In this chapter, we investigate the ‘Knife in the Briefcase’ urban legend, a chilling tale that has circulated in cities across the world. Rooted in warnings about predatory strangers, it tells of women lured into vulnerable situations by a man whose professional façade hides something far darker.

We trace the story’s spread through history and explore its links to real crimes and cultural fears. Just how much of it is true? Let's find out...

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In a quiet corner of Perry County, Ohio, lies a grave that’s become the centre of a dark fascination. Marked by a horseshoe carved into stone, this otherwise unassuming headstone has inspired decades of eerie tales, commonly known as 'The Horseshoe Grave'.

From it's original story to today, we unravel how a single symbol etched in stone became the anchor for one of America’s most haunting rural myths.

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Livestock found drained of blood. Puncture wounds with no clear cause.

In this chapter, we investigate the 'Chupacabra', one of the most infamous cryptids in modern folklore. However, beneath the sensational headlines and pop culture portrayals lies an origin story rooted in real fear. From rural Puerto Rican farms to dusty Texas backroads, we trace the legend’s spread, dissect the eyewitness accounts, and explore how one woman’s sci-fi obsession may have helped shape the creature’s image.

Is the Chupacabra a blood-sucking predator, a misidentified animal, or something else entirely? Let's find out...

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In association with our friends at the 'Scare you to Sleep' podcast. To find out more, simply search 'Scare you to Sleep' on your chosen podcast provider, or visit https://www.scareyoutosleep.com/

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• If you have more information or a correction on something mentioned in this chapter, email us at luke@lukemordue.com.

• 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

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.

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• If you have more information or a correction on something mentioned in this chapter, email us at luke@lukemordue.com.

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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?

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In association with our friends at the 'Scare you to Sleep' podcast. To find out more, simply search 'Scare you to Sleep' on your chosen podcast provider, or visit https://www.scareyoutosleep.com/

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• If you have more information or a correction on something mentioned in this chapter, email us at luke@lukemordue.com.

• 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/urbanlegends

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**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.

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In association with our friends at the 'Scare you to Sleep' podcast. To find out more, simply search 'Scare you to Sleep' on your chosen podcast provider, or visit https://www.scareyoutosleep.com/

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• If you have more information or a correction on something mentioned in this chapter, email us at luke@lukemordue.com.

• 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.

Join us on Patreon at: https://patreon.com/urbanlegends

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Support the show

• If you have more information or a correction on something mentioned in this chapter, email us at luke@lukemordue.com.

• 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