Author Archives: Austin Taylor

Riddle

Nationality: White
Age: 50
Occupation: Elementary School Counselor
Residence: St. Peters, MO
Performance Date: April 15, 2008
Primary Language: English

Riddle-Instrument

“What keys can’t you put in a lock? –Piano Keys”

My mom said she learned this riddle when she was a schoolgirl taking piano lessons in Long Beach, CA. She said she was between the ages of ten and eleven when her piano instructor asked her this riddle to test her. My mom figured out the answer pretty quickly because she was playing the piano at the same time. She said this was just a little riddle to make her think and have fun while playing. My mom has played the piano throughout her whole life so this riddle reminds her of her first days playing those simple songs. For those who do not play piano, it might be hard to figure out simply because they do not think of piano keys as being the answer. However, many pianists would figure it out because they play everyday. When my mother first asked me this riddle, I had no idea what the answer was but that was probably because I was the only member of the family that did not play piano.

My mom said this riddle can be performed anytime to test the wits of individuals. She said that it can be asked to children as well as adults for both might struggle to figure out the answer if they do not have any knowledge of the piano. She said it is funny to watch individuals think so hard about such a simple answer, especially if they are familiar with the piano. She said her piano teacher performed it during a lesson so that could be a good time to do it as well. She likes to say it whenever she is around the piano so that the answer is obvious. This, she says, is fun to watch because the answer is literally right in front of their eyes.

When I asked my mom what this riddle meant to her, she responded saying that it reminded her of her first days playing the piano and the fun she had with her instructor. She also said that it helped her think quickly and efficiently to answer other riddles similar to that of the piano one. She likes riddles because sometimes the answers are so obvious yet so difficult to figure out at first. Even though she figured this one out right away, others were more difficult. Overall, she enjoys the piano riddle because the answer relates to her favorite instrument.

As I stated before, this riddle was not as obvious to me as it was to my mom. That is why I think it represents a lack of awareness. Although the answers of many riddles are directly in front of our eyes, we still cannot figure out the answer because we are not aware of the elements described in the question. Whenever the performer asks what type of key does not open a lock, an average person would not think of an instrument. However, a musical person might think of it right away just like my mother did. They were aware that the answer dealt with piano keys because of their musical background. But, I do enjoy riddles because they make me think critically in a short period of time.

Contemporary Legend – La Verne, California

Nationality: White
Age: 18
Occupation: Student
Residence: La Verne, CA
Performance Date: April 26, 2008
Primary Language: English

Urban Legend-Back Seat

“One night, a woman went out with her friends to a bar to get a few drinks after work. When she decided to leave, she started driving on a deserted highway by herself back to her house. After about a minute on the road, she noticed a car coming up in her rearview mirror really quickly. At first, it appeared that the unknown car was going to pass as she noticed his turn signal. Then, the driver swerved back into her lane, shining his high beams at her from a very close distance. She starting freaking out and kept looking in her rearview mirror at the car. The headlights dimmed but then quickly went back to the high beams. She struggled to keep her eyes on the road when she came up to her exit. All the way to her house, the strange car periodically flashed his high beams as he continued to follow her. When she got to her house, she sprinted inside thinking her only chance was to call the police and hide. She sees the man following her get out of his car with a gun. The man yells at her to get inside and call the police. As soon as the police arrive, the man tells the police and the frightened woman that there is a man in the backseat of her car with a knife and that he flashed his high beams at him every time he sat up to kill her so that he would crouch back down. Sure enough, there was a man with a knife in the backseat of the woman’s car.”

Steven said he learned this urban legend when he was in middle school in La Verne, California. He said that he and a couple of his buddies were camping out in his friend’s backyard when they started telling each other ghost stories and urban legends like this one. He did not know where his friend learned it from that told him but if he had to guess, he would say that his friend learned it in a way similar to their camping experience. At the time, it scared him and made him think twice about ever driving on a deserted and dark highway. He said that every time he got into a car, he would always check the backseat just to make sure there was not a man with a knife back there. Now that he drives, he still looks in the back seat before he gets in at night because of this legend.

When I asked him in what context the legend usually is performed, he said that it varies. For example, he said that it can be performed in a way very similar to how he heard it. Hearing it outside in the dark is much more effective than hearing it in a classroom full of fifty students in the daytime. Therefore, he said, more people would tell it in eerie places so that it will scare the audience. Additionally, Steven said that it could be told any night when someone is heading home. A friend could walk up and say ‘hey, are you leaving? Well, have you ever heard the story about the crazy driver flashing his high beams at a frightened girl? Make sure you check the backseat!’ That last line scares individuals and forces them to check the backseat, just to be sure there is not a man with a knife back there.

Steven said that this urban legend made a lasting effect on him. No longer does he get into a car without checking the backseat beforehand. He said it has this effect on many people because it has to deal with being killed. One of the reasons he likes this urban legend is because it represents responsibility and courage. It shows responsibility when the girl fails to check the backseat of her car before she left the bar. It is her responsibility to look before getting in just to make sure there is no one there. Also, it shows courage when both the girl kept driving all the way to her house instead of just giving up and when the man continues to follow her to force the killer to crouch back down. Steven likes how it shows both of these aspects and has since told this legend to many others.

I think this urban legend is great because it scares people and forces them to check their backseats prior to entering their cars. This helps reduce the amount of situations where this legend actually happens. I also like it because it is a great story to tell while camping with friends and family. What better way to enjoy a camping experience than to frighten everybody? Additionally, I agree with Steven that this story represents both responsibility and courage in the ways he described. It helps show the kindness of others when the driver protects the girl from the killer.

I think we can see similar urban legends all around the country. One specific example is in Urban Legend, a movie directed by Jamie Blanks in 1998. In the opening scene of the movie, a woman pulls up to a gas station to pump gas. While she is trying to pay, a man sneaks into the back of her car with a knife. The gas station attendant sees this man and tries to distract the woman from going back to the car. He fails and she is brutally murdered because she failed to check the backseat of her car.

Annotation: Urban Legend. Dir. Jamie Blanks. Perf. Alicia Witt, Rebecca Gayheart. DVD. Canal + Droits Audiovisuels, 1998.

Joke

Nationality: German, English
Age: 61
Occupation: Teacher
Residence: St. Charles, MO
Performance Date: April 30, 2008
Primary Language: English
Language: Spanish

Joke-Skeleton

“A skeleton walks into a bar, walks right up to the bartender and asks, ‘hey, can I get a beer and a mop?’”

Bill said he learned this joke within the last couple of years at a dinner party. He does not remember exactly who told him or where it came from. However, he did say that it is one of those jokes that are told through the grapevine. He also mentioned that individuals are always telling “bar jokes” and this is just one of the many that he has heard. Bill said that skeletons are consistently used in all sorts of jokes, ranging from bars to them crossing the road. Therefore, there are probably many variations to this specific joke as well as many others that relate to skeletons.

Bill said that this joke is primarily told in a dinner setting with friends and family. He said it is a good ice breaker to help start a conversation by making people laugh. It is funny whenever the people do not understand it at first but then laugh a few seconds after everyone else does. It is these individuals that do not understand why the skeleton asks for a mop. But, then they realize he asks for it so that he can mop up all the beer that spills from his skeleton. Bill likes this joke because it is simple and clean. He said it can be used at work as well as various other social gatherings. He did recommend not telling it to children simply because they do not drink alcohol like adults do.

When I asked him what it meant to him, Bill responded by saying that he just liked it when he first heard it. It did not have any importance to him; it just provided him with a good laugh. He said that it represents his personality well because he likes to tell these types of simple jokes to his friends whenever they come over for dinner. Other than that, it just made him think about how great jokes can be.

I agree with Bill that it is a simple joke to tell at the workplace or other gatherings. It applies to many individuals because people usually go to bars to order drinks. Therefore, it usually does not offend people but rather makes them laugh. Obviously, the joke does not make sense because a skeleton does not walk into a bar and order a drink. But, it pokes fun at the very idea of a skeleton drinking a beer and spilling it all over the place. Personally, I like this joke just because it is quick, easy to say, and it is a great ice breaker in conversations.

Ghost Story – Nutley, New Jersey

Nationality: White
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Nutley, NJ
Performance Date: April 30, 2008
Primary Language: English

Ghost Story-Graveyard

“So, this is the story of Jill Rose Amelia. Jill Rose Amelia was a regular girl, an elementary school student. She didn’t necessarily fit in. She was an outcast as she walked home by herself everyday after school. Everyone was always kind of creeped out about this girl because everyday after school, this girl would always walk through a graveyard. They would all look from afar because they were all scared of big graveyards. They couldn’t ever see what she was doing but she would always stop at one tombstone. She would stand there for a long period of time and then just keep walking. So, they kept watching her and would never see her at school but would always see her walk home with a backpack. So one night, the group of kids that were watching her mustered up some courage and went into the graveyard to see what tombstone she always went to. So there walking through this dark graveyard at night in the center of town, right next to the oldest church in town. So they finally get to this gravestone and they realize that it’s one of the oldest in the graveyard. It’s pretty hard to read so they have to get really, really close just to see what it says. They get up to it and the one kid who was closest read it. It read Jill Rose Amelia. So they all realized that she was a ghost visiting her own tombstone. As soon as they all realized this, all of the kids freaked out and scattered into the town. But, they were never seen again as Jill Rose Amelia claimed them as her own.

Ivan said he heard this story in his hometown of Nutley, New Jersey from all of the different children. He said that everyday after school, he would have to walk past this same graveyard on the way home. Sometimes, older kids would come and tell them about the ghost of Jill Rose Amelia in order to scare them on their way home. From that point on, Ivan and the rest of his friends always walked nervously around the graveyard, looking into it fearfully. They always wondered whether or not they would see Jill Rose Amelia. Some of his friends claimed they did see her one time walking into the graveyard with her little backpack, stopping at the tombstone before walking into the distance. Ivan, however, never saw the ghost when he walked by.

Ivan said that this story is usually told at two different times. The first is the way he heard it by walking next to the graveyard and someone telling him. The other way, however, is when friends get together at night and tell it in an eerie voice to scare everybody else. He said that sometimes, people would get freaked out about it enough to actually try to find the tombstone. He doesn’t know where the tombstone is inside the graveyard because he has always been too scared to go in. Some people he knows, however, have gone in before searching for the lost tomb of Jill Rose Amelia. Whether or not anyone has seen it, he didn’t know. He did mention that the remains of the children that searched for her in the story were never found.

When I asked Ivan what the ghost story meant to him, he said that it reminded him of how scared he was whenever he used to walk past that graveyard. Now that he is much older, he wonders whether or not the ghost story is true. He hasn’t heard of anyone disappearing again so he debates if it ever happened. He did say that it impacted him enough during his childhood to never enter the graveyard without any parents or adults. Other than that, it didn’t have any importance to him because it was just a childhood ghost story. He likes to tell it to his friends that come into town though just to freak them out.

When I listened to this story, I thought it was very interesting and pretty scary. If I had a graveyard so close to my elementary school, I would be deeply afraid of it and the little girl. I also think that whether or not this story is actually true, little girls tend to be the central focus of many ghost stories. I don’t know why exactly but many ghost stories portrayed on TV and in the film industry have to deal with creepy little girls with frightening smiles. Therefore, I can see why this story easily scares people. I also think this story represents graveyards in general and the fear they put on people. Graveyards are typical beginnings for a lot of ghost stories just like this one. I believe that individuals can find stories similar to Ivan’s in many small towns with eerie graveyards.

Song – German

Nationality: White
Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Residence: Hermosa Beach, CA
Performance Date: May 01, 2008
Primary Language: English
Language: Spanish, German

Song-Grandma

German:

“Meine Oma fährt im Hühnerstall Motorrad, Motorrad, Motorrad, meine Oma fährt im Hühnerstall Motorrad, meine Oma, meine Oma ist modern. Und da kann ich mich so schrecklich drüber ärgern… Meine Oma hat an Nachttopf mit Beleuchtung… Meine Oma hat Klosettpapier mit Rüscherln… Meine Oma hat ein Himmelbett mit Brause… Meine Oma hat im hohlen Zahn ein Radio… Meine Oma hat an Unterrock aus Wellblech… Meine Oma hat im Strumpfband an Revolver… Meine Oma hat an Bandwurm, der gibt Pfote… Meine Oma führt den Opa an der Leine… Und mein Opa hat a Glatze mit Beleuchtung… ja mein Opa, ja mein Opa ist modern.“

Literal:

“My grandma goes is in the coop motorcycle, motorcycle, motorcycle, my grandma modern in the coop motorcycle, my grandma, my grandma.  And there I can become angry so terribly about that…My grandma has at night pot with illumination…My grandma has lavatory paper with Rüscherln…My grandma has a sky bed with Brause…My grandma has a radio in the hollow tooth…My grandma has at petticoat out of Wellblech…My grandma has in the garter at revolver…My grandma has gives paw at volume worm, that…My grandma leads the grandpa at the line…And my grandpa has a bald head with illumination…  yes my grandpa, yes my grandpa is modern”

English:

“My grandmother runs in the chicken coop motorcycle, bike, motorcycle, my grandmother runs in the chicken coop motorcycle, my grandmother, my grandmother is modern. And since I can forget it so terribly upset… My grandmother has participated in chamber pot with lighting… My grandmother has Rüscherln with toilet paper… My grandmother has a four-poster bed with Brause… My grandmother has a radio hollow tooth… My grandmother has petticoat made of corrugated tin… My grandmother has garter to revolvers… My grandmother has tapeworm, gives paw… My grandmother, the grandfather on a leash… And my grandfather has a bald with lighting… Yes my grandfather, my grandfather is so modern.”

Xan said he learned this song from his mom whenever he was a child in Hermosa Beach, California. She would sing this song to him in German to the point where he picked up the phrases as well. His mother is originally from Pennsylvania but he thinks that she learned it from her side of the family that is of German descent. At one point in her life, she lived in Germany so she probably heard it performed from the German people living there. However, he also said that she may have heard it directly from her family that is from right outside of Munich. Xan said that the song has been passed down from generation to generation. Before Xan’s mom sang it to him, her mom sang it to her, and so on and so forth. Therefore, this song has been passed down orally from parent to child.

When I asked Xan when this song is usually performed, he said that his mom used to sing it to him right before he went to bed when he was child. He said this is most likely the way most German families sing it as well. He thinks a nice little nursery rhyme to sing to a young German because it is catchy and upbeat. When he sang it to me, he even clapped a little bit, showing how parents can entertain young ones to make it easier for them to go to sleep. Just as American parents sing little jingles and tell nursery rhymes, German parents are able to sing this song to their children.

Xan said that on a personal note, this song meant a lot of tradition and family. He said it brought a special connection between him and mother when he was child. He liked how it was in a different language also because it made it more exciting. His friends who have never heard this song before didn’t understand it like he did, making it unique to him and his mom. On a broader scale, he thinks that this song is just a funny, catchy tune. He says it doesn’t make any sense but he knows that children like it. Children enjoy songs such as these because it is easy to perform and it is fun. It doesn’t matter to them that a Grandma typically would not ride a motorcycle without any breaks. It’s just a way for them to connect with their family and friends.

When I listened to this song for the first time, I was confused by both the German and English translation. I did not understand why a Grandma would ever ride a motorcycle or have all of those interesting characteristics. However, I did laugh and realize that this was just a child’s folk song. It doesn’t make sense but like most childish songs, none ever do. That is probably one of the reasons children like them so much. Additionally, I agree with Xan that this song represents tradition. I can see how generations of families can pass along songs such as these to their children. It is a simple way of connecting with children because it pleases them. There are plenty of other examples of these songs around the world that parents sing to their kids. In America, a good example would be “Mary had a little lamb” or “Rock-a-bye Baby.” My parents as well as many I know used to sing these songs to their children before bed. Therefore, it is easy to say that no matter where you are in the world, there will always be folk songs such as these that will help bring families closer together.