Urban Legends, Where Did They Come From?

Certainly, you’ve heard the story of the “Loira do Banheiro” or myths about assassin dolls, but where did these stories come from? 

If you lived your childhood in Brazil you’ve probably heard about the “Homem do Saco.” In the 1950s, people began to spread stories about a creepy old man who would capture kids that did not respect elderly people and put them in his bag. 

Although Urban Legends are most commonly known as contemporary, several of them are as old as Folklore legends in Brazil and have suffered alterations throughout history. In 1968, Jan  Harold Brunvand, a professor at the University of Utah, firstly introduced the term “Urban Legend” in his book “The Vanishing Hitchhiker: American Urban Legends & Their Meanings” to emphasize that there is much to be learned from modern cultures. 

Stories like this are told to be nothing but a myth. However, the legends became part of Brazilian culture, consequently, spreading throughout the country, generation to generation, for more than a century. Frequently, these stories are told to have happened to a “close friend” or a “family member,” hence, making them even scarier. 

Here you can read more about curious Brazilian Urban Legends