封筒を開けると中には一枚の手紙が入っていて、そこにはコピーの繰り返しで判読し難い英語の文字が、雑然と並んでいる。いわゆる「不幸の手紙(Chain Letter)」である。以下に、全文を紹介する(1)。
This paper was sent to you for good luck.
The original is in New England. It has been around the world nine (9) times. The luck has now been sent to you. You will receive good luck within four (4) days of receiving this letter, provided you, in turn, send it on. This is not a joke.
You will receive good luck. In the mail, send no money. Send copies to people you think need good luck. Don't send money as fate has no price. Do not keep this letter. It must leave your hands within 96 hours.
An-Raf Officer received $478,000, Joe Elliot received $40,000, and lost it because he broke the chain. While in the Philippines, Gene Welch lost his wife, six (6) days after receiving the letter. He had failed to circulate the letter. However, before his death he received $7,755,000. Please send twenty (20) copies and see what happens in four (4) days. The chain comes from Venezuela and was written by Saul Anthony de Group, a missionary from South America. Since the copy must tour the world, you must make twenty (20) copies and send them to friends and associates. After a few days you will get a surprise. This is true.
Even if you are not superstitious, do it. Here are some people relating their experience.
Constantine Dias received the chain in 1953. He asked his secretary to make twenty (20) copies and send them out. A few days later, he won a lottery of $2,000,000. Carol Daddit, an office employee, received the letter and forgot it had to leave her hands in 96 hours. She lost her job. Later after finding the letter again, she mailed twenty (20) copies and a few days later she got a better job. Delan Fairchild received the letter and not beleiving, threw the letter away, nine (9) days later he died. In 1987, the letter received by a young woman in California was very faded and barely readable. She promised herself that she would retype the letter and send it on, but she put it aside to do later. She was plagued with various problems including expensive car repairs. The letter did not leave her hands in 96 hours. She finally typed the letter as promised and got a new car.
Remember send no money
Do not ignore this St. Jude,
it works.
[脚注]
(1) 全文が大文字で綴られていて読み難いので、ここでは普通の書き方に改めた。また、文法上おかしな文章やスペルミス(例えば、beleiving)が見られるが、原文のまま掲載した(但し、判読不能の箇所あり)。
(2) この不幸の手紙は、私のところで止まっている。そのことで、私に不幸は訪れたのか? 答えは、はっきりと「否」である。なぜなら、私は元々が幸せな人間ではなく、たとえ不幸が訪れていたとしても、それを不幸だとは思わないからである。