(sings:)

Fish got to swim, birds got to fly,

I got to love one man till I die

Can't help lovin' dat man of mine.



MAGNOLIA

That's it...



(QUEENIE, re-entering, stops in her tracks and looks puzzled)



JULIE

Tell me he's lazy, tell me he's slow,

Tell me I'm crazy (maybe I know)

Can't help lovin' dat man of mine.



QUEENIE

How come y'all know dat song?



(JULIE stops abruptly, a swift terror steals across her face, and

quickly vanishes - succeeded by an expression of stolid caution)



MAGNOLIA

Why? Do you know it, Queenie?



QUEENIE

F'sho' ah does - but ah didn't ever hear anybody but colored folks sing

dat song - sounds funny for Miss Julie to know it -



MAGNOLIA

Why, Julie sings it all the time.



QUEENIE

Kin y'sing de whole thing?



JULIE

'Course I can

(almost fiercely)

What's so funny about that?

(She starts to sing in an attitude of defiance,

then lapsing into the "blue" spirit of the song)

Oh, listen, sister,

I love my mister man,

And I can't tell yo' why.

Dere ain't no reason

Why I should love dat man -

It mus' be sumpin' dat de angels done plan.



Fish got to swim, birds got to fly,

I got to love one man till I die -

Can't help lovin' dat man of mine.

Tell me he's lazy, tell me he's slow,

Tell me I'm crazy (maybe I know)-

Can't help lovin' dat man of mine.

When he goes away

Dat's a rainy day,

But when he comes back dat day is fine,

(carried away)

De sun will shine!

(QUEENIE goes on beating time with a spoon)

He kin come home as late as kin be,

Home