I think a guy followed by a large struggling clump of helplessly feather-covered covetous locals glued to a fake goose would be pretty funny, so that one sounds plausible.
The site played music for me after about 60 seconds, so mute the tab on entry.
We had a high volume if not perhaps a high cultural variety of fairy tales growing up - several of the Lang Fairy Books of various colors, each significant size in itself. Based on dates I imagine they were bowdlerized, but there was a lot in there. Like the one cautioning kids against going around a church widdershins.
And then we had the Terry Jones Fairy Tales, which felt more modern and mold-breaking at the time.
There are a few good Czech ones about malevolent fairies that steal people's eyes and/or eat people, both outcomes after making sweet promises. Lesser-known enough that there are apparently no videos subtitled in english, and the only translations I see are stilted old-fashioned english. The fairies collect lots of eyes, when they're forced to return a pair they return the wrong ones so the hapless old man sees only owls everywhere. best illustrations of this one, a little saccharine:
http://alougo.com/pohadky/pohadky/jezinky_a_janecek.htm
There are also water creatures who live near willow roots and keep collections of the souls of the drowned (who they've lured to their deaths when they can be bothered) in jars, but otherwise have lifestyle choices of standard guys who like beer, food, and pipes, all somehow underwater. There's a seventies film, but I don't think it translates; contemporary depictions moslty lean comical, but they're menacing in the older stories.
There are some pretty disturbing spirits in Japanese folktales also I think?
The Japanese creepies were conveniently collected in an Edo-period compendium. I find the akaname especially yucky.
I think the tooth fairy only shows up after the kid's tooth comes out by itself. These are sort of a supernatural version of George Washington's denture guy. The other story they appear in has an orphan protected by a golden-horned stag that takes horned human form, he reappears just in time to prevent the feast.
Basically we've stopped warning kids, their lives are safe now. Does anyone try to catalog or record stories from kids now living in cultures that aren't doing well? Candyman has folklore roots I think, but broad internet is not helpful, it would be necessary to try to find people that treat their source material (rumors and oral scary stories) respectfully.
Trying to remind myself with online reviews, it looks like the Lang books may bowdlerize for sexual or immoral content, they're fine with bad endings. Red Riding Hood: "this version was 3 pages long and one page was an illustration. all that happens is girl meets wolf, wolf eats girl."
I think the tooth fairy only shows up after the kid's tooth comes out by itself.
Shit. My bad.
There was a Fairly Odd Parents episode that involved a guy who was in love with the Tooth Fairy and was plotting to win her heart by giving her Timmy Turner's humongous buck teeth.
Basically we've stopped warning kids, their lives are safe now.
What do you think Stranger Danger and Just Say No campaigns are?
Not to mention the zillions of Republican fairy tales of things like liberals/Jews who will take Christmas away and transgender bathroom pouncers.
8: Someone call the Shit Fairy, clean up in Comment 8.
What do you think Stranger Danger and Just Say No campaigns are?
Not to mention the zillions of Republican fairy tales of things like liberals/Jews who will take Christmas away and transgender bathroom pouncers.
And school shootings: kind of a big deal!
As long as they can tell kids to stay in the closet, they're happy.
I got to have a fun conversation with Ace about why they got in trouble for singing a song about shooting other kids in school.
Kinda glad my kids are precocious in being obnoxious and can learn this lesson in 4th grade instead of in 10th grade.
So we explained about the Eye Fairy.
You can prevent that by staring at only butts.
Conservatives are such lunatics about sex. Nothing beats the mormon kids who stick it in and lay motionless, and then have their friends jump on the bed so that the motion-of-the-ocean is provided without them actively having to sin.
Pebbles does not believe in the Tooth Fairy, exactly, but she doesn't disbelieve, either, so when she accidentally swallowed her first lost tooth we found ourselves trying to console a sobbing kid upset that the Tooth Fairy wouldn't visit but who was rejecting the explanations of the sort "the Tooth Fairy will understand.". So we had to substitute a white pony bead.
Apparently the Tooth Fairy's existence is such that she can be fooled, but not made to understand, because she doesn't exist.
18: I'd dismiss that as a rumor but there was a legit outbreak of armpit crabs at BYU...
I'm going to dismiss it as an unfounded rumor so I can forget about armpit crabs.
It seems obvious that Mormon floating and Jump-Humping are urban legends, but then so many people will swear up-and-down to it being real that I almost wonder if it started as an urban legend but then people started doing them for real?
23: I agree likely urban legends, but I thought it was called "soaking".
Oh, you're right.
What was that dish soap commercial? "You're soaking in it."
At weddings, which I know is the other thread, maybe instead of something sexist like a dollar dance, they could do dollar jumping?
26: That was an ad for Palmolive dish detergent, with Madge the manicurist. "You're soaking in it."
I'm pretty sure Atossa has figured out that Santa, the tooth fairy, etc., aren't real, but is keeping quiet about it because admitting it could cause the presents to diminish. Or because the game of it is fun, whatever.
I remember in third grade there was one kid who did not know Santa wasn't real. And maybe the rest of us weren't too nice about telling him. There was a thing and the principal had to confirm that Santa wasn't real and that we're not supposed to be assholes to kids who are slow on the uptake.
32: Nobody read you the "Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus" editorial? I was able to confirm my memory that the animated cartoon premiered while I was in elementary school. A forgotten classic.
Not that I recall. I figured it out the old fashioned way, by sneaking around the house and finding presents I would later get from Santa.
34: Here's something to melt your cold, cold heart -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uL65d-hT8U8
@32 My third grader told me that I must really enjoy Christmas, because I get to sleep longer. Since Santa stops time at midnight so he can deliver all the gifts. She also is a firm believer in the Elf on the Shelf. Touch the Elf and she will flip out. I already had to write an apology to Santa for touching the elf.
@37 I picked it up by its head, in a most undignified manner. Right in front of said third grader.
I'm so glad my scoliosis wasn't diagnosed until I was too old for that. Though it would be nice to be a bit taller.
The kid doesn't seem unhappy about it.
For anyone with accumulated rancor against EoaS.
@39. Wow. Yes. Like that.
That is amazing. Who thought of that therapy. Whoever thought of that needed therapy. What IRB approved it?
*screenplay - shot of IRB meeting*
IRB Member: "You want to do what? To children?"
Researcher (defensively): "Swing them around by their heads."
IRB Member: "Dear God! Why?"
Researcher (defensively): "Well, early animal studies have been promising."
***Scene change to laboratory with rows of rats, suspended by their heads and silently gyrating***
The guy who designed the clamp is someone I wonder about.
39,44 I've been in traction with one of the other kind, that doesn't distribute the load. More even distribution of pressure definitely crossed my mid.
Yes, they're good at their job. But how did they learn it?
Should I go see Fran Lebowitz give a lecture? On the one hand, she's the best living American writer. On the other hand, it's a lecture.
Not to mention the zillions of Republican fairy tales of things like liberals/Jews who will take Christmas away
Speaking of which, this is the beginning of a delightful thread:
Dear Teachers,
As some of you may know, if you have any students who identify as Christian in your class, they may be absent while observing the Christian holiday of Christmas.
Officially, the holiday commemorates the birth of their prophet. In modern times, the holiday incorporates many pagan winter solstice rituals as well.
50: I don't follow that account because I find the shtick gets annoying fast, but I'm glad they're doing what they're doing.
If Fran Lebowitz weren't lazy, she could have done it better.
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Alta update! Today she messaged the family group text to say she's okay. No further details about location or circumstances. This is consistent with some indirect indications we've been hearing in the past few days, but it's a huge relief to hear from her directly.
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That's such a relief! Glad she's safe.
60: but schools are closed over Christmas anyway, so the teachers wouldn't notice if Christian students were absent. Even Israeli schools are closed over Christmas.
That's only fair given that the first Christmas was in Israel.
I'm pretending to be European and taking two weeks off.
56: I think this is in an implied alternate universe where Judaism is hegemonic.
I hope when they inevitably get around to remaking A Clockwork Orange, the filmmakers will be people who've seen the video in 39.
Some version of "The Story of a Boy Who Went Forth to Learn Fear" plays a significant role in Wagner's Siegfried. Having learned from Wotan that only "he who knows no fear" can reforge the broken sword Nothung and use it to defeat the dragon Fafnir, Mime plots to have Siegfried do just that, hoping to poison him later so Mime can claim the Ring and the rest of the hoard for himself.
I bet that after Roy got attacked, Siegfried had at least a bit of fear.