The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

ONCE THERE WAS AH...AH COLORED MAN, A WHITE MAN IN SLAVERY TIME.
HE HAD TWO NEGROES WORKING ON HIS PLANTATION. AND ONE DAY HE TOLD
HIM SAY LISTEN THERES A BEAR DOWN THERE IN THERE IN THAT BOTTOM
EATING MY CORN. SAY JOHN GO DOWN THERE AND BRING THAT BEAR UP
HERE. GOES DOWN THERE AND GET THAT BEAR AND BRING HIM ON UP HERE.
JOHN GOT OUT HE DID THAT MORNING EARLY THAT MORNING... WENT ON
DOWN THERE THERE IN THE BOTTOM HE DID AND HE SEEN THE BEAR. AND
THE BEAR HAD AN ARM OF CORN. SO HE TOLD HIM HEY PUT DOWN THAT
CORN. AND THE BEAR THROWD THE CORN DOWN AND GOT AFTER HIM AT
JOHN. JOHN JUST...HE WENT TO THE BARN. HE RAN JUST AS HARD AS
HE COULD UP TO THE HILL. TILL HE GOT TO THE BARN. HE WENT IN THE
BARN DOOR AND CLOSE...AND WENT ON DOWN TO THE FLOOR AND THE BEAR
COME ON IN THE BARN AND HE CLOSED IT AND COME ON THE OUTSIDE
AND CLOSED THE DOORS. OK, SAY, NOW HE WENT ON UP TO THE HOUSE, TO
OLE MASTER'S HOUSE, HE SAY. JOHN YOU GET THAT BEAR(?) / . SAY YEA, I
GOT THAT BEAR. SAY WHERE'S HE AT? HE UP THERE IN THE BARN. WELL,
YOU TAKE THIS KNIVE AND GO ON UP THERE AND KILL THE BEAR NOW.
JOHN SAY LISTEN BOSS, I WENT AND BROUGHT THE BEAR HERE WHY DON'T
YOU MAKE THE OTHER GUY KILL HIM. SAY YEA, MRS SAY, YEA. JOHN
DONE BROUGH THE BEAR HERE. LET THE OTHER FELLA KILL HIM. SO SLE
JOHN HE WENT IN DOWN THERE AND GOT ON TOP OF THE FENCE. AND THE
OTHER FELLA WHEN IN THE BARN WHERE THE BEAR WAS, AND OUT CAME
HIM AND THE BEAR. DOWN ACROSS THE FIELD HIM AND THE BEAR WENT.
AND HE GOT DOWN DOWN THERE IN THE FIELD A GOOD WAYS AND SAID AH
JOHN HOW DID YOU BRING THAT BEAR HERE? JUST LIKE HE GOT THE SON
OF A BITCH TO COME DOWN ACROSS THAT FIELD.

James Callow comment:

SOME SPELLING HAS BEEN CORRECTED

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): Fable ; Slave

James Callow Keyword(s): AN EPISODE ; CAPTURE BY ESCAPE, AS IN \"JACK AND THE VARMINTS\"

Date learned: 10-00-1974

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