The witness heard a few unusual stories as a boy growing up in the foothills of Tennessee Appalachia, but he never forgot old Joe's tale about the 'little people' in the mountain. Then one Christmas morning, he discovered something that still puzzles him to this day
"Hello - I have a weird story I'd like to present for your consideration. There is no explanation as to what occurred, though I personally believe the supernatural was at play.
It was the Christmas season in 1958. My parents and I lived in a small home in eastern Tennessee. We survived on what little money my Mother could make doing odd jobs for other people in the area. My Father was wounded during the Korean War and he received a monthly pension from the government. I was 8 years old at the time. After school, I would work around the house and help care for my Father. I knew that money was tight and figured there wouldn't be any gift-giving that year, but we made the best with what we had.
A few day before Christmas Day, I was laying in bed and started hearing noises coming from outside my window. It sounded like children playing and laughing. I got out of bed and looked out the window. I noticed several blue lights bobbing about in my Mother's garden. I went and woke my Mother. She got up and we walked out onto the porch. We both clearly witnessed the blue lights moving up & down above the garden. It was very cold, so we went back into the house and watched from my bedroom window. The lights were there for over an hour and continued moving about. We were very tired, so we both went back to sleep.
In the morning, we were sitting at the table eating breakfast. My parents were discussing the blue lights. My Father said that he heard of a similar occurrence when he was a boy. The deacon at his church commented to several of his congregation that he noticed blue lights outside the rectory one evening. His explanation was that these were angels watching over the church. The next few nights I watched for the lights but they never returned.
On Christmas Eve a few family friends stopped by the house during the day to wish us happy holidays. My friend Larry came over also. We listened to the radio for most of the afternoon. Neither one of us had ever had a television in our homes. I mentioned that it would be nice to have one but I knew that we could never afford it. I told Larry about the blue lights and the story that my Father had told me. Larry said that his Uncle Joe told him the same story about the blue lights outside the church rectory, so I figured that must have actually happened. Larry also said that his Uncle Joe mentioned that there were 'little people' with big heads and large eyes who lived in the mountains. I asked Larry if his Uncle Joe had ever seen these 'little people.' Larry said that he didn't think so.
That evening my parents and I were sitting in the front room when we heard what sounded like footsteps on the porch. My father went to investigate, but he didn't see anything unusual. I then told them what Larry's Uncle Joe had told him. My Father just smiled and said that old Joe told a lot of 'good' stories though most were just not true. My Father then said that he remembered a story that old Joe told him one day.
My Father said that old Joe told him that the 'little people' of the mountain would bring gifts to folks they liked. He said that old Joe thought that the 'little people' were really aliens because he had seen lights fly off the mountain at night. I prodded my Father to tell me more but he said old Joe told too many stories that were flat out lies. It was about 10 PM so I was sent off to bed since we were going to church on Christmas morning.
I woke in the middle of the night to get a drink of water. I didn't notice the time but I believe it was around 1 am or so. I walked out of my room and into the hallway. I noticed that same giggling and laughing I had heard the night I witnessed the blue lights. The sound was coming from the front room. I slowly walked down the hallway and peered around the corner. There was nothing there, but I did see a square shape on the floor by the bookshelf. I turned on the room light. It was a brand new television set - a Motorola. I remember letting out a scream and hearing my mother running down the hallway. She saw me standing in front of the bookshelf, not knowing what was going on. Then she noticed the television. I can still remember the strange look on her face. She turned and ran back into her bedroom yelling all the way. I could hear her asking about the television, while my Father answered 'what television?'
We sat in the front room just staring at the television, occasionally looking at each other. We never did figure out how it got there. I'd like to think it was the 'little people' in the mountain. In fact, that's what old Joe told everybody who'd listen." - MM
Ghosts and Haunts from the Appalachian Foothills: Stories and Legends
Appalachian Folklore Omens, Signs and Superstitions
More Appalachian Folk Stories
Travels with Foxfire: Stories of People, Passions, and Practices from Southern Appalachia (Foxfire Series)
Witches, Ghosts, and Signs: Folklore of the Southern Appalachians
Lon's Suggested Reading List - Books & Films / DVDs
