In ancient legends, there are things that are more terrible from the TVs of dead girls.
You can listen to the article. If you are more convenient for you, turn on the podcast.
Listen to 12 most amazing and dangerous creatures from Japanese mythology on Yandex.Music
1. Kama -Itati
Kama -Itati. Illustration from Kyoka Hyak -Monogatari, 1853. Image: Wikimedia Commons
Kama -Itati is a Japanese Yokai (that is, an evil spirit) in the form of affection. Literal translation – “affection with sickles”. Tales of Kama -Itati are popular in the Japanese region of Kosinetsu.
These creatures always appear in three – there is an opinion that they are triplets. They are engaged in cutting the lower limbs to people. The sequence of actions is this: the first affection knocks down the victim, the second removes the legs of the sickles that grow in her instead of claws, and the third stops blood and sews the wounds.
But the most surprising thing is that the trinity of Kama -Itati, transferred in the form of a dusty tornado, moves at about the same speed as the flash in the DC universe.
And they take less than a second for the black thing.
Kama -Itati manage to crank the amputation so that the victim does not feel pain at all. Very nice that caring affection find time to paste the victim before flying and taking his legs with them with them.
Morality: Do not leave the house in a dusty storm.
2. Konaki -Diji
Konaki -Diji. Illustration from the book of Folklorist Kunio Yanagita Yōkai Dangi, 1956. Image: Public Domain
Konaki -Diji is a supernatural creature that looks like a small child or a baby completely, but with the face of an old man. True, it is always prudently located in such a way that its physiognomy could be considered only when it is too late to do something.
Konaki Diji sits on the side of the mountain path in deserted places and roars.
A random traveler or traveler, seeing an abandoned child, raises him in his arms to console him. As soon as Konaki Diji is torn off the ground, he sharply acquires an additional mass (plus 2-3 centners) and flattens a good -hearted traveler.
Especially from this, women suffer. First, they cannot pass by a sobbing baby. Secondly, the average Japanese woman has little chance of surviving after Konaki Diji falls on her. But the particularly strong samurai has a chance to survive, and in this case, Yokai will reward him for endurance.
Morality: Stay away from young children.
3. Osiroi -Baba
Osiroi -Baba. Illustration from Konjaku Hyakki Shūi, 1780. Image: Wikimedia Commons
Ghost in the form of a terrible, disgusting humpbacked old woman. Her face is roughly covered with powder, and in her hand she holds a bottle of sake. Osiroi Baba walks with an umbrella and a collar along the streets and looks out for beautiful young women.
When she finds one, she immediately runs up to her and in a penetrating voice begins to convince her to buy a little powder from her.
A naive girl agrees to take a probe, smears powder, and her face falls off.
Morality: If you are a young beautiful woman and an obsessive cosmetics merchant approaches you, leave silently.
4. Ittan -Mohen
Ittan -Mohen. Drawing of TOSA Mitsunobi, XVI century. Image: Wikimedia Commons
The Japanese have a belief that if any forgotten object lies for quite some time (for example, 100 years), then he will find consciousness and turn into a yoke – tsukumoga. Ittan -Mohen is a reasonable sheet.
This wild, but pretty ghost without a motor loves to fly on passers -by at night and strangle them.
There is a legend that this damned levitating sheet once almost strangled one samurai. But he managed to take out the vazisashi blade and cut the ghost. Ittan -Mohen disappeared, leaving bloody traces in the hands of a warrior.
In other legends, it is mentioned that Ittan -Mahen can make friends with a person and even serve him if he manages to earn the trust of the ghost. True, what can a flying piece of fabric can serve, no one knows.
All because no one has yet managed to make friends with him, and in fairy tales this moment is tactfully bypassed. So you, if you find yourself in Japan and meet Ittan -Mohen, will have to check this theory yourself.
Morality: Do not copy old things, or they will try to kill you.
5. Cas -Obake
Cas -Obake. Illustration from the collection of the International Research Center for Japanese Studies. Image: Public Domain
Another type. An umbrella, which was lying for 100 years unattended, turns into a cas -bake. He grows one leg, two hands, eyes and a long tongue and leaves for his business.
It sounds not very dangerous, true? You are mistaken, in Japan even an umbrella will try to kill you.
If in the Khigasius area, in the Echime Prefecture, a rainy night you will see an umbrella alone in the darkness – run. Because if he looks at you with his only eye, then you are paralyzed.
In addition, sometimes a demonic umbrella has enough people with claws on their only leg and, driven by a strong wind, rises into the sky and flies away with the victim in an unknown direction.
Morality: It’s time to run headlong to disassemble the contents of the closet.
6. Tsutigumo
Tsutigumo. Illustration of Yoshitoshi Taiso, 1839-1892. Image: Wikimedia Commons
The Tsutigumo (“Earth Spider”) was once called the tribes of the indigenous inhabitants of the Japanese islands, who stubbornly did not want to obey the sun -like Nikhonsky emperor. But over time, the barbarians conquered, and the demonic image in folklore remained.
Tsutigumo is a terrible Yokai with the body of a tiger, the limbs of a spider and a terrible physiognomy, in comparison with which any European demon looks quite cute and even pretty. These monsters live in the vicinity of Mount Yamato Katsuragi. They feed on careless travelers. Although, strictly speaking, periodically consumed and careful.
Somehow, one samurai dragged on Mount Yamato, apparently to visit the temple there and praudomate, admiring the mountain sakura. On the way, he met a spider -tsutigumo. The monster tried to braid the warrior in a web, but he silently pulled out the katana and cut the arthropolitone into two halves. Exactly 1,990 skulls fell out of the belly of Tsutigumo – the samurai was not too lazy to calculate.
See, these Japanese legends are true. Otherwise, the storytellers would be called such exact numbers?
When the murdered Yokai fell to the ground, thousands of small spiders scattered from his sides in all directions. Samurai followed them into their lair, holding Katana ready – although any sane person would slip into such a place only in OZK costume and with flamethrower. In the hole of the spider, the warrior found another 20 skulls.
Morality: Spiders are disgusting and dangerous.
7. Simim
Simim. Image: NJadaka1 / Wikimedia Common
Time for specific Japanese humor. By this, a certain samurai walked at night along the road in Kyoto. To pace at night in the wilderness, as you know, a very bad idea – and in Japan especially. But the warrior does not fit bother his mind with such trifles. Samurai has no goal, only the path.
Suddenly he heard a request to turn behind. The warrior did so and saw a strange man in the kimono. This exhibitionist immediately turned to the samurai with his back, threw off his clothes and bent down.
And then the warrior saw a huge sparkling eye.
Offended by such an indecent gesture, he immediately grabbed the katana and cut off the impudent in place … no. In fact, this unworthy coward, which is unworthy of following the Code of Bushi, simply ran away.
Simim literally translates the “eye and buttocks”. Why does this Yokai behave like that? Probably just because it can afford it.
Morality: Do not contact the tramps. And do not turn around.
8. Nurarikhen
Nurarikhen. Illustration from the collection of Japanese books and manuscripts Harry F. Bruning. Image: Wikimedia Commons
Nurarichen is Ayakashi, Supreme Demo-Okay. His standard appearance is an extremely ugly monk with a huge head. However, Nurarikhen has superpower: when he enters someone’s house, he begins to look and behave the same way as the owner of this dwelling.
Having penetrated inside, while there are no owners, Nurarichen begins to use the dwelling as his own. For example, he drinks tea, takes his favorite things and even, perhaps, draws up paid subscriptions for streaming services at your expense. He calmly reports to his neighbors that he just did not take place, so he is at home.
Just imagine: any friend to whom you went to visit may not be a well -known person, but gloomy supreme eokay.
Perhaps it is precisely because of Nurarikhen’s tricks that the Japanese are so courteous and obsessed with formalities and decency. Well, or the fault of the samurai who loved to chop their heads for any oblique gaze. And this greatly helps to develop politeness in the survivors.
Morality: Be extremely careful even with those whom you know for a long time. You never know.
9. Sadzae -oni
Sadzae -oni. Illustration from Gazu Hyakki Tsurezure Bukuro, 1784. Image: Wikimedia Commons
European culture created mermaids – marine seducers who destroy the sailors who have stained the female warmth. Or grow their legs and marry the princes – how lucky. Japanese culture gave rise to sadzae. And believe me, the eastern analogs of mermaids are much more harsh than the Western sea virgins.
Literally Sadzae -ONI translates as “devilish mollusk”. If a sea snail lives a very, very long life, sooner or later it waves into a huge slug -like creature that knows how to turn into a beautiful girl. This is Sadzae.
Another option: if a beautiful girl unrequitedly love a sailor and drowned in the sea from grief, she transforms in a terrible mollusk. And he, in turn, will, if necessary, turn back into a girl. I hope you are not confused.
Somehow, a gang of Japanese pirates sailed on her ship through the night and saw a woman drowning in the sea. They saved her, and in gratitude the beauty invited them to spend time together. And the next morning wears tired of the robbers found that they had disappeared testicles.
History options vary: in some Sazae – they bite them, in others – tore off. Why the pirates did not notice what happened until morning, it remains only to guess – perhaps they went too far with strong drinks.
The pirates ranged the seducer overboard. But then they realized that they got excited, and sailed after her, begging Sazae -to return them their courage.
The sea virgin, which took on its usual appearance of a monstrous slug, willingly agreed to return the stolen for ransom. The filibusters had to give her all the looted gold, and she returned to them the divorced parts of the body to place.
There is a game of words in the legend: in Japanese, these very vulnerable parts of the male body are named Kin -Tama, “golden balls”. So the mermaid exchanged gold for gold.
If you believe that Sazae -Oni robbing the bandits distributed treasures to those from whom the pirates took him away – nothing like that. For this in fairy tales about Robin Hood, and here we have a harsh story from feudal Japan.
Morality: Avoid ties with strangers, especially if you have found them at sea.
10. Gasadokuro
Gasadokuro. Illustration of Utagawa Kuniyoshi, 1844. Image: Wikimedia Commons
If you do not remove those who died from the battlefield or bury people in mass graves, their bones will gather in Gasadokuro over time. This is a huge skeleton consisting of normal skeletons. It is known that Gasadokuro is exactly 15 times more than an ordinary person, and his height is 27 meters.
Do not ask where the Japanese got the exact numbers, just accept for a given.
The very first legends about the Hasadokuro dates back to the 10th century. Since the monster appeared from the remains of those who died from the war, epidemics or hunger, his character, as you know, is not very pleasant. Gasadokuro hunts for lonely travelers, and you can find out about its approach from afar, because he always knocks his teeth.
But in general, the skeleton, perhaps, is not evil in itself – just his life is hard. Sometimes he even shows friendliness to those who did his service. There is one fairy tale from the book by Nihon Ryōiki, written between 787 and 824 years. Once a certain Japanese walked at night (a bad undertaking, a very bad undertaking) across the Bingo Province in the Hiroshima Prefecture and heard monstrous howls: “Eye! My eye hurts!”
A reasonable person would immediately swint away, but not this samurai. He found a giant skeleton with a bamboo sticking out of the orbit, took out the stem and treated the gasadokuro boiled rice. Impressed by kindness, he told the hero the story of how he died, and generously awarded the warrior. And then crumbled, finding peace.
Morality: Be kind and help others. Or run away right away, otherwise you will be ea10.
11. Katakirauva
“Emperor and Kaban”, Ginko Adachi, 1896. Image: Wikimedia Commons
You noticed that all Japanese ghosts are rather unusual characters? Well, against their background, Katakirauva looks pretty modest. These are ghosts of black piglets that have one ear and do not discard shadows, but otherwise they look quite decent. True, there is one problem with them.
If the spirits manage to run between your legs, they will devour your soul, and one of the piglets will be in the body.
Better 27 -meter skeleton, true? At least it can be seen from afar.
Morality: Look under your feet.
12. Haykegani
Haykegani. Illustration of Utagawa Kuniyoshi, 1797-1861. Image: Wikimedia Commons
The most amazing creature from the list only because it … exists in reality. This arthropm is called Heikeopsis Japonica. According to legend, Haikegani get from the severed heads of samurai. Take a look at the photo and tell me – well, it looks like it is.
If you caught such a crab, it needs to be released immediately. And then he will reward you with luck for a whole year.
Karl Sagan somehow suggested that the Samurai mask on his shell turned out as a result of evolution – supposedly Japanese sailors of simple crabs were eaten, and samurai was released, and the sign was assigned.
Another scientist, Joel Martin, denied this idea, indicating that Haykegani did not eat. So the samurai mask appeared on his shell by accident, and even in fossil crabs long before Japan’s settlement of Japan.
Morality: Sometimes legends have a real basis.
You can listen to the article. If you are more convenient for you, turn on the podcast.
Listen to 12 most amazing and dangerous creatures from Japanese mythology on Yandex.Music
1. Kama -Itati
Kama -Itati. Illustration from Kyoka Hyak -Monogatari, 1853. Image: Wikimedia Commons
Kama -Itati is a Japanese Yokai (that is, an evil spirit) in the form of affection. Literal translation – “affection with sickles”. Tales of Kama -Itati are popular in the Japanese region of Kosinetsu.
These creatures always appear in three – there is an opinion that they are triplets. They are engaged in cutting the lower limbs to people. The sequence of actions is this: the first affection knocks down the victim, the second removes the legs of the sickles that grow in her instead of claws, and the third stops blood and sews the wounds.
But the most surprising thing is that the trinity of Kama -Itati, transferred in the form of a dusty tornado, moves at about the same speed as the flash in the DC universe.
And they take less than a second for the black thing.
Kama -Itati manage to crank the amputation so that the victim does not feel pain at all. Very nice that caring affection find time to paste the victim before flying and taking his legs with them with them.
Morality: Do not leave the house in a dusty storm.
2. Konaki -Diji
Konaki -Diji. Illustration from the book of Folklorist Kunio Yanagita Yōkai Dangi, 1956. Image: Public Domain
Konaki -Diji is a supernatural creature that looks like a small child or a baby completely, but with the face of an old man. True, it is always prudently located in such a way that its physiognomy could be considered only when it is too late to do something.
Konaki Diji sits on the side of the mountain path in deserted places and roars.
A random traveler or traveler, seeing an abandoned child, raises him in his arms to console him. As soon as Konaki Diji is torn off the ground, he sharply acquires an additional mass (plus 2-3 centners) and flattens a good -hearted traveler.
Especially from this, women suffer. First, they cannot pass by a sobbing baby. Secondly, the average Japanese woman has little chance of surviving after Konaki Diji falls on her. But the particularly strong samurai has a chance to survive, and in this case, Yokai will reward him for endurance.
Morality: Stay away from young children.
3. Osiroi -Baba
Osiroi -Baba. Illustration from Konjaku Hyakki Shūi, 1780. Image: Wikimedia Commons
Ghost in the form of a terrible, disgusting humpbacked old woman. Her face is roughly covered with powder, and in her hand she holds a bottle of sake. Osiroi Baba walks with an umbrella and a collar along the streets and looks out for beautiful young women.
When she finds one, she immediately runs up to her and in a penetrating voice begins to convince her to buy a little powder from her.
A naive girl agrees to take a probe, smears powder, and her face falls off.
Morality: If you are a young beautiful woman and an obsessive cosmetics merchant approaches you, leave silently.
4. Ittan -Mohen
Ittan -Mohen. Drawing of TOSA Mitsunobi, XVI century. Image: Wikimedia Commons
The Japanese have a belief that if any forgotten object lies for quite some time (for example, 100 years), then he will find consciousness and turn into a yoke – tsukumoga. Ittan -Mohen is a reasonable sheet.
This wild, but pretty ghost without a motor loves to fly on passers -by at night and strangle them.
There is a legend that this damned levitating sheet once almost strangled one samurai. But he managed to take out the vazisashi blade and cut the ghost. Ittan -Mohen disappeared, leaving bloody traces in the hands of a warrior.
In other legends, it is mentioned that Ittan -Mahen can make friends with a person and even serve him if he manages to earn the trust of the ghost. True, what can a flying piece of fabric can serve, no one knows.
All because no one has yet managed to make friends with him, and in fairy tales this moment is tactfully bypassed. So you, if you find yourself in Japan and meet Ittan -Mohen, will have to check this theory yourself.
Morality: Do not copy old things, or they will try to kill you.
5. Cas -Obake
Cas -Obake. Illustration from the collection of the International Research Center for Japanese Studies. Image: Public Domain
Another type. An umbrella, which was lying for 100 years unattended, turns into a cas -bake. He grows one leg, two hands, eyes and a long tongue and leaves for his business.
It sounds not very dangerous, true? You are mistaken, in Japan even an umbrella will try to kill you.
If in the Khigasius area, in the Echime Prefecture, a rainy night you will see an umbrella alone in the darkness – run. Because if he looks at you with his only eye, then you are paralyzed.
In addition, sometimes a demonic umbrella has enough people with claws on their only leg and, driven by a strong wind, rises into the sky and flies away with the victim in an unknown direction.
Morality: It’s time to run headlong to disassemble the contents of the closet.
6. Tsutigumo
Tsutigumo. Illustration of Yoshitoshi Taiso, 1839-1892. Image: Wikimedia Commons
The Tsutigumo (“Earth Spider”) was once called the tribes of the indigenous inhabitants of the Japanese islands, who stubbornly did not want to obey the sun -like Nikhonsky emperor. But over time, the barbarians conquered, and the demonic image in folklore remained.
Tsutigumo is a terrible Yokai with the body of a tiger, the limbs of a spider and a terrible physiognomy, in comparison with which any European demon looks quite cute and even pretty. These monsters live in the vicinity of Mount Yamato Katsuragi. They feed on careless travelers. Although, strictly speaking, periodically consumed and careful.
Somehow, one samurai dragged on Mount Yamato, apparently to visit the temple there and praudomate, admiring the mountain sakura. On the way, he met a spider -tsutigumo. The monster tried to braid the warrior in a web, but he silently pulled out the katana and cut the arthropolitone into two halves. Exactly 1,990 skulls fell out of the belly of Tsutigumo – the samurai was not too lazy to calculate.
See, these Japanese legends are true. Otherwise, the storytellers would be called such exact numbers?
When the murdered Yokai fell to the ground, thousands of small spiders scattered from his sides in all directions. Samurai followed them into their lair, holding Katana ready – although any sane person would slip into such a place only in OZK costume and with flamethrower. In the hole of the spider, the warrior found another 20 skulls.
Morality: Spiders are disgusting and dangerous.
7. Simim
Simim. Image: NJadaka1 / Wikimedia Common
Time for specific Japanese humor. By this, a certain samurai walked at night along the road in Kyoto. To pace at night in the wilderness, as you know, a very bad idea – and in Japan especially. But the warrior does not fit bother his mind with such trifles. Samurai has no goal, only the path.
Suddenly he heard a request to turn behind. The warrior did so and saw a strange man in the kimono. This exhibitionist immediately turned to the samurai with his back, threw off his clothes and bent down.
And then the warrior saw a huge sparkling eye.
Offended by such an indecent gesture, he immediately grabbed the katana and cut off the impudent in place … no. In fact, this unworthy coward, which is unworthy of following the Code of Bushi, simply ran away.
Simim literally translates the “eye and buttocks”. Why does this Yokai behave like that? Probably just because it can afford it.
Morality: Do not contact the tramps. And do not turn around.
8. Nurarikhen
Nurarikhen. Illustration from the collection of Japanese books and manuscripts Harry F. Bruning. Image: Wikimedia Commons
Nurarichen is Ayakashi, Supreme Demo-Okay. His standard appearance is an extremely ugly monk with a huge head. However, Nurarikhen has superpower: when he enters someone’s house, he begins to look and behave the same way as the owner of this dwelling.
Having penetrated inside, while there are no owners, Nurarichen begins to use the dwelling as his own. For example, he drinks tea, takes his favorite things and even, perhaps, draws up paid subscriptions for streaming services at your expense. He calmly reports to his neighbors that he just did not take place, so he is at home.
Just imagine: any friend to whom you went to visit may not be a well -known person, but gloomy supreme eokay.
Perhaps it is precisely because of Nurarikhen’s tricks that the Japanese are so courteous and obsessed with formalities and decency. Well, or the fault of the samurai who loved to chop their heads for any oblique gaze. And this greatly helps to develop politeness in the survivors.
Morality: Be extremely careful even with those whom you know for a long time. You never know.
9. Sadzae -oni
Sadzae -oni. Illustration from Gazu Hyakki Tsurezure Bukuro, 1784. Image: Wikimedia Commons
European culture created mermaids – marine seducers who destroy the sailors who have stained the female warmth. Or grow their legs and marry the princes – how lucky. Japanese culture gave rise to sadzae. And believe me, the eastern analogs of mermaids are much more harsh than the Western sea virgins.
Literally Sadzae -ONI translates as “devilish mollusk”. If a sea snail lives a very, very long life, sooner or later it waves into a huge slug -like creature that knows how to turn into a beautiful girl. This is Sadzae.
Another option: if a beautiful girl unrequitedly love a sailor and drowned in the sea from grief, she transforms in a terrible mollusk. And he, in turn, will, if necessary, turn back into a girl. I hope you are not confused.
Somehow, a gang of Japanese pirates sailed on her ship through the night and saw a woman drowning in the sea. They saved her, and in gratitude the beauty invited them to spend time together. And the next morning wears tired of the robbers found that they had disappeared testicles.
History options vary: in some Sazae – they bite them, in others – tore off. Why the pirates did not notice what happened until morning, it remains only to guess – perhaps they went too far with strong drinks.
The pirates ranged the seducer overboard. But then they realized that they got excited, and sailed after her, begging Sazae -to return them their courage.
The sea virgin, which took on its usual appearance of a monstrous slug, willingly agreed to return the stolen for ransom. The filibusters had to give her all the looted gold, and she returned to them the divorced parts of the body to place.
There is a game of words in the legend: in Japanese, these very vulnerable parts of the male body are named Kin -Tama, “golden balls”. So the mermaid exchanged gold for gold.
If you believe that Sazae -Oni robbing the bandits distributed treasures to those from whom the pirates took him away – nothing like that. For this in fairy tales about Robin Hood, and here we have a harsh story from feudal Japan.
Morality: Avoid ties with strangers, especially if you have found them at sea.
10. Gasadokuro
Gasadokuro. Illustration of Utagawa Kuniyoshi, 1844. Image: Wikimedia Commons
If you do not remove those who died from the battlefield or bury people in mass graves, their bones will gather in Gasadokuro over time. This is a huge skeleton consisting of normal skeletons. It is known that Gasadokuro is exactly 15 times more than an ordinary person, and his height is 27 meters.
Do not ask where the Japanese got the exact numbers, just accept for a given.
The very first legends about the Hasadokuro dates back to the 10th century. Since the monster appeared from the remains of those who died from the war, epidemics or hunger, his character, as you know, is not very pleasant. Gasadokuro hunts for lonely travelers, and you can find out about its approach from afar, because he always knocks his teeth.
But in general, the skeleton, perhaps, is not evil in itself – just his life is hard. Sometimes he even shows friendliness to those who did his service. There is one fairy tale from the book by Nihon Ryōiki, written between 787 and 824 years. Once a certain Japanese walked at night (a bad undertaking, a very bad undertaking) across the Bingo Province in the Hiroshima Prefecture and heard monstrous howls: “Eye! My eye hurts!”
A reasonable person would immediately swint away, but not this samurai. He found a giant skeleton with a bamboo sticking out of the orbit, took out the stem and treated the gasadokuro boiled rice. Impressed by kindness, he told the hero the story of how he died, and generously awarded the warrior. And then crumbled, finding peace.
Morality: Be kind and help others. Or run away right away, otherwise you will be ea10.
11. Katakirauva
“Emperor and Kaban”, Ginko Adachi, 1896. Image: Wikimedia Commons
You noticed that all Japanese ghosts are rather unusual characters? Well, against their background, Katakirauva looks pretty modest. These are ghosts of black piglets that have one ear and do not discard shadows, but otherwise they look quite decent. True, there is one problem with them.
If the spirits manage to run between your legs, they will devour your soul, and one of the piglets will be in the body.
Better 27 -meter skeleton, true? At least it can be seen from afar.
Morality: Look under your feet.
12. Haykegani
Haykegani. Illustration of Utagawa Kuniyoshi, 1797-1861. Image: Wikimedia Commons
The most amazing creature from the list only because it … exists in reality. This arthropm is called Heikeopsis Japonica. According to legend, Haikegani get from the severed heads of samurai. Take a look at the photo and tell me – well, it looks like it is.
If you caught such a crab, it needs to be released immediately. And then he will reward you with luck for a whole year.
Karl Sagan somehow suggested that the Samurai mask on his shell turned out as a result of evolution – supposedly Japanese sailors of simple crabs were eaten, and samurai was released, and the sign was assigned.
Another scientist, Joel Martin, denied this idea, indicating that Haykegani did not eat. So the samurai mask appeared on his shell by accident, and even in fossil crabs long before Japan’s settlement of Japan.
Morality: Sometimes legends have a real basis.