Flatlanders and Ridgerunners

Folktales from the Mountains of Northern Pennsylvania

JAMES YORK GLIMM

Out-Riddling the Judge

BACK in Prohibition my uncle made moonshine. His name was Moses Kenny and his whiskey, they called it "white mule” — was the best in the county. Well, the feds got after him and finally they arrested him. Took him to a federal judge down in Philadelphia.Now, the judge liked a good time and thought he'd have a little fun with this hick from the mountains. When Uncle came into court, he said, “Are you the Moses who can make the sun dark?” Moses looked at him and said slowly, "Nope, yer honor. But I am the Moses who can make the moon shine.”

The judge let him go.