Susan V. Yandle interview with Mollye Thompson Yandle, James A. Holman, Anna Pearl Holman, Christine Whitehead, and Christine Varnadoe

The John Burrison Georgia Folklore Archive recordings contains unedited versions of all interviews. Some material may contain descriptions of violence, offensive language, or negative stereotypes reflecting the culture or language of a particular period or place. There are instances of racist language and description, particularly in regards to African Americans. These items are presented as part of the historical record. This project is a repository for the stories, accounts, and memories of those who chose to share their experiences for educational purposes. The viewpoints expressed in this project do not necessarily represent the viewpoints of the Atlanta History Center or any of its officers, agents, employees, or volunteers. The Atlanta History Center makes no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of any information contained in the interviews and expressly disclaims any liability therefore. If you believe you are the copyright holder of any of the content published in this collection and do not want it publicly available, please contact the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center at 404-814-4040 or reference@atlantahistorycenter.com.
This audio begins with Mollye Yandle, the interviewers mother, telling stories that she learned from her mothers midwife, Aunt Channey, as a child. Yandle tells a story about a Black man who died sitting up and another about a Black man who thought he heard God and the Devil counting bodies in a cemetery. 5:00: James A. Holman, a Black man, describes some African American superstitions; specifically, he lists experiences that indicate bad luck that he learned from his familys midwife, Queen Holmes. At 9:05, he tells two humorous stories about preachers and a story about a freed slave that forgets to feed his bosss mule. 15:44: Next, Anna Holman recites the poem People Will Talk. 17:40: James Holman tells additional humorous stories in which African Americans outsmart White people. At 33:12 minutes Christine Whitehead discusses growing up in poverty. She then tells a tale about Brer Rabbit and Brother Lion eating a cow. At 39:38, she describes bad luck and ill-omen superstitions. 41:30: Whitehead then talks about her stepfather, who was born enslaved. As an enslaved person he was so hungry that he ate spoiled food. She then tells a story in which she and her cousin steal her mothers best watermelon and get in trouble. Next at 46:47, Christine Varnadoe tells a joke about Lie and Truth going swimming and a story about a ghost who scared her father. The audio ends with a discussion about what plants her family grew and the animals they raised for folk remedies.
Mollye Thompson Yandle (1908-1988) was born in Toombs, Georgia. She married Thomas Bruce Yandle (1908-1990) and they had three children, Gladys Nan Merrit (1929-1984), Thomas Bruce Yandle Jr. (1934-), and Susan Middleton. James A. Holman (1910-1996) was born in Americus, Georgia. In 1940, he was drafted into the United States army. He married Anna Pearl Holman (1914-1987) and they had two children, Catherine Holman (1933-) and Leila P Holman (1936-2014). The family lived in Macon, Georgia, where Holman served as an ordained Methodist minister. Christine Whitehead (1917-1973) was born in Baldwin, Georgia, where she worked as a maid for most of her life. No additional biographical information has been determined. Christine Varnadoe (1905-2004) was born in Crisp, Georgia. In 1925, she married Wheeler Varnadoe (1906-?). She worked as a cleaning woman and supervisor of the church nursery at Ingleside Methodist Church.
, ' " AHC Oral History Cataloging Worksheet File Information l. I; Catalogue number ~N'{) . "Cllf''>, , \:l r)1 I (, , L Source Field' (ContentDM) Release form ( ~GfNo . Transcript Yes or No scanned: From Yes or No Default text: Contributed by an OR: Donated by individual: individual through <your org. name> Georgia Folklore Collection through <your org. name> Object Information Enter information about the h sical ob'eet here: ~~i:rviewee H<O!\,((' / "1V\'OI'f':,c)(\ Ylli\f)(c) name and date J",~,\(,,'~> A, I, "'I f,l(r./ \ of interview) HI'>. ..LH<Y. (\JI "'f c/\\1'; ('\1';1"(') \/,,1\1.',\\i./.\.1.\,/1" f 'J A ;(' ()" fl 'f Ii I tilJ 1'~,Jh/\ 'I b~JI {\ 11t lAMI" /', I;(,(',(!\, '< Ii E'(Ji:,co(!., I ch'J't.,I.,\ jll /t ~(o(l\ ((!, '\ t\()1 ,\?c.p '(,'I' ,) II' <, I' , \.,' 1" '." '" \(\ \q\c) , 1-."1' ,'f'. tolcx" ,) IJ pj k, (), <'.\ Description (bio on interviewee) ,,':: : l-A1:1 . ,~t' M,' >~, ./\. iLl i,' "'\f \. t~('0\',,,,,<., VI\\"\C V\(o,) : bill 1\ ~A''(:~) \':,' ( I j ,V\, ~-tuc /)'/\ G ,( C")('I'I . Co, Creator (Enter either an individual's name or an organization) Collection Name (within the organization) Burrison Folklore Class Georgia Folklore Archives Creation Date Exact Date (yyyy-mm-dd) (use only one) f-:-;-----------t-----------------1 Year (if only the year is known) Circa (4 digit year) Recording clip Yes or No Object Type Media Format (VHS, reel to reel, etc Recording extent Derivatives Time code for clip (h:m:s) Notes (interview summary) Year Span Image_ Text Text and image _ Video and sound Sound onlyX Reel-reel Hours: Minutes: l:f\: '() ~ Access copy: Yes or No Beginning: '% '0 .,,'. From To Access copy format: Clip extent: .. 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(LOC subiect headinos oniv) Keywords Burrison, John Personal names See subject who for additional names Aw\\ Ch(A /\-I'.(} ( C(U\flu ()" ( (~\)("I" \\.;\iI \'.., C';, c Corporate names Geographic locations Topics A Colleetton of Negro l~olkl;aleg and Suporsti tiomJ by Susan V.Yandle for Professor .Tohn Burrison Georgia 8tate Colloge Table of Contenbs The Informants-page one The 'I'ales-pe.ge fou.J:' The Hoti:fs-page forty-f:l.ve The Helense l?orms-page :forty-seven '1'he P:l.()~burefl of the Informants-page fifty / 'J:he Inforl1lo.nts l.follye Thompson Yo.neUe 1111's .Nollye 'J~hompson Yandle ,my mother, is the firBt informant on tho tape, She HaB born in 1 908 in ~l'oor~bs County near Lyons, Georgia. 'rhe stories she tolls 0.1'0 ones she hoo.rd from Aunt Channoy Cannady, a Negro midvdfe. Aunt Cho.nney helped talm care of tho house and the children l~henever Nrs. Yandle I smother Hould bo recuperating from the birth of another baby, lrhere were nino children in JIll'S. Yandle I s fer~ily o.nd she ,las munber six. .Ter~es A. Holman ~rhe Heverand J8mes Holman Has born in Amerious, Georgia in 1910. He :ts o.resident of Nacon and is an ordained Methodist minis,ter of the Colored JViothodist Episoopal Churoh, His opportunities to speak before a congregation are apparent in his abilitios as a story teller, lIe is my best informant and most polished peri'ormer. Hrs, J'amos A. Holman Nt's. Holman eamo along Hi th hor husband to the recording sess:ton. She refuBed to toll any stories, but Bho did recite a poem l']hich iB on the tapo. MrB.Holman mentionod during the afternoon that ahe and Rev.Ho1man often have "lying." ,seBsions in their home, She explained that if you ha,d plenty of hot bisc\1its and fat baok you 1'101'0 bOUDd to havo D, good ,time, bec9;uso people Hill talk more j~hen thoyha,vo something to eat. Chri 13tine 11]hitehe ad Chrintin.e I'Jhitehead HaS born October 28,1917 in BaldI-lin County and she han lived in 1'lacon for approximD:bely tl'lent',,!-five yoarn. She is D. maid by profoflsion and. flhe has been a dependablo, reliable employee in many homes in my neighborhood. Ohl'istine Varnadoe Chrlstine VaY.'nD.doe Hafl born in 190;) in Crisp Oounty near Cordele, C}eorgiD.. She is the cloaning \'loman and the supervisor of the church nursery at Ingleside 1'lethodist Church. /1 .~:. '.rho 'ralos ::'j11l.H numbol' :Collm-lillg tho title 0:1:' oach bn.10 indicatos tho plac0 on tho tapo ,-Thore this ta10 app0B.rs. Sooingbho t'lind (0) (Mo11yo 'I.', Yandlo) Hy aldol' brothor had tho i.dea that 10. heon haDdad down tho:b through supor.'l'bitions t.hat if you did oortain things you 10. bo o.blo to hoo.r, to soo tho Hind. And so, ".h,ho and an oldor o01.J.sin of mine ono -1:;1:010, ah, \-rhen I '-Ins abotl,t four year,s old toolr me and my youngeX' CQlls:tn and. vIe li.ved in -the c()unt~(>y. And so this old SOvT vJan laying dO'Hn b,Y tho fonso and hor pigs Hero n1.u'slng. And [10 my brothol:' awl my oousin said, "Lot IS" (said to 00.011 othor)said,"Latls got thom to nurso the SOH rmd soe if the;1 can soe tho Hind liko tho old story has boon handod 0.010111." And. so,um,i'inal1y, D.h, they Oiline to us "md. thoy said, "Do you soo the all SOH and the pip;s that [U'O sucking hoY.' Y.'ight nm-T?" Said, "Hell, if you III get dovm tho1'o and pull fl. pig aHaY,oach of you, and suok tho sow a.nd just tho minuto 'you .iump you' JJ. soo the ,-lin.d," So my cousin and I :['01 t 11ke that Has tho groatest thi.ng thnt could hsvpon. loWS to see tho wind, So He immediately (1;0'0 dONn o.nd tho sow s'0a;lod d.gh'0 vlh01'0 she ,1afl Hnd \-10 pullocJ. tho pigf1 aHo.y nnd. 1'10 suokod tho S01'J. And 1'10 ;j1.1lilJ'Oc1. up o.nd ,10 coul<1n I '0 soo the vlind, but Ollr b1'otho:rs ,his bpoj;hoX' and my bX'othoX', had dlflv.ppoarod,oomploi;oly disar,poarod. SUflan:1:Ihat VIas tho ono about . ,'I'hat you Vloro tollin l about Aunt ChaJl!l.oy'! Aunt Channoy (Mollyo T. Yo.ndlo) Evory 'bimo a :0.0\1 bo.by vlould bo, bo born at my houso, 0.3 soon as vTas doctor loi't my :['ather \-Tould go nnd get AlIDt Channoy I'tho i~ho prop:i.ou.s old Nog1'o I'TOman tho..b tho family had ImovID 111w9.yn. And she \'Iould come and stay eiGht or n:1.ne do.;ys until my mother \;ould bo able to adjust and tako cnre of tho house and tho children and all again. And Aunt Charmey vlould take great deligb.t in e;ettin 1 us aro1J11d her knees and tellin 1 us 1'unn,Y talos and storios and things, But most of them Hould bo things, all, of supo:~gtition such as this: 8he 88.id "chat she had boon tuught that j:b vlan a sin to let brend or any kind of food fall in tho 1'ipe and burn. 80 she soJ.d, ItNm'l Ilm gone coo]{ you sonlO cookles Hnd you fJtand. here ,-rhope it f S 1'lap.((l and eat Jehem. But, if you should drop an:,y you cotch :1.t '1'0).'0 it hits tJ:10 heth, t causo it;' s going to be a Bin Le tho b:('oad burns. It 3us8.n: 'rell about sittin t up Hith tho dee.d. ,JHtin' Up (a,fl) (1:'1011yo 'r. Yandle) And thLl VlD.S o.nother talo' that Hall hOJlcled dOHn. Aunt Chauney "laG 'colling us many of them through our,o.h, Villits \"lith hoI' even in her home semetimell. vIe 1,0\).ld go and uh vifJit vIi th. her and uh one of the tales that HUS h.ande<1 clmrn "n.:l the.oue. about the u1'1 Nog.ro man \-Tho vlD.S found dead and uh he v/D.S sipting up anc1].1.0 ,nac]. a1reac]y gov!-cI en 8'1h.;.).[:'.f~": 111. I~"n:J.s .r)0 ".-,..,. u~:LOl..1. So the,,! made a ooffin foX' him, a bourd co:r:rin and thclY tiod his body davIn in it ,,1:1.t1'1 l'o:oes l1hepe ho 1'101.1.1<1 be flat o.n, as cou,ld bo posnib1e. So they rmd l;he many nighbl of sitting up, 0.11 the frionds nnd the rolnt:i..von gnthurod in nn<1 thoy sat up in grout numberfJ night n.fter nj.ght :1"01' about a '-Ioek. So the laGt night they \-Iepe havin I the sitting ups the popes bpoke and the NegI'o man sprang right straight up in a sitting position. And needless to say that everybody in the room left the house un.d \-Tent to the Vloods, Is that olm.y'! COUD.t:i.n I the Dead (4(i) (l1ol1ye T. Yandle) 'fhis stOI'Y that lIve al\~ays enjoyed through the ;'!oars ..w.s the one about t11.e Negro mnn. \'Iho l:.r.ad. stolen someth.Lng "mel. he HD.S outting b'y the oemetel'y in the n:l.gl1.t to ge'" homo the quickest way, Ane} ..Then he got , and. "Thon he got neD.:;:> tho cemetepy he hOl'D.'d. t1'l0 voices, .AJ.1.d. the se Hepe' some men 1-l.ho had robbed a ban], and they vToro insido tho f011.s0 of tho cemetory 8.fld. they WOl'e eounting thoil' money. But he t11.ought it \-HIS God. and. the devil c01mting tho peoplo Hho hO.d d.ied, So one man snid., "I t 11 take th.is one;you havo this one, 1 111 havo this O:0.e B.nd you have th:l. s one," ~rhey V!ox'o evenly count;ng out tho money ar:td D. silver dollo.p polled undc)).' tho fen80 1:.1.nd. one 0:[' the men saId, HAnd you. get that one over tho fense. And so that is vThen the NagaI' man l'o.n fnm.y, lau.ghter It can bo yours," Superstitions eJO} (Jmaes A. Holman) 'D'le follo~d.ng is a list of, uh, unpublished, but highly I'egarded superstitioi1S eraonc; Jllany Negros and purhaps some others. The ub., flou:<:>ce of the fo11o~,Ting is an 01' lady by the name of Queen Holmes vro.o \1(J.S a mid-"Tife in my HiCe' 13 mother's ferdly and .a,'lsisted in tho birth of all the chi1dpen. According to Sistor Quoon Holmes it supposed. to be bad. luck to do or experionco the. ';fo1101fing: i.to ~'lash clot,hing on NEH'I Yeo.:<:>'s Day. You Hill bo washing someone out of your O\'!n f'mai1~y by cleo.th. 2.Never carry garbo.ge out of your hOLwe 0.1'tor d.a:<:>k oj.' trouble will stX'ike the home bei'oX'e 'l;he next morning. 3.Never bogin. o.nything on .f.''riday that can not be completed on the sameoFriday. All involved vJill suffer be.d 1uc!{. )! . t'lhen Frido.y falls on thirteen, on the thirteenth day of the month is regarded as a do:y to be Hatched and to Hatch youX'self becaUse Jesus Has killed on Floiday. And nftoX' 8.11 Jesus and His di:wip1es constitu'l;ed na number of thiX'teon. [?~fevoX' oat peanuts and throH the hulls around the dooX'. It \-ril1 cause urgulilents, Inoidentl:y, Sister Gtueen Holmes inflerted. this. 'J:hat uh, fifty-tvlo oards in the deck rep:t'esent the fifty-tHo Sundays in. tho year. [6.Jon Hevl Yo aX' 1 s Do.y let a man be the first person to come to your door, If a "lOmaXl or a child is first you \"ill hove bad luck 1'0;<:> the entire year, [7}Let no \-ret clothing, that if) wet by \'Iashing be in your hou.se on the first dD:,V of the year or rlOJneone in your fa.mily ..ill die from dro"ming tha'G yeur, (:! I 8,I:r e. blaok oat orossos 'your path going le:rt, tu17n ano. go ano'0hor Hay or you Hill havo bo,d luok. 9.By no 1110ans mUGt you evor break a l'ilirror. I:r you do, thrO\~ the pieoeG in running 'VIater or you'll havo bad luck, seven YOD.rs. Do~1t:r you Gtump :,{our left :root, yOU'l"O in :ror disappointment. 'rurn a!'01md and go anothor .,ray. [11 J'lovor look in an open grave Hhen pregnant 017 your oxpeoted child Hill ahlays be hungry. [i2"JQeVer go to a oirous or parade or a zoo When pregnant or your ohild 11ill reGomble some one of the animals. G3'~j\jevor Hall, undor 8. laddor. Bad luok. ~)~::!JTo lreep a blaok oat as a pet iG 0. Gign of good luck. ~ 5Ji~l'ioture hanging on tho wall happened to :raIl. Somebody in that farnily 1-1ill dio soon. li6Jro Snoeze vd.th a mouthf'ul of food is a nign of death to a lovod ono. I!7;} (j,og hovrlin[': in tho neighborhood is a sign that somoono in the neighhorhoocl is about to dio. li 8J~hO oroaldng of D, fpog is a nign of rain. rr9.11\.ohi0.g feot or oo:er1[1 prediot rain. /0 Tales (Jame s .A.. Holman) The Proachers and the Snoke (92) Thore is a StOl.'y told of t~-TO preachers during the ante-bellum period "ho vJere hunting. One Has bitten by a snake. Uh, no f'irst uid \'ras 8.vailable so a 'chiNl pal'ty came up and tl,ak that someone run to a l'Jhiskey store or sonw speakease and get a pint of vJhiskey. '.rhey came back and the man 11ho' 0. been bitten by the snake started drinking and he seomed to be enjoying it so vTell 'chat tho other preachor said, "Uh, let me have a lick at that bO-C'e'L;.O, l_' ,o,,"J..'D\.k "C.ha'G' anaI{e s''GrucI{ me, ''Goo. " Susan:Do you knOH any other, ones like th8.t'l Holnl8.n:I'll think of ono in a minute 1'Jhile Ho play this ono. HI's. Holm!:,--.": ButtoJ.'milk. Buttermilk (103) This is the story of' a young lady ~'Jho lived alono and this l-ms also during the fm'ce-bellu:m period, 0.1:J.<1 they hD.d D. district meoting in their neighborhood and she I-ra:c:r!;ed to take a delegate, The dolegnte happened to bo a ministor unO. 11.0 had had his dLmep at tho church. Aftop thoy Hepe safe at home thoy sat for a I-Thile and taiLkod and they thou!-;h.t of' a aftop dinnep snacl, D.nd sho said, "\'loll, I don"C havo an.y sandl'JitchoG, tho only .l,J...n..'.t..nb)' T_. 1_l,d.V'.B J'"~o .,.JOJ"I1.0 l'Lh_i.. Skoy II And he said, lIvrel1, I novor touch tho Gcuff'. 11 And Gbo said, liThe only other thin.r; I havo ia 1301\10 bUi:;toxm:i.1k. lI He, uh,110 sald, lIHoll, 1'11 talw D. g1D.GS 01' buttormiihk." 'l~he IfJ.d.y' I-ms a littlo su.por~Jtitous,nhe didn't boliove the thing II about he didn I t touch it. So, she put ,uh,-1;h1'oe ounces of whiskey in the bu:bteI'm:L1I{. Of course the Hhitene::1s of. the bU'Gter'~ milk held it::1 coloI'. Tb.e minister' Q.I'ank the butteJ.'m:U.k and she asked h:i.m :t:r he I d have another glnss. He said, "Believe I I-d.1I. " 8he put t1,I'ee ounCO::1 in that. He dI'ank thiJ.t hur:('iedly and she asked him, "I havo one mope glnss. "lould yon ho.ve t.1\at7" And thi::1 is the thiI'd glass nnd tho third th:('ee 011nC0[1 1'1111ch ran.ker; :01:00. vJoll, the revepnnd \'IH.S ppett:r Holl intoxicatod b.Y' thnt tixl10 a:n.d. he held on to the glass tlnd nhe said, 11\:1e11, I don't have o.ny more revornad." Ho so.ld, "I'lell, I \i.ndm~stood. you ho.d thI'("e glafHws; bu'\; Hhat lId like to kno1'1 is ~wuld you IH:e to sell tho.1; CNI." 'rhey1re 0.11 on the anto-bellurfl. 8hlJ.1'l,these l pe not modepn at all. Susan:Thatts right. Iljps.Holman:A11 those lies ap~ H10depn. Prophets and Achin 1 Feet (125) 'l'his minister, trtis Ho.S directly ErteJ.' the emo.nciO(ltion of the slaves and "ljhis ministel'l had organ.:Lz0d a ch'Ln~ch. And he t c1 been very succor;sful in at leo.st getting c:(,o1'1ds of people to attend and one lady came and I don It ImoH whether thlhs C8.n go in the bool( 01' not, and one Indy cmue. She had tNo things. 8he had I'Jho.i; uh the old folks called a corslet and it '-/letS vcry t.ight D.11d thon. she had som.0 sb.oGa tb.D:t d:Ld.Yl ttl c08t vo:ey In:u.eh m1d they 1'10re pinching hep foot. ['lhe \'!8.nted to r';o home. duh You. have H gl'1{-)D.t numbe:p or :pllophctn in tl1.0 I~i.:.1?J:.~ D.Yld. tb.is HLl.nistor tried to covel' every onc of them. And ,-,hilo he \'W.il 'bnlking she l'Uti) tllisting and tr;fing t'o make hep feet comfot''I:;n,ble and he talked about Amos and Hosea and' Nicha Ilnd Nahum and HabD.kkuk D,nd finally he came to Zechariah I"hioh Vrafl the laflt of the prophets and he said, "I have one more, I1hat can I do ~dth this one'! This is Zechariah. II 'rhe old lady had gotten her lip full oi' flllUff and trying to got comfortable nnd she snid,IIRevorm,\d., you can give him nw feet, ICD.USO I got to go. II (put tongue in lip to simulate snuff-stuffed lip flound.) John and His Freedom (1 L~.3) This one came during the period of slavery. vlhen this old oolored brothor had,up, been a very faithful servant. Cio muoh so tb,at 11':;.13 nw,wcer reserved the right since he ol'mod him to reiJj,P0 h:Lm. I usually tell tihis Hhen 1 1m coming to the end of a conferenco yenr to nl'y congregation. And, uh, the 13(MSman said, 1I'1'ell me, John, I 1m going to petiro you.. You .iust stay o.:r:ou.nd the house, oat and slee:!!. '1'he only th:i.ng you have to do ifl feod the mule. Don I t rop.... get to feed the mule, John. " The mcu~tel> ",ent m"ay, flto.yed 'Gt1O dD~'Ts, 081rle bad, B.nd Hlwn he Bal', Jobn,he B~dd, ".John, did you feed the mule'!" He flldd, "I deolare (pops fingerB)I forgot to feed. the mule." He (13osflwm) fluid, "~rell,.Tohn don' t fQl'got th.e mule, to foed the mule tho.tlsthe on1:y ,job you have. You'l'e legally fpe(1. Tho:c I 13 the only ;lob you lwvf). II '1'he 130ss I-Jent UI'TIJ.y and stlx,yed o.nother day and ,Tohn. forgot to feed the mule and tho BORfl said, "Hell, ,John, since you i:5 insist on forgettin l to foed the mulo, and since I cD:nlt talco you back into slavery,youlJ.l havo to go, II So he paoked Jolm UP and the',r hitohod up tho '1'1agcm., And got rondy to take ,John to tho wl:;atJ.on. And "Then they cmllo out .John '1'THS on one sido and the BOSil on tho othor and the BOilS Has cry:hl.g, And John said, IINr, ]?rank, 1'T]:1O.SS mattol' vii th d lyoU'?" He f1Uid, Itt-fell, :t t 1n ;jus t; so nn.d t.hat He t re gone sepaX1El.te I; II tJohn Baid, u\,.Jhep0 is you goirl t ,Hr. F'rD.nk'? II He said, HI 'ra not gain I n.:o.y'-Jhol"'e, but you DX'0 goir.l.g" 11 He SD.id, "Boss,if you ainlt g1,finno no whoro 'I:;llero ainlt nobody gODna SOpal'll te I cos I ain It gvr:tnne no 1"hope," "peoplo Will Tllk l ' (recited by Ilrs, Holman) You ma;r get through the 1vopld, but t 1'I'rJ.ll be veP,r sloH If you l:!.ston Ilt all that you hear as you go, li'or moddlesome tonguo ''''lUSt have somethin[~ to do, And poople.,Till talk, If quiot and modest youlpe all IlssulHed Your humble positlon is flS81JXaed You Ire a Ho1f in sh.ee}) I,') clothing or elso you Ire a fool, But,mind your' Olvn bu.siJ.I.O:Js for poop10 Hil tD,ll" If thrOD.d.b~;l,:tte 'yOU1'" dJ:less and. old :l'ashoin yOUl" hat Someone \'Till s111'01',1 tl'l.ko n.otioe of thD. j; And. hib pD.chop st:eong I;hn.t you can I;; pay your "ay, But mJ.nd. Y'011I' oym buniness vlhn.tevGP tJ:H.J'y nay, It10r poor>le 'Hill tnll{(I If youP dross is in fIJ,Bbi6n don!t think you'vo oBcnped You 1"0 o)load oJ' yaup moan:> anO y'oup debt is unpo.id. 'P-.'IIv',mJ.~ncl yoUP 01'111. ,DU.SJ.noss ,',"nD..-covor' Jclney say, For pooplo Nill talk. Vfhon poople ko(~p your nDxae in a slam Say 0.11 k:i.Jlds 0-'.' things that; you krl.oH HJ:'E) untx~ue. Don I t 11OX'X'Y n.nd fret and wonder "rho stD.J~ted tho slmn, Just hold up y'O'ur head 8,nd 8ay, "I don't give a b8Jll," PoX' people 11ill to.1k. Hope Tales ( J 1)1110 fl A. Ho1mun) J'ohn and the Ai:<:>plane (19.3) 'j~hi8 is anothep, one of the folktHles thHt COli10 nfteX' the \,!pight bX'others had given us the [1.:i.:t'plane. And,uh, the Boss had bOPl'{)\'led one. He had leo.:c>ned, to fly o.nd. had poceived pilot license. He flew over hi8 plo.nto:l;ion and one day he !J.8ked one of hi8 8erovant8 1,ho HaS named. Jmno8,inciden:t;ly,"l'lould you, lilce to take n :t'1de ,~ith me'I" He 8aid,lINo 8iX', BMlS I certo.:i.nl',,! \'Ton 't, II He 88.:1.d,IIHell, you go to chupch clon 1 t you have faith :tn God'I" 118ay, yo 0.11., blJ.t 1:Jhat; -eb.at got to do ,:lith it', II "Sny,vJOll, you can't die unt:tl YOUI' time comes. II H" snid, "I koovr thnt Boss, but VI,h:tlo wo ',ro up tho:t'e in tJ:wt plane and :To1.1r time may como ancl I have to go along "d.th ;y'ou for tho :<:>ide." l'irs,Yandle:Thatls pretty cute, Sl'dmology (207) This same f81uily vTaS down by a creek one day and the Boss said, "dub, I,et I s get in this ship and go across, II He got in and the Boss had read a fel'1 baal,s and Jmues hadnlt read any, So he began to exploit JflJlles vii th his l'eeEmtly acquired in:Cormation, He fw.id, II Jnllle 13 ,do you knol'1 an;)rthing nbout thoology? II "H..e ~n aJ~'u"., II..rlah liDo you ImOl'1 anything lJ,bout senology?" "N0.11. sir, II IIell, .il.wt about that time they hit a t'lhirl,ah,pool,nh sink hole and the boat cnpsized, ,Tohn, began st'1irmuing and the Boss began hollc:('ing. J'ohn looked back and said, IIBoss, you kno1'J anyth. ing about S'-rimoloe;Y1 11 Boss s8,id, "No, " Ho so.id,II\Tel1,you lre in a hell of a fix, then, II SUSC'.D :.That; IS vThat he n.oeded then, Another Airplane I,ie (221) This othor on.e vTas,uh, l1:('s,Holman:~~hatls the last one,lI about,uh,flying also. l-irn. Holman: Oh, I,ord, John had. boen riding vrith Boss inLhe truclc an.d evory thuo tho truck \'1ould choke dOl-in he would, uh, toll J'ohn to get out and crank it. So hu told John, said, lI'l'omorroVl HO 1,>:'0 going over 'bo another ci ty and v'lO Ire ~oing in 'Lh.e plane, go, tl I 1'1ant you to He said, "11m not going, 11 He sa id, "Nhy you i.ork for me, you CRn It re:l'use," l,-'I0 sal'.d_, "".[Im no'c1- g01' .ng, Bocause that plane migh'l; choke dOi'n:t rmd fh'st thing you tell me '1;0 do is to get out up 'cheI'o and, .crank it, 11 Susan:Thatln gI'ent. 1'1rs, Holraan:You .hHd to put me in the beginning I didnlt knoH you. he.d. Buying H Ticket to Tnskogoe (2.32) You rOB,dy'? Thin again comes to ah,from Sisi;or queen Holmon, Actually it did. I'll's, Holman: Ai'l. And Ilho W:\S a c;X'oat unoI' of i.hat thoy call ji!cR'loy snuff, Hell, she i'Jalked up to the ticket office and sD.id to the agent, "I i-rants a ticket. "(tOl,1[~Qe in lip to simulate SOllild of snuff-filled lip) Ho said, "Vie11, i'lJ:101'e to?" "Itls none of your' business. You \-Ihite fo11,s alHays iVan:1; to get in us niggerls business," He said, "Hell, I (j'an It sell yon a ticket unless I lm,OH "Hell,you ain I t not gone !010i'l," 'Gause sho saiV that he i-Ialnlt gone sell her the ticket and she decided ::1ho Id deoeive him.' She said, "I Ira [~oing to 'fus!,egee," He mado out a tioket to Tuskegoe. And natlnally the attendents at tho station didnlt let hel' go through any u;ate I '11" , ! "" , (."v'i f\()r'" \'. \ i '1' ,,',,1 (),0d i "I 1',; /1 )' I. but Hhere the train::1 Hero c;oing to Tnskogce. So she got on the train and the tioket agent happoned to bo standing thopo as the 'train pullod. off, She vlaved, "I fooled you that time, I ain It gvdnne to 'l'uskegee, 1 1m gvdnne to NevT Yok," Buying a Tioket to J:i:lephant,Ncl\v York U'$O) I think this is poally the ono tho me.n,uh,my Hifo had in mind. This "TD,8 buying a ticket, too. And he asked her Hher'e 'to 8he se,id she vmnted. a ticket to J:i:lephant, NeVI York. He naid, "Itn I t no sueb. placo as that," She said, "I Immv thero is,my boy up thoro, He vlro'!;o,me, \vrit me a 10tto1' from theX'e, I got it right he1'e (fingers paper to give nound. of lettor, Tongue in lip to give i111)):('essian of smlff~filled lip), ['I0 sD..~d , "l'J.0 IJ.. , mny I see tt"l lt son said.,1t Ho nlJ.id, "I'Jell, let, .just let me seo the envolope, Then ;Just see "Ihero it I s post ma1'ked fX'om," She roluctontly handed him the onvelepe, And he said, "YOUI' son ;i.s not 1n Elophant"New Y01'k, Helf! :tn BlJ.ffalo,Noiv York," Sho 8aid, "VIoll, I Ime\'T it Has some of them big animals," The.- IUW'ye:i:' 14rs'. Holm.an:: Oh, yeah, That I [1 ono. And the Nog1'o vms .iust out from fr>eed011l and he didn I t havo anything, His family was hungr'y and he staled a hoe;, Killed a b.og and. hung him up in a improvifled. smoke-house. An.d thoy 1'ino.ll:,1' truclwd. .him dOlvn and arrested and soynehOl'i he got fx'ee on bond and v10nt to tJ. Imiyor who had boon u f':c>:1.ond of his Boss, And tho Imlyor flaid, ""loll, you'll have to toll mo I"hat you did, NOVi I'll have to knOl-i. Did :'lOll stoal tho hog'I" He sai.d,"Yos sir,I stole it." "\<There ifl it 'I " "DoHn. there in my smoko-h.ouso; the one I built." "\ve11, I toll you vihat you do. You bring mo 8. hOXll and a shoulder 8.n.d I'll git you 1'1>00, 1I And so this, uh, Negro car:v:1.ed him the hUll! and the shoulde1> and 11.0 took the ham and carried it and gavo j.t to tho judge, 'rho 1mlyor did. But he didn't tell him it 1-Tl.J.S 8.rt 0:1.' a stolen hog. He ;lust told him he I d Jdlled some hogs the ot11.er day and 11.0 vlanted to 1>ernomber him. 'rho ;iudgo likod it 0:1.' oourso and sont it homo. The next day when they C8JUe to trial tho laVlye1> viho v!aS ploading for tho Nogro said, ",Judge, Your Honor, I ImOH nnd tho I,QJ~d Imovrs this Nogro hadn't got o. bit more of that 11.0g "l;].lan you ho.vo." '1'11.0 ;iudge, "You're fI'oe,then," HI'.Y8.ncJ.1e:Boy,i;hat; H8.S 8. sma.rt lavryer,118.'n't 11.0'1 jijrs. Y8.n.dle : no got hint froe I Susan: Ho X'eally viaS! Virs. Holman: ltD' t thut ~lOmethin' 'I The Ugly Negro (288) Nov) this one, ).101'1 \-Jait; 8. )l1in.1.1to,Yo\1.'ll Want ho8.p this on.e, Uh, cut it off fop 8. minuto. I ~<1unj; I'fait a second. ~.'his story 1'7 of,ah,t1rTO siste:('fj Hho had beon,sort ah,oconomios,lly lluccossfu1 Hnd,uh,had. a homo mId a nioo co,r and. they had. tHO brothors that, iJI1, Hore sorta riotou.s Houldn' t savo any'orting. And. on one fouxth of ,Tu1~t thoy bogCsod,uh, tho broth.ops bogp;ed th.o flirlteX's to let thorn have the CHI', They pelucto.ntly decided thnt they could hnvo the cap Hnd thoy \'Ient I'lLdin , but they n1no 1-ranted somo money,but tho sisters "lou1dn't givo 'em e.ny money 'cause they said that, \th, they miglrG buy somo Hhiskey and get d:runk [md tear up t;ho car. Bu.t, they still Hantod Home mono;)r so going d,otAr.a tho poad, thf)y flat'l a little black shoat. A shoat is a pig. And thoy bein(3 o:o"uh, roared on a fHI'm 1m.oH hoN to catch :ldm. 1'hey caught him by hil, hind legs and put him in tho soat \dthin 'em. Ho ho.dn' '0 beon used to I'idin' and ho cHdn' '0 "rant a rido and he 1-1011ldn't sta:y still and it made the ono Hho HO.S driv:i.ng sorto. get 'oross the oont01' 0:[' tho road. And,uh, 'Ghe eons flml 'om and pulled i em do,m, and he asked the one undo:r the \1heel, "lllli.at I s youP nmno'," Said, "Hy name's IlpHnk." IIWhore's YOUI' driver's licenfle '! II IIUeI'e they o.pe. 1I Askod the boy on the otho1' side, "\'Ihat 's your nmne', II ":lIen1'y. II He oj.du. t t; ask h:tl.n fo:~ arry drive:c t 8 license t oO:\),SO he He.' n' t dr1vin , But by tho.t time thoy had, u:l" liftod tho little S110%1"1:; up :l.n the ro.icldle and lJut n hat Oll h:i.s b.en.cl. And the cop looked at hili! and said, "\VhHt' S yoUI' namo'?" Natt11'1 tho shoat didn. t t say unythinc~. So tll.o cop sarta !lunchod h'im I'll th h1$ club and the shoat sHid, "Un. II .I\.nd. the one lJJ1.de:p tho 3110(;-)1 SUi,IIHi8 no.mo is Une \'J:i.ll:Lams, Bonn. Say he I S lW.rd of heEl.rin'. II So ,uh,he cautioned the one under the 11heel ano,uh, told him to stay on the right; Dide and. dlen thoy let them go. rrho pe:[;roClman Hent one direotion tho boy 11ent the other. There ~,rere '[;1'10 patrolmen incidently in the OUr'. And one said to the oth0j~ o:oe, IISay 'you knoH one thing loan I t get those Hegros off my mind ~ve passed there ,just a minute ago He stopped. Say that li.ttle Uno 11illimas ,he IS e.bout as ugl;; a l';egro as live ever seen in my life. Say,he looked ,ju.st like a hog didn't heytt iINJ.Yandle: 011. me I Herels one at leant. Sus an: Yeel>.,. :f<lr. Yandle: Come on B:('ucie. Uh,I would like a glass of cold water,pleRne. Susan:You surely may hOlT e it. BI'l1;cie: The ta!.Je is rt.mning Sus an: 'rhe:[; I 13 okay. Nrs.Yandle:Look in the lfrigerator for the Mrn.Holman:Hait a minuto, Cut :Lt off. vle I :('e no'[; hol(J.in.'. John,Feeling Overlmrked (291)) 1'le have a Hegro ,lho thought he'd been sor:Lously ovepworkcd. And,uh,he didrJ1t have any other out,but to dodgo the Boss. And so he told tho Boss the.t rrwrning he vTas gone P~_OH tho corn in the botttom land. Boss flaid, "All righi;." And he vlent dOIoJ:Cl thoro and Wun sittin I on a log and the mule 1'ms grazing. And. John bogD.n tol1dng to himsolf Ivhioh is one ai' the Negro's hobbies someti.mes \1hen he's gottin 1 mray vlith somethin'. He so.id, "0 1 Boss thin.k I'm vlOr1dn' but I ain't. Ho thinks 1 1m 110rkin',but I ainlt/' ,To1T0. jest Jeep' on sayin 1, "he thinks 1 1m Harkin I, but lain.' t, " \'lel1, the Boss Stl.VI the mule grazing and Vlonderod hoVl Has ,Tohn plm-ling vrith.out the mule. And the BosfJ VTall,od do\m thel'o and,uh, tipped up on John. He heard John before John sav,y him. "He thin!, 1 1m vrorJdnl,but I a:Ln lt." The BouD turoned aroound and vlont on back to the house and of course he paid John every , afternoCln v,hen he finished. And Jolm vlont in, tool, the mule out and fed h:Lrn and put him \,l.p, And 11ent in and looked for' the Boss to I~.ive him tho envelope. 'rho Boss say, "You think I'm gone pay ya but I ain l t' You think I'm gono pay ya, but I al:ct t t. 1l )llrs.Holmrm:Turn it off'. 'rho !1aid and tho Sophisticated Lu.dy (JI!.9) Thore VlHS 8. maid e.nd this lady '~1ns,uh, muat 11.ave been somebody LUw 11aggie in tho story 1'le.ggio nnd ,Tiggs, 1'00.1 sophisticatod. And, shet01d her'maid, "I don't wmt to hnvo to do 0. lot of' scroe.ming to 'Y'ou vrhen,uh, my guests como in, \~hon I como around nJ1(), bock to you I just Im.nt you to como to my sido right o.t on(w. jli11 you do that'i" She said,"I don't kno\, Imn. I donlt kno'\1 le:if1. -Co how mD.ll'y-c:Lmes you becl{." t CO:<'din t She SU.J' .d, 1I.I'J0".LJ., IIm gonnn boc {levetry"'J.me[. noe0. yo. '-/.hon my guento. here. 8he said, 111,~hen you beck and if I shako my t.\oad tha-c means I a1n It com1n I, I caU8e 1 1m t;ired," SU8an:That l good, Mrs,Holman:Cut it off, You 8ay you can ,~ait a minute I fa you put it on, Susan: Oh. 'rhe Pleasant Feel:i.ng(366) Th18 8tory of a Negro NetI'lod1st prayer meeting and the people V1ere all telling "hat the I,Ol'd had done for I em. One by one lJheyleJ. git up and 8aiel, "I thank the Lord for ble8sing my nouL He fed me Hhen I Has hungry, clothed .me vThen I Vias naked. It 'l'to.at I s the lingo. Then finally one old lady got up. She Id boon sitting a long timo, And sho said, "Dull., I I d just v18.n'[, a toll ya III my pleasant feeling, (Illy present feeling sho moant, ) The Lord has boen good t;o me, Hep mo raise 0..1.1 my ohillin, Ho fed me "Thon I Vias hungry, olothed me Hhen I Has naked,1tlOke me up ev1ry mOl'nin' , stnrted me out on my dayls journey and I've boon on this road a long time e.nd the IJRL<Td beon 80 good to mo, been my doc t;OJ~, been my medio ine, and yo. III think 1 1m gonna t;u."rn baok nO\'(1 Hell nrn'T I " l1emembranco's (3elll.) (Christine \'!hHohead) The Niracle Nrs. Yandle: ']'hat 's right. Christine:Yes,mam. You ready'! Susan: Yeah, go ahead. Just tell about ymw brother, Christine:viell,Illl tell o.bout the plates this time first,'bhen I'll Susan:Okny. Uh, when ,'Ie Has conlin' up "Te didn It hnve H18.ny dishe s you knm'l as I can tell to eat out of. vie,ah, and my mother 80me Hb.:tte people or another gave he.r a 8et of di8her3 and sho hnd n 80mebody had done give her 9. siodboard,.le called it. And so,v.h, sho told us,"Don't yalll ever touch those dishes. Say donlt care Hllat COille up, say don 1 t touch those dL9hos. Bnt ,you lmo.1 hOH ch:Udrons is. I d.ocided that I Hartt to oat out, you kno1rl some or thom. good clishol3. So I 1'Iont there and I got do. pInte out do. sidoboard, poured. m' some sy:('Up and fixed. mt can b:o:>ead and ate tho. So ",hen I got ready to .msh the plate, the plate 81:i.pped. out a my hand and. it brolw. And you, ,'TO ln10H people say the 1,01'(1. don't helH' children's prayer. And, but I got out tho1:'e in that ya1:'d. nnd I told tho L01'd nnd I 1:'ea11y :r.neant 1t. I got on Hl','{ knee8. I seen J"lu.nnna [Sit on her kneos. So 'l;l:18."lJ' s Vll.W.t; I told the Lord.,.I 88.3..CJ , "IJore1. if thr01>J thnt plate d.o1rln here Gay 1 111 catch it,I say 'causo !'.1o.r'llila gono kill r'le, II And., so roally I prayed and I cried ,1ont 'bout 0.11 that duy. And. 11he cHdn' t como home t 'Gil night. And so tha' ,'laS a roonter 1tTafl y01). 10.101'1 ,'lilS "Ie had a tamo roo8ter an~j he fle", up on the sideboo.rd as the LoX'd vlould have it, Just as Me.nnna \-/8.S vlalJdn I in tIle do I and he broke tl~O oX' three of thom plates, \'/e don I t knO\~ hovi nW.ny there vias broke, \-/ell you see along vlith them platen flhe thought you kno\~ until I got grmm enough to toll hoI' that 1 br>oke :L t, she thought. that rooster you lenovi broke 'I;hat plato, But, really I viaS on my knees praying,orying, I had Iny h8.nds up and ev I ry time I 10. got tirod, I I 0. como in tho houso and thon I' 0. go back out there and I 10. cry and. I Id pT'ay ago.in. 'r -d ilL 0. t l - II 0-_ sa).., or, .lUS ~ ne:o:; 1. til I said, "jije:mma say you.lel sen.d anything Hold ast fer, II And I saiel, "II, gono o.st you for this," I said, "Pleaso send that plato," And I really meant tlw.t and Hhon tll!J.t plate didnlt con1.e dovJn, but tho Lord fixed anot;her Hay you Imo\~ for it to happen, ]I):('s, Yandle :\'le11., <1hriutine, theit I u good., And thil.l particllar sad time my,ah, stepbl.>other 8.nd me,they, Uhf My stopdaddy luade ,uh,trough -y-ou krlO':l a vlo11,uh, ho called it jus I a reD.l tI'oup;h that' s I~hat he ufled to call it for the childI'ons to ent out of, And so Vie vms tho mnallorl'!; onos and so he rande ono b:1 g onough, long onough .lor us '1;0 ont out; of, And so,ah,vro took HO took out l:ll;tlo tI'ough and ge'e out li.ttlo 1'ood you knoH \-Ihat ovep Ho have, And'so thi8 pal'ti6 11ap da;/ 1'10 had somo t~unnup groene>, And we took 'ehe pot liquor i'l'om the tunnup gpoons and then Nrunma and. thom poul'od it ovep tho uh., broad, And ahe (loupod it on tho bpoad e.n.d whon nhe did that and Ghe,uh, put us a piecH 01' moat, '.Chat'!) Vlhat HO callecL,it* a piece ai' meat,a pioce, on top,uh,that. But,you knovr I-Ie Horon't 'posod to oat the moat until \-ro got through enting, you knot'l our, huttorm:Uk and cox'n bpoo.d/ Bu1;, I \'IHS gX'cedy, I pOHchcd ovep thoro Hnd gpllbbod and, ull, got 1iline and ato it up, AXld you know thon I \'lonld oat my pot liquor and cox'n brend, So my brothoX' he \-Ias oatin t his find f).ll along, And so I bout 'that time I ha.d done got through and no he HB.8 almost ~hrough and he 1-10.11 fixin I to got his moat, So I roach ovor thcX'o QIld grab his moat you lmot-l gono oat up hi:; moat, And lien:\:; to put it in my montI, f).nd I-Ihon I did ho locked m.y hoad up Hgains'\:; tho SC:('OOD do I, And tho pleeco Ifhero, uh tho placo Hhope tho screon hit my face is pight thopo nO~J,hi:; 1'00.1 you ImOlf rocoYlunond, I ~Ias tollin' dO~1ll tho:l:'e /J. t the doctor I s office the otho:l:' day, I told him that I S llho.t' s tho Ylw.ttor w1th m' face, S'L1.$8.n: rj~ha ti t S "lh8.iJ f S 1-Yrong 'l;Jith you .... Christino: '.I'horo I ,1 a big Scar", H:('s ,Yandle: Thoro I G a acar on 'your faco, Christino: On my face 'chore, ,just on account of that butto:r.milk and oo:('n broad, SU:lD.n:You just I'lm tod that moat, Chroistino:Yoah,I l'Janted that meat, SuSan:Did. you ever hn.vo any,um,let'fJ see, .. }1rs. Yandlo: '.l'hD.t \'TIMl good, Christine. SU8o.n:Y'eo.h,that ~TaS, Any of those,uh, lion, You ImoVi Ii],o I aid. l'ib:ile a(so, '.ehe '(;9.11-ta1es, The Rabbit and the CO\'I ()!J!.O) Uh,lbout,uh, I x'emolllbor this one lias told about 8. cOH.and, uh, do i'rog, do er, 'you 101.01'1 do rabbit ',)'ou knOl'r ho ahmYfl havo bean the slne.pte st, And so him and, uh, dis, ub., de l'abbi t cUld, uh, Bror Habbit and Brother Lion, I think thoy went in \:;ogotb.ep 10 that time. So they \'Iere gone have beof, you ImoTtl tho Habbit and Brer JJion either one dt dl1 t t hsve beef much for dixmer so that 11hat they 118re gono have for dinner. And so they keoled a COl-I. And so Brothel- Lion told Brer Rabbit, "Said, I'm go'~ to go off a pieco nnd if you don't mind, say you be you ImOl-1 dress in , him ~Ihile I'm gone, be clennin t him." And so he cleant the CO\'l and flO 11hen he cleant. the COTtl he, ah '~he Brer Habbit took the cow, too]( the Ilihole COH and carried it to his house and,uJ.l., hid it. And the he come bacle and left the tD.:t1 you knoTtl sticldn I auto. the g:eound. A.nd so when he can. e bnck Mrs. Ym. cUe: ,rust go ahead, ChriEltine. And \1l1en he c03ne back you know BreI' Hr'.bbit I-ms pull:ln I on the tail and IJO Brether J,ion said, "Brother Ro.bbi t, said, I-Ihatis the matter'? II the "hole cml has ntuck in the ground and say T_ '.ve b e.en pu.).].' F. l. t on th. ~' s ',G"a.~1 ',-GX'y.~n , 'G' O get it a loone." So BX'otheX' Lion he's stX'ong you knOl-1 he \'lent there and he pulled the tail up .and. he said, "Humph, that t s all I-Ie got left df the COVI, just the tail. St'.dd, the other done sunk in the g:C'ound. " So they took it,halfin' the tat 1, you knol-I. vlith oh, that's "hat poor Bl'other :Lion ha.d you In1(J1'1 and Brother Ho.bbit had the vlhole C011. And Ho,uh,BX'other, Brothor Lion '~ook and Vlent to Brother Rabbit I s house that evenin t you knovl he \'Ial ted to borro" some pepper to go or.1 his part of the tail, that's all he had, '~he tail. ~lo he got there, Bl"er Habbit Has sittin I in the corner. He cUJln't even see Brer Lion comin'. ~.n a s:Lng"oong voiciJ] "BJ:'othGI' I,ion oat tho cou, BJ:'othBI' Hnbb:i.t O(l.t the COVl and Bro~thor Ilion eat the tail .. Piroth<)I' Lion eat tho C01'l and B:ro'l;hor Rabbit eat tho tail." Ho said j.t all and about thal; time B:rothor 1,10n hea:rd B:rothor . Habbit, ~10 Brothol' Lion took Brothor Rabbit you knoVl. And he took him up and 11.0 flaid, "I'lhat must I do I'dth you nov/'? Said, I bolieve 1 111 cri..l; ;you:r earfl off,lI Eo flaid, "No, flaid don I t cut my ears off. Sa;\" if you cnt my eax's off,sH.y,"tiho.t ' 11 bo,suits me ,jUJ3t :pight,Dn:y I just "Tnut you "bo d.o dD.tJ. Sn.y,ploB.f10 cut HfY eop s o:1.':C. 11 Said,!!Hq.1~,SI;t;v'I believe I set you afiro." Say, I been 1V1Xl. tin I to be bUJ:'nod up, a long timo o(o)'j," M.d flO the Lion 11a1d, "1'leLL, I Jmm'l Hhat 1 1m gone do, 1 1m gono thrOlf you ovo:rinto the bl'iar patch." An.d ho th:rov10<J him ovo:r into tho b:da:r putch. B:rothex' Habbit "Iont off lau.[';h:i.n', Sa:y', I 'Xtf glad YO'll thI'QvJ8d me ovor tho:~e t cau so t.ha t t 3 n1.'l homB. And he 1'letlt: n:round tho hourl0 and stopped on a pin And that' fl tho W1Y my stOl~y en.dfl, SUflD.:n:])O you. Imbw o.ny othoX' onos,Cb:riflt:i.:ne'! Supolntit:i.onfl (L\.78) Ab.,bD.ok thoro,they d:i.dn'.l;,ah,they Has,uh, bnd. luck :U.ko if IJ. pe:r.'Jon "18.S te clio in a room an.d you lmoH he Has dyin I you ]{DOvl }looplo uBed [;0 clio n day or' tHO the;v c1:Ldn f.I; dio 1:U{0 U.1oy do do nOl'I. 'rhe doctorcJ give you a shot noV! they sea you die, they gets you on out the vlEJ,:,!. But;, they to. put a sheet a'" somethin t over the mirror. You len 0"1 ths,t .'/as bad luck. Let a pe:('son die in v. room vii th tho mirrors uncovered. ~lrs.Ysndle: All, I neVe1" heard the.t one. You knovi places in the room li!co that you ]moVf, You !moH ~lll that vias bad luck. They' 0. cn11 it. Nrs. Yandle: Cover up the mirror if people 1o[e1"e dyin t Yes ,mor,l. Cover up 'the mirror people dyin I like thnt, Mrs.Yandle:And what Has the oth81' a,buut takin t out ashes'? Then, you knovi Hamma dion ' t allo1'J us to take ashes out 'the fireplace after night, She said that \'Ias bad luck. Takin' eggs out the nest. You knoH like the hen out l1.en nest at night, That VIas bad luck and a chicken come in the house and crovled, Somebody's gone die, N:('s. Yrill.dle:All, those are good. And if a, then if all, like if,ah,like a pers6n would be goin l to a fun'rl and t;he wagon,You lmoH they usod to carry 'em to a funer'al in a \-lagon, They didntt,\-Ie didnl'b,~ didn ' t,1 think the vlhite people had a heaese, but \-Ie didn I,t, Vie used to carry Iem to in a vlagon 'i;o the y'ou lenow to buX'y Iem. You 1010"1 that \W,gon you kno"l the lUuloyou know get sicle oX' either' the \-lagon get broke do"Jl1. oX' somein ' , Somebody'fj gone cUe in oIlotheX' week, And if it rainod you \lh.i.l0 you Has buryin 1 somebody, somebody \HUJ gone cUe, And, uh, yle had u lot of dif 1x'ent thingil. And ilO I Hail, my stopdaddy URod to tell me thut his a.nddy marI'ied you lmoH ,;ithout the papers. He jest, they jest step bacl{j~nrdil. You catch hold tho hand and both of you ;)Uilt step baclnlflrdn over the broom and you, you knO\~ declaI'od a married couple, then. HI's. Yandlo :'J.'hat 1 s good, GhrintJ.ne. And so" .. " Susan,: .>Jas that durin' slavery timefl'i Yes'm that HO.fl ymy back. ~rhis lms 1-lhen my step daddy use to tell tJha'c.". Sus au: 1.'J.11.e:o yaup grandfp..ther- Has " Y'es,mmu. He l'Jould. have been a slave. And so,ah,he,ull., \'i'vuld tell thi fl. Said that, uh, when the you leno1-1 J:rlawi;or 1'lould cook you kilO'" like that they would ,ah, they Hould give thorn l'Jhut they oook. You ImolJ l:iJce SOlUO greens or somo:Ln I ljJeo tltat. Uh,they,Id be flO proud of it until th.ey'd talco thom green~3 and put 10m. Up. You In10Vl NO used. 'CO vlould:r-J.ltJ eat nothin t thD.t HaG sour. But,my ntepda.cldy fluid he Id be so glad to ,got nome tha~ ho YJould put it up. You ImOlJ save it and oat 8. lit i;le bi t '~hen tOY,10rrOYJ he 10. eat :30mo mo I. And said ilOYaotimo that \'lOu1d be no nou:e you !moH and flai.d ho oulled that "drunkon 1-lh.inkoy." He said, "Say, let me go o.OHH hope and get some J1l0X'O of my Hhiskoy. And helcJ. you know drink tho.t pot liquor. You know it i'JOu1d still be SOUP, you kno1'J tho.t you JU10N tho rood you lmoYJ 1'Jhu I. You soechoy dian. 1t got o.s muoh an 1'10 ["ot o.nd so HO cJ.idn I t got o.fl 1l1uoh 0.f3 ','10. 111 ,c;ot. Bnt, thoy d:i.dn' t got 0.13 muoh 0.[J l~e c;ot. You kn01'/ oomin I uP. And ah, he oould Jm01'l toll us a lot a sad thin(1;n you knoel l:lIw ,[;ha'c vil.lat roally did ho.:ppen. r,ooldng Up Old N:LGsis' Dress (523) And this little funn;y ono nO,-I, NOH you better let me tell you this nnd 1300 if do you Hant to put this on your Susan and !'lrs. Yo.nd1e:Ho, just go ahead. l~ecord. Nrs,Yandle:Just go ahoo.d regarcnoBs of,pegarcnoss of \-That the Nords are .. Now ,.hat I mean 113 it's gone be somethLn'. 1'101'1 reckon it III be alright In yaup, in J~ur school, Hhat 1 1m talJdn I about'? Susan :Yeah. ':!ell,mTI,Illl tell this. JI[Y stepdaddy use to tell it. lIe said that, ah, some mens you knoH ..Iero in the fields "lOrldn l , And so,uh, the other one said, the othor told tho ,other one so.id, tlyou In'lo,-I ,-Ihat; I poeped up ole J1:tssd.fJ dress." it," ,S. 'a],'. d 1.J.e sa'ld., ").')1' d"_ Say, I 1m gono in there and peep up on So Hissis in tho kitchon coold.n', lIo ..lent thox'o clJ.ught on to 1'10X' dpoGS you knoH and tried to peep up lmcleX' it. J11ssis told ole Master, So old M8.steJ7 neX' 'bout killed lim. Said he said, Hen>c to his other buddy, said, "I though:!; you said ;'TOU peeped. up old. Hissis I dreGs'/'1 8aid.,tlI oJ.d, ~r.he dX'es8 HIJ.8 hangin l on 'l;he clothes liU<1, boy. 8ay, you. didn I t :know no better'/" Stealing a V!ater-melon (53L!.) You kno1'1 my cousin M,d me,uh,my cousin lmd"uh,vJell,ho,l,h you kno\'1 the o'0hO:l7 ch:tl1rens can ;just make .'rClU do thine;8 you '(o)ou'nlt do. Gourse I aint-[; gone say I put it on him I guess I Has plenty of it,too. But really, I didnlt knoVl hOH to do things lilee that. But ho,and so my mamma, they had,uh, 1,mte:C'Jnelon, one of them gX'ent big specinl HaterJnelons that she had max'kod. And she told us said, "Don I t y, o. III bothor that lvate:C'melon. -~~ Say' yalll can get eithor one you Hant to, but don't bother that one. S' al.d. He I re gone n' ave company for D. day Crou ImoH He ahw.ys saved tllO beDt for that COIf1Pjipp)." And. so it Has a big one and everything. And so my brother, my cousin told me said, "\1hy donlt l'le go and get tha:l; lvatermelon thore~ Let IS got that ono. 1I See 1're could got an~T one He Nant, but Vie "rantod that ono, the one she b.ad mal'!t0d. So l'le got tho Natermelon and it Vlal1 so big that He conldll 1 t eat it. He ,just built it open D.nd ,just cD.r:d,ed the othep and th.t'OHeel over in the you Imol'l in the bushes, and ,just ate part of tho hoart. The heart VIas so big VIe could:n l t even eat that-- ,jus t l'lasted it. So I got scared and I Nent to cryin'. I told Gloo,I said, liNON 1'Ihon He get home. II I said, "Mmnma gono get us. 1I And she, and he said, "Nmv she won It. Saiel let IS tell her that Niss Garrie (you lenovl Has a Hhite lady th8.t Hould go around. you 1',;'.01'1 in people I s watermelon patch [),nd you kn01v, all., she 1'TaS re8l old. 3he didn It knoVi no better. And she l'muld go around and pull corn and go and anything she' Nanted sheld get it. And so Namma and. then ;just Ime1'l that she "lou.1d do :It. ~" And so 1'10 r;ot home. So I vias tho first that told it. 1 said, "Hml1ma. II I said,"t,nDS Garrie done wmt out there and stole your best; Hutel"XIlelon. II First thing NDlilma done you kn01'J \Vas to put hor hand ,heo.X't,You kn01'l right lilm this [~uts hand ove)~ hea'C"IJ, I oan ,just Dee heX' n01'I. And aftor a \vhilo she sit 'Ghel'e she s:L'G 'Ghope she studied. Sho sfdd, "Hell, 'Ghis one time I'm gone toll Mp. Bpo'\"!n and them that just to 'Gell her donl'G go in my l'JfJ.termolon patch no more. I'm goin l up there and 1 1m gone tell them folks somoin l today." So she took her a.pron she had on an apron. Sho 'Gook 'Gho bindin I. the hem part 0:(' it and tuck it in tho b:Lndin I You knO\1 thoy had apron 'Gied liko this. rr-uck that in tho bindin I (Slc)monstrates \'lith Ol'ill apror,iJ She .-ront on up tho road. She said to hersolf Hhen sho got up thero ne' l' I bout to Hr. Brm11'l and thom I s houso that somethin I told 'Go go to '1atel'molon patch and look so that she could ju.~t mako just supe that thore Nas her trD.clw. She got to the "latermelon patch and Horen' t nobody t:C'8.cks thero but ours, me and Cleo. And so sho neVel' did get to tho 1'1hito folks' house. She come back. And she set us o.fire. She ",hipped 0."11,ile, she talked 8.\1hi10, she cried D.1'lhile. She seJ.d, "No"1 lot mo 'I;ell you some'chin I. I'm tel1in I you some- :I.n I tl:.W.t gono last you up the road, I'my up the road. Say vlhen I bo doad and gone 0" She said, "NOI1 I done \1hip you nOI-/ about tollin l a lie." Said,"No'\"! 1 1m gone Whop you for stealin l ." So she vlhopped 'us 'bout stealin I. Then, she stopped I-fhippin' us then, then she set dOl-ill and she talked some mo'. She said, "NOH, said, I 'm gone Nhip you '-'.bout lyin I on other people. SS.id,donlt you 1movJ you sta.y close to a neighbor like that said you tell l:Les on; 'em, Said thoy' alvlays Nnn'l; you to move. And said, they" 11 bo right I'eady o.hlO.Ys riU;ht ,'eads- for you to move. Said, they'd be ready to mo.ke you move." And thon she .'rhippod us for this and then she said, She gfl..ve us about eight d:i.:r::repont vrhippin I s that samo day, oxplaining "Ihat sho "TaS Hhippin l lW for. And the laflt time she said, "I'ra 1'lhippinl you for this." She said, "Some day you gone be \'lorki\1' :i.n some \'Ihlte people's home. II And said," some'0hin' coul..<1 'COlllO up.. II Sed-d,"They might lee.ve D.ll thelr 'brust in your hands. Somebody else could come in thel'e and steal that or steal sOlnethirl.', but if you go HPound bearin f the DD.m:e of a rogu0. SaY,they're gone put it on you. II And she said,"I'm gon0 stroaightin" you out right nOH. II And so she vJ:hipped me so until my Btepdaddy you Im.oN mean as he Has he did take pity and pUlled me out of her lap. Christine Varnadoe Truth and I,ie Go SHimming (591) I went to church, I Hent to a Seven Day Adventis' Ghur-ch. And so th:l.s,ah,prencher he Has toJ.lin 1 thJ.s he:ro, t~his stoPYe Said, Lie and de Truth "Ient sH:i.mmin'. And say, Lie told. '.rruth say, "A1l'ight Tl'uth.,say ;jmu ~Ianna go s~IiYrll1linl'!" 'Pl'uth said, "Yeah, I v/D.:nto. go sHinlluin'. Say., ye ".h I go SI'1inllllin I " "Say al:eight let's go s1'linll'r.d.n I. " And so he, they Hent on to Sl'1immin I And I,le he got dressed. Told 'rru.th say, "l:"ll teLL you ,rJ::w.t :la do. Say, nOl'T ~TO III put OUl' clothes tIght ovcp' hope and, ah,put on our bathin I su.it and, Sfl.:Ld., then. \'10 t)?G gono SHim. II Anel said Truth. s:eld, "Alpight. " "Say I III toll ~rhat to do. "Say, alright. " Say lim gone put on mine first.!' Truth stood up thm.'c and ~lO.it 'til hcD,iVput on his bathin I suit. Said afteI' attePHhi.Le lie LId!] ah, he ;j'mnped of the boat and hc;.llpped ovep in the \mtcr. And. h.e went '(;0 stvlmmin I. Hay attopwhile Truth he Iclded he I II tLl.l,e off his clothes. He looked out tl.1.0pe. He [1ii] just out tho po. He just aEll'Timm:ln I , just aSHimmin I. And then Hhen he was, ah, 'J:X'1.lth Icided that he'd, ah, take off his clothes. And he Hay e.ttopwhile took his clothef! and laid. his olotho savel' d' ere. And then nttep"Thile .h e C"t:LVOC]. rl.g'nr'; CJO't'lD l't"l 'G.no "lD:C' O)7 nne1. 1:.:~~ 1'10):):G'LLoO Sl:lJ" _nmlln"I 0 then "Then he \'lent te HI'1immin l dlen he,ah, SHim 'pound,d 1ufJ And sll1m Ipound. And all J~ie waG \'IHy out the:('o and vrholl. ho ,vas "1U'Y out thel"e he s"lJuck hIs hend. up ouila tho watcp, lte soe rl1ruth "Tent I:poun 1 'the edge ;jos I 1J~I:iJmnin'. And said then he Sl:l:onued on out 'the:ee and. thon he I d evel'y' nO~T and then fJtiek hin head up outs the I'Tatep nnd he'd SHim. And Truth ke I am,r:lrnmin I 'til he got vray out there and vlhen he got ou'c there, 'chen 1,ie come righ'G back 'round 'Go 'Ghe dock, and then go'G up on the haaG, then dresGed and put on all hiG clotheG in a hurry. And then when, ah, T:C'uth pu'G on his clothes, And Lie got ~~ruth got 'Gh'ed of ::ndrmnin' and he come up. And he Gay,he say put on hiG clothos, '1'ook and put on Tru'Gh's clothes and 'I.'ruth didn't have no olothes. An:yHay Truth come up outa the water. And 'rruth turned and SD.y, "\'Ihero' G my clothes'?" Say he so.y, "You ain.t nothin I but the nat'ral trutl];lll /!his informant had told thiG stor-y to me previouGly but a car horn hacl spoilecl 'Ghe oarlier version. In this version she gO'l; confused. 'l'he crux of the te.le is that Lie puts on 'rruth IS clothes o.nd 'chen quips the punch line,] The Ghos'G (611.0) 11rs,Yand.lo: Say, you remembor hoaring you daddy, Ah, I 1'emomber heo.rin I Papa so.y, tell this here 'bout a ghoG I scare him one night. And vre was all little children, And he h8.d, ah, been oveX' to ~jtatsbo,to Oconee. And .so, ah, he had, vHW in 0. one-hoX'se Hagon o.nd it had,o.h, a has hitched to the Ho.gon. And he vrns comin' home and comin I by the cemontery, and had got up 'Gho road. o.nd. so.id Ilomothin' jumped in the, in the, in 'Ghe vragon, behind the vJV.gou. And said he cou' dn I 'G even get the has I 'Go go. Said he ,jus' X'aisod up 1'ie1'ce saying, "BEE:eee,eec,Whooo." just pt\1trin', And like 'Go scat'cd him 'Go death. !'Irs. Ymdlc:lIe never did k:novi 1'Jha'G it \ras'l He neveX' did 1m.ow what it VJaS. Cures (6 1)6) Mrs.Yandle:Clwistine,have you ever heard that about whore,ah, if children o.re playing wi th fratvgs and they[in. 0 frog~Jwee", eo on thoir hnnds '~hO children' sJlnd cause ,rarts that, run, you get the dirty dish rag and .rot it and Hash the child I shands and bury lem ~hO raJunder the door steps. And the 'I/3.rts 1vill diso.ppoar by the time tll.e dirl;y dish rag rots in the ground. Clwistino:That's right. }lrs. Yandlo : That "'o.s \'Ihat He .roro told. Susan:\Vhat waG tho ono about the mouth1 Ivlrs.Yw[lclle:AnI,uh,donlt you knm,r long timo ago that baby's that nursed the mothors somotimes thoir mouths H01J.1d break out inside ,dth 1"hat they called "thrash." Christino :'.1'hat I sright. Yes 'Ulll. Mrs. Yandle: And. 'Ihat thrash. Didn't they .msh. the baby'! s mouth \lith dirty dishrags to clean the tlwash out. Christine:Yes,mrun. That's right. JIflrs. Yandle: And 1et 's seo what. Oh, rul0ther thing 'w.s the what Has that bag yOU'd hang around the neck to keep the germs U\"uy? Asphetlltee 'I Chl'istine:Asphotatee. lilrs. Yo.ndle: Aspheto.toe bag. gverybody wore that hang:i.n' on a string all the \-lintel' long to keep o:r:r. .~o1 P.s and keep off diseases. And Hhat was some more? Christine: And thoy used to nut on f1a'l)ne1. These flannels. Mrs.Yand1e:flanne1. Christine:Red fa1nne1. 1. 14rs.Ym d1e: ro'1unnel tag Ilnd HhD.t l'Tou1d they put on that 'I '.1'D.1ler'l 8.nd Hhe.t e1se'l Christine:Ta11er and give ya hot". tJira. Yandle: Camphor and t8.11er, They I d put on 'l;here, Christino:'rhatla right, Vtrs,Yandle:And that'd cure the bad cold,cheat colda, Christine: And they vlOu1d give you haHg hoof tea, Mrs,Yandle:HaHg hoof tea,yea, Chriatine: And havig hoof tea, I1rs. Yandle: And then if your feet vlere broken out vrith kinda rash they "Iould take a hatchet and they I 0. go chop off the bark off of a red oak 'bree. Christine:Thatls Mrs, Yandle: And. boil it and make a tea, Christine: And make a tea. Firs. Yandle: And malw poultices to put around the sore feet and th8.t vlould. cure lem. Christlne:Itld curo lem, Mrs.Yandle:Yeru~, Chrlstine: And then vlhen you had fever ,bhese oomicreaston and, 13.h, they vlould taJw you unO. ;iunt "Trap you in thom by all Hide oomioroaston le13.ven, HI's. Yandle: Ah, huvI, Christine:And vlhen 'bhey Hould, nOvl my mannna did and she did th8.t before vie lived and Hhere He lived at \'Ie kept d'em all the time, JV"u's. Yan,dle : You greH those se you oou1d havo the loaves in oase a child had a fever, Chrlstine:It 1d olear D. fover. And,e.h,d 1en th:;1.t Has medioine that they used, And they vlould tsJw d I is and d 1er ra V/:r.o.p yo. up ,lith those comiopeaston Mrs,Yo.ndle:Greut pig leaves, Ghristine:Great big leavos and \1hen theyld and thoy'd rlry up on you and you kno\1 break the fevor. HrG.Yandle:Ah,lwH. And then to Gtop ,vomil;ing,ah, Vlaln1t one of the things,ah, that they \1ould peel ofr the outside bark orr of the peach tree. And then the next little bD_rk, the little tender bal'k they Ivould peel 1 t off and boil it fmd make a tea, And the child Hould dr1nk 1t and stop vomiting. Ghristine:And itld stop lem from vomitine;. Hrs.Ynndle:And Nhat Has some more'l Christlne: Alv, uh, th,em 11e Ivould, ab., Hould, ah, give us some rnbbi t tabaoo. Mrs.Yandle:Rnbbit tabaco. Christine:And take it and boil it and then if you steep it and then . l'lrs. Ya:ndle :Halr.e a tea out of :tt. Clu'ist:i.ne:11ake a tea out of that. Hrs.Yanclle:And Hhat did that do? Chri(ltine: That help, ah, 0001 ;y-our fever ,help your 001 1 fIlrfl. Yandle: JUG1, really a genoral medicine. Ghristine:.Jlwt a medicine. I'Jhat they Hou1d give ya and hU\1g Mrs. Yo.l1dle: \veLl dicln I t peoplo smoke rabbit tabaco in pipes '/ Christine:Yos I urn. Hrs.Y[wd10:And the pipes \101'0 made outa cobs. Ohrlstine:Cobs. !'lrG.Yandle :Oobs, Christine: Cob pipes. And,ah, then the-y vlOu1d,ah, smoke l~abbit tabuco and ah. L ~irs, Yandlo: And vThat all I-JQuld you make \1hen ;y-ou ldlled the ho[';'/ Hhat all vJOu1d you mulco out ... You mudo 1aI'd. Didn' '0 YI1'I Christine:Yos 'um, HI's, Yandle: HUlmnr(fJllYfl, , , Christine: 'rhey. l/1hen they lellled the hog, they Hould, ah,my daddy "ould kill a hog,he Houlel., all, kill the hog. And they Id trim it. Mrs.Yandle:Um humrflm. Christine:And then, and then they'd cut de :l'at up. And my mOXrllua Honlel talce that anO mal,e larel. Hrs. Yo.ndle :lVJ.o.ke tho lard,um hUlnm, Christine:And then He had that for Qrocklinl. l'lrG. Yondle : Ye ah. Christine: And, uh, they I d 1'lrs.Yandle: 1I1ell,pooplo still,uh,make cracldin l breo.d,donlt they, outo. Cli;\clclin I? Ghr'intine:Yes 'm. And then they vlould to.ko,had that lard,and ab, thon thoy vlould make sausage. Hrs.Yandle:Yeab.,cut up the meat and mD.ke sO.usage. Christine:Make sausage. And then theyld turn and make,ah,ab, Sovl t s meat. Hrs.Ysnc11e:And tho sovllS meat v18.s made out0. the 11oo.ds H.nc1 feet'/ Christine:Thatls right. HI'S. Yanc11e:Yeo.h. Christirle: 'rho head and the :Ceets. And, ah, then, ~lrs.Yandlo: '.rhen they l'JOulc1 mako liver cheese 'outa the liver, 1'Ioulc1n l t they? Christino:Thatls right, ~1rs.Yandle :Um.humm. Christine: And "10, and, ah, thoy Hould mo.J<e all tho.t and He I d be able, .. /1/ Mrs.Yandle:On the farm. Christine :NOI'1 my mamma and daddy that I fJ Hhat He had. And then they Hould,ho.d turkeys. 'l'hey' had gu:i.neas.:. And they had lots a chickens. And He had goats. l'jIrs.Yandle:Did ya'll have goats'? AH,hal'l. Christino:Yes,lulil. And. the goat Hould eat on the table. Held come in and get up on the tablo. Mrs. Yandle: 1m ChriDtine:\'lhe:f.'e ''1e lived jon the country. And He hncl all the He had that. And then He,ah,n!1ci"let me see. And Hhen vre Hould eat,vre raiDed .ratermelon,He had chills and feveT.',Dtarted o.bout September and she Hould give us thT.'ee sixties [?] I ]'1l:'s.Yanclle:AH,hm'T. That stopped the chLI..Ls. Christine:And that was a [t,ood medicine. Mrs.Yandle:Um hunnll. Christine:'l'hat waB n good mecUcu:no Hhat vTe had. And, ah, and, ah,those comicreaston leaves. Yep,that vras n good mecl.ic:i.ne. And Bh.e 1'Iould,ah,give us. HrB.Yandle:And vThat do you use for ground itch Hhen you had ground itch on your feet'? Christine:Oh. Nrs.Yandle:Yould get ground itch from goin l barefooted and walkin l in after the rain. Chl'istine:Yea lum vTe Id get ground itch. Mrs. YnncUe :You I d hO.ve to doc tOT.' your ground itch ,.Ji th poultice B. Christine :Yes IWH. \'lith poulticeB most that they UBed 110.13 poult:i.ces and like that He nover did. And., and 1'10 I d tal(0 it and castor oil. Mrs. Yandle: CastoJ~ oil'? Christine:Yofl lum. Nrs. Yandle: Diel you put turpentine in the oastOl' oil'? Ohristine:Yes lum. My daddy,he,an,., Mrs, Yo.ndle: That I s the Horst dose, i In Ii; it '? Chrlstine:Yes lem. He vTould bUy qua ItS. 1'1rs, Yandle: Hum. A quart of OD.S tor oil at the time. Ohr1stine:A quart of oastor oil and a quart of speoed[f]turpentine. And then they vJOuld in the lilornin before 1'10 Hould eat any breakfas I,my mamma ahTays Hould give us a teaoup-full. Everybody a toaoup-full of oastor oil. And HO \'1aS healthy and, uh ever'ything,but He take j.-b. And \ve took nothin' but teas. l\jy 11ttle dootor and me did. She ahvays dootoJ.'s us herself, He took toas and them haHg hoof teas. And,uh, o.11,11.r rabbit tabaoo, thom oomioreastofJ:, and all that stuff like that, !'Irs.Yandle:Didll't havo to have none of tho \>Ionder drugs in your day baok thon,did they? Ch.rist1ne:Nmv 'm 1'10 didn't havo nothin l Hrs.Yandle:C11.red your diseases yOl1l:'self, Chr1st1ne:'1'hat l s Vlhat vlO had, '1'hat's Hhat \Ve had then. vIas that pretty good', Mrs. Yandle: \'1hen you. vrashed your olothes, you \'1D.shod I em outs1de and bon I em 1n a \'T8j1:~S) pot'l Chr1st1ne:1n a \>lash pot. And. dlen ',)"ou take 'em on a battorin l and batt11n l st1ck and then put 'em on a battlin l blook and cJ.les beat lem,beat lom,beat 'em, Mrs,Yandle:And scrub lem on a scrub board. Chr1stine:And \VD.sh and sorub on. ur sorub board, lIIrs. Yanlle :And syrup. D1d you gr01'1 oane and make , ChI'istine: OvTn syrup, !'Irs,Yandle: Your GI'ID syrup. Christino: Ovm syrup, 1:10 had three kinds a cane, Ille had a Ded kin',a yellovi kind and the, sorghUlll ca.ne,and made our ovm syrup. Mrs,Yantlle:And ya grevi your svleot patatoes, Christine: GrovJOd all the S1'leet patatoof3 what Vie had, D' es had hills of sweet patatoes, And they'd las' us from one season to tho othor,that vlhat 1'10 raised in tho country, My daddy did, And,uh, we had,uh,had plonty of COvlS ani hmTgs, Mrs, Yandle: How o:p,ten did you go to church, Chri s tine 'I Chpistine: I'le Vlent to church ev' r, \Ie go to church Hhoro we live Hhen I vlaS comin' up vTe Vlont to church oncet a, Oup church, !'lrs. Yandlo : Once a month'l Christino:Oncot a month, 1'lrs.Ynndlo:Once u month, Christine:And VlO Vlould go to church. VJe 10. go bare1'eot, ':fe ~'TD.S littlo, And vTe vTOuld put on, my m8.lllma ~'TOu1d fix us O.nd wold jos' love it '08.1180 we Vlns peal 1ittlo, And Vie Hould go to churoh barefeet, Hrs. Ya.nd1e: Did you go in a HaGon ridLl' along? Christine :You 1d rido in a ~\f8.gon, }1rs, Ynndle: 1lith your feet hangin' out in the bnck, Christino: Hangin' out a the back of the ~'Tagon. And Vie though'b t IHas fu.n, IVIrs. Ynnd1e : Yo 0.11., Chl>istino:\fetcJ. go to tOHn. loJe'd go in the VTugon,t~~o horse vTugon. and huve chaix's sittin 1 up in tho ~'ragon. Huve chairs sittinl up in the Vlugon. IVe ld got ull,had tho s'craight chairs and,uh,then vThen vTe got ready to [';0 Ho'd jos' lllake a rOvT of straight chairs 1n a big t~~o hopfle wo.gon,had t~~o mules to it, Susan: BOH many ch:tlelron 1'lOre in your frouily'? Chd.Btine:F'otetoon. And \'10 tel all git in thero and sit in chairD. And \10 I d go and dat I D the Hay ~IO Vlont to church, and dat' D tho Vlay Vie wont to town. Wo was littlo childron. And HO was ch1.ldron. Dlen l\To1d sit at tho bacl< and hang our feot out at tho back. MrD.Yandlo:That's cute, Notif Numbers '\l~ 28"Il~~HUDI Upll-Baughman ;)"1769.2 }~ad frl.~':. .is :Ghough~ is? pe ,.Hv~. !~OIlCou.nt:lDI the Deadll-Dorson tale number '+9"Dividing Souls" and Thompson Xl!AI 'rhe [?5lxtol}. I:l:..r:r.:l.ei~ tl:l Parson. ')2 11Tho Preaohep.'l and tl1(3 Snake "-Thorrrpson V!.~7() .CU.or::19al Y.2..Vi.'3. 100 "Buttermi1J{Il_~\hom})son1\.871 l':.El:..t.al ,Lnto;x:i c8.'0io31; West Indies, 531 122"Prophots o,nd Achin t Feet "-'Ehompson VilO HeliJ!;i'2..u~ .se!,vi_c~:E.- 1!~3"John and His r"reodom"-Thompson 1'361 ?att.l1.f\)l: .~_E!!'.v_El;l1t. 207"i.l\~imology"-Dorsontale numbc:(' 236, "S\'Timology", a variont is in l"auset,"South",V.,No.15,p.273,"Bible and Svlimming." 232"Buying a Ticket to Tuskogee "-1'hompson K1600pe()oj:y_~ f.!!:.llE, iD)o ovTL~ :GLEl. Indonenia, 79. 2S2"Buying 11 Ticket to Elephant,Nevr York"- Thompson X111.7 Indonesia. 262"The Lawyor "-'rhompson J'11 92 '.rhe br:i,..1J.(l.C!. ,.i'tl<J"g.El. Spanish Exempla, India. ;'.88 'IThe Ugly HegI'o "-'l'hompson W,.06 ,3'0ol_e_Yl. .aniJn.E:l difJfS]1i.sed ~ J.2.81~?2Xl. s.o..'011at ~1;]:~L..e.f r~11Y. (l)3C}\);)e .d:.eto().t.i..o.!l.. 291)"John I"eeliog Ovor\'Torlwd "-'rhompson 1\1 776 .J3_().[t.8~t;, :t:r];10PO ~"!..aE~~2. c nl'!}:1..o.t. 00ar 3),.9"~'he Haid and the i.~ophi8'0icated r,ady"-ThomplJon \;1./ 1\ J , :; The La.z..iE ~'l.erV_t~D:..t \Vest Indiorl,581. 'ili-o"fI'he Habbit and the Oovr"-'P.hompson 1\:10;>1.1 The b_l~rJ~_d. tath, \Vent Indies, .')'33. 523"J~00kin 1 up Old l1iss:i.8 1Dress "-')~hompson X:l.i1.', H:Lrmn.d'J.1?c.fd;an.g- ::-']'heso numbors inc1ico.te the placo on. the tape \-Thore the stories lJ.l'e recoI'dod. 591 "'l'ru.th and. I,j.o Go Sl'lill!ming"-'l'hompson Z121 ~r:r::l1,"t;h )2.o.:t'll.ol.rAfiod. 6I,.0"'.I'ho Ghost"-~rhompson B283 Ghost haunts church. , ,-" --,",--- --~-- ~_.--<---~~,,~-,. !! i , '~ I , , , , i. ', i' , , ! il' n I '., I i) iii it ,: : I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I
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Professor John Burrison founded the Atlanta Folklore Archive Project in 1967 at Georgia State University. He trained undergraduates and graduate students enrolled in his folklore curriculum to conduct oral history interviews. Students interviewed men, women, and children of various demographics in Georgia and across the southeast on crafts, storytelling, music, religion, rural life, and traditions.
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