This is Chase185.
Types
Motifs
Notes
Baer: "The chief interest of this little tale, or fragment, or whatever, is that it is a mainland United States Anansi story."
See also Chase153 for notes on the Backus Anansi story.
"Here, Aunt Nancy is not a trickster but a powerful and frightening female figure."
Showing posts with label Baer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Baer. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 02, 2016
C184. Baer (p. 163). Why the Bear is a Wrestler
This is Chase184.
Types
Motifs
F0617 mighty wrestler
H1562.9 test of strength; wrestling
Notes
Werner summarizes Basubiya tale about wrestling for honey (Bantu book; story told to Jacottet); could these half-men be "distant relatives of Uncle Remus's wrestling bear"?
conclusion: "combination of honey, wrestling, and losing all one's possessions in both African and Afro-American tales seems more than coincidental."
=========
I am sure I have read another version of this story somewhere!
YES: here it is in Jones: Tiger and Bear.
Types
Motifs
F0617 mighty wrestler
H1562.9 test of strength; wrestling
Notes
Werner summarizes Basubiya tale about wrestling for honey (Bantu book; story told to Jacottet); could these half-men be "distant relatives of Uncle Remus's wrestling bear"?
conclusion: "combination of honey, wrestling, and losing all one's possessions in both African and Afro-American tales seems more than coincidental."
=========
I am sure I have read another version of this story somewhere!
YES: here it is in Jones: Tiger and Bear.
C183. Baer (p. 163). Brother Bear Learns to Comb His Head
C182. Baer (p. 163). How Brother bear Exposed Brother Rabbit at the Barbecue
This is Chase182.
Types
ATU1088 eating contest
Motifs
Notes
"It is ironic that this tale, so clearly European, is the one not published in Little Mr. Thimblefinger since it fitsinto the first two of Harris's three categories of stories for that collection. Baughman shows 1887 as the earliest publication date in England and has found examples of the tale in North Carolina and Arkansas."
Types
ATU1088 eating contest
Motifs
Notes
"It is ironic that this tale, so clearly European, is the one not published in Little Mr. Thimblefinger since it fitsinto the first two of Harris's three categories of stories for that collection. Baughman shows 1887 as the earliest publication date in England and has found examples of the tale in North Carolina and Arkansas."
C181. Baer (p. 161). The Baby and the Punkins
This is Chase181.
Types
ATU0480 the Kind and the Unkind Girls
Motifs
L0210 modest choice best
Q0003 moderate request rewarded; immoderate punished
Q0041.2 reward for cleansing loathsome person
F0162.3.2 wishing tree
Notes
In Dixie publication, Harris expressed his own doubts in Uncle Remus's words: "I don't like ter be tellin' tales what dat ole Nigger man done tole... Dey don't soun' right ter me, en fer all I know he mought er made um all up hisse'f"
for analogue, see Milne-Home: The Little Child and the Pumpkin Tree
Baer notes that her story "is a reprint of one of a group of tales collected earlier by her brother, Sir George Webb Dasent." ... "He saw in the pumpkin tree, the 'Wishing Tree' of the Hindus, F0162.3.2, and he compared the woman's washing and big man's refusing to wash the old man's dirty head to an incident in The Bush Bridge (ATU0480 the Kind and the Unkind Girls)."
For Q41.2 Thompson gives Roberts study (missing in Baer's bibliography?) and 7 African tales
Baer: "That botanical curiosity, a pumpkin tree, likely developed from economy in retelling or imperfect memory of an African tale."
Ashanti: woman tells silkcotton tree that she would send her children to pick pumpkins UNDER the tree. Story is in Rattray.
Conclusion: "The two Jamaican tales, this and Mr. Goat's Short Tail, were attributed by Uncle Remus to an old Negro named Jimps. While the roots of both tales are African, the close analogues in the West Indies lead to the conclusion that the tales could well have reached the southern United States via the West Indies."
Types
ATU0480 the Kind and the Unkind Girls
Motifs
L0210 modest choice best
Q0003 moderate request rewarded; immoderate punished
Q0041.2 reward for cleansing loathsome person
F0162.3.2 wishing tree
Notes
In Dixie publication, Harris expressed his own doubts in Uncle Remus's words: "I don't like ter be tellin' tales what dat ole Nigger man done tole... Dey don't soun' right ter me, en fer all I know he mought er made um all up hisse'f"
for analogue, see Milne-Home: The Little Child and the Pumpkin Tree
Baer notes that her story "is a reprint of one of a group of tales collected earlier by her brother, Sir George Webb Dasent." ... "He saw in the pumpkin tree, the 'Wishing Tree' of the Hindus, F0162.3.2, and he compared the woman's washing and big man's refusing to wash the old man's dirty head to an incident in The Bush Bridge (ATU0480 the Kind and the Unkind Girls)."
For Q41.2 Thompson gives Roberts study (missing in Baer's bibliography?) and 7 African tales
Baer: "That botanical curiosity, a pumpkin tree, likely developed from economy in retelling or imperfect memory of an African tale."
Ashanti: woman tells silkcotton tree that she would send her children to pick pumpkins UNDER the tree. Story is in Rattray.
Conclusion: "The two Jamaican tales, this and Mr. Goat's Short Tail, were attributed by Uncle Remus to an old Negro named Jimps. While the roots of both tales are African, the close analogues in the West Indies lead to the conclusion that the tales could well have reached the southern United States via the West Indies."
C180. Baer (p. 160). Mr. Goat's Short Tail
This is Chase180.
Types
ATU0126 sheep chases the wolf (via Klipple)
Motifs
A2378.2.2. how goats lost their tails
D0642 transformation to escape difficult situation
K0649.12 confederate persuades captor to throw away disguised trickster
Notes
Baer notes that Uncle Remus says this is Jamaican tale
Guinea coast: leopard, dog, and goat. Klipple classifies that one as ATU0126 sheep chases the wolf, plus she has four other stone-throwing episodes; see comments on Chase089 for Hlakanyana turning himself into a stone to get thrown across the river.
Mofokeng has Shona tale with hare changing himself into a log to get thrown across river
Milne-Home has Jamaican tale with Anansi, not Wolf as pursuer... plus additional episode: "when the river is dry, Anansi follows dog and goat and throws a cutlass, cutting off a piece of goat's tail."
Harris published in Dixie in December 1890; it's not clear if he knew of Milne's book (she mentions Harris in her introduction, but he never mentions her). Milne also has "Anansi, Tiger, and Goat" with Tiger as pursuer
conclusion: "Regardless of how Harris verified the tale, it has close analogues in Jamaica and Africa, and the source is almost certainly Africa."
Types
ATU0126 sheep chases the wolf (via Klipple)
Motifs
A2378.2.2. how goats lost their tails
D0642 transformation to escape difficult situation
K0649.12 confederate persuades captor to throw away disguised trickster
Notes
Baer notes that Uncle Remus says this is Jamaican tale
Guinea coast: leopard, dog, and goat. Klipple classifies that one as ATU0126 sheep chases the wolf, plus she has four other stone-throwing episodes; see comments on Chase089 for Hlakanyana turning himself into a stone to get thrown across the river.
Mofokeng has Shona tale with hare changing himself into a log to get thrown across river
Milne-Home has Jamaican tale with Anansi, not Wolf as pursuer... plus additional episode: "when the river is dry, Anansi follows dog and goat and throws a cutlass, cutting off a piece of goat's tail."
Harris published in Dixie in December 1890; it's not clear if he knew of Milne's book (she mentions Harris in her introduction, but he never mentions her). Milne also has "Anansi, Tiger, and Goat" with Tiger as pursuer
conclusion: "Regardless of how Harris verified the tale, it has close analogues in Jamaica and Africa, and the source is almost certainly Africa."
C179. Baer (p. 160). Mr. Crow and Mr. Buzzard
C178. Baer (p. 158). The Most Beautiful Bird in the World
This is Chase178.
Types
ATU0235 jay borrows cuckoo's skin and fails to return it
Motifs
Notes
Baer cites letter Harris received in 1907 from Isla S. Nichols in Sonora, Mexico where owl, dove, and paisano (road-runner) loaned Pajaro Coo feathers to appear in beauty contest: "Coo left, and the three other birds have been calling Coo ever since."
conclusion: "While Thompson's references are northern European rather than Spanish, the evidence indicates this is a New World variant of a European tale."
Types
ATU0235 jay borrows cuckoo's skin and fails to return it
Motifs
Notes
Baer cites letter Harris received in 1907 from Isla S. Nichols in Sonora, Mexico where owl, dove, and paisano (road-runner) loaned Pajaro Coo feathers to appear in beauty contest: "Coo left, and the three other birds have been calling Coo ever since."
conclusion: "While Thompson's references are northern European rather than Spanish, the evidence indicates this is a New World variant of a European tale."
C177. Baer (p. 158). How Brother Rabbit Brought Family Trouble on Brother Fox
This is Chase177.
Types
ATU0050 the sick lion
Motifs
K0961 the sick lion
the hint of Mrs. Fox eating Mr. Fox is just a suggestion at the end, but this motif is "frequent motif in Bantu folktales"
"AT 50 occurs both in Europe and Africa, but the ending of this tale is distinctly African; the immediate source of teh Afro-American version is probably Africa. parsons found it reminiscent of Portuguese tales she had heard in New England."
Types
ATU0050 the sick lion
Motifs
K0961 the sick lion
G0061 relative's flesh eaten unwittingly
Notesthe hint of Mrs. Fox eating Mr. Fox is just a suggestion at the end, but this motif is "frequent motif in Bantu folktales"
"AT 50 occurs both in Europe and Africa, but the ending of this tale is distinctly African; the immediate source of teh Afro-American version is probably Africa. parsons found it reminiscent of Portuguese tales she had heard in New England."
C176. Baer (p. 157). Brother Rabbit, Brother Fox, and the Two Fat Pullets
This is Chase176.
Types
Motifs
K0362 theft by presenting false order to guarian
Notes
Mofokeng has two African stories with jackal and lion: "Jackal picks up a piece of paper and takes it to lion pretending it is a letter from lion's wife. Lion cannot read but pretends that he has left his spectacles at home and asks jackal to read it for him. Jackal reads that lion must kill a sheep and send it with jackal at once. ... He gets home to find that jackal gave lion's wife the entrails (which were intended for jackal) and has taken the sheep."
Thompson has Ibo item for this motif.
West Indies: 8 items in Flowers
conclusion: "This Uncle Remus tale has close analogues in Africa and the West Indies rather than Europe."
Types
Motifs
K0362 theft by presenting false order to guarian
Notes
Mofokeng has two African stories with jackal and lion: "Jackal picks up a piece of paper and takes it to lion pretending it is a letter from lion's wife. Lion cannot read but pretends that he has left his spectacles at home and asks jackal to read it for him. Jackal reads that lion must kill a sheep and send it with jackal at once. ... He gets home to find that jackal gave lion's wife the entrails (which were intended for jackal) and has taken the sheep."
Thompson has Ibo item for this motif.
West Indies: 8 items in Flowers
conclusion: "This Uncle Remus tale has close analogues in Africa and the West Indies rather than Europe."
C175. Baer (p. 157). Taily-po
This is Chase175.
Types
ATU0366 The man from the gallows [rejected by Baer though]
Motifs
K0745 victim burned in building
Notes
Parsons says she heard a variant on Andros Island.
Chatelain notes that "burning a victim in a house is a common theme in Angolan folktales"
conclusion: "Based on Parsons's references, this may be an African tale although I have not found African analogues."
she says Baughman has a West Virginia story about a man who eats tail of animal and then animal comes for him; Baughman puts that as ATU0366 The man from the gallows but Baer notes that is not appropriate.
==========
I cannot believe that this is the only motif that Baer could come up with! It has its own Wikipedia article, and poking around it does look like 366 is the tale type being used both for Tailypo AND for Golden Arm...? for Chase107, which is Harris's Golden Arm story, Baer gives no tale type.
Types
ATU0366 The man from the gallows [rejected by Baer though]
Motifs
K0745 victim burned in building
Notes
Parsons says she heard a variant on Andros Island.
Chatelain notes that "burning a victim in a house is a common theme in Angolan folktales"
conclusion: "Based on Parsons's references, this may be an African tale although I have not found African analogues."
she says Baughman has a West Virginia story about a man who eats tail of animal and then animal comes for him; Baughman puts that as ATU0366 The man from the gallows but Baer notes that is not appropriate.
==========
I cannot believe that this is the only motif that Baer could come up with! It has its own Wikipedia article, and poking around it does look like 366 is the tale type being used both for Tailypo AND for Golden Arm...? for Chase107, which is Harris's Golden Arm story, Baer gives no tale type.
C174. Baer (p. 156). Impty-Umpty and the Blacksmith
This is Chase174.
Types
ATU0330B Devil in the Knapsack
Motifs
Notes
Parsons comments: "It has been collected in New England from Portuguese Negroes, but it has not been recorded before, so far as I know, in the South. Mr. Ridgeley Torrence tells me however that the tale is widely spread among American Negroes."
See notes to Chase032. (Baer wrote 23 but she means 32.)
==========
She does not comment on weaving Rabbit into the story here; that is something Harris does that I am really curious about. I suspect it is Harris and NOT his informant... but I sure would like to know!
Types
ATU0330B Devil in the Knapsack
Motifs
Notes
Parsons comments: "It has been collected in New England from Portuguese Negroes, but it has not been recorded before, so far as I know, in the South. Mr. Ridgeley Torrence tells me however that the tale is widely spread among American Negroes."
See notes to Chase032. (Baer wrote 23 but she means 32.)
==========
She does not comment on weaving Rabbit into the story here; that is something Harris does that I am really curious about. I suspect it is Harris and NOT his informant... but I sure would like to know!
C173. Baer (p. 156). Brother Rabbit's Bear Hunt
C172. Baer (p. 155). The Story of Brer Fox and Little Mr. Cricket
This is Chase172.
Types
ATU0275 race of the fox and the crayfish
Motifs
K0011.2 race won by deception: riding on the tack
Notes
Clarke has 5 and Klipple has 4, and Flowers has 6, including crab hanging on fox which she lists as ATU0250 Swimming Match of the fish
Baer notes: "There is no way of knowing when Harris first collected this tale; its first appearance as an Uncle Remus tale was in Uncle Remus's Magazine, 1908. However we know that he kept outlines of tales sometimes for years hoping to hear an oral version."
conclusion: "This one is as likely to have been brought to this country by slaves from Africa as to have been acquired later from the European tradition."
Types
ATU0275 race of the fox and the crayfish
Motifs
K0011.2 race won by deception: riding on the tack
Notes
Clarke has 5 and Klipple has 4, and Flowers has 6, including crab hanging on fox which she lists as ATU0250 Swimming Match of the fish
Baer notes: "There is no way of knowing when Harris first collected this tale; its first appearance as an Uncle Remus tale was in Uncle Remus's Magazine, 1908. However we know that he kept outlines of tales sometimes for years hoping to hear an oral version."
conclusion: "This one is as likely to have been brought to this country by slaves from Africa as to have been acquired later from the European tradition."
Monday, August 01, 2016
C171. Baer (p. 154). Story of Teenchy-Tiny Duck
This is Chase171.
Types
ATU0715:II Demi-Coq
Motifs
D0915.2 river contained under cock's wings
D1382.3 magic stream quenches fire
F0601.7 animals as extraordinary companions
K0841 demi-coq by means of magic animals and magic water collects money
Notes
Hausa tale has little chicken who puts wood, cat, hyena, lion, and elephant into bag to recover debt
Flowers has an example from Guadalupe
"The Uncle Remus and Hausa versions have in common that only the central portion of the European tale has been retained; however, Uncle Remus follows the motifs of the European version rather than those of the African example"
conclusion: "Present evidence does not indicate great popularity or assimilation of this European tale in the African oral tradition; nor in the Afro-American tradition, for that matter."
==============
Surely this is a tale originally from India, not European? I know it as an Indian story, and a popular one. This will be fun to research!
Types
ATU0715:II Demi-Coq
Motifs
D0915.2 river contained under cock's wings
D1382.3 magic stream quenches fire
F0601.7 animals as extraordinary companions
K0841 demi-coq by means of magic animals and magic water collects money
Notes
Hausa tale has little chicken who puts wood, cat, hyena, lion, and elephant into bag to recover debt
Flowers has an example from Guadalupe
"The Uncle Remus and Hausa versions have in common that only the central portion of the European tale has been retained; however, Uncle Remus follows the motifs of the European version rather than those of the African example"
conclusion: "Present evidence does not indicate great popularity or assimilation of this European tale in the African oral tradition; nor in the Afro-American tradition, for that matter."
==============
Surely this is a tale originally from India, not European? I know it as an Indian story, and a popular one. This will be fun to research!
C170. Baer (p. 154). How Brer Rabbit Saved Brer Bear's Life
This is Chase170.
Types
ATU0005 biting the foot
ATU1530 holding up the rock
Motifs
K0543 biting the foot
K1251 holding up the rock
Notes
Theal's Lion and Little Jackal has identical plot
Klipple has more examples of 1530: 3 in a cave, 8 with rocks; jackal hare, or Hlakayana are the tricksters while lion, leopard, and hyena are the dupes
additional references in Arewa and Mofokeng
conclusion "The frequency of tales in Africa having these two episodes following in this sequence would seem to point to a direct African source for this particular tale."
Types
ATU0005 biting the foot
ATU1530 holding up the rock
Motifs
K0543 biting the foot
K1251 holding up the rock
Notes
Theal's Lion and Little Jackal has identical plot
Klipple has more examples of 1530: 3 in a cave, 8 with rocks; jackal hare, or Hlakayana are the tricksters while lion, leopard, and hyena are the dupes
additional references in Arewa and Mofokeng
conclusion "The frequency of tales in Africa having these two episodes following in this sequence would seem to point to a direct African source for this particular tale."
C169. Baer (p. 153). Brer Rabbit Causes Brer Fox to Lose his Hide
This is Chase169.
Types
ATU0050 the sick lion
Motifs
K0961 the sick lion
Notes
Arewa has a Nuba tale that Baer parallels with this story item by item:
Lion was ill.
All the animals except fox cam to visit him.
When hyena complained of fox, lion sent hare to call fox.
Fox pretended he had consulted a learned doctor who prescribed that lion should eat the liver of a hyena.
Wolf and fox killed hyena.
conclusion: "While this is a widespread European tale type, it does also occur in Africa, and in this case the Uncle Remus tale and the Nuba tale are certainly cognate."
Types
ATU0050 the sick lion
Motifs
K0961 the sick lion
Arewa has a Nuba tale that Baer parallels with this story item by item:
Lion was ill.
All the animals except fox cam to visit him.
When hyena complained of fox, lion sent hare to call fox.
Fox pretended he had consulted a learned doctor who prescribed that lion should eat the liver of a hyena.
Wolf and fox killed hyena.
conclusion: "While this is a widespread European tale type, it does also occur in Africa, and in this case the Uncle Remus tale and the Nuba tale are certainly cognate."
C168. Baer (p. 153). Brer Rabbit has Trouble with the Moon
This is Chase168.
Types
Motifs
A2216.3 moon splits hare's lip
B0291.3.2 rabbit as messenger
Notes
Arewa has Zingula tale with hare as messenger between man and sultan
conclusion: "The Uncle Remus tale and Bleek's, cited by Thompson, are clearly analogous with the Hottentot tale probably the source."
Types
Motifs
A2216.3 moon splits hare's lip
B0291.3.2 rabbit as messenger
Notes
Arewa has Zingula tale with hare as messenger between man and sultan
conclusion: "The Uncle Remus tale and Bleek's, cited by Thompson, are clearly analogous with the Hottentot tale probably the source."
C167. Baer (p. 152). Story of the Doodang
This is Chase167.
Types
...
Motifs
J2353.1 tortoise borrows feathers from birds to fly; marooned in tree
K1041 trickster borrows feathers from birds; marooned on island
Q0597.2 birds take back feathers from ungrateful wolf
Notes
Harris mentioned "doodang" in his personal diary, 1863, when he was just 15 years old; he was relating a hoax discovery of new species of monkey in Australia
Africa: "The general outline of the story is analogous to those African tales for which Clarke had to create new motif numbers."
West Indies: mule borrows feathers and he gets impaled on picket ... also Annancy borrows blackbird feathers and must give them back
Baer concludes: "The African, West Indian, and Uncle Remus tales have much in common, and there are no records of similar tales having been collected elsewhere. If, at one time, these were related to AT0244 or K1041.1 Flight by putting on bird feathers; dupe falls, they have acquired their own identity since."
Types
...
Motifs
J2353.1 tortoise borrows feathers from birds to fly; marooned in tree
K1041 trickster borrows feathers from birds; marooned on island
Q0597.2 birds take back feathers from ungrateful wolf
Notes
Harris mentioned "doodang" in his personal diary, 1863, when he was just 15 years old; he was relating a hoax discovery of new species of monkey in Australia
Africa: "The general outline of the story is analogous to those African tales for which Clarke had to create new motif numbers."
West Indies: mule borrows feathers and he gets impaled on picket ... also Annancy borrows blackbird feathers and must give them back
Baer concludes: "The African, West Indian, and Uncle Remus tales have much in common, and there are no records of similar tales having been collected elsewhere. If, at one time, these were related to AT0244 or K1041.1 Flight by putting on bird feathers; dupe falls, they have acquired their own identity since."
C166. Baer (p. 151). How Mr. Lion Lost his Wool
This is Chase166.
Types
...
Motifs
K1000 deception into self-injury
Notes
focuses on lion's personality: "Lion's attitude and behavior in this story is very like his attitude and behavior in African hunting tales; he wants whatever there is, and he wants it first and most."
Also consequences: "Getting burned as a consequence of his imperious ways is characteristic of the African tales. The burning is usually the result of being tricked into swallowing a hot stone, and the results are usually fatal."
See Chase079 for African hot stone as boiling water in American version.
she provides Mofokeng for references
conclusion: "While the setting is very American with the cords of wood and the hog-skinning, the animals have retained their traditional African roles."
Types
...
Motifs
K1000 deception into self-injury
Notes
focuses on lion's personality: "Lion's attitude and behavior in this story is very like his attitude and behavior in African hunting tales; he wants whatever there is, and he wants it first and most."
Also consequences: "Getting burned as a consequence of his imperious ways is characteristic of the African tales. The burning is usually the result of being tricked into swallowing a hot stone, and the results are usually fatal."
See Chase079 for African hot stone as boiling water in American version.
she provides Mofokeng for references
conclusion: "While the setting is very American with the cords of wood and the hog-skinning, the animals have retained their traditional African roles."
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