The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

LITTLE MEN

WHEN I WAS ABOUT HIS AGE (POINTS TO 12 YEAR OLD SON)
I WAS THE SOLE SUPPORT OF MY FAMILY OUT ON THE FARM.
IT MEANT I HAD TO DO AN AWFUL LOT OF CHORES; GET UP AT
DAWN, WORK WAY PAST THE SUNSET AND THEN UP AT DAWN AGAIN.
BUT THIS BIG THING THAT BOTHERED ME, WAS THE TROUBLE WITH
THE LITTLE PEOPLE. WE HAD TWO HORSES, ONE WAS AN OLD
FARM HORSE, BILLY I USED TO CALL HER. SHE WAS THE
BIG STRONG FARM KIND, YOU KNOW, THAT DOES ALL THE WORK.
WELL THE OTHER HORSE WE HAD WAS A LIGHT COLORED EX-
CIRCUS HORSE WE GOT CHEAP BECAUSE THEY WERE GOING TO
GET RID OF HER. AT NIGHT I USED TO LOCK HER UP IN
THE BARN AND FOR ALMOST A MONTH EVERY MORNING I'D GO
IN AND SHE'D BE ALL SWEATED UP LIKE SOMEBODY HAD
BEEN RIDING HER HARD ALL NIGHT OUT IN THE PASTURES.
THE OTHER REAL STRANGE PART IS THAT HER MANE WOULD BE
ALL KNOTTED UP. NOW I DON'T MEAN JUST TANGLED--I'VE
SPENT ENOUGH TIME ON FARMS TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE--NO
SIR, THESE WERE KNOTTED AND THE THING WAS THAT THESE WERE
REALLY TINY KNOTS, LIKE SOME ONE WITH REAL TINY HANDS
TIED THEM. IT USED TO TAKE ME HOURS TO COMB AND BRUSH
THEM KNOTS OUT. AND YOU KNOW WHO IT WAS...I HEARD
TELL THAT THE WHOLE AREA WAS FULL OF LITTLE PEOPLE, I
DON'T MEAN LIKE YOUR DWARFS OR IRISH LITTLE PEOPLE, THESE
WERE JUST LITTLE PEOPLE WHO RODE YOUR STOCK AT NIGHT
AND TIED THEIR HAIR ALL UP. I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY
PICKED ON ME THEN OR WHAT. LATER THEY JUST STOPPED
AND I WAS NEVER BOTHERED BY THEM AGAIN.

Submitter comment: RELATED TO COLLECTOR DURING A SERIES OF STORIES
OF INFORMANT'S LIFE ON THE FARM.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Date learned: 01-30-1967