The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

PHANTOM STORY

ONE NIGHT GUIDO'S FATHER AND GRANDFATHER WERE RIDING
HOME IN A HORSE-DRAWN WAGON WHEN THEY SAW SOMETHING
STRANGE IN THE ROAD UP AHEAD (GUIDO'S FATHER WAS A
YOUNG BOY IN ITALY AT THE TIME). IT LOOKED LIKE A
BALL OF LIGHT AND IT WAS MOVING CLOSER. AS IT MOVED
CLOSER, THE HORSES STARTED TO SPOOK. GUIDO'S
GRANDFATHER REACHED FOR A RIFLE HE HAD IN THE WAGON AND
STARTED TO FIRE AT THE THING. HIS GRANDFATHER WAS SAID
TO BE A GOOD SHOT WITH A RIFLE, BUT THE BULLETS DID
NOTHING. THE HORSES WENT WILD, TIPPED OVER THE WAGON,
BROKE THE HARNESS AND RAN OFF. BOTH WERE THROWN FROM THE
WAGON. GUIDO'S GRANDFATHER GASHED HIS HAND AS HE FELL
ON THE ROAD.
EVENTUALLY, THE BALL OF LIGHT MOVED PAST AND DISAPPEARED,
NEVER TO BE SEEN BY EITHER OF THEM AGAIN. THE HORSES
WERE LATER FOUND IN A DITCH WITH THEIR NECKS BROKEN.
WHEN GUIDO WENT BACK TO ITALY SOME YEARS AGO, HE
SAW THE SCAR THAT MARKS THE GASH HIS GRANDFATHER GOT
ON HIS HAND ON THE STRANGE NIGHT.

Submitter comment: STRANGE BALL OF LIGHT SPOOKS HORSES.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Date learned: 10-15-1971