Tag Archives: Horror Folklore

The Ghost Family

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Title: The Ghost Family

Genere and Sub-Genre:

Verbal Folklore: Horror Story (Campfire Story)

Language: English

Country Where Story is From: United States

Informant Data:

Rachael Collins was born in Dallas, Texas and is 21 years old. She currently attends Cornell University but before that she transferred from Case Western Reserve University, where she was selected to be on student leadership panel.

Contextual Data:

Rachael often goes camping but she heard this story during her time at Case Western Reserve University, when she was chosen for a leadership expedition where she went with other students and camped for three days. She said that this story was traditionally told every year to all the students on the program, and that the area where they camped was extremely wooded and they listened to this story while roasting marshmallows and sitting around a campfire. It was told to her that a family disappeared around the area they were camping area by as well.

Item:

Transcript of Audio File:

“One day, one day a long long time ago, there was a whole group, a family who went camping. When they were camping and they were sitting around the campfire roasting marshmallows,  when some one screamed, but everyone in the family was with them. Who could be screaming? Slowly the father stood up and he walked, he was trying to find where the screaming came from. ‘Where are you?’ he asked ‘Are you okay?’

And there was a light whisper that said ‘were coming for you. That’ll be you.’ He kind of freaked out, he ran back to his family, but they were all gone. Where were they? He couldn’t find them. He ran back to the town as fast as he could. He got the cops, the police, involved anyone really who could help him look for his family.  But no one could find them.

But 10 years later, someone saw the family, sitting in the exact location, roasting marshmallows. But the only one who wasn’t there was the father.”

Informant’s Comments: Rachael said this was a campfire story she told people often, but that she often told it in different ways. She also formally apologizes for recording this with Holiday Music playing the background.

Collector’s Comments: I have not heard this story specifically, as I do not usually go to Ohio (where Case Western Reserve University is located), but I have heard variations of campfire stories where family members disappear.

Collector’s Name: Alexandra Collins

Knock Knock

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Title: Knock Knock

Genere and Sub-Genre:

Verbal Folklore: Horror Story (Campfire Story)

Language: English

Country of Story Origin: United States

Informant Data:

Melissa Dunham is originally from a town just outside of Chicago Illinois, before attending Dartmouth College she and her older sister would often tell each other scary stories.

Contextual Data:

The first time Mel heard this story was when she was home alone with her sister (much like the siblings in the story) and she and her sister were telling each other scary stories.

Item:

Transcript of Audio File:

“It’s called Knock Knock. There’s this family, a brother and a sister, and their parents are out of town for the weekend. They’re told not to answer the door under any circumstances, and that the neighbors are there and that if anything happened they could go over there and ask for help.

So while their parents were gone one night, they were watching TV and then they went to bed. But, while they were sleeping they were awakened by a knock at their front door, they ignored it like their parents told them to. But, when they heard it a second time, the sister decided to go downstairs and investigate.

However, after a little bit of time, she didn’t come back. So the brother got really really worried and went to the next door neighbors house. When he arrived there, they warned hum that there was a murder in the neighbor hood that had just murdered someone within a couple of blocks of their house, and to be careful. But then the brother told them that his sister was gone and missing-he didn’t know where she was. That worried the neighbors a lot so they grabbed a gun and went over to his house top investigate. When they got there they found his sister’s body on the floor and the knife that was used to kill her on his bed.”

Informant’s Comments: Mel commented that she heard this story from her older sister when she and her older sister were home along, and that she heard when she was younger from other kids as well.

Collector’s Comments: I have heard different variations of this story, where the brother and the neighbors see the murderer behind the door or standing over the sister’s body.

Collector’s Name: Alexandra Collins

The Legend of La Llorona

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Title: The Legend of La Llorona

Genere and Sub-Genre:

Verbal Folklore: Horror Story (Urban Legend)

Language: English

Country of Origin: Mexico

Informant Data:

Samantha Collins was originally born in New Jersey, is 22 years old, and currently attends Duke University for graduate school. She moved to Arizona at a young age and has grown up there ever since, expect for when she was away at college.

Contextual Data:

In Arizona, there are an abundance of mountains and canyons, and when camping in one people often hear the wind going through the canyon, which sounds very much like faded wailing or screaming, making the legend of La Llorona fairly popular in Arizona.

Item:

Transcript of Audio File:

“La Llorona is a story typically told around the campfire. When you’re camping with family and friends. La Llorona the story about a woman, who had two children, who wanted to marry a man. But, the man didn’t like kids. He just wanted to be a husband. Therefore, Maria (as she was known back then) drowned her kids. As their bodies floated down the river she realized what she did and ran back to the husband and told him.

But the man did not like that. He did not want a murderer for a wife. So unfortunately, Maria ended up committing suicide. Now, Maria went to heaven to see Saint Peter to see if she could enter heaven. But, Saint Peter would not let her enter heaven without the bones of her children. That is why Maria, or La Llorona, as we know her now, cries and wails as she searches for the bones of her children to bring back to Saint Peter.”

Informant’s Comments: Samantha stated that this was a story that was often told around a campfire.

Collector’s Comments: I have heard multiple variations of this legend, where Maria (La Llorona) wants children’s bones to give to Saint Peter instead of her own children’s to try and trick him in order to get into heaven. There’s also variation between whether or not La Llorona is a banshee or a ghost.

Collector’s Name: Alexandra Collins

Liver Theft

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Title: Liver Theft

General Information about Item:

Children’s Folklore (Horror Stories)

This story was collected at Dartmouth College,  United States

Informant Data:

Abby Star is 18 years old and goes to Dartmouth College. She is from Maine. She is from a family of 6 (including her).

Contextual Data:

Abby heard this story when she was 8 years old. She saw a cd on the bookshelf called “Scary Stories to Spook/Haunt the Soul” and she was curious and decided to play it. While she heard many stories, this one stuck with her the most. Horror Stories like this one are told between friends at any time. Normally, they are told during the night to add to the ambiance and fear factor of the story.

Item:

Download “Liver Story”

(Video file was too large for site)

Transcript of Associated File:

It starts with this guy, ok, and he is on his first date with this chick. And he meets her at a bar and they start talking. She’s really beautiful. He’s feeing pretty good about the date. They sit down and she’s like “alright I’ll buy us some drinks.” and He’s like “ok” and they have more and more conversations and she’s starting looking down. She’s not having the best time and he’s like “what’s up are you good is it something u need to talk about?”

And she’s like “I don’t know. I’ve had a lot on my mind lately. My brother he is in hospital right now. We don’t know whether or not he’s going to live. We are trying to find an organ donor for him. His liver is having problems and my dad is trying to raise some money to make that happen.” And the guy was like, “oh gosh I’m really sorry that’s really awful is there anything I can do to help?” and she is like “oh you can always donate to the fund.” And the guy is like “ok ill make sure ill do that… donate to the fund.” The guy finishes his drink and he’s like all right. I’m going to get another drink.” She’s like “oh actually I got it. It’s ok. I know the bartender really well. He gives me free drinks.” He gets another drink and things getting a bit better now. She’s starting to perk up again. He’s starting to feel better overall.

A while later, they’re talking some more and he’s starts feeling tired. He’s like “maybe I should stop drinking.” So he gets some water. When she offers to get him another drink, he’s like, “I’m all set. I’m going to take it easy tonight.” As he is drinking his cup of water and talking to this girl, he starts to get really tired. He starts seeing things out the corners of his eyes. Colors are getting brighter and then dimmer and then dull. Things are getting strange and he’s like “whoa I’m not doing so well.” He asked to go to the bathroom. He goes to the bathroom. He’s getting pretty close to blacking out. He’s starting to hallucinate. There are people in his vision. He’s not having a great time and he passes out.

He wakes up in a little bit later. He wakes up in his bathtub. He’s like “that was a really strange dream man. “I hope that chick was ok and she’s not worrying about me.” He turns and his buddy’s there and he’s like “hey what are you doing here.”

He (his buddy) says, “You’ve been out for a long time. We were wondering where u were and the police got involved and everything. Like are you ok? The ambulance is coming right now.” And he’s like “what” and he (buddy) like “look down.”

And he looks down at himself in the bathtub and he’s up to his neck in water and basically his own blood and his guts have been cut open. And he’s freaking out and he asks his buddy what’s going on and his buddy says, “your liver is gone you have a couple hours left to live.”

Informant’s Comments:

  • This story scared her when she heard it (Also being 8 years old)

Collector’s Comments:

  • I have heard horror stories about someone stealing your organs in the passing but not the complete version of the story before.

Collector’s Name:  Andrew Alini

Tags/Keywords: Horror Folklore, Scary Stories, Children’s Stories

The Man in the Backseat

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Title: The Man in the Backseat

General Information about Item:

Verbal Folklore: Children’s Folklore (Horror Stories)

Collected in Dartmouth College, United States.

Informant Data:

Emma Hobday was born in Arlington Virginia and is 19 years old. Before attending Dartmouth, she went to Williamsburg Middle School and Yorktown High School. In her middle school, she took drama.

Contextual Data:

During Emma’s 8th grade drama class on Halloween, her teacher decided to suspend class for the day and have everyone sit in a circle and tell ghost stories in honor of Halloween. This story stuck with her the most. Horror Stories like this one are told between friends at any time. Normally, they are told during the night to add to the ambiance and fear factor of the story.

Item:

Download “Man in Back Seat”

Transcript of Associated File:

So one day after work, she works the late shift, a woman was driving home. And it’s all dark. She’s driving on barren country road. It’s misty. She drives through the forest and she notices a car behind her, following about 50 feet back. She says, “Well that’s unusual. I usually don’t get other people on this road,” but she keeps driving. Then, out of nowhere, the car honks at her and she’s confused. I mean, she’s just driving straight on the road nobody around she’s not using her… her front beams or anything. So she just writes off. “Oh this guy…whatever….he hit the horn by accident maybe.

So she drives on for another minute and the car honks again. This time twice! She looks in the rear view mirror and it’s just a guy in a car. He’s shouting something at her, but she can’t tell. He just being an aggressive drivers. So she keeps driving. She’s getting close to her turn off and she’s looking forward to not being near that car anymore

And he honk’s again! This time three times “BEEP BEEP BEEP!” She is lost, she’s lost faith in humanity. She’s sick of it so she waves out her window to follow her as she takes the turnoff and pulls into a gas station. She gets out of the car rounds on the other driver. He rolled down his window and she shouts, “Why have you been honking at me? I’m driving fine. There’s nothing wrong. Stop being an asshole.” And the guy says, “There was a man in your back seat. Each time I honked, he’d pulled out and he was making to kill you. I just saved your life not once, not twice, but three times!” The woman isn’t sure what to think. She looks back to her car and the door opens.

Informant’s Comments: Emma said that while she doesn’t remember many of the stories, this one stuck with her.

Collector’s Comments: I have heard a variation of this story. In the variation, the car behind the woman uses her high beams to signal the woman rather than honking.

Collector’s Name: Andrew Alini

Tags/Keywords: Campfire Story, Horror Folklore