Kitsune

Foxes re known for being cute and intelligent, so clever that it was easy to ascribe superpowers to them, which is exactly what happened in ancient Japan. The supernatural fox, called Kitsune, could be a mischievous prankster, a shapeshifter, a blessing, or a spirit that possessed humans, depending on the time and place. They are rarely 100% malevolent, but they can ruin your life in order to teach you a lesson. Kitsune can take a form of a beautiful woman, and in some cases even reproduce with humans to provide hybrids or some form of Kitsune ancestry. 

Dr. Emily Zarka explain Kitsune, from ancient tales (with many tails) to modern depictions in pop culture, including a bizarre plan for weaponing Kitsune against the Japanese during World War II. 

Witches Against Hitler

From 1941. (via Undine)

Mom Knows Best

(via She Who Seeks)

The Bell Witch Haunting

The legend of the Bell Witch is still told in Tennessee. John Bell and his family started undergoing paranormal experiences in 1817. Most of the incidents were poltergeist activity, although the word was not yet used in America at that time. The haunting went on for years. The family kept the weird phenomena to themselves for months, and when the word got out, other families reported similar events. They continued until John Bell, the patriarch of the family, died under mysterious circumstances in 1820. Bell had married his wife Lucy when she was 12 years old (he was 32). They moved to Tennessee after Bell beat a murder rap in North Carolina. The family eventually had nine children and a solid reputation in Tennessee. But the witch threatened Bell constantly, and some reports said his health was failing the entire three years of the haunting. Or was he poisoned? Dr. Emily Zarka tells the tale of the Bell Witch. How much of the story is true is a matter of conjecture. Written accounts didn't appear until decades later, and even family recollections varied over time, but the story still chills those who hear it.  

The Haunted Comedy Store

The Comedy Store in Los Angeles opened in 1972 and soon became a mecca for those hoping to break into the big time in standup comedy. The nightclub became famous for incubating the careers of some of the biggest comedians of the last 50 years. Of course, there have been plenty of comedians who graced the stage at The Comedy Store or else waited tables and never made it big. And some of them swear that the place is haunted.


 

Ghost Cat

From 1921. (via Undine)

Monsters You Can't See

If you recall the original Predator movie from 1987, the alien was ugly, but we didn't know that for most of the movie. It used a cloaking device that rendered itself invisible. All we could see were some strange digital glitches over the background that instilled plenty of dread. That's the same type of fear engendered by the hidebehind, a monster you never saw because it would hide behind a tree... until it was too late for you to escape. The legend of the hidebehind grew among American lumberjacks to explain why some loggers never came back to camp. The only defense against a hidebehind was a drink or two of alcohol, although it stands to reason that drinking alcohol was more likely the cause of the hidebehind. 

However, the hidebehind is far from the only monster you can't see. I know, you don't see any of them, but that's beside the point. Still, some monsters defy description even in the legends because they are invisible, hiding, or will kill you if you look at them. Dr. Emily Zarka of Monstrum explains why monsters you don't see are even more terrifying than the ones you see. 

Disappearing Ghosts

From 1882. (via Undine)

Recipe

Fro m1915. (via Undine)

Haunted

(via Pleated-Jeans)

Genie Rules

(Thanks, Tracey!)

Stranded

Yikes. This story might not have a happy ending after all. This comic is from Ben Hed at Pet Foolery. 

Angry Corpse

a

From 1920. I wish the rest of the story was included. (via Undine)

 

Update: The rest of the text has been found, and is in the comments. Thanks, Karl! 

Shapeshifting

(via Pleated-Jeans)

Cemetery

(via Pleated-Jeans)

Ghost Divorce

a

From 1940. (via Undine)

Ghosts Evacuated

(via Bad Newspaper)

Demonic Duck

The Blue Bell Inn in Tushingham, England was haunted by a duck who was killed after it began attacking humans. Its ghost continued the assaults until an exorcism was held.

I wish I could’ve seen the priest’s reaction when he was asked to battle a demonic duck. #FolkloreThursday pic.twitter.com/AMCEz6J2Ui

— Undine (@HorribleSanity) February 27, 2025

The Vampire's Gambit

(via Pleated-Jeans)

Regrets

From 1907. (via Undine)