Myths

[turtle]

Do you think that a lot of myths, about various creatures, ghosts, and demons, were started to keep people away from certain places and properties?
eg. you make up a story about a beast roaming the hills, because you want to keep people away from a cave there, because it is being used as a hideout or to store contraband.
I would like your opinions please.

[Salem Paranormal]

Oh certainly there are many myths for such reasons. How ever it becomes complicated when it boils down to finding out what ones are the myths and what ones are fact. Also remeber many myths steam from religeous beliefs as well.

[michelle smith]

yes, but there is always a grain of salt to every story. whether the monster was actually a racoon...more than likely, but it stemmed from somewhere.

[The General]

Well, in my opinion I do believe that many folklore does go back to a simple story made up for either keeping people away from a location or to promote it as a location with some type of weird activity. This will draw in certain kinds of folk, either way you look at it. If your trying to keep folks out, a good haunted story will indeed keep some folk out, but certain types of folks (like myself) may take an intrest in it due to it's weird circumstances. I think many older folklore like the story of Nessy and the Loch there in Scottland, Bigfoot and it's roots in Native American times and stories that revolve around cryptozoology may have some truth to them. We can't discredit 100 and in some cases 1000 of years of sightings of mysterious creatures. Scientist discover many species of animals long thought to be extinct every other day. While myths and folklore exist as simple entertainment whether true or not a good imagination never hurt a soul. It's good to broaden your mind and the minds of children and install legends and history to them. This is the best way to get the point of history across to them at a young age. Without History we have no knowledge of what came before us. Keeping history alive is vital. The down side of myth and folklore would be person's who would tresspass or even defile a location due to a historical legend or to gain access to the location without the presence of others. Truly a "double edged sword" My two cents: I love myths and folklore, legends and weird and starnge stories. Afterall at 30 years of age I do still believe in Santa Claus, what a wonderful world we'd live in if more people believed in fairytales!!

[keef williams]

in celtic folk lore and folktales there many myths about demons and ghosts ans strange things from banshee to big black dogs with glow red eyes and phantoms

[BunnyAngel]

Thing is if you make up a story to keep people away does it not make you want to go there all the more and investigate? especially teens you tell them no to something that all the more reason too. But I guess it works in some cases.

[Carol]

What better way to keep people away...lol
Seriously....today this might not work....there will be someone who will want to investigate this and see just what is going on....also don't leave curious teens out...haven't know many who didn't want to go see for themselves and as happens a lot....one unexplained noise be it animal or other....they'd be running...this would then add to the tale of being haunted when they would tell others what happened.....