Coon hunt down in moonshine holler

Collected by Merlin Mitchell Transcribed by Kyle Perrin Roland Hilliams High, Ark. March 16, 1950 Coon Hunt and Courtin' Soliloquy Reel 24 Item 6 Mitch •• ow, we're going to have a short tale by Roland Williams. What's the name of the story? Roland •• Coon Hunt Down In Moonshine Holler. Mitch •• Let's have it. One time me and my dad we decided we 1d go a wild tarapin coon skin hunt-ing. So, we called all the dogs up butold Shorty and we called him up , too. Went on down to the foot of the hill 'til we got to the top of the mountain and all the dogs treed one but old Shorty and he treed it, too. Up a great big, long, tall, green sycamore sapling about ten feet above the top of an old dead green chestnut snag. I told dad I ' d just climb up and shake him out if he keered. So, he asked me he didn't keer. I clum up in the tree and shuck and shuck 'til dreckly I heard something hit the ground--looked around and it was me. Fver one of them dogs right on top of me but old Shorty and he's right on top of me , too . So, when I come to my right mind I told dad to pick up that there pine knot over there and knock them off if he keered. So, he asked me he di .n 1t keer. He picked up that pine knot over there and he knocked them all off but old Shorty and he knocked him off, too. We went on ack to the house and the dogs treed anothern in a huckleberry log about ten feet through at the little end. So, I told dad we'd just chop him out to save time if he keered. So, he asked me he didn 't keer. He fixed up the axe and the first lick he cut old Shorty's long , keen, smoothe tail off--right up close behind his ears . Just like to ruint my og. We went on back to the house--seen all them puppies out there in the pig patch . We began chasing them darned puppies all over that pig patch, ' til dreckly I got mad at one, picked himup y the tail, slung his brains out over a pig. Dad , he got mad at me and talked to me like I 1se a_red-headed step-child. Then , he told me to shuck and shell the pigs a bucket of slop . Then , I shut the fence and put up the gate and went and shuck and shelled the pigs a bucket of slop. Then, I decided I ' d go down to Sally's house. Sally, she lived down in Moonshine Holler on tough street . The further you go the tougher it gits and shewas in the last house. That's the big white house painted green with the two front doors on the ack side. So, I went out to the lot and I put the briddle on the barn and my horse on the saddle laid the gate up aside the fence and my horse got on. Went on down the roadkinds steady like 'til dreckly the stump over in the corner of the horse got scared at the fence. The fence rared up; throwed me head first right flat of my back in the middleof the road--right in a briar patch. Tore one sleeve out of my Sunday br tches. I picked myself up; brushed the d rt off my horse; got back on an went leading him on down the road . When I got to Sally's house, she had oth doors shut wide open and the winders nailed down. So , I knew she's glad to see me . So, I hitched the fence to the horse went in an throwed my hat in the f replace, spit on the bed and down I set'in a big arm chair on a stool. We began to talk about politics . (more) Courtin' Soliloquy (Cont . ) Drcckly she said, Roland , let's go downto the apple orchard and get some peaches to make a huckleberry pie. So, I aske her I didn't keer. Goine down there I 'se walking just as close to Sally as I could git-her on one side of the road and me on tho tither. Got down there, I told her I 'd climb up in the pear tree and shake off same apples if she keered. So, she asked me she didn't keer. I clumb up in the tree and shuck and shuck. Dreckly, the limb I'se standing on broke and I fell right straddle of a barbed rire fence--both feet on the same side. Hit my right chin above my left elbow and I told Sally right then and there that that 'd be my last time down in Moonshine Holler and I ain't been ack since.Funding for digitization provided by the Arkansas Humanities Council and the Happy Hollow Foundation