The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

WITCH

ONE NIGHT I HAPPENED TO WAKE UP. LIGHT FROM THE MOON WAS SHINING
IN THE WINDOW ACROSS THE ROOM. I LOOKED OVER TO THE BED MY TWO
BROTHERS WERE SLEEPING IN. IN BETWEEN MY BROTHERS WAS A WITCH. I
RUBBED MY EYES TO SEE IF I WAS DREAMING, BUT THE WITCH WAS STILL
THERE. THE WITCH TURNED HER HEAD COMPLETELY AROUND WITHOUT MOVING
HER BODY. THEN SHE MOVED TOWARD THE FIREPLACE TO GET OUT OF THE
MOONLIGHT. THEN SHE DISAPPEARED. THE NEXT DAY I TOLD OTHER PEOPLE
ABOUT IT AND THEY SAID THAT IT WAS AN OLD WOMAN THAT LIVED IN THE
SETTLEMENT. I KNEW THE OLD WOMAN. EVERY TIME I MET HER ON THE
ROAD AFTER THAT, I'D SAY TO MYSELF, "THERE'S THAT OLD WITCH," AND
SHE WOULD PASS AND NEVER LOOK OR SPEAK A WORD TO ME. BUT EVERY
TIME I WOULD MEET HER ON THE ROAD ON THE WAY BACK FROM TOWN AND NOT
THINK THAT TO MYSELF, SHE WOULD STOP AND TALK AND BE AS FRIENDLY AS
CAN BE. THIS HAPPENED A NUMBER OF TIMES. EVERY TIME I WOULD SAY
TO MYSELF, "THERE'S THAT OLD WITCH," SHE WOULDN'T EVEN LOOK AT ME,
BUT IF I DIDN'T SAY THAT TO MYSELF, SHE WOULD STOP AND TALK TO ME.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Mount Clemens

Date learned: 11-08-1968