uses dat song. In slavery some holler when dey be in de field
like owls; some like crows; and some like pea-fowls. Missus had de
purtiest pea-fowls in de whole country. Don't see none now, but dar
ain't nothing dat flies purtier.

"Me and Wade Carlisle was 'possum hunting one night in de fall when de
dogs bedded a 'possum in a grave. We dug down and got de 'possum. He was
dat big and fat and his hair was so shiny and purty dat we 'lowed dat he
de finest 'possum we had cotch dat fall.

"Jest den, Wade struck de box dat de dead man was a-lying in. Jest as he
did dat, a light jumped out'n dat grave right in front of us and all
over Wade's shovel. Our two dogs tuck and run and holler and stick dey
tails betwix dey legs like somebody a-whipping dem. Dem dogs never
stopped running and howling 'till dey reached home, me and Wade right
behind dem. Wade had dat 'possum in his hand. Dat light now and den jump
right in front of us.

"I hollered, 'Wade, fer de Lawd in Heaven sake, drap dat 'possum.' He
drapped it and we run 'till we got home. Wade still had dat shovel--or
was it a axe--. I jest recollects which, anyway, he still had it in his
hand; and when I looked at it, it was still shining. I pinted my finger
at it, kaise I was dat scared dat no words wouldn't come from my mouth.
Wade throwed it in de wood pile and we run in de house wid it still
shining at us.

"I stayed dar all night, and I ain't never been hunting in no graveyard
at night since dat; and if de good Lawd give me sense I is got now, I
ain't never gwine to do it no mo'.

"It ain't no good a-'sturbing dead folks. All befo' dat I is heard it
gits you in bad, and now since den I knows it."

=Source:= Gus Feaster (col. 97), 20 Stutz Ave., Union, S.C.
Interviewer: Caldwell Sims, Union, S.C. (7/1/37)

Project 1885-1
From Misc. Field Notes
District No. 4
May 17, 1937

Edited by:
Martha Ritter

FOLKLORE: NEGRO SLAVE.

SLAVE TIME CUSTOMS ON THE PLANTATION
OF THOMAS ANDERSON CARLISLE.

"Cap', my old Master's daughter, Mrs. George Perrin (Ida Rice) and Miss
Peake (Mrs. Keitt Peake) 'lows I is done pas' 84. Miss Ida was 84 when
she died and I was allus mo' older dan she was, and a long ways at dat.
I allus figers dat Ah is 97. Miss Agnes (Mrs. Keitt Peake) and Miss Ida
was lil' gals when I driv' dem to and from school ever' day fer ole
Marse. You see I had to be a big boy to drive de Marse's chilluns to
school, 'speci