Each chapter begins by discussing the storytellers and their oral traditions, and then introduces and presents each tale, so that the collection is equally accessible to high school students, general readers, or scholars. Multiple indexes further aid in locating tales by motif and tale type, storyteller, and geographical origin.

Selected Contents:
Acknowledgments
Introduction
A Note on the Recordings and How They Are Transcribed
American Folktales: Their Stuff and Styles
THE NATION'S MOST CELEBRATED STORYTELLING FAMILY: THE HICKSES AND THE HARMONS
Samuel Harmon
1. How I Bought and Stole My Wife Samuel Harmon
2. Telling Tales to My Grandkids Samuel Harmon
3. The Great Pumpkin Samuel Harmon
4. Giant Mosquitoes Samuel Harmon
5. Jack, Tom, and Will Samuel Harmon
6. The Marriage of the Kings Daughter Samuel Harmon
7. Stiff Dick Samuel Harmon
8. The Mad King Samuel Harmon
9. The Bean Tree Samuel Harmon
10. Little Dicky Whigburn Samuel Harmon
11. Catskins Samuel Harmon and Alberta Harmon
12. Old Black Dog Alberta Harmon
Maud Long
13. When My Mother Told Jack Tales Maud Long
14. Jack and the Giants Newground Maud Long
15. Jack and the Drill Maud Long
16. Jack and the Varmints Maud Long
17. Jack and the Bull Maud Long
18. Jack and the Doctors Girl Maud Long
19. Jack and the Northwest Wind Maud Long
20. Jack and One of His Hunting Trips Maud Long
21. Old Fire Dragaman Maud Long
22. Love: A Riddle Tale Maud Long
23. Jack and the Heifer Hide Maud Long
24. Jack and the River Daron Douglas
25. Hooray for Old Sloosha! Roby Hicks
26. Feathers in Her Hair Roby Hicks
27. The Yape Buna Hicks
Ray Hicks
28. Jack and the Robbers Ray Hicks
29. The Unicorn and the Wild Boar Ray Hicks
30. The Witch Woman on the Stone Mountain on the Tennessee Side Ray Hicks
31. Grinding at the Mill Ray Hicks
32. Mule Eggs Ray Hicks
SARA CLEVELAND: IRISH AMERICAN TALES FROM BRANT LAKE, NEW YORK
33. Finn MacCool and the Rocks
34. Black Horses
35. Telling Fortunes with Cards
36. Spiritualism and Fortune Telling
37. Pull, God Damn You, Pull!
38. The Kill Is Burning
39. Babys Gone
40. The Witch and the Donkey
41. The Lady and the Fairy
42. Little Red Night Cap
43. Old Graybeard
44. Shiver and Shake
45. Rob Haww
46. One Thing the Devil Cant Do
J.D. SUGGS: ITINERANT MASTER
47. How I Learned My Tales
48. Mr. Snake and the Farmer
49. Buzzard Goes to Europe
50. Monkey Apes His Master
51. Efan Outruns the Lord
52. Mr. Fox and Mr. Deer
53. Brother Rabbit Rides Brother Bear
54. Brother Bear Meets Man
55. Brother Bear and Brother Deer Hold a Meeting
56. The Devils Daughter
57. Where Um-hum Came From
58. Skin, Dont You Know Me?
59. The Great Watermelon
60. Pull Me Up, Simon
61. Brother Bill, the Wild Cowboy
JOSHUA ALLEY: DOWN-EAST TALES FROM JONESPORT, MAINE
62. The Bears Tale
63. Man Warren Beal and the Indians
64. Wrestling the Chief
65. Chutes Wedge Trick
66. Dodging the Wolves
67. Open, Saysem
68. The Murderers
69. The Haunted Sloop
70. Groans, Gold, Dreams, and the Devil
WILL GILLIE GILCHRIST: TALES OF INJUSTICE IN THE URBAN SOUTH
71. Robbed-and Taken for a Thief
More Cop Trouble
Courtroom Trouble
More Courtroom Trouble
Cop, Courtroom, and Jail Trouble
JANE MUNCY FUGATE: HEALING TALES FOR A MOUNTAIN CHILD AND TROUBLED ADULTS
71. How I Learned My Tales
72. Merrywise
73. One-My-Darling
74. Old Greasybeard
75. The Kings Well
76. Rawhead and Bloodybones
77. The Three Sillies
78. The Tarnished Star
79. Tailipoe (1955)
80. Tailipoe II (2001)
THE NATION'S MOST CELEBRATED FOLKLORE COLLECTORS: JOHN A. AND ALAN LOMAX
Out West with John A. Lomax
86. I Dont Know How to Run Joseph Graham
87. You Can Cook Breakfast Too W.D. (Bill) Casey
88. My Brothers Last Ride Sloan Matthews
89. Getting Stuck on a Pony Sam Hill
90. Shooting a Wife Sam Hill
91. Hard Times in the Toyah Country Annie Agnes Kingston
Down in the Delta with Alan Lomax
92. John Loses the Race Buck Asa Ulisses Jefferson
93. Jack Guesses What Is Under the Pot Buck Asa Ulisses Jefferson
94. The Preacher and His Hogs Buck Asa Ulisses Jefferson
95. The Preacher Who Could Always Be Trapped by Women Buck Asa Ulisses Jefferson
96. The Woman Who Couldnt Count M. C. Orr
97. The Lady and Her Three Daughters M. C. Orr
In Prison and at Home with Clear Rock
98. Watermelon Story Mose Clear Rock Platt
99. Cat Story Mose Clear Rock Platt
100. Music for Me to Run By Mose Clear Rock Platt
101. The Leaky House Mose Clear Rock Platt
Aunt Molly Jackson: Playing, Courting, Witches, Ghosts, and Lies
102. My First Dance Aunt Molly Jackson
103. How We Entertained Ourselves Aunt Molly Jackson
104. An Unreasonable Lie: The Land of the Yeahoes Aunt Molly Jackson
105. Courting Hungry Aunt Molly Jackson
106. Churning Up the Devil Aunt Molly Jackson
107. Becoming a Witch and Undoing Spells Aunt Molly Jackson
108. The Witch and the Witch Doctor Aunt Molly Jackson
109. Ridden by a Witch Aunt Molly Jackson
110. Living in a Haunted House Aunt Molly Jackson
On the Range with J. Frank Dobie
111. My Father Prays J. Frank Dobie
112. Hilo! J. Frank Dobie
113. Beef and Tallow J. Frank Dobie
LEGENDARY AMERICA
114. The Wolf Boy Lula Davis
115. The Orphan Girl That Died Lula Davis
116. The Child and the Snake Lula Davis
117. A Haunted House Laurie Hance
118. Lights That Listen Ellis Ogle
119. Sounds That Listen Ellis Ogle
120. Natural Haints Ellis Ogle
121. The Scarecrow Dream Ellis Ogle
122. The Yankee and Marcum Burl Hammons
123. The Thing on the Bridge Newton Downey
124. The Vanishing Hitchhiker Newton Downey
125. The Three Knocks; A Grandmothers Ghost Margaret Doane
126. The Visions of Lloyd Chandler Garrett Chandler
127. Flying Panther Witch Quincy Higgins
128. The Spider Witch Leozie Smith
129. Nightmare Ridden John Jackson
130. The Preacher and the Spooks John Jackson
131. Fairy Forms Margaret Sullivan
132. Banshees and Ghosts Father Sarsfield OSullivan
133. Raising the Dead; The Nephite on the Road Dr. and Mrs. Norman Freestone
TALL TALE AMERICA
134. Paul Bunyan on Round River Perry Allen
135. Paul Bunyan Moves in Circles Again Bill McBride
136. A Liars Contest Five Residents of the California Camps
137. My Three Favorite Lies Vernon Shortie Allen
138. The Peach Tree Deer Bill Robinson
139. Cornered by a Polar Bear Michael Bruick
140. A Land-loving Catfish Doc McConnell
141. The Biggest Liar in the State Tilman Cadle
142. Swinging Pigs Lee Webb
143. The Roguish Cow Gaines Kilgore
144. The Night the Lamp Flame Froze Mary Celestia Parler
145. The Gun Aint Loaded Frank Mahaffey
JOKES
146. Dividing the Dead Ellis Ogle
147. Two at the Gate Son House
148. Possums and Pigs Son House
149. The Biggest Liar in the State Son House
150. Hell Have to Swim Son House
151. Cold as Hell Son House
152. The Preacher and the Bully Lula Davis
153. Baptists and Presbyterians Joan Moser
154. The Devilists Revival Joan Moser
155. Jamie the Mountain Lion Margaret Chase
156. Pedro de Urdemalas and the Plums Arthur L. Campa
157. Pedro de Urdemalas and the Pigs Arthur L. Campa
158. The indito and His Wives Arthur L. Campa
159. The indito and the Banker Arthur L. Campa
160. Unwatering the Mine Levitte Jay Davidson
161. Tom the Burro Levitte Jay Davidson
162. Burros and Beechnut Levitte Jay Davidson
163. Willie and the Devil Gaines Kilgore
164. Old One-Eye Gaines Kilgore
165. J. Golden Kimball in His Native Language Hector Lee
166. Counting the Wrong Firsh John Persons
167. I Love Ewe Archer Gilfillan
168. Sports as Markers Archer Gilfillan
169. John and Old Mistresss Nightgown John Davis
170. John and the Bear John Davis
171. John and the Coon John Davis
172. Monkey and Buzzard Cora Jackson
173. Twenty-five Roosters and One Hen Cora Jackson
174. Thinning Corn Cora Jackson
175. Thats the One Cora Jackson
176. The Cook Paul E. Young
177. A Mountain Wedding Uncle Alec Dunford
PASSING IT ON: STORIES FOR CHILDREN
178. The Girl Who Didn't Mind Her Mother Eartha M.M. White
179. The Crooked Old Man Bascom Lamar Lunsford
180. Grown Toe Glen Muncy Anderson
181. The Forty-Mile Jumper Mary Celestia Parler
182. Gayyum, Singo, et Moliseau Barry Jean Ancelet
183. Show Me Your Paw Mary Caroline Spurlock Ancelet
184. Skullbone Debra Anderson
185. La mata de higo /The Fig Tree Ziomara Andux
186. Senorita Martinez Cucaracha y Senor Ratoncito Perez /Miss Martinez Cockroach and Mr. Perez Mouse Evelia Andux
187. Antonio, cortador de lena /Antonio the Woodcutter Martin Noriega
188. The Fox, the Rabbit, and the Tarbaby E. L. Smith
189. The Tarbaby Cora Jackson
190. Jack and the Beanstalk Wilbur Roberts
191. Little Nippy Lee Wallin
VOICING THE PAST: TALES TRACING THE PATHS OF AMERICAN HISTORY
Native American Visions
192. The Old Womans Vision Amoneeta Sequoyah
193. The Blackfish George Young
194. How the Terrapin Got Scars on His Shell George Griffith
Slavery Days and the Civil War
195. Romey Howard: Freedom in the Grave E. L. Smith
196. Romey Howard: Fresh Meat Tonight E. L. Smith
197. Remembering Slavery Laura Smalley
198. The Sisters and the Renegades Lee Winniford
199. Great-aunt Becky's Beau Lee Winniford
Struggles with Nature and Neighbors
200. Dream No More Maggie Hammons Parker
201. She Saved the Children Mary Eva Baker
202. The One-Legged Indian Dominick Gallagher
203. Panther Bill Jake Sutton
204. Trying to Mix Liquor and Laughs James L. Huskey
205. The Biggest Bear Thats Ever Been Killed James L. Huskey
206.Trials of a Dog Driver Charles Carter
207. Im Still Here: Healing at Home Vories Moreau
208. Im a Man Too: Fights Every Night Vories Moreau
Dust Bowl Tales
209. Dust Bowl Refugees Woody Guthrie
210. The Man on the Road Woody Guthrie
211. Indians, Locusts, Floods, and Dust: An Okie Family Saga Flora Robertson
FOLKTALES IN THE MAKING: THE SEPTEMBER 11 PROJECT
211. The Day after the Day: The Pearl Harbor Project
212. September 11 in Iowa City, Iowa Janet Freeman
213. September 11 in Red Hook, Brooklyn Lillie Haws
214. Heaven in the Middle of Hell Lillie Haws
215. Christian Regenhard Lillie Haws
Notes on the Tales
Bibliography
Index of Narrators
Index of Collectors and Collections
Geographic Index Index of Tales Released in Audio Form through the American Folklife Center
Index of Tale Types
Index of Motifs

Review(s): This is a monumental achievement ... No book note can do justice to the range and richness of this work. It should be in the collection of every library and of most American storytellers. Storytelling Magazine