The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

LEGEND

ON BLISS STREET IN DETROIT, NEIGHBORS TELL OF A LOST TURTLE THAT
WILL ONE DAY RETURN AND GOBBLE
A CHILD BECAUSE IT WILLHAVE GROWN SO
LARGE AND GOTTEN SO OLD AND HUNGRY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS. IT APPEARS
THAT A WOMAN HAD SEVERAL PET TURTLES WHICH SHE LOVED AND TO HELP
GIVE THEM THE EXERCISE THEY NEEDED, SHE WOULD RELEASE THEM
IN HER YARD KEEPING A CAREFUL WATCH OVER THEM SO NO BIRD WOULD ATTAC
OR EAT THEM. ONE DAY, SHE LOST ONE AND THOUGH SHE SEARCHED FOR
HOURS, SHE JUST COULD NOT FIND IT. THE NEIGHBORS ALSO JOINED IN
AND HELPED HER BUT THE TURTLE COULD NOT BE FOUND ANYWHERE. THE
LADY ALWAYS HOPED THAT THE TURTLE WOULD COME BACK AND BE HER
FRIEND, BUT, OF COURSE THE TURTLE NEVER DID AND SO THE LADY HAS FELT
HE WILL COME BACK AT A LATER DATE AND DEVOUR A CHILD IN REVENGE FOR
HER CARELESSNESS IN WATCHING THE LITTLE ANIMAL AND NOT PROTECTING
HIM WHEN HE NEEDED HER HELP.

Where learned: DETROIT

Date learned: 00-00-1979