The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

MY OLDER BROTHER WAS BORN IN AUSTRIA-HUNGARY IN 1905 RIGHT BEFORE
MY PARENTS CAME TO THIS COUNTRY. HE WAS JUST A FEW MONTHS OLD AND
BECAME DEATHLY ILL. AN OLD GYPSY WOMAN HEARD ABOUT HIS SICKNESS
AND CAME TO SEE MY MOTHER AND ASKED HER IF SHE WANTED MY BROTHER TO
GET WELL AND LIVE. MY MOTHER ANSWERED "YES." THE OLD GYPSY TOLD
HER THAT SHE COULD NOT INTERFERE WITH WHATEVER SHE WANTED TO DO AND
MUST LEAVE THE BABY WITH HER IN ONE ROOM OF THE HOUSE ALL NIGHT LONG
AND THAT THE BABY WOULD BE ALL RIGHT THE NEXT MORNING, BUT THAT
NEITHER MY MOTHER OR DAD SHOULD TRY TO FIND OUT WHAT SHE DID, OR
BOTHER HER THROUGH THE NIGHT REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEY MIGHT HEAR.
MY PARENTS AGREED. THAT NIGHT THEY HEARD MANY VOICES, A LOT OF
MOANING AND MANY STRANGE NOISES, THOUGH THEY DID NOT TRY AND FIND
OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON. THE NEXT MORNING THE OLD GYPSY WOMAN CAME
OUT OF THE BEDROOM WITH MY BROTHER AND HE WAS WELL AND PERFECTLY
ALL RIGHT.

Where learned: OHIO ; CLEVELAND

Date learned: 09-10-1972