May I Carry Your Basket?

May I Carry Your Basket? is a story from Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. It tells the story of a basket with a scary surprise inside. It was based on a story told by one of the informants, Tom O' Brien by his English father at the turn of the century. As well as a Native American tale in Mexico about a skull that chases anyone that passes by it.

Plot

Sam Louis spent the evening, playing chess at his friend's house. It was about midnight when they finished the game, and he started home. Outside, it was icy cold and quiet as a grave. As he came around a turn in the road, he was surprised to see a woman, walking ahead of him. She was carrying a basket covered with a white cloth. When he got up to her, he looked to see who she was. But she was so bundled up against the cold, it was hard to see her face.

"Good evening," Sam said, "What brings you out so late?" But she didn't answer. Then he said, "May I carry your basket?" She handed it to him. And from under the cloth, a small voice said, "That's very nice of you." And it was followed by a wild laughter. Sam was so startled that he dropped the basket, and out rolled a woman's head. He looked at the head, and he stare at the woman. "It's her head!" he cried, and started to run, and the woman and her head began to chase him.

Soon, the head caught up with him. It mounded into the air and sunk its teeth into Sam's left leg. Sam screamed with pain and ran faster. But the woman and her head stay right behind. Soon the head leaped into the air again, and bit into his other leg. Then they were gone.

Stories
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark	Strange and Scary Things • The Big Toe • The Walk • What Do You Come For? • Me Tie Dough-ty Walker! • A Man Who Lived In Leeds • Old Woman All Skin and Bone • The Thing • Cold As Clay • The White Wolf • The Haunted House • The Guests • The Hearse Song • The Girl Who Stood on a Grave • A New Horse • Alligators • Room for One More • The Wendigo • The Dead Man's Brains • May I Carry Your Basket? • The Hook • The White Gown • High Beams • The Babysitter • The Viper • The Attic • The Slithery-Dee • Aaron Kelly's Bones • Wait Till Martin Comes • The Ghost with the Bloody Fingers
More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark	Hoo-Ha's • Something Was Wrong • The Wreck • One Sunday Morning • Sounds • A Weird Blue Light • Somebody Fell From Aloft • The Little Black Dog • Clinkity-Clink • The Bride • Rings On Her Fingers • The Drum • The Window • Wonderful Sausage • The Cat's Paw • The Voice • "Oh, Susannah!" • The Man In The Middle • The Cat in a Shopping Bag • The Bed by the Window • The Dead Man's Hand • A Ghost in the Mirror • The Curse • The Church • The Bad News • Cemetery Soup • The Brown Suit • Ba-Rooom! • Thumpity-Thump
Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill your Bones	Boo Men • The Appointment • The Bus Stop • Faster And Faster • Just Delicious • Hello, Kate! • The Black Dog • Footsteps • Like Cats' Eyes • Bess • Harold • The Dead Hand • Such Things Happen • The Wolf Girl • The Dream • Sam's New Pet • Maybe You Will Remember • The Red Spot • No, Thanks • The Trouble • Strangers • The Hog • Is Something Wrong? • It's Him! • T-H-U-P-P-P-P-P-P-P! • You May Be The Next...

May I Carry Your Basket?

Plot

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