The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

{THE FATAL HAIRDO}

THERE WAS A WOMAN WHO WENT TO THE BEAUTY PARLOR TO GET A "BEE HIVE"
HAIRDO. THE HAIR IS RATTED AND PLACED ON A WAXED PAPER CONE AND
BUILT INTO A HIVE SHAPE. THERE WERE COCKROACH EGGS ON THE PAPER
AND THE WOMAN DIDN'T BOTHER TO WASH HER HAIR FOR A FEW WEEKS,
THE EGGS HATCHED. THE WOMAN AT FIRST THOUGHT THE ITCHING WAS DUE
TO HER NOT HAVING WASHED HER HAIR FOR SUCH A LONG TIME. IN FACT,
THE COCKROACHES ATE THROUGH TO HER BRAIN AND SHE DIED. PEOPLE
DISCOVERED THE COCKROACHES AFTER SHE HAD DIED.

Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT HEARD THIS STORY WHILE LIVING IN A SMALL TOWN IN
WESTERN OHIO, BELLEVUE, AROUND 1959.

Where learned: OHIO ; DETROIT ; BELLEVUE

James Callow Keyword(s): DEVASTATING COCKROACHES, NOT SPIDERS

Date learned: 09-20-1972

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