A Man of Travel- Kargel (BAH) 1918 Parsons
[From: "Folk-tales of Andros Island, Bahamas" Volume 13 By Elsie Worthington Clews Parsons; 1918. I'm including this Bahama version here, since it is an island off the Americas. Parsons collected this from Mary Kargel, about age 68, from Fresh Creek, Andros. Lomax recorded a version from the Bahamas which I have not heard yet.
Parsons supplied a second version in a tale format (see bottom of this page).
R. Matteson 2013]
113. A MAN OF TRAVEL- From Mary Kargel, about age 68, from Fresh Creek, Andros.
I.[1] Once upon a time dere was a man went to sea. A nort' win' sprung up, an' he have to turn back home. Another gentleman carry his horse an' tie at his gate. De owner of de house was in his bed. Dis gentleman came in an' put his glove on de table, an' his beaver on de table, an' he hang up his horse-whip. An' de husban' came out an' ax her, —
"My deah, my deah, what horse dis could be?"
"A milken' cow my moder sen' for me."
"I was a man of travellin' ten thousan' miles or mo',
A milkin' cow wi' a saddle on I never saw befo'."
"My deah, my deah, what glove dis could be?"
"A nice pocket book my moder sen' for me."
"I was a man of travellin' ten thousan' miles or mo',
A pocket-book wi' de fingers on I never saw befo'."
"My deah, my deah, what beaver dis could be?"
"A nice ban'box my moder sen' for me."
"I was a man of travellin' ten thousan' miles or mo',"
A nice ban'box wi' a high crown on I never saw befo'."
"My deah, my deah, what whip this could be?"
"A sugar-stick my moder sen' for me."
"I was a man of travellin' ten thousan' miles or mo',
A sugar-stick wi' a long tail on I never saw befo'."
"My deah, my deah, what man this could be?"
"A nice fine nurse my moder sen' for me."
"I was a man of travellin' ten thousan' miles or mo',
A nice fine nurse wi' de whiskers on I never saw befo'." [2]
1 Informant 29 (who is Mary Kargel, about age 68, from Fresh Creek, Andros). Compare North Carolina, JAFL 30: 168 (No. 61); Scotch, Herd, 2 : 172-175.
2 Unfortunately the cylinder on which I recorded this song split before it had been transcribed.
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II. A Man of Travel (version 2) Raphael Role, age 25 from Mandrove Cay, Andros.
Once was a time and a very good time,
Monkey chew tobacco and spit white lime.
This was two companions. One married. And now they went out to a strange place, and they been there for three years; and the one who ain't married say he going home, and the other one say he is not going. He send a letter with him. And he came home and gave his (the) wife the letter, and sleep there that night. And his (her) husband came the same night; and when he reach, he begin to sing,
"My wife, my wife, my wife, what horse this could be?
What horse this could be?"
She answer, and said, ** Ain't you know that milk-white cow my mother send for me?*'
He answer, "Sence I was travelling ten thousand years or more,
I never saw a milk-white cow with a saddle on before."
He went in the house and saw a hat hung up, and he said,
"My wife, my wife, my wife, what hat this could be? What hat this could be?'*
She answered, and said, "Ain't you know that little bandbox my mother send for me? "
He answer, and said, "Sence I was travelling ten thousand years or more,
I never saw a little band-box with a full rim on before."
And he look and saw a coat. He said, " My wife, my wife, my wife, what coat this could be?
What coat this could be?*"
She answer, and said, "Ain't you know that little warm shawl my mother send for me?"
He answer, "Sence I was travelling ten thousand years or more,
I never saw a little warm shawl with the two sleeve in before."
And he went into the room and saw the man lying in the bed.
He say, "My wife, my wife, my wife, what man this could be? What man this could be?" —
"Ain't you know that little vax doll that mother send for me?" —
"Sence I was travelling ten thousand years or more,
I never saw a little vax doll with the whiskers on before."
Man jump out.
Bunday.