A new shelf opens with six tales and fables in the Creole of Cayenne, from the first book ever printed in that language: Alfred de Saint-Quentin's "Introduction à l'histoire de Cayenne," published at Antibes in 1872, with the fables of his brother Édouard. Saint-Quentin had lived twenty years of his manhood in French Guiana, and he took these pieces down from the storytelling of the colony — they are heard here in a fresh English translation made for this programme, from the Creole texts and the French versions printed facing them in the book.
Disclosure: this performance is narrated by AI-generated voices.
The dog and the cat were once neighbours and friends — until the cat discovered the way in through the roof, and a little pot of butter acquired three godchildren named Beginning, Middle and The End. A monkey judge settles a quarrel over a cheese; a cicada who sang all summer calls on the ant; a crab-dog flatters a cheese out of the couroumou's beak, and another tries to talk his whole nation out of their tails; and an earthen pot takes to the road with an iron one.
Alfred de Saint-Quentin (died 1875), "Introduction à l'histoire de Cayenne" (Antibes: J. Marchand, 1872) — public domain. These are Creole tales of Cayenne from that one book, billed by their collector and their book — not a survey of the whole of French Guiana. Three of the book's twelve pieces were set aside under the shelf's content register, one is held for a ruling, and two are songs; the full register is kept with the shelf's canon.
Narrated by Violetta. Music: opening and closing theme, "La Partenza 2".
Chapters:
01:27 The Dog and the Cat
14:42 The Two Cats and the Monkey
16:08 The Cicada and the Ant
16:38 The Crab-Dog and the Couroumou
18:44 The Crab-Dog Who Lost His Tail
20:14 The Earthen Pot and the Iron Pot
French Guiana folk tales · Creole tales · Cayenne Creole · Caribbean folk tales · Alfred de Saint-Quentin · animal fables · world folk tales · free audiobook
