Scary Stories Around the World

From Hanako-san in Japan, a ghost of a young girl who haunts school bathrooms, to La Pisadeira in Brazil, a spirit with red eyes who waits for people to fall asleep to sneak inside and induce sleep paralysis, scary stories are told all around the world. As Halloween approaches, let’s take a look at some of them. 

Orang minyak (oily man) is an urban legend from Malaysia. He is described as a completely naked man who is covered in black oil, which helps him blend into the night. The oil is so slippery that it helps him to escape, as no one can grab him. Some people believe that he is a supernatural creature who kidnaps young women at night. There have been numerous “sightings” over the years. In 2012, an eyewitness in Malaysia said they saw it “crawling up the stairs of the house, just like Spider-Man”. Many people in Malaysia are fearful of this creature, and even believe it to be real. 

Anybody who grew up in Pakistan has probably heard about “Pichal Peri”, a demonic woman with long hair and feet pointing backward. There are varying accounts of her appearance. Some say that she is beautiful, and some recall a horrific appearance. She is usually “sighted” at night on remote roads, asking for guidance before disappearing into the night. Elders in the house will usually recount this story to instill fear in children from a young age so that they do not stay out too late or speak to strange women. Although they are known to target men, many girls are also terrified by the story of Pichal Peri because it is told so often. 

One of the most famous urban legends in the United States is Bloody Mary. The most famous way to summon Bloody Mary is to go to a dark room, typically a bathroom, and chant her name three times in the mirror. It is said that a bloodied woman will appear in the mirror. Children do this at sleepovers, after watching a horror movie or telling scary stories. Many different stories explain the legend’s origin, so it is unclear who she is based on. It may not sound scary, but growing up hearing rumors about older kids seeing Bloody Mary can be quite terrifying. 

Mylin, a Scandinavian folklore, dates back to when children who were conceived out of wedlock or had parents who were incapable of taking care of them were abandoned in isolated areas. They were often left there alone to die. It is said that these young children find people walking in the streets alone and “jump on their backs, demanding to be taken to the graveyard, so they can rest in hallowed ground.” The closer the person gets to the graveyard, the heavier they become, sinking the person into the ground with them. If a person fails to reach the graveyard, they are killed by the enraged Mylin.

These are just a few of the urban legends from around the world. Which one did you find the scariest, and have you heard about a “sighting” before? 

Written by まりか