The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

The Mummy's Hand

An editor of a London newspaper bought a box
containing a mummy's hand which had a scarab that
read: "He who removes these names to a foreign land
shall be met with flood, fire, slaughter and in
the end his very bones will be ground to dust."
At first the editor was skeptical but twice his house
was destroyed, first by fire then by flood, and his best
friend was stabbed for no apparent reason and that
hand clenched every time has to foretell him of the
prophecy. He returned it to Egypt and while on a hunting
expedition was trampled to death fulfilling the curse.

Submitter comment: Each time a prediction would come true the hand would clench
as though in defiance of the bearer.

Where learned: MICHIGAN

Date learned: 00001980S