Index of Folktales, Stories, Plays, Poems and Songs in AppLit for alphabetical listings see Site Index
Teaching Unit on West Virginia's Appalachian Music and Literature contains text and audio files of tales, songs, poems, and excerpts from books by Cynthia Rylant.
Folktales from Oral and Written Sources (see also Poems and Music below)
Mutsmag Adapted by R. Rex Stephenson Illustrated by school children	Munsmeg A folktale collected by Richard Chase
The Big Old Sow and the Three Little Pigs A folktale collected by James Taylor Adams	Jack and His Lump of Silver A folktale told by Raymond Sloan to R. Rex Stephenson	Jack and His Lump of Silver Collected by James M. Hylton
The Boy Who Was Sent for Soap A folktale collected by James Taylor Adams	Jack and the Giants Retold by R. Rex Stephenson
The Soap Tale A folktale collected by Emory L. Hamilton	Jack and the King's Girl Collected and retold by R. Rex Stephenson
The Babes in the Woods A folktale collected by James Taylor Adams	Jack Goes to Seek his Fortune A folktale collected by James Taylor Adams
The Little Babes in the Woods A folktale collected by James M. Hylton	Jack and the Robbers A folktale collected by James Taylor Adams
The Three Gold Nuts A folktale told by Dicy Adams to James Taylor Adams	How Jack Got a New Shirt A folktale collected by James M. Hylton
Seneca The-Mush-Stick (Catskins) A folktale told by Dicy Adams to James Taylor Adams	Jack Plays The Banjo For Tom A folktale collected by James M. Hylton
Old Guy Frye A folktale collected by Richard Chase	How Jack Got Tom To Do Will's Hard Work A folktale collected by James M. Hylton
Ferradiddledumday (A Blue Ridge version of "Rumpelstiltskin") Written by Becky Mushko	Jack and Mossyfoot A Jack tale collected by James Taylor Adams
The Gingerbread Boy and The Johnny Cake Boy Folktales collected by James Taylor Adams	The Tale Without an End - and - The Endless Tale Jack tales collected by James Taylor Adams
The Three Bears A folktale collected by James Taylor Adams	Fool Jack and the Talking Crow A folktale collected by Richard Chase
Willie and the Devil A folktale collected by James Taylor Adams	The Thieving Boy A Jack tale collected by James M. Hylton
Cinderella's Slipper A folktale collected by Emory L. Hamilton	Pretty Polly A folktale collected by Emory L. Hamilton
The Greenbrier Ghost Retold by Avis Caynor and Dennis Deitz With audio reading by Dewitt Wyatt	Tony Beaver and the Watermelon Party By Mary E. Cober With audio reading by Phil Wyatt
Through Thick and Thin A folktale collected by James M. Hylton	The Old Man and His Seven Sons A fable collected by James M. Hylton
Old Joe Grady Original tales by Peter Crow Ferrum College	Mountain Marbles: An Appalachian Tale Written by Tracy L. Roberts Illustrations by Stella Reinhard
The Neighbor's Pigs Words & audio by storyteller Bonnie Collins	Down Come a Leg A "Haunted House" tale collected by Richard Chase
Death and the Old Woman A folktale collected by Richard Chase	Hold Your Breath Words and audio by Ernest Caynor
The Hairy Woman A folktale collected by James Taylor Adams	The Poor Boy and Rich Girl A folktale collected by Emory L. Hamilton
Mutsy of the Sea A California adaptation of "Mutsmag" by Shelby Mahan	The Boy Who Wanted Gold A folktale collected by Richard Chase
How the Cricket Got its Churp By elementary student Drew Echols	How the Porcupine Got His Quills By Jessica Faught in 7th grade
Students Write Jack Tales by Merri Hess, with tales written by fourth graders
Fiction and Drama (see also Folktales above)
Appalachia: The Voices of Singing Birds Excerpt of picture book text by Cynthia Rylant, with audio reading	Spelldown Story by Becky Mushko
Accendo   /   The Tire Swing Stories by Raven Walker	The Last Rose Story by Marina Powell
Puppet Plays by Fifth-Grade Students Four plays compiled by DeAnn Setler	A Midsummer Night's Recollection A One-Act Play by Becky Mushko
Dear Diary Fantasy story by elementary student Erin Miller	The Magic Ruby Fantasy story by 4th-grader Wendy Trotter
Peter Rapp-It (A Very Modern Version of the Peter Rabbit Story) By Bob Henry Baber	The Good Heart of Thunderpants Story by Bob Henry Baber
Poems and Music (see also Folktales above) for alphabetical listings see Site Index
Poems by Marilou Awiakta     Out of Ashes Peace Will Rise Smoky Mountain-Woman Song of the Grandmothers When Earth Becomes an "It"
I am a Modern Day Appalachian Woman Poem by Lisa Norvell	The Art of Being Southern Poem by Jessica Wimmer
"Where I'm From" Poems By Ferrum College Students, inspired by George Ella Lyon	Where I'm From By Billie Quesenberry, inspired by George Ella Lyon
Where I'm From By Marina Powell, inspired by George Ella Lyon	Where I'm From By Caroline King, inspired by George Ella Lyon
I Am Poem by Jasmine White, inspired by George Ella Lyon	A Tale of Two Places Poem by Carl Childers
Sexism in Agriculture Poem by René Settle	More than a Map Dot Poem by Billie Quesenberry
Chestnuts, Sleep Poem by Danny Adams	Mountain Ranges Poem by Ashley Dalton
Mr. Al's Steam Machine Poem by Madison Cline	Fall is near, just listen Poem by Autumn Potkay
My Home Among the Hills Words & Music by E. W. James, Jr. Audio by West Virginia Wesleyan Choir	The West Virginia Hills Words by Mrs. Ellen King, music by H. E. Engle, with audio
Rhododendron Song (about West Virginia) With musical score & audio singing	West Virginia Poem by Louise McNeill Audio reading by Karen Morgan
Polly is Dead (about Polly Vaughn) Poem by Drew Howell	In Grandma's Day Folk ballad collected by James M. Hylton
Pretty Polly Folk ballad collected by  James M. Hylton	Molly Vaunder Song collected by Juanita Dawson with words & audio singing
John Henry With musical score & audio sung by Noel Tenney	Lord Randal Folk ballad collected by  James M. Hylton
Froggie Went A-Courting Three versions of the folk ballad collected by James M. Hylton	A Frog Went A-Courting Collected by Cecil Sharp in Kentucky
The Piggy Song Words (2 versions) & audio sung by Bonnie Collins	Jenny Put the Kettle On  A playparty song collected by  James M. Hylton
Mother Goose (a "Jack" Rhyme) Poem collected by  James M. Hylton	My Golden Castle Folk ballad collected by  James M. Hylton
The Blackberry Verse collected by James M. Hylton	Two Orphans Song collected by Emory L. Hamilton
The Two Babes Song collected by Emory L. Hamilton	The Babes Who Were Stolen Away Folk ballad collected by James M. Hylton
The Crow Song Folk ballad collected by  James M. Hylton	Cindy Traditional dance tune with words & audio singing
The Booger Family Poem by Bob Henry Baber	O Soldier, Soldier Traditional song with score, words & audio singing
Appalachian Home Poem by student Shelby N.	Morning in Blacksburg Poem by student Mary Catherine L.
Appalachian Riddles, including "The Riddle Song" Compiled by Tina L. Hanlon	Appalachian Folk Instruments also contains samples of instrumental music.
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Site Index	Index of AppLit Pages by Genre
Index of Student Writing in AppLit	See Digital Library of Appalachia for many other digital copies of tales, songs,  images, and documents from archives of ACA colleges.
AppLit's Appalachian Picture Gallery with Illustrations by Ashton Long for Don West Song "Kentucky Miners"
NOTE: These selections are reprinted with permission in AppLit. Please observe copyright restrictions when citing or printing them for personal use or teaching. AppLit is grateful for assistance with typing folktales to Michelle Vincent, Sandy Doss, Danny Adams, and Denna Austin. Abigail McGovern, editor of Chrysalis Literary and Arts Magazine, selected student writings reprinted here in 2022. Home