The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

NOT GIVEN

ONCE UPON A TIME, A BEAR AND A TURTLE BOASTED OF THEIR STRENGTH.
THE BEAR TOLD THE TURTLE HE COULD JERK HIM A MILE. TO DEMONSTRATE
THIS THE BEAR GOT A 100 FOOT CHAIN AND TOOK ONE END AND GAVE THE
TURTLE THE OTHER. THE TURTLE SAID HE COULD NOT DO ANY PULLING
ON LAND BUT HE COULD OVERMATCH THE BEAR IN THE WATER. SO, HE TOOK
HIS END OF THE CHAIN AND TIED IT TO A STUMP UNDER WATER AND
HOLLERED, "READY!" THE BEAR RARED BACK WITH ALL HIS MIGHT BUT
HE COULD NOT OUT PULL THE TURTLE. AFTER ABOUT THREE ATTEMPTS
THE TURTLE POKED HIS HEAD ABOVE THE WATER AND SAID: "BROTHER
BEAR, I TOLD YOU I WAS THE STRONGEST. YOU DIDN'T EVEN 'PULL
UP THE SLACK.'" THE TURTLE WON THE BET WITHOUT AN EFFORT.
ONCE, A RABBIT AND A TURTLE HAD A BET WHO WAS THE FASTEST RUNNER.
THE TURTLE PLACED HIS TWIN BROTHER AT THE END OF THE TRACK.
WHEN THE GONG WENT OFF THE RABBIT WENT "STRAIT" TO THE GOAL
AT RAPID SPEED THINKING HE HAD WON THE BET TO FIND THE TWIN
TURTLE SHOWED UP IN FRONT. HE WON THE BET, WITHOUT RUNNING AT
ALL.
ONCE UPON A TIME A LITTLE RED HEN FOUND SOME GRAINS OF WHEAT:
SHE ASKED THE GOOSE, THE TURKEY, THE RABBIT IF THEY WOULD HELP
HER PLANT THEM; ALL SAID NO. SO SHE PLANTED THEM AND AFTER THE
WHEAT MATURED, SHE ASKED: WHO WILL HELP ME GATHER THE WHEAT?
ALL REPLIED: "I WON'T." SHE GATHERED IT HERSELF; AND THEN
ASKED WHO WOULD HELP CARRY IT TO THE MILL: ALL REPLIED: "I
WILL NOT." SO SHE CARRIED IT AND HAD IT MADE INTO FLOUR AND IT
WAS COOKED INTO BREAD AND THEN SHE ASKED WHO WOULD HELP EAT IT.
ALL REPLIED, "I WILL." SHE SAID "I WILL EAT IT MYSELF; SINCE
I HAD ALL THE TROUBLE ALONE."
BROTHER FOX BUILT A NEW HOUSE AND INVITED TURKEYS, GEESE AND
DUCKS TO A PARTY. ALL CAME AND WENT IN EXCEPT THE WISE, OLD
GOOSE. AFTER AWHILE BROTHER FOX INQUIRED OF MISS GOOSE WHY SHE
DIDN'T COME IN. ALL THE OTHERS CAME IN. SHE SAID, "SO I SEE,
BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY OF THEM COME OUT."
ALL THE FEROCIOUS ANIMALS MET TO PROVE WHO RULED THE JUNGLES.
THE LION SAID HE DID, THE ELEPHANT SAID HE DID, THE TIGER SAID
HE DID, THE GORILLA SAID HE DID AND THE BEAR SAID HE DID. TO
PROVE WHO WAS THE MOST POWERFUL, THEY SELECTED A BATTLE ZONE,
WHICH INCLUDED A BED OF SKUNKS. TO PROTECT HIS HOUSEHOLD, THE
SKUNK RELEASED HIS GAS, AND ALL THE ANIMALS LEFT WITHOUT PROVING
WHO WAS BOSS. THE SKUNK PROVED HE IS THE BOSS.

Submitter comment: MR. WRIGHT'S GRANDFATHER, STEPHEN SAPP, WAS A BLACKSMITH WHO
MADE PLOWS, FIXED WAGONS AND BUGGIES, SHOED HORSES. HE WAS
THE ONLY BLACKSMITH IN THE WHOLE COUNTY AND HE WAS SO INDIS-
PENSIBLE THAT HE WAS NEVER SUBJECT TO SLAVERY. HE WOULD TELL
A PROFUSION OF STORIES.

Where learned: NOT GIVEN