The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

A LEGEND IN JANOWIEC, POLAND

THERE IS A LEGEND OF A PHANTOM INHABITING THE RUINS OF A CASTLE IN
THE VILLAGE OF JANOWIEC, IN CENTRAL POLAND WHERE MY GRANDFATHER
COMES FROM. THE CASTLE HAS BEEN LONG ABANDONED AND ONLY A FACADE
AND A FEW ROOMS ARE LEFT. ONE ROOM IS SAID TO BE THE BLACK LADY'S
WHO LIVED THERE ONCE.
THIS BLACK LADY WAS THE DAUGHTER OF A NOBLE. SHE HAD FALLEN IN
LOVE WITH A MAN OF MUCH LOWER STATUS AND WISHED TO MARRY HIM.
SINCE THIS WAS SOCIALLY UNACCEPTABLE, HER FATHER WAS VERY MUCH
AGAINST THE ROMANCE. TO PUNISH HIS STUBBORN DAUGHTER, HE LOCKED
HER UP IN THE TOWER OF THE CASTLE TO THINK THIS OVER.
SHE WOULD NOT CHANGE HER MIND, BUT INSTEAD MADE PLANS TO CLIMB
DOWN ON KNOTTED SHEETS TO HER LOVER. A SERVANT HAD LEARNED OF HER
PLANS AND ARRANGED FOR HER FATHER TO MEET HER WHEN SHE CLIMBED DOWN.
IN HIS ANGER, THE FATHER THREW HER INTO THE DUNGEON, WHERE SHE
COMMITTED SUICIDE, SINCE THEN HER GHOST HAS BEEN KNOWN TO
INHABIT THE CASTLE IN DOING PENANCE FOR HER DISOBEDIENCE AND
AT TIMES APPEARING TO THE PEOPLE OF JANOWIEC IN THE VALLEY BELOW.

Submitter comment: THIS IS A LEGEND THAT IS KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE AREA OF
JANOWIEC, POLAND AND ITS TOLD TO EVERYONE VISITING THE CASTLE
RUINS.

Data entry tech comment: CORRECTED SPELLING, TOOK OUT COMMAS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN

Keyword(s): MANIFESTATIONS

Date learned: 10-22-1967