Speaker 1: It's interesting as we kind of go deeper into these
urban legends and you start to see how they reflect
the cultures that they come from.
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, for sure.
Speaker 1: Like uh Lallrona, for instance, she's not just some scary
lady who like hangs out by the water. She's really
deeply rooted in Mexican folklore. Yeah, and she kind of
speaks to a lot of the societal anxieties around things
like motherhood and betrayal and you know, even the power
of nature.
Speaker 2: Totally. It's not just like a spooky ghost story. It's
a cautionary tale. It is wrapped into ghost story exactly,
and it's like a reflection of the weight of expectations
that are placed on women in that society. Yeah, and
the tragic consequences they come with defying them, right you know.
Speaker 1: Yeah, and you know the fact that she's always hanging
out by water, yeah, adds another layer to that too,
because in a lot of cultures, water represents that like
boundary between life and death.
Speaker 2: Ooh, that's a good point, you know. Yeah, It's like
she's trapped in this in between space right forever searching. Yeah,
speaking of these liminal spaces. Okay, what about Bloody Mary.
Oh yeah, that whole ritual of chanting her name in
front of a mirror always felt like a way to
kind of peek into.
Speaker 1: Another dimension, right, like you're trying to summon something. Yeah,
but it's also kind of playful at the same time,
it is playful, like scary, but it's also fun, right,
you know what I mean?
Speaker 2: Yeah, Like it's a game almost, yeah.
Speaker 1: But a scary one, yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2: And it usually takes place in a bathroom.
Speaker 1: Yeah, which again adds to the creepiness factor. Why is that, Well,
because a bathroom is a very like private space, right,
It's a place where you go to like confront your own.
Speaker 2: Reflection literally and figuratively exactly.
Speaker 1: So when you're inviting something into that space, right, it
just makes it extra creepy, it really does, you know.
And then you have Bloody Mary herself, yeah, you know,
who's usually depicted as this like vengeful spirit, revered and flow,
and that reinforces this idea that you're doing something you're
not supposed to write.
Speaker 2: You know, breaking a taboo exactly, Yeah, like a dare
gone wrong, Yeah, with potentially terrifying consequences.
Speaker 1: Absolutely.
Speaker 2: Okay, So let's switch gears. A little bit, okay, and
talk about a creature that's caused quite a stir in
recent decades. All right, the chupacabra.
Speaker 1: Ooh, the chupacabra.
Speaker 2: I remember this one being like all over the news
for a while, right, with all these mysterious livestock deaths.
Speaker 1: Yes, it's a creepy one.
Speaker 2: It's a creepy one.
Speaker 1: It really taps into that fear of the unknown again. Yeah,
it's idea that there's something sinister out there lurking in
the shadows. Exactly. And it's often described as this like hairless,
canine like creature with spot yeah, sharp spines and you know,
the whole blood draining thing.
Speaker 2: That's creepy.
Speaker 1: It's very creepy. And it's interesting because a lot of
the sightings happen in these rural areas where people are
more connected to nature and the mysteries of nature.
Speaker 2: Right, so it's like more believable, yeah.
Speaker 1: Exactly, And it plays into those deep seated fears that
we have about like what could be out there exactly, Yeah,
waiting to strike.
Speaker 2: It's like a modern day vampire.
Speaker 1: It is like a vampire, but with.
Speaker 2: A much more monstrous edge.
Speaker 1: Yeah for sure.
Speaker 2: Wow, so do you think there's any truth to these stories?
Speaker 1: You know, that's the million dollar question, isn't it. It
is it's like are they real or are we just
trying to explain things that we can't readily understand?
Speaker 2: Right? Like is it just our brains trying to make
sense of the chaos? You know? Yeah, and I think
that's what fuels so many of these investigations and debates. Yeah.
And even though a lot of the sightings have been
attributed to, you know, just regular animals that maybe have
mange or something, the legend persists. It does, which I
think is really interesting.
Speaker 1: It is interesting.
Speaker 2: It's like we need these histories we do to remind
us that not everything can be easily explained.
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's a good point.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 1: Okay, Well on that unsettling note, Okay, let's move on
to another creature that blends human and animal characteristics in
a truly disturbing way. Okay, I mean the goat Man
of Maryland.
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, the goat man is classic. That's a good one.
Classic hybrid creature.
Speaker 1: Yes, like half human half goat, right with this penchant
for terrorizing those who cross his path.
Speaker 2: Yeah, he's not a friendly dude.
Speaker 1: He's not a friendly dude. No, it's like a creature
straight out of a nightmare, it is. And I've always
been so fascinated by these hybrid figures in mythology and folklore.
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, me too. You know, it's like I think
they represent this like primal part of ourselves totally, you know,
like the wildness that we try to tame, but it's
always there, lurking beneath the surface. Yeah. And the goat
man's often associated with an axe, right, which is so interesting, Which.
Speaker 1: Is so interesting because an axe is a tool that
can be used for good.
Speaker 2: Or for bad, right, for creation or destruction exactly. Like
it's a symbol of our progress as a species, but
also a reminder of our capacity for violence.
Speaker 1: It is very true. And also I think the setting
where the goat man is supposed to live, like the
dark woods of Maryland, adds to that whole thing too.
Why well, because it's like this place where civilization and
wilderness collide, you know, it's like the unknown can easily
creep into our world.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's like a reminder that we're never truly separated
from nature, right, The wildness is.
Speaker 1: Always there, always, they're lurking.
Speaker 2: Lurking just beyond the edge of our carefully constructed world exactly.
Speaking of things looking just beyond our understanding, what about Mothman, Oh, Mothman.
Mothman is one of those figures that seems to straddle
the line, he does, between folklore and something.
Speaker 1: More unexplained, Right, I don't know.
Speaker 2: It's hard to categorize him, it is. Yeah.
Speaker 1: So he's this creature often described as this large winged
humanoid with these glowing red eyes.
Speaker 2: Yeah, super creepy, so creepy. Yeah.
Speaker 1: I remember reading about the Mothman sightings in Point Pleasant, West, Virginia.
Oh yeah, in the nineteen sixties, and they all seem
to coincide with these reports of strange lights in the
sky and other unexplained phenomena.
Speaker 2: Right, It's like something out of a sci fi movie,
it is, isn't it. Yeah.
Speaker 1: And the fact that Mothman's often seen as a harbinger
of disaster, appearing before tragedies like the Silver Bridge collapse,
just adds to the mystery and fear surrounding him, it does.
Speaker 2: Yeah, It's like he's trying to warn us, right, you know.
Speaker 1: Yeah, or tell us that something terrible is about to happen.
It's like, is it a creature from another dimension or
is it just a figment of our collective imagination.
Speaker 2: I don't know.
Speaker 1: We don't know.
Speaker 2: But he's scary.
Speaker 1: He is scary, that's for sure. The Mothman continues to
fascinate and frighten in equal measure. Absolutely, Speaking of things
that just sent chills down your spine, what about the
legend of the liquor?
Speaker 2: Ooh, the liquor.
Speaker 1: This one is particularly unsettling because it takes something we
normally associate with comfort and love, right, the bond between
a pet and its owner, Yeah, and twists it into
something truly terrifying.
Speaker 2: Yeah, good one.
Speaker 1: So it's the story about a dog licking its owner's
hand as they sleep, only to be found dead the
next morning, with a chilling message suggesting that the dog
was actually a monstrous creature.
Speaker 2: Right, Like, it wasn't a dog at all.
Speaker 1: It wasn't a dog at all. It plays on our
primal fear of betrayal. Yes, like that unsettling realization that
even those we trust the most right can turn on us.
Speaker 2: Yeah, And the fact that it happens in a bedroom,
in your bedroom, like the place where you should feel
the safest you should.
Speaker 1: Yeah, makes it even scarier.
Speaker 2: It does. It's like a reminder that nowhere is truly safe.
Speaker 1: Yeah.
Speaker 2: Danger can be lurking anywhere, even in your.
Speaker 1: Own home, even in your own home. So it's a
reminder to be cautious.
Speaker 2: Yes, to trust our instincts, trust your gut, yeah, and
to never assume we're completely invulnerable, even in our own homes.
Speaker 1: Exactly.
Speaker 2: I was intense.
Speaker 1: It was a little intense.
Speaker 2: Maybe we need something a little more lighthearted. Okay, even
if it's still creepy. Right, let's hear what about the
bunny Man.
Speaker 1: The bunny Man, even.
Speaker 2: The name itself, yeah, is both ridiculous and a little unsettling.
Speaker 1: And that's kind of funny, yeah, but also creepy.
Speaker 2: So the legend centers around this man in a rabbit
costume who terrorizes people near a bridge in Virginia. So
I read that it might have originated from actual sightings
of a man in a bunny suit throwing axes at cards.
Speaker 1: Really, yeah, that's interesting.
Speaker 2: But over time the story has been embellished and exaggerated,
turning this prankster into a full blown urban legend.
Speaker 1: So it's like a real life example of how these
stories evolve, Yes, and take on a life of their own.
Speaker 2: They do. It's like our imaginations take over, right and
fill in the blank.
Speaker 1: Yeah, we like to make things scarier than they actually are.
Speaker 2: We do at times. And the fact that the bunny
Man is associated with this specific location, the bunny Man Bridge,
adds a layer of reality to the story. It does,
makes it even creepier.
Speaker 1: It does. Yeah, like makes you think twice about driving
over bridges at night.
Speaker 2: Or through dark tunnels.
Speaker 1: Yeah, exactly, like what if.
Speaker 2: In the shadows?
Speaker 1: Exactly? Okay, So maybe that wasn't as lighthearted as I hoped.
Speaker 2: Yeah, maybe not, but.
Speaker 1: It definitely showcases how quickly a story can transform from
a simple prink right into this bone chilling legend.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's pretty fascinating.
Speaker 1: It is fascinating, right all right. So let's shift gears
now to a phenomenon that's particularly unsettling.
Speaker 2: Okay, let's hear it.
Speaker 1: Black eyed children.
Speaker 2: Woh, black eyed children.
Speaker 1: Those are creepy, so creepy. They tap into our primal
fear of the unknown.
Speaker 2: It's that unsettling feeling of encountering something that looks human
but is fundamentally off.
Speaker 1: Yes, and it's the eyes. The eyes, they're the most
disturbing part, like looking into a void, yes, yes.
Speaker 2: A complete absence of emotion or humanity. And the stories
always involve them appearing at doorsteps requesting entry.
Speaker 1: Yeah, which adds to the creepiness. Why is that, Well,
because it's like they're invading your space, right.
Speaker 2: You know, they're trying to get into your.
Speaker 1: Safe space exactly, Like they're testing your boundaries, right, you know,
they're probing for weaknesses.
Speaker 2: Trying to get access to something we hold dear right.
Speaker 1: And I think what makes it even creepier is that
their children.
Speaker 2: Yeah, you know who we associate with innocence exactly and vulnerability.
Speaker 1: Yeah, so to see a child with black eyes.
Speaker 2: It's just wrong.
Speaker 1: It's just not right, It's not right.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's like they represent this perversion of childhood.
Speaker 1: Yeah, like something pure and innovent twisted into something sinister.
Speaker 2: Okay, that's definitely crapy. So speaking of things that blur
the lines between reality and fiction, Okay, what about Sledderman
slender Man? Oh, yes, he's like a perfect example of
how the inner has become this breeding ground for new
urban legends.
Speaker 1: Right because he started online, he did like he's a
product of the Internet, but then he kind of crossed
over into the real world.
Speaker 2: He did, and in a really chilling way.
Speaker 1: In a very chilling way, Like he became real he did.
Speaker 2: And he's been linked to some real life crimes.
Speaker 1: Too, he has, which makes it even scarier.
Speaker 2: Yeah, which makes the whole thing that much more disturbing.
Speaker 1: Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 2: It's like he stepped out of the digital world and
own into our own, Yeah, becoming this tangible manifestation of
our online fears.
Speaker 1: Right, And it's the way he's depicted to, you know,
like always lurking in the background. Yeah, just out of sight, Yeah,
just out of sight.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's like he's always watching.
Speaker 1: He's always watching.
Speaker 2: Always present, even when we don't realize it.
Speaker 1: Yeah, he's like Big Brother is, but like a scary version.
Speaker 2: Yeah, the scary version of Big Brother.
Speaker 1: Yeah.
Speaker 2: He embodies those unseen dangers of the internet, right, the
potential for like manipulation, isolation, and even violence. Yeah, that's
lurking beneath the surface of what we perceive as safe and.
Speaker 1: Connected, right, because the internet can be a very dangerous place.
Speaker 2: It could be a very dangerous.
Speaker 1: Place, even though it seems very safe.
Speaker 2: It does seem safe. Yeah. Yeah, it's like a cautionary
tale for the digital age. It is reminding us that
even in this vast online world, Yeah, darkness can find us.
It can, and the lines between fantasy and reality can
become very dangerously blurred.
Speaker 1: Absolutely.
Speaker 2: Okay, So I think we've covered some serious ground here.
We have. We've gone from vengeful spirits to bloodthirsty cryptids. Yeah,
from the depths of folklore to the digital realm of
the Internet.
Speaker 1: It's been a wild ride.
Speaker 2: It's been a wild ride.
Speaker 1: Yeah.
Speaker 2: But the one thing that unites all of these legends, yeah,
is their ability to tap into our deepest fears, our
anxieties that linger in the back of our minds.
Speaker 1: Right. It's like they're holding up a mirror, yes, to
our inner darkness.
Speaker 2: To all the stuff we try to repress.
Speaker 1: Yeah, but it always comes out eventually.
Speaker 2: It always comes out, doesn't it. It does. Yeah. But
you know what, these stories can be scary, they can be,
but they also serve a purpose beyond just frightening us.
Speaker 1: Right. They're not just meant to keep us up at night.
Speaker 2: Yeah. They make us think, They make us question, They
make us explore the darker side of our imaginations.
Speaker 1: I think that's a really good point, Like they're a
way for us to kind of grapple with the unknown
totally in a safe space. Yeah, you know, like you
can be scared, but you're also safe at the same time.
And I think by sharing these stories and by keeping
them alive, we're keeping up part of ourselves alive too.
Speaker 2: Which part is that, Like.
Speaker 1: The part that's curious and imaginative and willing to believe
in the impossible.
Speaker 2: I love that. It's like we're all tapping into this
collective unconscious right and exploring those anxieties and fascinations that
bind us together as humans.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I love that.
Speaker 2: It's pretty cool.
Speaker 1: It is pretty cool.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 1: You know, it's amazing how these urban legends have kind
of evolve along with the way that we communicate. I mean,
think about it. Back in the day, these stories were
spread through whispers and campfire tales, and they were passed
down through generations.
Speaker 2: Yeah, word of.
Speaker 1: Mouth exactly, it's how it works. But now with the
Internet and social media, these stories can spread like wildfire,
you know, reaching a global audience.
Speaker 2: In seconds, literally seconds.
Speaker 1: It's crazy. And not only that, but technology itself has
become a source of new legends totally. Yeah, I mean
we saw it with slender Man, right, we did a
figure who was born from the internet and then crossed
over into the real world with some very real.
Speaker 2: Consequences and chilling consequences.
Speaker 1: Yeah, very chilling. So it really makes you think about
how technology is shaping our fears and our.
Speaker 2: Beliefs totally, because like we've gone from sharing spooky stories
around a flickering campfire to encountering the these hyper realistic
images and videos online exactly. Like sometimes it's hard to
even tell what's real anymore, it is, you know what
I mean.
Speaker 1: Yeah, it makes you wonder how technology is going to
continue to influence these stories.
Speaker 2: Yeah, in the future, how are these stories going to evolve?
Speaker 1: Right, Yeah, it's a really fascinating question, it is. But
I think one thing that's important to remember is that
while urban legends can be scary, yeah, they also serve
a purpose, right beyond just frightening us.
Speaker 2: Yeah, They're not just meant to keep us up at
night exactly.
Speaker 1: They make us think, they make us question, yeah, and
they make us explore that darker side of our imagination.
Speaker 2: I think that's a really good point.
Speaker 1: You know. Yeah, like They're a way for us to
kind of grapple with the unknown.
Speaker 2: Yeah, in a safe space. Yeah.
Speaker 1: You know, you can be scared, but you're also safe
at the same time. And I think by sharing these
stories and by keeping them alive, we're keeping a part
of ourselves alive too.
Speaker 2: I like that, you know, yeah, what part like that
part of.
Speaker 1: Us that's curious and imaginative. Yeah, and willing to believe
in the impossible.
Speaker 2: That. Yeah, it's like we're all tapping into this collective
unconscious raise. Yeah, and we're exploring those anxieties and fascinations.
Yeah that bind us together as humans.
Speaker 1: Love that.
Speaker 2: It is pretty cool. It is so to everyone listening
out there. Keep an open mind, yeah, have a healthy
dose of skepticism.
Speaker 1: Always question. Yeah, but also also keep that sense.
Speaker 2: Of wondering, that sense of wonder exactly.
Speaker 1: And remember sometimes the scariest stories are the ones that
we tell ourselves.
Speaker 2: That's very true.
Speaker 1: That is some seriously good advice.
Speaker 2: Thanks for having me.
Speaker 1: Thanks for joining us on this deep dive into the
world of urban legends.
Speaker 2: It was fun.
Speaker 1: It was fun. We'll have to do it again sometimes.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I'd love to
Speaker 1: Sweet dreams everyone, and don't forget to check under your
bed tonight, just in case.