ARTICLES & ESSAYS

Swapping Stories: Folktales from Louisiana - Online Resources

The Swapping Stories book, video, and website are products of the ten-year Louisiana Storytelling Project that documented Louisiana storytellers. The project began as a collaboration with the Louisiana Office of Tourism's Open House 1990 Storytelling Program with stories being recorded at Louisiana festivals. Stories were then edited into the book, video-recorded for the documentary, and some posted online. Original audio tapes are archived at Louisiana State University Hill Memorial Library Special Collections.

Listed below are all excerpts from the publication and video available online. Some reside on the Louisiana Public Broadcasting Web server. The book features 210 stories in five languages. Five stories have video clips.

Excerpts from the Book

The Stories

The Alligator Peach Tree, Pierre Daigle (video)

Another Big Fish Story, by Lonnie Gray

The Arcadia Dating Game, by Harold Talbert

Bel's Encounter with a Wise Owl, by Bel Abbey

Ben Lilly, Strong Man of Morehouse Parish, by James B. Rider

Bouki and Lapin in the Garden, by Max Greig

Bouki, Lapin et Rat de Bois (Bouki, Lapin and Possum) by Enola Matthews (video)

Brer Rabbit and the Tarbaby, by Dolores Henderson

Bull Talk, by Governor Jimmie H. Davis

A Chitimacha Flood Story, by Nicholas L. Stouff

Does He Drive, Too?, by A.J. Smith

Elvis Comes to Angie, by Mary Etta Scarborough Moody

An Extra Passenger on the Bus, by Harold Talbert

The First Meeting of the Indians and the Europeans (version 1), by Bel Abbey

First Meeting of the Indians and Europeans (version 2), by Bel Abbey

God Works in Mysterious Ways, by Harry Methvin

How the Bat Got Its Wings, by Bertney Langley (video)

How the Koasati Got Their Name, by Bertney Langley

The Husband's Return, by Irvan Perez

I'm Going to Leave You, Chére, by Harry Lee Leger (video)

It Was So Cold, by Lonnie Gray

It Was So Hot, Lonnie Gray

Jean Sot, la vache, les chiens et sa petite soeur (Jean Sot, the Cow, the Dogs, and Little Sister), by Enola Matthews

Learning from the Bear, by Bel Abbey

Leaving Mississippi, by Robert Albritton

The Legend of the Brooch, by Wendell Lindsay

The Life of a Crab Fisherman, by Irvan Perez (audio)

Life Saving Sirens, by Loulan Pitre

The Little Tar Man, by Wilson "Ben Guiné" Mitchell

Loup Garou as Shadow Companion, by Glen Pitre

Mosquitoes Save a Life, by Harry Methvin

On Top of Old Smoky, by Harry Methvin

An Oyster-culling Loup Garou, by Loulan Pitre

Paying the Price for a Free Train Ride, by Harold Talbert

The Politician Gets His (two versions), by Hubert L. "Anatoo" Clement, Sr.

The Reverend Gets the Possum, by Sarah Albritton

Setecientos setentaisiete (Seventeen Seventy-Seven), by Irvan Perez

The Shadow Companion, by Loulan Pitre

She Has the Key, by Sarah Albritton

Shine and the Titanic, by Arthur "Arthuro" Pfister

Swapping Stories, by Dave Petitjean and A. J. Smith (video)

A Tale About a Catfish, by Sarah Kent

Les trois couillon (The Three Fools), by Enola Matthews

Les trois Jobs (The Three Jobs), by Enola Matthews

The Turtle and the Rabbit Run a Race, by Bel Abbey

Walking on Water, by Governor Jimmie H. Davis

The Widow's Buried Gold, by Pierre Daigle

Wrestling Mania, by Harold Talbert

Why the Frog Croaks, by Tang Thi Thanh Van

You Think I'm Working, But I'm Not, by Robert Albritton