The Branscomb Statue, or The Scary Woman In The Trees

Collected by Claire Elizabeth Nanfro (claire.e.nanfro@vanderbilt.edu)

Summary: Two students were walking back to Branscomb late at night from Furman
and one of them saw a person in the trees up ahead. She hits the other persons arm
so that they see the woman as well. When they get closer they both stop to examine the area.
No one is there except for the Branscomb Lady sitting serenly in the darkness. The
students freak out because they both saw a woman standing in the trees. They get back to
Branscomb and tell all their friends about what just happened.

Text: Sam and Kate had to do their Spanish work in the language lab one night. They finally
finished, and were the last people to leave before it closed. They lived in Branscomb and
were walking on the path past Calhoun when Sam started to get nervous. She saw a woman
walking in one of the magnolia trees up ahead. She didn't want to be too obvious so she hit
Kate on the arm to get her attention. Kate followed Sam's hint and looked up the path to see
a woman floating around in the trees. Both girls walked hesistantly pass the trees and started
panicking because there was only the eerily calm statue. After questioning their sanity they ran
back to the dorms and told the story to everyone they knew.

Notes- Carrie and I were remebering our freshmen year fears of the statue, when she
remembered the story that Keith had told her about people seeing the ghost of the
Branscomb lady in the trees. My highschool and my friend's highschool have similar stories,
that will make for a good comparison.

CONTEXT

A. Brief summary of tale: Two students were walking back to
Branscomb late at night from Furman and one of them saw a person in the
trees up ahead. SHe hits the other persons arm so that they see the
woman as well. When they get closer they both stop to examine the area.
No one is there except for the Branscomb Lady sitting serenly in the
darkness. The students freak out because they both saw a woman standing
in the trees. They get back to Branscomb and tell all their friends
about what just happened.
B. Tale type and motifs: Seeing a person and realizing that it
is a ghost
C. Comments on tale: My friends and I did crew our freshman
year, and this story hits home because every morning at four A.M. we
would walk pass this statue and it always mad us nervous.
D. Approximate date informant first heard the tale: Fall of
freshman year
E. Relationship of your informant with the individual from whom
the informant heard the tale: A friend who also attends Vanderbilt

F. Circumstances when tale was first heard: after my informant
mentioned that she found the statue disturbing, when passing by it one
time late at night.
G. Give the following information on your informant:
Age: 20
Sex: female
Place of birth:Springfield, MO
Ethnic group: Caucasian
Languages spoken: French
Religion: catholic
Year in school (or education level if not a
student):junior
Extracurricular jobs?
Date Collected: sept. 14th