The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

A STORY IN JEST

THERE ONCE WAS AN OLD COUPLE WHO HAD BEEN MARRIED MANY
YEARS AND WERE VERY HAPPY TOGETHER. ONE DAY, THE OLD
WOMAN DIED AND HER HUSBAND FELT SO BADLY ABOUT IT, THAT
HE COULDN'T BRING HIMSELF TO BURY HER, SO HE PUT HER IN
A COFFIN AND PLACED IT UP IN THE ATTIC. ONE STORMY
NIGHT, WHEN THE WIND WAS HOWLING AND THE SHUTTERS WERE
BANGING, THE OLD MAN HEARD A TERRIBLE RUMBLING UP IN
THE ATTIC. SUDDENLY, THE ATTIC DOOR BURST OPEN AND
THE COFFIN STARTED COMING DOWN THE STAIRS. THE OLD MAN
GRABBED HIS GUN AND STARTED WILDLY SHOOTING AT IT, BUT
THE COFFIN WOULDN'T STOP. FINALLY, IN DESPERATION, HE
REACHED INTO HIS POCKET AND TOOK OUT A COUGH DROP AND
THE COUGHIN' STOPPED.

Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT LEARNED THIS STORY AS A YOUNG BOY AT
SUMMER CAMP. STORIES OF THIS TYPE WERE REGULARLY
EXCHANGED AMONG BOYS AT THAT TIME (ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO.)

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT