In Barren County, many years ago, a man engaged in a peculiar ritual. He would spend countless hours digging a deep hole beneath a certain oak tree, while simultaneously constructing an oblong cedar box. When questioned about his unusual behavior, the man would simply reply, “This is where I want to be buried.” His response to inquiries about the cedar box was equally enigmatic: “Because I want to go to hell a poppin’ and a crackin’.”
One day, after the hole had reached a considerable depth and the cedar box was complete, the man was discovered hanging from a noose attached to the oak tree above the hole. True to his wishes, he was buried in the cedar box he had prepared, within the grave he had dug.
The truth behind this haunting tale remains shrouded in mystery. However, the fact that the narrator’s grandparents claimed to have known this man adds a layer of authenticity to the story, distinguishing it from mere campfire tales.
The man’s desire to be buried in a specific location, coupled with his insistence on being buried in a cedar box, suggests a deeper meaning or a hidden belief. Some might interpret his actions as a form of dark humor or a macabre attempt to defy conventional notions of death and the afterlife. Others might see it as a sign of a troubled mind or a deep-seated fear of the unknown.
