Tag Archives: bible

Ukategorisert

Alukah: The Vampire of Ancient Text and Folklore

Leave a comment
Advertisements

In Jewish mysticism, the vampiric Alukah from ancient text is still debated and feared today. But where does the demonic spirit really come from? 

The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough:
– Proverbs 30:15, King James Bible

Among the many supernatural figures that populate world myth, the alukah occupies a unique place. It is rooted in ancient Hebrew language and scripture, but over centuries the name became associated in Jewish folklore and later mysticism with a vampiric or blood-lusting entity rather than a simple animal or symbolic image.

The word alukah itself appears only once in the Bible, in Proverbs 30:15. In its original Hebrew context Alukah, or עֲלוּקָה, literally refers to a kind of “horse-leech,” a parasitic creature that clings and feeds at the throat of animals. In some translations this same term is rendered as “leech” or “blood-sucker.”

Vampire Motifs in the Alukah Tradition

In the context of Proverbs, the leech’s insatiable appetite could be seen as a metaphor for human greed or desire, with its “two daughters”, ‘Give’ and ‘Give’, symbolizing the never-ending demands of greed or lust. But there were also those taking the story more literally. 

Over time, the concept of the alukah expanded beyond zoology into demonology and folk belief, some connecting her to the Babylonian and Assyrian demons and succubus creatures. 

Defeating the Alukah: The only way to protect oneself from her attack is through God’s intervention, which can be evoked through the psalm “Shir shel Pega’im.” A psalm most often used for protection against evil. // Image: The Burney Relief (also known as the Queen of the Night relief) is a Mesopotamian terracotta plaque in high relief of the Isin-Larsa period or Old-Babylonian period.

By the medieval period, references to alukah in rabbinic texts such as the Sefer Hasidim show the creature described not as an insect but as a living being with vampiric traits. In this tradition the alukah was depicted as a human-like entity that could shapeshift into a wolf and at night feed on blood. It could even fly by unfurling its long hair, a detail that echoes later European vampire lore in which bats or other creatures are associated with the undead.

In the Sefer Hasidim, the alukah is presented as more than a simple monster. It is capable of quasi-human cunning, able to change shape and to rely on the nourishment it takes from blood for continued existence. If prevented from feeding for long enough, the creature would eventually die. This belief reflects a common theme in vampire folklore worldwide: that the undying or blood-drinking being must feed to persist in a form of unlife.

The Book of the Pious: The Sefer Hasidim or Sefer Chassidim ( ספר חסידים) is a text attributed to Judah ben Samuel of Regensburg (died 1217), of the teachings of the Ashkenazi Hasidim. It offers an account of the day-to-day religious life of Rabbinic Jews in medieval Germany, their customs, beliefs, and traditions. The movement is known for its strict asceticism and mystical doctrine and supernatural entities.

According to later interpretative tradition, if an alukah was killed, it could be prevented from rising again by burying its corpse with earth placed firmly in its mouth. This belief serves a similar function to European practices of staking or dismembering supposed vampires before burial.

Associations with Lilith and Womb Curses

Folklore and mysticism also link the alukah to other ancient female supernatural figures, most notably Lilith. In rabbinic legend and Kabbalistic interpretation, Lilith is sometimes described as a demonic figure associated with infant mortality, night terror, and seduction. In some strands of tradition, alukah is regarded as either another name for Lilith or as a descendant or aspect of her. This connection intensifies the vampiric associations, especially in tales where the creature’s presence is tied to harms involving blood, childbirth, and nocturnal peril.

The Legend of Lilith:Lilith is a feminine figure in Mesopotamian and Jewish mythology. According to accounts in the Talmud she is a primordial she-demon. Lilith does not appear in the Hebrew Bible or any other biblical source, although her name is derived from a single word in the Book of Isaiah, the meaning is debated. She first appears in Mandaean and Jewish sources from late antiquity (500 AD onward). In Mesopotamian religion, lilû (Lilith) are a class of demonic spirits, consisting of adolescents who died before they could bear children. In modern day Christianity and Judaism, she is often considered demonic. // Lilith, by John Collier

A well-known riddle in Proverbs that mentions the alukah also references a curse upon a pregnant womb, reinforcing the creature’s reputation for threatening life in vulnerable states. These interpretive layers contributed to the belief that the alukah was not a neutral animal but a blood-lusting monster with ominous spiritual implications.

Newest Posts

  • The Demonic Omen of Disaster at Mödling Castle Hill
    Sometimes called the Devil’s Stone, the ruins of the former Mödling Castle is said to be haunted by a demonic bird-like entity, screeching at night as an omen of death and disaster.
  • The Brewer Haunting Nockherberg and the Beer Garden in Munich
    Could a beer festival be haunted? Many have spoken about the ghost of an old brewer at Nockherberg haunting the beer festival, creating havoc to retaliate to what his descendants did to his brew.
  • The Girl in the Tower of the Munich Frauenkirche
    After her public death in the tower of the Munich Frauenkirche, many have claimed to have seen the ghost of Fanny appearing at her death anniversary wearing white.
  • The Cursed Weilheim Plague Chapel
    What really happened around the Pollingsried Chapel, and its supposed plague cemetery? Is there really a curse around the area? As far as the ringing of the bells can be heard?
  • The Restless Spirit of The Utburd Child Ghost in Norway
    Searching for its name, the utburd ghost from Norwegian folklore haunts the forests, waters and houses its parents left them to die. For the most part, they remained in folk tales, but sometimes, the stories about the dead children got real life consequences.
  • The Banshee: Ireland’s Wailing Spirit of Death
    Perhaps one of the most well known figures from Irish mythology is the Banshee, the omen of death, wailing as death comes to a house. But where does she come from? And what does she want from the dead?
  • The Vanished Village and the Munich Connection to Dracula
    Before meeting a vampire in Transylvania, a short story places Jonathan Harket facing the undead outside of Munich. Could it have a connection to the village that according to legend, vanished suddenly in the middle ages.
  • The Death Coach: Ireland’s Omen of Doom Racing Through the Night
    One of the dark entities on the emerald island, there is the Death Coach who comes to collect the souls of the dead. Pulled by headless horses, the Cóiste Bodhar stops at nothing before its mission is complete, and misfortune happens upon those getting in its way.
  • The Utburd of Skålvoll or the Nille-Case in Norway
    In 1687, the ghost of a murdered child started to testify against its mother in northern Norway and people took it seriously. Today, the Utburd of Skåvoll or the Nille-case is remembered as the ghost story that condemned a woman to her death.
  • The Dullahan: Ireland’s Headless Horseman of Doom
    One of the deadly omens in Irish folklore, The Dullahan, or the Headless Horseman is said to bring certain death to those he calls by their name.
  • Most Haunted Places in Dublin
    Have a look at some of the most haunted places in Dublin, from the mysteries of the Hellfire Club, churches where you can supposedly summon the devil and the dead lingering in the dusty libraries and colleges.
  • The Utburd of Erstad: A Ghost That Led to the Court and Punishment
    After strange knocking and poltergeist activity made the people at Erstad Farm believe it was haunted. And when they asked the ghost what it wanted, it unraveled the lives of more than one person forever.

References:

Alukah – Wikipedia

Alukah A

Lilith – Wikipedia

Ukategorisert

The Dragons of Mount Pilatus: Serpents and Ghosts in the Mist of Lucerne

3 Comments
Advertisements

Is there a dragon nesting in Mount Pilatus by Lake Lucerne in Switzerland? For centuries the mountain has brought fear and fantastical tales from the locals living at the foot of the raging mountain. It was even forbidden to visit, as they believed disturbing the spirits would cause storms and flooding.  

Above the shimmering waters of Lake Lucerne, shrouded in thick clouds and an aura of ancient mystery, Mount Pilatus looms over the Swiss landscape like a sentinel from another world. Feared for bringing bad weather, stories about ghosts and mythological creatures are said to reside there.

Read more: Check out all haunted stories from Switzerland

While today it is a beloved destination for hikers, skiers, and tourists, this formidable massif has long been known by a darker name: Dragon Mountain. With jagged peaks, hidden caves, and a history that weaves folklore into the very rock, Pilatus has earned its reputation as a place where legend and reality blur.

Mount Pilatus: Known as Dragon Mountain, towers majestically above Lake Lucerne, shrouded in mystery and steeped in folklore. Thought to be haunted as well as the location of a dragon’s lair.

A Mountain of Monsters and Dragons

The legend of dragons dwelling on Mount Pilatus dates back centuries, with tales so vivid and widespread that they were chronicled in early medieval records. Locals believed the dragons were no mere beasts but intelligent and mystical creatures, protectors of ancient knowledge, and wielders of supernatural power. Their winged forms were said to disappear into the cliffs, their cries echoing down into the valleys during violent storms.

A particularly famous account comes from the summer of 1421. According to the chronicle, a great dragon was seen flying through the skies from Rigi to Pilatus before it plummeted down near the base of the mountain. A nearby farmer named Stempflin from Neuenkirch witnessed the crash and fainted from the shock. 

European Dragon; A dragon in a landscape, which, according to the Italian inscription, lived in the swamps outside Rome on December 1, 1691. On the left a bridge over a river.

When he awoke, the dragon had vanished, leaving behind a scorched earth, a thick pool of blood — and something strange: a smooth, shimmering object soon named the Drachenstein (Dragon Stone). Locals attributed healing properties to this strange relic, and for many years it was kept in a Lucerne church as a miraculous artifact. The surgeon Martin Schriber acquired the object from a descendant of Stämpfli and in 1523 had its miraculous powers confirmed in a document by the mayor and council of the city of Lucerne.

Dragon Mountain: An illustration depicting a dragon soaring through the sky, embodying the mythical tales surrounding Mount Pilatus. Discovery of the Lucerne Dragon Stone by the farmer Stämpfli. One of four illustrations from: Description of the famous Lucerne or 4th Waldstaetten Lake by Johann Leopold Cysat. Chapter 25: Of Dragons and Lindtwürms and of the Dragon Stone found in the city of Lucerne.

It was for a long time well documented over the years. after Schriber’s death in 1527, it came into the possession of Dorothea Moser , and in 1564 of the town clerk Johannes Kraft , then of the mayor Ludwig Schürf , then into the possession of the Cloos family, from whom it went to the Fleckenstein family and finally to the Meier von Schauenstein family.  In 1929, the Canton of Lucerne acquired the stone from the latter for 400 francs. Since then, it has been state property and was displayed in the Natural History Museum in Lucerne.

When the stone was loaned in 1954 to the Pharmacy History Museum in Basel, the documentation was lacking. After some deaths, it was forgotten about and considered lost in Lucerne for years until a curator in 1960 happened upon it in a museum in Basel. 

By 1978, it was back when the Natural History Museum in Lucerne reopened. For a long time, people assumed the stone was a meteorite. However, in 2006, they did some tests on it, showing it was burnt clay, although the origin and the cause of the stone and dragon legend remains a mystery. 

Dragon on Pilatus: Illustrations from the 1661 book: Description of the famous Lucerne or 4. Waldstaetten Lake by Johann Leopold Cysat. Chapter 25: Of dragons and lindworms and of the dragon stone found in the city of Lucerne.

The Dragon in the Reuss River

The story about the farmer and the healing dragon stone is not the only dragon sighting from the 1400s. In 1499, a dragon was reportedly washed ashore in the Reuss River running through Luzern, at the foot of the Mount Pilatus mountain. 

River Reuss: The iconic wooden Chapel Bridge at night, reflecting over Lake Lucerne, near the legendary Mount Pilatus.

Still to this day, reports about seeing something swim under the Reuss bridge, whether be a dragon sighting or something similar to the Loch Ness monster is still happening. 

A Portal Between Worlds

Other tales claim that a secret cave system beneath the peak known as the Flue served as a nesting ground for the dragons, and that travelers who dared venture too close would be cursed or spirited away. In one version from a 1619 chronicle, a man witnessed dragons gliding between the great rock formations of Pilatus and vanishing into the very walls of the mountain. These were no mindless beasts but powerful guardians, perhaps even shape-shifters, tied to the elements.

There are also stories about people falling off the snowy mountain in the winter, but awaking warm inside of the dragon’s cave, with the dragon nursing them back until spring. This story about nice dragons nursing someone through winter, This story happened the same year as the Dragon Stone appeared, and that the young man was fed on moon milk from the cave walls and flown back to Lucerne by the two dragons living there after the winter was over. 

The Ghost of Pontius Pilate

Because of these dark and unexplainable occurrences, the mountain was also considered cursed. In the Middle Ages, the city council of Lucerne forbade anyone from climbing Pilatus for fear of awakening the spirits and demons said to be imprisoned within. All farmers had to swear by God that they would never visit the lake either. In 1387, six priests were jailed for it. In 1564, two men made it to the lake without meeting a spirit, so they threw stones in the lake instead. This was said to cause a thunderstorm and they too were put in jail. 

Before being called Mt Piilatus, it was called Fractus Mons or Fräkmünt until 1460. The ghost of Pontius Pilate, from whom the mountain may derive its name, was also rumored to be buried in the now dried up Pilatus lake closeby, his soul haunting the region in eternal unrest.

Pontius Pilatus: He was the fifth governor of the Roman province of Judaea, serving under Emperor Tiberius from 26/27 to 36/37 AD and most known for being the official who presided over the trial of Jesus and ordered his crucifixion. He was ordered to Rome by the Syrian legate to face Emperor Tiberius, but Tiberius died before Pilate arrived, and his fate thereafter remains unknown. The only sure outcome of Pilate’s return to Rome is that he was not reinstated as governor of Judaea, either because the hearing went badly, or because Pilate did not wish to return. Some say he retired, some say he committed suicide. // Image: Mihály Munkácsy: Christ before Pilate.

In the text Mors Pilati (perhaps originally 6th century, but recorded c. 1300 AD), Pilate was said to have been forced to commit suicide and his body thrown in the Tiber. However, the body is surrounded by demons and storms, so that it is removed from the Tiber and instead cast into the Rhone, where the same thing happens. Finally, the corpse is taken to Lausanne in modern Switzerland and buried in an isolated lake (perhaps Lake Lucerne), where demonic visitations continue to occur. according to another, Pilate took refuge in a mountain (now called Mount Pilatus) in modern Switzerland, before eventually committing suicide in a lake on its summit.

A remorseful Pilate prepares to kill himself. Engraving by G. Mochetti after B. Pinelli.

It was said that if he was disturbed, storms and bad weather would break loose from the mountain. The ghostly figure that is said to have appeared with gray hair and dressed in purple annually on Good Friday by the lake. 

In 1585, the priest Johann Muller got together with the authorities to prove this was all superstition. He brought them out to the lake and threw rocks at the water, and no bad weather came. They were still not completely convinced and decided to drain the lake forever in 1594 when they abolished the no visitation policy, just to be sure. 

How true is it that Pilatus died here though? There are several mountains claiming the same actually. Some say that the name was actually from the word Pila, meaning pilgrim. 

Myth Meets Modernity

The many dragon stories are told in the canton of Luzern and many of them believe that dragon still roars in the sky. Athanasius Kircher relates: “When I was looking at the bright sky at night in 1649, I saw a shining dragon flying past from a hole in a very large rock cliff on Mount Pilatus. Its wings were moving rapidly, and as it flew it threw off sparks like glowing iron when it is being forged.

Though scientific understanding has long since overtaken belief in dragons, the legend of Mount Pilatus remains one of the most enduring pieces of Swiss folklore. Even today, Pilatus is affectionately referred to as Drachenberg — Dragon Mountain — and symbols of dragons can be found carved into signs, trail markers, and souvenir shops throughout the region.

Lake Lucerne: Mount Pilatus towers majestically over Lake Lucerne, embodying Swiss folklore with its snow-capped peaks and mysterious aura.

The Dragon Stone itself reportedly vanished during one of Lucerne’s many church restorations, though some say it was hidden away to protect its powers. Others believe the dragons are simply dormant, waiting beneath the rock for the right time to rise again.

Visitors hiking the slopes on misty days often report strange gusts of wind, echoing screeches, or fleeting shadows soaring across the mountain face. Whether these are tricks of the imagination or something far older and more powerful, one thing remains certain: Mount Pilatus will never stop watching — or hiding its secrets.

Newest Posts

  • The Demonic Omen of Disaster at Mödling Castle Hill
    Sometimes called the Devil’s Stone, the ruins of the former Mödling Castle is said to be haunted by a demonic bird-like entity, screeching at night as an omen of death and disaster.
  • The Brewer Haunting Nockherberg and the Beer Garden in Munich
    Could a beer festival be haunted? Many have spoken about the ghost of an old brewer at Nockherberg haunting the beer festival, creating havoc to retaliate to what his descendants did to his brew.
  • The Girl in the Tower of the Munich Frauenkirche
    After her public death in the tower of the Munich Frauenkirche, many have claimed to have seen the ghost of Fanny appearing at her death anniversary wearing white.
  • The Cursed Weilheim Plague Chapel
    What really happened around the Pollingsried Chapel, and its supposed plague cemetery? Is there really a curse around the area? As far as the ringing of the bells can be heard?
  • The Restless Spirit of The Utburd Child Ghost in Norway
    Searching for its name, the utburd ghost from Norwegian folklore haunts the forests, waters and houses its parents left them to die. For the most part, they remained in folk tales, but sometimes, the stories about the dead children got real life consequences.
  • The Banshee: Ireland’s Wailing Spirit of Death
    Perhaps one of the most well known figures from Irish mythology is the Banshee, the omen of death, wailing as death comes to a house. But where does she come from? And what does she want from the dead?
  • The Vanished Village and the Munich Connection to Dracula
    Before meeting a vampire in Transylvania, a short story places Jonathan Harket facing the undead outside of Munich. Could it have a connection to the village that according to legend, vanished suddenly in the middle ages.
  • The Death Coach: Ireland’s Omen of Doom Racing Through the Night
    One of the dark entities on the emerald island, there is the Death Coach who comes to collect the souls of the dead. Pulled by headless horses, the Cóiste Bodhar stops at nothing before its mission is complete, and misfortune happens upon those getting in its way.
  • The Utburd of Skålvoll or the Nille-Case in Norway
    In 1687, the ghost of a murdered child started to testify against its mother in northern Norway and people took it seriously. Today, the Utburd of Skåvoll or the Nille-case is remembered as the ghost story that condemned a woman to her death.
  • The Dullahan: Ireland’s Headless Horseman of Doom
    One of the deadly omens in Irish folklore, The Dullahan, or the Headless Horseman is said to bring certain death to those he calls by their name.
  • Most Haunted Places in Dublin
    Have a look at some of the most haunted places in Dublin, from the mysteries of the Hellfire Club, churches where you can supposedly summon the devil and the dead lingering in the dusty libraries and colleges.
  • The Utburd of Erstad: A Ghost That Led to the Court and Punishment
    After strange knocking and poltergeist activity made the people at Erstad Farm believe it was haunted. And when they asked the ghost what it wanted, it unraveled the lives of more than one person forever.

References:

https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luzerner_Drachenstein

Alpine Dragons

Pontius Pilate – Wikipedia

Die Mythen des Pilatus

Datei:Pilatus-Drachen 1661 – Luzerner Drachenstein.jpg – Wikipedia

Legends of Mount Pilatus

Ukategorisert

Hauntings and Legends from the Pocomoke State Forest

1 Comment
Advertisements

Ghosts of locals from the Pocomoke State forest as well as mysterious balls of light and impossible dark legends, the countless tales from this haunted forest in Maryland keep piling on, making this perhaps one of the most busy as well as haunted forests in America. 

Between Snow Hill and Pocomoke City in Maryland, the Pocomoke State Forest harbors more than just the natural beauty of the landscape on the Eastern Shore. The over 18 000 acre big forest comes with a chilling reputation that locals often share in hushed whispers, this forest is deemed off-limits after sundown, as tales of eerie encounters and ghostly apparitions weave through the trees.

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from USA

The forest is often called the true Blair Witch Project forest, as it is perhaps the most well known haunted forest in Maryland where the iconic horror movie also took place. Pocomoke State Forest is shrouded in unsettling stories, with reports of women’s screams and infants’ cries echoing in the night. When people get out of the forest, they find strange marks on their cars, like the mark of a hand and at night, the forest closes. 

Its reputation is further steeped in creepy urban legends, including accounts of mysterious fireballs illuminating the darkened woods. However, it’s the tales of ominous disappearances and untimely deaths that send shivers down the spines of those who dare to explore.

The Drowned Ghosts of Pocomoke State Forest

The very word, Pocomoke comes from the Agonquian language to mean broken ground. Historically though it was thought to mean Black Water and it is said that the water is totally dark thanks to the light not passing through the bald cypress trees. 

Many tales of the ghosts haunting the forest are said to be the souls of those that drowned in the river or the swampy waters. Like the case with Joby Emmons and his son who were getting on their boat, but the son fell into the water and couldn’t get out. The father jumped in after him to rescue him, but they both got trapped under the boat and drowned. 

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from Haunted Forests around the world

People claim that they have seen the spirit of Joby Emmons and his son walking along the river of Pocomoke State Forest. 

Source: Flickr

Another group of people haunting the swamp areas are the children between the slaves and slave owners. There are countless of stories where the slave owners raped their slaves and if there was a child born, they took the children out into the swampy forest and drowned them. Many hikers claim to have felt the touch of something small or seen little shadows gliding through the trees. 

The Sea-Captain and his Family Haunting the Forest

Many hikers and campers claim that they leave Pocomoke State Forest with mysterious handprints on their cars. What is strange is that the handprints look like it got six fingers, something a vicious Sea Captain who lived around these parts was said to have. It is believed to be him haunting the forest after his death after he murdered his family.

The place of the haunting is said to be centered around Cellar House Plantation that are still standing. It was built in 1666 and was said to have been built by a French Sea Captain for his wife, or at least bride to be. 

He came back from the sea once though and found her pregnant, or having a child already, one that wasn’t his. It was a local man from Pocomoke City. He threw her out of the house and told her to never return. 

She did though, as she had no place to go, trying to beg him for forgiveness. She had her baby with her and came down on a raft in the water. It tipped close to the house though and her baby drowned. She managed to swim to shore though, but was not saved.

In some versions of the story, the Captain was even the one drowning the child by throwing the baby into the river. Her estranged husband dragged her to the bedroom where he stabbed her to death and fled the scene of the crime into Pocomoke State Forest, never to return and be seen ever again. 

As mentioned, one of the recurring things that people report they hear in the haunted forest is the sound of a woman screaming as well as a baby crying, reliving their final moments. What happened to the Captain after he murdered his family is uncertain, but he is rumored to be haunting the forest still. 

The Heavy and Cursed Bible

Deep in the Pocomoke State Forest there once was an old church called Nazarene Church at the entrance to the Pusey Branch Nature Trail in the forest. It was a Methodist Church at the end of the 19th century. Today there is only an abandoned cemetery left as the building of the church was moved to Furnace Town in 1980. 

According to the legends, there was perhaps a cursed Bible found inside of the old church, or perhaps just a little bit haunted. Many people tried to steal this hidden Bible when they found it and ran through the forest with it, but they never got far. 

Apparently the Bible got heavier and heavier with each step you took until you dropped it and it ended up where it originally was. Whether the Bible even existed is uncertain as well if it came with the building to Furnace Town, or were left someplace at the old site. 

The Haunted Furnace Town

But what is really Furnace Town? This part of the Pocomoke State Forest has many spirits lingering where people come back with tales of seeing ghostly figures, hearing disembodied voices and other paranormal things. 

The ghost town that now is turned into a museum, and was built around the Maryland Iron Companies Nassawango Iron Furnaces in 1832. At its height Furnace Town used to employ hundreds of people. They also used slaves to do the hard labor and most ghosts seen are said to be the spirit of the slaves. 

Most known ghost said to haunt this place is the former slave, Sampson Hat, or Sampson Harmon. It is said that he was one of the slaves that worked in the mines and smelting ore in the big furnaces. By 1847 the furnaces closed down and people started to move away and the town started to be a ghost town. 

The only one who didn’t move was Sampson Hat who lived in the abandoned Furnace Town alone. The civil war came and passed, freeing him, but he still didn’t leave. According to some historical accounts he was born in 1790  at Nassawango Hills and was a free man working at Furnace Town to take care of his wife and children. 

He came to think of Furnace Town as his true home and it is said he stayed at the same place, even when his family left. He lived there until his death at 107 or 104, depending on who is telling the story.

Before he died he spent a year at the Alms House in Snow Hill. Before passing he said he had to be buried at Furnace Town, but after his death, his wishes were not heard and his body was buried elsewhere. But according to the local legends, his spirit remains and is still haunting the old town as well as Pocomoke State Forest. 

It is also said he is followed by his cats he collects and brings with him as his companions. You can hear him wandering around, calling out for Stormy which he calls the cats.

Reports about him were told a lot during construction of the former ghost town when they started to restore the town and turned it into a museum from the 1960s.

The Ball of Fire

Another strange thing reported in Pocomoke State Forest is the sighting of different elementals and no human spirits haunting the forest, taking different shapes and forms. One version told is the haunting of a big fiery ball. One version talks about the priest Paul Walker holding a revival in the forest around Pine Ridge in 1921. Some husbands were unhappy about their wives’ conversion and gathered to get the priest. They went to the church to burn it down and beat the priest up, but when the leader of the group opened the door to the church he stopped. 

A ball of fire came from the rood and split in two and went down on each side of the church. This sight scared the men and they ran off. 

The story about a fiery ball is also recounted in a legend about a man driving through Pocomoke State Forest going to Snow Hill. Ahead of him was a bright object that came close until it was around 30-35 yards from him. 

The car stopped suddenly and he was too afraid to say anything or do anything as the object looked like a bright yellow box. He was trapped in this standstill for around 15 minutes before the object drifted into the woods and off the road. As soon as the object was gone, the car started again and he managed to drive away. 

The Goat Man

Any haunted forest needs its monster stories. Like the Bigfoot or The Jersey Devil Pocomoke State Forest has the Goat Man of the Pocomoke River. It is said to be a creature with a mans body, but the head of a goat with horn.

The creature runs through the forest, eating the fishes in the river and the small animals in the forest. Not many sightings have been done of the Goat Man, but it is said you can hear him stepping on twigs and bushes in places that no man can walk. 

The legend about the Goat Man is told throughout Maryland and also thought to live in Pocomoke State Forest around Prince George’s County in Maryland. The story about the Goat Man has been told for decades, perhaps even longer. In the 1970s, a student did a project about the lore behind the creature where they also discussed that the origin of the Goat Man could be traced back to the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center.

According to this version of the legend, the Goat Man was once a scientist working there called Dr. Stephen Fletcher.. During an experiment it mutated the scientist into the creature. It is said that he was attacking cars around Beltsville, around two hours drive from Pocomoke State Forest.  

The Classic Urban Legend of the Boyfriend’s Death

Another thing with Pocomoke State Forest is that it is said to be the place of many famous urban legends from modern day America. 

One unsettling narrative involves a couple stranded with an empty gas tank in the heart of the forest at night. As the boyfriend ventured out to fix it, the girlfriend dozed off in the locked car, oblivious to the scratching noises on the car roof that started sometime during the night. 

When she awoke it was the next morning and her boyfriend had still not returned. She finally heard the sound of the scraping on the roof. She got out of the car and a harrowing sight awaited her – her boyfriend hanging by his feet over the car, his feet scraping the roof. His head was placed on the trunk of the car.

This urban legend is a pretty worldwide phenomenon by now, and has been so for decades now. According to Snopes, the earliest documented version of this legend was in 1964 by a student studying at the University of Kansas. It still is an all time favorite to tell in Pocomoke State Forest

Hook Man of the Pocomoke State Forest

This urban legend has also been told with the story of the Hook Man that has been told as far back as the 1950s, possibly being even older. In this legend, they were driving or parked somewhere in the woods as a news bulletin comes on the radio and warns them about a mental asylum patient having escaped and can be recognized with a hook as a hand. In this version it is from the Cambridge State Hospital. 

In this version of the urban legend, he is mad at those who disturb the Pocomoke State Forest. The girlfriend gets scared and makes her boyfriend drive her home. As they are in the forest they hear strange things in the bushes and when they get home, they find a hook wedged into their car door handle.

The Bus Driver

Another urban legend told is coming from Pocomoke State Forest is the haunted bus. A school bus was taking a shortcut through the forest once when they experienced engine troubles and the bus had to stop. The bus driver went outside and tried to fix it, but strange things started to happen to the bus. 

The sound of something walking on the roof of the bus started to scare the children and they saw ghostly and monstrous faces in the windows. The teacher accompanying them told them all to close the windows and went to the front of the bus to find the bus driver and get them out of there. The only thing the teacher found was a skeleton by the front of the bus. 

The teacher slammed the door shut and got into the driver seat and drove them all back to the school when the bus started working again. 

This story is a little bit more difficult to pinpoint where it comes from though.

A Stay at the Haunted Pocomoke State Forest

The trees seem to reclaim the old legends and places, but the spirit and ghosts remain. Pocomoke State Forest becomes a realm where the line between the living and the supernatural blurs, beckoning both the curious and the cautious to delve into its haunted mysteries.

Urban legends coexists with old ghost stories and both human spirit as well as something inhuman are said to roam around the trees. 

More like this

Newest Posts

References:

The Haunted Pocomoke Forest and its Urban Legends – Chesapeake Ghost Tours 

https://www.cellarhousefarm.com/

Haunted Delmarva: Pocomoke Forest – 47abc

GHOSTS OF FURNACE TOWN — American Hauntings  

Sampson Harmon: Furnace Town’s Resident Cat-Collecting Ghost | Shorebread 

14 Myths and Legends Surrounding Maryland’s Haunted Pocomoke Forest 

Henry A. Wallace Beltsville Agricultural Research Center – Wikipedia 

Goatman (urban legend) – Wikipedia 

The Hook | Snopes.com 

Ghost ship, Mythology, Sea

Sailors Superstitions

1 Comment
Advertisements

Perhaps none are more superstitious than the sailors. Or at least, what the old sailors used to be. Rolling clouds or roaring waves means little to us on land, but in the 18th century New England, it meant bad luck. Some of them are plain ridiculous, like having an umbrella on the ship means bad luck, or even saying the word horse because it can mean death.

However, maybe they are the ones who needed it the most. They were, after all, left alone to the mercy of the unruly seas and the hidden depths most never sees. Perhaps the old ways of the seafarers knew something we don’t?

Red Sunrise

There is a lot affecting the weather according to old superstitions. Clapping could cause thunder, whistling could summon a wind and throwing a stone in the water could bring swells. 

However one of the more likely and poetic sailors weather forecast was this:

“Red sky at night, sailors delight. Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning. “

This poetic warning told about the day ahead and that it would take a dangerous turn. In fact, it does have some sort of scientific background, although not a hundred percent accurate. A red sky can actually warn about bad weather ahead. 

Bananas on board

This is seemingly one of the weirder ones. But it actually makes sense, even just a bit. It is a superstition from the 1700 and the banana trade. A big amount of the ships went missing carrying a load of bananas, trying to cross the sea. The bananas turned bad pretty quickly, and the ships had to hurry to deliver the goods before it rotted away and no one would profit or get their bananas. So how does it make sense? People make bad decisions, taking a wrong course, pushing the ship too much. It also is said rotten bananas let off lethal gasses and deadly spiders living in the bananas took some out on board. So, do you crave a banana now?

Advertisements

The Dies Infaustus

Not only the weather was something they were afraid of. There were even some days more frightening than others. Like the day Friday, which considered to be an unlucky day in some cultures or the Dies Infaustus as it’s called in fancy Latin. This is perhaps one of the most enduring superstitions, at least in the days since we started calling the day Friday. It was unlucky to begin a voyage or set sail on this day. It is also the root of the well-known urban legend of HMS Friday.  In more Viking and Norse oriented ships, Thursday was the day to avoid since it’s Thor, God of thunders day. 

The Albatross

At length did cross an Albatross,
Thorough the fog it came;
As if it had been a Christian soul,
We hailed it in God’s name.
‘God save thee, ancient Mariner!
From the fiends, that plague thee thus!
— Why look’st thou so?’—
With my cross-bow I shot the ALBATROSS.

From: The Rime of the Ancient Mariner By: Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Birds have a massive influence on superstition. Seeing a swallow means you are close to land, spotting an albatross can bring good fortune. But as the Mariner and the crew in the famous poem experience, killing it will bring bad luck. The crew thought to kill the albatross only brought them more misfortune:

Water, water, every where,
And all the boards did shrink;
Water, water, every where,
Nor any drop to drink.

In the end, they blamed in all on the Mariner and made him wear the dead albatross around his neck. Birds are also believed to be or carry the souls of dead sailors, making their significance even greater. They are one of the crew.

Advertisements

The Jonah

Jonah will for many be remembered from as the biblical figure from the Book of Jonah. A guy who was trying to flee from the presence of God by sailing away. A huge storm came over the ship and it was no ordinary storm. The crew discovers that Jonah is the one to blame and they throw him overboard. The storm calms by the sacrifice and Jonah is saved by being swallowed by a large fish where he spends three days and three nights, repenting for his sins.

Jonah is now a well-established expression of a sailor or a passenger bringing bad luck to the ship. Often clergymen and women would be considered a Jonah. Also, redheads would be sometimes accused of being a Jonah.  

Advertisements

MORE LIKE THIS

LATEST POSTS