Again,
"Oh then dig away hard, do not shirk your share!"
Chorus,
"Are there any there?"
"Thus it went on until the leader thought of the night's rest and a good supper at the foreigner's expense before taking it. Liquids having failed, he would try solids, so began to flatter and cajole with a view, something after this style:
"Then long may our famous foreigners live!
Is there any there?
Of beef and pork what a fill they will give!
Is there any there?
To speak not of poultry so fat and fair!
Is there any there?
And rice very good they will freely share!
Is there any there?
But, gracious me, what a terrible shame!
Is there any there?
To make such a row in our kind friend's name!
Is there any there?"
"And so on, until solo and chorus burst out into a joyous laugh of pleasant expectation; and one of the persons to whom they were looking for a gratuity found himself bending unconsciously to each dig of the paddle, and almost shouting out,
"Then work away hard, you jolly boys there,
Till we all get there;
To feed you well shall we not take care
When we all get there?"[1]
In another song heard by the writer on the Màtitànana river (south-east coast), the chorus was "Mandàny vatsy, Toamàsina malàza é!" i.e. "Consumes provisions for the way, famous Tamatave O!" while the recitative brought in all the different villages on the journey from Tamatave to the capital, ending with Andohàlo (the central space) and Avàra-dròva (the northern and chief entrance to the palace).
Among these Malagasy songs are some called sàsy, which are employed as dirges for the dead. An example given by Mr. Dahle consists of five different strains, the first of which is in three stanzas; of these the second may be given as a specimen:—
- ↑ North-east Madagascar, pp. 7, 8.
