The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

THE VIPER STORY

A COUPLE HAD JUST GOTTEN MARRIED AND THEY LOOKED FOR AN APARTMENT
TO LIVE IN. THEY FOUND ONE ON THE SEVENTH FLOOR OF AN APARTMENT
BUILDING AND TWO DAYS LATER THEY MOVED IN. THE FIRST NIGHT THEY
WERE THERE THEY WERE SITTING IN THE LIVING ROOM WHEN THEY HEARD A
STRANGE SOUND FROM THE FIRST FLOOR. THERE WAS THIS VOICE CALLING
VERY MOURNFULLY, I'M THE VIPER. THEY GOT A LITTLE WORRIED BUT DIDN'T
THINK MUCH OF IT TIL THEY REALIZED THAT THE VOICE WAS COMING CLOSER.
THEY HEARD IT ON THE SECOND FLOOR SAYING, I'M THE VIPER. SOON THEY
HEARD IT EVEN CLOSER, ON THE THIRD FLOOR SAYING, I'M THE VIPER. BY
NOW THEY WERE PRETTY SCARED AND THE HUSBAND VENTURED OUT INTO THE
HALL WHERE HE COULD HEAR FOOTSTEPS COMING UP THE STAIRS FROM BELOW
AND HE STAYED THERE TIL HE HEARD I'M THE VIPER COMING FROM THE
FOURTH FLOOR. THEN HE RAN BACK INTO THE ROOM. BY THIS TIME THE
FOOTSTEPS WERE AUDIBLE EVEN INSIDE THE APARTMENT AND THEY LISTENED
WHILE IT CLIMBED TO THE FIFTH FLOOR, AND IT SAID I'M THE VIPER.
THEN IT SLOWLY CLIMBED THE STAIRS TO THE SIXTH FLOOR AND SAID I'M
THE VIPER. NOW IT WAS GETTING VERY CLOSE AND THEY HEARD EACH STEP
AS IT CLIMBED TO THEIR FLOOR. THEY COULD HEAR IT STOP OUTSIDE THEIR
DOOR AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE DOOR FLEW OPEN AND A LITTLE MAN
CAME IN AND SAID, I'M THE VINDOW VIPER, VANT YOUR VINDOWS VIPED?

Submitter comment: THIS STORY IS TOLD VERY OMINOUSLY WITH THE I'M THE VIPERS BEING
A LITTLE LOUDER AND MORE HAUNTING EACH TIME. IT ALSO HELPS TO THROW
IN THE SOUND OF STAIRS BEING CLIMBED AT APPROPRIATE TIMES.

Where learned: ILLINOIS ; WESTCHESTER

James Callow Keyword(s): PUN WIPER ; VIPER=SNAKE ANIMAL

Date learned: 00001960S