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.
Swapping Stories: Folktales from Louisiana (on FolkStreams server)
A Storyteller's Perspective by Bertney Langley, Koasati Storyteller
Excerpts from the Book
Louisiana's Traditional Cultures: An Overview, by Maida Owens
Louisiana's Folktale Traditions, by Carl Lindahl
Louisiana's Folktale Traditions (Outline)
Swapping Stories Index of Motifs
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
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
