Document text
words 748
Wood, Ruth
Athens Texas
Henderson County.
Writers' Project,
Dist. 5,
Palestine Texas.
Page 1.
FOLKLORZ AND FOLK CUSTOMS.
REFERENCE: Mrs. Fannie Bray, Kemp Texas, Rt. 5.
Old Aunt Fannie Bray, commonly called *Granny", who lives
two miles west of the Aley store and is about 90 years of age,
tells orti.vra by having the person whose future she is going to
'read, pour coffee into a cup and drain off the liquid, leaving the
settlings in the bottom of the cup, then tru-tat the c over the head
while he makes a wish.
Several years ago_a life long citizen of the county, Mr. Serene
Greenhaw lost a team of mules. He rode for days looking for them
with no success. He felt sure the mules had been stolen or he could
at least hear of them. After he had given up all hopes of ever find-
ing them, someone advised him to go to Granny Bray. After thinking
it over he decided it would do no harm even though it did no good.
She told him the mules had been a long way from home, but at
the present time they were standing -under a large oak tree in a
cemetery 3 miles north of his home, but by the time he could ride
up there they would be grazing on the north side of the graveyard.
She said they were all right and had not been stolen; that he had
been close to them several times in the last few days, but failed to
see them. When he arrived he could hardly believe his own eyes,
for there they were, safe and sound, grazing on the north side of
the cemetery, and their tracks under the oak tree were evidence they
had been there not long before.
Page 2.
The next winter Bob Prigmore who also lived in the same com-
munity lost a team of mules o be had turned them out yoked together,
which tas,"he learned later poor judgltdent. He had searched the coun-
try over for them: One morning he rode up to Mr. Greenshaws gate
anl ired if he had seen his Lyles, to i.hich the reply was he had
not. Ir. Greenshaw advised him to and ask Mrs. Bray. Mr Prig
more laughed and. said he did not believe in fortune telling. Er.
Greens'Law told hi :a how he had fc-Jnd is ules just as she said he
would. hr. Prigmore lecidel to
Granny what he h7id come Co: she
little faith. when he told
the coffee pot on the fire, dot
her glasses, and was ready for him.
/5y the time he had his wish made, of course wishing to find his
mules, she said, "Ah, my boy, you have waited too late to come to
Granny, for your mules are al 4 ready dead." ahe gave him the direction
to where they were and as she said they were in the bog with their
necks broken. Because of their chained they did not have a chance
to get out and save their lives.
This incident is also told in which the same Granny plays an im-
portant part. Twenty-five years ago, Anthony Powell and wife had a
little boy about two years of age who wandered off from the camp ground
of the family and some neighbors who had gone fishing. The child was
lost three days and nights. The telephone switch boards were thrown
open; free transportation was available; everything was done in order
that eveybody could hear the call for help and respond. Thousands
of people joined the march they came from all the surrounding country.
Women cooked foor out of doors by the wash tuba full and carried
it to the bottom to feed tired and hungry Inen who had been going
until they were completely exhausted. Every one was at the highest
pitch of exciteent possible. uld aunt irannie was not able to cook
ormarch, but she studied her cup and sent warnings to the people that
they were going the wrong direction. They would not heed the warning
until the third day when they were about ready to give up. After
pleading for a scuad of men to go north west, she finally succeeded
in oersuading some of them to take hec advice,- Although she said
they had waited too long as the child was all ready dead, and it would
not be many hours until the buzzards wOuld find it. True to her pre-
diction, the child was found that afternoon lyingAbehind a large log
_wse.45)
_CLeakil„, Its position and location -144MS- just as she said it would be.
This story is still talked about at the fire sides and is told as a
warning to children not to leave the camp grounds while the parents are
too busy to watch them. This is a true story. since the writer happened
to be one of the Women who.helped do the cooking for the group of
men who were doing the hunting and she was present when Aunt Fanny
sent them to where the child was found dead.
Old Aunt Fanny is still able to tell qfortunes, even though
she is 90 years old. She is visited quite often by the young people who
want to find out something about their love affairs. She does
not charge anything for her services and she says she enjoys reading
these youngsters: "futures".