KYCLAY-L Archives
Archiver > KYCLAY > 1999-06 > 0929536049
From: <>
Subject: Re: [KYCLAY-L] MOUNTAIN TALES
Date: Wed, 16 Jun 1999 08:27:29 -0400
Cousin Jess,
Again I am humbled by the breadth of your knowledge. richard Chase's
book "The Jack Tales" is already a part of my library of folk tales, as
is his book "Grandfather Tales". I have been finding lots of variations
on these old tales and am looking for fresh ones that might have a
little different twist.
One of my goals in life, Jess is to live to be not only old, but wise
and worth listening to.
You, dear Cousin remind me that this is truely possible.
Steve Hollen
Jess Wilson wrote:
> Steve Hollen, One of the best books that I know, of the kind of
> stories you asked about, is THE JACK TALES by Richard Chase. I
> am sure a copy can be obtained from the College Bookstore, Main
> Street, Berea, Kentucky 40403.
> Richard Chase used to be my late evening companion at the
> Council of Mountain Workers Annual Conference at the Mountain
> View Hotel in Gatlingburg, Tennessee. We were always the last to
> bed as we told stories and lies to each other while seated in
> easy rocking chairs in the lobby.
> He was a guest in our home here on Possum Trot Hollow in
> December about 1972. Most difficult guest we ever had. He
> insisted on mental games each evening to "improve our minds"
> I first knew him when I was a high school freshman in
> Berea. He was there for the Old Opportunity School. I met him
> in the wood craft shop where he was making a stage for a Punch
> and Judy play. I volunteered as a stage helper. When Judy
> attempts to shoot Punch with a water gun, misses and sprays the
> audience, I was the person who loaded the gun.
> Almost 30 years ago I was visiting a daughter in Los
> Angeles. One evening I asked her who did we know in that town.
> She said she had met Richard Chase on the bus when she ran away
> from home and had his phone number. I called him and he invited
> me to a party. What a party?
> It was a Hippy Party in the old guest house on the former
> estate of the movie star, Gene Autry. The party was a watch to
> see if a certain asteroid should hit the earth that night.
> .Everyone was expected to bring their own wine. It wasnt a
> party, it was a series of parties. One group was in the room
> that must have served as refreshment room for guest using the
> swimming pool. There was a serving window to the pool area. A
> group were seated cross-legged in a circle on the floor.
> Another group was playing musical instruments in a
> bedroom where some babies were sleeping. The music was so loud
> the walls vibrated. The babies were slepting the sleep of the
> innocents.
> There was a party at the bottom of the dry swimming pool.
> I went down and went Glub, glub, glub. as I got to where the
> water would have been over my head. They were not impressed.
> However, I got their attention when I mentioned that at that
> time I had a daughter that was working on a masters degree at
> The New School of Social Research in New York City.
> Ruth, our daughter and I and our gallon of wine joined
> a party in the kitchen of the house. Seated around the kitchen
> table was the host, a professor of history, Dr. Hibbard. He was
> born in Missouri. His ancestor were from Clay County, Kentucky.
> There was a woman who was writing a book of pornography, Richard
> Chase had a set of carved Punch and Judy puppets, a marvelous
> piece of art work. Of our conversations, I only remember that we
> had a very enjoyable evening.
> JESS WILSON
> POSSUM TROT ROAD
> MANCHESTER KY 40962
> ----------
> > From:
> > To:
> > Subject: [KYCLAY-L] mountain tales
> > Date: Tuesday, June 15, 1999 12:50 PM
> >
> > Hello cousins,
> > You may remember that a while back I asked if anyone
> remembered any good
> > stories from the mountains. Several e-mailed me with stories
> and I have
> > found more. Jess Wilson's stories are classics.
> > I am now looking for old stories you might have heard as a
> child.
> > Stories like Jack and the Bean Tree, Who's got my toe?, Old
> Roany or
> > some of the Jack stories...stories that always feature Jack
> and his
> > brothersWill and Tom.
> > I would love to hear from you. You know the type of story I
> mean, a
> > "Once there was this..." kind of story.
> >
> > Know any?
> > Steve Hollen
> >
> >
> > ==== KYCLAY Mailing List ====
> >
> > To post to the list:
> > Clay Co. Historical Society:
> > http://members.tripod.com/~Sue_1/clay.htm
This thread: