At one point in the podcast, Dr. Jerz points out that some of the stories presented in Uncle Remus... could possibly be ancient, changed maybe slightly, but still the same idea, passed down from mouth to mouth. This is the importance of stories: The enduring message that outlives the people and survives to help guide the actions of the living.
In "How to Read Literature Like a Professor" Chapter 5, "there's no such thing as a wholly original work of literature."
Great connection, Valerie!
We also saw this idea in the changes seen in the John Henry tale.