Gremlins

Astonishing Legends

Scott Philbrook

History, Society & Culture

4.6 • 9.8K Ratings

🗓️ 17 February 2019

⏱️ 137 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Our legends and folklore must begin somewhere, and if not from the creative imagination of a single individual then perhaps they are born from the collective experiences of a particular group. While it is difficult to trace the exact nascency of certain legends, we may be able to get a clearer idea of where a specific mystical being came to be known, the gremlin. The British pilots and aircrew of the Royal Air Force during the WWI and WWII eras began to experience baffling and inexplicable problems with their aircraft and missions. Wires that appeared to have been chewed through, sand particles found in machinery where none should be, punctures and damage that was incomprehensible were just some of the numerous mysterious problems they encountered. But with no known cause, blame fell to the gremlin a mischievous goblin-like entity said to inhabit the skies and aerodromes of the RAF and who delighted in causing trouble for airmen. Although rationality would suggest the gremlin was an invention of highly-stressed personnel looking for a comical and morale-boosting scapegoat for their problems, there are reports from veterans who claim to have seen these destructive imps in action. If true, then we must wonder if the creature creates the legend or if the legend creates the creature. Join us as we examine the discovery of a 20th-century folktale which just may be related to the ancient Wee Folk of nature.

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Transcript

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0:30.0	Estonishing legends would like to thank Quip, simply safe,
0:33.0	Harry's, Mac Weldon, and our contributors at Patreon for making tonight's show possible.
0:37.2	This is the tale of the Gremlins, as told by the PRU.
0:43.2	At Benson and Wick in St.Evil, and believe me, you slobbed, it's true.
0:49.4	When you're seven miles up in the heavens, that's a hell of a lonely spot.
0:54.4	And it's 50 degrees below zero, which isn't exactly hot.
0:59.8	When you're frozen blue like your spitfire, and you're scared of mosquito pink,
1:05.8	when you're thousands of miles from nowhere, and there's nothing below but the drink.
1:11.2	It's then that you'll see the Gremlins, green and gumbos and gold,
1:16.6	male and female and neuter, Gremlins both young and old.
1:21.6	It's no good trying to dodge them, the lessons you learned on the link,
1:26.0	won't help you evade a Gremlin, though you boost and you dive and you jink.
1:32.0	White ones will wiggle your wingtips, male ones will muddle your maps,
1:37.0	green ones will guzzle your glycol, females will flood your flaps.
	...

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