Latest / Sandman Stories Presents / EP 245: Louisiana- King Peacock, Singing Bones, Simple John (Fortier)

Transcript

EP 245: Louisiana- King Peacock, Singing Bones, Simple John (Fortier) · Sandman Stories Presents

0:25
Welcome back, listeners to Sandman Stories Presents, a
0:28
folklore podcast where I read it asleep or until the next story.
0:31
I'm your host, Dustin. Today we are back in the book of
0:34
Louisiana folk tales written down by Alcee Fortier.
0:38
The first story has a bit of Sleeping Beauty, and the second
0:41
one has a popular folk tale with roots in Africa.
0:45
And the third story is all about not judging a book by its cover.
0:49
OK, let's begin. Story #1 King Peacock.
0:57
There once was a lady who is so pretty, so pretty that she never
1:02
wanted to marry. She found something to criticize
1:06
in all the suitors who presented themselves, saying of them, Oh,
1:10
you are too ugly, Oh, you are too small, you have too large a
1:16
mouth. One day a fine man came.
1:21
He was in a golden carriage, drawn by eight horses.
1:25
He asked the lady to marry him, but she refused.
1:29
He fell into a passion, and told her that in one year she would
1:32
have a daughter that would be much, much prettier than
1:35
herself. The lady sent him away with
1:37
scorn. Well, a year later she had a
1:42
Pretty Little girl. When she thought that the child
1:45
was so pretty, she shut her up in a room at the far end of the
1:48
house, with her nurse to attend to her.
1:51
As the girl grew up, she became handsomer every day.
1:56
The nurse never allowed her to leave the room or even to look
1:58
through the window. One day, however, while the old
2:02
woman was sweeping the floor, she left the door open and the
2:05
young girl saw a large bird. Nurse said she, What do you call
2:12
that bird which is so pretty? The woman was obliged to reply
2:16
and said, That is a Peacock. If I ever marry, I want to marry
2:21
King Peacock. May God hear you, my child.
2:27
That very day the mother came, called the nurse into a corner,
2:31
drew from under her skirt a great knife, and said, I want
2:34
you to kill my child. She has become much prettier
2:38
than me. The nurse began to cry and
2:42
begged the lady to spare the poor child, but all in vain.
2:47
That black heart could not be softened.
2:50
When night came, the nurse said to the girl, My poor child, I
2:55
have to kill you, your mother wants you to die.
2:58
The girl was so good that she replied, well, kill me nurse, if
3:02
my mother wants it to be so. But the nurse answered, No, I
3:07
don't have the heart to do any such thing, my little one.
3:10
Here, take these three seeds, throw yourself in the well and
3:13
drown yourself. But before jumping in the well,
3:16
swallow one of these seeds and you will not suffer at all.
3:20
The girl thanked the nurse and went down to drown herself.
3:25
She walked until she arrived at a large well.
3:27
She threw herself into it, but before touching the water she
3:31
took one of the seeds and put it into her mouth.
3:34
The seed, however, fell in the water, and it dried up the well
3:37
immediately. The young lady was very sorry to
3:41
see that there was no water left in the well, and getting out,
3:44
she walked as far as a wood, in which she found a small house.
3:48
She knocked at the door and an old woman showed herself.
3:53
When she saw the pretty young girl, she said, Oh my child,
3:56
what do you come to do here? Don't you know that my husband
4:00
is an ogre? He will eat you up.
4:03
Then the girl answered, That is what I want.
4:06
My mother wants me to die. The woman replied, If that is
4:11
the case, come in. But it is a great pity.
4:16
Poor girl sat down in a corner and cried a while, while she was
4:19
waiting for the ogre. All at once they heard big
4:24
footsteps, and as soon as the door was opened, the ogre said,
4:28
My wife, I smell fresh meat in here.
4:32
And he ran towards the young girl.
4:34
She, however, merely looked at him with her large eyes, and he
4:39
stepped back saying to his wife, Do you think that I can eat such
4:43
a pretty girl? She is so beautiful that I just
4:46
want to look at her all the time.
4:50
The girl said she was tired, so the ogre took her to the
4:52
beautiful room and ordered his wife to fan her with Peacock
4:55
feathers. While she was sleeping, the
4:58
young lady said to herself, It is better for me to die now, for
5:03
perhaps the ogre will change his mind tomorrow and will eat me.
5:07
She put one of her seeds in her mouth and fell into a deep
5:10
sleep. She slept and slept, and the
5:15
ogre's wife was fanning her the whole time.
5:19
When three days had passed and she did not awake, the ogre
5:22
looked at her and said, It is a great pity, but I believe she is
5:27
dead. He went to the town and bought a
5:30
coffin made of gold. He put the girl in it and placed
5:33
it on the river. The coffin then went floating
5:36
down the river very far away. King Peacock was one day on the
5:42
levee with all his Princess to enjoy the cool breeze when he
5:47
saw something shining in the river.
5:50
He ordered his courtiers to see what it was.
5:53
They took a skiff and exclaimed it's a coffin and they brought
5:57
it to the king. When he saw the pretty girl who
6:01
appeared to be sleeping, he said take her to my chamber for he
6:04
wished to try to awaken her. He put her on a bed and rubbed
6:09
her hands and face with Cologne water but to no avail.
6:13
Then he opened her mouth to see what pretty teeth she had.
6:16
He saw something red in the front teeth and tried to take it
6:19
off with a golden pin. It was the seed which fell to
6:23
the floor. The young girl awoke and said, I
6:26
am so glad to see you. The king replied, I am King
6:31
Peacock, and I want to marry you.
6:33
The girl said yes, and there was such a wedding that they sent me
6:37
to relate the story everywhere, everywhere.
6:40
The end OK story #2 it's a little bit of
7:04
a sad one. It's called the Singing Bones.
7:09
Once Upon a time there lived a man and a woman who had 25
7:12
children. They were very poor.
7:16
The man was good and the woman was bad.
7:19
Every day when the husband returned from his work, the wife
7:22
served his dinner. But always meat without bones.
7:26
How is it that this meat has no bones?
7:30
Because bones are heavy and meat is cheaper without bones.
7:33
They give me more for the money. The husband ate and said
7:38
nothing. How is it that you don't eat
7:41
meat? You forget that I have no teeth.
7:45
How do you expect me to eat meat without teeth?
7:48
That is true, said the husband, and he said nothing more because
7:52
he was afraid to grieve his wife, who was as wicked as she
7:54
was ugly. When one has 25 children, one
7:59
cannot think of all of them at the time, and one does not see
8:02
if one or two are missing. One day after his dinner, the
8:06
husband asked for his children. When they were by him, he
8:09
counted them and found only 15. He asked his wife where the
8:14
others were. She answered that they were at
8:16
their grandmother's and every day she would send one more for
8:19
them to get a change of air. That was true every day there
8:23
was one that was missing. One day the husband was at the
8:27
threshold of his house in front of a large stone which was
8:30
there. He was thinking of his children
8:33
and he wanted to go and get them at their grandmother's when he
8:35
heard voices that were saying Our mother killed us, our father
8:42
ate us. We are not in a coffin, we are
8:47
not in the cemetery. At first he did not understand
8:52
what the words meant, but he raised the great stone and saw a
8:55
great quantity of bones, which began to sing again.
8:59
Our mother killed us, our father ate us.
9:05
We are not in a coffin, we are not in the cemetery.
9:13
He then understood that these were the bones of his children
9:16
whom his wife had killed and whom he had eaten.
9:19
Then he was so angry that he killed his wife and he buried
9:22
his children's bones in the cemetery and stayed alone at his
9:25
house. From that time he never ate meat
9:29
because he believed it would always be his children that he
9:32
would be eating. The end our hearts are I've
9:35
returned. Into a lonely heart that dreamed
9:43
in dark. In Louisiana there's a girl.
9:48
What's his name? Why I name his pan of So I'm
9:53
closed in? OK, and story #3 Simple John.
10:00
There once was a fellow who was so foolish that everybody called
10:03
him Simple John. He was so simple that everybody
10:07
made fun of him. He would light the lamp in the
10:10
daytime and put it out at night. He would take an umbrella with
10:14
him only when it was very dark. In the summer he would put on a
10:18
great coat, and in winter he would go nearly naked.
10:22
In short, he did everything contrary to common sense.
10:26
King Bang On, who loved to play tricks, heard the sayings and
10:30
deeds of simple John and sent for him to amuse his friends.
10:34
When John came to the king, everyone began to laugh as he
10:37
looked so awkward. The king asked him if he knew
10:40
how to count. John replied that he knew how to
10:43
count eggs, that yesterday he had found four and two.
10:47
How much does that make, said the King.
10:49
John went to count the eggs and on returning said that there
10:52
were four and two. Exactly, said the king.
10:55
But tell me, Simple John, they say that Brother Rabbit is your
10:59
father. Yes, he is.
11:03
No, no, said someone else. I think it's Brother Hyena.
11:07
Yes. Yes, said Simple John.
11:10
Him too. No, no, said an old woman who
11:14
was passing it is Renard, who is your father?
11:18
Yes, said Simple John. All of them.
11:21
They are all my father's. Every time one of them passes by
11:24
me he says Good morning my child.
11:27
I must believe then that they are all my father's.
11:32
Everybody laughed at simple John.
11:34
Then the king said, Simple John, tomorrow morning I want you to
11:38
bring me a bottle of bull's milk.
11:41
It is to make medicine for my daughter who is sick and has a
11:43
side ache in her back. All right, said Simple John.
11:48
Early tomorrow morning I shall bring it.
11:51
King. Bang on then, said on the 1st of
11:53
April, in one month you will come.
11:55
I want you to guess something. If you guess, I will give you my
11:59
daughter and marriage. But if you try three times and
12:02
do not succeed, my executioner will have to cut your neck.
12:06
All right, said simple John, I will try.
12:10
And then he went away, pretending to go and get the
12:12
bull's milk. When he reached home he related
12:15
to his mother all that had happened, and the old woman
12:18
began to cry and could not be counselled, because, however
12:21
foolish her boy was, she loved him as he was her only child.
12:25
She forbade him to go to the king, and threatened to tie him
12:28
in her cabin, or to have the sheriff throw him in prison.
12:32
Simple. John paid no attention to his
12:34
mother and started off before Daybreak with an axe on his
12:37
shoulder. He soon arrived at the House of
12:40
the king, and he climbed into a big oak tree which was right in
12:44
front of the door. He began cow, cow, cow to cut
12:49
down the branches with his axe, and he woke up everybody in the
12:52
house. One of the servants of the king
12:56
came out to see what was the matter, and when he saw simple
12:59
John on the top of the tree, he said, But what is your business
13:02
there? Fool that you are, you are
13:04
disturbing everybody. It is not your business.
13:08
Do you hear? Said Simple John?
13:10
Are you the watchdog barking like this in the yard?
13:13
When your master king bang on comes?
13:16
I will tell him what I am doing here.
13:19
The king came out and asked Simple John what he was doing
13:21
there. He replied that he was cutting
13:24
the bark to make some tea for his father, who had been
13:26
delivered two twins the day before.
13:29
What? Said the king?
13:32
For whom do you take me? Simple, John, Where did you ever
13:36
hear of a man in childbirth? I think you mean to make fun of
13:40
me. How is it that yesterday you
13:44
asked me for a bottle of bull's milk?
13:46
If you were right, I am also, the king replied.
13:52
I believe that you are not so foolish as you want to make
13:55
people believe. Go to the kitchen and they will
13:58
give you your breakfast. Don't forget to come on the 1st
14:00
of April so that we may see which of us will be the April
14:03
Fool. On the 1st of April, Simple John
14:07
mounted his horse and went out without his mother seeing him.
14:11
Brother Hyena, who was deceitful and evil minded, said, I shall
14:15
prevent Simple John from going because I know he is so foolish
14:19
that they will cut his neck and keep his horse.
14:22
It is better that I should profit from it and take his
14:25
horse. Don't you say anything, you will
14:28
see what I will do. He took a large basket full of
14:32
poison cakes and put it on a bridge where Simple John was to
14:35
pass. If he eats those cakes, he will
14:38
die and I shall take the horse. Hyena knew that Simple John was
14:44
greedy, and he would surely eat the cakes.
14:48
Brother Rabbit liked Simple John because one day when he was
14:51
caught in a snare, Simple John had freed him.
14:54
He did not forget that and said, I want to protect that poor
14:57
fellow. And before Daybreak he waited on
15:02
the road for Simple John. When he saw him, he said, Simple
15:07
John, I'm coming to render you a service.
15:10
Listen to me. Don't eat or drink anything on
15:13
your way, even if you are dying of hunger and of thirst.
15:17
And when the king will ask you to guess you're going to reply
15:20
what I'm going to tell you. Come near, I don't want anybody
15:23
to hear. Brother Rabbit then told him
15:26
what to say. Yes, yes, I understand, said
15:29
simple John, and began to laugh. Now, said Brother Rabbit, don't
15:35
forget me when you marry the King's daughter.
15:36
We can have a good business together.
15:40
Yes, said simple John, I shall not forget you.
15:44
Well, good luck. Pay attention to all you see.
15:46
Look on all sides and listen Well.
15:50
Then Simple John started, and a little while afterwards he
15:54
arrived at a bridge on the river.
15:56
The first thing he saw was a basket full of cakes which
15:58
Brother Hyena had placed there. They smelted good, and they were
16:03
tempting. Simple John touched them and
16:06
felt like biting one, but he remembered what Brother Rabbit
16:09
had told him. He stopped for a moment and
16:12
said. Let me see if they will do harm
16:15
to my horse. He took a half dozen cakes and
16:19
gave them to his horse. The poor beast died almost
16:22
immediately, and fell on the bridge.
16:26
See, if I had not been prudent, it is I who would be dead
16:30
instead of my horse. Ah, brother Rabbit was right a
16:35
little more, and I should have been lost.
16:38
Now I shall have to go on foot. Before he started he threw his
16:43
horse into the river, and as the poor beast was being carried
16:46
away by the current, three buzzards alighted on the horse
16:49
and began to eat him. Simple John looked at him for a
16:54
long time until he disappeared behind the point in the river.
16:59
Brother Rabbit told me, Listen, look, and don't say anything.
17:04
All right, I shall have something to ask the king to
17:07
guess. When Simple John came to the
17:10
King, nobody was trying to guess, for all those who had
17:13
tried three times had been put to death by the King's
17:15
executioner, 50 men had already been killed.
17:20
And everyone said, on seeing Simple John, there is Simple
17:23
John who is going to try. They will surely cut off his
17:27
head, for he is so foolish, but so much the worse for him if he
17:32
is such a fool. When he saw Simple John, the
17:36
king began to laugh and told him to come nearer.
17:39
What is it, said he, that early in the morning walks on four
17:43
legs, at noon on two, and in the evening three legs?
17:49
And if I guess you'll give me your daughter?
17:53
Yes, said the king. Oh, that is nothing to guess.
17:58
Well, hurrah, hurry on if you don't want me to cut your neck.
18:02
Simple. John told him it was a child who
18:04
walked on four legs. When he grew up he walked on
18:07
two, and when he grew old he had to take a stick, and that made
18:11
three legs. All remained with their mouths
18:14
wide open, they were so astonished.
18:18
You have guessed right. My daughter is for you.
18:21
Now let anybody ask me something, as I know everything
18:24
in the world. If I do not guess right, I will
18:27
give him my Kingdom and my fortune.
18:30
Simple, John said to the king. I saw a dead being that was
18:34
carrying three living beings and was nourishing them.
18:39
The dead did not touch the land and was not in the sky.
18:43
Tell me what it is, or I shall take your Kingdom and your
18:46
fortune. King Bang on tried to guess.
18:51
He said this and that in 1000 things, but he had to give it
18:55
up. Simple, John said.
18:57
Then my horse died on a bridge. I threw him into the river, and
19:02
three buzzards alighted on him and were eaten him up in the
19:06
river. They did not touch the land and
19:09
they were not in the sky. Everybody saw that Simple John
19:13
was smarter than all of them together.
19:16
He married the King's daughter, took his place and governed the
19:18
Kingdom. He took Brother Rabbit as his
19:21
first overseer and hanged Brother Hyena for his rascality.
19:26
After that, they changed Simple John's name and called him Wise
19:29
John. The end.
19:53
Wow that first story was just so sad with the girl just trying to
19:57
please her mom and almost dying a few times.
20:01
I like that the ogre was like Nope, she's too pretty to eat
20:04
and and then even gave her a coffin.
20:06
The second story reminded me of a South African story where
20:09
Jackal is eating lions Cubs and they keep disappearing.
20:12
Also there's a popular story in African and black American
20:15
folklore about singing bones and so there's a probably connection
20:18
there. Kind of a gruesome story.
20:20
Sorry that's in there. And the final story about simple
20:23
John was just lovely. Sometimes you just got to let
20:25
people think that you are a fool.
20:28
And the podcast shout out is to because language.
20:31
You've probably heard me talk about them before.
20:34
It's Daniel, Hedwig and Ben talking all things linguistics.
20:37
They talk with cool linguists. They play fun word games and
20:40
they're just generally cool people.
20:43
So go give them a listen, a rating and a review.
20:46
And also this episode comes out just after my wife's birthday.
20:49
So Yobonim, Sarangio, Sangio, Chuka, Chuka and the listener
20:55
shout out is to Tirana, Albania. This is the capital and largest
20:58
city in Albania. The people in the area were
21:01
first talked about as Illyrians and a part of an Indo European
21:04
family of languages, but are most closely related to the
21:07
Greek and Armenian languages. The city itself was founded by
21:10
an Ottoman Albanian general in 1614, but it is first mentioned
21:14
in a Venetian text in 1416. The general Suleiman Barjini
21:19
built a Turkish bath, a bakery and a mosque, which made it an
21:23
official city. In 1912, they raised the
21:25
Albanian national flag, thus ending centuries of occupation
21:29
from other empires. The city looks beautiful and I
21:32
would love to visit, which is no surprise.
21:36
And so to my listener in Tirana, I say Falamindrit de Natin
21:40
Emire. Thank you and good night.