The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

THE MYTH OF THE YELLING WOMAN

DURING THE LATTER PART OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY, A SPANISH SHIP,
RICHLY LADEN WITH RICHES, WAS BESET BY ENGLISH PIRATES, WHO KILLED
EVERY PERSON ON BOARD AT THE TIME OF THE CAPTURE, EXCEPT A
BEAUTIFUL LADY, A PASSENGER ON THE SHIP, WHO WAS BROUGHT ASHORE
AT NIGHT AND BRUTALLY MURDERED AT A LEDGE OF THE ROCKS. AS THE
FISHERMEN WHO LIVED NEAR WERE AWAY IN THEIR BOATS, THE WOMEN AND
CHILDREN, WHO WERE STARTLED FROM THEIR SLEEP BY HER PIERCING SHRIEKS
DARED NOT ATTEMPT A RESCUE. TAKING HER A LITTLE WAY FROM SHORE IN
THEIR BOAT, THE PIRATES FLUNG HER INTO THE SEA AND AS SHE CAME TO
THE SURFACE AND GRABBED FOR THE BOAT, THEY WHACKED AT HER HANDS
WITH CUTLASSES. SHE WAS HEARD TO CRY, LORD, SAVE ME} MERCY} O,
LORD, JESUS, SAVE ME} THE NEXT DAY THE PEOPLE FOUND HER MURDERED
MANGLED BODY ON THE ROCKS AND PREPARED IT FOR BURIAL. IT WAS
INTERRED WHERE IT WAS FOUND, BUT, ALTHOUGH IT WAS LAID IN THE EARTH
WITH CHRISTIAN FORMS, FOR ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS THE VICTIM'S
CRIES AND APPEALS WERE REPEATED, ON EACH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CRIME,
WITH SUCH DISTINCTNESS AS TO SCARE ALL WHO HEARD THEM AND MOST OF
THE CITIZENS OF THAT COMMUNITY CLAIMED TO HEAR THE CRIES AT ONE
TIME OR ANOTHER.

Submitter comment: MRS. ORESTE SAID THAT SHE HEARD ABOUT THIS MYTH FROM HER AUNT WHO
HEARD IT FROM SOMEONE ELSE. SHE FIRST HEARD ABOUT THE TALE ABOUT
THIRTY YEARS AGO AND CLAIMS THAT ANOTHER ONE OF HER RELATIVES
ACTUALLY HEARD THE SHRIEKS OF THE WOMAN.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND HAVEN

Keyword(s): VIOLENT DEATH

James Callow Keyword(s): GORE

Date learned: 09-00-1963