Blackbeard's Cup and Stories of the Outer Banks

By Charles Harry Whedbee

Book Overview

One August night, two young law students knocked three times on the huge door to Blackbeard's castle, spoke the secret password, and gained admission to a ceremony steeped in local legend. Judge Charles Harry Whedbee was one of those students, and he waited for over fifty years to tell the story of the night he drank from Blackbeard's Cup--the legendary silver-plated skull of Blackbeard the Pirate. For centuries, the people of eastern North Carolina have spun tales to explain local phenomena and bizarre happenings. For decades, Judge Whedbee collected and preserved that lore. In Blackbeard's Cup and Stories of the Outer Banks, he once again went to the source and returned with sixteen tales that attest to the rich oral tradition of the coastal area. Why does the stone arch over the entrance to Cedar Grove Cemetery in New Bern drip blood on passing mourners? Who carved the name CORA in the gigantic live oak tree on Hatteras Island? What causes the sound of cannons firing off the coast of Vandemere in the summer? How did the rare creature known as the sea angel come to be? Why did an Edenton doctor spend a fortune searching for buried treasure? These are only a few of the mysteries contained in this fifth collection from North Carolina's beloved raconteur. For decades, the folk tales of Charles Harry Whedbee have been available wherever you care to look on the Outer Banks. Their popularity has transcended Whedbee's loyal readership among North Carolinians and visitors from the Northeast and the Midwest. Charles Harry Whedbee was an elected judge in his native Greenville, North Carolina, for thirty-plus years, but his favorite place was the Outer Banks, Nags Head in particular. Whedbee was the author of five folklore collections. He died in 1990. For decades, the folk tales of Charles Harry Whedbee have been available wherever you care to look on the Outer Banks. Their popularity has transcended Whedbee's loyal readership among North Carolinians and visitors from the Northeast and the Midwest.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0895870703
• ISBN13: 9780895870704
• Release Date: January 1989
• Publisher: Blair
• Length: 175 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.3" x 7.8"

Customer Reviews

A Great Collection of North Carolina Stories

I found this selection of stories compiled and penned by Charles Harry Whedbee in this book entitled `Blackbeard's Cup and Stories of the Outer Banks' to be remarkable. They are short, but well written mysteries, anecdotes and tales about a facinating region of the country called the Outer Banks. This book is more than just another collection of stories about a region of the country, the author actually conveys some personal experiences in living in the region that merit some attention. I found the entire collection to be quite enjoyable, but particularly the stories entitled: `The Guns of Vandemere', `Sir William Shakespeare's Wreck' and most of all `Horace and the Coinjock Charade'. This last one about a mule named Horace literally had me laughing out loud, and was worth the entire book above all! You will enjoy this author's unique insight to the particular's about the region, as well as his attention to detail on the facts that really matter in telling a good story. I have read many collections of stories about North Carolina, particularly because I have a personal facination with the region, especially the Outer Banks, but this this collection is one of the better ones. This book also gives some intriguing history on the pirate Blackbeard. If you are looking to read a few good tales about this region, then this book would be a good one for you to start with as all of the stories are quite entertaining. This author has written five collections of North Carolina stories in all, so if you find you like this one, there are more to explore. Whedbee spins a great tale!

Blackbeard's Cup & Stories of the Outer Banks

Charles H. Whedbee really captures the spirit of good storytelling in this book. I really enjoy going to the Outer Banks, and his books create a romantic mood to the lore and legends of such a wonderful place. Any book by Mr. Whedbee is a book worth reading.

A great storyteller and a great book.

I have loved the Outer Banks of North Carolina for some time now.Charles Harry Whedbee gives a well written account of some of the mysteries and legends surrounding the area in this, and all, his books.Basically, this book is just a collection of stories he has recovered from local people.I wish he still lived so he could share more of his love of North Carolina with fans.