Preparing for this summer's library programs reminded me of the fun I had last year, telling Jack tales to
children at libraries across West Virginia. These old tales find new fans of
all ages regularly, and it’s no wonder. There is something for every listener
in a well-crafted story and Jack tales, with their long history of being passed
down from generation to generation, are a fine example of the importance of
oral tradition.
Almost everyone knows Jack and the Beanstalk, of course but
listeners are often surprised to find that this boy had many other adventures,
from tricking robbers to trapping mountain lions to outwitting ogres and kings,
and even winning the hand of a princess or two. These stories traveled with the
early settlers to our mountains and found a comfortable home here, losing some
of the British characteristics and adding mountain humor, vocabulary and
craftiness to Jack’s personality.
Jack’s Hunting
Trip is a good example of these tales. Jack got his trusty gun, his
powder and shot and his gamebag, and off he went a–huntin’. Had a fine
day, filled his gamebag full before lunch. Then he sat down to eat on his
favorite rock. Had a bag of peaches, ate them all, throwing the pits on the
ground. Looked up and saw the biggest buck deer he’d ever clapped eyes
on.
Went to shoot it, but had no more shot, just powder
was all. Picked up some peach pits and used them in place of the shot, rammed
‘em down his barrel, took aim and fired. Peach pits bounced all over the deer
but he just shook his head and run off. Jack went home told everyone about that
big buck but didn’t no one believe him, because Jack was always making up
stories like that.
Went back the next year, sat on his favorite rock
to eat and saw a tree just full of peaches right in front of him. Jack
disremembered any such tree being there but he loved peaches so he was right
glad to see it. Climbed up in its branches and commenced to picking peaches and
putting them in his gamebag. All of a sudden that tree stood up!
Jack realized what had happened was one of them
peach pits he’d fired at the buck last year had lodged between the deer’s
antlers and took root and was growing right there. That buck realized something
was wrong and shook his head, hard. Jack went flying off down the side of the
mountain but he never dropped a one of those peaches in his gamebag. Took ‘em
on home, and that night his mama made peach cobbler for dinner. Last I
heard, Jack and his mama were still doin’ right well.
In a longer tale called Jack and Old Fire Dragaman,
Jack and his brothers Will and Tom build a log cabin. In telling this story, I
have been able to introduce children to tools that might have been used for
cabin- building: two-man saw, drawknife,
broadaxe, froe, hatchet, cant hook, froe and so on. There is also the
vocabulary: a puncheon floor, daubing up a chimney, etc. While the stories are
entertaining to listen to (or read) there is an education in old-time ways and
language contained in their pages. Next time you visit your library, ask for a
book of Jack tales. They are part of our Appalachian heritage and as good as
anything you’ll read this year.
Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.
It's interesting that there are so many jack tales - Jack and the Beanstalk is the only one I know. I enjoyed the hunting story and would have enjoyed the peach cobbler that Jack's Mama made too:)
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