The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

MY MOTHER USED TO TELL THE STORY ABOUT MY DAD AND SOME
OF HIS OLD CRONIES. THEY USED TO GO INTO TOWN EVERY
NIGHT AND HAVE A FEW DRINKS. YA SEE THEY LIVED ON A
FARM. WELL, THEY KNOWED THIS OLD MAN WHO HAD A DOG.
HE USED TO COME HOME EVERY NIGHT AND HIS DOG WOULD
RUN OUT TO MEET HIM. THEN THEY'S SIT ON THE STEPS
AND THE MAN WOULD PAT HIM AND TALK SOME WITH MY DAD
AND THE OTHER MEN. WELL THIS MAN DIED. AFTER THAT,
EVERY NIGHT AT THE TIME THE FELLOWS WOULD BE WALKING
HOME, THAT DOG USED TO RUN OUT TO THAT SAME SPOT IN THE
ROAD WHERE HE USED TO MEET HIS MASTER. THEN HE'D RUN
BACK TO THE STEPS STOPPIN' EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE AND
MAKE JUST AS IF THE OLD MAN WERE PATTIN' HIM. THE
DOG WOULD RUN TO THE STEPS AND LAY DOWN JUST LIKE
HE ALWAYS DID. HE'D WAG HIS TAIL, AND BARK JUST AS
IF THE MAN WAS TALKIN' TO HIM. MY DAD AND HIS FRIENDS
REALLY BELIEVE THAT THAT DOG WAS SURE ENOUGH SEEIN'
THE OLD MAN'S GHOST.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Date learned: NOT GIVEN