In the narrow lanes of southern India, a whispered warning once echoed from door to door, 'Nale Ba'.

In this chapter, we trace the origins of this unsettling tale, exploring its rise in 1990s Bangalore, its deep roots in rural superstition, and its reflection of social fears and urban transformation.

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• If you have more information or a correction on something mentioned in this chapter, email us at luke@lukemordue.com.

• For more information on the show, to find all our social accounts and to ensure you are up to date on all we do, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.lukemordue.com/podcast

Today we turn to one of Japan’s most enduring and disturbing legends, 'Kuchisake-onna', also known as 'the Slit-Mouthed Woman'.

This tale of a disfigured woman who asks a chilling question has stalked schoolyards, late-night streets, and the public imagination for decades. But beneath the horror lies a deeper story - one shaped by post-war trauma, shifting societal fears, and the evolution of urban myth in a media-saturated age.

We trace the legend’s rise from whispered folklore to national panic, exploring how stories like Kuchisake-onna take root, why they thrive, and what they reveal about the fears we try to suppress.

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Support the show

• If you have more information or a correction on something mentioned in this chapter, email us at luke@lukemordue.com.

• For more information on the show, to find all our social accounts and to ensure you are up to date on all we do, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.lukemordue.com/podcast

A snippet of this weeks Patreon Exclusive chapter.

Lurking in the shadows of Detroit’s history is a red-eyed harbinger of doom, the 'Nain Rouge'.

In this chapter, we explore the legend of this elusive creature said to appear before disaster strikes. From the founding of the city to its moments of greatest turmoil, the Nain Rouge has remained a constant, now even commemorated in parades.

We’ll trace the roots of this peculiar folklore, uncovering its connections to French colonial superstition, Native American tales, and the city’s own evolving identity.

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Support the show

• If you have more information or a correction on something mentioned in this chapter, email us at luke@lukemordue.com.

• For more information on the show, to find all our social accounts and to ensure you are up to date on all we do, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.lukemordue.com/podcast