Kluskap and His Twin Brother
The story heard here is one of many Wabanaki tales of Kluskap, a Wabanaki culture-hero.
View ArticleThe International Boundary Line
The story heard here provides a humorous but fictional explanation of how the Maine-Canada border came to be established, particularly the straight section in the northwestern corner.
View ArticleAcadian Food
In short, Acadians did not allow harsh weather, poor soil conditions, and an uncertain (or even hostile) political conditions to limit their culinary choices.
View ArticleThe Headless Ghost
“The Headless Ghost” is a common story told with too many variations to count.
View ArticleMan Made Lake
“Man Made lake” is a commentary on the flooding of a twenty-five mile stretch of the Dead River in Western Maine, which submerged Flagstaff Plantation, Dead River Plantation, and Bigelow Township
View ArticleHerring and Pollock
To say that “Herring and Pollock” is a fish story is an understatement.
View ArticleThe Auto Rest Park
For several decades, one of the most popular entertainment venues in the Bangor area was a place called the Auto Rest Park located on Rt. 2 in Carmel.
View ArticleBuilding Peapods
Eric Dow talks about how he came to build the type of boat known as a “peapod.”
View ArticleMail Story
In this story, Albert "Hap" Collins talks about his maternal grandfather who worked as a mail carrier, delivering mail from the mainland to Long Island in Blue Hill Bay.
View ArticleBye-Bye Longjohns
"Bye-Bye Longjohns" is a musical representation of how most Mainers feel by the time March rolls around. For some, this feeling comes even earlier. The song was written in western Maine over the...
View ArticleBenjamin Deane
“Benjamin Deane” is a classic example of a confessional ballad, with a man in prison lamenting how he came to be there: bootlegging, adultery, and murder.
View ArticleThe Schooner E.A. Horton
This song, which is native to Massachusetts, is based on a true story. On September 1, 1871 the E. A. Horton a Gloucester-based schooner was captured by the Canadian authorities in Nova Scotia.
View ArticleThe Old Beggar Man
“The Old Beggar Man” is a version of Child 17, “Hind Horn.” It is believed to have originated in Scotland and possibly derived from the 13th century King Horn and other related medieval romances.
View ArticleSir Neil and Glengyle
This broadside ballad about love and murder is of Scottish origin. It was first printed in Peter Buchan’s Ancient Ballads of the North of Scotland in 1828. Gavin Greig, in Folk-Song of the North-East,...
View ArticleThe Sailor Boy
"The Sailor Boy" is a version of the 18th century British Broadside, "The Sailor's Tragedy" or "The Sailor's Ghost." It contains the motifs, "Murder will out," "Man thrown overboard to placate storm,"...
View ArticleMary of the Wild Moor
"Mary of the Wild Moor" originated on English broadsides of the early 19th century and has been collected throughout the United States and Canada. It tells the story of a young woman returning home to...
View Article"The Field of Monterey"
"The Field of Monterey" is a lyrical song about the Battle of Monterey in the Mexican American war. It can be traced back to New Hampshire poet Marion Dix Sullivan.
View ArticleYoung Florilla
"Young Florilla" is a widespread American murder ballad which has been found throughout the United States and Canada. It is considered a "murdered sweetheart" ballad and is also known by the title...
View ArticleThe Company Dressed in Green
"The Company Dressed in Green" is descended from a 19th century Irish Broadside called "The Squire of Edinburgh Town," which is, in turn, a reworking of Child Ballad 221, "Katharine Jaffray." It tells...
View ArticleWalter Mullin
“Walter Mullin” is a patriotic ballad from Canada. Written by Wallace Travis about a friend who died in World War I, the ballad never ranged far from Whitney, New Brunswick (the song uses the town’s...
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