The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

COW

A COW WOULDN'T EAT AND CHASED ITS TAIL, SO THE OWNER
MILKED HER AND PUT THE MILK ON THE STOVE AND BEAT IT
WITH A SWITCH. THEN THE SPELL-CASTER CAME WITH
SWITCH MARKS ON HIS FACE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Date learned: 10-00-1971

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PAN TWARDOWSKI

THE POLISH NOBLEMAN AND SORCERER, TWARDOWSKI (OCCASIONALLY
REFERRED TO AS THE "POLISH FAUST") SOLD HIS SOUL TO THE
DEVIL IN EXCHANGE FOR POWERS IN ALCHEMY. IT WAS ONLY
THROUGH LAST MINUTE REPENTENCE AND INVOCATION OF
THE BLESSED VIRGIN THAT HE ESCAPED HIS INFERNAL
REWARD, BUT WAS FORCED TO SPEND THE ETERNITY ON
THE MOON--HALFWAY BETWEEN HEAVEN AND HELL.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT

Date learned: 10-11-1972

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LEGENDARY ECCENTRIC

ABOUT 75 YEARS AGO IN COUNTY CLARE, IRELAND, THERE LIVED
AN OLD WOMAN NAMED BIDDY EARLY. SHE WAS AN ECCENTRIC,
AND MANY STORIES GREW UP ABOUT HER. EVERYTHING THAT
WENT WRONG IN THE COUNTY WAS BLAMED ON BIDDY, AND PEOPLE
BEGAN TO CONSIDER HER A WITCH. EVEN TODAY, PARENTS
IN COUNTY CLARE WARN MISBEHAVING CHILDREN, "BIDDY
EARLY WILL GET YOU."

Submitter comment: I COLLECTED THIS STORY FROM FATHER HAYES OF THE PALLOTINE
FATHERS. HE GREW UP IN COUNTY CLARE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; IRELAND ; WYANDOTTE

Date learned: 00001963 WINTER ; 00-00-1888

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ALL OVER THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, SOME NORMAL PEOPLE,
WHILE ASLEEP, TURN INTO WITCHES. THIS HAPPENS AT
EVERY FULL MOON. THEY TUCK THE NORMAL SKIN UNDER
THEIR NEW SKIN AND GO OUT AND DO EVIL THINGS, I.E.,
EATING BABIES AND PLUCKING THE EYES OUT OF PEOPLE.
BEFORE DAWN, THESE PEOPLE RETURN BACK TO NORMAL
AND REMEMBER NOTHING.

Where learned: HOME ; DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Date learned: 10-11-1972

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TALE

A BOY AND HIS SISTER ARE WALKING THROUGH A FOREST AND THEY CAME TO
A STREAM. THE BOY BENDS OVER TO TAKE A DRINK BUT THE GIRL TELLS
HIM NOT TO BECAUSE IT'S ENCHANTED. HE DIDN'T LISTEN TO HER AND HE
TURNED INTO A DEER. SHE TOOK A LITTLE BELL AND PUT IT AROUND HIS
NECK AND THEY WENT TO LIVE IN A COTTAGE BY THE EDGE OF THE FOREST.
FOR A LONG TIME EVERYBODY TRIES TO KILL THE DEER BECAUSE IT IS
SUCH A BEAUTY. ONE DAY THE OLD KING DIED AND HIS YOUNG SON BECAME
KING. HE DECIDED HE WAS GOING TO CAPTURE THE DEER AND HAVE HIM
FOR A BANQUET. SO HE SENT OUT SPIES TO FIND OUT WHERE IT WAS THAT
THE DEER ALWAYS DISAPPEARED TO. THE SPIES SAID THAT THE DEER
ALWAYS WENT INTO A COTTAGE BY THE EDGE OF THE FOREST.
ONE DAY THE GIRL HAD GONE OUT TO GET SOME FOOD. WHEN SHE CAME
BACK SHE SAW THAT THERE HAD BEEN A STRUGGLE IN THE COTTAGE AND THE
LITTLE BELL WAS LYING ON THE FLOOR. SHE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO
BUT A BIRD TOLD HER THAT THE DEER HAD BEEN TAKEN TO THE CASTLE FOR
A BANQUET. SHE HURRIED TO THE KING, FORCED HER WAY PAST ALL THE
GUARDS, AND TOLD THE YOUNG KING THE WHOLE STORY. HE SAID, "HOW
CAN YOU PROVE IT?" SO SHE ASKED HIM TO TAKE HER TO THE DEER.
WHEN THE DEER SAW HER HE RUSHED RIGHT UP AND STARTED LICKING HER.
HE HAD BEEN MEAN TO EVERYONE ELSE SO THE KING KNEW SHE WAS TELLING
THE TRUTH. THE KING SENT OUT HIS SPIES TO CATCH THE OLD WITCH WHO
HAD ENCHANTED THE FOREST. THEY CAUGHT HER AND JUST BEFORE THEY
KILLED HER, HER IRON NOSE FELL OFF. AS SOON AS IT DID THE DEER
WAS CHANGED INTO A BOY AGAIN. THE KING DECIDED TO MARRY THE GIRL
AND THAT'S THE END OF THE STORY.

Submitter comment: MISS DAMIN'S HUNGARIAN GRANDMOTHER TOLD HER THIS TALE WHEN SHE
WAS A YOUNG GIRL.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HUNGARY ; DETROIT

Date learned: 01-00-1964

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DEVIL'S KITCHEN

ON MACKINAC ISLAND IN MICHIGAN, THERE IS A CAVE-LIKE HOLE IN THE
SIDE OF A HUGE BOULDER. LEGEND HAS IT THAT THE DEVIL AND WITCHES
USED THIS CAVE TO CONJOUR UP THEIR EVIL SPELLS. THE CAVE IS THUS
CALLED "DEVIL'S KITCHEN."

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Date learned: 06-01-1968

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OMEN

IF YOU SEE A BULL FROG, IT'S A WITCH BRINGING A CURSE. YOU SHOULD
PUT THE FROG ON A BOARD (FULCRUM) AND HIT IT INTO THE AIR, SENDING
THE CURSE AWAY.

Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT GOT THIS FROM HER MOTHER WHEN INFORMANT WAS A CHILD.
SHE SAID SHE NEVERR DID THE ACTION DESCRIBED BECAUSE SHE WAS TOO
AFRAID OF THE FROG TO PICK IT UP. SHE JUST RAN AWAY.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN

Date learned: 02-22-1970

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WITCHED

ACCORDING TO MY FATHER, THERE WAS A FAMILY THAT LIVED ON A FARM
NOT FAR FROM THE FARM MY FATHER LIVED ON IN CENTER RIDGE, ARKANSAS
IN WHICH A SON WAS BORN THAT WAS VERY THIN. AS THE MONTHS WORE
ON, THE CHILD DID NOT GET ANY FATTER. THEY SAY THAT HIS ARMS WERE
NO LARGER THAN A MAN'S THUMB. A FEW MONTHS AFTER THE CHILD WAS
BORN, HE DIED. THE FOLKS SAY THAT THE BOY HAD BEEN HEXED BY A
WITCH OR, IN OTHER WORDS, THE BOY WAS WITCHED.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Mount Clemens

Date learned: 10-30-1968

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SOMEONE IN THE HAMBURG MESSERSCHMITT FACTORY HAD PUT A CURSE
ON THE ME-109S OF THE "RICHTHOFEN" WING OF LE HAVE {HARVE},
FRANCE, 1940. THESE PLANES TOOK OFF FOR ENGLAND AND NEVER
RETURNED. (KNOWN AS THE HEX SQUADRON IN THE LUFTWAFFE)--
UNTIL IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT FUMES FROM THE ENGINE HAD
LEAKED INTO THE COCKPIT--EARLY 1941.

Where learned: LUFTWAFFE ; SERIES NUMBER 25 ; ARCO AIRCAM

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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GHOST STORY

THE STORY TAKES PLACE IN SOUTH BEND, INDIANA.
WHERE THE NEW YORK CENTRAL RAILROAD RUNS. IT HAPPENED
YEARS AND YEARS AGO WHEN MEN WALKED THE TRACK CHECKING
THEM AND SIGNALING TRAINS. THE NEW YORK CENTRAL GOES
THROUGH VERY FAST AND KILLED ONE OF THE SIGNALERS. THE
MAN WAS DECAPETATED AND HIS HEAD WAS NEVER FOUND.
SOMETIMES WHEN A PERSON LOOKS DOWN THESE

Submitter comment: MAN DECAPITATED BY A NEW YORK CENTRAL RAILROAD TRAIN IN SOUTH BEND,
INDIANA AND HIS HEAD WAS NOT FOUND.
ITEM CONTINUED ON ONE OR MORE CARDS WHICH HAVE BEEN LOST

Data entry tech comment: AT LEAST ONE 5 X 8 CARD SEEMS TO BE MISSING.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Date learned: 10-20-1971

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