tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post5629232790728000647..comments2023-04-10T03:33:40.803-04:00Comments on Appalachian Lifestyles: Snakes and more Snakes.Matthew Burnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02625103538582649633noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-33639481767336493092009-05-30T14:09:28.474-04:002009-05-30T14:09:28.474-04:00My Aunt Belva (who died about five years ago) once...My Aunt Belva (who died about five years ago) once told me about a snake who ate her "nest egg"—an old-fashioned white doorknob she kept in her chicken house to encourage the hens to lay.<br /><br />One day,she saw a blacksnake come out of her henhouse and there was a round place in its body. She figured what had happened, grabbed her hoe and killed the snake. Sure enough, it had eaten the nest egg.<br /><br />Aunt Belva cleaned off the doorknob and put it back in a nest.Becky Mushkohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11833297935575559624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-25573388069318416532009-05-25T11:43:42.032-04:002009-05-25T11:43:42.032-04:00We have a problem with rattlesnakes where I live a...We have a problem with rattlesnakes where I live at in Pocahontas Co WV. I am constantly telling the boys to watch were they are walking and playing. 3 years ago I had a huge one on my front porch. UGH! I do not like them at all.Angelenahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04002727192262980990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-35382584911514048262009-05-18T14:45:00.000-04:002009-05-18T14:45:00.000-04:00Matthew-I don't have any snake stories that would ...Matthew-I don't have any snake stories that would compare to yours. Loved all of them-but especially the one about Hallie-I can't wait to tell it to the girls. Loved the conversation between you and Granny Sue in the comments too-so interesting how the stories were brought to Appalachia and changed to fit the need-but kept the original plot.Tipperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11714281090985487356noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-52761637644949159612009-05-18T09:56:00.000-04:002009-05-18T09:56:00.000-04:00Isn't that amazing, Matthew? It's a perfect exampl...Isn't that amazing, Matthew? It's a perfect example of how folklore and stories traveled from the old world to the new. Your family, like those of the old balladsingers, carried forward the old stories to their new home. I do not know any Hanse and Mag stories, and googling quickly did not turn them up either, but Hans was the European Jack and there are stories about him. The one in this story, obviously, isn't Jack! <br /><br />What I feel so excited about is that you remember these stories, and are now also passing them on. That is a unique heritage you have, to be treasured--and put into a book, daggone it! or maybe a CD?Granny Suehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01129064020727041161noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-83744183990419174622009-05-18T09:27:00.000-04:002009-05-18T09:27:00.000-04:00Susanna---I had no idea that this story was widely...Susanna---I had no idea that this story was widely known and in so many versions! I just thought it was a Germany Valley original. I've found that so many of the stories that I heard growing up have their roots in Germany. <br /><br />My granny was a great storyteller, but probably the reason I remember most of the stories is because they were told over and over, and each time told as the gospel truth. I'm sure the story was meant to learn us not to play with snakes.<br /><br />After looking around and googling this story like you suggested, I see that there is a version of the story that was compiled by the Brothers Grimm! Very neat! It seems that the version Granny told had been Appalachianized quite a bit (of course, if this stories was brought from Germany by my ancestors, that would put it in Appalachia by the early 1700's). <br /><br />The puzzling thing is I know other stories that Granny told about Hanse and Mag, but I wonder if they ever existed or if they are a fictional couple meant to teach a lesson. Ever hear of Hanse and Mag in any other stories?<br /><br />MatthewMatthew Burnshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02625103538582649633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-22714364908735557992009-05-17T22:12:00.000-04:002009-05-17T22:12:00.000-04:00Hi Matthew,
We were up in the mountains this week...Hi Matthew,<br /><br />We were up in the mountains this weekend and saw a timber rattler up on Dolly Sods. Funny you should have posted the story at this time.<br /><br />I've heard this story before, but it was told by a Virginia storyteller. I've read it in several places too, although of course each version is slightly different, as is always the case with storytelling, and I considered adding it to my repertoire. <br /><br />The Virginia teller's version was almost identical to yours although I don't recall her giving names to the people in the story. But the buttermilk, etc, are the same. If you google it (like "girl charmed by snake") you will find several versions of the story, including 2 from Hoosier country.<br /><br />Which makes me wonder: was your grandma just a very good storyteller, or was there actually some truth to these old tales? Did people tell it as a cautionary tale to keep children from playing with snakes, perhaps? or...(shiver) did these things really happen? I tend to the cautionary tale perspective because the story details remain largely the same although the story is set in different locales, which is typical of folktales. Still, it's chilling to even think there is a possibility of it being true.<br /><br />Great story. Very well told.Granny Suehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01129064020727041161noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-56461606252296985652009-05-14T16:19:00.000-04:002009-05-14T16:19:00.000-04:00Janet & Shirley--Glad you all like my stories....Janet & Shirley--Glad you all like my stories. Janet, to be honest, the more I write these stories, the more stories I am reminded of. I'm sure it also is in big part to my family always retelling these stories the whole time I was growing up. <br /><br />It sure does seem now like the Pendleton County of my childhood was a completely different world than anywhere that could be found today. I was lucky to be of there. I miss it. Times were tough but so were we. I think those times made me into the person I am today.<br /><br />MatthewMatthew Burnshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02625103538582649633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-70488258020869718152009-05-14T15:51:00.000-04:002009-05-14T15:51:00.000-04:00Matthew you are a good storyteller. I don't know h...Matthew you are a good storyteller. I don't know how you have such a good memory of things. You can call your book "Tales from Germany Valley"Janet,https://www.blogger.com/profile/17796999156668844943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-29042603075696437682009-05-14T12:45:00.000-04:002009-05-14T12:45:00.000-04:00Now, that there's some good storytelling! I swear,...Now, that there's some good storytelling! I swear, you need to put these in a book! Good one, babe.Shirley Stewart Burns, Ph.D.https://www.blogger.com/profile/05232084428505396630noreply@blogger.com