Myth at Uncle Tom's Cabin

The following data is extracted from Kentucky Slave Narratives, Garrard County.

GARRARD CO. (Sue Higgins)


Myth: Notions about nature when the stars fell in 1833.

At the Old Thomas Kennedy farm (Uncle Tom's Cabin), young Tom and some more boys were playing cards in one of the negro cabins. One of the slaves went to the cabin door and called loudly, "Mas'r Tom! Come quick, the whole heavens is falling." He continued to call. After much persuasion and repeated calls from the old negro, young Tom said, "I'll go and see what the D---- old negro wants". Young Tom went to the door and saw the stars raining down. He ran to the big house and jumped on a feather bed, and prayed loudly for help.

Source: Kentucky Slave Narratives, Garrard County

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