Urban Legends

The 'Thunderbird' is one of the most enduring figures in Native American folklore. A powerful, electric bird said to summon storms, strike down monsters, and keep balance between worlds. In this episode, I look at where the legend comes from, what it means to the tribes who tell it, and how it’s been reshaped over time.We’ll explore stories from the Ojibwe, Sioux, and Menominee peoples, dive into ancient battles with underwater spirits, and trace how settlers reimagined the Thunderbird as a flying cryptid photographed in the Old West. From there, we’ll look at similar winged beings across the world, from Africa’s Impundulu to China’s Lei Gong and India’s Garuda, and ask what these stories say about our connection to nature, power, and the skies above.Listen now. And if you want to support the podcast and get bonus content, you can do that by joining us on Patreon.Text Me (this is 3rd party & I cannot respond, but I see all messages)Support the showIf you have more information or a correction on something mentioned in this chapter, email us at [email protected]. For more information on the show, to find all our social accounts and to ensure you are up to date on all we do, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.lukemordue.com/podcast

Let's trace the eerie wail of one of Ireland’s most enduring legends, the 'Banshee'.Often dismissed as myth or metaphor, the Banshee is more than just a ghostly woman who cries in the night. Her story shifts across time and region, tangled in ideas of ancestry, grief, and death itself.This unsettling figure has followed generations through the centuries but just what is she? and what does she want with us?Text Me (this is 3rd party & I cannot respond, but I see all messages)Support the showIf you have more information or a correction on something mentioned in this chapter, email us at [email protected]. For more information on the show, to find all our social accounts and to ensure you are up to date on all we do, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.lukemordue.com/podcast

Amongst the skies of southern Africa, legend speaks of a bird born of lightning, the 'Impundulu'.In this chapter, part I of II electric bird tales, we investigate the creature’s mythic origins, its ties to witchcraft, and shapeshifting folklore. Join patreon at: https://patreon.com/urbanlegendsText Me (this is 3rd party & I cannot respond, but I see all messages)Support the showIf you have more information or a correction on something mentioned in this chapter, email us at [email protected]. For more information on the show, to find all our social accounts and to ensure you are up to date on all we do, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.lukemordue.com/podcast

**Trigger Warning: This chapter involves harm to children.**Join us as we explore a strange and unsettling tale that slithered its way into urban legend, 'The Pet Snake'.At first glance, it's a strange story of an affectionate reptile that stops eating, only to reveal a chilling intention. But behind the surface lies a story that speaks to our uneasy relationship with domesticated predators.Text Me (this is 3rd party & I cannot respond, but I see all messages)Support the showIf you have more information or a correction on something mentioned in this chapter, email us at [email protected]. For more information on the show, to find all our social accounts and to ensure you are up to date on all we do, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.lukemordue.com/podcast

In the narrow lanes of southern India, a whispered warning once echoed from door to door, 'Nale Ba'.In this chapter, we trace the origins of this unsettling tale, exploring its rise in 1990s Bangalore, its deep roots in rural superstition, and its reflection of social fears and urban transformation.Text Me (this is 3rd party & I cannot respond, but I see all messages)Support the showIf you have more information or a correction on something mentioned in this chapter, email us at [email protected]. For more information on the show, to find all our social accounts and to ensure you are up to date on all we do, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.lukemordue.com/podcast

Today we turn to one of Japan’s most enduring and disturbing legends, 'Kuchisake-onna', also known as 'the Slit-Mouthed Woman'.This tale of a disfigured woman who asks a chilling question has stalked schoolyards, late-night streets, and the public imagination for decades. But beneath the horror lies a deeper story - one shaped by post-war trauma, shifting societal fears, and the evolution of urban myth in a media-saturated age.We trace the legend’s rise from whispered folklore to national panic, exploring how stories like Kuchisake-onna take root, why they thrive, and what they reveal about the fears we try to suppress.Text Me (this is 3rd party & I cannot respond, but I see all messages)Support the showIf you have more information or a correction on something mentioned in this chapter, email us at [email protected]. For more information on the show, to find all our social accounts and to ensure you are up to date on all we do, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.lukemordue.com/podcast

A snippet of this weeks Patreon Exclusive chapter.Lurking in the shadows of Detroit’s history is a red-eyed harbinger of doom, the 'Nain Rouge'.In this chapter, we explore the legend of this elusive creature said to appear before disaster strikes. From the founding of the city to its moments of greatest turmoil, the Nain Rouge has remained a constant, now even commemorated in parades. We’ll trace the roots of this peculiar folklore, uncovering its connections to French colonial superstition, Native American tales, and the city’s own evolving identity.Text Me (this is 3rd party & I cannot respond, but I see all messages)Support the showIf you have more information or a correction on something mentioned in this chapter, email us at [email protected]. For more information on the show, to find all our social accounts and to ensure you are up to date on all we do, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.lukemordue.com/podcast

As we begin Season V, we explore one of the most unnerving figures in modern folklore: the Men in Black.Join us as we trace the shadowy origins of these silent enforcers, following their evolution from early UFO encounters to government conspiracies and their place in pop culture. We’ll examine the strange patterns that link witness testimonies, the unsettling uniformity of their behaviour, and the psychological weight they carry as symbols of censorship, paranoia, and control. Blurring the line between reality and fabrication, this urban legend continues to haunt the spaces where secrets are meant to stay buried.Text Me (this is 3rd party & I cannot respond, but I see all messages)Support the showIf you have more information or a correction on something mentioned in this chapter, email us at [email protected]. For more information on the show, to find all our social accounts and to ensure you are up to date on all we do, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.lukemordue.com/podcast

Season Five of Urban Legends begins 14th May.In this new series, we uncover the strange, the sinister, and the stories that refuse to die. From serpents and spirits to courtrooms and cryptids, each episode takes you deeper into the folklore, fear, and facts behind the world’s most enduring legends.Written and narrated by Luke Mordue, Urban Legends blends storytelling, history, and cultural analysis to explore why these tales persist, and what they reveal about us.Text Me (this is 3rd party & I cannot respond, but I see all messages)Support the showIf you have more information or a correction on something mentioned in this chapter, email us at [email protected]. For more information on the show, to find all our social accounts and to ensure you are up to date on all we do, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.lukemordue.com/podcast

Modern Myths is a series running alongside Urban Legends; shorter chapters delving into smaller folkloric tales shared worldwide. To listen to our past episodes and to gain access to those coming on our next season, join us on Patreon by clicking the link below.__________________Get ready for a festive, yet perplexing journey into the world of urban legends as we explore the mysterious tale of Santa stuck in chimney. Join us as we investigate the origins, variations, and enduring fascination with this quirky holiday myth.The legend of the body of a man, dressed as Santa Claus being found stuck in the chimney has endured for many years. But where did this twisted story originate? Why does it continue to spread? and has this ever really happened?Text Me (this is 3rd party & I cannot respond, but I see all messages)Support the showIf you have more information or a correction on something mentioned in this chapter, email us at [email protected]. For more information on the show, to find all our social accounts and to ensure you are up to date on all we do, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.lukemordue.com/podcast