American Negro Folktales Author:Richard M. Dorson This is a superb collection from the folktale repetoire of Negro Americans. It includes not only the well-known stories of talking animals, but also the cycle concerning Old Marster and his clever slave John, and ranges from supernatural accounts of specters and bogies, through comical and satirical anecdotes, to the more realistic reports of ra... more »cial injustice.
The narrator's bold and lively language and rich imagery bring to the surface the unique imagination, spirit, and courage of the Negro tradition. Following modern methods of folklore research, Richard M. Dorson has recorded the actual words of the narrators, bringing into relief individual styles and personalities. These narratives reveal a consistent ability to temper reality with bittersweet humor, to reply to what threatens with subtle wit and irony.« less
From animal and bird stories to protest narratives, from hoodoos and lying tales to preachers' sermons, and everywhere in between, fascinating reading.