Document text
Forms to be Filled out for Each Interview
FORM A
Circumstances of interviw
STATE !lbw York
NAME OF WORKER Wayne Walden
ADDRESS 51 Bank Street
DATE Sept. 16, 1938
SUBJECT BIG FEED TELLS A TALL TALE
1. Date and time of interview
Evening of Sept. 12, 1938
2. Place of interview
Union Square, New York City
3. Name and address of informant
FOLKLORE
NEW YORK
"Big Fred" is a longshoreman.. Address
to be ascertained later.
4. Name and address of person, if any, wno put you in
touch with informant.
5. Name and address of person, if any, accompanying you
6. Description of room, house, surrouAings, etc.
Mot him in a public park
Union Square
(Use as many additional sheets as necessary, for any of the forms, each
bearing the proper heading and the number to which the material refers.)
Personal History of informant
STATE New York
NAME OF WORKER Way= Walden
ADDRESS 51 Bank Street
DATE Oept. 1, 1938
SU6JECT :d.IG FRED TELLS A TALL TALE
1. Ancestry
American
2. Place and date of birth
U.S• w• a New Englander
3. Family
4. Places lived in, with dates
5. Education, with dates Common school perhaps
FOLKLORE
NE" YORK
fi. Occupations and accomplishments, with dates
Lumberjaok, teamster, longshoreman
7. Special skills and interests
8. Community and religious activities
9. Description of informant A large man over sixty years
10. Other Points gained in interview
"BIG FRED TELLS A TALL TALE"
by Wayne Walden
(Lull) erjack yarn)
FoRM C
j
STATE New York
NF OF t-o.hk:, Mayne Malden
ADlYtESS 51 Bank Street NewYork City
DUE Sept. 16, 1938
STe,JECT BIG FREI) ELLS A TALL TALE.
Big Fred and several others were indulging in reminiscences of by -gone
times. The talk was of the northwest logging camps, and Big Fred, a former
lumberjack, was doing most of the talking. Despite his years, Big Fred seems
still capable of bucking big logs and, more certain, possesses the faculty of
telling tales the veracity of which may be questioned.
Fred claims that years ago he sometimes "chased around with Paul Banyar
that Paul 'wasn't a bad plug", that modern phases of the lumber industry require
more up-tc-date methods.
"Paul Bunyan was all right in his tie, but he didn't have the big shots
of today to deal with and he never was able to ;et rid of the crumbs. It was
the Wobblies and you got to give 'ma credit for it that really done something
about the crumbs* That was one of their big fights."
"In Bunyan's day the camps was crummy, the bunks was crummy, and the men
wus so used to being crummy that they wouldn't of knowed what to do without loam.
After the Webs begun to have some say-so on the jobs they bogun to holler for
clean bedding, and that sort of put the skids under the crumbs a lot of tem
anyway
"A crumb is what you'd call a louse" said Big Fred, with a tone of pity,
1•11,111.•
for one so ignorant as I seemed to be. "They was called 'cooties' by the soldiers
during the war, but they're the same thing; we always called 'em crumbs. Anyhow
as I was going to say one time when one of the big shots COMB Out to look things
over, he stuck his head in one of the bunk -house doors. Before he could duck back
again he heard a bunch of voices yelling at him, 'hello Brother'. It kinda puzzled
him. After a while, when he seen that the crumbs were coming to meet him, and was
actually calling him their brother, the boss got mad. He figured that that was
an insult to his dignity, you see.
"Vihat do you mean by calling me your brother? he says to them. 'Well,
we are, ain't we?' they says. 'We don't need no interpreter,' they says, uwe
may be a little different looking on the outsides, but me got the some souls,
ain't we?' they says to 'We get our livin' from the some source, don't we?'
they says, 'It's the blood of the guys you get workin' for you,' they says, 'You
bleed 'em by day, and we bleed 'em by night', they says *that makes you and us
blood -brothers', they says to the boss. /Yeah?' says the boss, 'well as you
weaken 'em and rob 'em of some of their energy, I'm going to kill you, the
boss says to the crumbs."
"'All right,' says th: crumbs -'hop to it, but you'll lose the best ally
you got, or ever had.' 'How st:, says the boss. 'Well,' says the crumbs, 'ain't
it our gouging into the hidc,_, your slaves that keeps 'am so busy scratching
they can't do any thinking? And as long as they can't think', they says, Is
'your slaves won't bother to organize', they W:34 'They won't demand any
improvements', they says
"And, well, by that time, I was kind of tired with their damned propaganda..,"
Fred says.
FOLKLOW?.
FORM C
TrAt Df jcrvic:w
STATE Jew York
!,.N.E OF U iF Iayne Alden
ADDRESS 51 Hank St. ew :ork
DATE October u, 1(,),5L'd
Si.T.JECT
net'
On a nrevious occasion I had „le
,,ed" tell something
wholiser relative to the north-west woods. A few evenin-s ac0 I
aair came EC -foss LIE stood conversin.2'. with some cronies. Tlat
talk w a.s of this modern afc, and partl.cvlory of its sneed.
erd this, which ay or slay [lot e a tall tale, .,1.1t it ..oes
„ax one's credulit-i.
:red sneakinT-sometLI
".alkInl bout speed, I'd like
drawl:
some of you :uys with
me a co',1,ple of mcy.ths ao I don't know what hind of a cur it was,
bit it sure could o. The fellow drivin;-; the car was a Jap, and there
wt:s onJ. me and him in it. e left town here and w as out fifty miles
in loss than an
p
'-..hat was makin' nsetty oo6 time I thouht,
but when we got out where the t.rfPic
down, tne Sap steps
on the radio to kind o2 ocrn,., our minds is we
went e
ctch
It
and ev,:
so often he had. to si-w down to let the waves
t", put in an incredulous menber.
th-mt
re .-.)-1'01.-C;',./2
do you know that radio waves travel thousands of mils in a second,
up in the thoussnCLs?"
It
;ell, we must
oeen t ati thfA", s i rei,
cause we couldn't at he drift of whet the pro7ra,., was toe
si-wIn dovr once in a while."
lon
1;0
ue, but s merely a vivid memory of
away. "valueless" to the folkstuff, I shf7:11
not e offended.)
Years 0 1_11 the nmntains of Colondo, a., old
veterinarian v ose neme was "Doc" Squires. He :es some thin of a
local character, and charcteris ic of hiii were oddest
sri formations that I have ever heari. i7l_n to r:5111ery, the old.
eian'..1-upn an occasion whet W 'n be
"1 cennnt
'oovswill o on sm
when they know that
ckydoodul
scussed, said:
t:rseffncounded ci-- -)ots
conjurious to their institutions w1 -7
hen toe, the was
..z.7,1e'l prospector,
s;-ime 'ts.
4
with a et.r, he said:
e ience
tf--.11 lanky, and
a.,:acter of nose
hen sud enly confronted
"I was comin,-; aown the tr.:1 7:-ien all of a sudden I see
.is here ot.
thf.n-
_r,ar
rtOW.11
nz
couTr.'1. wns .0
tree v.:s scrub
hind feet lookinl
on17
the neaest tree I could find. Ike
lit out Mr it and
...-1beJ it
r- It. t covad L.,o, I lc ked
seon 110- mu fee was st111
ound."
at happened
"bar"
qev leaned, or he7e f'or7otten.
STATE
ew Lori:
N V- OF ,kEP. '4va
IDDPET
FATE
SURJEC1
h,
51
lden
ot,
-,temb,2r 196b
FOIU
man .bout. six
n the lumberwoo,..,s, 1on:
woul• seem to je
hononc'.
which. 'L.:is is the 2irst reno
E e
and
e c
et(2.
kOLKLORE
orh
old, 1r'e and
merThsn tvre, whose bs c.round
at of a teamster _
e nan, ies re tht these stories (of
of hi nan tr11 tt,lPs)
the truti.
(the in:-ormnt) 113
of
nnt1 Ave.
recently meets, of ri
even.n ‘ith a num2er of friend' cquainto.nces on the str. t
nenr Lnon 3ouie.
seem.3 tiOSt, er:.-.;st.l.n.-7
o e w7:
more Lrom him.
source of
NC
out ether",
rL 1.
SIC FRED TELLS A TALL TALE
-MACS
Peel Nuysa mas ell right in hie time, but he didn't have
the big shots of today to deal with and he never was able to
get rid of the smith. Items the liShblies and you got to
give ten credit for it that really dens something about the
ameba. That was me of their big tights.
In Beiyanis by the vamps was *rummy, the bunks was *rummy,
and the nee vas so mood to beteg =mummy that they vouldeft of
kneeid ghat to de without em4 After the Aebe begin to have some
sar.se on the jObs they begun to holler for oleos beddAnge and that
sort of put the skids ander the crumbs a lot of 'ea anyway.
A crumb is what you'd °all louse. They was galled weoeties"
by the soldiers during the war, but they're the same thing; we
alveye °ailed as orbs. Anyhow, as I was oing to say, one time
when one ef the bit shots some out to look things ever, he stua
his head in me of the beekhevas deers. Before he Gould duok bask
agate he heard a bum& of voiess yelling at him, *Fells', Brother.*
It kinda pessled him. After a ohne, liken he seen that the sruebe
wore ionise tome* his, and ewe aetually selling him their brother,
the bees get ned4 He figured that that use an insult to his digit*,
you see.
'Mat do you mean by callint se your brother?" he toys to them.
1411, we aro, &Wt we?" they says. 10 don't need no interpreter,'
they says, "me way be a little different looking on the outsides, but
we rot the an.. souls, ain't 'ler they shy* to his. *Is get oulUilving
from the some soiree, das't mot' they says. "It's the bleed of the
guys you get vortisg for yea,* they says. es bleed en by Awe and
we bleed es by sight." they ewe, "that nskes you and us blood -brothers,'
they says to the bees, USW says the bees," well as you mouton in
end rob fewer some of their esergy. Itsisidsg to kill yew." the bass
ewe to the omen,
right,' slays the armless 'hop to it; but you'll lose the best
ally you get, or ever had.' *how sot' any. the 1141144 .4.12441 say, the
oruihs, 'list% it our gouging into the hides of your slaves that heepe
1410 so busy scratehing they can't do say thinking? And as long as they
can't th
they say "your slaves won't bother to organise," they
mays. They won't demand any improvemeats.' they says
And, will, by that time, I was kind& tired of their damned
propaganda.
II !HI BAPTISM THAT DIDIPT TAKE
Theis religious revivals they used to have, you don't see emelt
of that sort it goings -in seusdeys, but in then days they was greet
doings. Uses I use a kid we used to leek forward to 'en like we did the
circus. Someilnee they vas as good as a sirens. It vas a ease of some
to JO$U4 everybody. Ten had to °ono in or they'd hoomd the hell out
of you if you didn't. The "mods was full of Billy Andnys, and if you
could stand out against their persuading you, you was a good one. You
had to have what they call stamina. Generally when some of those old
hens got a hold of a guy, he was a goner, 'swum, the women than wont
into the revival business with both feet. A!lima they took out after
yea. there mean nosh use &running.,
But there eaa one old eedger they had a devil of a time ad.saar.,
Lag. Re wouldn't tall ter their bait at all. They tried every whisk
may to get hi*, but old Rote Rufus Orgy his sass was ass one ger
they essidatt 'Drift into the fold* Ne hed read Bib Ingersoll. I guess,
and didn't seem to give a dame if his soul ass saved or not. Fie in
tho sky souldn't neve kin. The abase went on for years, revival after
revival, sad still old gas couldn't be sowed from the paths of
wiekodness he preferred to travel. his soul woo getting blaeksr and
bleaker with accumulating sins, but still the old cuss bane bask.
The stubborn old zor aeaed sure as hell bound for hell, and the
betting was odds arainst his ever being corraloda
4011, it finally happened that a revival came on and, whether
the Bible4mder vas novo convineing, or whether the sisters put on
greater pressure in their persuading whatever it was, old kale maybe
he thought it ens better to get it over with, but anyhow the old guy
skews sips or weakening. Bo Wm up arguing and told sem 0...Eny, that
he was ready to submit at last.
Wall, of cos., landing narda.11 old sinner, tte likes of
hiz, soused a lot of re;oising among the sista= end the brothers. It
was a groat triumph, sopothing to holler about All ttat was lookiag
now was the baptism, AxAt for old Rau* it'd mod nore'n a little,
spriakllag• It'd need a 'hold, dangled puddle et water for him to be
mado pure and vadismA4
The baptisings was vest of the tine dome 14 a lakes about a mile
sn4 a half ties tem* The preaOher, and whoever would be hls helpers*
would load the eseworts out to whore the voter was about armspit deep,
and Miss dip "en soder. That's what thoy dome to old Rufo too -0,
thoy loads his out to where the miter vas up to his whiskers said that
topples him wider. But ho wasn't oesatiag on being dvatedo so he
COWS'S up sputtortag, and pawing, and maddoea heal. Zoom as he ma
tangles himsolf from their banging oo to hi7.14 be starts out swimming
to beat the devil himself, and whim no gets out in about ths middlo
of the lake he turns his head ad hollers out& 'Yeah, you would, mad
you? You'd try to drown somebody, would you? You gawd-mdamaed fools*'
Wayne aMrc
New York
CRTIr
Paul Human was all right in his time, but he didn't have the bit; shots
of tacky to deal with and be newer vas able to get rid of the crumbs: It vas
the liobbliee and you got to give 'ea credit fOr it that really done somethinp
about the crumbs, Mat vas ane of their big fights:
In Be:wants dey the *awe was crunmy, the bunks vas *rummy, and the.seems
as vsed to being mummy that they wouldn't of knowed what to do without 'ea:
After the Nobs boom to have ease say—eo on the jobs they begun to Wier for
elms bedding, and that sort of put the skids ender the crumbs a lot of' ca
anymey:
A crumb is what you'd call a louse. They was called "cooties" by the *ail:
dims during them?, but they're the same thing; ve *limeys called 'ea crumbs:
Anyhow, as Ives going to say, one time when one of the bit shots come out to
look things over, he stuck his head in on of the bunkhouse doors. Before he
mould duck book &win he heard a bunoh of voices yelling at him, nal°, Brothers"
it kinds pussled him: After a while, when he seen that the crumbs were comiug to
meet him, and vas actually calling his their brother, the boss got amd. Be fig.
ured that that was an insult to his dignity, you soo:
mat do you mean by canine me your brother?" he alkyd to theta.Well,ve
axe, ain't we7" they eve. no don't need no interpreter," Uri says, Nes may be
a little different looking on he outside, but w got the same souls, ain't we?"
they mays to him: Ms get our llving frmalhe same worm, don't ye*" they 10711,
laiseAtic„laleed.eVisatha_goys you got working for you," they says., "You bleed ISM
by der, and me bleed lea by night," they says, 'that makes you and us blood -brothers,"
they says to the boss, "Yeah?" keys the bows," well as you weaken 'emend rot 'ea
of sone of their snerus Pa going to kill yeas', the boss says to the crumbs.
"All rigyft says the mud*, 'hop to it; but you'll lose the best a.11y
743n. -t, or ever Iva.* "Raw sot" says the bees. "Well,' sows the ernobes
'Ininft it our 1-n:raging into the hides of your .elsmas that keep, fen se busy
zmstch.i.r:: they can't do any thinking? And as long as they oanytthirdcs" they
thytrr eaves 'melt bother to organises° they says., 'They won't demand
a ErjarortrEyvtry' they Wye
And, will, by that times IWaft kinda tired of their damned reopagenda.