Local Legends/Folklore

[Memory]

I love hearing about local legends/folklore and was wondering if anyone wanted to share their favourites? Would be cool to read about the history and such too if you know of any! I'll start by giving an example of my own local legend!

In my village we have a heavily wooded area! Inside of it is a biiiig stone mural. On that mural is a carving of what looks like a Celtic panther as well as a warning to those travelling through the woods not to touch the mural else the panther will get you! I asked my mom who made it but she said she didn't know and that it was there when she was a child too! There are several totem poles surrounding the area too which were built by the Maasai tribe from Kenya and northern Tanzania and I think that they're related to the mural, but I'm unsure... I watched them carve the wood in primary school, but I neglected to ask them any questions because I was too shy!

To summarise: Big stone mural in the woods depicting a Panther. Warning: Do not touch or he will catch you!

Do you have any local legends like this? Or maybe a favourite folklore/tale from somewhere else- I'd love to hear about it!

[Melooon]

Ooo; hmmm I was told so many in school by the older teachers, but Iv never seen any of them written down, so I can only describe them as half remembered stories! (They all involve lakes for some reason...)

The city I live in was founded by a guy called Finbar; and he lived by a lake - but there was a dragon in the lake who ate everyones cows and family members. Finbar had a major battle with the dragon that went on for a week, and when the dragon finally died its body slid away towards the sea carving a whole valley in its wake. Finbar went in search of the dragons remains, but he got tired and fell asleep. When he woke up the valley had filled with water and there were 5 whales stranded in it that had washed in from the sea. Finbar felt sad about the whales and he wanted to watch over them, so he stayed and built his home there; and other people came there too; so many that they started building homes on top of the whales! But the whales had turned to hills by then so it was fine - and thats how the city came to be 

Also about 10 mins walk from my house (away from said valley) there is another small lake. Long ago there was a well there, where the water was so perfect and pure that people would travel from all over the world to come and drink it. A local king was super not into this and decided to build a castle on top of the well, and never let anyone drink even a drop! The years went by and he had a daughter and it was her time to get married; so he threw a big party and invited all the lords and princes. To impressed them, he wanted his daughter to serve them some of the water from the well. However when she opend the well door after all these years, the water inside had grown so intense that it exploded out and sucked her inside. Everyone tried to save her, but the water kept coming and eventually the whole castle started to sink. By the end of the night the castle was gone and only a lake remained where it was. However the water was so pure and perfect that no one drowned, no one even aged anymore, the night never ended for them, and the party is still going on for ever and ever; and you can still see it through the lake on especially clear days.

Another story! Where my dad used to live there was a mountain called the Hill of Ma (translated to english anyway) - Ma being a local pre-christian god of the area. The hill is mostly pine trees now, but at the top is a little bit of the primeval woods that once coverd the whole area. There's a well there called The Well of the Eye; supposedly if you wash your eyes with the water it will fix them and let you see unseen things. Below the hill is a lake with a ruined castle. Apparently a despotic king (supposedly the king of faries) lived there who had donkeys ears that he never let anyone see; but one day a local child saw them and the king killed the child right away. But before they died, they whispered the secret to the grass, and the grass told the flowers, and the flowers told the trees, and the trees told the wind and the birds - pretty soon everyone knew, and the king jumped to his death, and the castle has been abandoned ever since.

I could go on, but maybe thats enough for now 

[Sudamericat]

I have one to tell. And the most interesting part is that I have footage to prove it´s real and also like almost any people. It happened to me too. The younger generations don´t remember this person but back when I was a Teen. Everyone was wondering who was El Flautista (the Whistler).


Near 13 years ago. On a tropical city, next to the one I live. There was a vagabond. He was standing up on the street playing a recorder. It was strange melody, dissonant, like it had no start or end. He missed some notes but it wasn´t like he didn´t knew how to play it. But the strangest thing is that even if everyone on the street was noticing him. Nobody was able to see his face or knew who was under the robe. People just assumed he was a man. A lot of dirty robes and a mask that covered his face and hair but no words could describe how felt like to see him. So the closest thing I´ll can give you to directly see him it´s showing you photos and videos. Those aren´t mine but that´s what makes this story believable. A lot of people took fotos ad videos about him. I´ll put a spoiler because maybe someone won´t want to see it. Since that day I started to see him more.

Spoiler

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[close]

Nobody knew why he was there. He even didn´t even talked once. Never was interested in money nor food. But was playing the whistle there all day. Doesn´t matter if you went to that city at morning nor night. He was always there. Nobody was able to see him eating or taking out his mask. You may think that he ate on free days. But he was there. Everyday. For nearly 6 years. The nearest thing to hear his voice was listening to him barking and it was near close to sound like a real one. Maybe it was. Maybe not.

Some people say that this man was a Father who lost his beloved daughter. When she died he wasn´t able to resist the shock and he burned his house with him inside. That´s why he weared a mask, because his face was burnt inside and he his playing a broken melody of a song that he and his daughter used to sing togheter. But I don´t personally believe that. Someone who has his entire body burned, wearing those clothes? on a tropical city? Without even eating? Seems impossible to me. But the other theory despite being impossible. Seems more believable. The Whistler is a supernatural being. Do you really believe that nobody in 6 years tried to find who really he was? A lot of people tried to follow him to see where he lives, but suddenly when you think you will be near to catch him. He disappears. But only the bravest tried that. Because in the worst case. He will take your soul and nobody will be able to remember you ever again.

That why he never takes his mask off. Because his food and his tips are people souls. If for some reason you find him. Please don´t stare his show. Despite being alluring, when you start to listen to his song, you become part of his show. And as an spectator you may be who pays for the show. If he looks at you it´s because he found your soul appetitive and if he manages to touch you. It´s over. He will know where you are. And he will be there to eat your soul when you´re alone. Once he stared directly at me. Since then  decided to never watch his show ever again.

And you may ask. What happened to the Whistler. One day like when he came to this place. He dissapeared like he wasn´t here at all. When I ask most of people a lot of them just seemed to forget who he was and even if thereś a lot of footage that proves his existence and even investigations made by the local television, nobody just talks about him anymore. Seems like he had enough of taking souls from that city or about the media tryiying to find who or what he was. Considering that he has the ability to teleport. He may appear near where you live. If you do. Please don´t look at him, and don´t let your beloved ones do so. Because he can choose your soul. And nobody will be able to even remember you existed.

[fatgrrlz]

I have a couple in mind - nothing too wild or interesting though haha

The elementary school I went to was named after an individual - not sure why - but there was a common belief that this individual was buried underneath the school. The cafeteria was in the basement and there was a noticeable incline right in the middle of it. Some teachers would tell kids that if they didn't keep their grades up, this individual would get 'em! And considering just how old and decrepit looking that school was, I can't say I blame the kids for believing it the school was torn down years ago, and while I definitely thing it's for the better (the previous one didn't have air conditioning!), it makes me wonder if they still perpetuate it.

We also had our own flavor of Bigfoot at my hometown... but considering we lived in rural Ohio, I'm pretty sure that was just a local resident

[Cele]

Yes, this is something I'm quite interested in.

There is a big island nearby. The story of the origin of the island goes that a giant wished to walk to a town in the west but couldn't, as there was the big lake in its way. So it grabbed some land and tossed it into the lake, creating the island to be a stepping stone. The place where it had grabbed the land from became a lake. It was said that the island had the same number of lakes within it as the newly formed lake had islands.

There are also the ruins of a stone castle in the town center, so you can imagine there are a bunch of ghost stories about people who lived in or were imprisoned in the castle still roaming around... although I personally fail to see anything creepy in the place.

If you happen to drive the very scenic road at a nearby village, pay attention to the tree branches that reach over the road. If you look back at one of such branches in the rear view mirror, you might see a person hanging there... I tried this a few weeks ago though and failed to see anyone guess I'm a spoilsport here

That's what came to my mind for now.

[devils]

Not really local as much as national since I live in a big city, but Adamastor has been prevalent in Portuguese mythology, and I wish more people knew about it. It's essentially a giant man that represents the Cape of Good Hope, which was a very big challenge for Portuguese sailors to bypass during the Age of Discovery.

[Memory]

In my home town there are regular explosion sounds that nobody knows where they originate.
The cops and firefighters have been investigating it for years but found no answer so far.

[debleb]

near the village i used to live in was a road they say that a dúllahán (headless horseman) had gone through once      there's also a holy well somewhere around there.

[ThunderPerfectWitchcraft]

Near my home town is a ancient boarder, still visible but now overgrown with dense vegetation. It is said that there is a black dog going 'round there, especially at night.

On the site of a barely visible ruin, you can hear the ghosts of the knights playing bowling ("Kegel", a German variant) at night. If you see them, they will ask you to be their ball boy. While it feels like only a single night, you will be a missing for many years.

Various fountains are believed to be the source of the souls of humans before their birth.

[Melooon]

Various fountains are believed to be the source of the souls of humans before their birth

How does this work? Does this mean that the parents must drink from the fountain in order to have kids? Or in order for the kids to have souls? Or is the consuming of the water nothing to do with the transfer of souls?

[grovyle]

I don't have a local one to share, but I recently lived for a bit with people from Corrientes (Argentina) and Santiago (Chile). And we found out that they both had the same creature with a different name!

I can't remember how the chilean one is called, but the one from Corrientes is called Pomberito. It's a tale they tell to kids so they don't go out at siesta time (after lunch to about 4 PM). Basically it's a humanoid monster that chases kids (possibly takes them away/kills them?), but if you're a girl and he gets you, he touches your belly and you instantly become pregnant.

Then a really interesting conversation ensued, about how it was probably the explanation people had for child/teenage pregnancies in small towns/unsafe environments. Awfully sad to think about, but also interesting to try to find out where some stories might've originated from!

[ThunderPerfectWitchcraft]

How does this work? Does this mean that the parents must drink from the fountain in order to have kids? Or in order for the kids to have souls? Or is the consuming of the water nothing to do with the transfer of souls?

The consuming of the water isn't needed. The souls are stored within the fountain, often rather simple ones - they are often mere holes with wooden lids were water for everyday use was fetched. They are called "Hollebrünnle".

"Frau Holle" is a German fairytale figure that probably evolved out of the additional names of a Germanic fertility goddess that couldn't be called by their true name after christianization (possibily Frigg) but who stayed important, especially for women who often carried the pagan stories on in the "Webstuben" (weaver-huts where only used by women - since all priests where mail, they were much slower to adapt to the new religion). In some fairytales and stories Holle appears as the foster mother of the souls of the children who weren't baptized at their death and thus would have to dwell in limbo; the lakes and fountains connected to her are not only said to be the home of the not-yet-born children, but also to be incredible deep; elder-berrie-bushes are gates to her realm - those who chop them might die soon afterwards; some say she is one of the leaders of the procession of the twelve nights ("Raunächte", another great topic :D); when she is shaking her bed, it snows on earth.

Before I wrote this I thought we would have the cool stuff only on the german wikipedia - but the english one is pretty dope as well: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frau_Holle

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In the region where I grew up there was only one small city nearby. There was a department where every year some young man would dress up and mask themself on christmas ease. They would go from house to house carrying bells and clubs, demanding strong beverages and beat down everybody they meet outdoor. They were called the "Rollesel" ("rolling donkeys"). A similar tradition is existent in some near villages, but only these Rollesels are that binge-drinking and violent.