 Outside of the bayous no one took much interest
in Beausoliel,
Buckwheat
Zydeco, or Queen
Ida and the Bon Temps Zydeco Band until
recently. Even in New Orleans, the word Cajun was synonymous with dull,
illiterate and contrary. Cajun jokes were common, like the one about
Boudreaux taking Touchet fishing one day in his new boat. They had been
out on the water just a few minutes before the motor fell off and
Boudreaux jumped in after it. Touchet leaned over the side and saw his
partner trying to start the motor under water. He watched him for
awhile, shook his head, and finally yelled, "Pull your choke, stupid!"
Cajun cuisine also took its hits, as in the story of a crawfish who
took her children for a walk. They came upon a bull and the little
crawfish asked, "What's that?"
The mother crawfish replied: "No need to be afraid. That's a bull. It
eats grass and hay and things like that."
They walked on and saw another animal. "What's that?" the little ones
asked.
"That's a pig. It eats corn and bran and things like that," said the
mother.
Further on the crawfish saw a man in a suit and when the children asked
about him, their mother said: "That's an American. He eats bulls and
pigs and things like that."
Then they saw a man dressed in overalls and hip boots. "What's that?"
"Run like hell, children! That's a Cajun and he'll eat anything!"
|
by MichaelHofferber@outriderbooks.com
Copyright © 1996. All rights reserved.
|
|
|