Cole told me a creepy story during our interview that is in line with local legend about an ancient, abandoned house in his neighborhood. This narrative centers on the genre of folk objects and ghost stories. The spooky mansion serves as a central object imbued with mystery and legend within the neighborhood. As kids, Cole and his friends were fascinated by rumors that the old house was haunted. They heard spooky stories from other kids in the neighborhood, and it really grabbed their attention. In our chat, Cole shared how his older brother used to tell tales about the abandoned house. One story he vividly remembered was about a man who supposedly took his own life in the house after his wife passed away. Even though Cole thought his brother might have been making up the stories, they still got really intrigued and excited to explore the spooky mansion themselves. Cole and his buddies were drawn to the abandoned mansion despite the dangers and spooky stories. Their hearts thumping with both excitement and fear, they would frequently walk to the old house. Inside, the air felt heavy and still, and every creak and rustle made them jump. They thought they saw shadows moving in the dim light and heard strange noises echoing through the empty rooms, but they were too scared to examine the rooms closely. During their adventures, Cole and his friends would almost convince themselves that they saw strange movements or heard mysterious sounds coming from within the house. Looking back, Cole acknowledges that it may have been his imagination playing tricks on him, at the time, the experience felt undeniably real. As I discuss the course of folklore and its significance in shaping people’s lives, Cole reflects on his childhood adventures and recognizes the impact of folklore on their perceptions and experiences. The stories about the haunted home became a neighborhood legend, adding excitement and mystery to their childhood adventures. While Cole now sees those experiences with skepticism, he mentions it was cool story to tell.

In the coastal town of Malibu, California, my friend B shared some super interesting local folklore that has been passed down to him through his dad. It’s amazing to see the differences in folklore people have, even when they live in the same state as me. I live in California as well!

He told a tale about a mythical creature that was believed to be floating in the ocean waters off the shore, called the Malibu Mermaid. This tale was passed down from his dad as he was first starting to learn how to surf around the age of 7 years old.

In times of danger, the Malibu Mermaid is said to appear to fishermen, providing them with protection and direction.

B mentioned how his dad introduced him to surfing and instilled a love of the sea by telling him the tale of the Malibu Mermaid. He explained how surfers who ride the waves and honor the sea’s strength could relate to the mythology. Surfers find solace and peace in the notion of the Malibu Mermaid, which provides them with a sense of protection while they ride the waves. B later stopped believing in the mermaid but he still believes there’s a special connection with sea and someone who has the opportunity to ride and surf with it.

I had the privilege of interviewing A as she was visiting from Europe. In the town of Jodoigne, Belgium, A shares an interesting take on how her version of the tooth fairy went. Growing up in a traditional Belgian household, A was raised with stories of the “petit souris,” the tooth mouse, instead of the tooth fairy known in American folklore. According to the legend, when a child lost a tooth, they would place it under their pillow at night, and the petit souris would come to collect it, leaving a small gift of usually $5-$10 in its place. This solely depends on the size of the tooth. Depending on certain families some would receive coins instead of bills.

A first heard about the petit souris from her parents, who used to tell her the story every time she lost a tooth. The tradition has been passed down through generations in A’s family and is deeply ingrained in Belgian culture. For A, the legend of the petit souris was not just a fairy tale but a cherished part of her heritage.

According to Belgian legend, the petit souris has centuries old origins. It is reported that people believed in the magical abilities of animals during the Middle Ages, a time of widespread superstitions. Specifically, mice were considered lucky and prosperous symbols.

In Belgium, the petit souris tradition is still very much in use today. Families preserve the memory of the tooth mouse by passing along the legend to the following generation. There are differences in the legend’s celebrations around Belgium. Children leave their teeth in glasses of water in some places, and in tooth shaped pouches in other others. The petit souris tradition continues in spite of modernization. Belgians of all ages are still intrigued with the narrative, which is reflected in family customs and bedtime stories.

Known for his funny and dirty sense of humor, my good friend Ian had a favorite dirty narrative joke that he felt was perfect for this interview. It was about a careless gardener who kept exposing himself while working by mistake.

This was Ian’s joke: ““Why did the gardener get fired? Because he kept showing his ‘garden tools’ to the neighbors!”

Ian first heard this joke from his grandpa. Ian mentioned his grandpa was free spirited who always had jokes out of his pocket. Ian cherishes the memories of him and his grandpa and relates all of his humor from his family and their sense of humor. Ian usually makes people laugh with his jokes, especially those who like his dirty humor. It’s funny to see people’s reactions for some of his original jokes. He really has the best wit for that. The joke itself is self explanatory as most of the jokes his grandpa would say were easily understood.

Shared humor defiantly brings people together. And whenever Ian is in a room there’s a sense of community of people just having a laugh and enjoying the atmosphere.