Every Tongue Got to Confess (22 page)

Read Every Tongue Got to Confess Online

Authors: Zora Neale Hurston

BOOK: Every Tongue Got to Confess
2.38Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
Appendix 3
Stories Kossula Told Me
*

 

  1. Free men ain’t got [illegible]
  2. Four men who betrayed dey friend
  3. The Monkey and the Camel
  4. The Lion and the Rabbit
  5. The Orphan Boy and Girl and the Witches
  6. The Six Fools
  7. The Man, the Woman and the Ready-to-Tame
  8. The Devil and the Rabbit
  9. Why the Bear Has No Tail Long Poem
  10. Have you heard about the wreck?
  11. I seen a man so black
  12. I seen a man so ugly
  13. I seen a man so ugly he didn’t die
  14. I saw a man so ugly till at night
  15. I seen a railroad so crooked
  16. I saw a country so hilly
  17. I saw a country so hilly till they shoot the corn
  18. I saw a man shoot another with a gun
  19. I saw a man so ugly
  20. Once there was a rabbit and uh bear
  21. A man and his wife had a colt
  22. A man had a wife and she was so small
  23. A man went hunting
  24. The First Man
  25. In slavery time there was a man by the name of Tom
  26. There wuz a man in slavery time always meddling
  27. Once there was an old man, woman and boy
  28. Once there was a man and the preacher came to his house
  29. Man who stole hogs
  30. The mule had sprouted little jackasses
  31. Man who didn’t know what corn was
  32. “Son step on the zillerator!”
  33. Saving for Mr. Hard Time
  34. Old man, wife and hogs
  35. Burning creek and trout
  36. Man who bradded mosquito bills
  37. I seen a man so ugly
  38. ′ ′ ′
  39. I seen a horse so poor
  40. I seen a horse so poor
  41. I seen a mule so poor
  42. I saw a horse so poor
  43. Once I was an engineer on train
  44. Rockefeller and Ford was woofing
  45. There was a man so stingy
  46. I knowed a man and he was formen and he was so stingy
  47. Man so smart he had the 7 year itch
  48. Once there was a man had a daughter
  49. Sellin’ roasting ears in heaven
  50. Barrel swell up and burst wid rain
  51. Once there wuz a boiler across de river
  52. De Lawd is Comin’ By
  53. Mississippi River and de punkin tree
  54. On hobo trip in Texas
  55. Hard Wind
  56. Juice of watermelon caused de rain flood
  57. Moon toting a light for de sun
  58. Fish came swimming up the road
  59. Once I wuz out batching
  60. De little black gnat
  61. Paul and de ½ pint shinny
  62. Ole colored man and de gold watch
  63. Ant Dinah on de Coolin Board
  64. De man who heard Gabriel and cussed
  65. De men who beat dere shadders
  66. Catfish who drowned in sweat
  67. John, Bill, and de ole Master
  68. Snail crossing the road
  69. Story of de Jonah
  70. How Disa Abraham, Fadda de Faithful
  71. “Got 1000 tongues”
  72. Rev. Full Bosom and the mourners
  73. It taken 9 partridges to holler Bob White
  74. 2 revival preachers and “the doleful sound”
  75. Man who wanted to catchup with his wife
  76. Little boy who raised hell in basket
  77. “I am snake bit”
  78. The butt head cow’s horns
  79. I have seen it so cold
  80. “I tole you to notice hogs—”
  81. “Your breath smells mighty dam bad”
  82. In Miss. a black horse run away with white lady
  83. Steam from locomotive wuz milkin’ cows”—
  84. Train in N. Orleans
  85. Ala. River running so fast
  86. “I done set de world on fire” (fox)
  87. Five men want six orders
  88. Car, mosquito, and flea
  89. “Can’t you tell a white man from a Negro”
  90. “Shoot the gas to her son, I got the steering gear”
  91. Ole Master and John and God dam
  92. Colored man and billy goat
  93. John and Ole Massa and lightnin
  94. The boy and the cow
  95. 3 girls, judge, and rabbit
  96. The meanest man
  97. Fishing on Sunday
  98. Why Negroes are black
  99. “God ain’t worth a dam when a bear”—
  100. Man who stole oil from heaven’s lamps
  101. Preacher and de lamp eel
  102. Why Americans are not in war
  103. Hen who gave rooster the blues
  104. “Oh hell, I’ll steal Thou”
  105. Dady so small, bedbug pitcher
  106. “Baa, ba”
  107. Why all lady people got devil in them
  108. “Boots or no boots”
  109. Once there was a man so lazy
  110. Took 1 match sit the river on fire
  111. “I wanted you to work on my wife’s teeth”
  112. Lady and bad polly
  113. The Tall Man
  114. When he want it to rain
  115. “God grant it”—“God dam it”
  116. De witch who stole boy’s money
  117. John and Massa and whut’s under de wash pot
  118. John, Massa and swimming bluff
  119. Rabbit, elephant, fox frolic
  120. “Stay on board lil childen”
  121. The Shortest Man
  122. The Biggest Cabbage
  123. The Hanted House
  124. An dey all got different daddies
  125. Ole Massa and nigger deer-hunting
  126. Niggers is so skeered uh white folks
  127. Uncle and heavenly blackboard
  128. The seed-tick
  129. Why Negroes Have Nothing
  130. Mosquito bills
  131. Tin suits tuh keep de skeeters off
  132. De White Man’s Prayer
  133. What is the biggest chickens you ever saw
  134. Uh sweet potato so big
  135. “If Thou be God…Youse cholkin me tuh death”
  136. Boll Weevil
  137. 5 gallon demijohn—uh goody, goody, goody
  138. The little boy and his grandma
  139. Why de Gator Got No Tongue
  140. Why de Gator is Black
  141. Two men out huntin de little dog an de rabbit
  142. Man and girl and picked chickens
  143. Ole massa and nigger visitin’ girl
  144. Tarrypin an’ fox run race for girl
  145. The Boy from Hell
  146. Why God Made Adam Last
  147. Ole Massa and John an’ de bear
  148. Goat an’ tobacco truck
  149. If dat my child, where…gold teeth
  150. Man went huntin’ wid one uh dese muzzle-loaders
  151. Cat an’ de liver an’ de gizzard
  152. “I lends an’ borries, too”
  153. De Reason de Woodpecker Got Uh Red Head
  154. De sworn hunter buddies an’ de deer liver
  155. “Yuh got tuh gum it lak hell”
  156. De men dat melted in Miami
  157. De devil don’t do everything they say
  158. De Hongry Bear
  159. De Preacher an de Sheep’s Tails
  160. De bullet from de 44–40 an’ de echo
  161. Skeeter an’ de Hominy Pot
  162. De tallest man
  163. “Stick uh needle up in de ground”—
  164. There wuz uh man so ugly
  165. [not legible in the original manuscript]
  166. De Flyin’ Negro
  167. Why a parrot drops dead
  168. Big Talk
  169. The man who forgot God’s name
  170. “If you take up time…you won’t be nothin.”
  171. I’d go some here and keep books for somebody
  172. 4 niggers and de blacksmith shop
  173. “Papa’s head so lousy”
  174. 3 bluebirds
  175. Why they use raw hide on mules
  176. Monkey and dog
  177. [not legible in the original manuscript]
  178. “Raccoon”
  179. Jesus Christ and de $98
  180. “Don’t send dat boy Jesus”
  181. [not legible in the original manuscript]
  182. Free slave and de panter
  183. So dey had de picnic and not de wimming match
  184. The Bull and God
  185. Everytime ma cook eggs, pa cuts de Damn fool
  186. “You kin have it I don’t need it”
  187. “Hold ’im Ned”
  188. “6 months for yo’ skillet”
  189. “Squealin’ Jenny”
  190. 2 boys and de biggest lie
  191. Cryin’ for stale biscuit
  192. Two mens and de bear
  193. Why we Squinch (Screech) Owls
  194. Ole Marster, corn field, and bear
  195. John an’ Massa’s ridin’ horse
  196. Brer Rabbit and Brer Dog and Convention
  197. ′ ′ ′ ′ ′
  198. Ole woman (Scat you rascal!)
  199. Monkey: My people, my people”
  200. “Tongue brought me here”—
  201. From Pine to Pine
  202. De brothers an’ de persimmons
  203. “Long as dere’s limb, dere’s ropes”
  204. It wuz so hot once a cake of ice…”
  205. It wuz de moon changin’
  206. De Gopher in Court
  207. When de weather gits hot de gopher—
  208. Poor Land
  209. Rich Land
  210. De peas grunting trying to git out de ground—
  211. A Hunter
  212. A lady so cross-eyed
  213. A woman so black
  214. He’d shoot and den put up a target—
  215. De honey sweetened de river
  216. “Found dead in de woods—bit by a r. Snake”
  217. Hog in de Cradle
  218. I seen a man so black
  219. I seen a man so tough
  220. How come de gator hate de dog
  221. Cat and dog race
  222. Why we have Thanksgiving
  223. The long horse and pig that died from old age
  224. Lady with donkey, cat, rooster
  225. Grandmother with large family
  226. Beans and the Girl
  227. [not legible in the original manuscript]
  228. Cheap groceries in hell
  229. Girl and mother and man who stole food
  230. Little country boy and blessing
  231. Why the ole man liked the camel best
  232. Ole man and snake: “Oh, it is so hot”
  233. Blind man, naked man, armless man on rock
  234. Red bug had lost his eye and wrecked train
  235. Lazy boy, smart boy, and bear
  236. He saw sadness and joy
  237. I’ve seen the wind blow so hard
  238. Why we have kings and queens
  239. Man and devil’s daughter
  240. Hairy man, little boy and little girl
  241. Runaway slave and snake
  242. Poor varmints don’t rest on Monday
  243. Devil, lil girl, lil boy, and her mother
  244. Alligator and rabbit’s squabble
  245. Mosquito and monkey wrench
  246. Lazy husband and woman and cake
  247. Bear, woman and her baby
  248. Woman and daughter and Devil
  249. I seen it rain so hard
  250. “My belly ake,” etc.
  251. Two preacher brothers
  252. I seed de coachwhip behind de race runner, etc.
  253. 2 blocks of ice gatherin’ li’dard knots—
  254. “I don’t lak dat red-eyed ’gator”
  255. Why the Donkey has long ears
  256. “Lordy, make my bottom wider”
  257. Baptist and Methodist deacons in sinking boat
  258. Methodist and Baptist preacher
  259. Good Time Willie
  260. Long, long boy
  261. 3 dogs, Thunder, Lightning, and Jack
  262. Wolf at rabbit’s funeral.
  263. Difference in de climate—cucumber 4 ft. long
  264. Fine Foot, Big Head, Big Gut, and apple tree
  265. Sweet Papa Black
  266. Wedding night
  267. I’m the biggest liar you ever met
  268. Buzzard and Hawk
  269. “Job ain’t never had a pair of britches”—
  270. Preacher and woman making date
  271. Brer Rabbit and Brer Frog
  272. Johnny and the 7-headed lady
  273. Brer Rabbit and de pea patch
  274. Cleanest white woman in U.S.A.
  275. Massa and Jack and fortune telling (variant)
  276. Isaac and Daphne and grocery order for Lord
  277. Dat dog dat eat out dat pan up in Canada
  278. Negro, devil, bet of $1,000
  279. De longest bullet and de deer
  280. 3 sons: naked, blind, armless
  281. Muskeeter and railroad track
  282. Massa Martin and Ike and watermelon patch
  283. Stingy man in heaven
  284. White man and nigger shooting crap in heaven
  285. Christopher spreading his mess
  286. [not legible in the original manuscript]
  287. Nigger and son and 200 lashes
  288. ’Tater house
  289. Bale of hay and a jack
  290. “You mustn’t say hide you must say skin”
  291. Ole John and Massa’s hogs
  292. John in the Smoke-House
  293. Jack and Massa’s wife
  294. Jack and de devil
  295. John and de Horse
  296. Ole Massa and John and groceries in sycamore tree
  297. Bear in de cane-patch
  298. Sheep in de cradle
  299. Man with three coughs
  300. 2 Boys, a Sweet Potato and God
  301. Sam
  302. Ole Massa’s Gun
  303. Sambo
  304. “Didn’t dat nigger fly”
  305. The Running Death
  306. Too many folks is preachin’ dese days
  307. Why women folks always poke in de fire
  308. The Blacksmith
  309. The Carpenter
  310. My father made a boiler so big
  311. I seen uh man so stingy
  312. “He ain’t worth uh damn in uh bear fight”
  313. Spell: (clucking tongue & teeth sound used to urge mules)
  314. Brother wuz de head fireman
  315. Nigger and Pres. Harding at Heaven
  316. “God, don’t stand no jokin’ dese days”
  317. Dis punkin wuz raised offa mosquito dust
  318. Buzzard in Charleston
  319. Tell Aunt Jane to tell Uncle Tom to tell de cow
  320. I seed uh man running so fast
  321. I seen a man so stingy
  322. I seen a man so stingy
  323. I know a man who wouldn’t walk—
  324. I know a man so stingy
  325. I know a man so big
  326. Man and 7 sons and daughter and eagle
  327. Mosquito and engineer
  328. De poorest horse
  329. Hosses: Three Color and Changeable
  330. I seen a man so low
  331. De train ran so fass
  332. I’m uh walkin on de water, oh be baptized
  333. Cruel Wife
  334. I seen it so cold
  335. Have you ever called a train
  336. De workinest pill
  337. The poorest ground I ever did see
  338. De darkest night
  339. Run so hard we lost our feets in de mud wash
  340. Jordan Car
  341. Whammer G. Martin’s dogs, sparro, bon bon Pree
  342. I seen ground so rich
  343. Once it wuz so cold
  344. “Chris’mus gift”
  345. Father, John, Frank, and $5,000
  346. Who had de right to meet de girl?
  347. “A gander can pick it just close as a goose”
  348. What is the hardest wind you ever seen
  349. Best trained mule
  350. Man so dangerous
  351. Lady, husband, and hoodoo
  352. “Clunk…think I’m goin’ pay you”
  353. Massa and John and ketchin’ de devil
  354. “Dat’s too d. much pepper”
  355. De crane, eel
  356. Lil cussin’ boy and de coffin
  357. Let the Holy Ghost ride—walk

Other books

Entromancy by M. S. Farzan
The Italian Affair by Loren Teague
Sleight of Hand by Mark Henwick
The Turing Exception by William Hertling
The Heir by Kiera Cass
The Risqué Contracts Series by Fiona Davenport
Traps by MacKenzie Bezos
The Final Curtain by Deborah Abela
The End of Doom by Ronald Bailey