The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

TURPEE AND THE THREE HABAKS

THERE WAS ONCE A LITTLE HOUSE, IN WHICH LIVED A LITTLE
OLD MAN, A LITTLE OLD WOMAN, AND A LITTLE DOG, NAMED
TURPEE. THERE WERE ALSO THREE HABAKS. NOW THE HABAKS
WANTED TO KILL THE LITTLE OLD MAN AND CARRY AWAY
THE LITTLE OLD WOMAN. SO ONE NIGHT, THEY CAME TO THE
LITTLE OLD HOUSE AND SAID, "LET'S KILL THE OLD MAN AND
CARRY AWAY THE OLD WOMAN." BUT TURPEE HEARD THEM AND
BARKED SO MUCH THAT THEY RAN AWAY.
NOW THE LITTLE OLD MAN HEARD THE DOG BARK; AND HE SAID,
"TURPEE, IF YOU BARK LIKE THAT TOMORROW NIGHT, I'LL
CHOP OFF YOUR TAIL."
WELL, THE NEXT NIGHT, THE THREE HABAKS CAME AGAIN AND
SAID, "LET'S KILL THE OLD MAN, AND CARRY AWAY THE OLD
WOMAN." BUT TURPEE HEARD THEM AND STARTED TO BARK,
AND HE SCARED THEM AWAY. NOW THE LITTLE OLD MAN ALSO
HEARD TURPEE BARK; AND HE SAID, "TURPEE, I'M GOING TO
CUT OFF YOUR TAIL." AND HE DID. AND HE SAID, "IF YOU
BARK LIKE THIS TOMORROW NIGHT, I'LL CHOP OFF YOUR HEAD."
THE NEXT NIGHT THE SAME THING HAPPENED. THE HABAKS CAME;
TURPEE BARKED AND SCARED THE HABAKS AWAY, AND THE LITTLE
OLD MAN AWOKE. HE SAID, "TURPEE, I'M GOING TO CHOP
YOUR HEAD OFF." AND HE DID.
WELL, THE NEXT NIGHT WHEN THE THREE HABAKS CAME TO TRY
TO KILL THE LITTLE OLD MAN AND CARRY OFF THE LITTLE OLD
WOMAN, THERE WAS NO TURPEE TO BARK AND SCARE THEM AWAY;
BUT THE LITTLE OLD MAN HEARD THEM AND HID UNDER HIS BED.
NOW THE THREE HABAKS CAME RIGHT IN, BUT THEY COULDN'T
FIND THE LITTLE OLD MAN, SO THEY CARRIED THE LITTLE
OLD WOMAN AWAY IN A SACK.
NOW, THE POOR LITTLE OLD MAN KNEW WHY TURPEE HAD BARKED,
HE WAS SORRY. SO HE TOOK THE LITTLE DOG'S HEAD AND TAIL,
AND HE PUT TURPEE BACK TOGETHER AGAIN.
SO, THE LITTLE OLD MAN AND TURPEE SET OUT AFTER THE THREE
HABAKS. THE LITTLE DOG BARKED SO HARD THAT HE SCARED
THE THREE HABAKS, AND THEY DROPPED THE SACK AND RAN AWAY.
THE LITTLE OLD MAN GOT THE LITTLE OLD WOMAN OUT OF THE
SACK AND THE LITTLE OLD MAN AND THE LITTLE OLD WOMAN
AND TURPEE WENT HOME AND LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER--
BE(CAUSE) TURPEE WOULD ALWAYS PROTECT THEM.

Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT HEARD THIS TALE FROM HER GRANDFATHER WHEN
SHE WAS ABOUT FIVE YEARS OLD. SHE WAS IN KINDERGARTEN
AT THE TIME.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; LIBRARY ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT