The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

WHEN NANCY WAS FOUR YEARS OLD, SHE AWOKE IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE NIGHT TO SEE A TALL, STRANGE MAN STANDING BY
HER BED. FRIGHTENED AT FIRST, SHE LOST HER FEAR WHEN
HE GENTLY ASKED, "NANCY, HAVE YOU BEEN A GOOD GIRL?"
WHEN SHE SAID SHE HAD, HE WENT AWAY. ONE WEEK LATER,
THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO HER SISTER AGNES, WHO
WAS SEVERAL YEARS OLDER. THE MORNING AFTER THESE
INCIDENTS, THE DOORS WERE FOUND UNLOCKED, BUT
NOTHING ELSE IN THE HOUSE DISTURBED.

Submitter comment: I REMEMBER THE MOTHER OF THESE GIRLS TELLING MY
FAMILY ABOUT THE INCIDENT. SHE FELT THE MAN WAS A
WOULD-BE ROBBER WHO CHANGED HEART WHEN HE SAW THE
LITTLE GIRL'S FRIGHTENED FACES, BUT SHE DIDN'T
KNOW HOW HE KNEW THEIR NAMES.

Where learned: OHIO ; TOLEDO