Long before the Foxfire series brought rural ways to the attention of the nation, folklore was an integral part of the American tradition. Signs, remedies, and sayings—gathered from years of observation and experience—were passed from generation to generation as fact. “I’ve heard these things all my life,” says author Evelyn Childers, “and I repeated them to my children.” Now she shares this trove of information with the rest of us.

For example, did you know that…

…ants crawl in a single-file line when it is going to rain?
…basil planted in pots will repel mosquitoes?
…sassafras tea will cure a stomach ache?