Author Archives: Michael Effenberger

Winter Guard

Contextual Information

Time of Interview: April 21st, 5:01 p.m.

Location of Interview: Interior of Informant’s Room, Arts and Humanities

Informant’s First Encounter w/ Folklore: Freshman Year of Private High School

When Folklore is Performed: Before every Winter Guard performance.

 

Transcript:

“In Winter Guard, we did this thing where we all stood in a circle before every performance and mentally transferred all our ‘bad’ or ‘negative’ energy and nerves into an ‘energy ball’ and pantomimed throwing the ball away from the performance area. We transferred the energy by shaking and dusting it off of us, sometimes even coughing and pretending to spit. If we were outside, my coach would actually spit on the ground.”

 

Numerous things can go wrong during a sporting match, so any form of mental concentration or preparedness is welcome before a match. By banding together, the Winter Guard team places emphasis upon the unity and coordination required in their performances, and allows everyone to enter a “team” mindset.

Michael Collins’ Train Ride

Contextual Information

Time of Interview: April 22nd, 7:30 p.m.

Location of Interview: Interior of Arts and Humanities Study Lounge via Telephone

Informant’s first encounter w/ folklore: Studying in Trinity College Library, 2011

When folklore is performed: Amongst friends in public places such as coffee shops, bars, etc.

 

Transcript

“A good historical story would be the story of Michael Collins when he was the leader of the Irish resistance against British Occupation in 1919-1921. He was a leader of the resistance and a talented mastermind, known for picking off enemy leaders and engaging against armies much better armed than he was. He was the most wanted man in Ireland, and there was a time when he had escaped from a holding cell and he managed to attack a British soldier one night and steal his clothes. He was known as a master of disguise, and he disguised himself as British soldier and then jumped onto a train convoy full of British soldiers who were just arriving in Ireland to come looking for him. He then rode this train back to Dublin, riding with this army, and went completely unnoticed.”

 

Michael Collins was the leader of the IRA from 1919 to 1922, and serves as a hero for most Irish nationalists. His stories bring to life the conflict between the Irish and the English, often used as a means to inspire other Irishmen to action or to simply reflect on the ideals of an Irish citizen. The stories are also used as a means to incite fear in the English. In the case of this particular story, the resolution suggests that if Michael Collins can disguise himself as one of them, perhaps other Irish supporters are hidden amongst the British ranks, inciting distrust and anxiety amongst the Irish opposition.

The Legend of Cú Chulainn

Time of Interview: April 22nd, 7:30 p.m.

Location of Interview: Interior of Arts and Humanities Study Lounge via Telephone

Informant’s first encounter w/ folklore: Studying in Trinity College Library, 2011

When folklore is performed: When amongst friends, children, etc. in social gatherings.

 

Transcript:

“I’ll give you one that’s a story within a story. There’s a fellow named Cú Chulainn, and he’s kind of the archetypal warrior who personified Celtic warriors. He was a great warrior in the myth of Ireland, and he was in a perpetual war with the ‘Conaught’ in the west of Ireland. He was part of a group of warriors who were particularly known as the ‘Red Branch’ warriors and they were the army that was to defend Ireland from the oncoming forces of Conaught. Within this story of the larger story of Cú Chulainn, what happened was that, through some difficulties, the ‘Red Branch’ soldiers all fell asleep and only Chulainn was to defend the path from the Conaughts. He fought man against man against every invader who fought with the Celts. The Conaughts sent some of their greatest warriors, and he beat them all… But when he beat them all, he realized that he was dying from all the wounds that had cut into him but it had been prophesized that he wouldn’t die by an enemy’s sword, so he stumbled over to a pole and tied himself to it so that he would die standing up so that it would never be said that he ‘fell to an enemy’s sword.’ And that’s one of ‘hundreds’ of stories of Cú Chulainn.”

 

The legend of Cú Chulainn is a popular one amongst Irish natives, and his legend has spread not only through folklore but also through well-known works of literature [1]. He represents national pride and Irish heritage, serving as a sort of founding father for the Irish people. Stories of his are passed around at an early age, imparting the various morals and lessons that are to be gained from his adventures. In this particular story, he displays Irish values of tenacity and clearness of vision.

 

[1] William Butler Yeats wrote several pieces based on the legend, including the plays On Baile’s Strand, The Green Helmet, At the Hawk’s Well, The only Jealousy of Emer, and The Death of Chuchulain. Stories of Chulainn appear occasionally in Frank McCourt’s bestselling 1996 memoir, Angela’s Ashes.

“If You Raise Crows…”

Contextual Information

Time of Interview: April 24th, 1:13 p.m.

Location of Interview: Interior of VKC Library

Informant’s first encounter w/ Folklore: Childhood, w/ grandparents

When Folklore is performed: In response to poor parenting

 

Transcript:

“If I ever acted out of line as a kid, my grandparents would tell my parents, ‘Crieras cuervos y te sacaran los hojos.’ It translates to, ‘If you raise crows, they will dig out your eyes.’”

 

Whenever my informant misbehaved around his grandparents, they would pass this little phrase along to his parents. The same applied to any children in the neighborhood without manners. The phrase warns parents that if they raise their children poorly, the children will treat them and others the way that they were raised.

“No matter how late you stay awake…”

Contextual Information

Time of Interview: April 24th, 1:10 p.m.

Location of Interview: Interior of VKC Library

Informant’s first encounter w/ Folklore: childhood, w/ grandparents

When Folklore is performed: In response to staying up late

 

Transcript:

“’No por much madrugar amanece mas temprano.’ This one I’d hear whenever I wanted to stay up late. It means, ‘No matter how late you stay awake at night, it will not make the next day come any sooner.’”

 

Whenever my informant spent the night at his grandparents, he would often request to stay up late. In response, his grandparents taught him this phrase. It’s an old saying for eager people who stay up late, advising them that the next day’s dawn will arrive soon enough.