The Weeping Lady of the Woods

Nationality: American
Occupation: Retired
Residence: California
Performance Date: 2019
Primary Language: English

Main Piece:

“There was this story we were told as kids up in the mountains of Tennessee. I never heard her but apparently at night there was a spirit of a woman who would cry in front of a specific tree. She cried there because when running away from a predator, a cougar or something big, she and her two children tried to climb up that tree to get away, but her two kids fell off the tree and were killed by the cougar. The woman was devastated and committed suicide shortly thereafter. So, at night you can hear her weeping next to the tree where her children were killed. I never heard her but everyone knew about her.”

 

Context:

The informant is an elderly Caucasian woman born and raised in Tennessee. I asked the informant what she thought the story meant or was told, she responded that she feels the story is a way to warn people, specifically kids, of the dangers that exist within the woods.

 

Analysis:

This legend has similarities to another folklore legend found in Mexico known as  LA LLORONA. They both have weeping women who weep for their lost children. I agree with the informant on the meaning or relevance of the legend. It is a way to warn children of the dangers found in the woods, especially at night.

Catholic Proverb

Nationality: Mexican-American
Age: 26
Residence: South Carolina
Performance Date: 2019
Primary Language: English

Main Piece:

“Leave it all in God’s hands.”

 

Context: The informant learned this proverb from her mother. They are of Catholic background. The informant described the proverb as meaning, “No matter what decisions or situations we are in, leave it all in God’s hands because he wants what is best for us, so he will lead us in the direction we need to go in.”

 

Analysis:

It seems that when people feel that they have no control on some aspect of their life, they find comfort in saying this proverb because it reassures them that someone is watching over them and will help them anyway possible. Saying this proverb is a form of comfort for many individuals.

The Pig at the Baptism

Nationality: Mexican
Age: 76
Performance Date: 2019
Primary Language: Spanish

Main Piece:
“The story goes that a family… they were getting ready for their first child’s baptism and first birthday. So, the family invited many people to the party and had decided to serve a whole roasted pig. A week prior to the baptism/party, the family had gotten a really fat and big pig. That whole week they fed the pig lots of food in order to get it bigger and more fat. The day before the party and before the pig was to be killed, the family starved the pig. I am not sure why, maybe to cleanse it or something. Well the pig was used to eating lots of food, so it was really hungry that whole day and night. The next morning which was the day of the baptism/party, the father went outside to kill the pig, but the pig was gone. He called his wife out and she then noticed dirty prints on their house floor. The father and mother followed the prints into their child’s crib, they screamed and were horrified to see the pig eating their child. The pig stared at the parents and its eyes were blood red.”

Context:
The informant is a 77-year-old Spanish speaking woman, born in Mexico. She first this story as a child and would then tell it to her children and grandchildren. She believes the pig was possessed by the devil, that the pig was evil from the beginning.

Analysis:
This story is a twist on the cruelty we inflict on pigs when we kill them for food. I believe that this story helps people come to terms with why we should kill pigs and eat them. If pigs could they would inflict the same pain to humans. In some ways this idea of the pig eating us makes us feel better about why we eat them.

AQUEL CARACOL SCHOOL SONG

Nationality: Mexican
Age: 54
Residence: california
Performance Date: 2019
Primary Language: Spanish

Main Piece:

“Aquel caracol

Que va por el sol

Que en cada ramita lleva una flor

Que viva la vida

Que viva el amor

Que viva la gracia de aquel caracol”

 

That snail

Going by the sun

That in each twig bears a flower

Long live the life

Long live love

Long live the grace of that snail

 

Context:

The informant is a 54-year-old man from Guadalajara, Mexico. He learned this rhyme from his primary school. They learned many songs like this one. He believes that they were taught these songs in order to encourage the children to sing in front of their peers and to not be shy.

Bote Pateado/Kick the Can

Nationality: Mexican-American
Age: 27
Residence: California
Primary Language: English
Language: spanish

Main Piece:

This is a game similar to hide and seek, but it involves a can and you don’t have to tag a person with your hand. These are the rules:

Pieces: A can or bottle that is heavy enough to go far, but not too far, when kicked.

Number of players: At least 3

Rules: The person that is “it” stands next to a can that is inside a drawn circle. One of the other players kicks the can as far as they can and then they all run to hide. The person that is “it” must walk to the ca, pick it up, then walk back to the circle and pace the can inside. The person that is “it” then begins to search for the other players. If the person that is “it” spots another player they must race toward the can and say “1,2,3 (Name of player caught).” “It” does this until all the players are caught. Other players in hiding can try to release the caught players by beating “it” to the can and kicking it out of the circle. This act releases all the caught players and “it” must again walk to the can, pick it up, walk back, and then set the can in the circle. This continues until “it” catches all the players hiding.

Context:

The informant is a 27-year-old Mexican-American college student. He learned this story from his uncle. His uncle would gather all the nieces and nephews to play this game. It was a way to entertain the kids when they didn’t have any other form of entertainment. Also, to make the kids exercise more.

For another version, see “Kick the Can.” Play & Playground Encyclopedia. 23 August 2012.