Summary
Summary of Southern Stories Retold from St. Nicholas
Key ideas
Key idea 1
Jimmy dreams of his hero
On an October afternoon at Mountain Top Inn on the Blue Ridge, Jimmy lies on the porch beside an old hound. His thoughts return to soldiers passing the gate and a battle he watched from an oak. In his imagined battles, he follows General Robert E. Lee, although he has never seen him.
The surrender has left Jimmy deeply sad. Seven months later, a stranger rides up to the inn, and Jimmy steps forward to welcome him because no one else is there.
Key idea 2
Kindness comes before recognition
Start free to read
Key idea 3
Small pleasures lead toward trouble
Start free to read
Key idea 4
Water shapes the southern landscape
Start free to read
Key idea 5
True accounts carry real danger
Start free to read
Key idea 6
Children face danger and divided loyalties
Start free to read
Key idea 7
Humor sits beside real danger
Start free to read
The rest of the summary, written and spoken, and the whole book: free to start.
Read the rest freeWho it’s for
Readers who enjoy short tales in one sitting, Southern settings, animals and rivers, family stories of the Civil War years, and the warm voice of a storyteller on a porch.
What this book is
What did a small boy on a mountain porch dream about when he longed for his hero? This gathering of stories, sketches and true accounts from the American South was written for young readers of the magazine St. Nicholas. It holds a pet turkey, a girl on a burning roof, two brothers in opposite armies, rivers, alligators, an old Spanish fort and an earthquake. It ends with Uncle Remus and Brother Wolf’s encounter with a strange creature.
In this summary
- 1A boy dreams of battleFree
- 2Small kindnesses and a quiet surprise
- 3A turkey and a nearby barn fire
- 4Places and rivers across the South
- 5Alligators, an earthquake and hidden food
- 6Courage, divided families and a cunning cat
Key point 1 of 6
A boy dreams of battle
The first story, His Hero, opens on an October afternoon at Mountain Top Inn on the Blue Ridge. A small boy named Jimmy lies on the porch tickling an old hound and dreaming. He remembers soldiers marching past the gate and a battle watched from an oak.
In his dreams of battle he follows General Robert E. Lee, a man he has never seen. The day of the surrender was the saddest of his life.
Seven months later, hoofbeats sound on the road. A kind stranger rides up, and Jimmy greets him as the host because no one else is in sight.
That’s 1 of 6 key points.
The rest of the summary, written and spoken, and the whole book: free to start.
- Nothing to pay today · Renews every year
- We email you before you pay
- Cancel online in two clicks
Check yourself
Why does Jimmy’s meeting with the stranger create humor?
Right. “The joke is that the reader sees what Jimmy does not.”Not quite. “The joke is that the reader sees what Jimmy does not.”
Why does Harry wear a uniform made of blue and gray?
Right. “Her youngest, Harry, cannot choose a side, so he wears a uniform made half of a blue coat and half of a gray one.”Not quite. “Her youngest, Harry, cannot choose a side, so he wears a uniform made half of a blue coat and half of a gray one.”
What recurring pattern connects the collection’s stories?
Right. “Watch how often a small person meets a large trouble with plain nerve, and how often a joke sits beside real danger.”Not quite. “Watch how often a small person meets a large trouble with plain nerve, and how often a joke sits beside real danger.”
Questions about Southern Stories Retold from St. Nicholas
What is Southern Stories Retold from St. Nicholas about?
It gathers stories and true sketches of the American South for young readers. You meet a boy at a mountain inn, a pet turkey, a girl on a burning roof, a Texas rider, two brothers in opposite armies and a trickster tale.
Who wrote Southern Stories Retold from St. Nicholas?
Many authors wrote it. Contributors include Anna Eichberg King, Helen Lockwood Coffin, W. S. Harwood, F. H. Spearman, Alice Caldwell Hegan, Clarence B. Moore, Frank R. Stockton, Edward Marshall, M. A. Cassidy and Joel Chandler Harris.
Is Southern Stories Retold from St. Nicholas true or fiction?
It is a mix. The pieces on the Louisiana Purchase, rivers, alligators, St. Augustine, the Charleston earthquake and wartime hiding places are factual, while other pieces tell stories about children and animals.
Who is Uncle Remus in this book?
Uncle Remus is an old man who weaves chair seats and tells animal tales to a little boy. In the last story he describes how Brother Wolf follows odd tracks and meets a creature he thinks has no claws.
Is Southern Stories Retold from St. Nicholas easy to read?
Yes, the pieces are short and each stands alone, so you can read one in a few minutes. The stories move quickly, and the sketches use lively comparisons and plain, friendly language.
