10 horror myths based on disturbing stories

When we think of myths and legends, we generally imagine elaborate narratives that tell us the story or the emergence of different phenomena or elements of reality. However, also we can find among the narratives of different cultures examples of horror myths, which basically tell us about the fears of the unknown and incomprehensible present in all humanity.

In this article we are going to review ten horror myths and legends from various sources, some of them of great antiquity while others based on historical moments and contexts more Recent

• Related article: "Why do we like horror movies?"

A dozen horror myths

Then we leave you with different myths and more or less known horror legends, which come from different countries and cultures.

1. The extractor

The story of the bogeyman, who takes children away in a sack, is one of the best-known myths in Spain. And yet it turns out not to be such a legend but rather refers to an event that actually occurred at the end of the 19th century.

And it is that during this time different cases of men who kidnapped and murdered children were observed (in other cases also to women) in order to extract their blood and lipids (butters) to sell or use as an element healing,

believing that these parts of children contributed to curing conditions such as tuberculosis. A real example was that of Francisco Leona, who along with his accomplice and his client was sentenced to death after the murder of a child for these reasons.

2. La Llorona

One of the best-known myths and legends of terror in Mexico, and which in fact has pre-Columbian origins, is that of La Llorona. Legend tells us that there was once a woman who, after getting married and having children, gradually saw a distancing and loss of interest in her on the part of her husband.

One day, the woman discovered that her husband was cheating on her and was going to leave her. She furious, she drowned her two children, but after doing so she realized what she had done and ended up taking her life. Since then her spirit wanders disconsolate, screaming and crying as she searches for her children.

3. Kuchisake-Onna

A Japanese horror myth tells us the story of Kuchisake-Onna, a vain woman married to a samurai whom she cheated with other men. One day, her husband discovered her infidelities and furious at her he brutally cut her face and mouth while she asked him if she really considered herself beautiful. The woman died, and her repentant husband would end up committing suicide.

Since then the spirit of the woman has returned in the form of yokai, and she appears from time to time covering her face with a surgical mask. The woman will look and stop before someone generally young (some versions say that she chases students and even children) to ask if she considers her beautiful. If she says no, she will kill her victim.

If she answers that she does, she will proceed to remove her mask to show her enormous wound, repeating the same question. If the victim freaks out, yells or says no, she will kill them. If she answers that she does, the yokai will hurt her, or else she will follow him to her house to kill him there. Trying to flee is useless, as the spirit will reappear.

• You may be interested: "The 10 most interesting Japanese legends"

4. The girl on the curve

One of the best known and most popular urban legends in multiple countries is the legend of the girl on the curve. This tells us how a young woman died years ago in a traffic accident on a sharp curve in the road. Later, the spirit of the same young woman shows up on the road hitchhiking and asking for a ride.

After getting into the car, the young woman remains silent until the driver approaches the curve where she died. It is then that the spirit tells the driver to be careful since she was killed in that curve, to have said this disappear.

5. The Holy Company

A well-known legend from the province of Galicia tells us about the appearance of a procession of souls in pain that runs through Galician territory, the Santa Compaña. In it we are told that at midnight the souls in Purgatory gather to go out in procession, carrying candles, praying and singing funeral songs. It is said that he travels through the roads, forests and villages, passing and visiting the houses of those who are going to die.

The appearance of the Holy Company usually announces to those who see it its future death, sometimes seeing how the dead transport a coffin with the corpse of the person who sees it. It can also be seen by some chosen ones and those who by mistake during her baptism have been anointed by the oil paintings of the deceased.

The procession is led by a subject still alive, who cannot look back at any time and carries a cross and holy water. This subject (who during the day will not remember his nocturnal walk) is destined to die in a short time, walking every night without rest and weakening and wasting away to death and join the procession or pass the cross to another victim. If someone crosses the procession, he will be able to protect himself from it by drawing a circle and praying from within.

6. Aka-mantle

There is a Japanese legend that tells us about the spirit or yokai Aka Manto, a specter that appears in public toilets and schools to give you a choice between two roles: one blue and the other red. If the victim of this being chooses red, Aka-Manto will proceed to cut him with a knife until his clothes are stained red with blood.

If the color blue is chosen, the spirit will strangle the person to death, thereby making his face and skin acquire the same blue color that he offered. Trying to say another color still results in death, being the only possibility of surviving to indicate to him to be not needing any paper.

7. The Silbon

One of the best known horror legends or myths from Venezuela is that of Silbón. The story tells us how a young man killed and gutted his own father, after discovering that his father had raped (in other versions beaten) his wife. After discovering him, his family cursed and spanked him, to later rub, whip him and rub chili pepper or chili on his wounds and throw him at the dogs. Over time he was transformed into a lost soul, who travels with a sack in which are the remains of his father who died of him.

This being is a harbinger of death, and is said to primarily seek to attack and kill womanizers and drunkards. His whistles sound far away when he's near and near when he's far away. There are several versions of this legend, in some of which the motive for the murder of the parent is to extract the viscera to eat them when the father failed to hunt a deer.

8. Teke-Teke

A macabre Japanese legend tells us the story of a young student victim of school bullying who she fell on the train tracks after being scared by some classmates, with such luck that she was split by the half. Since then this young woman, now a furious spirit, wanders dragging her torso with her hands searching for her legs and attacking and killing.

9. The legend of Pocong

This myth belongs to Indonesia, where traditionally the body of the dead is covered with white cloths and lace clothing that are tied above the head. According to local beliefs, the souls of the dead remain in her body for forty days after death. After that time the body must develop.

When this is not done, the spirit of the dead will return in the form of an apparition, since his shroud prevents him from leaving. This spirit floats or jumps to move, usually looking for the people around it.. According to some legends, these beings also feed on the blood of infants.

10. The Legend of Bloody Mary

The story of Bloody Mary is one of the classics of horror legends. History tells us that little Mary Whales, who one day fell ill and eventually died. The family buried the girl, installing a device typical of the time when a rope tied to a bell in case the supposed dead was not (since the catalepsy). The little she woke up, her supposed death being the product of catalepsy, and she rang the bell. However, no one heard her.

When the family realized that the bell had fallen to the ground after multiple attempts and unearthed the girl, they found her already dead, with bloody hands after trying to flee desperately. But before she died, threw a curse: those people who say their name three times before a mirror will die, before which the bell that nobody heard in their case will be heard.