The railroad forged the nation as it came of age in its industrial might. Its lore, including songs, became part of the culture of those who lived on it, especially those who could not afford to ride. Hobos, tramps or migrants developed a folk culture that included freighthopping—riding under, on or in boxcars.
The Pantry Devil
As the name suggests, this devil is a creature that haunts the train tracks. It has a mouth full of sharp teeth, and can eat right through your soul. He is a dark and cold figure that will offer you wealth and fortune in exchange for your soul. This is a tale that is told in small villages, and is often used to scare the children.
The legend of the Pantry Devil is a strange one, and there are many theories as to what it actually is. Some people believe that it is a prehistoric creature trapped in a submerged limestone cave. Others believe that it is a demonic spirit that is harbinger of war or death. It is also possible that the Devil is just a natural phenomenon. There are many earthquakes in the area, and it is possible that one of them opened the cave that houses the devil.
Whatever the case may be, the story of the Devil has frightened residents of New Hampshire for hundreds of years. The Devil is a creature that seems to be around at the time of every major war and disaster, and there are many stories of people being killed by it. The Devil is also known to be a spooky presence that will perform acts of mischief on people who have evil thoughts.
One of the most popular stories about the Devil is that he is a Nephilimic Demon. This means that he is part of a group of demons that are half human and part hellionic. The legend of the Devil says that he was born to a Choiric bearer and a Hellionic sire. This made him a Nephilimic demon, and it is because of this that he is able to trade in souls between humans and hellionic demons.
The story of the Pantry Devil is a strange and creepy one, and it is no wonder that so many people are afraid to go near the train tracks in the Pine Barrens. This mysterious monster is a reminder that the Devil is still out there, and that it is always watching.
The Legend of John Henry
In the 1800s, railroads began to link the United States together, cutting across mountains and through forests, where once it might have taken weeks or months to travel. The men who built the tracks worked long hours in often dangerous conditions. One of their heroes was an ex-slave named John Henry. The tale of his race against a steam drill during the construction of a railroad tunnel is legendary, and has inspired many songs and stories.
According to the story, Henry was a steel-driver for the C&O (Chesapeake and Ohio) Railroad. He was huge and very strong. He could hit steel spikes into rocks with a hammer for hours at a time, and he was the best steel-driver on the railroad. The owners of the railroad commissioned him to lead a team of workers to build a railway tunnel through Big Bend Mountain in West Virginia. The work was hard and dangerous, especially when drilling into rock or using dynamite to blast through a wall of rock.
It was not uncommon for people to lose their lives during this type of work. The workers included slaves, freedmen, and convict laborers. John Henry became a symbol of the strength and courage of the African American men who gave their lives to building the railroad. Their efforts made it possible to travel from one end of the country to the other in less than a week. He was also a reminder that progress came at a price.
The Legend of John Henry is one of the most famous of all folk tales. He is a heroic figure that endures today as a metaphor for the struggle of human laborers against industrialization and technological advancement. His climactic battle against the steam drill illustrates the fear that machines would replace laborers. It also reflects the struggles of the black population and their attempts to overcome slavery, discrimination, and a life of subjugation and oppression.
Pinning down the truth behind the legend of John Henry can be difficult, and scholars like Guy Johnson and Louis Chappell have attempted to uncover biographical details about his life. Despite these efforts, however, it is still not clear whether John Henry was a real man or simply an amalgamation of the heroic figures of many different cultures and histories.
The Legend of the Giants
In folklore, giants are huge mythical beings of prodigious strength and size. They tend to be humanlike in appearance, though their oversized heads and bodies often end in serpentine legs. Some, like the Greek Gigantes, have been involved in a desperate battle with the Olympian gods. Others, such as Ellert and Brammert in the Netherlands, were evil creatures who threatened, robbed or killed travellers or locals.
In the world of folktales, there are surprisingly few differences in the broad outlines of stories that appear all over the globe. For example, variations on the story of Cinderella can be found in China, India and Britain (as well as North America). Some of these folk tales are said to reflect beliefs that were shared across Europe. Others may have spread through migration and have become adapted to the local culture of new regions.
For example, the legend of Fingal’s Cave on the Isla of Staffa on the northeast coast of Scotland is based on an Irish legend about Finn McCool and the Giant’s Causeway on Ireland’s northern coast. The spectacular formation of more than 40,000 interlocking basalt columns that creates the Causeway was formed about 60 million years ago when Ireland was still attached to North America. The scientific explanation is that volcanic eruptions created the formation. But the legend says that the Giant’s Causeway was built by a Scottish Giant named Benandonnar as he fled to Scotland in fear of being re-engaged in combat with an Irish Giant called Finn McCool.
The legend of Fingal’s Cave, also involving a harpy, provides an alternative explanation to the causeway’s unique geological features. It is said that the harpy was so terrified by the sound of the screams of the Scottish Giant that she threw her harp into the sea and flew away to the Isle of Man.
Regardless of their origin, folklore and myths often explain natural phenomena. Giants are also regularly associated with forming and shaping the landscape; for example, two bellicose giant siblings dig and pile up the earth around them, creating hillocks such as The Wrekin in Shropshire, in east Shropshire, after being banished from their home kingdom.
The Legend of the Dragon
Dragons have long been a staple of Western mythology. From Game of Thrones to Harry Potter, they’re typically scaly, vicious, and fire-breathing. They’ve also been portrayed as gods, heroes, or monsters to be slain, and they’re often associated with power, wealth, and good luck. However, their origins are not exactly clear cut. Many scholars believe that the dragon motif was influenced by snake-like reptiles, especially those related to dinosaurs, and that it represents our innate fear of these creatures. Others, like historian and classics professor Adrienne Mayor, suggest that the dragon is simply a folk image we’re hardwired to recognize without being taught.
One of the best-known dragon stories dates from ancient Mesopotamia. It tells of a serpentine deity-monster called Tiamat that emerges from the sea to threaten creation with a return to primordial chaos. The heroic young god Marduk takes up the challenge and slays the beast, thereby saving the cosmos. This story is echoed in a number of other Mesopotamian traditions, including the Bible.
In the medieval world, the dragon became a symbol of sin and paganism. It was even represented prostrate beneath the heels of saints and martyrs. This shift can be traced to the work of St. George, a Christian soldier who supposedly refused to practice pagan religious rituals and was thus killed by a dragon.
Today, dragons are still found in a variety of cultures around the world. In China they’re known as loong (traditional Chinese, simplified Long
