This is a story that was told me by my Great Grandfather who moved North from Lenoir, North Carolina back in the 1950’s. Over the years he told me a lot of stories about the strange things he and others saw when venturing around the mountains.

One that always stuck with me was the story of a piano.

The way he told it, another man and him in their late teens/ early twenties had run out of work. Which then ranged from odd jobs at the lumber mill, to shale mining, and Ginseng hunting.

Luckily, for them a man they both knew needed someone to help him clean out an old house. It was a relative who’d passed away and the family wanted all the stuff out of the house.

The house according to him was a good distance out of town and fair bit in the woods. Inside they found the usual assortment of home goods, plus a piano. Back then pianos were an expensive and somewhat luxury item and wasn’t something the family wanted left behind.

However, it was also heavy. So they decided that it would be the last thing that they moved out. Once, they’d gotten everything else loaded they moved the piano to the door and then went to go and take a break.

He said as soon as they touched that piano it was like everything changed in the house. Even in the middle of summer the inside of the house now felt cool, and when they were pushing it across the floor he swore it felt like someone was pushing back against them.

To the point that by the time they got it to the door, they were both too wore out to load it. Instead leaving the house and walking down to a small country store in order to get something to drink.

But, when they got back they were in for a real shock because the piano was right back were it was against the wall.

Back then houses were always level so he figured that it had rolled back while they’d been gone. So they tried again, but this time as soon as they got it to the door it was like they hit a brick wall. The piano wouldn’t budge out the doorway. And as soon as they let go of it the piano slid back across the room to the original position like someone had pulled it.

By this time they both know something is very wrong. My grandfathers friend went towards the piano thinking of pushing it straight out the door. But, as he moved towards it they heard someone yell, “Get out!” inside the house.

That was too much for them so they left with what they’d already loaded. And he swore he could hear that piano playing as they left.

When they got back the man paid them, but still wanted that piano. My great grandfather said that he offered more money for someone to bring it back down and that a lot of people went up to the old house to get the piano, but not a single one came back down with it.