One more word with regard to the tunes. They gain a peculiar and almost indescribable lilt from a peculiarity in the time-organisation of the Negro. If you ask him to beat the time with his foot, he does it perfectly regularly, but just where the white man does not do it. We beat _with_ the time; he beats _against_ it. To make my meaning quite plain, take common measure. His first beat in the bar will be exactly midway between our first and second beats. The effect of this peculiarity in their singing is, that there is commonly a feeling of syncopation about it. The Americans call it "rag-time."
The men's voices are of extraordinary beauty. To hear a group chatting is a pure pleasure to the ear, quite irrespective of the funny things they say; and their remarks are accompanied with the prettiest little twirks and turns of intonation, sometimes on the words, sometimes mere vocal ejaculations between them. The women's voices have the same fine quality when they speak low, but this they seldom do, and their usual vivacious chatter is anything but melodious.
One day Annancy an' Bro'er Tiger go a river fe wash'kin. Annancy said to Bro'er Tiger:--"Bro'er Tiger, as you are such a big man, if you go in a de blue hole with your fat you a go drownded, so you fe take out your fat so lef' it here."
Tiger said to Bro'er Annancy:--"You must take out fe you too."
Annancy say:--"You take out first, an' me me take out after."
Annancy say:--"Go in a hole, Bro'er Tiger, an' make me see how you swim light."
As Tiger was paying attention to the swimming, Annancy take up his fat an' eat it.
Then Annancy was so frightened for Tiger, he leaves the river side an' go to Big Monkey town.
Him say:--"Bro'er Monkey, I hear them shing a shing a river side say:--
"Yeshterday this time me a nyam Tiger fat, Yeshterday this time me a nyam Tiger fat, Yeshterday this time me a nyam Tiger fat, Yeshterday this time me a nyam Tiger fat."]
The Big Monkey drive him away, say they don't want to hear no song.
So him leave and go to Little Monkey town, an' when him go him said:--
"Bro'er Monkey, I hear one shweet song a river side say:--
"Yeshterday this time me a nyam Tiger fat. Yeshterday this time me a nyam Tiger fat."