First Timers and Old Timers

“The Texas Folklore Society has been alive and kicking for over one hundred years now, and I don’t really think there’s any mystery as to what keeps the organization going strong. The secret to our longevity is simply the constant replenishment of our body of contributors. We are especially fortunate in recent years to have had papers given at our annual meetings by new members—young members, many of whom are college or even high school students.

“These presentations are oftentimes given during sessions right alongside some of our oldest members. We’ve also had long-time members who’ve been around for years but had never yet given papers; thankfully, they finally took the opportunity to present their research, fulfilling the mission of the TFS: to collect, preserve, and present the lore of Texas and the Southwest.

“You’ll find in this book some of the best articles from those presentations. The first fruits of our youngest or newest members include Acayla Haile on the folklore of plants. Familiar and well-respected names like J. Rhett Rushing and Kenneth W. Davis discuss folklore about monsters and the classic ‘widow’s revenge’ tale. These works—and the people who produced them—represent the secret behind the history of the Texas Folklore Society, as well as its future.”—Kenneth L. Untiedt

KENNETH L. UNTIEDT is the Secretary-Editor of the Texas Folklore Society. He earned his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees from Texas Tech University, and is now an associate professor of English at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas.