The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

FINGERS IN THE BUTTER

THESE TWO PEOPLE WERE IN AN ATTIC; IT WAS DARK, LONELY,
AND COLD. THEY WERE HUNGRY, SO THEY DECIDED TO GO
DOWNSTAIRS TO GET SOMETHING TO EAT. THEY WAS NOTHING
IN THE KITCHEN, SO THEY WENT DOWN IN THE BASEMENT TO GO
TO THE FRUITCELLAR. IT WAS DARK DOWN THERE. THERE
WERE COBWEBS AND IT WAS VERY SPOOKY. THE ONLY LIGHT
DOWN THERE WAS A CRACK OF LIGHT FROM THE MOON COMING
THROUGH THE WINDOW. THEY FOUND NOTHING BUT A BARREL IN
THE BASEMENT AND IT WAS FULL OF BUTTER. AS THEY LOOKED
AT THE BUTTER, ONE FINGER CAME UP OUT OF IT AND MOVED.
BOTH OF THEM RAN OUT OF THE HOUSE. THEN THEY STOPPED
AND SAID TO THEMSELVES, "THIS IS SILLY. NOTHING LIKE
THAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED." SO THEY WENT DOWN AGAIN
TO LOOK AGAIN, FOR IT MUST HAVE BEEN THE MOONLIGHT
PLAYING TRICKS ON THEM. NOBODY HAD BEEN IN THE CELLAR
FOR AGES. THIS TIME THEY SAW THREE FINGERS IN THE
BUTTER. THIS TIME THEY RAN FASTER THAN THEY EVER HAD
IN THEIR WHOLE LIFE. THEY STOPPED AGAIN AND SAID TO
EACH OTHER, "NO, THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE. WE WON'T SEE IT
THIS TIME." THE GIRL SAID THAT SHE WOULD GO DOWN AND
LOOK AND THEN COME BACK UP AND HE COULD GO DOWN AND
LOOK AND THEY WOULD COMPARE WHAT THEY SAW. SHE WENT
DOWN IN THE BASEMENT AND HE WAITED FOR QUITE A WHILE,
BUT SHE DID NOT COME UP, SO HE WENT DOWN TO SEE WHAT
HAD HAPPENED. HE DIDN'T SEE HER DOWN THERE, BUT SAW
FOUR HANDS IN THE BUTTER. WHAT DO YOU THINK
HAPPENED TO HER?

Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT DOES NOT REMEMBER WHERE SHE LEARNED THIS
BUT THINKS IT WAS ABOUT 1963.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Date learned: 05-12-1965