Antilles tale

There was a gyril a fish was courtin’. Every time they give the gyirl her food, she gives the fish. She used to get clean water, and everybody get dirty water. She give the fish a ring to hold. One day they give her a food and sent her for water. She give the fish a ring to hold. One day they give her a food and sent her for water. Her brother came with her. When she reached, she told her brother, "Si moin couvé’ ou, under your box, caille wé moin?" I di, "Non, moin caille ’touffé"-"Si moin couvé ou, under a payé (panier), caille wé moin?" I di non. The gyirl cover him with a basket. Then she call the fish. Sing,

Laisumando! Laisumando!

Moin côté diner ou, Sumandé

Tra la la la la.

The fish come, she give the fish a food and she take plate and uncover the boy and went home. The next day she went in town, her brother told the mother, "Mama, sésé moi ’ni un pwéson. Chaque ta (temps) ou baille mange, ca po’té baille pwéson." When her mother and father take fork, knife, pickak, spade, cutla’, evec payé, and they go down. When they reach, the father come,

Laisumando! Laisumando!

Moin côté diner ou, Sumandé

Tra la la la la.

In base voice. The fish didn’t come. The mother come,

Laisumando! Laisumando!

Moin côté diner ou, Sumandé

Tra la la la la.

The boy sayd, "Mama, c’est bas (pas) comme ça," and he start:

Laisumando! Laisumando!

Moin côté diner ou, Sumandé

Tra la la la la.

The fish come. They cut (caught) the fish and carry it home. They cook it. When the girl came up, they gave her her food. She went:

Laisumando! Laisumando!

Moin côté diner ou, Sumandé

Tra la la la la.

The fish didn’t come. She call, she call for long time. She didn’t see no fish. When she look in the plate, she saw the ring in the plate. She trow everything overboard and bu’s into chears (tears). Finish.

Source: Parsons E.C. Folk-lore of the Antilles, French and English Published by the American Folklore Society, New York 1933 pp.83-84