Slave Narratives Vol. XIV | Page 4

to pass through winter and wait
on spring to see life again.
"I has farmed 'most all my life and, if I was not so old, I would be doin'
dat same thing now. If a poor man wants to enjoy a little freedom, let
him go on de farm and work for hisself. It is sho' worth somethin' to be
boss, and, on de farm you can be boss all you want to, 'less de man 'low

his wife to hold dat 'portant post. A man wid a good wife, one dat pulls
wid him, can see and feel some pleasure and experience some
independence. But, bless your soul, if he gits a woman what wants to
be both husband and wife, fare-you-well and good-bye, too, to all love,
pleasure, and independence; 'cause you sho' is gwine to ketch hell here
and no mild climate whenever you goes 'way. A bad man is worse, but
a bad woman is almost terrible.
"White man, dere is too many peoples in dese big towns and cities.
Dere is more of them than dere is jobs to make a livin' wid. When some
of them find out dat they can't make a livin', they turns to mischief, de
easy way they thinks, takin' widout pay or work, dat which b'longs to
other people. If I understands right, de fust sin dat was committed in de
world was de takin' of somethin' dat didn't b'long to de one what took it.
De gentleman what done dis was dat man Adam, back yonder in de
garden. If what Adam done back yonder would happen now, he would
be guilty of crime. Dat's how 'ciety names sin. Well, what I got to say is
dis: If de courts, now, would give out justice and punishment as quick
as dat what de Good Master give to Adam, dere would be less crime in
de land I believes. But I 'spose de courts would be better if they had de
same jurisdiction as de Master has. Yes, sir, they would be gwine some
then.
"I tells you, dis gittin' what don't b'long to you is de main cause of dese
wars and troubles 'bout over dis world now. I hears de white folks say
dat them Japanese is doin' dis very thing today in fightin' them
Chinamens. Japan say dat China has done a terrible crime against them
and de rest of de world, when it ain't nothin' but dat they wants
somethin' what don't belong to them, and dat somethin' is to git more
country. I may be wrong, anyhow, dat is what I has heard.
"What does I think de colored people need most? If you please sir, I
want to say dis. I ain't got much learnin', 'cause dere was no schools
hardly 'round where I was brung up, but I thinks dat good teachers and
work is what de colored race needs worser than anything else. If they
has learnin', they will be more ashame to commit crime, most of them
will be; and, if they has work to do, they ain't gwine to have time to do

so much wrong. Course dere is gwine to be black sheeps in most flocks,
and it is gwine to take patience to git them out, but they will come out,
just as sho' as you is born.
"Is de colored people superstitious? Listen at dat. You makes me laugh.
All dat foolishness fust started wid de black man. De reason they is
superstitious comes from nothin' but stomp-down ignorance. De white
chillun has been nursed by colored women and they has told them
stories 'bout hants and sich lak. So de white chillun has growed up
believin' some of dat stuff 'til they natchally pass it on from generation
to generation. Here we is, both white and colored, still believin' some
of them lies started back when de whites fust come to have de blacks
'round them.
"If you wants to know what I thinks is de best vittles, I's gwine to be
obliged to omit (admit) dat it is cabbage sprouts in de spring, and it is
collard greens after frost has struck them. After de best vittles, dere
come some more what is mighty tasty, and they is hoghead and
chittlings wid 'tatoes and turnips. Did you see dat? Here I is talkin' 'bout
de joys of de appetite and water drapping from my mouth. I sho' must
be gittin' hongry. I lak to eat. I has been a good eater all my life, but
now I is gittin' so old dat 'cordin' to de scriptures, 'De grinders cease
'cause they are few', and too, 'Those dat look out de windows be
darkened'. My old eyes and teeth is 'bout gone, and if they does