Richard Chase (1) (1904–1988)

In 1943, Richard Chase - an authority on Anglo-American folklore - published The Jack Tales, a collection of eighteen traditional stories from the southern Appalachian tradition, all featuring the often silly (and always fortunate) hero Jack. This picture-book, originally published in 1950, is a follow-up to that collection, and presents an additional nineteenth Jack tale.

Here, the eponymous hero sets out to market with his wife's cow, having received strict instructions to return with no less than fifty dollars for her. But some rambunctious bovine behavior on the road convinces him to make a trade - the first of many - and when his wife next sees him, he has significantly less than fifty dollars! Infuriated by his behavior, Jack's wife leaves home, vowing not to return until she encounters three peoples as silly as he is...

This is an amusing tale, told in the dialect of the region, and illustrated in both color and black and white by Joshua Tolford. The tale-type, in which a series of foolish exchanges is made, will be very familiar to folklore enthusiasts. Recommended to all readers with an interest in Appalachian folklore and the "Jack Tales!"… (meer)