Labourer

Lay Of The Lazy

(Mr. F. P. Archer, of Buka Passage, New Guinea, who kindly supplies this remarkable example of Pidgin verse, says he thinks it was written by an ex-Civii Servant in Rabaul It was published in the “Rabaul Times’’ about ten years ago.) First Egg You savvy! me boy belong Buka.

Me come make ’im paper before ’Long one fella masta—’e kus kus— E work along one fella store Me laze now ’long this fella somet’ing: Work e big fella, skin ’e too hot: Tune ’e finish, me make ’im new paper' Me make ’im new paper! No Got!

Chorus

(In which Marys and Monkeys may join) Me no more like work ’long masta, Alla-time masta cross ’long me; Me make ’im new paper! What name now!

Ha, Ha, Ha! Ho, Ho, Ho! He. He, He!

Second Egg Me fella me no catch ’im money Two shillin’ that’s all ’long han’- (Four fella ’e stop ’long paper) Now ’e no enough ’long man!

Me fella no lik lik monkey Me no Mary too all-a-same; Sikis shillin’! Ugh, ’e somet’ing not’ing!

Me must run away, me got shame.

Chorus

(Dead silence from Marys and Monkeys) Me no more like work ’long masta, Sikis mark not enough ’long me- Me make ’im new paper! What name now!

Ha, Ha, Ha! Ho, Ho, Ho! He, He, He!

Third Egg Me like kai kai all-a-same masta, ’E good fella kai kai me fink; Me like drink ’im whisky now beer, Two fella ’e good fella drink.

S’pose Kiap ’e talk ’e no tambu, Now s’pose me can drink all-a-same, Time ’e finish me make ’im new paper!

Me make ’im new paper! Now what name!

Chorus

(In which Marys and Monkeys MUST join) Me like make ’im work ’long masta, S’pose drink ’e no tambu long me: Me make ’im new paper! What name now!

Ha, Ha, Ha! Ho, Ho, Ho! He, He, He!