As Richard M. Dorson points out in American Negro Folktales, “A stock situation in older European jokelore deals with a layman’s literal and highly embarrassing retort to the pulpit message, and this verbal play is adopted with relish by Negro humorists” (1967: 363–364). In the following narrative, Reverend Nelson draws on two preacher anecdotes involving laymen taking a preacher’s metaphors literally (in Thompson 1966, see Motif J2470, “Metaphors literally interpreted”; cf. Motifs J1738.5ff.).
As a young man I grew up in the services of a white, cultured lady. She had graduated from a university up east, and by paying strict attention to what she said, I had a better education than most of the slaves; therefore, I started on my ministerial life as soon as I was free.
I was exhorting an older colored lady about Heaven, reading to her from Revelations. “Aunt Sarah,” I says, “when we leave this world we’ll go to a better world, one where there isn’t work, and our food will be milk and honey.” “Brother Nelson, is that all we’re going to have to eat in Heaven? Milk gives me a pain in the stomach. Honey makes me sick, so I don’t know whether I want to go to Heaven or not.” After this experience it was decided that although milk and honey were mentioned as food in the Bible, this wouldn’t appeal to the colored people, for few Negroes eat these foods.
And I remembered what another old colored minister told me of an experience he had in trying to win souls. He preached, “Whenever you get to Heaven, I’ll tell you, my brothers and sisters, what a good time we’ll have. We all be eatin’ cabbage and bacon and corn bread.” One sister in the back of the church calls out, “Speak those greasy words again, brother.”