What Urban Myth or Legend have you believed to be real?

When I was a kid, there was a popular legend of a human-like monster who loved catching children staying up late. Nobody knew where it came from, they only knew that it appeared as quickly as it disappeared, right in the children’s room. What’s its name again? Mr. Boo or something like that.

I still remember discussing the origin of the monster with a group of children. Some said he used to be a dead father who just wanted to find a replacement for his dead child. Some said he was a cursed man who had to bring a certain amount of children for a “boss” to free himself of the curse. Others said he was a maniac who tried to find the child who sneaked to his house one night.

And finally it turned out that the whole thing was just adults’ invention to trick us children to sleep early.

The one about the old lady in the backseat with a hatchet. I worried about that little old lady attacking me every night as I climbed into the car after my shift at the mall. I also bought the alligators in the sewer and checked very closely prior to using the facilities.

That green sky’s meant tornadoes. Also that when I had to go pee that my eye changes colour to brown, thanks dad.

When I was a kid, I’d intentionally step on the cracks in the pavement. My childhood was very unhappy. “Step on the crack, and you’ll break your mother’s back,” is more of a childhood myth than an urban myth, but it’s what came to mind when I read the question.

the phantom log

@talljasperman, where I live, a band of green on the horizon means a storm is coming with high wind and rain or hail. I know. I’ve been in ‘em.

@Pachy Cool so I’m not delusional… or at least about weather.

That dick Cheney had nothing to do with 9/11.

Although

My son claims to have witnessed something that could be construed as the Mothman or something similar.

And I believe him.

Way back when, I believed Paul McCartney was dead.

At the biannual school medical the nurse cradles your balls & asks you to cough.
Crying shame to find this was not the case.

@talljasperman If the sky turning green doesn’t mean tornadoes then I have believed that myth up until now. I thought that was one of the possible signs. I know it isn’t a sure fire indicator, but I thought it was one of the possible warning signs as the weather turns bad.

I once believed the official explanation for 9/11

The Poisonous Daddy Long Legs

…well, don’t I feel stupid.

I admit I’ve never heard of half of the urban legends on that list. I probably believed the Bloody Mary thing as a kid, or was at least scared that it might be true.

I thought this was going to be about Bigfoot, Nessie, and mermaids. Kind of disappointed…