Dr. James T. Callow publications
Browse by
Questions or comments on this site? Please email davidsor@udmercy.edu.
The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for P447 returned 1 result.
Tale of Kate Elshender
A woman in the highlands, Named Kate Elshender, went to
a quarry hole to wash her clothes. As she passed the
village shop, she went in and bought a half pound of
soap and proceeded to wash; the soap slipped from her
hands, and she went back and bought another half pound.
The shopkeeper warned her to be careful, remembering the
old superstition...(when soap slips from your hand it
means death)...It slipped from her hands once again and
she returned for a third half pound of soap. This time
the shopkeeper was thoroughly frightened and begged her
not to go back again, but Kate went. Shortly after the
shopkeeper went to the quarry to find no one there. She
gave the alarm, and Kate Elshender was discovered drowned
at the bottom of the quarry hole.
Where learned: ENGLAND ; LONDON
Keyword(s): BAD LUCK
| Subject headings: | Observation PROSE NARRATIVE -- Still water Small body. Lake, pond.... BELIEF -- P447 BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial BELIEF -- Measure of time Working |
Date learned: 00-00-1991