Tuesday, June 8, 2010

The Storyteller's Wife


This couple was at last year's Rendezvous but they are so unique I photographed them again this year.

This year I had more time to watch them and could see the "method" to their madness. As I walked by I didn't see them at first but heard the rhythmical sound of tin bells. Turning to see the origin of the sound I saw the storyteller's wife pounding the ground with the bell ladened rod she was holding. In the eighteenth century...we didn't have billboards or bullhorns to advertise our wares. The entrepreneurs of the time knew that in order to get attention...something had to be done to draw in customers. Thus the attention getter...the bells. Drawn by the whimsical monkey and other magical objects in the cart...children would flock to the couple. Once they had an audience...the storyteller would commence a tail about Indians or Jack and the Beanstalk or other ballads of a time and land far far away.

I have to say that they were the most unique couple ...at least in my opinion...at the event.

Dan

5 comments:

DawnTreader said...

I bet they have some fun doing that in the reenactment. (What do these people do in this century, I wonder?)

PS. I also get curious why it says DAN in the bucket... ;)

Dan Felstead said...

Dawn Treader...actually that is me in the hat...that is why it says Dan in the bucket.

I am dreaming again...I think I need medication! In answer to your question several of the folks I talked to who were taking part in the re-enactment were teachers...many of them history or anthropology. They have the summer off so they continue their love of history through the re-enactments.

Dan

dianne said...

Their clothes look great and those bells on the rod sound really nice, a good way to attract attention for the storytelling.
Those bell rods are used as an instrument in some olde style country bands along with wash boards. xoxo ♡

Dan Felstead said...

Dianne...thanks...I am going to Google this and will probably be able to find an audio file.

Dan

Cynthia L. H. said...

Unique!!! Yes! FULL of character! SO fun...
I noticed "DAN" in the bucket, too...they were trying to get YOUR attention...and how very nice of them to take up the collection for you!!!
;^) ;^) ;^)