425. The Preacher and the Bear

425
The Preacher and the Bear

This is reported from Virginia as a Negro folk tale with verses
at the end (JAFL xxxii 360-1). It is, or was, known in Kentucky
(Shearin 31) and in the Ozarks (Ford 300-2). White, reporting
it as Negro song from Alabama ( ANFS 210), says it is originally
a minstrel song. Davis FSV 336 lists it.

A

'Preaclier Went Out Hunting.' Obtained in 1923 from Airs. W. L.
Pridgen of Durliam.

1 A preacher went out huntin'
One nice bright Sunday morn.
It was against religion.

But he took his gun along.

2 He killed some nice fat quail
And a great big molly har',
And on the way home he met
A great hie grizzlv b'ar.

 

3 '() Lord, if you can't help me.

 

Por the Lord's sake don't help that bear!'

Parson went up the 'simmon tree.
Bear went out a limb ;
Preacher said, Tf he stays there
I don't give a dim'.'^

 

^ So the manuscript gives the last word. Apparently the reporter
understands it as a twisting of "dime"' to rhyme with "limb" ; but one
suspects that it is rather a bowdlerizing of "damn."

 

512 NORTH CAROLINA FOLKLORE

 

'The Preacher and the Bear." Obtained, probably in 1923-24. from Miss
Tina Fussell of Snow Hill, Greene county. \\'ith the music.

1 A preacher went out huntiii' ;
'Twas on one Sunday morn.
He knew it was against religion,
But lie took his gun along.

2 He killed himself some very line quail
And one little measly hare ;

And on his way — he was goin' home —
He met a great big grizzly bear.

3 The bear stood out in the middle of the road,
An' oh. dat coon, you see,

Dat coon got so excited
He climbed a 'simmon tree.
---------------------

425
The Preacher and the Bear

 

'The Preacher and the Bear.' Contributed by Miss Tina Fussell of Snow
Hill, Greene county, between 1923 and 1924. The f-natural is a typical idiom
often consciously introduced to obtain the Negro quality which seems to be
traditional, just like the Scotch snap, which, however, is anything but Scotch.
The two stanzas given in III 512, No. 425B, are the only ones used by our
singer. While there can be no doubt about the minstrel origin of this song,
the varying texts given in III 511-2, as well as our additional two stanzas,
would indicate some folk influence. Our additions come from the song 'Didn't
My Lord Deliver Daniel,' where they constitute the first stanza. Cf. TFS 222-
3. It should be noted, however, that our last stanza, although in fragmentary
form, can be found as the third stanza of version A.

F-394

 


preach - er went out hun - tin'; 'Twas on

 


Sun - day mom. He knew

 

a - gainst region, But he took his gun

 

long, He killed him self ve - ry fine quail

 

And lit - tie meas - ly hare; And his way —

 


he was go - in' home — He met great big


grizz - ly bear. 'Oh Law - dy,

 

did - n't you de - liv - er Dan - iel from de den,

den, Dere's Jo - nah from de bel - ly ob de whale, an' den,
De He - brew chil - lun from de fu'- nace

Which de good book do de - cleah.
Now Law - dy ef n you don't he'p me,
Doan you he'p dat grizz - ly beah!

Scale: Heptachordal. Tonal Center: d. Structure: abaicdd^a^ci (2,2,2,2,
3,2,2,3). Here, a^ is considerably modified and c^ presents a sophisticated ap-
plication of the principle of variation. Over-all form: aa^ba^ (4,4,5,5) =
Reprisenbar. The tonal center is the lowest tone.