Tales from the Caribbean Page 7

  Daniel began to run. Everyone in the community knew that when it was your time to die the mysterious Death would come personally to collect you. Though no one alive had met him, it was commonly known that Death had piercing green eyes.

  Daniel ran and ran. He was not ready to die yet! He had so much to do. He was hoping that one day he might find a wife and raise a family. He hadn’t done that yet! All he had done with his life so far was work for Monsieur Jacques. No, he was not ready to die! So Daniel ran and ran and ran until he finally got back to Monsieur Jacques’ house.

  Eh Kwik!

  Eh Kwak!

  When he arrived, Monsieur Jacques was surprised to see him back so early. He didn’t notice how pale and petrified Daniel looked. All he seemed to care about was whether Daniel had completed his tasks.

  ‘Did you get my bread?’ he asked.

  ‘Yes, I have your bread,’ Daniel said, his heart pounding. He checked the window to see if Death had followed him.

  ‘Good, good,’ said Monsieur Jacques. ‘And my suit? Did you collect my suit?’

  ‘Yes, I have your suit,’ said Daniel, handing it over.

  ‘And my pills? Did you get my pills?’

  Daniel suddenly remembered that he had not managed to collect the pills.

  ‘Sorry, Monsieur Jacques, but …’ and before Daniel could explain what had happened Monsieur Jacques was pushing him out of the door.

  ‘You must go and get them immediately!’ he said. ‘I am not feeling good at all.’

  ‘I can’t!’ Daniel screamed. ‘A terrible thing has happened. When I left you to go and get the errands I felt like I was being watched! And then a big black shadow followed me all the way to the baker’s, and then to the tailor’s – and then I noticed that the shadow had big green eyes and was none other than Death! What am I to do? I am not ready to die yet!’

  Monsieur Jacques was saddened by what he had heard. He didn’t want Daniel to die either. Daniel had been a loyal servant and his most trusted friend for many years.

  ‘Here’s what we shall do,’ said Monsieur Jacques, looking out of the window to make sure Death was not waiting outside. ‘You must get away from here. I will give you some money so you can start a new life in a new city far away where Death cannot find you. You mustn’t worry, Daniel. Pack some things and go!’

  Daniel was so afraid he couldn’t concentrate, so Monsieur Jacques packed up his things and a lot of money for his servant and put them in a bag. Monsieur Jacques made sandwiches for Daniel out of the bread Daniel had got from the baker’s and he even gave Daniel the smart suit that Daniel had collected for him from the tailor’s. It fitted Daniel well and made him look like a fine gentleman.

  Daniel got excited. He thanked Monsieur Jacques for his generosity. He had enough money to start a new life now. Daniel would settle down and raise a family of his own. He was very happy.

  Daniel slipped out of the back door and ran as fast as he could away from Monsieur Jacques’ house.

  Eh Kwik!

  Eh Kwak!

  When he had gone, Monsieur Jacques sat alone in his house and wondered how he would manage without his loyal servant and trusted friend. He was thinking about how lonely he was going to be when there was a loud knock at the door.

  Monsieur Jacques looked out of his window and saw the piercing green eyes of Death looking back at him. Death’s eyes were cold and without emotion. Death knocked on the door again, even louder than before. Monsieur Jacques refused to open the door.

  ‘You can knock as loudly as you like!’ said Monsieur Jacques. His heart was broken having lost his good friend and as he spoke a sharp pain darted across his chest.

  Monsieur Jacques reached for his pills but, of course, his pill bottle was empty.

  Death knocked louder and louder.

  ‘Daniel has gone! You won’t find him here!’ Monsieur Jacques called weakly.

  And Death burst through the door, his foreboding presence filling the room.

  ‘The truth is,’ said Death in a cold echoing voice, ‘I never came for Daniel. I came for you.’

  And Death let out a bellowing laugh as Monsieur Jacques took his last breath and died …

  Eh Kwik.

  Eh Kwak.

  Brer Anansi and Brer Snake

  This story is based on a folk tale from Tobago

  Word had got round in the animal village that a famine was coming. Wise Owl, who knew everything, announced it one evening.

  All the animals looked worried. All, that is, except for Brer Anansi. He had decided long ago that there was no sense worrying about anything since he was always able to get himself out of a tight spot.

  As all of the animals gathered to think up a plan, Brer Anansi just relaxed in the sun and waited for them to finish talking. When they had finished, Brer Anansi caught up to Brer Snake.

  ‘So what has been decided?’ he asked.

  Brer Snake told him. ‘Everyone has decided to work the land. If we all plant lots of vegetables then there will be plenty of food for everyone, come harvest time.’

  Brer Anansi laughed. ‘I’m not working the land!’ he said. ‘You all can do the work and when you’re done I’ll just steal what you’ve planted. No one can stop me!’

  Brer Snake didn’t like what he heard. He told all the animals in the village what Brer Anansi planned to do, so everyone put up fences and made sure they were waiting to pounce on Anansi should he attempt to steal from them.

  When the time came for harvest, they made sure Brer Anansi could not get to their crops.

  This made Brer Anansi angry.

  ‘I’m so hungry!’ he said to Brer Snake one day. ‘I have tried to steal food but everyone has put up fences around their crop and I can’t sneak in and get any! What am I to do?’

  ‘That’s your own fault,’ said Brer Snake. ‘You should have grown your own vegetables like the rest of us.’

  ‘Oh no!’ said Brer Anansi. ‘And now it’s too late! I am going to starve.’

  ‘Well,’ said Brer Snake, who felt sorry for him now, ‘I have a garden full of vegetables. I can give you some potatoes, okras, yams and plantains. But I want something in return.’

  ‘Oh, what’s that?’ asked Brer Anansi.

  ‘In return,’ said Brer Snake, ‘I want to lash you with my long tail.’

  Brer Anansi thought about Brer Snake’s proposal and he agreed to take a lashing from Brer Snake’s tail for some food.

  Brer Snake handed over the potatoes, okras, yams and plantains.

  ‘Here, take the vegetables and enjoy your supper. I will come to your home at midnight tonight and I will give you the lashing with my tail,’ said Brer Snake.

  Brer Anansi agreed and took the vegetables home to cook. He already had a plan in his mind of how to avoid Brer Snake’s lashing, so he wasn’t worried.

  Once home, Brer Anansi put all the vegetables in a big pot of water on his stove. Whilst he waited for it to cook he sang out loudly so any animals in the street could hear:

  ‘I am Brer Anansi,

  I am Brer Anansi.

  Come and join me –

  I have a big feast tonight!’

  Brer Goat was passing by and he heard Brer Anansi singing.

  ‘What’s that you say, Brer Anansi? You’re having a feast?’

  ‘Yes,’ said Brer Anansi. ‘I have okras and yams and plantains and potatoes …’

  Well, Brer Goat likes his food and eats almost anything, so he wasn’t about to let that offer pass him by. He went into Brer Anansi’s home to enjoy the feast that he had prepared. There was more than enough food for both of them to eat and when Brer Goat’s belly was full he snuggled up and fell asleep, just as Brer Anansi had hoped.

  At midnight there was a loud knock on the door.

  ‘Brer Goat!’ shouted Brer Anansi. ‘Wake up! Someone is at the door. Please could you answer it for me?’

  Brer Goat woke up out of his sleep and went to the door. As he opened the door, Brer Snake gave him one
lash with his tail and knocked Brer Goat over in one blow. Then, without looking back to see who it was that he had lashed, Brer Snake went on his way, satisfied that he had received full payment for the vegetables.

  When Brer Snake had gone, Brer Anansi got up and saw Brer Goat lying dead on the ground and he laughed. ‘I missed Snake’s lashing and I get fresh meat!’ he said. Then he cleaned up the goat meat and cut it up and put it in the pot with some seasoning, ready to make another big feast for the next day. The only trouble was, there were no vegetables left to eat the goat stew with. Brer Anansi decided he would go and see Brer Snake in the morning and ask him for some more vegetables.

  Brer Anansi got up bright and early the next day and went to visit Brer Snake.

  ‘Brer Snake, I have eaten all the vegetables you gave me and now I am hungry again! Please could I have some more?’

  Brer Snake was shocked to see Brer Anansi after the lashing he had thought he had given him.

  ‘You are very tough, Brer Anansi! I thought that lashing I gave you last night would have finished you off.’

  ‘The good food you gave me made me tough!’ laughed Brer Anansi. ‘So what do you say? Do you have any more vegetables for me?’

  ‘I can give you some green bananas and plantains and some yams,’ said Brer Snake. ‘But the deal is the same as before. In return, I want to lash you with my long tail.’

  Brer Anansi smiled. ‘That’s fine with me,’ he said. So Brer Snake handed over the green bananas, plantains and yams.

  ‘Here, take the vegetables and enjoy your supper. I will come to your home at midnight again tonight and I will give you the lashing with my tail,’ said Brer Snake.

  Brer Anansi agreed and took the vegetables home to cook. He was wondering who he could catch to take Brer Snake’s lashings for him.

  When he got home, Brer Anansi put all the vegetables in a big pot of water on his stove. When they were cooked he served them together with the stewed goat. What a feast Brer Anansi had! He was enjoying it so much he almost forgot his plan. Then he remembered he needed to catch somebody else to collect Brer Snake’s lashing. So, as before Brer Anansi sang out loudly so that any animals passing in the street could hear:

  ‘I am Brer Anansi,

  I am Brer Anansi.

  Come and join me –

  I have a big feast tonight!’

  Brer Hog was passing by and he heard Brer Anansi singing.

  ‘A feast, Brer Anansi?’ said Brer Hog.

  ‘Yes,’ said Brer Anansi. ‘I have green bananas, plantains and yams and a little goat meat. Come and join me!’ He ushered Brer Hog into his home.

  Well, Brer Hog eats almost anything, and he enjoyed all the food that Brer Anansi had prepared. Brer Hog ate until his belly was full and then, as Brer Goat had done before him, Brer Hog snuggled up and fell asleep.

  Once again, at midnight, there was a knock on the door.

  ‘Brer Hog!’ shouted Brer Anansi. ‘Wake up! Someone is at the door. Please could you answer it for me?’

  Brer Hog woke up out of his sleep and went to the door. As he opened the door, Brer Snake gave him one lash with his tail and knocked Brer Hog over in one blow. Then, without even looking back, Brer Snake went on his way, satisfied that he had lashed Brer Anansi and received full payment for the vegetables he had given to him.

  When Brer Snake had gone, Brer Anansi got up and saw Brer Hog lying dead on the ground. He laughed. ‘I missed Snake’s lashing and I get fresh meat!’ he said. He cleaned up the hog meat, cut it up and put it in the pot with some seasoning, ready to make another big feast for the next day. The only trouble was, there were no vegetables left to eat the stew with. Brer Anansi decided that he would go and see Brer Snake in the morning and ask him yet again to give him more vegetables.

  So the next morning, Brer Anansi got up bright and early and went to visit Brer Snake. Brer Snake was shocked to see Brer Anansi after having giving him two lashings with his tail.

  ‘I was wondering if you could spare some more vegetables?’ Brer Anansi said.

  ‘Well,’ said Brer Snake, ‘I am shocked to see you still alive but since you are still going strong I suppose I could give you some callaloo and potatoes.’

  ‘Is that all?’ asked Brer Anansi greedily.

  ‘Yes, that is all,’ said Brer Snake. ‘And the deal is the same as before. I will come at midnight and give you a lashing with my tail as payment.’

  Brer Anansi agreed and he took the callaloo and the potatoes from Brer Snake and went home.

  Once home, Brer Anansi put all the vegetables in a big pot of water on his stove. When the vegetables were cooked he served them together with the stewed hog. What a feast Brer Anansi had! The stewed hog and the vegetables were delicious. Brer Anansi looked outside to see if anyone was passing but there was no one in sight. Brer Anansi began to sing out loudly to see if he could attract anyone’s attention:

  ‘I am Brer Anansi,

  I am Brer Anansi.

  Come and join me –

  I have a big feast tonight!’

  But word must have got round because no one was coming to share Brer Anansi’s feast with him tonight. He sang out loudly again:

  ‘I am Brer Anansi,

  I am Brer Anansi.

  Come and join me –

  I have a big feast tonight!’

  But still no one was enticed by Brer Anansi’s song or the sweet smell of his food. Brer Anansi began to worry. In a couple of hours it would be midnight and Brer Snake would be coming to give out his nightly lashing with his tail. What was he going to do? Brer Anansi had an idea. He started to drum and dance and sing:

  ‘Big, big party tonight!

  Big, big party tonight!

  Big, big party tonight,

  All welcome!’

  As Brer Anansi sang and danced and played his drum, Brer Armadillo came up to him. Now Brer Armadillo does not care too much for cooked food as he lives on rotten wood and worms, but he does like a good party.

  ‘I’ll come to your party!’ called Brer Armadillo, and he danced into Brer Anansi’s home. Brer Armadillo didn’t eat any of the food that Brer Anansi had but he enjoyed joining in with all the singing and the dancing. Brer Anansi kept him entertained all evening, and Brer Armadillo danced and danced until he was exhausted. Finally Brer Armadillo asked Brer Anansi if he could stay the night. When Brer Anansi said that he could, Brer Armadillo went and dug a hole by the door and he fell asleep there.

  At midnight, just as Brer Anansi expected, there was a knock on the door.

  ‘Brer Armadillo!’ called Brer Anansi. ‘Wake up! Someone is at the door! Please could you answer the door for me?’

  Brer Armadillo barely moved. Instead he just carried on sleeping.

  The knocking on the door got louder.

  ‘Brer Armadillo!’ shouted Brer Anansi. ‘Wake up, I tell you! There’s somebody at the door!’

  ‘What business is it of mine?’ asked Brer Armadillo, stirring in his sleep.

  ‘I want you to open the door for me!’ Brer Anansi called.

  But Brer Armadillo said, ‘This is not my house, it’s yours!’

  ‘But I am sick in bed, I have a fever!’ Brer Anansi said.

  ‘Even so, it is for you to open the door for your guests, not me. I’m not going to open someone else’s door!’ said Brer Armadillo.

  Well, Brer Snake was getting angry. He had made a deal with Brer Anansi and he wanted to make sure that he lashed Anansi with his tail, as they had agreed. He knocked on the door harder and harder until he knocked so hard he knocked the door down with his tail.

  Brer Anansi was frightened now. He tried to hide himself under his furniture. He put the sofa and table and chair on top of himself, but Brer Snake was so angry he lashed at the furniture and knocked it all away. And, at last, he lashed Brer Anansi.

  From that day on, Brer Anansi vowed he would stop begging and stealing, and instead work hard for himself.

  The Elf-Stone

 
; This story is based on a folk tale from the Dominican Republic

  There was once a young woman called Maria. She loved a man named Juan very much. Maria worked as a cook in the big house where Juan lived, and every day she would see him and dream about marrying him. But Juan was so handsome and rich, and Maria was so plain and poor, and all the rich women in the village were always parading themselves in front of Juan wearing their fancy gowns, expensive jewellery and extravagant hairstyles. How could Maria compete with them? She only had one dress to wear and it was full of holes. Maria couldn’t afford any jewellery and her hair was wild and free. She knew Juan would eventually choose one of the rich ladies to marry and she knew that when he did it would break her heart.

  Still, Juan always greeted Maria with a smile when she turned up for work and it made her feel like she was the most beautiful woman in the world. She couldn’t help but continue to dream about the impossible.

  One day Maria was walking home from work when an old woman caught up and walked with her.

  ‘Don’t be sad,’ said the woman.

  ‘I’m not sad!’ said Maria. ‘Why should I be?’

  ‘Yes you are,’ said the woman. ‘I can see it in your eyes.’

  It was true that Maria did have a sadness in her eyes, because of the longing she had for Juan.

  ‘You have a longing,’ said the woman. ‘But don’t worry. Your dream to marry Juan can come true!’

  Maria was shocked. She had not shared her dream of marrying Juan with anyone.

  ‘How do you know about my dream of marrying Juan?’ Maria asked.

  ‘I know everything,’ said the woman. ‘I have watched you and I see how you look at him.’

  ‘But I’ve never seen you before,’ said Maria.

  ‘I work at the big house too,’ said the woman. ‘I pick up the laundry every Friday at Juan’s house, I wash the family’s clothes in the river, and then I bring back the clothes to the house all clean and ironed on a Monday.’

  Maria felt ashamed that she had never noticed the woman before.

  ‘I have been watching you for some time,’ said the woman, ‘but you will not have noticed me because you only have eyes for Juan. Anything else that is happening around you goes unnoticed.’