Tales from the Caribbean

by Trish Cooke

  Brer Rabbit’s grannie heard Brer Wolf call but she knew that it wasn’t her grandson.

  ‘That’s not my grandson, Brer Rabbit!’ she said to herself. ‘He doesn’t talk like that. He doesn’t say shoopay colla!’ So Brer Rabbit’s grannie did not lower the basket to Brer Wolf. Brer Wolf was angry.

  The next day Brer Rabbit returned to the tall palm tree in the woods and whispered up to his grannie, ‘Grannie! Grannie! Coupay cord-la!’ When he did this, his grannie dropped the basket and Brer Rabbit put all the scraps of food he had found in the basket for her to eat. Then his grannie pulled on the cord and hoisted the basket up to the top of the palm tree as she had done before.

  ‘Grandson, let me tell you a joke!’ she called down to Brer Rabbit. ‘Yesterday after you left someone came by and was hollering, “Grannie! Grannie! Shoopay colla!” ’

  Brer Rabbit and his grannie laughed and laughed. Brer Rabbit knew it must be Brer Wolf and told his grannie to be sure to listen carefully and to make sure she only responded to the correct call, which was, ‘Grannie! Grannie! Coupay cord-la!’

  Grannie told him she would make sure it was Brer Rabbit before she let down the basket.

  While this was happening, Brer Wolf was hiding behind a tree and watching them while they laughed, and he got even angrier than before. Now he knew he had called incorrectly so he would make sure this time he got his words right. He waited for Brer Rabbit to leave and then, as he had done the night before, Brer Wolf went over to the tall palm tree and hollered, ‘Grannie! Grannie! Coupay cord-la!’

  Brer Rabbit’s grannie was suspicious straight away. Brer Wolf did not whisper in a light voice as Brer Rabbit had done.

  ‘My grandson doesn’t sound like that!’ said Brer Rabbit’s grannie to herself. ‘My grandson speaks in a light whisper. He doesn’t holler so loudly. This must be an imposter!’ And she did not let down her basket. Brer Wolf was vexed. He went home hungry once again.

  The next day Brer Rabbit returned to the tall palm tree in the woods with some scraps of food and he whispered gently up to his grannie, ‘Grannie! Grannie! Coupay cord-la!’ When he did this, his grannie dropped the basket and once again he put all the scraps of food he had found in the basket for her to eat. Then his grannie pulled on the cord and hoisted the basket up to the top of the palm tree as she had done before.

  ‘Grandson, let me tell you a joke!’ she called down to Brer Rabbit. ‘Yesterday after you left someone came by and was hollering, “Grannie! Grannie! Coupay cord-la!” in a loud fierce voice. I knew it wasn’t you because when you call me, you call in a gentle whisper!’

  Brer Rabbit and his grannie laughed and laughed. Brer Rabbit knew it must be Brer Wolf and told his grannie to be sure to listen carefully next time she heard him call and to make sure she only responded to the correct call, which was Brer Rabbit saying, ‘Grannie! Grannie! Coupay cord-la!’ in a gentle whisper.

  Once again, Grannie told him she would make sure it was Brer Rabbit calling before she let down the basket.

  As they spoke, Brer Wolf was hiding behind a tree just as before and watching them while they laughed. He got even angrier than before. Now he knew he had to say the words in a gentle whisper, he would make sure this time he got it right. Brer Wolf waited for Brer Rabbit to leave and then, as he had done before, Brer Wolf went over to the tall palm tree. This time, he tried to speak in a gentle whisper: ‘Grannie! Grannie! Coupay cord-la!’ but the words came out rough and loud. He began to cough and splutter as he tried to make his voice sound softer.

  ‘Grannie! Grannie!’ he screeched. ‘Coupay cord-la!’ But try as he might Brer Wolf’s voice would not whisper. It just barked loud and fierce.

  ‘I know you are not my grandson!’ called Brer Rabbit’s grannie. ‘My grandson talks softly. Your voice is too harsh!’ Having been found out, Brer Wolf ran away from the woods to think about what to do next.

  Brer Wolf was angry. He stomped around, annoyed at how Brer Rabbit had got the better of him. He was determined to get his own back, whatever the cost! He had to find a way to soften his voice so that Brer Rabbit’s grannie would think it was Brer Rabbit calling her.

  Now Brer Rabbit was smart and knew that Brer Wolf would be trying all kinds of ways to fool his grannie, so he passed by Brer Wolf’s home on purpose, singing a song.

  ‘The blacksmith alone can make my voice soft.

  There lies my secret!’

  And he sang it over and over again.

  ‘The blacksmith alone can make my voice soft.

  There lies my secret!’

  Brer Rabbit knew that the only thing that the blacksmith did to him whenever he went there was to try to keep him away by beating him with his red hot poker. But Brer Wolf didn’t know this and his ears stood up immediately when he heard Brer Rabbit’s song.

  ‘The blacksmith holds the secret to Brer Rabbit’s soft voice!’ he said to himself. He made his way to the blacksmith’s straight away.

  The blacksmith was busy at his hot stove heating up a metal poker when Brer Wolf arrived. The blacksmith put the metal poker in the fire and the metal hissed a whisper. Brer Wolf heard the hissing whisper and thought that the hot poker must be what Brer Rabbit used to get his soft voice.

  ‘Give me some of that!’ Brer Wolf shouted to the blacksmith. The blacksmith was so startled when he heard Brer Wolf that he rammed the poker down Wolf’s big open mouth.

  ‘Whoooooooaaaa!’ Brer Wolf cried as the hot metal burned his throat.

  Brer Rabbit was watching and he laughed so much he almost split his sides.

  Brer Wolf felt sorry for himself. He went straight to bed and howled all night. The next morning, when he woke up, his throat was so sore he could hardly speak. In fact, every word he said sounded like a whisper!

  ‘Now’s my chance. I’ll show that Brer Rabbit!’ Brer Wolf said to himself, and he made his way back to the palm tree in the woods where Brer Rabbit had hidden his grannie. When he got there he whispered, ‘Grannie! Grannie! Coupay cord-la!’

  Brer Rabbit’s grannie heard the call and, believing it to be her grandson bringing her food, she lowered the basket down.

  When the basket reached the bottom of the tree Brer Wolf climbed inside and waited for Brer Rabbit’s grannie to pull on the cord and hoist the basket back up to the top of the palm tree, as he had seen her do.

  Brer Rabbit’s grannie felt the heavy weight of the basket and smiled. ‘My grandson loves me so much!’ she said to herself. ‘He has brought me plenty of food today. The basket is much heavier than usual.’ Brer Rabbit’s grannie could hardly lift the weight of the basket as she slowly pulled on the cord. She was sweating because the basket was so heavy. Still, she pulled as hard as she could, looking forward to her feast.

  As she pulled on the cord, Brer Rabbit was making his way through the woods with some scraps of food. When he got to the clearing he could see his grannie’s palm tree and he could see the basket slowly being hoisted to the top, with Brer Wolf inside it!

  Brer Rabbit ran as fast as he could through the woods. When he got to the palm tree the basket was almost at the top of the tree.

  ‘Grannie! Grannie! Coupay cord-la!’ Brer Rabbit called and, on hearing Brer Rabbit’s voice, Brer Rabbit’s grannie dropped the basket with Brer Wolf in it, smashing him to the ground. Brer Wolf never troubled Brer Rabbit’s grannie again.

  The Man and his Servant

  This story is based on a folk tale from the Commonwealth of Dominica

  Long ago, when stories were told in Dominica, it was common for the storyteller to call out ‘Eh Kwik!’ and, in response, those who were listening would call back ‘Eh Kwak!’

  Eh Kwik!

  Eh Kwak!

  There was once a very rich old man. His name was Monsieur Jacques.

  Eh Kwik!

  Eh Kwak!

  Monsieur Jacques lived in a big house at the top of a hill with his servant, Daniel. He had no wife or family. Daniel had worked for Monsieur Jacques for many years and
he was a loyal servant. Over the years they had become good friends and folks said that, when the old man died, more than likely he would leave a respectable sum of money to Daniel.

  Monsieur Jacques wasn’t a bad employer and Daniel enjoyed working for him. Daniel would go beyond his regular duties to provide good service for Monsieur Jacques.

  Eh Kwik!

  Eh Kwak!

  When Daniel cooked for Monsieur Jacques he would make sure he cooked with only the best meat and vegetables.

  When he cleaned Monsieur Jacques’ home, Daniel would make sure he cleaned to perfection until there was not a speck of dirt in sight.

  After cooking and cleaning, Daniel would fix up the yard, plant vegetables and run errands for Monsieur Jacques. He would even nurse him when he was sick.

  Daniel did so much for Monsieur Jacques that you would often hear gossipers in the village laugh and say, ‘The only thing Daniel doesn’t do for that man is die for him!’

  Eh Kwik!

  Eh Kwak!

  Though Daniel heard their gossiping, he didn’t pay any attention to their idle chit-chat. Daniel was a kind man and Monsieur Jacques had been good to him. Monsieur Jacques had given him work when he had had no money and he had given him somewhere to live too. Daniel was very grateful to him.

  One day Monsieur Jacques sent Daniel into town on some errands. He asked him to go to the baker’s shop to buy some bread, to go to the tailor’s to pick up his suit, and as he wasn’t feeling well he asked Daniel to pass by the doctor’s to pick up his pills. Daniel gladly went on his way.

  Eh Kwik!

  Eh Kwak!

  As Daniel was walking down the road, he could feel somebody watching him, which was strange as there didn’t seem to be anybody about. This in turn was strange, as there was usually somebody about in the street at ten o’clock in the morning. Not today. Today there wasn’t a soul to be seen.

  Still, the feeling of being watched didn’t go away. Daniel could sense eyes staring into him and it made the hairs stand up on the back of his neck. He looked over his shoulder and all around to see if he could see anyone. After doing this for some time, Daniel called out, ‘Who is there?’

  Nobody answered.

  Eh Kwik!

  Eh Kwak!

  Daniel carried on walking. This time he walked a little faster, sometimes missing his footing and almost falling over in his haste. All the time he was looking over his shoulder to see if anyone was there. There was never anyone or anything around. Daniel felt uneasy, and to try make himself less scared Daniel began to sing his list to himself.

  ‘A loaf of bread from the baker,

  Pick up the suit from the tailor

  And collect the pills from the doctor.’

  He sang it over and over again.

  ‘A loaf of bread from the baker,

  Pick up the suit from the tailor

  And collect the pills from the doctor.’

  This made him feel a little better, but still the feeling of being watched would not go away.

  Then suddenly, as Daniel walked quickly along, a big black shadow appeared from nowhere and darkened his path.

  Eh Kwik!

  Eh Kwak!

  ‘Who are you? Why are you following me?’ Daniel asked the shadow in fright.

  There was no answer.

  Daniel began to walk even more quickly, shouting behind him as he walked, ‘Go away! Go away!’ but still the shadow stayed with him, an uninvited companion. The shadow grew bigger and bigger and followed Daniel all the way to the baker’s shop.

  Eh Kwik!

  Eh Kwak!

  Once inside the baker’s shop, breathless, Daniel crouched in front of the counter and tried to peep out of the window to see who or what it was following him that could cast a shadow so large.

  ‘What’s wrong with you?’ the baker asked. He was used to Daniel buying bread for Monsieur Jacques but he had never seen the man behave in such a way before. ‘Have you come to buy Monsieur Jacques his bread or have you just come to hide inside my shop?’

  Daniel tried to explain. ‘I am being followed,’ he said. ‘On my way here, I felt like I was being watched. Then a big black shadow started hanging around me and followed me all the way here! I’m just trying to see what it is.’

  ‘You say a big black shadow followed you all the way here?’ said the baker. He peered out of his window but couldn’t see anything. The big black shadow had gone. ‘I can’t see anything out there. Perhaps you imagined it? You’re probably overtired and hallucinating. That Monsieur Jacques sure works you hard!’

  ‘It was there!’ Daniel insisted. ‘It followed me all the way here.’

  The baker laughed. Embarrassed, Daniel bought the bread he had been sent to pick up and ran quickly out of the shop. Maybe the baker was right and he was so tired that he was seeing things.

  Daniel walked towards the tailor’s shop. He wanted to finish his tasks quickly so that he could get home and rest as soon as possible.

  Eh Kwik!

  Eh Kwak!

  As he hurriedly made his way to the tailor’s shop, once again he could feel someone watching him. Each time he turned around to see who it was there was no one there. Then, just as before, the big shadow returned.

  ‘I don’t know who you are or what you want!’ said Daniel. ‘But please leave me alone!’

  The big black shadow would not leave him alone. It followed Daniel wherever he went.

  ‘Go away! Go away!’ Daniel shouted.

  The shadow wouldn’t go away. Daniel became more and more frightened. He walked more quickly than ever but he couldn’t escape the shadow.

  Once again, to try to make himself feel less scared, Daniel began to sing.

  ‘I have the bread from the baker,’

  he sang, trembling.

  ‘Now the suit from the tailor

  Then the pills from the doctor.’

  He sang his song over and over again.

  ‘I have the bread from the baker,

  Now the suit from the tailor

  Then the pills from the doctor.’

  And all along the way, the big black shadow followed Daniel to the tailor’s shop.

  Eh Kwik!

  Eh Kwak!

  Daniel was so frightened he almost broke the tailor’s door down to get inside the shop.

  ‘Let me in! Let me in!’ he shouted, banging on the door. The tailor often locked his shop door as he worked on his suits in the back room. Sometimes he would get carried away with his tailoring and would forget all about the front of his shop, so he had a sign on the door that read KNOCK IF YOU WANT SOMETHING IN MY SHOP.

  ‘Be careful!’ said the tailor, as he opened the door for Daniel. ‘I hear you. You don’t have to knock so hard! That door cost me a lot of money!’

  ‘I’m sorry,’ Daniel said. ‘It’s just that I’m having a peculiar day. I set off this morning from Monsieur Jacques’ house to get some bread and all the way to the baker’s shop it felt like someone was watching me. A big black shadow followed me all the way to the baker’s shop and now it has followed me all the way here!’

  The tailor looked out of his shop window immediately to see if he could see the black shadow. There was nothing there.

  ‘You say a big black shadow followed you all the way here?’ said the tailor. ‘I can’t see anything out there. Perhaps you imagined it. You’re probably tired and hallucinating. That Monsieur Jacques sure works you hard!’

  Daniel sighed. Maybe the baker and the tailor were right. Maybe all the hard work he did for Monsieur Jacques had made him so tired he was seeing things.

  ‘Maybe you’re right,’ Daniel said, peeking out of the window. And just as when he had looked out of the baker’s window, there was nothing there.

  ‘Here’s Monsieur Jacques’s suit,’ said the tailor, ‘exactly how he wanted it, made to his measurements.’ Daniel thanked the tailor and paid for the suit. Then he left.

  Eh Kwik!

  Eh Kwak!

&nbs
p; As Daniel stepped outside the tailor’s shop he once again could feel that he was being watched. Just as before, the big shadow that had been following him returned.

  Daniel didn’t know what to do. He still had Monsieur Jacques’ pills to get from the doctor’s and the doctor lived on the other side of town. It was such a long way to go with a big black shadow following him. Daniel was very afraid. What could the big black shadow be and what could it possibly want?

  Immediately Daniel began to sing to try and get rid of his fear.

  ‘I have the bread from the baker,

  And the suit from the tailor,

  Now the pills from the doctor.’

  Daniel sang his song over and over again.

  ‘I have the bread from the baker,

  And the suit from the tailor,

  Now the pills from the doctor.’

  He sang his song louder and louder.

  ‘I HAVE THE BREAD FROM THE BAKER,

  AND THE SUIT FROM THE TAILOR,

  NOW THE PILLS FROM THE DOCTOR!’

  all the way along.

  Eh Kwik!

  Eh Kwak!

  As Daniel walked and sang, the sun began to go down. As it got darker, the big shadow eventually disappeared. Daniel was relieved. At last he was free of the big black shadow! He continued on his long journey to the doctor’s house.

  But although Daniel was free of the big shadow, he could still feel the piercing eyes of something or someone watching him. With all the courage he could find, Daniel turned around and shouted:

  ‘IF YOU CANNOT TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT THEN LEAVE ME ALONE!’

  Then, from out of the blackness, two big green eyes glowed. They were staring right at him. As soon as Daniel saw the green eyes, he knew exactly who it was following him.

  Those big green eyes belonged to only one being … and that was Death!

  ‘Oh no!’ screamed Daniel. ‘If Death is following me, that can only mean one thing! He has come to take me!’