This humorous folktale from the hills of North Carolina is fun to read aloud to primary grade students during the dark, dreary days of October. This version, adapted in 1964 by the author from a story he heard as a child, centers around big brother Dave, who is always playing practical jokes on Ma, Pa and Little Chub, his younger brother. Their pet monkey, a gift from a sailor uncle, plays a key role in the climax of this tale, as Dave gets his "come-uppance."

The "fraids" are anything you can't see in the dark that make you afraid. Dave pretends to be a fraid to scare little Chub, who is coming in from the fields at dusk, but the monkey imitates him behind his back, giving him a lesson he'll never forget.

It's unfortunate that this title is out-of-print, but it's a fun, just a little "scary," introduction to folktales from the South. I imagine it could be special-ordered or found at a public or school library. A few words in this version are a bit archaic, but it's easy to replace terms like "trowsers" with "pants." This story works with kids, with or without a Southern dialect.