The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

WHY THE NERGO IS BLACK?

NOAH HAD TWO SONS, A YOUNGER SON AND A OLDER SON. ONE NIGHT
NOAH CAME HOME DRUNK. THE OLDEST SON HAD A GIRLFRIEND OVER, AND HE
WAS EMBARARASS TO SEE HIS FATHER DRUNK. HE INTRODUCED HIS FATHER AS
HIS UNCLE. NOAH WAS NOT AS DRUNK AS HIS SON THOUGHT HE WAS, BECAUSE
HE TOLD HIS SON YOU MUST HAVE FORGOTTEN WHO I AM. I AM NOT YOUR
UNCLE. I AM YOUR FATHER. HE WAS SO ASHAMED OF HIS FATHER UNTIL HE
TOLD HIM TO TAKE HIS DRUNK SELF TO BED. MEANWHILE, GOD WAS LISTENING
AND WATCHING WHAT WAS HAPPENING. NOAH TOLD HIS OLDEST SON THAT GOD
PUNISHES THOSE WHO DO NOT RESPECT THEIR ELDERS. NOAH WENT TO BED.
THE NEXT DAY NOAH'S OLDEST SON WAS ARGUING WITH HIS YOUNGEST BROTHER
ABOUT THE INCIDENT, WHICH HAD HAPPEN THE NIGHT BEFORE, AND THE YOUNG-
EST SON WAS TAKING THE SIDE OF HIS FATHER. THE ARGUEMENT GOT SO
FEROCIOUS UNTIL GOD STEP IN AND TOLD THE OLDEST SON HE WAS WRONG
AND WOULD BE PUNISHED FOR SASHING HIS FATHER. THEREFORE, HE WAS
CURSED AND MADE BLACK. THE BLACKNESS STOOD FOR THE EVIL HE HAD DONE.
GOD TOLD THE YOUNGEST SON, HE WOULD BE BLESSED FOR NOT BEING ASHAMED
OF HIS FATHER, AND HE WAS MADE WHITE, TO STAND FOR THE GOODNESS HE
HAD DONE.

Submitter comment:

I CAN NOT REMEMBER WHO TOLD ME THIS STORY, BUT I KNOW I HEARD IT
DOWN SOUTH.

Where learned: MISSISSIPPI ; MERIDIAN

Date learned: 09-00-1960