Jenny and Alfred grew up and fell in love. One day they got married. After their wedding, Alfred said, "Now that we are married, you must tell me about the green ribbon." "You still must wait," said Jenny. "I will tell you when the right time comes." Years passed. Alfred and Jenny grew old. One day Jenny became very sick. The doctor told her she was dying. Jenny called Alfred to her side. "Alfred," she said, "now I can tell you about the green ribbon. Untie it, and you will see why I could not tell you before."
Slowly and carefully, Alfred untied the ribbon, AND JENNY'S HEAD FELL OFF!
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3 comments:
This is just an all-time favorite story.
I think partly because of hearing it read by a teacher for the first time with a whole group of kids; we all got to freak out together.
But also because the elements were simple enough to allow to use it as a go-to 'scary story' afterward. Very easy to embellish, too, if the situation allowed for a little expansion.
I found out many (MANY) years later that the kernel of the idea seems to have been a Washington Irving short story ('The Adventure of the German Student') from the early 1800s.
A meatier tale, and a bit closer to a ghost story, but probably a bit too meandering to have worked the same way for a bunch of 10 year olds.
I never knew that.
I will definitely read that short story.
Yes!!!! I first read this story on your blog. I sent it to my goddaughter, she's a video editor, and asked her if she would record herself reading it for me to add to my low power FM radio station that I operate each October. She did a FANTASTIC job. You'd love it!
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