This is Chase114.
Types
Motifs
A2416.3 bad smell of skunk
Notes
Baer makes connection with Chase163 where Bear, "the perpetual dupe, allows him in."
Baer insists that this is a skunk, not polecat: "Although Uncle Remus consistently uses the European term polecat rather than the American Indian skunk (segunku), it is the American skunk he has in mind."
Baer lists some skunk legends: "Skunk's spray once had the power to kill, but he has since been deprived of that power and now just smells bad."
conclusion: "I have found no parallels to these Polecat stories and am of the opinion they are indigenous Afro-American tales based on observation of the behavior and qualities of native animals and their human counterparts."
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I am not sure why Baer is so sure that this is not a polecat, and why Harris would not use the word skunk...? But I have updated my Diigo index accordingly.
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