From small farms to urban neighborhoods, from the region itself to the more distant worlds of the southern diaspora, we discover the stories, music, and art of the American South.
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Oral Tradition
Considering the content and form of the stories, toasts, dozens, auctions and religious sermons and what they reveal about Southern Culture.
Joel R. Williamson Eminent Professor of History; Senior Associate Director of CSAS; Adjunct Professor in the Curriculum in Folklore Department of History
[MUSIC]
Auctioneering is an amazing, powerful tradition in Southern folklore.
It is how animals and livestock and
furniture, all sorts of things, were sold to the highest bidder.
It incorporates verse, not unlike the toast.
The singing form of auctioneering was claimed by Ray Lum,
to have been invented by him as he was trying to sell his horses and mules.
Ray Lum is a person that I knew from my earliest memories of childhood.
He was an auctioneer and livestock trader and
my father was a farmer who bought his mules from Ray Lum.
Ray Lum was a shrewd trader.
And my father often told me the only way not to be beat in
a trade with Ray Lum is not to trade with him because he was so good.
He was also a great auctioneer.
His auctions every Monday at the livestock sale barn he ran,
were broadcast on the radio in Vicksburg because they were so entertaining.
And he would bring versus and a sense of music.
He called it a singing style that he invented,
and he would auction to the highest bidder the horses,
the mules, the cattle, and we're going to hear Mr.
Lum at his prime, auctioning to the highest bidder.
Order in court.
You boys could be looking, that horse over there, making up your mind,
how much you're going to give for him.
Because when he goes out that gate, I'm guessing he's going to have a new home.
Bring him, bring him here, Julia.
Let me pull him out of here
I'll tell you in 30 minutes of age, here.
[LAUGH] Put it up there.
All right, I got a little feet cupped in the corner there.
Just a little feet up.
That little mare, little,
little mare's eight years olds, be nine on the next birthday.
That's awful close to her age.
And as you look at her, and see she's clean, she hasn't got a pimple on her, and
she's got a lot weight, got a lot of confirmation and
she's got a lot of quality.
She's, what I mean by that, she got, her disposition is good.
Say we got a good saddle on that hump down so just throw your leg over there.
You got to put you a new saddle on that, and
you got a dog gone good mare, and when, you boys look at her good,
when you get through she's going to have a new home.
I don't know who she belongs to, but I'll say this, he owns a dog gone good mare.
Let's go with what do you want to give for the outfit.
>> $300. >> $200.
>> $200.
>> He wants 200, 250,
I'm going to give five, 250, I'm going to give 65, now 70, now 5,
now 80, 280, now 5, 285, 285 now 95, 95
Now $300, round it up there, $300.
You've got a $100 saddle there.
$300 Gene $300!
She's broke $100 worth!
She's broke $100 worth! $300, I got 295,
will you give 300 for her?
Up now, speak now hold our peace for ever and eternity.
She's leaving us down forever.
$300. 300 I got, now 5.
I got 3, 3 5. Don't lose her for,
who in the hell could tell him $5, $10, or $25 of a good horse.
This is a good mare.
I've got 3 5, would you give me 10?
310, 310, 3 5, 310.
3 5 Would you give 10?
Raise your hand, boy, 310.
Now 15.
[SOUND] 310 would you give 15.
I can't see very good, boy, so you'll have to holler out or raise your hand.
I've the gentleman over there, 310.
Will you give 15, 15?
315, that's the whole outfit, everything but the boy.
310, will you give 15?
15?
310, 310, 15.
Thank you, now 20, now 20.
You can't tell him $25 a 5, or 25 either of what she's worth.
And I've got, what did I have, 320?
320 you got.
>> 320 now 5, 325.
Doc, you want to hit it one more time?
325?
Up 320, will you give 25, for anybody give 25.
Up 320 want to give 25 for a bid, bought well go 25 for a bid bought all you done.
320, raise your hands boy, raise your hands boy.
Raise your hands.
320, will you give 5 for it.
320 will give you 5 for him.
320 will give you 5 for him.
Anybody are you done?
All in at 320 will you give five for him, anybody going to give 5, 5, 5?
Will you give 5, 5, 5?
325?
Well, if you all are done, I am too.
By golly, I'm going to quit if you're going to quit.
I know that boy there, he'd just as soon buy his dog 325.
You got $100 outfit there, you got $100 saddle and blanket.
$325?
$325?
Do you want it for $325?
All done, all done.
All do.
Who gets all that James?
$320? >> Guy in the green cap up there.
Mr. Wagoner.
Lot of you might think she's higher.
She may prove to be awful cheap.
Nobody knows what's going to happen with this gasoline before it's over.
Had you thought about that, any of you?
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Dr. William FerrisJoel R. Williamson Eminent Professor of History; Senior Associate Director of CSAS; Adjunct Professor in the Curriculum in Folklore
