Lyn Ford’s collection, “Affrilachian Tales: Folktales from the African American Appalachian Tradition,” offers readers a good overview of stories from a rich American tradition that draws on many other international traditions. It is fun to read, and the story notes offer a mix of homespun reflection and solid research.
When you get your copy, you might be tempted to jump right into the stories. We suggest you resist that. Instead, enjoy a journey through the author’s explanation of “Affrilachian” and her reflections on culture in the preface, as well as the personal history she includes at the start of the book. Reading those chapters first enhances your understanding of both the stories and the notes that follow.
If you are familiar with folktales and storytelling, this book will create moments where you think to yourself, “I’ve heard stories like that before.” Good stories travel through time and cultures, and that is evident in this collection. Take a look at Ford’s “Oh, John, No!” and compare it to the Grimm folktale number 143, “Going Traveling.” The connection is worth the detour.
The book is filled with entertaining tales appropriate for most groups. You will find a mix of animal and trickster tales, some spooky legends of the dead and the living, and a few stories in which the young learn good lessons or share some wisdom.
This article originally appeared on Storyteller.net on March 30, 2014.