Dead Animals in the Walls

When the Bretzuis family decided to insulate their home in Auburn, Pennsylvania in 2015, they discovered that it had already been—with scores of dead animal carcasses.

As Fox reported:

The dead animals were wrapped in newspapers from the 1930s and 40s and were among half-used spices, and other items.

After removing the items they sent hundreds of artifacts and carcasses to an expert in Kutztown.

The expert attributed the rotting animals in their walls to Pow-wow or Dutch magic, a ritual originating in the culture of the Pennsylvania Dutch to treat ailments and gain physical and spiritual protection. The Pennsylvania Dutch were a group of German-speaking settlers to Pennsylvania in the 1600 and 1700’s, and are often of Lutheran, Mennonite, or Amish faiths.

The Washington Post notes on the magic:

Many of the spells deal with the care of livestock, finding water, or the treatment of minor ailments, reflecting the conditions and concerns of early American settlers.

But powwow also has within it a tradition of darker spells, and even of such things as conjuring demons.

One notable ritual in their tradition is this hex to create loyalty in a dog:

To attach a dog to a person, provided nothing else was used before to effect it: Try to draw some of your blood, and let the dog eat it along with his food, and he will stay with you.

The mold found on the rotting carcasses in the Bretzuis home has caused illness among the family members, and they say that the odor hasn’t gone away.

The End

***I remember (oh, ayy-yeah-yeah-yeah)

I remember (oh, ayy-yeah-yeah-yeah)

I remember (oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh)

I remember (oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh)

어느 날 세상이 멈췄어, 아무런 예고도 하나 없이

eoneu nal sesang-i meomchwoss-eo, amuleon yegodo hana eobs-i

봄은 기다림을 몰라서, 눈치 없이 와버렸어

bom-eun gidalim-eul mollaseo, nunchi eobs-i wabeolyeoss-eo

발자국이 지워진 거리, 여기 넘어져있는 나

baljagug-i jiwojin geoli, yeogi neom-eojyeoissneun na

혼자 가네 시간이, 미안해 말도 없이, yeah

honja gane sigan-i, mianhae maldo eobs-i, yeah

오늘도 비가 내릴 것 같아

oneuldo biga naelil geos gat-a

흠뻑 젖어버렸네, 아직도 멈추질 않아

heumppeog jeoj-eobeolyeossne, ajigdo meomchujil anh-a

저 먹구름보다 빨리 달려가

jeo meogguleumboda ppalli dallyeoga

그럼 될 줄 알았는데, 나 겨우 사람인가 봐

geuleom doel jul al-assneunde, na gyeou salam-inga bwa

몹시 아프네, 세상이란 놈이 준 감기

mobsi apeune, sesang-ilan nom-i jun gamgi

덕분에 눌러보는 먼지 쌓인 되감기

deogbun-e nulleoboneun meonji ssah-in doegamgi

넘어진 채 청하는 엇박자의 춤

neom-eojin chae cheonghaneun eosbagjaui chum

겨울이 오면 내쉬자 더 뜨거운 숨

gyeoul-i omyeon naeswija deo tteugeoun sum

끝이 보이지 않아, 출구가 있긴 할까?

kkeut-i boiji anh-a, chulguga issgin halkka?

발이 떼지질 않아, 않아, oh

bal-i ttejijil anh-a, anh-a, oh

잠시 두 눈을 감아, 여기 내 손을 잡아

jamsi du nun-eul gam-a, yeogi nae son-eul jab-a

저 미래로 달아나자

jeo milaelo dal-anaja

Like an echo in the forest

Like an echo in the forest

하루가 돌아오겠지

haluga dol-aogessji

아무 일도 없단 듯이

amu ildo eobsdan deus-i

Yeah, life goes on

Yeah, life goes on

Like an arrow in the blue sky

Like an arrow in the blue sky

또 하루 더 날아가지

tto halu deo nal-agaji

On my pillow, on my table

On my pillow, on my table

Yeah, life goes on like this again

Yeah, life goes on like this again

이 음악을 빌려 너에게 나 전할게 (ayy)

i eum-ag-eul billyeo neoege na jeonhalge (ayy)

사람들은 말해 세상이 다 변했대 (yo)

salamdeul-eun malhae sesang-i da byeonhaessdae (yo)

Mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm

Mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm

다행히도 우리 사이는 아직 여태 안 변했네

dahaenghido uli saineun ajig yeotae an byeonhaessne

늘 하던 시작과 끝 "안녕"이란 말로

neul hadeon sijaggwa kkeut "annyeong"ilan mallo

오늘과 내일을 또 함께 이어보자고

oneulgwa naeil-eul tto hamkke ieobojago

(Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ah)

(Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ah)

멈춰있지만 어둠에 숨지 마 빛은 또 떠오르니깐

meomchwoissjiman eodum-e sumji ma bich-eun tto tteooleunikkan

끝이 보이지 않아, 출구가 있긴 할까?

kkeut-i boiji anh-a, chulguga issgin halkka?

발이 떼지질 않아, 않아, oh

bal-i ttejijil anh-a, anh-a, oh

잠시 두 눈을 감아, 여기 내 손을 잡아

jamsi du nun-eul gam-a, yeogi nae son-eul jab-a

저 미래로 달아나자

jeo milaelo dal-anaja

Like an echo in the forest

Like an echo in the forest

하루가 돌아오겠지

haluga dol-aogessji

아무 일도 없단 듯이

amu ildo eobsdan deus-i

Yeah, life goes on

Yeah, life goes on

Like an arrow in the blue sky

Like an arrow in the blue sky

또 하루 더 날아가지 (날아가지)

tto halu deo nal-agaji (nal-agaji)

On my pillow, on my table

On my pillow, on my table

Yeah, life goes on like this again

Yeah, life goes on like this again

I remember (oh, ayy-yeah-yeah-yeah)

I remember (oh, ayy-yeah-yeah-yeah)

I remember (oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh)

I remember (oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh)

I remember (oh, ayy-yeah-yeah-yeah)

I remember (oh, ayy-yeah-yeah-yeah)

I remember (oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh)

I remember (oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh***)

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