Американские боги

           HyacinthlearnedsomeFrench,andwastaughtafewoftheteachingsoftheCatholicChurch.Eachdayhecutsugarcanefromwellbeforethesunroseuntilafterthesunhadset.

           Hefatheredseveralchildren.Hewentwiththeotherslaves,inthesmallhoursofthenight,tothewoods,althoughitwasforbidden,todancetheCalinda,tosingtoDamballa-Wedo,theserpentgod,intheformofablacksnake.HesangtoElegba,toOgu,Shango,Zaka,andtomanyothers,allthegodsthecaptiveshadbroughtwiththemtotheisland,broughtintheirmindsandtheirsecrethearts.

           TheslavesonthesugarplantationsofSt.Dominguerarelylivedmorethanadecade.Thefreetimetheyweregiven—twohoursintheheatofnoon,andfivehoursinthedarkofthenight(fromelevenuntilfour)—wasalsotheonlytimetheyhadtogrowandtendthefoodtheywouldeat(fortheywerenotfedbytheirmasters,merelygivensmallplotsoflandtocultivate,withwhichtofeedthemselves),anditwasalsothetimetheyhadtosleepandtodream.Evenso,theywouldtakethattimeandtheywouldgatheranddance,andsingandworship.ThesoilofSt.DominguewasafertilesoilandthegodsofDahomeyandtheCongoandtheNigerputdownthickrootsthereandgrewlushandhugeanddeep,andtheypromisedfreedomtothosewhoworshipedthematnightinthegroves.

           Hyacinthwastwenty-fiveyearsofagewhenaspiderbitthebackofhisrighthand.