Table of Contents

• Foreword
• Introduction
• Dog Ghosts
  • Part I. Slavery and Its Legacy
    • Uncle Jonas and This Sin-cursed World (Robert Winn, 49, Travis County, 1957)
    • Old John Blow-out (Mrs. Nancy Taylor, 52, Robertson County, 1956)
    • Aunt Susan’s Trip to Heaven (Arthur Lott, 81, Bexar County, 1944)
    • Uncle Jasper’s Prayer (William Willis Greenleaf, 65, San Jacinto County, 1956)
    • Uncle Israel Changes His Mind (William Willis Greenleaf, 65, San Jacinto County, 1956)
    • The Greatest Negro Leader (Arthur Lott, 81, Bexar County, 1955)
    • The Hornsby’s Bend Teacher (Tom E. Davis, 65, Travis County, 1955)
    • The High Sheriff and His Servant (Jesse Holmes, 92, Colorado County, 1954)
    • The Waco Drugstore Porter (Charles W. Toliver, 27, McClennan County, 1955)
  • Part II. Carefree Tales
    • The Hays County Courthouse Janitor (Charles James Wilson, 21, Hays County, 1956)
    • Uncle Aaron Loses His Home (R. A. Atkinson, 63, Caldwell County, 1952)
    • Uncle Aaron Orders a Baking Pan (R. A. Atkinson, 63, Caldwell County, 1952)
    • Uncle Aaron Loses His Wife (R. A. Atkinson, 63, Caldwell County, 1952)
    • Uncle Aaron and the Baby Chickens (R. A. Atkinson, 63, Caldwell County, 1952)
    • Uncle Aaron Peddles a Possum (R. A. Atkinson, 63, Caldwell County, 1952)
    • Uncle Aaron Goes Fishing (R. P. Vivian, 65, Dallas County, c. 1948)
    • The Rich Partners (George Holman, 85, Travis County, 1954)
    • Black and White (George Holman, 85, Travis County, 1954)
    • Two Chances (Mrs. Cora Jean St. Julian, 23, Travis County, 1957)
    • The Remains of Washington P. Johnson (Mrs. Laura Johnson, 54, Anderson County, 1954)
    • The Mexia Bootlegger (Charles W. Toliver, 27, McClennan County, 1955)
    • The Juneteenth Baseball Game (Carl Roy, 21, Bee County, 1955)
    • The Goliad Liars (J. H. Brewer, 84, Travis County, 1953)
    • The Good Old Man Aunt Tiny Had for a Husband (George Holman, 85, Travis County, 1954)
  • Part III. Tales of Animals and Ranch Life
    • Bubber and the Rattlesnake (Willie Brown, 41, McClennan County, 1952)
    • The Rattlesnake Dispute (President Holmes, 65, Colorado County, 1954)
    • The Fox and the Rooster (William Stokes, 59, Kerr County, 1937)
    • Why the Rabbit Has a Short Tail (William Willis Greenleaf, 65, San Jacinto County, 1956)
    • The Bull Frog and the Mockingbird (Sylvester Byars, 59, Caldwell County, 1956)
    • Ropes Cost Money (Jim Cloman, 85, Goliad County, 1946)
    • Myra Jackson’s Sweethearts (Jim Cloman, 85, Goliad County, 1946)
    • The Red Toro of Hidalgo County (Jim Cloman, 85, Goliad County, 1946)
    • The George West Steer (Carl Roy, 21, Bee County, 1955)
    • The Palacios Rancher and the Preacher (Arthur Lott, 81, Bexar County, 1944)
    • Eating out of His Own Bucket (Jesse Holmes, 92, Colorado County, 1954)
    • The Farmer and the Unfaithful Wife (Lemuel Sparks, 59, Travis County, 1942)
  • Part IV. Religious Tales
    • Aunt Hetty and the Katy Train (Antoine Dykes, 30, Travis County, 1957)
    • Sit Down, Self! (Anderson Shaw, 97, Falls County, 1937)
    • Elder Brown’s False Teeth (Jerry Mullinox, 45, Falls County, 1937)
    • Saint Peter and the Marlin Negroes (Nellum Taylor Denson, 89, Falls County, 1937)
    • Salvation Is Free (Carl Roy, 21, Bee County, 1955)
    • Uncle Jerry and the Ship of Faith (Anderson Shaw, 97, Falls County, 1937)
    • The Test Question (Mrs. Ibby Spriggs, 77, Red River County, 1954)
    • Deacon Wright’s Confession (Jerry Mullinox, 45, Falls County, 1937)
    • Rock, Church, Rock! (Jim Cloman, 85, Goliad County, 1946)
  • Part V. Dog Ghosts and Other Spirits
    • Uncle Henry and the Dog Ghost (Rev. P. H. Hailey, 79, Red River County, 1937)
    • The Dog Spirit Doctor (Jesse Gipson, 59, Collin County, 1946)
    • The New Wife and the Breeches Quilt (Doctor Cole, 83, Harrison County, 1937)
    • Little Nero and the Magic Tea Cakes (Jesse Gipson, 59, Collin County, 1946)
    • The Saturday Night Fiddler (Rev. P. H. Hailey, 79, Red River County, 1937)
    • The Oak Cliff Dog Ghost (Robert Bradley, 78, Dallas County, 1943)
    • Little Tom and His Mean Brother (Rev. P. H. Hailey, 79, Red River County, 1937)
    • The Dog Ghost and the No Account Boy (Jesse Gipson, 59, Collin County, 1946)
    • The Dog Ghost and the Buried Money (Mrs. Mary Lee, 57, Bastrop County, 1952)
    • The Bee County Headless Horseman (Carl Roy, 21, Bee County, 1955)
    • The Headless Horseman and the Hunter (Carl Roy, 21, Bee County, 1955)
    • The Black Widow Car (Alex Z. Chappel, 62, Angelina County, 1954)
    • The McManor Bridge Ghost (Thedford Stevens, 51, Polk County, 1954)
    • The Ghost of Sifty-Sifty San’ (Robert Dickerson, 23, Austin County, 1954)
    • The Antique Bed Ghost (Tom Wright, 41, Angelina County, 1957)
    • Mrs. Charles Brown’s Ghost (Jack Duke, 45, Hardin County, 1955)
    • Brit Bailey’s Ghost (William Rodney Pradia, 56, Liberty County, 1955)
    • Death of a Tap Dancer (Mrs. Lennie C. Thomas, 59, Cherokee County, 1954)
• Word on the Brazos
  • Acknowledgments
  • A Word on The Word
  • Introduction
  • Bad Religion
    • The Preacher and His Farmer Brother
    • A Job for God
    • Cussing for the Church
    • Elder Lott’s Sunday Night Sermon
    • God Throws a Tree Limb
    • Little Bill’s Conversation with God
    • Reverend Carter’s Twelfth Anniversary Sermon
    • Sister Rosie and the African Missionary
    • The Tale of the Three Preachers
    • Sister Patsy’s Error
    • The Wrong Man in the Coffin
    • What Major Buford Knew
    • White and Black Theology
    • How Elder Samuels Was Saved
    • Sister Liza and the New Pastor
    • Hailey’s Comet and Judgment Day
    • Brother Gregg Identifies Himself
  • Baptizings, Conversions, and Church Meetings
    • The Old Preacher’s Will and the Young Wife
    • Uncle Ebun and the Sign of the Shooting Star
    • Sister Carrie and the Little White Man
    • The Baptizing of the Cat Family
    • The Hare-lipped Man and the Speaking Meeting
    • The Moderator and the Alligator
    • The Preacher Who Walked on Water
    • The Trustee Board and the Cuspidor
    • Why Abe Brown Went to the Revival
    • The Old Moderator’s Farewell Message
    • The Complaining Church Sister
    • Sister Sadie Washington’s Littlest Boy
    • Uncle Charlie Gets Directions
  • Good Religion
    • A Sermon, a Cat, and a Churn
    • The Preacher Who Asked Too Many Questions
    • The Haunted Church and the Sermon on Tithing
    • The Lord Answers Sister Milly’s Prayer
    • The Oxen and the Denominations
    • The Preacher Who Talked in His Sleep
    • The Sunday School Scholar and the Pastor
    • The Mulatto Boys and the Religious Test
    • Scott Mission Methodist Church Gets a Full-time Pastor
  • Heaven and Hell
    • Why the Guardian Angel Let the Brazos Bottom Negroes Sleep
    • The Baptist Negroes in Heaven
    • The Pole That Led to Heaven
    • Who Can Go to Heaven
    • Little Jim Lacey’s Desires
    • Why So Many Negroes Are in Heaven
    • Good Friday in Hell
    • John’s Trip to Hell
    • Uncle Si, His Boss-man, and Hell
  • Preachers and Little Boys
    • Little David’s Question
    • Gabriel and the Elder’s Coat
    • Heaven and the Post Office
    • Little Ned and the Sweet Potato Pie
    • Reverend Black’s Gifts from Heaven
    • The Sinner Man’s Son and the Preacher
    • Little Tom and the One-eyed Preacher
    • Deacon Jones’s Boys and the Greedy Preacher

About the Author

J. Mason Brewer (1896–1975) was a scholar and folkorist.