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 is the first of a two part recording; in this part Norman Duncan and Carra Duncan share a series of funny stories. The audio starts with Norman Duncan telling a humorous ghost story about a woman who hears mysterious noises in her house which she thinks means it is haunted; however, her husband is actually making the noises. At 2:45 Larry Combs and the Duncans briefly discuss telling dirty jokes and scary stories. Then Norman Duncan repeats a proverb with the moral Me and you is built just like a tree out here. We come up and we go. He then tells a quick joke about never knowing which direction is up. At 7:25 Norman Duncan shares a funny tall tale he learned while working in the Merville Tennessee Pot Room about a turnip that grew extremely large so needed to be cooked in an extremely large pot. Over the next couple minutes, Combs convinces Duncan to tell jokes, after which at 10:58 Duncan tells a couple of sex-based joke which he titles Fuckin the Dog and The Tallahassee Queen. At 15:03 with Norman Duncan tells a tall tale about catching a large catfish in the Talona Creek (which he calls Little Talkin Rock Creek). He follows this up with another fishing story (which he insists is true) that takes place on the Swanee River. Next at 20:30, Carra Duncan tells a joke she learned in Valdosta about a couple too poor to buy groceries who only had brand (or dust from cornmeal) to eat. Starting at 23:17, Norman Duncan tells a few raunchy jokes about school students, the first of which he learned while in the armed services.
Norman Duncan (1912-1982) was born in Talking Rock, Georgia, to West (1872-1958) and LouVienia (1875-1934) Duncan, the youngest of three children. He graduated from high school and worked on his family farm and at a local machine shop. When Duncan was 28, he joined the United States Army and served in many states, including Medford, Oregon, where he attended medical school and worked at a government hospital as a medical orderly. After being transferred to the Ninety Fifth Infantry in San Antonio, Texas, he served during World War II in Germany, northern France, and central Europe as a medic. For his service he received several medals, including a Purple Heart, and in October 1945 he was honorably discharged. He returned to Talking Rock, where he worked as a saw miller, including at Kiker Lumber Company, and as a carpenter. In 1951 Duncan married Carra Beck Hawkins (1908-1982) of Ball Ground, Georgia. Hawkins was born in Nelson, Georgia, to Charlie and Josephine Beck; she was one of six children. She received three months of formal schooling, after which she worked in a restaurant in Stantonville and graded tobacco in Valdosta before she got married. She married Charley Hawkins and they had two children, Afond and Effie. In 1968 Norman and Carra Duncan had a daughter, Grace, and moved to Ellijay, Georgia, John Weaver (1883-1983) was born in Bucktown, Georgia, to Decatur (1849-1934) and Martha (1850-1948) Weaver. He was one of eleven boys. He attended school for three months of the year and helped on his family farm the rest of the year. In 1900, he married Martha Parker (1883-1974), and the couple moved frequently across North Georgia depending on where he found farm work, including as a sharecropper for several years. They moved to Ellijay in 1957, where he bought a small farm and sold moonshine. While living in Tickanetley, Georgia, they had one child, Nancy (1903-1983), who received a fourth grade education before getting married at 14 to John Henry Davis (1898-1970). Davis worked as a sharecropper and farmer before a spread house employed him for 16 years. John Henry and Nancy Davis had eleven children.
25 (19) "The Horse and Buggy Days" Uh, back in the hor-horse and buggy days, they's a feller in our country that you call him, Strawberry Dillard. He wuz bashful and hadn't never been out with girls none. And he got a girl out in a horse and buggy. He wuz a-want in.' to date her, but he didn't know how to go about it. And he went and asked his daddy how to go about it, and his daddy says "Well just start off son and say somethin' sort'er nasty to start with" and said "just think of somethin' nasty an' say" and said "just pop it to her then," and says "if she takes sayin' a little word 'er two nasty" said "just tell her what you want." And so they got out goin' in a horse and buggy and the old mule went to pootin'. Had an old mule and a buggy, and he went to pootin' and sbe looked over at him and he says, uh, he says "I'm ashamed but" says "at mule" says "a-pootin' ." (laughs) And, uh, she says "Yeah, he'uz a-pootin! ." (laughs from Carra and myself) He says ''I don't care if it shits, lets fuck!" (laughter from all . Carra almost dies laughing) Larry: Said what? Mr. Duncan: Said I don't care how long he poots, lets fuck'. I don't care if he shits, lets fuck! (more laughter) He couldn't think of much nasty to say. When that mule pooted he Larry: had it made. (more laughter) Them's too nasty if they's any women in youall's college . Did you have a name for that? Mrs. Duncan: Horse and Buggy Days.
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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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