The Grave: From Ghost Stories at Americanfolklore.net

A Califonia Ghost Story

retold by

S. E. Schlosser

A young woman lay suffering on her deathbed, her stillborn baby lying against her chest. Her young husband crouched close, stricken with grief. His beautiful wife crooned a lullaby to her dead baby, her voice growing fainter as death drew near. Finally, she looked at her husband and asked him to bury her back East, beside her dead mother. Choked with grief, the young husband agreed.

But after his wife lay still in death, her husband could not bear to be parted from her and their dead child. He had them buried together beneath a lonely pine tree on a gently sloping knoll near their home, where he could visit the grave. As spring drew near, fragrant wildflowers bloomed across the knoll and the small grave.

One night, the husband threw himself across the flower-strewn grave, head buried in his arms as he tried to control his grief. As he lay there, the stillness of the night seemed to deepen. A light breeze tousled his hair and swayed the branches of the pine tree. At that moment, he heard a soft voice crooning a lullaby. He started upright, searching about for his wife. He heard a gurgle from an infant, a happy sound of contentment. Then the breeze died away, and the branches of the pine tree stilled. Then a shining light seemed to descend from the dark sky and hover over the young husband and the small grave under the tree. The husband heard the singing again, and the happy laugh of a small child. And then there was darkness. The husband went home that night with peace in his heart for the first time since the death of his wife.

People say that on dark, summery nights you can still hear the young mother singing a lullaby, and hear the happy chuckles of her tiny child.

A young husband wrestles with his grief and his guilt when he denies his wife's dying wish in Spooky California by S.E. Schlosser.

Comments

wow thats crazy

Posted by: corrine | July 31, 2010 02:47 PM

This isn't scary, it's sad. :(

Posted by: Anna | August 1, 2010 01:07 PM

that was sad and happy at the same time atleast the man had a piece of his heart again

Posted by: taylor | August 5, 2010 01:16 PM

That is a creepy story and i want ot print it out. I wonder how. I have made my own creepy stories too. I am even scared of my own stories. {shudder} {sigh} {shudder}

Posted by: Shirley Williams | August 8, 2010 03:17 PM

does anyone where in california is this?
cuz i wanna visit

Posted by: blah blah | August 28, 2010 12:30 PM

wowowowowowowowowowowow coooooool lub it

Posted by: maleya | September 1, 2010 10:49 AM

scary oooooooooooooooooo

Posted by: jalaci | September 2, 2010 09:40 AM

thats so sad

Posted by: Anonymous | September 11, 2010 12:43 PM

It's in Marina Park, Shirley Williams. I haven't heard of the name of the park. Maybe they renamed it...

Posted by: Marissa | September 16, 2010 10:51 PM

nice i like tttttttttttttthhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiisssssssssssssssssss