Peg Leg, Peg Leg: and Other Harelip Stories

Storytelling is elevated to an art form on the front porch. Laughter flows as easily as the soft shadows that fall across the yard. Children giggle as they case fireflies while the grownups sip sweet tea. This is a time of magic. One by one, the children creep up on the porch and find empty places to sit, or they climb onto some's lap and snuggle, feeling safe in the bosom of a loving family. As evening hugs the big ole elm tree, the tone of the stories becomes more subdued, and the eyelids of the children grow heavy. Pretty soon, the only noise is the creak of the porch swing and an occasional chuckle from a grownup. The cool night air and the whippoorwills sing the end of a summer day; this is the music that lulls us to complete contentment. Storytelling has been one of the most important elements in our family. We have fun laughing at others, and we love telling stories on ourselves to allow others to laugh with us. The retelling of a story only makes it better. The following stories have been collected over the last twenty-five years. I have recorded them as I remembered them. These stories are true, and some may have been s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d a little, so take them in the spirit of fun, and enjoy! Laughter is good medicine. -Juliana Hamilton Chase