African Diaspora at Internet Archive: Bahama Songs and Stories

For this week's theme of "classics" from the early years of story collecting, here's another book from the Caribbean, this time from the Bahamas: Bahama Songs and Stories by Charles Lincoln Edwards, published in 1895 by the American Folklore Society.

The stories and songs were recorded during the summer of 1888 at Green Turtle Cay and in 1891 at Harbour Island when Edwards was conducting research in marine biology; he was a specialist in the study of sea cucumbers! Luckily for us, he also developed a great interest in the folklore traditions of the Bahamas during his work there. You can read more about his career at Wikipedia.

There are 38 stories in the book, many of them about the adventures of B'Rabby, the trickster rabbit! Here is a list of the titles: B' Rabby in De Corn-field ~ B' Helephant and B' W'ale ~ B' Rabby, B' Spider, an' B' Bouki ~ B' Man, B' Rat, an' B' Tiger-cat ~ B' Bouki an' B' Rabby ~ B' Baracouti an' B' Man ~ B' Loggerhead and B' Conch ~ B' Crane-crow, B' Parrot, and B' Snake ~ B' Cricket and B' Helephant ~ B' Crane-crow an' B' Man ~ De Big Worrum ~ B' Rabby an' B' Tar-Baby ~ B' Big-head, B' Big-gut, an' B' Tin-Leg ~ B' Rabby Had a Mother ~ B' Man, B' Woman, an' B' Monkeys ~ B' Rabby, B' Bouki, an' B' Crow ~ De Man an' De Dog ~ B' Loggerhead, B' Dog, an' B' Rabby ~ B' Devil an' B' Goat ~ B' Hellibaby an' B' Dawndejane ~ 'Bout a Bird ~ A Young Lad an' 'is Mother ~ B' Parakeet an' B' Frog ~ 'Bout B' Dog, B' Cat, B' Rabbit, an' B' Goat ~ The Lady an' 'er Two Dawtahs an' 'er Husband ~ A Young Lady an' 'er Son ~ B' Goat, B' Bouki, an' B' Rabbit ~ The Woman an' 'eh Husban' ~ B' Big-Head an' B' Little-Head ~ A Boy an' Sheep ~ De Girl an' De Fish ~ Three Boys an' One Woman ~ A Lady an' 'er Two Dawtahs ~ B' Jack an' B' Snake ~ B' Little-Clod an' B' Big-Clod ~ De Woman an' De Bell-boy ~ Greo-grass an' Hop-o'-my-thumb ~ De Debble an' Young Prince Had a Race.

There are also 40 songs, with the music included:

So, especially if you are a fan of the Brer Rabbit stories from the American South, this is a book you will definitely want to explore, learning about the adventures of B' Rabby in the Bahamas.

Bahama Songs and Stories

Charles Lincoln Edwards

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