# Journal of American Folk-Lore/Volume 11/Issue 40/Folk-Lore Scrap-Book

FOLK-LORE SCRAP-BOOK.
Two Negro Tales concerning the Jay.—From the "Southern Workman," Hampton, Va., January, 1898, we copy the following contribution to the department of "Folk-lore and Ethnology," included in this Journal:—
We are indebted to Miss Susan Showers, who has spent several years at Calhoun, for the folk-lore that we publish this month. Miss Showers has made quite an extensive collection of stories and signs, brought in by the children and transcribed in their own language. We have mentioned the superstition, common throughout the South, that the "jay-bird" is never to be found on Friday, for the reason that he visits hell on that day. It seems that his purpose in making these weekly visits is to carry a grain of sand, for, as one of the Calhoun children explains, "the wicked will always burn in torment as long as there is any sand there." We have never, in our Hampton society, struck anything more in the way of a story about the blue jay than this superstition, but the two jay stories that we give this month from Miss Showers's collection remind us a little of Mary Alicia Owen's bird stories in her volume of Voudoo Tales.
How the Jays saved their Souls.—On every Friday, it is said, the blue jay goes to hell to carry sand to burn other people's souls with. One day, as he got ready to start on his journey, he thought how much he loved to see souls jump and burn. One day, as the jay went down to hell, the Devil said to him, "You and I must make an agreement in some way, so that you will get pay for your work." "All right," said the jay, and the Devil told him that if he would bring sand to burn the people with, he would not bother the jay's family if ever they had a chance to come to hell.
The jay thought he could act sharp with the Devil, so he came back home, and told every other jay to carry water, so they could put out the fire when the Devil got one of them. So then every Friday the jays started to hell with water and sand, but it was not very long before the Devil caught up with the jays.
The next Friday they went, and before they reached hell they met the Devil's two sons. The two boys went back with them, and carried them all into the house, and asked them what they were bringing the water for. The old jays said, "For us to drink while we sit and see the souls burn." The Devil fastened the door and caught them all, and cut off their wings. They all cried, "Jay! jay! jay! jay!" but the Devil said, "The next souls on hand to burn are the jays."
When the Devil had finished cutting their wings, he told them to come on and go out and see souls burn. They were all weeping and shaking hands with each other, and the old jay told them that when the Devil tried to catch them, they must all fly up and scratch him in the face. They tried it, and put the Devil's eyes out, and then started back home. They said, "We never want to go to hell again, for the Devil is just as delighted to burn jays' souls as those of any other birds." Now, on every Friday the jays go off and have a picnic, and do not go to hell.
​The Jay and the Martin.—A jay once stole some eggs from a martin. The martin and the jay were friends, as they lived near each other. The martin lived in the gourd which the people put for her at the house.
Probably you do not know why they put them for the martin. If the martins have their nests at the house, they keep away the hawks.
Now the jay had her nest in a tree near, and when the martin was away would take her eggs. "Mrs. Jay," said the martin one day as they were talking about the other birds, "do you miss any of your eggs?"
"I have not yet," said the jay, ‘"but I am looking for it every day."
"Something is carrying away my eggs," said the martin; "I wish you would notice for me when I am not at home, and I will do the same for you when you are gone off."
"I will," said the jay.
So one day, when the martin goes off, the jay waits until the martin is in sight, and then she begins to look around. She sees a crow. She flies to the tree, and makes a great noise. When the martin got there, she comes back. "Mrs. Martin," said the jay, "here he is, out here in the tree."
"All right," said the martin; "I will go out there and see him. Come and go, Mrs, Jay."
"No, no, I will watch for another while you are gone."
Mr. and Mrs. Martin go out and see the crow. "Mr. Crow," said Mr. Martin, ‘"Mr. Jay said you were at my house to-day."
"Where is your house?" asked the crow.
"Yonder, where you see that little round house on the pole."
"I have never been there in my life," said the crow; "I will go and see the jay about it."
On a Friday morning the crow goes to see the jay. "Hello," said the crow.
"Mother is not here," said one of the young jays.
"Where is she?" asked the crow.
"She went to carry some grains of sand to hell."
"When she comes, tell her Mr. Crow was here to see her."
When the jay came, the young bird said, "Mother, big black man has been here to see you." So the jay moved to another home the next day.