A TREASURY OF SOUTHERN FOLKLORE

The editor of the Treasury of American Folklore and Treasury of New England Folklore with what is perhaps his most important book to date. For the richness of the sources of Southern legend, tall tales, stories, ballads and characters is in itself a legend, and Mr. Botkin has brought his scholarship, his sense of values to his monumental task. The result is indeed a ""treasury"":- literary and historical curiosities, sources of customs, of religious expression, of Southern loyalties, local pride, of barriers of caste and class; yarns of events, historical and legendary; colorful bits about Southerners, from the founding fathers to the contemporary politics. There are tall tales, and yarns with a sentimental twist. There are stories of the Underground, stories of the confederacy. There are place legends, ghost stories, sagas of Southern heroes. There is an explanation for folkways, for food and drink, for folk beliefs and superstitions and ceremonies. There are folk rhythms, rituals, Southern expressions, songs, street cries. More than 500 stories and more than 100 songs -- and bits about every type of Southern character, heroes, villains, poor whites, Negroes, preachers, gamblers, belles and granny women, full cast of characters. It's amusing- and disturbing- and unflaggingly entertaining. A book that Southerners will love and Northerners will use.