The sun., 1894-02-20
American Folk Lore.

We notice with interest and approval that
the American Folk Lore Society will shortly
undertake the publication OF folk tales OF
Angola. on the West African coast. and that
1t has In hand q collection OF the French
Creole tales OF Louisiana. 1t seems TO US.
however. that the society might find work
to its purpose nearer than West Africa. Its
headquarters are in Cambridge. Why have
its learned Thebans done nothing TO pre-
servo the fading traditions OF that curious
and. we believe. now extinct race, the
Cambridgeport or Port " chucks. of whom
Sir WALTER wrote:
Let the Port eulliss FAM
Where are the dsrisive songs and cries
these strange beings used to utter. when
the despised students OF the College at old
Cambridge went by9 Gone. we fear. with
those trousers impossibly tight TO the
knee aud thence widening to a spring
bottom" covering the whole foot. The
Folk Lore Society had this rich mine to
work. and never put pick to 1t. This negii-
gence might be excused. but what shall We
say OF a greater and objectionable one
The Mugwump Bird was once the dodO-
legged darling Of eastern Massachusetts.
He roasted In mahogany trees. and his rau-
cous jaws were fabricated with champagne
He was hymned and hailed at q thousand
banquets. cold. hot. and warmed over. The
Mugwump tribe had its ritual. its incanta-
tons. and magic rites. Its love songs for
the birth. its dirges for the departure. Of
this eccentric birdie. His advent on the
first OF April and his passing on the Tues
day after the first Monday in November.
were the special theme Of songs. legends.
and stories. We may say with MAcAULAY
after CICERO, Where are those old ballads
nOw2 We have Que. aud only one. existing
monument OF Mugwumpery. q poem. liter
AIRY and not popular. by the Hon. WILLIAM
EVERETT. his MuRwump Bird" Where Ia
the vast body OF oral Mugwump story? It
Is vain for the Folk Lore Society to defend
itself on the ground that the Mugwump
literature was literary and not popular. not
folk literature. The Mugwumps are folk
or folks" and no West African with an
inch iron ring through his nose, could be
simpler. II the Mugwump literature u not
folk literature. there is no such thing.
We ask everybody who can recall any
Mugwump song. story. legend. charm.
nursery or counting rhyme Of any sort TO
send 1t to Mr., W. w. NEWELL. Permanent
Secretary Of the American Folk Lore So
oiety. Cambridge. Mass. We recall two stan
Las Of an address 10 the Mugwump Bird.
1t comes from MattapOisett. about ls92:
Blue little bird with she great big bill
Little blue bird SIth the TinEdSEs's sJsE
SAao sAS9. 'AOa aAd bswaTs 81 the nisS
Blue little bird ~ith the gTsaI big bill!
-Blgs nttls bird SiIh ysuE tail feathers g0Aa
Littls 6lae bird ~ hlzh AbOEs;
FJ 70 o. C, EAd give hiu ear love.
Blas little bird UitA year Iail feathers EOasF
Doubtless. almost everybody who has Wis
itsd the ruins OF the hugwumps. has hreughs
homo some scrap Of their folk iteratuFs.
Thsn there is the eoplous folk literature
of what may Be called the Hullyges rsOs.
This still nourishes In every American city.
and its sOAss and stories are abundant. Ths
American Folk Lore Society should collect
them before wandering 10 Angola. We arc
not prepared 10 accept the fascinating
hypothesis Of DR.. osrsEITE Oi Bonn.