Tetiyetti and the Devil is story about making the final
choice in your life in spite of what you were taught or what you know. It is a
funeral story that originates in Guadeloupe and told during or at funerals. It
is a tale of a woman who has a daughter who is now at marrying age. Now before
she became of marrying age both her parents taught her of what she should want
in her future husband and warned her of what she should beware of when certain
men approached her.
As the story goes on different
male characters, such as the Goat and the Pig, approached the mother concerning
her daughter to be wed. Confident in her daughter’s judgement because of her
teachings, the Mother would reply subtly “that’s not up to me, but to her”, but
with excitement would tell her daughter “Tetyetti , Tetyetti , that goat wants
to marry you!”, or “Tetyetti , Tetyetti , a pig is asking for you, a pig is
asking for you. The mother knew what a great opportunity this was for her
daughter and hoping she would accept it.
Unfortunately, Tetyetti decline
them both and rudely sent them away because they didn’t “sound” like the
husband that she wanted.
After rereading the story I asked myself why the story use
animals as potential husbands and why the Mother acted so excited in telling Tetyetti
an animal wants to marry her. In doing
research I searched what both the Pig and the Goat symbolizes. The male goat symbolizes sensuality, determination,
health, vitality and virility. As for the pig, it symbolizes abundance, wealth,
strength and never wanting for mundane needs. The mother knew these were the
best opportunities that the daughter had. She saw the men and called them for what she
knew they could give Tetyetti. Since “the child was very hard to please, and
found no one to her taste”, she foolishly declined. Not only that but she never
even looked at the men. She just heard “Pig” or “Goat” and refused to meet
them.
When the mother met the devil, even while he was dressed in
his best suite and he wore all the gold he had, she told her daughter, “Tetyetti,
Tetyetti ,a young man is asking for you”. She didn’t seem excited to tell Tetyetti
about him by the side of all. Tetyetti noticed that and went to take a peek at
him. Once sh saw he look the way she wanted, not only did she agree to marry
him but willing to do it immediately.
You would think the mother would be happy that her daughter
finally got married, but her intuition wouldn’t let her feel overjoyed but
worried. She even warned her that her new husband could be a devil and she could find out by giving her a "pin and handkerchief" and telling her that after she pricks him "if slime oozes out, he's a devil".
As the story goes on different
male characters, such as the Goat and the Pig, approached the mother concerning
her daughter to be wed. Confident in her daughter’s judgement because of her
teachings, the Mother would reply subtly “that’s not up to me, but to her”, but
with excitement would tell her daughter “Tetyetti , Tetyetti , that goat wants
to marry you!”, or “Tetyetti , Tetyetti , a pig is asking for you, a pig is
asking for you. The mother knew what a great opportunity this was for her
daughter and hoping she would accept it.
Unfortunately, Tetyetti decline
them both and rudely sent them away because they didn’t “sound” like the
husband that she wanted.
After rereading the story I asked myself why the story use
animals as potential husbands and why the Mother acted so excited in telling Tetyetti
an animal wants to marry her. In doing
research I searched what both the Pig and the Goat symbolizes. The male goat symbolizes sensuality, determination,
health, vitality and virility. As for the pig, it symbolizes abundance, wealth,
strength and never wanting for mundane needs. The mother knew these were the
best opportunities that the daughter had. She saw the men and called them for what she
knew they could give Tetyetti. Since “the child was very hard to please, and
found no one to her taste”, she foolishly declined. Not only that but she never
even looked at the men. She just heard “Pig” or “Goat” and refused to meet
them.
When the mother met the devil, even while he was dressed in
his best suite and he wore all the gold he had, she told her daughter, “Tetyetti,
Tetyetti ,a young man is asking for you”. She didn’t seem excited to tell Tetyetti
about him by the side of all. Tetyetti noticed that and went to take a peek at
him. Once sh saw he look the way she wanted, not only did she agree to marry
him but willing to do it immediately.
You would think the mother would be happy that her daughter
finally got married, but her intuition wouldn’t let her feel overjoyed but
worried. Tetyetti was so caught up in having her "perfect" husband by covering for him. Pricking herself, she lied to her mother about the slime. It wasn't until the day the Devil started to eat Tetyetti she told the truth and cried for help, but both parents wouldn't help her because they already warned her and she lied. Tetyetti cried for the mother,"she didn't say a word" in response. She cried to her father, he replied, "agh! I don't give a dam! i had already warned her to beware." I wasn't until she cried ou for the little brother who felt the urgency to help his sister by grabbing a knife and cutting open the devil.
I find it very interesting that it is cultural that stories like this one are told in Guadeloupe. I do understand why though. This story teaches the youth to take heed to the teaching of your elders who know the way and not allow yourself to get caught up into appearances or what you think your life should look like. your worst nightmare could be disguised as you greatest dream.
References:
whatismyspiritanimal.com/spirit-totem-power-animal-meanings/mammals/pig-symbolism-meaning/#PigSymbolism
whatismyspiritanimal.com/spirit-totem-power-animal-meanings/mammals/goat-symbolism-meaning/#GoatSymbolism
