TRAP METAPHOR

THERE ONCE WAS AN OLD BLACK MAN NAMED UNCLE WILLIE. NOW UNCLE
WILLIE LIVED A FAIRLY HAPPY LIFE ON A FARM DOWN SOUTH. ONE DAY,
HIS MASTER DECIDED TO SELL THE FARM, BUT WILLIE DIDN'T LIKE THAT
IDEA TOO MUCH, HE JUST PLAIN DID NOT WANT TO MOVE. SO WHEN THE
BUYERS CAME TO SEE THE FARM, WILLIE HAD A PLAN. NOW WILLIE KNEW
THESE FOLKS WERE INTELLIGENT, BUT, HE WASN'T NO DUMMY EITHER.
NOW, WHITES BACK IN THEM DAYS, THEY DIDN'T TRUST THE BLACKS
SO WILLIE KNEW THAT THEM BUYER FOLKS WOULD JUST DO THE OPPOSITE
OF WHAT HE SAID. WILLIE'S MASTER TOLD HIM TO TAKE THE FOLKS AROUND
SO HE DID. AFTER HE GOT OUT OF EARSHOT, HE SAID, "NOW, IF YOU
WANT MY OPINION, YOU WON'T BUY THIS FARM 'CAUSE THERE'S GHOSTS
HERE." THEN HE TOOK THEM TO SOME SCARY SPOTS AROUND THE FARM.
"NOW IF YOU WANT MY OPINION," WILLIE SAID, " YOU WON'T BUY THIS
FARM 'CAUSE THE PLACE IS A SHAMBLES, AND THE ORCHARDS ARE DRY."
THEN HE TOOK THEM TO SOME MESSY SPOTS. THEN WILLIE SAID, "NOW IF
YOU WANT MY OPINION, YOU WON'T BUY THIS FARM, 'CAUSE YOU'LL HAVE
TO CHAIN ME HERE 'CAUSE I WANT TO LEAVE POWERFUL BAD." WELL
THE BUYER'S WIFE, NOW SHE BELIEVED HIM AND SAID, "WE BETTER NOT
BUY THIS FARM." BUT THE HUSBAND THOUGHT TO HIMSELF, SOMETHING'S
UP, SO HE DECIDED TO GO AHEAD AND BUY THE FARM, AND WHAT'S MORE,
HE MADE A DEAL WITH THE MASTER TO KEEP WILLIE ON THE FARM.
SO, WILLIE, HE GOT TO STAY ON THE FARM, JUST LIKE HE WANTED,
AND HE GOT RID OF HIS NASTY OLD MASTER TO BOOT.

Submitter comment: THE BASIC PRINCIPLE BEHIND TRAP METAPHOR AS BOB EXPLAINED TO ME,
IS THAT "BLACKS DON'T GET MAD, THEY GET EVEN." THIS IS EVIDENT
IN HOW UNCLE WILLIE GOT RID OF HIS OLD MASTER. AS I WAS LISTENING
TO THIS STORY, I WAS AMAZED AT HOW IT CONFORMS TO ALMOST ALL OF
ULRIK'S LAWS FOR FOLKTALES. SOME EXAMPLES ARE: THE LAW OF THREES
WHEN WILLIE GIVES THEM THREE REASONS FOR NOT BUYING THE FARM, ALSO,
THE LAW OF CONCENTRATION ON A LEADING CHARACTER IS CLEARLY
FULFILLED. THE MOST INTERESTING OF THE LAWS MANIFESTED IN THIS ST-
ORY IS THE LAW OF LOGIC. NORMALLY, WE WOULD NOT CONSIDER WILLIE'S
LOGIC USEFUL TO GAIN AN END, YET IN THIS STORY IT IS NOT ONLY
REAL, BUT IT IS FEASIBLE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): OL MASSA AND JOHN STORY

Date learned: 11-26-1980

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