The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

MARBLES ON THE UPSTAIRS FLOOR

THE INFORMANT'S AUNT WAS BORN AND RAISED IN IRELAND. SHE HAD
MOVED TO THE U.S. BUT HAD GONE BACK TO IRELAND AFTER THE DEATH
OF ONE OF HER CHILDREN. WHEN RETURNING TO IRELAND, THEY MOVED
INTO A HOUSE IN WHICH THEY DID NOT USE THE SECOND FLOOR. RETURN-
ING ONE EVENING FROM GOOD FRIDAY DEVOTIONS IN CHURCH, THE AUNT
NOTICED A LIGHT MOVING FROM ONE END OF THE HOUSE TO THE OTHER
ON THE SECOND FLOOR. THEY THOUGHT NOTHING OF THE LIGHT AT FIRST,
UNTIL THEY REALIZED THAT THE LIGHT COULD NOT MOVE FROM ONE END
OF THE HOUSE TO THE OTHER WITHOUT GOING THROUGH A COUPLE OF
WALLS. WHEN THEY RETURNED HOME THEY QUESTIONED THE CHILDREN
ABOUT HAVING BEEN UPSTAIRS. THE CHILDREN CLAIMED THAT THEY HAD
NOT BEEN UP THERE. THE FATHER AND TWO BROTHERS WENT UPSTAIRS
TO LOOK AROUND BUT COULD FIND NOTHING. THE DOG WOULD NOT GO
UPSTAIRS. THAT NIGHT THERE WAS A TYPE OF NOISE ON THE FLOOR
UPSTAIRS. THE NOISES CONTINUED EVERY NIGHT, GETTING LOUDER AND
LOUDER AND TURNING INTO SOFT CRIES AND MOANING. THE AUNT HAD THE
HOUSE BLESSED TWICE WITHIN TWO WEEKS TO RID IT OF THE NOISE.
AFTER SOME TIME AS THE NOISE GOT LOUDER, THE PRIEST WAS AGAIN
CALLED TO BLESS THE HOUSE. THE FAMILY WENT TO TOWN AND LOOKED
UP THE HISTORY OF THE PREVIOUS OWNERS OF THE HOUSE. THEY FOUND
THAT THE HOUSE HAD ONCE BEEN OWNED BY A VERY WEALTHY MAN. THIS
MAN'S MAID WENT INSANE AND ONE DAY CHOKED THE TWO LITTLE CHILDREN
TO DEATH BY STUFFING MARBLES DOWN THEIR THROATS. UPON RETURNING
TO THE HOUSE WITH THE PRIEST TO AGAIN BLESS IT, THEY FOUND MARBLES
ON THE UPSTAIRS FLOOR. THESE MARBLES HAD BEEN MAKING THE NOISE
IN THE NIGHT. THE BODIES OF THE TWO CHILDREN HAD BEEN PLACED IN
THEIR TOY CHESTS. THESE CHESTS HAD LONG BEFORE BEEN REMOVED.

Where learned: DETROIT ; IRELAND ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED

Date learned: 03-31-1967