Perspectives On The Jack Tales And Other North American M Rchen

All attest to the skill of the tellers and the artistry of their creations.

From climbing beanstalks to confronting beasts, the classic collection of “lively, entertaining stories . . . a valuable contribution to American folklore” (The New York Times). These rollicking folk tales from the southern Appalachians center on the many adventures of the irrepressible Jack, and showcase the wit and wisdom passed down from generation to generation through the oral tradition. It provides hours of delight for children—as well as an enjoyable and enlightening read for students of folklore and storytelling. “Humor, freshness, colorful American background, and the use of one character as a central figure in the cycle mark these eighteen folk tales, told here in the dialect of the mountain country of North Carolina.” —Booklist “Filled from cover to cover with good, rousing, exciting stories.” —Saturday Review of Literature “An appendix of sources and parallel themes to be found in other folklore is a scholarly and fascinating contribution . . . I’m glad it is placed at the end so that children will not be deterred from reading the stories for sheer fun.” —Kirkus Reviews

Jack in Two Worlds: Contemporary North American Tales and Their Tellers

Eighteen Jak tales drawn from the folklore of the North Carolina mountain country.

The Jack Tales derive from a Western European narrative cycle and are the oldest folktales to survive in the North American oral tradition. In the twenty-first century, the Jack Tales continue to retain their place at the forefront of Western Oral Tradition. Over the centuries the tales of Jack and his adventures have tended to absorb the interests and values of the culture in which they are operating. Ray Hicks and the Jack Tales: A Study of Appalachian History, Culture, and Philosophy, assesses folktales in the oral tradition and examines both the history and the cultural impact of them. It includes a survey of existing scholarship concerning orality and the European origins of the Jack Tales and then focuses upon a prominent Appalachian native recorder of the tales, Ray Hicks. His enthusiasm and skill as a storyteller has allowed Hicks to bring an ancient body of oral literature to all types of audiences. The way that Hicks has enhanced the Jack Tales through his manner of storytelling-the nature of his performance, his voice and mimicry, the stimulus of the audience and his response-is explored along with the setting of these tales-the Appalachian mountains.

For other editions, see Author Catalog.

Marvelous Transformations is an anthology of tales and original critical essays that moves beyond canonized “classics” and old paradigms, documenting the points of historical connection between literary tales and field-based collections. This innovative anthology reflects current interdisciplinary scholarship on oral traditions and the cultural history of the print fairy tale. In addition to the tales, original critical essays, newly written for this volume, introduce readers to differing perspectives on key ideas in the field.

A Companion to Folklore presents an original and comprehensive collection of essays from international experts in the field of folklore studies. Unprecedented in depth and scope, this state-of-the-art collection uniquely displays the vitality of folklore research across the globe. An unprecedented collection of original, state of the art essays on folklore authored by international experts Examines the practices and theoretical approaches developed to understand the phenomena of folklore Considers folklore in the context of multi-disciplinary topics that include poetics, performance, religious practice, myth, ritual and symbol, oral textuality, history, law, politics and power as well as the social base of folklore Selected by Choice as a 2013 Outstanding Academic Title