Baker, James D.

Description

Collected by Merlin Mitchell Transcribed by Mary C. Parler James D. Baker Mountainburg, Ark Dec. 15, 1950 Reel 72, Item 3 The Race With the Dark Thing There was an old tramp walking down the railroad. And it was getting dark so he decided he'd have to find a place to stay. He saw an old nigger shack out beside the railroad. Said, "Well, that'd be a pretty good place to stay." So he went in. He crawled over the cobwebs and the broken boards and found him a pretty soft place among the corn shucks that had been left in the old house. He started to go to sleep, and he noticed something over in the corner, about five feet from him. It was a Dark Thing. He couldn't tell what it was. So he lay there thinking about it a few minutes. He finally got scared, and he got up and he started out. And as he got up and he started out, this Dark Thing got up and started out after him—and kept his distance, about five feet from him. And so he started walking down the railroad track and this Dark Thing kept following him. He got a little more scared so he started running the railroad track, and the Dark Thing started running after him the same distance. They ran for about five miles and this old boy had to stop and rest awhile. And the old Dark Thing said, "That was quite a race,...

From Collection

Ozark Folksong Collection

Record Contributed By

University of Arkansas