Index of Folktales, Stories, Plays, Poems and Songs in AppLit
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 childrenA folktale collected by Richard Chase
The Big Old Sow and the Three Little Pigs A folktale collected by James Taylor Adams
A folktale told by Raymond Sloan
to R. Rex StephensonJack and His Lump of Silver Collected by James M. Hylton
A folktale collected by James Taylor Adams
Retold by R. Rex Stephenson
A folktale collected by Emory L. Hamilton
Collected and retold by R. Rex Stephenson
A folktale collected by James Taylor Adams
A folktale collected by James Taylor Adams
A folktale collected by James M. Hylton
A folktale collected by James Taylor Adams
A folktale told by Dicy Adams
to James Taylor AdamsA folktale collected by James M. Hylton
Seneca The-Mush-Stick (Catskins)
A folktale told by Dicy Adams
to James Taylor AdamsA folktale collected by James M. Hylton
A folktale collected by Richard Chase
How Jack Got Tom To Do Will's Hard Work
A folktale collected by James M. Hylton
(A Blue Ridge version of "Rumpelstiltskin")
Written by Becky MushkoA 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
A Jack tale collected by James M. Hylton
Cinderella's Slipper A folktale collected by Emory L. Hamilton
A folktale collected by Emory L. Hamilton
Retold by Avis Caynor and Dennis Deitz
With audio reading by Dewitt WyattTony Beaver and the Watermelon Party
By Mary E. Cober
With audio reading by Phil WyattThrough Thick and Thin A folktale collected by James M. Hylton
The Old Man and His Seven Sons
A fable collected by James M. Hylton
Original tales by Peter Crow
Ferrum CollegeMountain Marbles: An Appalachian Tale
Written by Tracy L. Roberts
Illustrations by Stella ReinhardWords & audio by storyteller Bonnie Collins
A "Haunted House" tale collected by Richard Chase
Death and the Old Woman A folktale collected by Richard Chase
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
A California adaptation of "Mutsmag" by Shelby Mahan
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 readingStory by Becky Mushko
Stories by Raven Walker
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
Fantasy story by elementary student Erin Miller
Fantasy story by 4th-grader Wendy Trotter
(A Very Modern Version of the Peter Rabbit Story)
By Bob Henry BaberThe Good Heart of Thunderpants Story by Bob Henry Baber
Poems and Music (see also Folktales above)
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
Poem by Jessica Wimmer
By Ferrum College Students, inspired by George Ella Lyon
By Billie Quesenberry, inspired by George Ella Lyon
By Marina Powell, inspired by George Ella Lyon
By Caroline King, inspired by George Ella Lyon
Poem by Jasmine White, inspired by George Ella Lyon
Poem by Carl Childers
Poem by René Settle
Poem by Billie Quesenberry
Poem by Danny Adams
Poem by Ashley Dalton
Poem by Madison Cline
Poem by Autumn Potkay
Words & Music by E. W. James, Jr.
Audio by West Virginia Wesleyan ChoirWords by Mrs. Ellen King, music by H. E. Engle, with audio
Rhododendron Song (about West Virginia)
With musical score & audio singing
Poem by Louise McNeill
Audio reading by Karen MorganPolly is Dead (about Polly Vaughn)
Poem by Drew Howell
Folk ballad collected by James M. Hylton
Pretty Polly Folk ballad collected by James M. Hylton
Song collected by Juanita Dawson with words & audio singing
With musical score & audio sung by Noel Tenney
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
Words (2 versions) & audio sung by Bonnie Collins
A playparty song collected by James M. Hylton
Mother Goose (a "Jack" Rhyme) Poem collected by James M. Hylton
Folk ballad collected by James M. Hylton
The Blackberry Verse collected by James M. Hylton
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
Folk ballad collected by James M. Hylton
Traditional dance tune with words & audio singing
Poem by Bob Henry Baber
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.1 Site Index 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.