Volumes 1 and 2 contain the actual story texts; there are a total of 313 stories in English, and even more stories in Creole: there are a total of 544 stories in Creole! Unfortunately, Parsons does not supply translations for the stories, but she does provide summaries of them in Volume 3.
Here's a map of the major islands for some orientation:
So, in Volume 1, there are a total of 70 stories in English from Trinidad, Grenadines, St. Vincent, St. Lucia, and Dominica. Here is a list of those titles, linked to the story pages: Rabbit makes Tiger his riding-horse /
The pass-word. /
Ber Lion throws pap into the hole . /
Bo Nancy and Bo Tick race cutting grass: Take in the medicine! /
The boastful animals. /
Spider turns baby to learn the princess' name /
O' Nelson Godoń, Young Nelson Godoń /
Big Mouth, T'in Foot, Big Belly /
John sells sugar to Mr. Berkeley /
The princess who gave the meaning of riddles /
Cricket, fortune-teller /
The contrary brother /
Thin Leg, Big Belly, Peeper /
The skillful brothers /
When the donkey brays thrice /
Down Cow-gut alley /
Horse egg /
In Abraham's bosom /
Noodle stories /
French planter and English magistrate /
Dead men return /
Three sailors /
Rabbit asks God to give him sense /
Tied in his place /
Foot stinks! /
The pass-word /
Playing godfather /
Le' we play tie!: Leaves cry, "Shame, Bo Lion, shame!" Zaen turns baby /
Against speaking ill /
The fatal count /
Cat and Rat go bathe /
Children in the wood: Escape up the tree /
Dog in the basket /
Big Mouth, T'in Foot, Big Belly /
Fish lover /
He goes back for his flute: He chops wood for the Devil's grandmother /
Devil hammers his tongue /
The pepper tree /
The things that talked /
What please you, please me: John Fox, p'ofessor /
Murderous brother /
The biggest lie /
The frightened guest /
They got what they wanted /
Inside Whale /
The girl who knows Nancy stories /
Tar Baby: Mock plea: Nancy tricks Shark: /
Cat plays dead to kill rats /
Nancy pretends to pull against Whale and Elephant /
The pass-word /
Playing godfather /
Against busy-bodies /
King Rufus gambles with the devil /
Mistress Baker sends for her husband /
Napkin and carbins who whip /
The three brothers /
In Cow's belly: Take my place! /
Rabbit asks God for more sense /
My mother killed me /
Devil marriage: He removes the thorn from the lion's paw /
Old lady and her wee wee goat /
Hell fire /
One leg turkey /
Wheel me back, Ber Wheeler! /
The girl who lived to dance /
The sackful of lies /
The parson's beard /
The frightened guest /
Skin, Skin, why you burnin' me, Skin? /
The boy on the gallows.
In Volume 2, there are a total of 243 stories in English from Guadaloupe, Montserrat, Antigua, Nevis, St. Kitts, St. Eustatius, Saba, St. Bartholomew, St. Martin, Anguilla, St. Croix, St. Thomas, and Haiti. Here is a list of those titles: Don't marry to a woman dat does say hun! /
Magic flight /
Hlow can pa'ch' coffee grow? /
The parson's hog /
They think it a song /
Moon cheese /
Jack outwits Lion /
Mock cockcrow: Lion substitutes: Refugees in the ridge pole /
Monkey steals the meat: Mock beating /
Decoy: Mock pursuit /
False letter: Take my place! Mock plea: Mock pursuit /
Tar Baby /
Inside the cow /
Terycooma and Ber Nancy /
Terracoma loses his wings: Terracoma cuts off Merrymaid's breast /
Why Cat eats Rat /
Why Dog eats Fox /
The tug-of-war /
He eats his words: The leaves cry shame! /
Donkey carries Monkey over the bridge /
Brer Heady-Heady and Hawk /
Niggardly godmother /
Hog bridegroom /
The chosen suitor /
Barking head /
Big Foot, Big Belly, Small Foot, and Broad Mouth /
The two brothers /
The child betrays /
Two thieves /
Come in or stay out! /
The goat that wont wallk fast /
Jock and the beanstalks /
Pennyworth of wit /
The bluffing swimmer /
The wings melt: The threat midway: Mock plea /
Hurricane coning /
Monkey husband /
The ordeal /
The chosen suitor /
Guessing a name /
Outwitting to learn a name /
He sings to make the old woman dance /
Banjo tune /
The dumb lady /
Hush-me-mouth /
Pinch-me-eye /
He burns up his house: In the bag. /
Six robbers /
Gorilla mating /
The six little pigs /
Mosquito's knee and Fly's mouth /
Only one mouthful /
Mistaken hold: Bellyful of sand /
Horn for a stump /
Rabbit and Ber Chickerber go fishing /
Playing dead twice on the road /
False message: Take my place! /
Tar Baby /
Mock cockorow: In Cow's belly /
Annancy gives a bath /
Shell-fish takes back his wings: Put down trash! /
Dog's hands /
Nancy brings up the goat ear /
They sell their mothers: Buried tails: He touches up the cut /
Riding-horse: Wateher tricked /
Cat races on Turtle's back /
Turtle races Goat /
Dog takes back his belly cork /
Why fowls eat cockroaches /
Dog and Mongooe /
MongoOse, Dog know you well /
Rat eats up all the rice /
Nancy, Tacoma and Bru Buzzard, three butchers. /
Lion turns on Monkey /
The girl buys nothing /
Nancy eats the wedding meal /
Cast your bread upon the waters /
Ground dove and Mountain dove compete in their trees /
Rabbit and Humming bird have a cooking mateh /
Animal cries /
Boar-hog husband /
The girl tells who lifted for her /
Ordeal by river /
Murderous mother /
He goes back for his flute: He pounds cassava for the devil. /
He exchanges the hats . /
Password /
Above the robbers: Man in the bag. /
The pot that cooks without fire: Money tree /
Master thief /
Three questions for the king's daughter /
He makes the girl laugh /
The three corpses to throw away /
Cinderella /
Devil bridegroom /
Yellow Beast /
The bird that would not let the sun shine /
Giant plays grandmother /
Bluebeard /
The things that talked /
Glass of water /
Why the sea is salt /
Parrot and Monkey keep shop /
Niggah and a mule is two damn fool /
The give-away /
Nancy boils Sheep: Tied in the pease field: Take my place! /
Lion, Rabbit, and Dog go fishing /
Monkey husband /
The giant /
Hide me! /
Devil marriage /
Salt, Butter, and Pull-my-ear /
He goes back for his flute: He pounds cassaba for Granny Sarah /
Jumbie country /
The pot that boils without fire: Jack pretends to kill his sister /
The horse that rescues: Man or woman? /
Pot and skin /
The good child and the bad /
Cinderella. /
Fortune teller /
The two brothers /
Turned to stone /
Who is entitled to the chicken? /
God's call /
Fox and Stork /
He poisons the teacher and blows up the schoolhouse /
Take my placel /
False message: Take my place!Mock pursuit /
Mock cockcrow: In Cow's belly /
Turtle tells her name /
Magic flight /
He kills and revives /
Man in the barrel /
Can a bull give milk? /
How to make one suck his lips /
Jack the giant killer /
The bluffing swimmer /
A bone in his throat: The pass-word /
They pray for rain: Lion turns on his rescuer /
The boar hog suitor /
The ordeal /
Don't pull my hair! /
Children in the woods. /
Exchanging the caps /
He sends the pig to church: Noodle: The killing hot bath /
The princess with the mole.. /
The three companions /
The five wild ducks /
Contradictions. /
Who speaks first /
The princess and the mangy dog. /
Pack of cards /
Tar Baby /
In Cow's belly /
Fool planting: Tar Baby: How Tukemah got his pretty clothes /
Cockroach fools Fowl /
The less greedy is rewarded /
The spirit mother rescues her children /
Murderous mother /
Pigeon-wife . /
They cut their way out from inside the giantt /
Guessing a name /
He gets the better of his mother /
Can poached eggs hatch /
Seven-headed beast: Two brothers /
He meets the king's conditions /
He saves the vessel /
Trunk /
In Cow's belly /
Riding-horse /
Lion waves both hands /
Caught in his own trap. /
Tar Baby: Bo Goat takes Bo Lion's place /
False message: Bo Tiger takes Bo Rabbit's place /
Tar Baby: Eavesdropper: Without scratching /
Without scratching: Lion tied by his hair /
Playing dead: The cat's party /
In the rafters /
Blinding the watcher /
Lion makes Deer his riding-horse /
Suitor test: Rabbit makes Lion his riding-horse /
Ber Nancy rides Ber Deer /
Father God talks /
The race (Fox carries Crab) /
Breaking hook contest /
Bo Pigeon and Mountain Dove race for the king's daughter /
Lion gives a ball /
Bru Goat's horn /
Bru Nancy hol a party /
Five cent not'in /
Playing godfather /
Monkey steals /
Musquito, Jack Spaniar', and Fly /
Mock plea /
The escape /
Paying for the guinea bird /
Mock moonrise: Calling down the pumpkin /
Fish lover /
The chosen suitor /
Bluebeard /
Magic flight /
Half Man /
Full pot full /
In the tree above the robbers /
Murderous mother /
Beauty and the beast /
The old lady who ate her bunch o' berry /
The corn the guinea birds ate /
My little doggie /
A deer an' a Dutchman /
Rich man and poor man /
Quamie has moved /
Sycamore tree /
He calls the king's wife a liar /
Milk snake /
The two rogues /
Tumpy Ben visits the women /
Half past twelve when I left Hell /
The hymn /
The parson's beard /
Whatsoever in thy bosom /
The imitative choir /
Dumpling and Goathead /
Tar Baby: Take my place! Over the hole: Mock directions /
Hurricane coming: In the roof /
Without scratching /
God speaking /
Lion's head fast in the honey hive /
Nancy fails to feed the ground doves /
The escape: Feasting on cat /
Singing the tree down. /
The devil's daughter /
Twelve head /
Murderous mother /
The twelve brothers /
On the scaffold /
He cries Robbers! /
Impossible /
The Porto Rican spirit /
Half past one when she left Jerusalem /
Ghost and Lion /
Today for you an' tomorrow for me! /
The good child and the bad child.
There, in Volume 3 (which was not complete at the time of her death), Parsons has listed the stories in a kind of tale type / motif index so that you can compare the variations in the story elements from one storytelling community to another. Here she provides brief summaries of the story elements, which allows you to learn about the Creole stories in English. For each entry (there are 403 entries), Parsons provides a label for the entry, comparative bibliography as available, including African material (although not all entries have bibliography), and then a list of the stories identified as A-B-C and so on, separately for each story being listed with the volume and page number where you can find the story. Here's a screenshot for "False Order," starting with the first example, a story from Guadeloupe which she summarizes:
I've created an index for Volume 3 which lists all the story types, linked to their pages (which you can use, in turn, to navigate through Volumes 1 and 2 based on the types of stories you are interested in): Rabbit seeks endowments /
Sharing the spoils /
Adding to the score /
-The thief is bitten: Dummy in pen /
Refugees in the housetop /
Mistaken hold /
Horn for a stump /
Playing dead twice in the road /
Rabbit eats all elephant's fish /
Stealing the drag /
Mock beating /
Mock pursuit /
Caught in his own trap (heavey, heavel) /
Caught in his own trap (deadfall) /
Too swollen to escape /
Rabbit is a blind /
Rabbit catches lizard /
Rabbit says, "Get out" /
Exchanging godchildren /
False message /
Shoo fly! /
Substitute victim (take my place!) /
Tar baby /
Mock plea /
In cow's belly /
Self-incrimination /
He throws down fruit /
Tell or I bite /
Mock sunrise (mock cockcrow) /
Playing dead /
Mock wake /
Piping down the rats /
The give-away (mock funeral) /
The give-away (house answers) /
The birds take back their feathers /
Put me down a mattress /
He eats his words /
The plug /
Nancy tricks shark /
He makes them dance /
Dog's horns /
An ear for an ear /
They sell their mothers /
Buried tails /
Three butchers /
Riding-horse /
His captor says a grace /
Tug-of-war /
Relay race (or race with substitutes in line) /
Side-tracked in the race /
The race won on the back of the other /
Spider turns baby /
The pass-word /
The earth has eyes /
The end of the world (or storm coming) /
Borrowed finery (or belly cock) /
Cockroach before fowl /
Why fowls eat cockroaches /
Cockroach fools fowl /
Monkey's head for pot rest /
Watcher tricked /
Lion throws pap into the hole /
Man is stronger /
The reaping race /
Defecating test /
Eating or drinking test /
Endurance test /
Breaking hook contest /
Take in the medicine! /
The boastful animals /
Scratching test /
Playing godfather /
The talking gourd /
The leaves cry shame! /
He turns to his rescuer /
Tied by his hair /
Magic against busy-bodies /
The fatal count /
The killing hot bath /
Jumping match /
How to dive /
Mock judge /
Enemy playmates /
Pass me over the bridge! /
Dog goes to town /
He overreaches /
Tiger takes all the drinks /
Fast in the honey hive /
Greedy cat /
The fraudulent count /
The tables turned /
Goatskin and tiger skin /
The child without a head /
Voice above /
False order /
Carried in a hammock /
Terrifying by a disguise /
How he got his pretty clothes /
Mouse and elephant /
As big as his thigh /
Dog talks too much /
Dog is afraid /
Pelican learns to dive /
Monkey's bet /
Tortoise crosses the bridge /
Fox and stork entertain each other /
What news? /
Cat eats rat /
Why the dead stay dead /
Dog and mongoose /
How cock escapes /
Heady-heady and hawk /
Nancy fails to feed the ground doves /
Fowl's drink /
The birds compete /
Paying for the guinea bird /
Calf jacket /
Banjo tune /
Witch-spouse /
Fish-girl /
Girl-bird /
Singing bone /
Do not cut my hair! /
Forbidden fruit /
Murderous mother /
Ordeal by cross /
Ordeal by river /
The thief will choke /
The escape /
Pennyworth of nothing /
Monkey steals girls /
Suitor tests /
He sings the tree up and down /
The devil goes up with his mother /
He makes a suit for the devil /
The devil's bell /
Chosen suitor /
The girl who can't keep a secret /
Bluebeard /
The girl who would dance /
Abandoned to the devil /
Singing fish /
Singing boy /
Barking head /
The doll that sticks /
Eat the dung! /
Guess my name, and I will eat your food /
Rival brothers /
Who is entitled to the chicken /
The sleepless boy /
Exchanging caps /
The bag you have to fall into /
The devil climbs a tree for an apple /
Zombi woman and human woman /
The impossible demand /
Bamboo seed /
He follows her into the grave /
Zombi funeral /
Zombi servant /
Jumbie country /
Put me down where you found me /
She takes off her skin /
Counting the grains /
Witch fire /
The witch's child fails /
Werewolf and vampire /
Werewolf and thief /
Werewolf transformation /
Goat tongue /
He thwarts his father /
The devil's daughter and magic flight /
Guard on the mountain /
The ferryman /
The ferryman's trick /
He rescues his sisters /
His sisters disappear /
Beauty into dog /
Carried by eagle /
Escape up the tree /
He kills the cow that killed his mother /
The abandoned children /
Guessing a name /
Hide mel /
Outwitting to learn a name /
Identifying by name /
She sends for her husband /
Animal messengers /
Solomon's choice /
He sends for his wife (or the dumb wife) /
The lady visitor /
Sweet misery /
Dog in the basket /
Old bull and young bull /
Big mouth, big belly, thin leg /
Mosquito and fly /
Shut up! /
Pinch-me-eye /
Fish lover /
Fish husband /
Long lost brother /
The trapped wife /
The tree goes up into the air /
He goes back for his flute /
The song is answered /
The banjo calls /
The singing egg /
Devil scullion /
The stolen girl /
She seeks a saviour /
The devil calls like her mother /
The blacksmith hammers devil's tongue /
Wolf whitens his paws /
He chops wood for his captor /
He punctures the fontanelle /
He sends the pig to church /
He scalds his mother to death /
He charges another with killing his mother /
Above the robbers /
He divides house and horse /
He makes money with half of the horse /
He burns the house and the cane /
John sells sugar /
The pot that boils without fire /
He kills and revives /
Wise and foolish /
Wise, Foolish and the tortoise /
He believes he is dead /
Two thieves /
Master thief /
The king's treasury /
The greedy mother /
Mock priest /
How can a man give birth /
Fool planting /
Man or woman? /
Donkey, table and whip /
The good child and the bad /
Cowherd brothers /
Cinderella and the parrot /
Donkey skin /
Bluebird /
Frog suitor /
Beauty and the beast /
Twin brothers: seven tongues /
The beast that keeps the country dark /
The king's swineherd /
Three brothers /
Murderous brother /
The enchanted sheep /
Treacherous sister (or magic armband) /
The thorn in lion's paw /
Little oil lamp, belt, cutlass /
The wager on the wife's chastity /
The battle of the enchanters /
Aladdin's lamp /
The bastard guards his father's flowers /
Man of iron /
The grateful dead /
The tree that cures /
The two compères /
Beauty and valet /
Beauty at the well /
They conceal his death /
On the gallows /
Snow White /
Her duck brothers /
The princess asleep in the wood /
The substituted bride /
The envious sisters /
The faithful friend /
Puppy substitute /
Oedipus /
Red Riding-Hood /
The substituted letter (or the girl without hands) /
The brand /
Picking the right girl /
The princess who asks riddles /
Who gets angry first /
The sackful of lies /
Pregnant by rabbit /
Magical impregnation: in the king's pocket /
The token of chastity /
The princess with the mole /
False diviner /
Bluffing swimmer /
He saves the vessel /
The clever tailor /
Puss in boots /
Jack and the beanstalk /
The contrary brother /
The wonderful helpers /
The skillful brothers /
The housekeepers /
The magic chicken /
The magic fruit /
The danced-out shoes /
He divides the meat for the animals: his soul in an egg /
The speaking horse /
All things talk /
Breaking wind forever /
Half-Chicken /
Crazy donkey /
The child and the serpent /
The frightened guest /
Saint Joseph is witness /
The hoodwinked husband /
The blind husband /
The dead who return /
The woman and the priest /
Three husbands /
The three precepts /
Warning through a name /
The clever boy /
The child betrays /
The biggest lie /
He meets the king's conditions /
Guessing God's mind /
Futile jealousy /
Getting rid of the corpse /
As big a fool /
The man who understood animal speech /
Little Brother Fever /
Tree spirit /
Gold ball, silver ball, copper ball /
Queen Cecile /
She frees her lover /
Contradictions /
Twelve days /
Days of the week /
Mock egg /
The little pigs /
The goat that would not walk fast /
They take and they give /
Death up a tree /
Seen from the housetop /
Gullible wife /
Too lazy to live /
Whatsoever in thy bosom /
God's call /
Half past twelve when I left hell /
God is stupid! /
Hell fire /
Saint Joseph's candles /
Enough for one, enough for two /
Second sight /
Come in or stay out! /
The dog eats the priest's dinner /
The bet on the priest /
Pack of cards /
Nothing but the truth /
The priest wins the bet for him /
The priest gives a nose /
Born with a rosary /
Incestuous priest /
Why priests wear drawers /
The miracle /
One-leg turkey /
Cockcrow /
Dove's call /
Animal cries /
They got what they wanted /
What pleases you, pleases me /
Noodle /
The same answer /
Parasol /
Trunk /
Inside Whale /
French planter and English magistrate /
He tests his women /
Who will speak first /
Why the sea is salt /
Parrot and monkey keep shop /
Pay me for my trouble! /
Pun (lait-laid) /
Little gifts /
Niggah and mule is two damn fool /
The parson's beard /
Hymn misunderstood /
The imitative choir /
The suitor's presents /
Unheeded warning /
Princess and mangy dog /
Spirit lion /
Spirit mother /
Spirit mother rescues her children /
Gorilla mate /
Magic trap /
Magic stick /
Supernatural coffins /
Digging for treasure /
School boy adventure /
Turned to stone /
Monkey steals /
Deer and Dutchman /
Rich man and poor man /
Milk snake /
Tumpy Ben visits the women /
Dumpling and goat head /
Feasting on cat /
He cries "Robbers!" /
Ghost and lion /
He kills his father with rum /
Moon cheese.
It's a really astounding work of scholarship, and perhaps someday someone will finance the translation into English of all those Creole stories (Parsons was working on a Creole-English glossary at the time of her death). Meanwhile, thanks to the English summaries in Volume 3, you can still learn something from the Creole stories, even if the French Creole is not accessible to you (I can pick out some words here and there, but I am totally dependent on Parsons' English summaries to help me along).
And yes, there is still more from Parsons's work in African storytelling traditions in the Americas to share, so I'll be back with another blog post about her tomorrow. Meanwhile, be warned: I can easily lose myself for hours exploring the stories in these three volumes of Caribbean folktales; it's an amazing piece of work, and even more useful with the search features provided by the Internet Archive's digital versions online!
by Elsie Clews Parsons
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