I just met a train-driver/tour-guide with a great personal style and an interesting collection of stories relating to the area in which he works. I asked him about the sources of his material. He wanted me to understand that he was always quite clear about the parts of his "routine" were fact and which parts were - what I would call - "tall tales" or "folktales". He told me that he'd learned much of it from the older driver with whom he worked -- but that he also picked up some local folktales from pubs and from other "old railway men". He was adamant that the stories did not belong to him. That they belonged to all the railway men and to all of us. Talking to him was a deeply moving experience. I told him my special friends and I regard the old songs we sing this way too.

I started talking to other tour-guides. One told me he got his stories and a lot of interesting information from his passengers -- the ones who were over 60 - mostly.

A thought struck me ----
Tour-guides are passing tales around by word of mouth.
Think about that a bit!!!

Along with young children and singers of bawdy songs they may be in a small group of people still involved in the oral transmission of material.

I'd like to study on this a bit further. In the meantime I was wondering about making connections between tour-guide tales from different places. I was wondering about common threads. Many Mudcatters are, or have, been rangers and guides. Any one care to share folktales/jokes associated with tour-guideing?
Cheers, Joy