The tale belongs to Rowbrook Farm, which sits below Sharp Tor overlooking the Dart valley. In winter the river is said to sigh and moan as it tumbles through its rocky gorge, and when the wind is right it can sound like a human voice.
In the story the young cowman at the farm came into the kitchen one evening agitated, having heard a voice calling "Jan Coo" from the river. The farm workers dismissed it and searched, finding nothing. The calling came again over following nights, eventually from the direction of Langamarsh Pit.
On the third encounter the boy realised the calls were meant for him. One spring evening he crossed the river towards the sound. His friend Abel watched him go but lost sight of him, and a search party found no trace. The shepherd put it down to piskie mischief, while the ploughman said it was the call of the river and that they would never see him again. The voice was not heard again.
The only source found is a retelling presented as folklore with no cited historical basis, so there is no evidence of a real disappearance. The pin is placed in the Dart valley below Sharp Tor and is approximate.
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