Papa Bois: Master of the Woods

An animal, a man, a spirit — combined into one. A conscience. Immortal.

Intertwined in this bizarre composite, this force is strong, powerful, and everlasting throughout the minds of the native people who surround the forestlands of our home. The belief is instilled in children from the time they can comprehend — carried by those who have not seen him, and passed on at storytelling time by those who have.

He has been seen before, by many — some care to admit it. Even those in high standing. Even those who are not.

His appearance

Papa Bois — Papa Bwah, Master of the Woods — can change his appearance in many forms and fashions, but his spirit is always constant. For the most part, what has generally been told is that his beard is long and overgrown, much like the appearance of an old tree, its color blending with that of nature. His face lines are strongly defined; he is stocky, and well rooted into the forests which he protects.

He grabs the fear in our inner souls, because many of us do not believe, or understand his mere existence — until the fateful day when he comes to us as we tread through his forests in the islands. He spans through many miles in quick time. Papa Bois protects our islands' forests, nature, and animals. The animals love him, for he always looks out for their well-being.

An old hunter's warning

"If yuh find dis a fool's warning, be a fool an' doh listen. He get a friend of mine dat day — he get him good — an' he go get you too if you doh listen. Think is joke ah making?

HA. He go lead yuh right in de forest, deeper an' deeper, till it get… till it get… TILL yah LOSS. De air does feel like it scarce, an' yah feel yah next breath is yah last. Yah cyah find North, South, East or West. Hunters — de compass gone berserk, doh work — strange an' foolish ting dat dem is at dat time. So yuh frighten, so frighten you cyah even see straight. You pray to yah mudda, an' even she at dat time doh even help. Is alone — REAL alone — you is, yes!

But listen: when plane does get loss up in de sky, youz listen den, doh? Deir compass doh work either. Big plane does get loss — big news on de radio. Youz take dat one on, doh.

Ah see dat yah doubt meh. He goin' HOLD YA, SHAKE YA, till yah tremble an' cry. Marry you to Mama D'Leau — dey say das his wife, you know. Marry yah off for dis life an' de next; curse yah, curse. Stick to yah like glue to yah being, an' doh let go.

DOH DOUBT, NAH!!! Your conscience better be clear dan dat happen to you. I nearly did doubt, too, you know — an' a fool's warning I taught it could only be. But I ain't shame to say: ah know different now.

You mus' have a clean heart, an' follow de way of de Almighty, an' yah jus' might be OK. But let me not frighten you, nah. You jus' best respect Papa Bois. As old as I is, I remember. Ah was lucky, nah, chile. Oh boy, ah was real lucky. Meh friend dat was dere dat day wasn't so lucky, doh. Three days later, when he get find out of dem bush — wasn't de same man went in.

Oh yes. Ah did see!"

From my Island Child folklore collection — for the elders who told these stories under the mango trees, and the children who never forgot them.