Page 61 - Joseph D. Samson Tells an Old Tale

ISSUE : Issue 39

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1985/6/1

if it was the right guy?" But she didn't know exactly herself, she didn't know one from the others, you know? She didn't real? ly know their name or face or anything, just that she knew it was one of them. He said, "Yes, and she said it was him," He said, "Did you ever give anything to your daughter for a souvenir or a present or things like that?" So the king tried to remember. So he said, "Yes, I did. I gave her a handkerchief, with those 3 different apples in it--an or? ange, gold, and a silver apple." "If a guy would show you those gifts, will you believe it's him that saved your daugh? ter?" He said, "Yes." He said, "Your daughter never told you that there were 3 men that were looking af? ter her. Were passing there 3 times a day, and looking after her so nobody would steal her." "Oh," he said, "yes, she told me that." He said, "She never told you there was a beast, a Seven-Headed Beast that was pas? sing there once a day, that was looking af? ter her, anybody'11 touch her." He said, "Yes, I know • 'she told me that." He said, "If a man showed you the 7 tongues from the 7 heads, will you believe it's him that saved your daughter?" "Oh," he said, "I would, all right, be? cause it's nothing but the truth if you've got them." So he put his hand in his pocket and he hauled out the tongues and he showed it to him. And the handkerchief with the apples. So he said, "Now I believe it's you." He said, "They're getting ready to get mar? ried," He said, "What are we going to do with them?" He said, "There's not much you can do with it. You can put one of them to feed the pigs, and the other one to feed the chick? ens." He said, "I'm the one that's going to marry her, going to marry the daughter." So at that time I came home--I didn't want to stay there any longer. It's the best I can do in English. (Do you remember when you first heard this story?) Oh, I remem? ber I was only young. This was an old man that was staying not too far from here, a- cross the beach there. And in those days there was no place to go--no dance, no shows, nor anything to go. But to try and gather at a place like that, tell stories, and hear something like that. And we used to go there quite often, just to hear the stories. Because he knew all kinds of stor? ies. Joe Boudreau. He was a blind man. Oh, you could have been there 2 or 3 days, al? ways telling different stories. Our thanks to Jocelyne Marchand, Sydney, for directing us to the manuscript of Mr. Samson's French stories. Cedar House Bakery and Coffee Shop OPEN DAILY 674-2929 bread - scones - oatcakes cookies - desserts TRANS-CANADA HWY NEAR SEAL ISLAND BRIDGE Suppliers of Commercial Recreational Fencing l P. 0. Box 98. King St., North Sydney, N. S. B2A 3M1 • ' - 794-4773 ' nnGEL ka'Si 'W'' "Hav'bu'auge'truc'di'your'iol's. Parks Canada Beautiful., Intelligent and Peaceful Idlb ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL '' NATIONAL HISTORIC PARK W '''''-" '-'"''' No Admission Charge Kft 9 am. - 5 p.m. Year Round 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. July 1 to Sept. 30 Open 7 Days a Week Pares Canada & Fly a Bell Kite Special Evening Presentations Inquire 295-2069 for Times GUIDE SERVICE AVAILABLE Centennial Celebrations - June through October - Baddeck N.S 75 km. west of Sydney on Route 105 BELL THE MAN * BELL THE EXPERIMENTER * HYDROFOIL HALL

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