The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

YOU KNOW HOW IT IS IN THE OLDEN DAYS; IT WAS CUSTOMARY
TO SIT WITH A DEAD PERSON. WELL, THERE WERE THESE
SIX GUYS KEEPING WATCH. THIS HAPPENED IN POLAND
MANY YEARS AGO. AS THEY WERE SITTING THERE, THEY
KEPT DRINKING. ONE OF THE GROUP HAD TO GO TO THE
OUT-HOUSE. WHILE HE WAS GONE THE OTHER GUYS DECIDED TO
PLAY A JOKE ON HIM. SO THEY SAID, "LET'S TAKE THE
CORPSE OUT OF THE COFFIN AND ONE OF US WILL LAY IN
THE COFFIN." THEY ALL AGREED. SO THEY TOOK OUT THE
CORPSE AND PUT IT BEHIND THE DOOR. ONE OF THE GUYS
CLIMBED IN THE COFFIN AND PRETENDED LIKE HE WAS DEAD.
WHEN THE GUY WHO WENT TO THE OUT-HOUSE CAME BACK IN,
THE GUY IN THE COFFIN STARTED GETTING UP VERY SLOWLY.
THE POOR GUY GOT SO SCARED HE DROPPED DEAD.

Submitter comment: THIS WAS COLLECTED 4/9/67 FROM MR. SWEROCK, WHO WAS
RECALLING STORIES TOLD HIM BY HIS FATHER, A NATIVE
OF POLAND.

Where learned: POLAND ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED ; WYANDOTTE

Date learned: 04-09-1967