The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

BELIEF

THIS BOY WAS GOING TO HIS COUSIN'S TO GO FISHING WITH THEM.
WHEN HE GOT OFF THE TRAIN, NOBODY WAS THERE TO MEET HIM, SO
HE TOLD THE TRAINMASTER THAT HE WOULD WALK. THE TRAINMASTER
THEN SAID, "BEWARE OF JACOB MARLEY." THE BOY DIDN'T
UNDERSTAND WHAT HE MEANT, BUY HE STARTED WALKING TOWARD HIS
COUSIN'S HOUSE. IT WAS RAINING AND THUNDERING WHEN HE SET
OUT. HE HADN'T BEEN WALKING VERY LONG WHEN HE HEARD A
WAGON AND HORSES BEHIND HIM. HE SAW AN OLD MAN DRIVING AN
OLD WAGON. WHEN THE WAGON CAME NEARER, HE YELLED OUT, "CAN
I HAVE A RIDE?" NO ANSWER CAME FROM THE MAN, SO THE BOY
JUMPED ON. WHEN HE WAS NEARING HIS COUSIN'S HOUSE HE SAID,
"GET OFF HERE," BUT THE WAGON KEPT GOING. HE JUMPED OFF,
BUT HE HAD LEFT HIS SUITCASE ON THE WAGON. HE WENT IN AND
TOLD HIS COUSINS ALL ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED. THEY SAID,
"YOU MUST OF BEEN RIDING WITH JACOB MARLEY." THIS IS THE
STORY THEY TOLD HIM: ONE NIGHT IT WAS THUNDERING AND
LIGHTNING AND IT WAS RAINING VERY BAD. JACOB MARLEY WAS
DRIVING HIS CARRIAGE ALONG THAT SAME ROAD THAT NIGHT.
THERE WAS A SHARP RIGHT TURN ABOVE THEIR HOUSE AND MARLEY
HAD GONE OVER THE CLIFF. THE NEXT MORNING THEY WENT DOWN
TO THE CLIFF AND FOUND HIS SUITCASE.

Submitter comment: REASON COLLECTED: CLASS ASSIGNMENT

Where learned: NOT GIVEN

Date learned: 03-07-1969