History · St. Catherine · written in Patois with an English translation
Di Rio Cobre cut tru one deep gorge between Bog Walk an Spanish Town, an di road squeeze een beside i, unda high rock. Right deh so yu meet Flat Bridge — one a di oldes bridge dem inna Jamaica, flat an low ova di wata, one lane, an no railing pon di side — jus likkle stone bump. Car haffi tek turn cross i, an when heavy rain fall, di riva can rise right up to di bridge top. When i flood so, nobody no fi try cross — di riva tek life aready. Now di story dem — an memba, a folklore dis, ole-time story weh people tell: dem seh River Mumma, di riva mother, live inna di deep part a di Rio Cobre. Shi sidung pon rock a comb ar long hair, an if yu see ar, yu fi lef ar alone. Dem seh a golden table deh unda di wata, an anybody weh too craven an try pull i up, di riva pull DEM dung instead. Ole people use di story fi teach: respect di riva, no be greedy. True or no true, di story dem keep people careful roun di wata — an when yu drive cross Flat Bridge an feel di riva so close, yu wi understan wa mek dem tell i.
The Rio Cobre cuts through a deep gorge between Bog Walk and Spanish Town, and the road squeezes in beside it, under high rock. Right there you meet Flat Bridge — one of the oldest bridges in Jamaica, flat and low over the water, one lane, and no railings on the sides — just little stone bumps. Cars have to take turns crossing it, and when heavy rain falls, the river can rise right up to the top of the bridge. When it floods like that, nobody should try to cross — the river has taken lives before. Now the stories — and remember, this is folklore, old-time stories that people tell: they say River Mumma, the river mother, lives in the deep part of the Rio Cobre. She sits on a rock combing her long hair, and if you see her, you should leave her alone. They say a golden table lies under the water, and anyone too greedy who tries to pull it up, the river pulls THEM down instead. The old people used the stories to teach: respect the river, and don't be greedy. True or not, the stories keep people careful around the water — and when you drive across Flat Bridge and feel the river so close, you will understand why they tell them.
Di Rio Cobre kot chuu wan diip gaaj bitwiin Bog Walk an Spanish Town, an di ruod skwiiz iin bisaid i, onda ai rak. Rait de so yu miit Flat Bridge — wan a di uoldis brij dem iina Jamieka, flat an luo uova di waata, wan lien, an no rielin pan di said — jos likl stuon bomp. Kyaar afi tek ton kraas i, an wen evi rien faal, di riva kyan raiz rait op tu di brij tap. Wen i flod so, nobadi no fi chrai kraas — di riva tek laif aredi. Nou di stuori dem — an memba, a fuokluo dis, uol-taim stuori we piipl tel: dem se River Mumma, di riva mada, liv iina di diip paat a di Rio Cobre. Shi sidong pan rak a kuom ar lang ier, an if yu si ar, yu fi lef ar aluon. Dem se a guoldn tiebl de onda di waata, an enibadi we tuu krievn an chrai pul i op, di riva pul DEM dong insted. Uol piipl yuuz di stuori fi tiich: rispek di riva, no bi griidi. Chuu ar no chuu, di stuori dem kiip piipl kierful roun di waata — an wen yu jraiv kraas Flat Bridge an fiil di riva so kluos, yu wi ondastan wa mek dem tel i.
The history and the figures come from the sources above. The Patois is mine.
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