You don’t need to believe in folktales to learn something from them. In fact, a ghost story can reveal as much about a people as a schooled historian, as long as the tale is told well and the listener actually listens.
I won’t pretend summarizing these stories in a few paragraphs does our Hoosier folk legends any justice. To remedy this, I will provide a link in each, connecting you with a writer who told the story the right way.
Those familiar with these stories should be prepared to hear elements in the narration that are unfamiliar. That’s not artistic license, but the nature of folk tales.
Generations inherit myths from those before through the oral tradition—word-of-mouth. While often having greater impact on a listener, bits get mangled and bungled in the telling. A popular horror writer once said you should never let the truth get in the way of a good story. I wholeheartedly agree.
