This book presents a collection of virtually unedited stories from the Nebraska WPA files, supplemented by a few previously published narratives and a few others the editor collected more recently. They are stories about a long-dead art -- horse-trading -- and, therefore, illuminate a little-studied facet of American folk culture. Along with Welsch's introductory essay, incisive head-notes and very necessary glossary of the traders' jargon, they provide a clear picture of not only the techniques of horse-trading, but also the psychology of it. One sees, clearly and soon, that profit was often a less important impetus, for instance, than was success -- frequently identified as "skinnin'" one's opponent. The traders' joy lay in the game -- in the elaborate rituals of bargaining, in the sometimes complex set-ups, in the excitement of the escape.

The narrator of many of these stories is Lew Croughan, himself a horse-trader, and his stories evidence quite clearly that his profession was more a calling than a mere livelihood. He says, for example, in "The Reverend Finmore's Slightly Excitable Mare," "This was going to be an extraordinary experience. . . ."(p.27) Another narrative begins "There was not much fun in being too serious in a trade . . ."(p. 180). And in another Croughan says, "[Horse traders] were always ambitious to out-do one another. . . " (p. 182). In short, though there is much talk of profit, these other elements overshadow it.

This calling, we see, had a code of its own: traders could cheat buyers, for instance, but must also take it in stride when they were themselves cheated. And, though they were not obliged to be truthful, neither could they lie outright -- a circumstance that made the ambiguous term the main tool of their trade. Likewise, though it was permissible to steal corn from a farmer, it was bad form to cast blame on another in doing so.

Mister, You Got Yourself A Horse is a clear and careful presentation of the horse-trading profession. It also gives glimpses of life on the Great Plains in the 1880s and 90s, glimpses into religion and work and entertainment, and glimpses into the often grubby human character. Too, it is an entertaining work to read. The stories are generally well-told and humorous. Thus, one can learn much from it -- and have fun in the process.

Welsch's introductory essay provides an overview of the profession and its place in the culture, and useful commentary on the materials, methods and informants. While the work doesn't directly involve Missouri lore, it does suggest an area of folk :culture that ought to be researched in Missouri. It also suggests to me that Missouri's contemporary "horse-traders," those maverick car dealers who buy used cars for resale, ought to be studied in a like manner.

Though I saw little point to the chapter divisions, neither did they damage the book. It is, all in all, a good book, well worth the price for either folklorists or general readers; of course, I've never seen anything by Roger Welsch that wouldn't be.

Jim Vandergriff

Springfield, MO