The Days When the Animals Talked by William J. Faulkner
"The Days When the Animals Talked" by William J. Faulkner is a collection of African American folktales that reflect the cultural and historical experiences of enslaved individuals in the antebellum South. The book is divided into two parts; the first includes recollections from Simon Brown, a former slave, who shares tales of life as a young slave in Virginia, offering insights into themes of punishment, courtship, and the quest for freedom. Brown's stories often employ cleverness as a means of overcoming oppression, while also addressing the spiritual practices and folklore of the time.
The second part features a variety of animal-themed folktales, rich with moral lessons and cultural wisdom. For example, the narrative of "The Ways of a Witch" warns against the dangers of seeking too much power, while "A Riddle for Freedom" illustrates a slave's cleverness in negotiating his liberation. The collection also includes familiar tales like the race between Brer Rabbit and Brer Cooter, which emphasizes themes of persistence and underestimation.
Faulkner's treatment of dialect and cultural representation has sparked discussion regarding the balance between authenticity and respect for the subjects being portrayed. This work, published later in Faulkner's life, showcases the influence of traditional storytelling on his perspective and serves as a significant exploration of African American folklore and its cultural implications.
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The Days When the Animals Talked by William J. Faulkner
First published: 1977; illustrated
Subjects: Animals, race and ethnicity, and the supernatural
Type of work: Short fiction
Recommended Ages: 13-18
Form and Content
InThe Days When the Animals Talked: Black American Folktales and How They Came to Be, William J. Faulkner retells some stories about African American life in the antebellum South, as related to him as a boy in South Carolina by his friend Simon Brown, a former slave. Part 1 of the book contains Brown’s recollections of his experiences as a young slave in Virginia. His stories explore the themes of punishment, courtship, and narrow escapes. Brown also weaves yarns that teach methods for solving problems, showing slaves using their wits to gain their freedom. Some stories examine cultural history by reporting on how slaves worshiped. Others are entertaining and feature scary ghost and witch stories. Part 2 of the book is a collection of folktales with animal characters that Brown told to Faulkner.
Many themes and messages can be found in these tales, such as the danger of wishing for too much power, especially by taking on an evil form. In “The Ways of a Witch,” a woman is granted her desire to become a witch. Witches can get out of their skins and fly about invisibly. One time that she did so, a nasty surprise awaited her when she got back into her skin: She found that salt and pepper had been shaken into it and were burning her raw flesh underneath. Such intense misery is frightening to young readers and serves as a moral lesson.
Another story features a traditional Christmas practice: On Christmas day when two people meet, the first one to say the greeting “Christmas gift” is entitled to receive a gift at the expense of the other person. The story “A Riddle for Freedom” examines this exchange between Jim, a slave, and his master. Jim is the first to say “Christmas gift” and declares that for his gift he wants his freedom, provided that he can come up with a riddle that his master cannot solve. The master agrees, and the riddle that the slave tells is so difficult that the master gives him his freedom, as well as the colt that Jim is riding.
The Days When the Animals Talked includes the classic story of the foot race between the rabbit and the turtle (“Brer Rabbit and Brer Cooter Race”). Brer Rabbit has a special talent in his ability to run extremely fast by comparison to the turtle. On the other hand, Brer Cooter (turtle) and Brer Snail each carries his house on his back. Brer Rabbit offers sympathy to the turtle and the snail for being heavily loaded, while at the same time making fun of their natural condition. He laughs at the turtle for carrying his house on his back and for being so slow. Brer Rabbit then draws a comparison between the turtle and Brer Snail, who also carries his house on his back and who is the only animal that is slower, thus humiliating both animals. Brer Rabbit doubles up with laughter as he looks down at Brer Cooter, who is both hurt and angry. The turtle quotes traditional wisdom for his case: “Hold on there, Mister Smart-Aleck. . . . Don’t talk too fast. The old folks say, ‘An empty waggin makes a heap of fuss.’ ” “Waggin” is a pun: There is a play on the word “wagging” (like a wagging tongue) and “wagon” (only a sufficiently heavy load can steady a wagon over the bumpy places in a road, and an empty wagon rattles). The implication is that a mind that thinks constructively takes time to function and a full or busy mind can offer more weighty ideas than one that is empty or idle. In other words, the turtle’s point can be restated as “Do not talk before thinking.” The rest of the story—in which the turtle wins the foot race because of his persistence, while the rabbit loses because of his overconfidence—is familiar to many young readers.
Critical Context
This collection of stories can be a source of humor and thought-provoking entertainment for more mature readers who can read between the lines to see the messages, images, and meanings that underlie the surface.
Critics debated William J. Faulkner’s decision regarding the use of dialect in The Days When the Animals Talked. Reviewers are often divided on the merits of including dialect for the sake of cultural integrity at the risk of bringing embarrassment on the users of such speech and on members of a particular culture. On the other hand is the view that one should always avoid dialect and the derision that can result. Faulkner took the middle ground between these two positions. He retained regional dialect but used synonyms for certain words that had been used for humor or derision. One reviewer accused the author of violating the integrity of the oral tradition by rejecting the heavy use of dialect and using only a sprinkling of such words and phrases. Another reviewer claimed that the author substituted some dialect in favor of standard words and patterns in order to avoid perpetuating the negative Uncle Remus stereotype.
This book was the only publication by Faulkner, an academician who should not be confused with the celebrated Southern novelist and short-story writer of the same name. The lasting impression that traditional stories had on the author is demonstrated by this collection, which was published when Faulkner was eighty-six years old and after his professional career as a minister and dean at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee.