So they bring it to him. Now, he doesn't ride a four-footed beast, he ride a t'ree-foot horse.
An' he get on his horse an' start off itty-itty-hap, itty-itty-hap, until he get home.
Now, Mrs. Bluebeard two brother was a hunter-man in the wood. One of them was old-witch, an' he said:--"Brother, brother, something home wrong with me sister."
"Get 'way you little foolish fellah," said the biggest one.
But the other say again:--"Brother, brother, something wrong at home. Just get me a white cup and a white saucer, and fill it with water, and put it in the sun, an' you will soon see what do the water."
An' the eldest said:--"Brother, it is truth, make we go."
An' Mrs. Bluebeard was afraid, because he knew Mr. Bluebeard was coming fe kill him. An' he was calling continually to the cook, Miss Anne:--
Sister Anne, Sister Anne, Ah! you see any one is coming? Sister Anne, Sister Anne, Ah! you see any one is coming?]
Oh no, I see no one is coming, But the dust that makes the grass so green.]
An' as she sing done they hear Mr. Bluebeard coming, itty-itty-hap, itty-itty-hap.
Him jump straight off a him t'ree-foot beast an' go in a the house, and catch Mrs. Bluebeard by one of him plait-hair an' hold him by it, an' said:--"This is the last day of you."
An' Mrs. Bluebeard said:--"Do, Mr. Bluebeard, allow me to say my last prayer."
But Mr. Bluebeard still hold him by the hair while he sing:--
Sister Anne, Sister Anne, Ah! you see any one is coming? Sister Anne, Sister Anne, Ah! you see any one is coming?
Oh yes! I see someone is coming, And the dust that makes the grass so green.]
Then Mr. Bluebeard took his sword was to cut off him neck, an' his two brother appear, an' the eldest one going to shot after Mr. Bluebeard, an' he was afraid an' begin to run away. But the young one wasn't going to let him go so, an' him shot PUM and kill him 'tiff dead.
=three-foot=, three-legged.[1] =Hand= is used for arm in the same way.
=itty-itty-hap=, imitating the halting gait of the three-legged horse. The voice rises on =hap= which is said with a sharp quick accent.[40]
[Footnote 40: "The 'three-foot horse' is believed to be a kind of duppy with three legs, hence its name; and is able to gallop faster than any other horse. It goes about in moonlight nights, and if it meet any person it blows upon him and kills him. It will never attack you in the dark. It cannot hurt you on a tree." _Folklore of the Negroes of Jamaica_, in _Folklore_, Vol. XV., p. 91. (C.S.B.).]