# Rawhide & Bloody Bones



## The Grumpy Celt (Sep 18, 2006)

I am search for at least a decent copy/text of the story of rawhide and bloody bones, an old and very traditional American ghost stoy/scary folktale.

To my irritation and surpise, I can't find a copy on-line. Oh, I can find books about the story, and articles and essays about the story. But not the d**med story itself.   

In any event, while I can make up my version of the story, I would rather get an "original" version.

Can anyone point me to a good ghost story and/or folktales site where I can find this story?


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## Fast Learner (Sep 18, 2006)

I don't think there is such a thing. It's like trying to find the original story of "the boogeyman," it's more of a cultural concept than based in a particular story.

At least that's what my googling indicates.


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## The Grumpy Celt (Sep 18, 2006)

I'm not looking for a difinitive version of the story. I know there is not an original version in the same way there is for, oh say, _A Tale of Two Cities_. I'm just looking for any version of the American story of Rawhide and Bloodbones. So far online all I've found are people talking about the story and books for sale about the story, but not the story itself. I don't expect anyone to do my work for me, but if you already know where I can find this story online, please tell me.


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## frankthedm (Sep 19, 2006)

Bloody Bones
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bloody Bones is a hobgoblin feared by children.

According to Scott Andrew Hutchins [1] Bloody Bones comes from Ireland and is sometimes called Rawhead and Bloody-Bones, Tommy Rawhead, or "Rawhead". Though the stories originated from Ireland, they have spread through the UK and North America, and the stories still hold strong in the south.

He is said to live near places of water (in older tellings) and under sink pipes (in newer tellings). Rawhead and Bloodybones rewards very good children, but will punish naughty children by dragging them down the drainpipes or into the water and drowning them. In addition to drowning naughty children, he is said to be able to turn them into objects such as pieces of trash or spots of jam, which are inadvertently cleaned-up and thrown out by unwitting parents.

[edit]
Appearance
Hutchins quotes Georges McHargue as saying that Bloody Bones "is rumored to have a crouching form like a rock. He is covered all over with matted hair, has pale flat eyes, and lives in dark cupboards," (86) [2].

His appearance varies greatly depending on the telling. He is described as looking like:

A crouching rock-like hairy creature 
A gremlin with twisted flesh 
A dog or old man covered in scabs 
A burn victim, but with sharp claws and teeth 
A hairy creature with long fangs, a bushy tale, and razor claws 
In some tellings, he can take any form he chooses 
[edit]
Modern Appearances
Bloody Bones is Monster in My Pocket #68.

Clive Barker's Rawhead Rex is derived from the mythological figure.

Rawhead-and-Bloody Bones is one of the main villainous figures in the Courtney Crumrin comics (and the only villain so far to live), presented as a nigh-unkillable being immune to all curses, who enjoys slaughter and whose lair contains the still-living skulls of his victims. He was summoned to do the dirty work of a warlock; Courtney Crumrin eventually retaliated by doing the same thing and having Rawhead kill him.

A version of Bloody Bones appears in the Anita Blake novel Bloody Bones.

Tommy Rawhead appears in the 2000AD comic strip London Falling by Simon Spurrier, appearing to be a bearded homeless man in London; when he takes his hat off, he is revealed as having no skin on his scalp (in effect, a raw head).

Rawhead and Bloodybones is described in a song of the same name on the Siouxsie and the Banshees album Peep Show (1988). Here's Rawhead and Bloodybones Reaching from dark cupboard Crouching under stair, Lurking in chimney, Pond or well We're down here, Held here Dragged here And drowned here by Rawhead and Bloodybones.

In Supernatural episode 1.12 "Faith," the monster Sam and Dean are fighting in the beginning is referred to as a Rawhead.

[edit]
References
↑  http://mywebpages.comcast.net/scottandrewh/bb.html 
↑  McHargue, Georges. The Impossible People. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1972, 86. 
This article incorporates text from the public domain 1907 edition of The Nuttall Encyclopaedia.


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## TheAuldGrump (Oct 30, 2007)

By the spirit, flesh and sinews of Bloody Bones I call you forth, oh thread of undeath!

Found it. (Sorry, I didn't remember how far back it was when someone asked about the story....)

The Auld Grump


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## The Grumpy Celt (Oct 30, 2007)

Oh dear God! It's ALIVEEEEE!

Heh.

Thanks.

This is a good version, but not the version I rember my grandfather telling...


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## TheAuldGrump (Oct 31, 2007)

The Grumpy Celt said:
			
		

> Oh dear God! It's ALIVEEEEE!
> 
> Heh.
> 
> ...



Yep, part of oral tradition - make stuff up for your audience. And your grandfather _knew_ his audience.  And when you tell it to your grandchildren then you will change it too.

Right up there with The Golden Arm....

The Auld Grump


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## The Grumpy Celt (Oct 31, 2007)

TheAuldGrump said:
			
		

> Right up there with The Golden Arm....




Whoose goot my gooldeen aarm? (Thump) Whoooose goooot my gooooldeeeen aaaarm? (Thump)


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## Cadie Bandy (Jun 16, 2017)

I know it's been ten years since this thread was commented on but I too have been looking everywhere for that story!  And unfortunately the link posted above no longer works.  Does anyone still have the story?


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## Tonguez (Jun 17, 2017)

Rawhead and Bloody Bones
Steals naughty children from their homes,
Takes them to his dirty den,
And they are never seen again.


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## Dannyalcatraz (Jun 17, 2017)

See also:
http://m.imdb.com/title/tt0091829/


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## Dannyalcatraz (Jun 17, 2017)

See also:
http://m.imdb.com/title/tt0091829/


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