By Neal Wooten
I received a message a few days ago asking me if I considered myself a storyteller. It’s a valid question. Just because someone writes a book or two doesn’t mean they have the ability to spin a yarn to listeners. On Sand Mountain, I grew up around some of the best storytellers around and was always mesmerized by their tales.
Although I don’t put myself in the same category as these folks, I too tend to retain every story I’ve ever heard and can recount them with ease. So, I have been invited to participate in the Appalachian Artisan Show at Henagar Junior High on May 13 from 10:00 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Mark your calendars; it sounds like an awesome event. Oh, and it’s free.
From the event page: “Since the 1700s, the Appalachian region has been home to some of the most talented, artistic, steadfast, strong, independent and influential people in America and her history! If you or someone you know has a talent, art, or skill that our ancestors used as a means of expression, art, or survival, and you would be willing to share your skill and expertise with our children, please join me (Angela Thomas) in my effort to teach them of the wonderful folk traditions of the people of Appalachia.”
One thing I enjoyed most about growing up on Sand Mountain was the storytellers. It was mostly older gentlemen you found sitting around the mom & pop stores, at the farmer’s market, or down at the park playing checkers. The stories they would tell were most likely somewhat rooted in the truth, but they always, as we say in the South, put a little extra jam on the bread. Whenever one of these old cahoots would say, “Did I ever tell you about the time…,” I was hooked. I sat glued to my seat and soaked in every word.
My dad had the gift as well. If all my dad’s stories were true, you’d have to wonder how he ever survived growing up on Sand Mountain at all. From being stalked by a giant creature while walking down a dirt road, being chased by a Whip Snake, to even being struck by lightning, my dad was either the best storyteller on the mountain or the luckiest man alive.
As times change, I guess there aren’t as many places anymore for these old-timers to hang out and tell their tales, what with everyone glued to the internet all day. But I’ll bet all of you had at least one great storyteller in your family. So, come out to this event and meet all kinds of mountain artisans.