A "Real" Legend? Or?

officerripley

officerripley

Well-known Member
Location
Porlock, Calif
A few years back I read this in a science fiction story or book. So I don't know if it's a real myth or if the writer just made it up. Anyway, the story had it that throughout recorded history, there had been a myth or legend about how before any kind of plague or pandemic, a young (maybe about 13 or 14?) caucasian, blond boy was spotted outside the area where the plague or pandemic was next to hit. He was described as being scruffy, homeless looking, a beggar, walking from town to town or village to village and was said to always have a furious, insane look on his face. And would then disappear when the plague hit and would then be spotted again just outside the next place to be hit with the plague.

So does anybody know if this is a real legend that's been around for years or did the writer just totally make it up?
 

A legend, probably a short story, or a folklore poem. It's based on the person who is a transmitter/carrier, but is immune themselves. An immortal perpetual HEX of sorts.
 
Somehow, the idea that a young very Caucasian boy is an omen, or the instigator in plagues, etc. does not sound right. I think most myths would have a cur type dog, a deformed person from another race, something that would go along with a deliverer of death and disease. A young dirty blue eye white kid sounds more like a plot from a recent novel.
 
fuzzybuddy said:
Somehow, the idea that a young very Caucasian boy is an omen, or the instigator in plagues, etc. does not sound right. I think most myths would have a cur type dog, a deformed person from another race, something that would go along with a deliverer of death and disease. A young dirty blue eye white kid sounds more like a plot from a recent novel.
Click to expand...
That's what I was wondering. The story I read had it, IIRC, that this dirty young white kid had been seen before plagues, etc. in Europe for years. So I think you're right.
 
The city of Eyam in England has a story, believed to be true, of the plague starting in their village from a shipment of cloth, sent to a tailor in Eyam from London, covered in fleas.
Once the plague started to spread through their village they volunteered to self-isolate the whole village for one year, saving who knows how many thousands of lives.
 
There are probably thousands of these "legends" floating around all over the world, and they've been around as long as human history. I imagine the cave men sitting around the fire heard some of them from their storyteller.

Plagues have been around throughout human history also. And they probably inspired plenty of these scary stories. Probably that one about the scary boy predates any understanding of microbes, or any other real cause of illness. Imagine what it would have been like, living in a world where people around you are dropping like flies, but nobody has any idea what's causing it.
 
I Got It!

Comes from a TV show, can't remember a channel, or streaming, or............................."Castle Rock" (think it was Hulu)
It was based on Stephen King, but not written by him..........

An old man is keeping a beautiful boy locked up in an old prison basement, because the kid is the evil one you described who throughout history appears before disasters.

Show was on one or two years ago. Thanks for giving me something real to think about!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top