IN BREAD-MAKING
W'en you sees dat gal o' mine,
Jes tell 'er fer me, if you please,
Nex' time she goes to make up bread
To roll up 'er dirty sleeves.
****
[Pg 113]
WHY LOOK AT ME?
What's you lookin' at me fer?
I didn' come here to stay.
I wants dis bug put in yō' years,
An' den I'se gwine away.
I'se got milk up in my bucket,
I'se got butter up in my bowl;
But I hain't got no Sweetheart
Fer to save my soul.
****
[Pg 114]
I'LL EAT WHEN I'M HUNGRY
I'll eat when I'se hongry,
An' I'll drink when I'se dry;
An' if de whitefolks don't kill me,
I'll live till I die.
In my liddle log cabin,
Ever since I'se been born;
Dere hain't been no nothin'
'Cept dat hard salt parch corn.
But I knows whar's a henhouse,
An' de tucky he charve;
An' if ole Mosser don't kill me,
I cain't never starve.
****
[Pg 114]
HEAR-SAY
Hello! Br'er Jack. How do you do?
I'se been a-hearin' a heaps o' things 'bout you.
I'll jes declar! It beats de Dickuns!
Dey's been tryin' to say you's been a-stealin' chickens!
****
[Pg 116]
I'LL GET YOU, RABBIT!
Rabbit! Rabbit! You'se got a mighty habit,
A-runnin' through de grass,
Eatin' up my cabbages;
But I'll git you shore at las'.
Rabbit! Rabbit! Ole rabbit in de bottoms,
A-playin' in de san',
By to-morrow mornin',
You'll be in my fryin' pan.
****
[Pg 117]
HOW TO PLEASE A PREACHER
If you wants to see dat Preachah laugh,
Jes change up a dollar, an' give 'im a half.
If you wants to make dat Preachah sing,
Kill dat tucky an' give him a wing.
If you wants to see dat Preachah cry,
Kill dat chicken an' give him a thigh.
****
[Pg 126]
MASTER KILLED A BIG BULL
Mosser killed a big bull,
Missus cooked a dish full,
Didn't give poor Ni&&er a mouf full.
Humph! Humph!
Mosser killed a fat lam'.
Missus brung a basket,
An' give poor Ni&&er de haslet.
Eh-eh! Eh-eh!
Mosser killed a fat hog
Missus biled de middlin's,
An' give poor Ni&&er de chitlin's.
Shō! Shō!
****
[Pg 126]
YOU HAD BETTER MIND MASTER
'Way down yon'er in 'Possum Trot,
(In ole Miss'sip' whar de sun shines hot)
Dere hain't no chickens an' de Ni&&ers eats c'on;
You hain't never see'd de lak since youse been bo'n,
You'd better mīn' Mosser an' keep a stiff lip,
So's you won't git sōl' down to ole Miss'sip'.
****
[Pg 127]
Love Rhyme Section
[Pg 130]
VINIE
I loves coffee, an' I loves tea.
I axes you, Vinie, does you love me?
My day's study's Vinie, an' my midnight dreams,
My apples, my peaches, my tunnups, an' greens.
Oh, I wants dat good 'possum, an' I wants to be free;
But I don't need no sugar, if Vinie love me.
De river is wide, an' I cain't well step it.
I loves you, dear Vinie; an' you know I cain't he'p it.
Dat sugar is sweet, an' dat butter is greasy;
But I loves you, sweet Vinie; don't be oneasy.
Some loves ten, an' some loves twenty,
But I loves you, Vinie, an' dat is a plenty.
Oh silver, it shine, an' lakwise do tin.
De way I loves Vinie, it mus' be a sin.
Well, de cedar is green, an' so is de pine.
God bless you, Vinie! I wish you 'us mine.
****
Nursery Rhyme Section
[Pg 153]
PIG TAIL
Run boys, run!
De pig tail's done.
If you don't come quick,
You won't git none.
Pig ham's dere,
Lakwise middlin's square;
But dese great big parts
Hain't no Ni&&er's bes' fare.
****
[Pg 156]
COOKING DINNER
Go: Bile dem cabbage
down.
Turn dat hoecake 'round,
Cook it done an' brown.
Yes: Gwineter have sweet taters too.
Hain't had none since las' Fall,
Gwineter eat 'em skins an' all.
****
[Pg 159]
ASPIRATION
If I wus de President
Of dese United States,
I'd eat good 'lasses candy,
An' swing on all de gates.
****
[Pg 165]
WILD HOG HUNT
Ni&&er in de woods, a-settin' on a log;
Wid his finger on de trigger, an' his eyes upon de hog.
De gun say "bam!" an' de hog say "bip!"
An' de Ni&&er grab dat wild hog wid all his grip.
****
[Pg 173]
TWO SICK NEGRO BOYS
Two liddle Ni&&ers sick in bed,
One jumped up an' bumped his head.
W'en de Doctah come he simpully said:
"Jes feed dat boy on shorten' bread."
T'other liddle Ni&&er sick in bed,
W'en he hear tell o' shorten' bread,
Popped up all well. He dance an' sing!
He almos' cut dat Pigeon's Wing!
****
[Pg 176]
GUINEA GALL
'Way down yon'er in Guinea Gall,
De Ni&&ers eats de fat an' all.
'Way down yon'er in de cotton fiel',
Ev'ry week one peck o' meal.
'Way down yon'er ole Mosser swar';
Holler at you, an' pitch, an' r'ar;
Wid cat o' nine tails,
Wid pen o' nine nails,
Tee whing, tee bing,
An' ev'ry thing!
****
[Pg 179]
OLD AUNT KATE
Jes look at Ole Aunt Kate at de gyardin gate!
She's a good ole 'oman.
W'en she sift 'er meal, she give me de husk;
W'en she cook 'er bread, she give me de crust.
She put de hosses in de stable;
But one jump out, an' skin his nable.
Jes look at Ole Aunt Kate at de gyardin gate!
Still she's always late.
Hurrah fer Ole Aunt Kate by de gyardin gate!
She's a fine ole 'oman.
Git down dat sifter, take down dat tray!
Go 'long, Honey, dere hain't no udder way!
She put on dat hoe cake, she went 'round de house.
She cook dat 'Possum, an' she call 'im a mouse!
Hurrah fer Ole Aunt Kate by de gyardin gate!
She's a fine playmate.
****
[Pg 181]
BABY WANTS CHERRIES
De cherries, dey're red; de cherries, dey're ripe;
An' de baby it want one.
De cherries, dey're hard; de cherries, dey're sour;
An' de baby cain't git none.
Jes look at dat bird in de cherry tree!
He's pickin' 'em one by one!
He's shakin' his bill, he's gittin' it fill',
An' down dat th'oat dey run!
Nev' mind! Bye an' bye dat bird's gwineter fly,
An' mammy's gwineter make dat pie.
She'll give you a few, fer de baby cain't chew,
An' de Pickaninny sholy won't cry.
****
[Pg 185]
WHAT WILL WE DO FOR BACON?
What will we do fer bacon now?
I'se shot, I'se shot de ole sandy sow!
She jumped de fence an' broke de rail;
An'—"Bam!"—I shot her on de tail.
[
A LITTLE PICKANINNY
Me an' its mammy is both gwine to town,
To git dis Pickaninny a liddle hat an' gown.
Don't you never let him waller on de flō'!
He's a liddle Pickaninny,
Born in ole Virginy.
Mammy! Don't de baby grow?
Setch a eatin' o' de honey an' a drinkin' o' de wine!
We's gwine down togedder fer to have a good time;
An' we's gwineter eat, an' drink mō' an' mō'.
Oh, sweet liddle [42]Pickaninny,
Born in ole Virginy.
Mammy! How de baby grow!
[42] Pickanniny appears to have been an African word used by
the early American slaves for the word baby.
[
LITTLE SLEEPING NEGROES
One liddle Ni&&er a-lyin' in de bed;
His eyes shet an' still, lak he been dead.
Two liddle Ni&&ers a-lyin' in de bed;
A-snorin' an' a-dreamin' of a table spread.
Three liddle Ni&&ers a-lyin' in de bed;
Deir heels cracked open lak shorten' bread.
Four liddle Ni&&ers a-lyin' in de bed;
Dey'd better hop out, if dey wants to git fed!
oo! Shoo!
What'll I do?
Run three mile an' buckle my shoe?
No! No!
I'se gwineter go,
An' kill dat chicken on my flō'.
Oh! My!
Chicken pie!
Sen' fer de Doctah, I mought die.
Christmus here,
Once a year.
Pass dat cider an' 'simmon beer.
****
FLAP-JACKS
I loves my wife, an' I loves my baby:
An' I loves dem flap-jacks a-floatin' in gravy.
You play dem chyards, an' make two passes:
While I eats dem flap-jacks a-floatin' in 'lasses.
****
[Pg 197]
Now: in come a Ni&&er an' in come a bear,
In come a Ni&&er dat hain't got no hair.
Good-by, Ni&&er, go right on back,
Fer I hain't gwineter give you no flap-jack.
****
[Pg 197]
TEACHING TABLE MANNERS
Now whilst we's here 'round de table,
All you young ones git right still.
I wants to l'arn you some good manners,
So's you'll think o' Uncle Bill.
Cose we's gwineter 'scuse Merlindy,
Caze she's jes a baby yit.
But it's time you udder young ones
Wus a-l'arnin' a liddle bit.
I can 'member as a youngster,
Lak you youngsters is to-day;
How my mammy l'arnt me manners
In a 'culiar kind o' way.
One o' mammy's ole time 'quaintance.
(Ole Aunt Donie wus her name)
Come one night to see my mammy.
Mammy co'se 'pared fer de same.
[Pg 198]
Mammy got de sifter, Honey;
An' she tuck an' make up dough,
Which she tu'n into hot biscuits.
Den we all git smart, you know.
'Zerves an' biscuits on de table!
Honey, noways could I wait.
Ole Aunt Donie wus a good ole 'oman,
An' I jes had to pass my plate.
I soon swallered down dem biscuit,
E't 'em faster dan a shoat.
Dey wus a liddle tough an' knotty,
But I chawed 'em lak a goat.
"Pass de biscuits, please, Mam!
Please, Mam, fer I wants some mō'."
Lawd! You'd oughter seed my mammy
Frownin' up, jes "sorter so."
"Won't you pass de biscuit, please, Mam?"
I said wid a liddle fear.
Dere wus not but one mō' lef', Sir.
Mammy riz up out'n her chear.
[Pg 199]
W'en Aunt Donie lef' our house, Suh,
Mammy come lak bees an' ants,
Put my head down 'twixt her knees, Suh,
Almos' roll me out'n my pants.
She had a great big tough hick'ry,
An' it help till it convince.
Frum dat day clean down to dis one,
I'se had manners ev'r since.
[
BLACK-EYED PEAS FOR LUCK
One time I went a-huntin',
I heared dat 'possum sneeze.
I hollered back to Susan Ann:
"Put on a pot o' peas."
Dat good ole 'lasses candy,
What makes de eyeballs shine,
Wid 'possum peas an' taters,
Is my dish all de time.
[Pg 201]
[46] Dem black-eyed peas is lucky;
When e't on New Year's day,
You always has sweet taters,
An' 'possum come your way.
[46] This last stanza embodies one of the old superstitions.
[Pg 203]
RABBIT HASH
Dere wus a big ole rabbit
Dat had a mighty habit
A-settin' in my gyardin,
An' eatin' all my cabbitch.
I hit 'im wid a mallet,
I tapped 'im wid a maul.
Sich anudder rabbit hash,
You's never tasted 'tall.
****
[Pg 204]
BLESSINGS
The chivalry of the Old South rather demanded that all friends should be invited to partake of the meal, if they chanced to come calling about the time of the meal hour. This ideal also pervaded the lowly slave Negro's cabin. In order that this hospitality might not be abused, the Negroes had a little deterrent story which they told their children. Below are the fancied Blessings asked by the fictitious Negro family, in the story, whose hospitality had been abused.
****
[Pg 204]
BLESSING WITH COMPANY PRESENT
Oh Lawd now bless an' bīn' us,
An' put ole Satan 'hīn' us.
Oh let yō' Sperit mīn' us.
Don't let none hongry fīn' us.
****
[Pg 204]
BLESSING WITHOUT COMPANY
Oh Lawd have mussy now upon us,
An' keep 'way some our neighbors from us.
For w'en dey all comes down upon us,
Dey eats mōs' all our victuals from us.
****
This concludes Part II of this two part pancocojams series.
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