18. Goat on the Hill-side.

18. Goat on the Hill-side.

Julia Gentle, Santa Cruz Mountains.

The time hard. Anansi said to Tacoomah, "How going to manage wid de hard time?" So Tacoomah said, "You know we do? I will get me machete[1] an' I go half shut de door, den I will say, 'Police, I sick!'" Den, when people come, Tacoomah take de machete an' chop dem, put dem in de barrel for de hungry time. Anansi say, "Brar Tacoomah, barrel nearly full?"--"No, Brar." He cry out again how Tacoomah poorly; an' de people come an' as dey come, he kill dem put in barrel to serve in hungry time.

Den Goat up on de hill-side say he see everybody goin' in, nobody come out; de house so little, how is it gwine to hold all doze people? So Goat come down now off de hill-side to see how Tacoomah. He peep in. Tacoomah say, "Come in!" an' Goat run right back up hill-side. An' from dat day, Goat stay up on hill-side.

[1. A machete is a broad heavy knife used to clear brush, cut cane, etc.]