Welcome to Lore Legends, a subset of lore episodes that explore the strange tales we whisper in the dark,

even if they can't always be proven by the history books.

So if you're ready, let's begin. Some stories are universal.

Vampires, for example, can be found in legends that span a large collection of countries across many borders.

The same could be said for fairies.

Add in witches, sorcerers, and ghosts, and I think you get the idea.

But as to why they become universal, well we can only speculate.

Clearly the more popular a type of story the faster and farther it spreads.

And when those tales come from inside a travel happy culture, whether explorers or colonizers,

it gives an added boost to the reach of those legends. Some stories, though, are a bit more local. They grow up out of a particular culture and

then just sort of stay there. And while that's true all around the globe, even a nation as

relatively young as the United States has a few legends of its own and

chances are good that you already know them or have at least brushed up against them

once or twice in the past. But folklore is like a dark abandoned house. It's hard to get a good sense of the full

picture just by walking by it. And even once you're inside, there are surprises hidden in the shadows at every turn.

So let's set aside our expectations and assumptions

and take a journey into the familiar.

Because even if you've heard them before, there's more darkness than you might remember.

After all, the bright spots only look so sunny when there are shadows all around them.

So gather round and listen closely to the stories behind America's

greatest folk tales.

I'm Aaron Mankey and this is LORE Legends. Few American heroes are as well known or as misunderstood as Johnny Appleseed.

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