Jeannine Renson interview with Mariette Orval Renson and August T. Renson

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. wishes and carelessly wishes for a sausage. At 4:50, he sings a French folk song about a girl who encounters four different young men who grow increasingly bold when she goes to the river to cut reeds. Then at 8:11, Mariette Renson shares the mythical origins of several cities in Belgium. Antwerp was founded when Silvius Brabo killed a giant and threw away his hand. The city of Saint Hubert was named after a hunter who was sainted after hesitating to kill a deer on Good Friday. Stavelots name was inspired by a legend about Saint Remaclus and his wolf companion, Leut. Next, at 15:19 Mariette Renson tells a story about when the legendary horse Bayard cracked a mountain while escaping from an emperor, followed by one in which the painter Quentin Metsys (approximately 1456-1530) wins over his future father-in-law with his artistic skills. At 19:37, Mariette Renson remembers her hometown, Liege, Belgium, including the citys emblem and the civilian militia, known as the 600 Franchimontois, who heroically fought against Charles of Temeraire, Duke of Burgundy (1433-1477). She also explains that Emperor Charlemagne (742-814) was supposedly from Liege, then she tells a joke about him. Then at 26:03, she tells a joke in French in which a visitor to the city speaks to statues throughout the city. At 28:26, Mariette Renson ends the recording with a story about the oldest citizen in Belgium, Manneken-Pis. August Thomas Renson (1912-2004) was born in Liege, Belgium, to a chauffeur and housekeeper. He completed grade school and attended a technical school where he studied mechanical design, and tool and die work. During World War II, he worked as a translator for the United States Army in Liege. He married Mariette Orval (1914-2011) in 1940, who was also born in Liege. Her parents worked as a policier and a seamstress, and she completed high school before attending a specialized sewing school. The Rensons later moved to Paris. In 1949, they immigrated to Atlanta, Georgia; then in 1954, they petitioned for naturalization. He worked as a tool and die maker at Advertising Windsor Company, and she worked as a dressmaker and head inspector at Richs department store. A C!OT,LF.C'l'TON OF Bf:TI'.IAN FOT,K 'l'AI,F:ll col l.Mten hy ,Jea,nnlne Renr;on on Ap:r.il ?.7, May ll & l.8 Fol.kb.le JOl 8pr1.nr;, 1.97/J,, 'rhe folktales here ino luded are of Relg1 an origin, or more accurately, arCJ recounted by the Relgia.n people, Many deal with local history, figureR, constructions, or na,tural format.ions, Because my parents are Belgian immigrants :from the same hometown of T,1~ge, I chose them afi my inforrnant,s. Surprl.singly to mfl, H was neoAssary to prod the he- memodes repe11,t,edly, I was sure they had put me to bed with stories of BP-lgi.um, but if they di.d (nei.t.hAr could recall) ,these tales were lonr,; forgotten, It is prohablA that. theRfl bedtime stories are better classt:fl.ed as historica,l fact rather than ler,;end or fal.ry ta.le, or the ll.ke, My method of proddi.ng the:l.r memories connlsted of browsing a, book of hl.ntorl.ca,l Relr,;ian sl.tes, statues, et.o, ,ind r,, pl.oture oalen,lar dep:\.ct..i ng varl.ous rel:l.gl .. ous and s,aoular fest.lvals in RAlRtum, This appro,,,ch was perhaps not. t,hA hARt, b11t, U did reRult in thA recount.inf{ of the Anclos0d t,ales. My parAnt.s (Ma,ri,itte Orw;i,l Henson and Auv1st. r, Ranson) wAre born in the small town of Li.Age, Relgl.111n, i .. n 1914 and 1912, rAspecti.vely, My father was thA son of a chauffeur and his wife who WArA both employed by a wealthy family, Spending most, of hl.s 13,dolenoent yAars livinR In the servants 1 'l.uarters of a r.ount.ry "r.hat.eau", my father oft.An describes his family's fAastinR from left.overs of t.he:l.r employers' mAals, He at.tended a local r;rade school, and later fl, t.echnl.cal school wherA hA studied mechanical desl.r,;n ,,,nd tool and d te work, During World War II, he worked as a. t.ra,nsla.t,or for the Amerl.can army in Ll.~ge I he had plckerl 11p F.np;ll.sh <]Uite well in school, Also "' na,t,ivA of Liege, my mot.hAr was the daughter of a "policl.Ar" (a poltoeman and Rua.rd) and a seamstresR/ housew:lfe, ShA completed the equi.val.Ant of hlRh Rohool and conUnued t.o dc,velop her own skl.. ll as " seamstress at, a school specl.a,119,:\np; in sewinR, Tn addl.t.ion t.o practi.cing thl.s trad.A for sAveral yAars, she particlpat.ed in hl.kinp; clubs and. a.mat.Aur t,heat,ri.cal performances, My parents met. duri.np; An air rR,ld in World War II, lat.er married a.nd movAd to Paris, and event.na. Uy immip;r,,,t,Ad to t,he ll ,S, in 1948, wtt.h somA of my fn.t,her I A "army buddiAs" a,ct.1 np; as sponsors, My fat.hAr now works as, n, t,ool dAAlgner-techntcl.an for a. looa l company and my mother .i.s head lnspect,rAss of alt,Ara,t,ions at R:inh's downtown, Alt.hough Rett,Jng up the interview presented. no ma,jor prohlem (Rinoe I live a,t home), J encountered other drawbacks, TelJ.1 ng stories of person;,, l experlAnoes or family l.R s1mple when done i.nformally and strictly for converRatl.on or entertainment, HowevAr, l.n a planned "story sessl.on" with my rmrentR, no amount of ,ioki.ng or encouragement could relax t,he sl.tuation, My fa.t,her seemed more at, ease ,than my mother, although he had a Uttl.A trouble translating a tale he had only heard and recounted before .i.n frenoh, I discovered my mother to be quUe ml.orophone shy, wh:l.oh I have t.o say ca.used her to hesH,ate comdderably more than in ordinary speech, + + + + + + + After attempting to trace motifs and tale types, I conclud.ed. that the tales retold by my parent.R are very 1J mit.ed by locale, Otherw1.se, I beU.eve T w01Hd have found more applicable motifs, $:I.nee many are based on 1.solated regional incidmts in the pa.Gt, the tales themselves have not ST>read (nor variants occurred that I could fi.nd in Thompson's Mot:tf-Index and Aarne-'fhompson 's '.f'xp_e_s of the Folk Tale), I had expected to find mentl.on of the speclfl.c stories wh1.ch concerned sa.l.nts, but l"erhaps the ones here are rather unfamill ar, Only the "Three W i.shes" had. appar,mt popu.lar1.t.y a.ccordl.ng to the references checked., Some motifs, such a,e the s~Jrnage, is striot.ly a local characterl stic, This aspect. may expla.i.n why more motifs and. tale types were not listed, ?, '!'he Three Wl.AhAA, -frenn h fnJ.ry +.alr> Re.lJ.p;ionR et 1olop;1.nn.l tale Novella H i.11torlrml evcmt ,J okA hasArl on hi stori nnJ -fi r;n:l'.'A Fl.Amish joke ho.s<Jd on hist,orirrnJ -figuw, Rnr;l i.sh t,ranRl n,+, lon o-f FlemiAh ,joke Folk ta,l c, rABT,TT: OF f10N'l'F,N'l'S o lX.gB 1 opR.gA If G l)Fl,(;P. .5 ,pHgA .5 ePafr,A 6 oPH~O 7 ~ l)B(;e 7 nnap;e 8 ~ l)R.(';0 9 , rnr:e 9 ]1A, f,P. ll 'rHIB THRmm w JSHF,S Thl.R iR a frenoh legend, It :ls a,bout 11, ma,n a.nrl h.is w.1fe who were very poor, a,nd ll.ved in a, log honrio near t,he woods, Ew,ry day, the man would go to t,he woods to cut, wood to build hi.s :fire, nnd somohow, ho d'\.d. not feel too happy wHh hl s Hfe, Ho kept,, uh, thi.nklng every day, "I get up wl.th the mm, and I work hard n,ll day, I am very tired, and I do not oven ma,ke enough money t.o ea,t my heart'" content. I am hungry, I stay hungry, and so is my wife," /\nd wh11.e he was, uh, lamenting, he t,ho11ght that, hA sa.w somAth1.ng 1,Ah.1.nrt the trAe, and thA next ml,nute, a fa,1ry wa.s in front, of h1m, She, uh, SA.i.d," My good man, I hn,ve h<mr<l, uh, your comrlaintr;, and m,i.yl,e I can /lo somet, hlnr: to malrn your l.lfe, uh, more, '[llAa.snnt., I am go.i ng to r;rant you, uh, three wishc,s." And after havinp; sr,,id so, off she went, ar;RJn, Dlsapre11red, The m11n could not. hf>ll.Ave what hA hear<l, 11nd h<i rushAd home to tell hlP, wife, He Ra.id, uh, "Woman, I ha.ve berm, uh, r;ranted three wi.shen by a fairy, We hn,ve a choi.ce of t.hree thl.nr;s that, WA c,rn wi.sh for, and what.Aver we wi.sh for, w<i Ill r:et .i.t," Well, nh, the woman 01ald," We 11, uh come on i.n and. hl!,Ve a, bi.to to eat, and, 11h, whi.le yon ei,.t, you will tell m~ more l!.bout l.t.," So they hoth sn.t down at the tn.bl<i to dtscuss the event, and, uh, unnnnsoi.onsly the man looked at. his, uh, nhunk of', uh, hla.nk brAad, and, uh, exclaimed,"Oh, how I wish I had ;i, hir; fo,t. sa11sor;<i to en,t for dl nner 1 nstead of tha,t bread!" Anrl f1.rst thlnr: you know, a hig fat sausage, dri.rpinr; wit.h .111ice, uh, fell on hl.s rlate, out of nowhero, '.l'he womnn rerroached hi.m, She said," You hn,ve a.l ready wasted your firot. wiRh and wr, have only two lef't now," And they kert arr;ninr; for n whl.lA, and flnn.lly, t.hr> ma,n lrn,t, h1.s rat1.ence wHh hi.s wife R.nd Rald,"If you (do not,) qnl.t. nar;r:J.ng ahout, 'bout. U, uh, you :should hn.ve t,hnt, sausr,,r;e hanr;i.ng from thA ti.r of yr,ur nose," And, :Inst. ant l y, the sausar:e wn.A rerma,nent. ly attached to the wom11n 's nose, She was furi.ous about, it, She Ra.id, 11h,"I thought, I was a prot.ty womn.n hn.t, now, nh, everyborly who looks at me i.s goinr; . to, uh, laugh R,t m<!," So, the man cl :ld nnt knnw what to do, n,nd they kort R.rr;uinr; for n, whl.l.e, and f1.nn,lly he sa,1.d, uh, "Oh l w1Rh that. sn..11sage, nh, wonlrl r;o awa,y from your noRP. so yon woul/1. be rrPt,ty ,iga,Jn 11ncl qu:lt, nar;r;inr; 11,hout. mA," /\nrl, that's whaJ, harroned. Anrl nn soonAr had t,he sn.nsar;e vaninhed, no soonnr had the wtfn's fa,r.e becomr:, prot.ty nr;ain, that they both rea u~.e/1. that., uh, the thr<ie w.l.Rhes wore, uh, gnn-., 7'hey harl nothinr; more t.o wish for, And, +,hey kert, uh, rerron,ohlnr; Aach other for thrd.r, uh, st,uri<lit.y, And that's thA wn.y it. was, uh, forcwer 11fter, She kert,, uh, ery.lnr:, anrl t,ryl.ng to i m11glne how l.t. would ha.ve beAn wUh all th",t,, uh, r;old, wl.t.h all those ,jewels, with all +,hat power +.hey coul<l ha.VA wished for, anrl every da,y from mornl.. nr; t,i.ll nir;ht, she kert cry:lnr; and r.epPa,t i.nr;, 11H8laR, heln.n. 0 POT,K SON(: Uh, t,hi.r, 11, p;oJ nr; +.o he a, frP.nnh folk snnr~. call it, 11h, an intcrprAt,ati,on, It, would he morA t,o call it,, 11h, an Axenution, ,TP.nrmAton prond sa fa.uc'\JJ,e l,,,r:lrett,o, lariret.te ,TeannAton prend r,e, faucUJ,A pour allAl'.' couper dn Jone, pour all~r con per dn ,irmc, Ti:n che,mln elle renoontre La,rlxet,t<l, larirette Ti:n ohemtn elle renoontre quatre ,immes et hen,nx p;,s,'l'Y,ons qua,tre ,ieunes et beaux p;e,roons, Le prem:ler, 1,m pen t, i mld" , lar:lrette, larirett.e Le premler, un pen timtde lui caressa le menton lul caressn, le mr,nton, Le deuxi,e' rne, un peu rnoins sap;e la,rirette, lar:l:r,,tte le deuxl<'ime un peu mo,lns sage la cotmha, sur le ga,7,on _1 a couchn, su_,:, J.e r;a,~on, I Le trol.nieme, un :lnt;r.eptde, t,,rr.iret+,e, 1ad,re+,te , l,e troi,s ieme, un IntreplilA l,11i ROlllAVa le ,inpon J,ut soul,wa, le ,iupon, Cle <JIIP. fit, le qn:,,t,:d,A' me, LarlrAt.t,A, la,r1.ret,te Cle (]llP. ftt le quatrtlam" N Ast pas dit d,i,nA la chanAon N 'est pa,s rl,it ,fans la r.h~,nson, Sl vouA 1 e ::m,v1.e'7., Mesrlmnen La,rlrAttA, la,rlrett,A S 1. vous lA saviAZ, Mesrl:,mes If ous l,rle7, r.ouper d11 ,ionc If ous irle?. couper d11 .ionc T wonld not approprfate And, uh, thl,s in thP. ldnd of sonr; that, 1.1h, t,he GP.orgfa, LHP.raturA Comm:lnRlon mlp;ht CA.ll na11p;ht.y, hut l n a, vAry ml ld wa,y, Uh, Jt, n ahrrnt, a young eounr,ry p;lrl who p;OAB out to t,he pond +.o r,nt, reArls t,o ma,Jrn hnskAt,s ont. of, And on hAJ:' wn,y to 4, 7. +,he ]1<mr1 , shri runs j n+,o foul'.' younp; and hn.ndsome hoys, '!'he fil'.'At one l A a, JJ.ttlA M.t shy, hnt, nAve:ct,heleAA, h" mMlRp;es to lay her down on the p;ra,m, 'l'hs second hoy l.s a Uttle hC>lder, and he carAsflrirl hAr nhl n, '['hA thll'.'d onA, whl.nh you mlght CR,ll tn America, a, fast worker, ra:l.sAd her r,Jd rt, And wha,t,, uh, number four dl.d to the country p;irl, nnfortuna,tely, ls nor report0d l.n t,hA rionp;, And, t,h0y dl.d not, uh, mAntion i.t in the sonp;, hecanse lf the ladles knew what he dl.d; thAy would all p;o to thA pond to cut reeds, * In Belr;tum mor;t of t,hA oi.tiAs, uh, their name name from ;,, l0p;end. or reUr;1.ous orlp;.ln, One of 01.rr. bigger cit.ies, blg port, Antwerp, AntwHrpen, llk<a WA say, was long tome ap;o, uh, foun<l.0d by ,:,, r;lant name Drnon Antlgon, and he pu, punl.shAd all martnArA who was coml.nf( throup;h i.f, H they did not, pay t,helr toll by cutting thelr ri, rmttl.nr; the Jr right hand, So one tlmA, a, Roman knip;ht, n,tme Rr11,ho, OR.lled Rra,bo, heR.r a,hont that and th11,t, uh, the nUy, the oH,y wa,l'l Rtarvinr; heca,use nohody oould oome through, He four;ht t,hc r;lnnt and ki,11 hlm a,nd cut hiR hand, And Jn commemorn,tion of that, we, thAy have the, the Relr;:lan J1eople, (ln) Antwerp, make a hl.g fountn,ln, And. on to]) of the fonntn.l n, who ts very high, you sAe Brn,bo wHh hi.s ha, wUh the hand of the p;l.ant and the w11J,Ar J10Ur 1.n the founta,in, !<rom the ha,nd? From the hand, from the ha,nd thA foun, U flow l.n the fount11J n, We cut,, use th" orlgin of t,he name of AntwArp, Antwerp lA hand i.n Fl.Amish, too, for hand, and throw1.np; l.fl werpen, So make nall Ant-wArpen, Oh, AO U me,ms the same t,hinp; as a cut, off hanrl? Y0s 1 nntted hand, yos11 ,i,nd throw ln the ri.ver, proud of their ci.ty, Cut ,ind throw bAca11se he cut, t.hA hand So the peoplr, from Antwerp 11,re very * Another cH,y who ha!>, i.A horn, uh, too, uh, from a lr,gend, Long, long tlme 11go in the 7th century, The seventh century? 1633, a b1g hunter callAd Hnhert was f.lr;htlng all around the f'oreAt, of Ardennes, Tt was ln the southern part, of Bel.g:1.nm, And onA t,,i me, hP. wan fl, he was, he WAR ready to eall, to kl ll a hip; deAr. It, was ,inst the, I don't, know, the Holy Sal,nts, the Holy Frt,lay, Holy Frtday, , Y nu mAan , Good Friday? '!'he Goo<l Fdclay, Well we say holy in french, And, bnt when he wa,s ready to kill it, the Mg, 11h, deer turn hl.s head and hetween hl.s hip;, uh, , ,; , Antlern ( whinper), Antlers, antern, they h,we a b:l.p; shlnlnp; c:i~oss, and the wo, and a voice oominp; Hke f.rom uh, sky, from heaven tell him, "Oh, Rhame on you, to ktll on my own day, you know, my Holy Friday," Ann he was a pagan, at that t.:lme, Huoort, so he was really trembli.ng anil he really adore almost the cross because he was really bl1 nd wUh the li.p;ht nom:\ ng from the crosR, there, So a:fter tha.t, he went. to I.lege, H. 's in the ml.ddle of the country, and he wan adopt of, he learn t.o be " priAst, with, uh, the ar, t.he bl.Rho LRmhert, who become Sa:\nt Lambert., R,nd him,aelf became Sal.nt Hubert,. And 1.n commemoration of that, they buHd that hip; church tn t,he Ardennes and you see deers wH,h cross all over the lace , 7'he peole are very proud of tt, And now he ts the patron of the hunt.er, St, Hubert 1.R the patron ot: the hunter, The peorle who p;o hunting still now have a medal with St, Hubert and the deer wUh the cross in between, on hls head, You m0an oot,w00n the antlers? Bet1-men th0 antlers , yes , ,iust between them, * Now to continue wUh orig.in of the cit.ies' name, in the Ardennes, ar;a.in, in th A valley of Haut in Ambl~v0 where WA have the hip; boHinp;, rushinp; waterfa,11 nearby l.s the cUy we call Stavelot, You say in Walloon, l.n our dialect, Wn, uh, Sta, StR.velot, Stahl.An, The orip;l n p;o back a whHA, very far R.Way when Saint, RAma, Remacle Uke we call in thA si.x hundred four otr~ht,y, elp;ht,y, so six hundred hundred cent,url.es (,7th cAn - tury) has a mule and he was, uh, build:lnp; a convent at that timA, And he find out, that, a. wolf kl.11 his mule and eat i.t, So he, he, T don't know how :I.+, happen, hut, he ca.ture t.he wolf, nnd tame him, and hel hi.m, and tea.eh thA wolf to hAlp him to carry all hi.A rook t.o build the chumh he wa,fl ma,idnp;, So Avery night, the st, the wolf had to p;o to the stable that .l.n our dl.alect who i.s a. RtovA and the name of wolf .is leu, So every night he say, "'l:o t,he Atove, }rolf~ who we Aay .i.n the di.alAct "Stove, lm1," :And StovA LAu, StovA Leu through the yea.rs became Stavelot, And they are hnHt a beautiful abbey thAre l.n the thirteenth centuries about, l.t, And that St, RemaolA, too, hA ca, hA ca.me to l ,iep;e later on becausA i.t 1.A near Li.~p;e, too, and hA hAcame a hip; b:lsho of the city and he ha.ve a. chnrnh on his namA, Rut St,a.velot to 11s would be always be sa.l..d Stove leu heoause hA Ray at, night "St,ove, lAn," Don't know is if hA oooy but he had to go ln t,he stablA oooauRe he h11.d not.hi np; elRe for him to 81.eep, IA may be f11nny, but it han Hl.wnyn 1,eon .LUrn thn.t,. Old Btm:1.es mnkc (:from) everyt,h:l.ng, * And we hnvo nlcc lotr; of legenclB but we 9 uh, we fnrr;ot, mm1t of thAm, RealJy aJ.l thA deta\.ln, And WA haw,, uh, Ba,ya:r-d the famAus, nh, whH,t, horse Bayard who WA sn,y H, Wafl an enchanted horse, Ancl. a,t. th0 ti.me, of CharlAmap;ne, tho four Amon brothorn 11RAd to f1.r;ht, a(;n.inRt tho powe,r:ful ompo:ror ,rnd follow anc'l hei ng, uh, they res:!st, the emperor and they fought, a,wn.y and. on t,hn,t eHy of, uh, hflantlful Utt.le town of Dhwn+, they have, a M.p;, nh, big rock there, ;just. nraek j n the mlddlA 11.nd l.t say t,ha,t th-e four, uh, brothers Amon on t,he:lr horso, uh, .inmp ncross the rivAr bnt, the, horse era.ck the mountal n i.n hoJf for them to p;o through and jum11 over the d.vo:r and t.he emneror could not f;et them anymorA, And. t,hA Ba,ya1:d is v,,r.y renown tn Belp;iun1, ev,m my mot,h0r, you know, uh, ,Jeannine, my mot.he1'.' lJ.ve Jn the st:r.eet, we call Bayn.rd st.rc,ct, and we havF> Ba.yam. nJ.mnrst everywhF>r0, too, And we have a martonot,tP, wha,t w0 c;,J.l puppet., in L:l<';w, where thc,y talk about, uh, th" st,01'.'y of t.hF> empF>ror and the Amon b:r.othern and the ohF>Vfl.l Bayard, thF> hn:r.flF> Bayard, You mc,an thF>y have n, whole puppF!t, show ,inst. baserl on that,,,? Thny ha,vc st,l.ll a, puppet r<how now on thF> old lan[\1.W.p.;F> hACR.UflF> tn was old fronch m1xed wi.t.h old la,tln, l,1.kF>,., Well, doeri, doc,ri BR.yam moR.n nnyt.hl.np; or J.ri that ,iust, was thn,t, jnst, t,he n,:,,mF> of the ho:r.sA? It. WR.S t,he namn of the horse and WF> have kept the namF> of the horsF>, It, w,,,a enchanted, you know, :rt, st.1.11, it, RtiJJ n,li.v0 now, * Tho Flmn:lsh part, of BF>lp;J.nm, the no:r.th part, 1.R VF> ry :r.lc,h l.n paJ.nt.0m who hn,vc, bF>F>n :r.c,nowned all over t,hA wo:r.ld--Van F:yck, Van Owerfon ( ?) , !Gb:r.tip;c,l (?), And wo have " n:lne ntory ,i,hout. QuF>nt1.n Mestl.s (?) ,i,monp; the f;ren,i:.Pst., H0 was not a, raint.er by p:r.of0s,alon 11.t. that t.1 me,, But, the fat.hF>r, hut. he wns a.n J ron mon, t.h0 ,aon of an Iron monr;F>r and hF> fF>ll 1 n love, wlth thA pa:lnt.er cl11.ur;htc,r bat who ha,vo promlsed t.o r.;:1.ve h:ls, 11h, r;irl only to a r;r., another. p;r.c,nt, pai.ntF>r. So Juclgc,d unworthy of her hand, t.he unhappy hoy one t.l.me, 11h, sn0ak in the 11a.1 nt.er room whF>n h0 has ,just. f'.i.ni.shcd n, porlrr.H nnd. paint, ,,, hur; on the forF>head of the ptct,urF>, But, whc,n it was fj nl.shF>d hA d ls:,, preared and thF> nF>xt. day t.he :f:'n.t,hc,r camF> and t.ry t.o brush n,1w,y t.he, t.hc,, t.hc,, t.hF> huf': who wnr1 on foreh0ad :,,nd hF> found out it. wo.s a rc,al pnJ.nt.l.np;, So hF> recnl.zA the one who could mn,ke n, 1nRent, look RO much altve, 8,1:tvP. was~ uh~ muRt he R, p:rnat nrt,lst, ,ao he gi.vc, hifl iln.11ght,c,r t.o t.ho hoy who ts Mestcl.s n.nrl hF> hP.r.amF>, uh, one, of t.hF> p;:r.0at.0st r11.int.er, And he w,is, 11h, rAnJ ly hn,ppy t.hat he bF>Cnme r.J.ch artd hF> marry t.h0 dn,ught.or, 7 * Tn my home town, L1.E,rr,e, where T :,m vecy proml of it, hecaufle from my e:lt,y, from thi.n oi.ty n11.reo.d .freedom, Uh, thP. f'i:mt, idea. it was f"l'.'eedom came :\n mrr. d.ty, And we have nn emhl.em who ls st, ill fltand there 0n the top of the fonntain who i.fl " oolnmn who i.s support, hy threA r;rr,.oe 1mrl " oross and support on the bottom hy t,h"i'.'AA U0ns, It .is the emhl0m of the freedom of +,he n01mtry, Anil a.+, t,ha.t tl.me in lJOO, w0 say, "Poor man in hl.s house ls a. ldnr;," And not ,wen th0 men of t.hc Arohh:\shop who wn.s a.t t.ha.t t.lm0 th<> Jdnr; ,of t,he provl.noe, ooulil not r;o t,hrou~h -~.ho hour.e bP.oa.ur.e ho wan the mar.tor. on hl..f\ hons0, Wo ha.vo f'nur;ht for our f-r.o.,dom hut H, wr.s a t,ime whe-r.e t.hA Dne of llu-r.r;op;nA, OhnrlAA t.hA Temeral rA, w,i.s n.lly and a foA n,t. the same t. i me wHh of the klng of F:rn.noe, And. h0 wrifl envylnr; t,hA powAr of Li.Ap:0' no ho ; nt;rl.r;uA wl.t,h the ki nr; of' Frrinn0 n.nd nn.me t,o a+,- tank J,l.er;A and. tho troop, the sold 1.orR of the Id ng of Frs.nce oame on f.hA top of tho nity, on t,ho cop; top of n., oolJnno(hi 11.) of t.he oH.y a.nd wa.nt t.o, uh, aJl wn.nt. t.o ri.t.tn.ck the oH.y, When thoy l.An.rn n.hont, that, 600 m,m from n. lH,tle town out.n ide, of T.io' r;0, Franchi mont, dont. they call t,hflm Ji'rn..nchl.mont,otn, nn0.a.k e,lonr;, th0., hUJ. at, n:\ ght, and. on., ca.me to nurpr:\.ne t.he cnmp o:f the king, Samet.hi nr: hA,ppen, Rn+. some hod.y r;l.vA the, comm,mt. elem, tell, uh, na.y, 11h create f\Omc, noi no, The french pc,, the frAnoh nolcl.i.Ars wake up 11,n<l all thonn hravn men who hn.vo aJmm,t no n.'l'.'np, yon know, no r;uns or not.hi.nr;, to f:l r;ht, WAre al most a.JJ. Jdll.ecl., Ru-t. they protect the pa-r.t, of thA oH,y, Jn commemm: a,t:\.on of that,, uh, battle, for thoy were vory oourar:eous thor,n few hanr'lfnl. of men n.[(alnst t,h:,,t powerf,,l ,rrmy, they a.ro hulJ.d at the pl.a.co where they rmee.k on the mount.n.in, on the nollnne, 600 st.epf\ thn.t. we ntl.ll r;o there and we can the s.i.x oont.s Frn.nehimont.o1s, the 600 Ji'ranohl.monto1.s. Yn., :1.t,'n the rn,me of the n-tn.lrn, Anr'I you onn oount them, I have bMn t,he:~e. You hn..ve 600 to thA t.op, And. you feel t.irr,il when yon reaoh tho top and U 'n a r.treet. on both s.i.il.As, '!'hey hn.vo hmu,e, Tt'" pretty bP.cn.11sA they hn,v<> a ga"l'.'den, llko Rllsnnn. t:mdAd ~al'.'clon ~ !lo yon meR.n that, tho r.1:eps form like " ntreet of the SR.me s 17,A, , , ? It s ;:,, r.troot, ,i,t, the Rama t:i.mc,, Tt, make n, i;t.reot. n.ncl i.t. has mo11nt.n.in, It, hn,....:'l hmmnn on both rd.dc,s nnr'I r;nes up t.o the t,op of' the ool.Inno who we, yon orrn nee the pnnornmn. o:f the clty, And. WA n.ro vAry pr011il of J.t,, And aft,er t.ha.t t.ho kinr; of Prance say, "Oh, 1 f you wnnt. to rloflt,roy tho nost, yon havo, 11h, 1fyo11 wm,t to ilostroy the h:lril yon hn.V" t,o r1"stroy the nest.," So t.hoy hurnen tho ott.,y ,and tho r"movecl. t.he peron, 'l'ha.t :l.s t,hA emblom of t,hR.t w, oaJ.l. emhlom of the .i.nd.epAndence. That, pole-1iJce t,hl.ng? * Yes, but later on some hody else hronght 1.t back to, it was when we get our freedom hack we find th() peron haok who ls tn the Mg public place in front o:I' tho c.l.t.,y ba.ll, And H, is Rtill ther,1, It s on top of tho monntaJ n antl. we ~re very p'l'.'011d ef it, \ 'l'alld.ng n.hont J,1.et?;e nr;,d.n, uh, we a.re proud Hnrl. we he1J.eve that the Mp; emp,rr.o'l'.' Cba.rl()mar;m, WaG bo'l'.'n in our oi.ty, or .Jwat ontRi.dA wha,t, we call HA'l'.'sta l, heoA,Uf\0 h:ls father who was a m1n.iste:r. of t,hA ldnr; at. that, time W!'!,S, nh, Pepi.n de llerstal. Or Pepl.n l n french, 1 n englj.r.;h l.R see<l, And, uh, we make a ,joke out of l.t heoa,use we have a h.i.r; st.11,t.110 Uke we have l.n Berl.In n.nrl illfferAnt, poemR (?) l.n il1f:forernt, cd.tt~e who Ray t.hn.t. they a.re, Char.l.emar;no is born t.he:r.e, But. W'l know, we hell.evfcl t.ha.t. h0 1s horn in Horst.al, And we have a hip; Rtat'"' and on tho pP.d.eRt.al we ha,Vfcl B,ll the ca:r.vfls i.nsid0, nlcher,, you coll that. ni.nhflR? Yes, Utt.lo ni.ches, WHh all the famUy of Ch,i,rlemar;ne, HlR fat.her who waR, uh, PA, Pepin il.e Her.Rt.al, R.nd h:1.R uh, uh, his mot.her Bert, ;,,u l,onr;pieilR, il.ont. they r,n.y Bert.a, Lonr;feet, 11h, and all a.round t,he f:i.t,hA:r., mother, nnd. uh, t.he nnt'lles, and. brother. all 13.:r.mmrl h11t. of 0011:r.Re we ha,vA forgot. th"' name of them, So UkA t.he fa,m1.ly m,me is seAd., Pepl.n, we ma.l<e 13, ,joke out. of it, and. we ask, uh, what, i.s the, what, :l.s the dHferenc0 hetween the statue of Charlomag~ who is l.n t.h0 Mg boulevard there Jn t,he city and ;,.n orang0? So people does not. know :,nil we ""'Y, "Well, 1.n orange the RAecl. are l. nRi.de hnt, i .. n Chn,lemagne, they are out.ia1.d.e," Well, t.hlR is a, story, l.s a, .ioko that, we say l.n Lier;" and (there) iR som0 words t.hat when ,Jeannl.no trans.late t.hey ar0 .in lfalloon who is our rli.alect. who ifl a mb.t.nre of la,t.:l.n and old f:r.enoh, ,Te oomm<1noe en Franoai s, hein? Quand un visl.t.eur desc!!l'l<l. J.,i, ru0 i!As G11Hlem:lnR, 1.A gr9.nd spA<'lt.fl,ClA de la, vUl.e, la preml.fl:r.e uh, st.a,t.11.e qn D. rencontrA o 'est un gros d' Ancl:r.e Dumont., uh, Ch,,.rles Hoge1:, ,n.,L,, :r.lefl Roger a oI t.eI cel.u:l qn,l a, qu.i. n. ai.. deI l<cls t?;Ans, qui n, ~t,n.i.t. le promotl!!lur de la rtvolut.:l.on de lfl')O qui. nonB I . a. rlonne la ll.hert.r, et, qui nous a don, uh, et, qui. 11,ous a, renil.11. la BAJg:\.que li.. hr.a, L'i.ndependenoo en 18')0, <Jr Roger, nous Rvons de }R, 11.monad.e qn'on ll.pprilo la, li.monRde Rop;er, So, ll lui. d.onne ile )a llmonaile a,u un nouvea.11, Q,11and ll cont.l.nue le houlevn.:r.d, c I est. un heau houlevnrd qu l cl i.vl.s0 tout,e la vl.lle en d.eu'X'., Alo:m, a.preR la, limonA,d0 qn JJ. a prisA, l.l comme,rice " r,,voi 'I'.' cl.es c:r.n.mpos, Quo,nd .i.l. app:r.och<a et, qn' i l vn, nn pcm plrn, loin, :U n,:r.:r.i ve ~- 'IA. nt.a;t.ue d.e C:harlema.r;ne qu:I lni. 11,,mi.fl RUr son oheval, ,wee les hna.R t<milns l.nl dH., "Va t.ohir pu loin, Wa,nt. 11as :fr4,1re oa i.ei.," Tl eontl nne le m1e11'X'. qu' n. pout. et. nuis iJ. en f1.ni.t. le boulevard. d 'Av:r.o1.s et, H s fln!>;,,p;e tlnn:;; l.11,' ho11l1-w-~wl ilff 1~,,Sa11venl~-r.e p.t, H y decouv:r.e 1A st.11,, la 1'h6n,t.re Hoya}e , d 'Op,ira. et, devn.nt, "'"' t:r.onve JP. monument. comme1~orat,1f r;;;:(;:r.,:,,trA c; \ \ \ " lta gr.And 00m11osl.ttanr. n,a 11, I,l.e1{A qui, m1t mor.t a Pa:d,R mal R qu1 11, vouln qne son coeur p;ol,s r.em<mer a, I,ier;e, AlorR lul, D. fl, du ]1R,plex en main, n a, un par.t,l,t,l.on, alorn n lul, d:tt,, "Tln vola den pn.111.s 110 tohlr," Alm~s lJ continue un pe11 plus lotn, danR la l>oulevard, uh, la. rue de l'UntverRit,y ,JusciniAn faoe ne l 'UntversJ.t.y et la se t.rm1ve la st.at.ue d 1Henrl Dumont, qul lid etnl.t grand enr;tneur. F:t. lnl, n eFrt, il est. bi.en d:r.oU lul. aveo son dol.r;t. point.n,nt. envers le sol et lut dtt.,"Tchale nhal, 11 err (\,V'\.S(ct_-\i o,,) * I nt,arl ln fr,rnoh, huh? When e, vlnHor wn,lks down the l'.'llA d,ar, G11ll1Am1ns, +,he hip; spectacle of the cl.ty, thfl first, nh, st,n.tnA that, he sees l,r, R, bi,r; one of Andre Dumont, uh, r!harlos Rop;P.r, r!harles Ror;er was the one who, one who hel]1<d the peo11le, who Wn.R the 11rmnoter of the revolntlnn of 1830 whlch p;a,vA us our llhert.y and which p;ave us, uh, and whi,oh rendereil Belr;tum :frAe, 'rhe inde11<mdenne of 1830, Well, Roger, we havA lemonarle t,hat we c,all Ror;er lemonadA, So, hA 1,iver, lemonade to the vtnitor, And he eontl.n11os the boul<,v:irr1 whteh di.vi.don nJ.l of the eity tn two, Thnn, after tho lAmone. de, he bec;inr. to hn.ve cramps, WhAn ho c.prro:i.eber, and hr, r;oen a h1.t. furthAr, hP. arr:lver, nt t.h,e ntn.tuo of r!hnrlemnp;n" which l,n r,,m,t.Ail on hl.s horr,e wi.th h:l,c; armR r,trotchP.11 nnd hP. Ra,yR, 11fio ;.hit farthP.r nloni t,hn HHY,. r.nn t, <lo that haf-w,,. 11 HA eontl.rnws the hont ho can ann. ho roacheR tho rm<'I. of the boule'far<'I ii I A'frois n.nd ho crntArs thre boulr,varrl de l.a SauvA~, ni,P-r<' ,rnd hA dl.sCOV<ll'.'R tho Rta, t,hr, 'fheatrr, Roy:ilr. d 10110ra I I ancl in front of H, 1.n a. monument .1.n eommAmoration of Gretro, t.he r;r.A~,t. compone:r bor:n 1.n J.1.,~r;r: and. who ~tP.d j n Par1.R hnt who wa.nt.orJ his hAnt't to hP. rotnrnoil to T,1op;P., Well, hA haR nomA l'RJ1Ar :ln h 1 s hrind, he hn.s R ish<'ot of mus.1,r., woll hA sn,ys to hi,m,"HerA J.s somA frd,lAt. ]1A,pAr .. " Well, his cont,1nnor, fl. bl..t farther, 1 n thA l>o11lovn.rrl , nh t,he :>?iie dn J. 'Un1vP.red ty as far n.n the front of the Un.lv,n:s.Hy n,ncl there ls the stnt,ne of Honrl Dumont. who wn,s n. r;ren,t enr;,inpc,r, Ancl ho, he .is, he ls '!P.l'.'Y st:r.a:lr;ht wlth hlR ftnr;e~ 1101 nt,:\nr; tnwnrrlc; the ~round and ho ,c.i,n,ys, 11Hel'0 ~ nhi.~~ ho:re. 11 /0 * Oh, mayhe you know that, the oJ.rlest citi.v.en of Brusnels ls ca 1 led Ma nneken-Pts , who tha,t, w,1w th0 little hoy who rlo wee-wee, we sa;y J)ee-l)ee 1 n f:rench, Anrl that cent,nri.es a,r;o, they say, H :fat,her and mother came to vlsi t, the oi ty wUh thej r l.Utle hoy, And T <lon '+, know how H happcmed hut he r;ot lost, And they look n,ll Rronnd, Rll day lonp; after th,s,t u~ie boy, Rnd looked aft.er him and, ffoally, th,ay found him in the corne-r of the st-reet,, naked, I don't know why that happened t,o tha,t 11.ttle hoy, he was mayhe two or three years old, doi.np; wee- wee on the corner of the moun, the, the house there, So they fl.nd H, was somAthtnr; ,inst, wonderful and they ma,ke a fount, ain that you have to look for H, because H, 1 n very srna,ll, in bronze, and t,hat, and that fountain alwa.ys do wee-wee, exoept., , But l.t, has been so '[)Opular thn,t, all the btp;, uh, '[)OrsonaUtiAs, ki nr;s, mi ntsters, from all over the world hroup;ht a heauti ful costumA to tha.t lUt,lA Manneken-Pl.s, And lt, is, H i.s, they sa.y, he I t,hlnk, I don't. Jmow l.t s fo museum, I thlnk they thc,y keep t,hat, uh, the costmnes, , , He ls the person who ha,s the most r;orr;eons war.clrobe all over the world heca,1Re they are made of silk, gold, ,iewels, ernhrol.dery, ,TR,panese, Chtnese anrl everythtnr:, Anrl Mannekcm-P1.s 1.s uh renowned 11.ke a, p;ooa luck cha.rms,they are make all siv.e and they have even somA on a nhaln, hanr;Jng from e, chatn, I do not know lf thAy st,ill do l.t,, i;hat., But, ln Brussels :tt is full of Ma,nneken-Pl.R, Nohody want to leave t,hA oit.y wl.t,hout huy:tnr; one, And they ha,v,, make a sonr; t,hn.t you h~ve oert,ai.nly hear 1>,bout lt, and lt 's Maur.:l.oe Oheval:ler who sonr;, who sinr; it. You c1 on' t, remAm her th A song? ti TALE-TYPES The 1'hree Wi.shes 1430 The man and his wi.fe build air castles, They make p;reat plans for success hut disagree ovP.r thP. conolust,ion, They quarrel and lose everythinp;, 900A? Goa,t face peasant marries kinp; hut is unr;rateful and discourteous, F'ai:~y glves her p;oat face, She is Hl trei,,ted and. despised, humbles herself before her husband and is dl.senchant,ed, 980D Meat sprfop;s as t.oad. on face of ungra,t.eful son, Folk Song None Antwerp None St., H11hert. and t.he Deer None St.avelot. None Roch<'lr de Bayard None Met,sys t.hP. Psi nt.P.r NonP. ThP. 600 Frannh1 montois NonP. Charlemagne None The Manneken-Pis None MDrTF'S The Three WJ.shes F'olksonr; Antwerp Kl 75, Deceptive ba,rr;a,in 1 3 wishes, Or;re 1.s to fulfill 3 wtshes of peasant, Latter wishes for all tobacco and brandy in world and then some more brandy in addHlon, '!'he devil must admit faHure, Fl?61.0,2, L:lmlted number of wishes granted F'340, Gifts from fairies, F'34l,1 Fairies give 3 e;ift.s, D1?6l Mar;.ic results produced by wishes, D565,1 Transformation through wish, J207l, 3 Foolish wishes, 3 wlshes will be r;rant.ed1 used up foolishly ,Tl77l.2, Old sausar;e (roll) taken for fright.enl,ng anJ mal, ( I realize thls has lit,tle t,o do id.th the actual pJ.ot of this tale, but. I thonr,ht. it important. t.o Ust. the only motlf closely related t.o the :lmar;e of a sausage) . ,Jl540, Retorts between husband and wife, .Jl7l3. Foolish mal'.'l'.'l.erl couples, ,11340, Retorts from hunr,ry persons. Dl.376, l, Mar,lc ob,ject makes nose long, resto:r.es I.t, Q55J., Mn.r;lc manifestatfon as punishments, Q551,2,l. Magical Rrlhmdon t.o ob_ject ar. punlshmont (:for opposHion to sa,intly person), F5J./1-, Pexson unusun,l as to his nose, T120, l Oft-proved 'fidell t,y, Rep0R,ted. attempts t,o Aeduc0 i,nnocent wom::1n. ,!71?,, l ()i,t,y wi,t,hout provisions but much mon.Ay ntnrves., A995, Orlgin of cities MOTIFS ( cont 1d) Antworp St, Hubert. and the Deer Sta.velot Roeber de Bayard Metsys the Painter F176,l, Hero flghtn p;Jantn who ruin fal.ryl/lnd Q45l, J., l, Hands out off a.s puni.shment, for thPft, Q,451,l,6, Right hands <mt off eneml.es 'messengers, r.751,?., Talm1 convenl.nr; nertain hunt at CPrtatn time, f!?.53, 5, The deer w:lth a cross carded het,WRRn the i.r horn A, B?.56, Animal a.s servant of s~.int, B)l 5, Animal helpful after be inf( conquered, B435,3 Helpful wolf B570, Anl..mals help men, 1112'33,6,1, Horse helper on quest, A972,4, Imprlnt of horse, 1n rocks, A97?., 5 ,2, f!hasms between rocks mark '!.leaps" of /').a.nts , heros , Ate, Bl84,1,0, Map;i.c horr,e makAs prod1.gl.o1m .J11m11, Hll49,l0 Ta.ski ,jump across river in one hound, B5l~?. ,2, ll!soa,11e on flyinp; l:iorse, ,J64l, ll!sca11i.np; on fl yinri horse before ene,my can strlke, 7.210ff Brothers a.s heron, '686, Q,uadruplet brothers as heros, A515, 1, Cfalture heros a.re brothers, D15?.4, 5, Rivffr' crosse<l by means of charm, B587,2, Fly hAlpR loa.thely su1.tor pass SUH.or JlRRfi sul.t,or 1',Ast., HS()/f,1,1 Cont.Ast in Llf<i]JkA 11n.int,1ng1 fly on saint's nose, Seconrl. a.rt.l st. 1n f1 rst artl.st 's a bs0.ncA pal nts fly on a saJ nt.' s none in n 111 ct ure,, On bin return, the first artist tr1.es to drl.ve a.WRY thA fly, MarIFS (cont'd) The 600 Frenchlmontols Non,i Chnxlemagne None, 'l'h,, Mannekcn-Pls Rl30,? Resnue, of lost or abandone,d ne,rsonn, A PDF transcript exists for this recording. Please contact an archivist for access. 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. As archivists, we acknowledge our role as stewards of information, which places us inaposition to choose how individuals and organizations are represented and described in our archives. We are not neutral, andbias isreflected in our descriptions, whichmay not convey the racist or offensive aspects of collection materialsaccurately.Archivists make mistakes and might use poor judgment.We often re-use language used by the former owners and creators, which provides context but also includes bias and prejudices of the time it was created.Additionally,our work to use reparative languagewhereLibrary of Congress subject termsareinaccurate and obsolete isongoing. Kenan Research Center welcomes feedback and questions regarding our archival descriptions. If you encounter harmful, offensive, or insensitive terminology or description please let us know by emailingreference@atlantahistorycenter.com. Your comments are essential to our work to create inclusive and thoughtful description.