The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

HALLOWEEN PRANKS

THERE IS THIS STORY ABOUT A GROUP OF FRIENDS DOWN SOUTH, WHO HAD
FUN EVERY YEAR, DOING PRANKS ON HALLOWEEN NIGHT. SINCE WHAT THEY
DID WAS BASICALLY CONSIDERED TO BE INNOCENT, THEIR PARENTS REALLY
DIDN'T CARE WHAT THEY DID. ONE OF THESE BOYS HAD THE IDEA ONE
NIGHT TO GO AROUND KNOCKING OVER OUT-HOUSES FOR FUN. SINCE ALL
AGREED THAT THIS WOULD BE FUN THEY ALL RAN OUT AND DID THEIR
THING. ON COMING INTO THE HOUSE, ONE OF THESE BOYS MET HIS
FATHER, WHO AT FIRST SIGHT SLAPPED THE BOY. THE BOY BEING AMAZED
ASKED HIS FATHER "WHAT WAS THAT FOR" AND THE FATHER REPLIED "THAT
WAS FOR KNOCKING OVER THE OUT-HOUSE." THE BOY IMMEDIATELY SHOT
BACK AND SAID "I THOUGHT THAT THESE PRANKS DIDN'T BOTHER YOU" AT
WHICH THE FATHER REPLIED "THEY WOULDN'T, IF I HADN'T BEEN IN THE
OUT-HOUSE WHEN YOU GUYS KNOCKED IT OVER."

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN HEIGHTS