Gullah Folktales from the Georgia Coast

XXX. De Ole Man an Det

XXX. DE OLE MAN AN DET. One Ole Man bin berry tired long wuk. Him want fuh stop an tek eh pledjur all day een him house. Eh bex long de Buckra wuh gie um task, an mek um ten ter um. Eh constant duh pray, so people kin yeddy um, dat Det would come an cahr way eh Mossa, an eh Mistis, an de Obersheer. De Obersheer him yeddy wuh de Ole Man bin a pray fuh, an eh tell de Mossa, an dem fix plan fuh hab fun long de Ole Man. Wen night come, an ebryting on de plantation done gone bed, de Mossa, him tek one long white gown wuh ketch down ter eh foot, an eh pit um on, an eh gone ter de Ole Man house. Eh push de do open, an day bin de Ole Man duh siddown on eh bench duh nod by de fire. De Ole Man yeddy say some body come ter him do, an wen eh tun roun fuh look, eh see one tall somebody all wrop up head an yez een white. Eh git skade, an tink duh Sperit. Eh quire: "Who duh dat?" De Sperit, wuh bin de Mossa dress up een de white gown wuh kibber um all ober, mek answer way down een him troat: "Duh me, Det, wuh you bin a pray fuh." 75 Den de Ole Man say: "You come fuh Mossa?" De Sperit shake eh head. Eh say gen: "You come fuh Mistis?" De Sperit shake eh head gen. De Ole Man quire gen: "Den you musser come fuh de Obersheer?" De Sperit shake eh head gen. De Ole Man rale skade now, an eh study fuh leely while, an den eh questun gen: "Ef you no come fuh Mossa, ner Mistis, ner de Obersheer, who de Debbie you come fuh?" Den de Sperit, eh bow eh head low an eh mek answer: "Me come fuh you/' De Ole Man hair rise. Eh git up. Eh bus tru de back do. Eh run tru de gaden, an eh mek fuh de wood. Nobody yent shum tel arter brukwus next mornin, an den eh tell ebry body say Det bin come fur um last night, but dat him bin dodge um. Arter dat nobody ebber yeddy um mek no mo prayer bout Det. 76 ...