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For centuries, stories and folklore have both captivated and frightened cultures around the world. These tales evolve into legends when they spread far and wide, gradually transforming into versions of truth. Numerous myths have even served as the inspiration for Hollywood’s infamous 'based on a true story' tagline. While some of these claims may be hard to believe, there are urban legends that contain a genuine core of truth. Keep reading to discover 10 of the most intriguing myths that truly occurred.
10. The Man Who Soared into the Air with a Balloon-Powered Lawn Chair
The familiar cartoon image of a man floating into the sky while tethered to a chair with balloons has its basis in reality. In San Pedro, California, Larry Walters became the first person to take flight using only a lawn chair and 45 helium-filled weather balloons. Walters set out with the goal of flying over the mountains to reach the Mojave Desert.
A friend recorded the incredible attempt, which you can find online. The flight was only partially successful. Walters reached an altitude of 16,000 feet and stayed airborne for 45 minutes before getting tangled in power lines. Fortunately, Walters was able to descend safely without injury, but law enforcement arrested him immediately for violating U.S. Federal Aviation Regulations. His audacious stunt earned him worldwide fame.
Since the groundbreaking flight in 1982, an unexpected number of individuals have attempted to replicate the homemade aircraft. This endeavor also inspired the 2003 film 'Danny Deckchair' and the extreme sport known as cluster ballooning.
9. Rat Kings
A truly bizarre myth. People have been reporting the existence of rat kings since the mid-16th century, and we’re not talking about rodents wearing crowns. The term 'rat king' refers to a supposed phenomenon where the tails of multiple rats become hopelessly entangled. Though once thought to be purely mythical, there is evidence proving that this really happens. The largest rat king discovered and preserved in 1828 contained as many as 32 rats tangled together in this bizarre manner. Zoologists used to dismiss such specimens, doubting that it could happen naturally.
As recently as 2005, an Estonian farmer stumbled upon a rat king made up of 16 rats. Their tails were entwined by frozen sand, with nine of the rats still alive. This remarkable specimen is now preserved at the Natural History Museum at the University of Tartu.
It appears that nature can indeed be quite unsettling—the phenomenon was deemed possible, though rare.
8. A Deadly Dress
Folklore from all corners of the globe tells the chilling tale of the poisoned dress. In the ancient Greek myth of Medea, Medea seeks revenge on her former lover’s new, younger wife by sending a deadly dress. She removes the dress from a corpse and sends it to Glauce, who wears it to a ball (sometimes it’s her own wedding). The embalming fluid soaked into the dress kills her.
The myth that embalming fluid, or formaldehyde, can be a cause of death has endured, even though it has been disproven. The strong smell of formaldehyde is so pungent that it would be impossible to miss.
However, there was a dark period in history when manufacturers used arsenic-laced dyes in many fabrics during the 19th century. The vibrant green dresses that were so fashionable among the elite turned out to be deadly. Those who came into contact with the fabric suffered painful blisters and, in the worst cases, agonizing deaths.
7. Alligators in the Sewers of New York
The urban legend of massive, often albino, alligators living in the sewers of New York has been passed down for generations, embedded in pop culture, and is even honored with an unofficial holiday (February 9th is Alligators in the Sewers Day).
The tale suggests that wealthy families in the 1930s kept alligators as pets, but when they grew bored or found the grown gators too difficult to handle, they flushed them down the toilet. It’s believed that these abandoned reptiles have since formed a terrifying colony in the sewers.
In reality, alligators were indeed sold as pets and have been found in storm drains and nearby rivers. Multiple sightings and captures of these creatures have fueled the legend over the years. However, the idea of them thriving in the sewers is unlikely. The environment is far too cold and toxic for alligators to survive for long.
6. The Cropsey Killer
Cropsey is a boogeyman legend that haunted Staten Island towards the end of the 20th century. According to the story, an escaped mental patient living in the abandoned tunnels of the Willowbrook Mental Institution kidnapped and murdered children. Sometimes he was said to have a hook for a hand, other times a butcher's knife, but the tale of a murderous maniac instilled fear in the children who grew up there. The truth behind the legend is just as chilling.
Following a series of child disappearances, Andre Rand, who had previously worked at the Willowbrook Institution and was living on its abandoned grounds, was arrested and charged with the kidnapping of Holly Ann Hughes. This incident led many residents of Staten Island to believe that Rand was the deranged killer behind the other missing children. Although there was no physical evidence connecting Rand to the crimes, both newspapers and locals drew comparisons between him and the infamous Cropsey.
A documentary titled Cropsey delves into the myth and the man thought to be the real-life embodiment of Cropsey. One thing is certain—it's challenging to distinguish between fact and folklore.
5. The Giant Sea Monster That Haunts Sailors
Norse sailors frequently recounted stories of a massive, tentacled beast that emerged from the ocean's depths to attack their ships. Reports described how this vicious sea creature would rock the boat and even toss sailors overboard with its powerful tentacles. The sailors believed the monster was hunting them, picking off the crew one by one. The Kraken myth has been a staple of maritime lore for centuries, but does it have any basis in truth?
Indeed, there is some truth behind these harrowing tales. The culprit behind these sea terror stories is the colossal squid, the largest squid species (even larger than the giant squid). While sailors’ accounts may have been embellished, who doesn’t exaggerate their sea adventures? In 2003, researchers discovered a fully intact specimen in the waters off Antarctica. These rare, deep-ocean dwellers can grow up to 14 meters in length and weigh over 500 kg. Their tentacles feature rotating hooks at the end of their club-shaped tips, adding to their menacing nature.
4. The Real-Life Beauty and the Beast
Throughout history, many legends tell of mythical creatures, from centaurs to mermaids. But less glamorous are the tales of beasts resembling human men, such as the creature in Beauty and the Beast. There are numerous stories of wild, ape-like men, from Bigfoot to werewolves.
In the 1500s, a man named Petrus Gonsalves, born on the Canary Islands, was afflicted with a rare condition known as hypertrichosis (or werewolf syndrome). This condition causes excessive hair growth all over the body, including the face. Petrus was completely covered in hair, and people treated him like an animal, even keeping him in a cage and feeding him raw meat.
At the age of ten, Petrus was presented as a gift to King Henri II of France. The King, wishing to tame the ‘savage,’ decided to provide the boy with a proper education. Impressed by Petrus's intelligence, Henri grew fond of him, stopped treating him as an animal, and made him a noble.
Petrus married a beautiful woman at the court, and they had children together, some of whom inherited the same genetic condition. Could this extraordinary tale be the real-life inspiration for Beauty and the Beast?
3. The Haunted Doll
If you've seen your share of horror films, chances are you've encountered dolls like Chucky or Annabelle—creepy toys that come to life. The chilling legend of a beloved doll becoming possessed is enough to unsettle anyone. Yet, this next story sounds too bizarre to be real, but it happened.
In 1918, in Hokkaido, Japan, a young boy bought a doll for his sister, Okiku. The doll and Okiku both had a similar okappa haircut—straight hair cut to the chin in a bowl shape. The doll was inseparable from the girl, and after Okiku tragically passed away a few months later, her family kept the doll as a shrine, named it after her, and prayed to it every day.
Then, something strange occurred. The family began noticing that the doll’s hair was growing, much like human hair. Alarmed, they decided to take the doll to Mannen-Ji Temple in Iwamizawa City. Scientists have since analyzed the hair and confirmed it’s human hair, specifically that of a child. The doll is still on display at the temple, a bizarre paranormal relic for visitors.
2. A Real Corpse as a Halloween Decoration
A particularly dark urban legend, often used as the basis for murder mysteries in film and television, tells of a dead body mistaken for a Halloween decoration. People casually pass by, commenting on how lifelike it appears, completely unaware that something horrific has occurred.
This may seem hard to believe. After all, no amount of special effects or makeup could fool that many people into thinking a decaying body is fake, could it?
Unfortunately, this isn’t just a fictional Hollywood scenario. It really happened. In 2015, a woman in Ohio was left for dead, hanging on a fence after being attacked. Several people passed by, assuming her body was part of a Halloween display. No one thought to call for help, as they believed it to be a prank. It wasn’t until a construction worker, also thinking it was a decoration, tried to move it and discovered it was a real body.
1. The Premature Burial
You may have heard of cases where people, mistakenly thought to be dead, were accidentally buried alive. Stories of presumed corpses heard screaming from underground, or bodies found with scratch marks inside coffins, have haunted our imaginations for centuries. The fear of being buried alive was so prevalent during the Victorian era that bells were attached to bodies, just in case the dead woke up.
Some historians even suggest that the expression 'saved by the bell' originated from this practice. However, despite the widespread use of these 'safety coffins,' there are no documented cases of anyone actually being rescued this way.
While this doesn't mean the fear of being buried alive is entirely unfounded, it certainly wasn't as common as we once imagined. What's even more chilling is that similar incidents have been reported in recent years, with the latest case happening in 2020.
Peter Kigen, a 32-year-old man from Kenya, was declared dead and left in a morgue, only to regain consciousness just as staff were preparing to embalm and drain his blood. Kigen screamed in horror after one of the morgue workers sliced into his leg. This shocking event is attributed to hospital negligence.
