| Summary: | Folder contains 15 pages of Alabama folklore compiled for the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in the late 1930s./
Mable F. Leal a
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RELATIONS BETWEEN mITES AND NEGROES
The tollowing stories 'portray the relationship ot master and
slave at its tinest. This story is ot a mODument, near Girard,
erected b1 a tormer slave to his maeter.
Just at t he edge ot Girard, as one approaches town b1 the
highway trom Tuskegee, is a family cemetery known as t he Godwin
Cemetery. In this small burial grQ1nd is a monument erected by a
tormer slave, Horace King, to his former master, John Godwin. Horace
Ki88 was an expert carpenter, and the foreman tor Mr. Godwin in construction
work. King built many of the first houses in Girard and
Columbus. He also constructed bridges acrosa t he Chattahoochee
there, - upper and lower bridgeslabout a mile apart. When one ot
these covered bridges was swept away by a storm, Mr. Godwin voluntarily
promised Horace King his treedom if a new bridge were built
by a specified time. The bridge was completed in dus time. It is
a matter of record at Montgomery that the Legislature ot Alabeme
passed a bill giving Horace King his freedom in 1848 - thirteen years
betore the War of Secession)
upon the 'eath ot Mr. Godwin, Horace:Jling erected the monument,
which is standing today (1936> as a token ot his appre~iation.
The tomb well preserved is built of brick, extends upward about
2 teet - upon this is a marble pillow. On the monumeDt is carved
the name ot h. Godwin end states that the monument was "Erected by
Horllce King, his friend and tormer slave" -- So far, history has
tailed to reveal a counterpart anywhere in the United States.
IlSlaves In South contradict Common Theory of 'Debased' Life Lid"
News: Jan 8, 1908
o , o G. L. CIBrk, dth o . A. B. JohnBon: 4ua...ec . r...M"'!r
',lay back in de olj days ..heD de creetura ~11 ,..,
people, Brer rox g1V,a 10groll1n'
and invite all d~ nel~tborhood. And dey all come to de logrollin t • Brar Poss ••
era, and B r Rabbit and all d9 rest. Old S18 1"0x 'ind so=n de Dcl~bor .omsn ilUZ
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tlxln' de dlnne~ :By done de churuln' too, and S1s Fox go set de buc~et butter in
dft sprln . At dat ha his mout. en dey start rollin' de lO~9
de apr!n Rhera it be ~od anj cool for de big Jlnner.
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Brer bblt be keep cuttln' he eye roun1 all de ttme, and he see 818 Pox put de but~er ,
() in to h1B.at and lick
~rer Rabbit right jar wid he shoulder down jest a-gruntln'. But be ain't do no wuk.
'LoDP up in de mornin' when de sun ~at hot rer Rabbit he let out 8 big holler: ~oee.
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Brar 1"ox, ~o to run back home ~ 11'1 while!"
" ., /but de ruttte new, Brer Rabbit?"
"My ~lre pwine briop me a new heir." .,
980. 9rar Rabblt ha run ovar in de oole 11ka he ,tak1n' da sha.tcut ho~e. But he je.t
creep round to 1e anrlng and taka up da' buckAt . butter and aat it all. Den he 1pa he
t>/
( It and he hands anj lay do in de .hade to taka ~ nap.
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J".e,st 'tore dlnnertime he gl' up anj come out de ..oods wa..lk'in' slow and proud. ~
Brer "'ox see him an:': holler, "lel1. has you got je ne. beir, Brar bb1t?"
Brer wabbit S8Y. ~ Onbunh~ at a ne. helr."
Brer Fox ~ay, "Vbat you nsme dissun?" <
"'He name' Llckbo... t •
.,
qrer bb1t tols dot ka.a he done lick de
botto~ buttertucket.
" jell t
, say, dat abo 1s tine; .ho hopa he dOl!13 ..all. d now it's 'bout de
(J,A
m1d;!le de daY~le'8 knock off and glt dinner." .3.
So d Y all o up to 18 bouse, and Brar .!'ox he go down to da spr1n to g1 t ds buttar.
Ihen ha glt derB hB t1nd all d. buttar gona.
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. Sr I er Rabbit say, "Unhunh; got a new heir."
Br' er Fox say,' at you naLe dissun?"
Br'er Rabbit say, "He nw:.e' Lickbotto:::." Br'er Rabbit tole
eat kase he done lick de botto 0' de butterbucket.
Er'er -ox sa:', .- ell, dc.t o'is fine, sho' ho•.e he does well.
d nou it's 'bout de mddle 0' c.e day so le's knock off and ~it
di.! ...er. n
o dey all 0 u. to c.e house, and Er I er Fox he 0 dovm to
de s!'ri .lg to bit de butter. • en he git dere he find all de
butter ·one.
Br'er Fox he go back to de house and he say, "Somebody done
been to de spring and et all de butter. uh you-all de one
what done it?"
Dey all say dey ain't Been no butter. Den Er'er ox he say,
"ell, in't nobody else been 'round hesh so sor:ebody tole a lie.
On I Y way e kin find out is hold everybody up to de ish and ake
de butter run out de OLe hat done it.'
Dey all 'greed to dat alld den dey start holdin lone nother
u to de fish, startin ' off w~d Lr I er os kase.e de reaiest
lookin ' • But ain't no butter run out Sr'er ossurn. So dey keep
on till dey git to Br'er Ra b::t, and I/hen dey hold hiJ:. UT ere co~e
all de butter runnin' out.
Den dey all say, "Unhunh, Br'er Rab it got de butter. • at
us gvliLe Clo lid him?"
So .e say , ow h' in de fish and sor.e say t.'l' m h' in ce
brierpatch. Br I er Rabbit he don't say nothin I •
Den Br'er Rox say, "Br'er Rabbit which one you ruther u do?"
Br'er Rabbit he say, "'lh'OI7 me in de fish, please, 'er Fox;
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~ you _ diuun?-
-Be 'U.cII2lo~.- Br'or Bebb1~ wle
bot.~ 0' de but.te1'buA
Br'or Fox ae,y,
Br'or Bebb1~ ae,y,
da~ kuo 0 11 It
Br'er F
1~'. 'bou~
ll, t. oho' nne, ' ho 0
dlUe 0' 4a,y 00 le' a It oft
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a _ll.
cS1Jmlilr.-
\0 de hOUM, an4
on ho git
but._ •
'or J' lie go It de hOUM
b en ~o de opr1Jlc o~ all but r.
1t?-
,- bod.}' d
A1:J¥ uh you-all oe one
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Diy all ae,y Y ain't no butter. Din Br'or Fox 0 0a.Y,
- ll, a1n't nobod.Y olao boon 'r0un4 haah 00 oomebod.}' wle a 110.
On'y w _ k1n t1n4 ut 10 hold ...r~o u to 40 fi aIl4
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7 otort ho1d1n' ODe nother
1~ BO~ ta utter.
oa1oo~
tay keop
haroc_
'or oa o
ou~ 'or Poao
on doy ho h1lll
'or
de butter run out 40 one t
DIy all 'sreod w dat t1n4
u \0 de ti I lta.rtin' or:t w1
loolt1n'. t a1n'~ no but.ter'
on tll.l oy It to 'er Ba b1~,
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all 4e to r l'WlZ11Jl' out..
DIn 7 all -.r,
ua p1De 10 w14 h1ID'- '. ti ao I lnta
br1erpa • 'er it ho dOn't N¥ not.h1n'.
DIn r'or Jl -.r, 'or do?-
Br'or Babblt ho a.." • -'1h ' - intati I ple..., 'or FOXI
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