Page:The New Negro.pdf/287

Rh So T’appin went off an' he came to cross roads. Den he said de magic:

De cowhide commence to beat um. It beat, beat. Cowhide said, “Drop, drop.” So T'appin drop an' de cowhide stop beatin'. So he went home. He called his chillun in. He gim um de cowhide an' tell dem what to say, den he went out. De chillun say:

De cowhide beat de chillun. It say, "Drop, drop.” Two chillun dead an' de others sick. So T'appin say, "I will go to de King." He calls de King, he call all de people. All de people came. So before he have de cowhide beat, he has a mortar made an' gets in dere an' gets all covered up. Den de King say:

So de cowhide beat, beat. It beat everyboda, beat de King too. Dat cowhide beat, beat, beat right t'roo de mortar wha' was T'appin an' beat marks on his back, an' da’s why you never fin' T'appin in a clean place, only under leaves or a log.