University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1911-10-06
Missouri Folklore

CT. LOulS anu SIuell tue SWeetUTldT II
the grave of Pontiac which is there
Or when fishing in the Missouri Rive
has the great talking fish reared it
head out of water and talked t,
you as you patiently held the ROT
waiting for bite? Or while in tn,
Ozark Mountains have you heart
the thunder that is pent up there.
/. These queer stories are legend:
and included in the great store Of
Missouri folklore. Perhaps you
have seen a negro with a red string
tied on his wrist which he believed
would cure him of scarlet fever, OF
at least keep it off. Another person
may be seen wearing a black string;
according to his belief this will keen
away rheumatism.
| Negroes name an apple tree for an
enemy, then whip it; they think il
brings back luck to take wild flowers
into the house; to step on a straw
berry is a fOrerunner of misfortune.
IT you tremble, Sneeze, spit or wink
i'll the presence of persons who be-
lieve in such superstitiOns, do not
be surprised if they are alarmed.
Such simple actions have a vast
meaning for the believers in folk
| lore.
| AC Of
ideas that exist today in our midst,
j. G. Frazer, professor of social an
thOpOlOgy at the University of Liver
pool, said in his address upon accept
ing this new chair: Folklore is the
survival of more primitive ideas and
practices among people who in other
respects have risen to a higher plane
of culture. These survivals are dis
covered in every civilized country
today. They are rightly called su-
perstitions, yet enlightened people
believe and abide by them"
Missouri is no exception to this
rule, and from the Indians and
among the negroes today are many
superstitiOns and legends. Students
who have gone from the University
into the state and are interested in
ftlk-lire, often send to the Missouri
Folklore Society strange stories
which they have heard.
AS a part of folklore We find
ballads. The relation of one to the
other is somewhat disputed, but both
belOnd to the unlettered folk. The
ballads are handed down orally or in
writing. They may be studied for
the art of music or poetry in them |
or for the history.
A ballad is popular narrative
song: popular. because it is known
by oral tradition among the simple
folk apart from schools or books, and
SO far as these folks know, author
less; narrative, in contrast to lyrical
folk songs; and a. song because in
Missouri it is always sung, not re-
cited.
Miss Myrtle Parker of Columbia
rang some of these ballads at the
of the Missouri State Music
Teachers Association in Columbia in
June. 1910. Among them were the
story of how young Charlotte was
frozen to death by her lovers side
rs she went to Christmas ball. the,
Missouri version of 1.-The Old Man
n the North COuntree' and "The
Jews Garden.
Some of the plots of ballads well
Known in Missouri are:
william and Margaret" i'm which
William quar-els with Margaret and
narries another; Margaret dies, and
Ter ghost comes to him on his we'd
ling night
20, how do you like your hed""
said she, I
And how do you like your
sheet? t
And how do you like that lady $
gay
That lies by your side asleep"
1.-The Old Man in the North
i'm which the older sister ,
ushes the younger into the water !
0 drown.
Down she sank and away she I
swan, 9
Till she came to the miiler's !
mill-dam. t
1.-The Jews Garden tells how i
1t rained all day, it rained all b
night.
1t rained all over the land.
A little boy is enticed into the gar
en by the Jews daughter, who
! ly<.e tr,,I 4 lT,