The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

BLOODY BONES

THERE WAS THIS LITTLE BOY AND HIS MOTHER SENT HIM TO
THE STORE TO GET SOME LIVER. BUT INSTEAD THE LITTLE
BOY BOUGHT CANDY. ON HIS WAY HOME HE PASSED A GRAVEYARD
AND DECIDED TO GO DIG UP A LIVER TO TAKE HOME. HE CAME
TO A HEADSTONE WITH THE NAME BLOODY BONES ON IT AND BEGAN
TO DIG. AT DINNER, EVERYONE RAVED ABOUT HOW GOOD THE
LIVER WAS. AFTER DINNER EVERYONE WENT TO BED, BUT WHILE
THE BOY WAS SLEEPING HE HEARD A VOICE. THE VOICE SAID,
"BLOODY BONES GONNA GET YA TONIGHT. BLOODY BONES IN
YOUR CLOSET TONIGHT." FRIGHTENED, THE BOY RAN INTO THE
KITCHEN, BUT THE VOICE FOLLOWED AND SAID, "BLOODY BONES
GONNA GET YA TONIGHT. BLOODY BONES IN THE KITCHEN TONIGHT."
HE TRIED TO ESCAPE BY GOING INTO HIS PARENTS' ROOM BUT
BLOODY BONES FOLLOWED HIM. FINALLY, BLOODY BONES KILLED
HIM AND TOOK HIS LIVER.

Submitter comment: THE STORY WAS TOLD TO THE INFORMANT TO FRIGHTEN HER INTO
OBEYING. IF SHE DID SOMETHING WRONG HER GRANDFATHER
WOULD SAY, "BLOODY DONES GONNA GET YA!"

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): COMPENSATION AND POETIC JUSTICE ; FUNCTION

Date learned: 04-00-1983