Allen's Bear Fight Up in Keene

DESCRIPTION: "Of all the wonders of the day," Allen's Bear Fight "will stand upon the (rolls) of fame." In 1840, travelling for the census, he meets a bear. He pryas, "If you don't help me, don't help the bear." He grabs a branch and fends off the bear, then stabs it.
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1939 (Thompson-BodyBootsAndBritches-NewYorkStateFolktales)
KEYWORDS: travel animal fight humorous
FOUND IN: US(MA)
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Thompson-BodyBootsAndBritches-NewYorkStateFolktales, pp. 293-294, "Allen's Bear FIght Up in Keene" (1 text)
Roud #18143
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "The Preacher and the Bear" (theme of a bear fight and a prayer to God to help the human rather than the bear)
File: TNY094

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