The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

THE PRIEST'S VISITOR

ONCE UPON A TIME ON A COLD WINTER NIGHT IN A SMALL
TOWN A VISITING PRIEST CAME TO THE OLD CHURCH RECTORY.
WHEN HE CAME TO THE DOOR THE PASTOR WAS ON HIS WAY OUT.
AFTER A BRIEF INTRODUCTION, THE PASTOR HAD EXPLAINED
THAT HE HAD TO GO ON A SICK CALL TO A NEIGHBORING VILLAGE
AND WITH THE WEATHER THE WAY IT WAS, HE WOULD PROBABLY
NOT BE BACK UNTIL LATER ON THE FOLLOWING DAY. THE
YOUNG PRIEST SAID HE WOULD MAKE HIMSELF AT HOME AND TAKE
CARE OF THE MORNING MASSES. LATER THAT NIGHT, THE PRIEST
BEGAN TO HEAR NOICES AND GROANS COMING FROM THE BASEMENT.
HE HELD HIMSELF TOGETHER AND WENT DOWN INTO THE BASE-
MENT. THERE HE FOUND A MAN WITH A BLANKET WRAPPED AROUND
HIM IN THE CORNER OF THE COLD BASEMENT. AS THE PRIEST
TRIED TO QUESTION THE MAN BETWEEN HIS GROANS OF PAIN, HE
PIECED TOGETHER THAT THE MAN HAD COME THROUGH AN UNLOCKED
WINDOW IN SEARCH OF WARMTH FROM THE COLD. NOW HE WAS
DYING. THE YOUNG PRIEST HEARD THE MAN'S CONFESSION AND
GAVE HIM THE LAST SACRAMENTS. SOON, HE DIED.
THE NEXT DAY THE PASTOR RETURNED. BEFORE THE PRIEST
TOLD HIS EXPERIENCES OF THE NIGHT BEFORE THE PASTOR
SAID, "IN MY HASTE I FORGOT TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE CORPSE
WRAPPED IN THE BLANKET IN THE BASEMENT. THE TOWN MEN
FOUND HIM FROZEN TO DEATH IN THE WOODS, A VAGRANT WE
GUESS. WE'LL NEVER KNOW. WE WOULD HAVE BURIED HIM
BUT THE GROUND WAS TOO HARD TO DIG."

Where learned: NOT GIVEN

Date learned: WHILE COLLECTOR WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL