Korea + Im - Man on the Road - Keeping the Public in Public Domain

"Stories from around the world and back through time" describes what I tell.  I love the historical storytelling, but also enjoy the wide world of folktales.  In the past I posted one Korean story here, The Enchanted Wine-Jug or Why the Cat and Dog Are Enemies and shared this personal information, "My daughters are Korean and as a result I've especially enjoyed collections of Korean folktales."  While I'm a huge supporter of American products and workers, I love their being Made in Korea.  

While I know someone who fought in the Korean War and even helped build orphanages during his off-duty times, I'm probably like most in the U.S. who grew up with an already divided Korea.  I was surprised to see today is the anniversary of the end of Second Battle of Seoul.  That hyperlink to a Wikipedia article shows urban warfare in 1950 that ended in Seoul's liberation on September 25.  

Nowadays Seoul is the very modern face of Korea, whose pop culture has been called the Korean Wave or even "kim chic."  Even the other main Korean cities are so modern that the country works hard to maintain its cultural continuity.  Korea wants the world and its own people to remember what life was like throughout most of its history.  The Korean Folk Village in suburban Seoul shows that traditional life.  

"Korean.Folk.Village-Minsokchon-08" by bzo - http://flickr.com/photos/bzo/15698399/. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Korean.Folk.Village-Minsokchon-08.jpg#/media/File:Korean.Folk.Village-Minsokchon-08.jpg

To see even more go to the village's own multi-language site for further views of what they offer, including their current Autumn Harvest celebration.  My daughters were born in a farm village and folktales take us back there.

There are many books of Korean folklore in my library and I often re-tell three favorite Korean stories I can't reproduce here because of copyright, but recommend to you: "The Korean Cinderella" in Paul Anderson's The Boy and the Blind Storyteller (it even includes archery!); "A Dog Named Fireball" in The Story Bag by Kim So-un (I use a gong to help capture Fireball's attempts at carrying the too-hot sun and too-cold moon); and the title story in Eleanore Jewett's Which Was Witch? (more about that after today's story).

There are others I've told, but those top the list in frequency.  Today's book, Korean Folk Tales: Imps, Ghosts, and Fairies by Im Bang and Yi Ryuk, translated and published James S. Gale in 1913 has many stories worth getting to know.  If you prefer a PDF go to http://raskb.com/udenlibrary/disk2/161.pdf.  I've chosen an unusual story going back to an earlier invasion of Seoul.

Im was born in 1640 until well into the 18th century.  Gale talks about giving an old manuscript of Im's stories to the Western world, "Very gruesome indeed, and unlovely, some of them are, but they picture faithfully the conditions under which Im Bang himself, and many past generations of Koreans, have lived."  At the same time Gale clearly enjoys the supernatural.

Next week is the start of October, a month often calling for spooky stories.  I plan to tell Im's version of Witch Was Witch? next week and a bit more about the authors and translator.
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This is part of a series of postings of stories under the category, "Keeping the Public in Public Domain."  The idea behind Public Domain was to preserve our cultural heritage after the authors and their immediate heirs were compensated.  I feel strongly current copyright law delays this intent on works of the 20th century.  My own library of folklore includes so many books within the Public Domain I decided to share stories from them.  I hope you enjoy discovering new stories.  


At the same time, my own involvement in storytelling regularly creates projects requiring research as part of my sharing stories with an audience.  Whenever that research needs to be shown here, the publishing of Public Domain stories will not occur that week.  This is a return to my regular posting of a research project here.  (Don't worry, this isn't dry research, my research is always geared towards future storytelling to an audience.)  Response has convinced me that "Keeping the Public in Public Domain" should continue along with my other postings as often as I can manage it.    


There are many online resources for Public Domain stories, none for folklore is as ambitious as fellow storyteller, Yoel Perez's database, Yashpeh, the International Folktales Collection.  I recommended it earlier and want to continue to do so.  Have fun discovering even more stories!

Grimm - Little One-Eye... - Keeping the Public in Public Domain

A storytelling mentor once said there was no such thing as Sick Leave for storytellers.  True, but gaps in gigs can help.  Fortunately this week I have no bookings, while next week there are four.  A broken blood vessel in my eye (a subconjunctival hemorrhage) leaves me looking like a zombie or, at least, a horrible case of pink eye.  Thankfully it's not contagious pink eye nor likely to do permanent damage if I'm careful, but it leaves me wanting to curl up in a cave.

While in that cave, of course, my thoughts turned to stories about the eye.  I had one in mind collected by 20th century American folklorist, Richard Chase.  It's an Appalachian story, "Old One-Eye", in Grandfather Tales,  about an old woman stopping a robbery by accidentally describing a one-eyed robber and his two partners. 

Richard Chase from Knox Co. P.L. calendar 6-25-2014

The Knox County Public Library in Tennessee honored Chase on their Calendar pages with the above photo and this quote from the Los Angeles Free Press of 11-24-1964:

There are many Americans who keep, unreflectively, a store of traditions which they call, not 'folklore,' but simply the old songs, the old tales, the old ways. And those of us who preserve this heritage are not just Southern Mountain people, nor are we only country folk. We live in every state, and we can be found in large cities as well as out on the lands.

There are many Americans who keep, unreflectively, a store of traditions which they call, not 'folklore,' but simply the old songs, the old tales, the old ways. And those of us who preserve this heritage are not just Southern Mountain people, nor are we only country folk. We live in every state, and we can be found in large cities as well as out on the lands.

Richard Chase, quoted from  "Folk?" Los Angeles Free Press 24 Nov. 1964.

- See more at: http://www.knoxlib.org/calendar-programs/programs-and-partnerships/reading-appalachia-voices-childrens-literature/richard#sthash.OyIa9aFF.dpuf

There are many Americans who keep, unreflectively, a store of traditions which they call, not 'folklore,' but simply the old songs, the old tales, the old ways. And those of us who preserve this heritage are not just Southern Mountain people, nor are we only country folk. We live in every state, and we can be found in large cities as well as out on the lands.

Richard Chase, quoted from  "Folk?" Los Angeles Free Press 24 Nov. 1964.

- See more at: http://www.knoxlib.org/calendar-programs/programs-and-partnerships/reading-appalachia-voices-childrens-literature/richard#sthash.OyIa9aFF.dpuf

There are many Americans who keep, unreflectively, a store of traditions which they call, not 'folklore,' but simply the old songs, the old tales, the old ways. And those of us who preserve this heritage are not just Southern Mountain people, nor are we only country folk. We live in every state, and we can be found in large cities as well as out on the lands.

Richard Chase, quoted from  "Folk?" Los Angeles Free Press 24 Nov. 1964.

- See more at: http://www.knoxlib.org/calendar-programs/programs-and-partnerships/reading-appalachia-voices-childrens-literature/richard#sthash.OyIa9aFF.dpuf

I find that quote interesting because I was always told he vigorously defended his copyright of the many Appalachian stories and songs (listed on that calendar page) including his making the public aware of Jack Tales.  These stories deserve to be kept alive in re-telling.  He claimed that he was among those "who preserve this heritage" and yet such a copyright stance would keep those stories out of Public Domain.

A side note here, my own works carry a copyright notice, but will grant permission freely to use IF my authorship is acknowledged, complete with source and ways the public can reach me.

Chase knew his sources were unaware of the implications of copyright.  Associate professor of English, Tina L. Hanlon, Ph.D. at Ferrum College in Virginia teaches about Appalachian literature (her website for her academic page is full of wonderful references in both Appalachian and children's literature -- including her Dragons in Children's Literature bibliography page).  Not on that page is her Bibliography of Works by and about Richard Chase that she compiled.  It even gives us the facts about that photo of Chase (at Ferrum College) and a link to her far bigger site, AppLit, Resources for Readers and Teachers of Appalachian Literature for Children and Young Adults.  I followed her listing of Appalachian Folktales in Collections to the page where she refers to Chase's tale of "Old One-Eye"-and- Characters with One, Two, and Three Eyes and includes today's story.  This came only after I had already found today's tale in that gift to Public Domain storytellers, Mary Huse Eastman's Index to Fairy Tales, Myths and Legends. 


Aaron Shepard made a humorous picture book version. I love his subtitle, "A Very Grimm Fairy Tale" although it's hardly one of their grimmest.  In Shepard's constant generosity, he gives a storytelling version and tells more about how he worked with the tale.  He wondered if it would be too long, involved and quiet to hold young listeners, only to find they were so involved in following the twists and turns in the tale "they lose themselves completely."  Look up his book, for as Deirdre Baker, in her Toronto Star review points out, “With its fairy-tale extremes of dearth and bounty, powerlessness and power, and reversal of fortunes, this is a good choice for anyone discussing fairy tales with kids. It makes a nice alternative to the story of Cinderella and, for an enterprising teacher, a comparison with the Grimm brothers’ version of the same tale would bring up telling differences. . . . Illustrated with such comic quirkiness that it has the ironic edge of a cartoon.”

In bringing that original version collected by the Grimm Brothers for today's story, it is a less well known tale.  Finding a copy from those listed in Eastman's index, I chose the 1892 version in Andrew Lang's The Green Fairy Book.  Lang doesn't cite the translator, only crediting "Grimm", but includes the lovely old illustrations by H.J. Ford found in all Lang's rainbow fairy books.

I can't help wondering if this old story found its way into Appalachia and in repeated tellings changed to the version Chase found.  Many folktale motifs are found in this "not so Grimm" tale.  Those tales traveled, as stories do, changing, but still worth Keeping the Public in Public Domain.
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This is part of a series of postings of stories under the category, "Keeping the Public in Public Domain."  The idea behind Public Domain was to preserve our cultural heritage after the authors and their immediate heirs were compensated.  I feel strongly current copyright law delays this intent on works of the 20th century.  My own library of folklore includes so many books within the Public Domain I decided to share stories from them.  I hope you enjoy discovering new stories.  


At the same time, my own involvement in storytelling regularly creates projects requiring research as part of my sharing stories with an audience.  Whenever that research needs to be shown here, the publishing of Public Domain stories will not occur that week.  This is a return to my regular posting of a research project here.  (Don't worry, this isn't dry research, my research is always geared towards future storytelling to an audience.)  Response has convinced me that "Keeping the Public in Public Domain" should continue along with my other postings as often as I can manage it.    


There are many online resources for Public Domain stories, none for folklore is as ambitious as fellow storyteller, Yoel Perez's database, Yashpeh, the International Folktales Collection.  I recommended it earlier and want to continue to do so.  Have fun discovering even more stories!

Civil War Days + Browne - Union War Songs and Confederate Officers - Keeping the Public in Public Domain

The Bicentennial of the United States Civil War is still being celebrated in many places including the annual celebration of the Historic Fort Wayne Coalition.

http://www.historicfortwaynecoalition.com/cwdays.html

Please notice Historic Fort Wayne is in Detroit.  From 1701 through World War II the location was an active military location.  Today the Historic Fort Wayne Coalition is working to preserve as much of the fort's heritage as possible.  Toward that, I'm proud to continue being part of the annual celebration.  While portraying Liberetta Lerich Green I will talk, among other things, about how her brothers, Will and Isaac, mustered in and out of the fort for the Michigan Fifth Infantry and later Isaac returned when the Third Infantry was reconstituted.  I will also tell of her family's abolition and Underground Railroad work and life on the homefront.  In addition, Liberetta joins General Grant's widow, Governor Blair's wife, and Sarah Edmonds in the Commanding Officer's house.  All of these women have fascinating stories worth hearing.

Music is a great way to recall these events.  In telling Liberetta's story I use the abolition song, "Roll on the Liberty Ball", which was written by the Hutchinson Family Singers to the tune of "Old Rosin the Beau", then used again as the election song, "Lincoln and Liberty, Too" .  The YouTube video above merges the two songs.  It comes from ex-Weaver, Ronnie Gilbert, and gives a lively amalgamation of both while incorporating pictures from the era.

Today's story is a remembrance by Richard Wentworth Browne in The Century Magazine, from January 1888.  The Online Books Page has an archive of the magazine from its origins in 1881 up through Volume 97 on April 1919, although the magazine didn't cease operation until 1930.  It's always worth checking periodicals of a period for a time travel experience.  The story was part of a larger article, "Memoranda on the Civil War."  Browne also explains he was inspired to write after reading Brander Matthews in The Century Magazine, August 1887, article "The Songs of the Civil War."  That article isn't a story, but may interest lovers of Civil War music, a topic occasionally discussed here.  After the story I'll give links to the songs mentioned by Browne.

The many treasuries by Benjamin A.Botkin overflow with such interesting bits.  My copy was in his A Civil War Treasury of Tales, Legends and Folklore.  It only omitted Browne's introductory paragraph about the earlier article by Brander Matthews influencing him.  I strongly recommend at least reading the Wikipedia article on this "Father of Public Folklore" I hotlinked at the start of this paragraph to show his philosophy on folklore and his work at the Library of Congress in the Archive of American Folk Song.  You might even want to read the book, America's Folklorist: B.A.Botkin and American Culture, edited by Lawrence Rodgers and Jerrold Hirsch.

 

Songs mentioned in the story

Each of these songs has background information, so the titles are hotlinked to Wikipedia.  Space and time limitations meant it's the only source given here for quick background information.  I encourage checking even further because more exists for each song.   I try to give at least the melody line and, when available, the chords.  I leave it up to you to see if a midi file or video of the song exists to help you learn the songs.

Along the way I discovered the wonderful Civil War Song Book pdf from the Kit Carson's 1st New Mexico Volunteer Infantry String Band, a reenactment group.  They have a good list of sources in their introduction to this 82 page book by Joe Dietrich and David Poulin.  Their book is specifically chords + lyrics, so I rarely had to worry about chords, just being sure to locate the melody lines on songs. 8 Notes.com was another good resource, but since these are all Public Domain, I made sure the links skipped paid sheet music.  For other chords beyond the Civil War Song Book, another resource is Ultimate-Guitar.com.

Battle Hymn of theRepublic the melody is given in Wikipedia and see the Civil War Song Book about chords

John Brown’s Body (same melody as above was eventually used, but read the article on it)

We’re Coming, Father Abraham (Lyrics used by 8 different composers, including Stephen Foster and the Hutchinson Family Singers!  Darned if I know what version to use.  Check the article by Irwin Silber in Songs of the Civil War.)

Tramp, Tramp, Tramp the Boys Are Marching find chords in the Civil War Song Book and the melody at 8 Notes.com/scores/6670.asp

Star-Spangled Banner Choose your instrument at 8notes.com

Rally ‘Round the Flag,Boys (or Battle Cry of Freedom -- the title used in Civil War Song Book for chords) either melody alone or guitar tab at 8 Notes.com

Bonnie Blue Flag find the melody at 8 Notes.com/scores/3645.asp; the chords at Ultimate Guitar.com 

Dixie for the melody choose Dixie's Land and Dixie for guitar tab at 8 Notes; in Civil War Song Book chords use Dixie's Land as the title

Maryland, My Maryland (set to the tune of Lauriger Horatius as Browne mentions, but best known as O Tannenbaum or Oh Christmas Tree) with melody at 8 Notes.com

Dead March in Saul this was only mentioned as it is often played at state funerals, including during the trip by Lincoln's body back to Springfield.

Serendipity often helped in finding resources. Research tends to go that way, with serendipity ruling!  In the meantime may this bit of time traveling through history encourage your own research.

Mooney - Man Who Married the Thunder's Sister - Keeping the Public in Public Domain

Thursday's hike through Pontiac Lake State Park became an exercise in timing.  I learned a lot about comic timing in the past two weeks of being Aunt Abby in Arsenic in Old Lace, but other than that know my personal timing is awful.  It's been hot lately -- comparatively speaking since Michigan has been blessed with a beautiful summer.  My husky/malamute, however, still expects his exercise.  I'm not a morning person, so some of those walks have been by flashlight.  I tried for an early walk figuring we'd beat the predicted afternoon heat turning into thunderstorms.  WRONG!

An hour or 45 minutes was my goal.  We were nearing the half hour point when thunder started in the west, but I also saw a sign that said Scenic Overlook.  Figured it was nearby and I'm glad I saw it.  I'm no photographer and I see nothing online close to what I saw. 

You can check the trail map to find it.  I started on the equestrian trail, but that Scenic Overlook is just off the equestrian routes I usually follow.  It's a @#$%! pdf, so I can't post it here, but recommend those trails highly.  What a fabulous view of the lake and beyond.  The number was 30, 31, or 32, I can't tell from the map and by then I was really ready to start trekking back before the storm came.  All the way back I was praying my dog and I would make it back safe and dry to the truck.
. . .

• The trees were talking about the coming storm.  They do talk about such things if you listen.

• The sky became a scary eggshell shade overhead.

• When the lightning actually started to crack overhead I thought about all those warnings not to be near trees in a storm.

That's when The Myths of the Cherokees by James Mooney popped into my head.  It's a 1906 Bureau of American Ethnology publication for the Smithsonian and here's the search pages for him, some of which are irrelevant, but still worth pursuing.  This one about the Ghost Dance includes his biography since that, too, was a major investigation he made for them.  Here also is the ubiquitous Wikipedia article about him.  Years ago a storytelling colleague who is part Cherokee said Mooney's accuracy didn't make the elders snicker, unlike most attempts to relay their culture.  I have found many wonderful stories in Myths of the Cherokees, but today I especially value it because it includes an index.  Didn't find the story I had in mind -- it's probably there, but I stopped when I found better stories and a monster worth adding to my spooky stories.

The Uktena from The Carpetbagger blog

The Uktena is a traditional Cherokee creature, a powerful giant horned snake with a magical diamond on its head able to hypnotize its opponents to their doom.  Try as I might, I couldn't find the source of the image above, but found many artists add wings even though it's not mentioned. Here's The Legend of Uktena from Mooney as found on Ewebtribe.com's Native American culture pages.  I'm no fan of ordinary venomous snakes, but the images you'll find if you Google Uktena images show its legend has inspired many artists, from the rock art Uktena at the start of today's blog to modern times.  Gutenberg's online Mooney includes the original illustrations, but I notice there is none for the Uktena.

That online edition includes these references so you can find the various Uktena stories:
Uktena, myths and lore concerning 253, 297–301, 315, 346, 396, 405, 410–458, 462
(LoiS-sez: those numbers here aren't hot-linked, but work within the Gutenberg online edition.  For some reason, the original doesn't list the index, but it follows the Glossary.)

The Uktena lurks in this story, just as today's storm waited to strike.

Fortunately the Cherokee were able to retell the story, since they didn't go to the cave of the Thunder People, without dying.
. . .
About my own story, I said my own timing is awful, but I'll add that God's timing is perfect.  We just got into the truck when the storm erupted with a fury worthy of the Uktena.  We drove away in a storm barely permitting extra fast windshield wipers to reveal the flooding road home.
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This is part of a series of postings of stories under the category, "Keeping the Public in Public Domain."  The idea behind Public Domain was to preserve our cultural heritage after the authors and their immediate heirs were compensated.  I feel strongly current copyright law delays this intent on works of the 20th century.  My own library of folklore includes so many books within the Public Domain I decided to share stories from them.  I hope you enjoy discovering new stories.  


At the same time, my own involvement in storytelling regularly creates projects requiring research as part of my sharing stories with an audience.  Whenever that research needs to be shown here, the publishing of Public Domain stories will not occur that week.  This is a return to my regular posting of a research project here.  (Don't worry, this isn't dry research, my research is always geared towards future storytelling to an audience.)  Response has convinced me that "Keeping the Public in Public Domain" should continue along with my other postings as often as I can manage it.    


There are many online resources for Public Domain stories, none for folklore is as ambitious as fellow storyteller, Yoel Perez's database, Yashpeh, the International Folktales Collection.  I recommended it earlier and want to continue to do so.  Have fun discovering even more stories!