The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

HORSE

MY MOTHER TOLD ME THE STORY THAT SHE BELIEVES TRUE ABOUT AN OLD
WIDOW IN AUSTRIA. THIS WIDOW HAD NO CHILDREN, AND SO SHE HIRED
AN ORPHAN BOY TO FARM HER LAND. SHE DIDN'T PAY HIM MUCH, BUT SHE
GAVE HIM FOOD AND A BED. HE WAS A VERY BIG, HUSKY FELLOW WHEN HE
STARTED TO WORK, BUT SOON HE GREW THIN AND VERY WEAK. HE WAS FAIL-
ING SO MUCH IN HEALTH THAT THE NEIGHBORS BEGAN TO SUSPECT THAT
SOMETHING WAS WRONG. THEY THOUGHT THAT THE OLD LADY WAS A WITCH,
AND THAT SHE WAS IN SOME WAY HARMING THE BOY. THEY SET A TRAP FOR
HER, AND SURE ENOUGH, THEY DISCOVERED THAT EVERY NIGHT AFTER THE
BOY WENT TO SLEEP, THE WIDOW TURNED HIM INTO A HORSE AND HAD HIM
WORK HER FARM. A FEW MINUTES BEFORE IT WAS TIME FOR HIM TO WAKE
UP, SHE WOULD CHANGE HIM BACK TO A BOY. THIS WAS THE REASON WHY
HE WAS SO WEAK, HE WAS WORKING TOO HARD AND GETTING NO SLEEP.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT