There’s a story in the African-American folktale tradition about two tired mules named Pat and Charlie. Here’s a version from American Negro Folktales by Richard Dorson. This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Pat and Charlie Folktale”
We were talking earlier about the Southern expression, Pat and Charlie, meaning your legs.
Like you take Pat and Charlie to a party, meaning you go on foot. And I was trying to figure out why Pat and why Charlie. And the only thing that I can find is that there is a folktale in the African-American tradition of two mules named Pat and Charlie.
And these two mules were overworked, and they started talking to each other. And one of them was complaining about how hard they were working. And the other one said to its companion, well, don’t worry, it’s about over. Tomorrow, we’re going to haul our owner to the cemetery.
And somebody overheard them saying that and went to the owner and said, you won’t believe this. Your mules are talking. And they’re saying that you’re going to be hauled to the cemetery tomorrow.
So the owner goes running to the barn to find out what’s going on and hears the mules saying that, that they’re going to take the owner to the cemetery tomorrow and they won’t have to work anymore.
So the owner goes running back to the house all alarmed and falls and breaks his neck. Oh, interesting. Comes to pass and trying to stop it from coming to pass.
Yeah. So I don’t know if that’s the source of this expression, Pat and Charlie, but it could be. If you know something about Pat and Charlie related to legs or a story that explains it, give us a call, 877-929-9673.
