Bypaths in Dixie: Folk Tales of the South

"Bypaths in Dixie: Folk Tales of the South" by Sarah Johnson Cocke is a compilation of Southern folk stories from the beginning of the 1900s, brimming with the humor and appeal of Southern living as told through its stories, demonstrating the area's vast culture and word-of-mouth stories. The book presents vibrant and amusing characters, like the knowledgeable Mammy Phyllis, who shares her wisdom and fun tales with the kids she looks after. Right away, readers meet the creative and fun-loving Willis and his friend Mary Van, under the care of Mammy Phyllis. Their conversations, especially about a "telephone" made from a table and a rooster's crow, pull readers into a wonderful world of childhood innocence combined with Southern ways of speaking. This funny situation shows how playful the kids are and also introduces the feel of the stories to come, full of folklore, make-believe, and the caring wisdom of older people.