Losing Something in Translation

When we were sitting on the front porch, listening to Dad's tales about riding the train on Road Creek, Jeffery was scribbling furiously, trying to get them written down so we could put them on The StalkerClan. The following are her transcripts of two of the stories Dad told:

Train Ride Lon Venters-engineer Dad, Teet, Estil asked to ride the train to the mouth of Road Creek. Lon told them that the brakes were not working right, but if they wanted to ride they could. They grabbed onto the sides of a coal gon and the train took off. Lon had told them to listen and if he blew the train whistle it meant he had lost control of the train and to jump off. When he got to the end of the bridge, he blew the whistle and set the brakes. The fire flew from the wheels and they jumped off and rolled down the side of the tracks on the gravels. Lon and the train went on down the tracks.

Train Story II Dad had gotten dressed up to go to town to see a show on Saturday night. They asked Lon of they could ride the train to the mouth of the creek. Lon told them to get them some cardboard and get up on top of the last coal car and ride to the mouth of the creek. They wouldn't get dirty that way. They did just what he suggested and waited for the train to move. The train engine took off and as the car in front of them moved forward they realized their car was not attached to the train.

Compare these versions to the video of Dad below and it's easy to see they lose a lot in the transition to paper. I guess it just shows what a 'Master Storyteller' can do with a good tale.