Blackbeard's Cup and Stories of the Outer Banks

by Charles Harry Whedbee

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.

The guns of Vandemere
The legend of the pelican
St. Elmo's fire
Blackbeard's cup
New Berne's bleeding arch
Horace and the coinjock charade
Ocracoke-vs-the King of Spain
The true story of Rasmus Midgett
The cora tree
Ephraim's light
The ghostly hornpipe
Sir William Shakespeare's wreck
Doctor Dillard's treasure
East Lake accommodation
The magic lute
The sea angel

Genres: Nonfiction, Historical, Folklore, Short Stories

175 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1989

About the author

CHARLES H. WHEDBEE was born and still resides in Greenville, North Carolina. He was educated at the University of North Carolina, taking his law degree in 1932. He has been Solicitor of Pitt County Court and now serves as Municipal Court Judge in Greenville. He began telling legends of the coastal area on WNCT-TV in Greenville, as a panelist on the "Carolina Today" progrm. He and his wife and their dog, Chief Manteo of Roanoke, spend a large part of their summers at Nag's Head, where Judge Whedbee has been a regular since infancy.

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice read for summer.. I have read several before. I was particularly interested in the Coinjock mystery since I lived in an apt. right on the inter-coastal waterway and near the bridge referenced in the story.

I borrowed the book to cite the famous story by now deceased Judge Whedbee that he and his friend, while on summer break from Carolina law school in the early 1930's personally may (MAY) have drank from Blackbeard's head--which was allegedly taken after he was decapitated in Ocracoke harbor (he was, in 1718) and then silver plated into a chalice.

Judge Whedbee loved the Outer Banks at a time without massive development, 15 room "superhouses" in Duck, Corolla and Nags Head. I remember a simpler time as well.

[Joe Vess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished the last of the series that I have, I think there are a couple of more. Good comfort reading for anyone missing the NC coast, and the stories that go along with it. The writing is good, if not exceptional, but the stories are told with enthusiasm and joy. It made we want to do a tour of all the places mentioned, to go back and re-visit Bath, Ocracoake, Edenton, New Bern and the rest. Good, fun reading.

[Ryan Frantz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun summer read.

[Linzee G · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved learning about the plentiful legends with historic impact and their relation to locations near me. I hope to visit some of these locations with this new knowledge of their depth, especially the bleeding arch in New Bern. This book felt magical and instilled whimsy. I do wish that there were more stories about Blackbeard, which is why I bought the book. My favorite story was about Rasmus Midgett.

[LOVEROFBOOKS · Rating 4 out of 5]

He really knows how to tell a good story! I enjoyed this book except for one or two stories but I would read more of his work. I have never been to the Outer Banks but he made them come alive for me in the stories.

[David Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

More classic short stories from coastal North Carolina.

[Zack · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5