African American Vernacular English

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Translation and Narration: Tyson L. Taylor

Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands; formerly USA

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[Translator’s Spelling] [Conventional Spelling]    

Da Rin

Da Rin yusta dun had ’iz nest up in da shed. One tam da ol’ wunz had dun flew out da shed―dey wuz wan’in ta get sum’n a eat fo dey young―an’ had dun lef’ da checks awl alone.

Aft’ awhahl, Daddy Rin came.

“Wha’s dun went on up in hea?” he said, “Who dun caused y’aw’ harm, chillin? Y’aw’ terrifahd!”

“Oh, Daddy,” dey said, “som big ol’ boogeyman came bah jess now. He looked aw’ mean an’ scary! He was aw’ peekin’ up in ar nest wit ’iz big ol’ eyes. Dat rilly dun scared us!”

“Ah see,” said Daddy Rin, “where ’e dun wen’ off to?”

“Wew’,” dey said, “he dun went down ’at way.”

“Hol’ up a minute!” Daddy Rin say, “Ah’m a go after ’im. Don’t y’aw’ worry none, chillin. I’w’ git ’im.” Jess den he flew out after ’im.

Jess as ’e came ’round da bend, was da lahin hu ’i saw wawkan along.

But da Ren wa’n’ afraid. He swooped down upon da lahin’ back an’ cummensd ta tellin ’im off. “Wat biznis yu got cummin’ awl upin mah haus,” he said “an’ terifahin ma kidz!”

Da lahin ain’t paid ’im no atinshun an’ kep’ own walkin.

Dat jes’ made da li’l lauwd-mauth berate ’im even mo fiercely. “Yu ain’got no bi’nis bein’ up dea, Ah tel ya! And if ya cum back,” he sæd, “wew’, den yu’ a si! Ah don’t rili wan’ ’a du it,” he said, an den liftid wan a’ hiz leigz, “but Ah’l break yo back wit ma leig in a second!”

At dat, he flew back ta his nest.

“Der y’aw’ go, chillin,” he said, “Ah dun taught dat fool a lessin. He won’t bi cummin’ back.”