Ripley's Believe It Or Not - 1 Minute Episodes (317): "Scare a Tree"

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Host: Harold's Old Time Radio
Date: October 4, 2025

Episode Overview

This quick episode of Ripley's Believe It or Not, featured on Harold's Old Time Radio, brings listeners a strikingly odd tale from history. The focus is on ancient traditions and peculiarly advanced technology, as the show uncovers a bizarre folklore practice from Mallorca and highlights an incredibly sensitive tool from the world of aviation.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Weird Wonders of Measurement (00:43)

• Electronic Precision:
  The episode opens with a fascinating tidbit about a new invention in manufacturing:

  "There is a new electronic gauge used in manufacturing airplane instruments which can measure the depth of a mouse's footprints on a strand of wire. Believe it or not."
  (00:43 | Narrator)

  • Insight: This underscores the remarkable advances in technology even in the radio era, hinting at both the precision of modern manufacturing and the incredulity such science can provoke.

2. The "Scared Tree" of Mallorca (00:53)

• An Ancient Ritual:
  The host tells the story of a unique olive tree in Mallorca, Spain, that, according to local tradition, must be "scared" each year to ensure it bears fruit:

  "Near Palma, on the Spanish island of Mallorca, there's an old olive tree growing which has to be scared into a year's growth."
  (00:53 | Narrator)

  • A Community Affair:
    Each spring for the past 400 years, the owners—joined by their neighbors—assemble to frighten the tree:

    "The owners of the tree, aided by their neighbors, have assembled around it to beat loud drums and shake giant rattles till the tree appears to be sufficiently frightened."
    (01:00 | Narrator)

  • Folkloric Consequence:
    The ritual claims that, without this annual scare, the hollow olive tree won't blossom or bear fruit:

    "Without the scare, the hollow tree would neither blossom nor bear fruit for an entire year. Believe it or not."
    (01:09 | Narrator)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Technological Wonders:
  "There is a new electronic gauge used in manufacturing airplane instruments which can measure the depth of a mouse's footprints on a strand of wire. Believe it or not."
  (00:43 | Narrator)

• On the Spanish Olive Tree Tradition:
  "Near Palma, on the Spanish island of Mallorca, there's an old olive tree growing which has to be scared into a year's growth."
  (00:53 | Narrator)
  "Each spring... they beat loud drums and shake giant rattles till the tree appears to be sufficiently frightened."
  (01:00 | Narrator)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:43 – Technological marvel: measuring a mouse's footprint with an electronic gauge
• 00:53 – Introduction to the tree that must be "scared"
• 01:00 – Description of the annual tree-frightening ritual in Mallorca
• 01:09 – Folkloric consequence if the ritual is skipped

Tone and Style

• The narrator uses a tone of wonder, curiosity, and slight incredulity, inviting listeners to marvel at the oddities found around the world.
• The storytelling is succinct and vivid, evoking the old-time radio tradition of passing on surprising facts and legends.

Summary

This episode is a bite-sized yet memorable slice of Ripley's Believe It Or Not that lives up to its slogan: "Truth is stranger than fiction." From the staggering precision of modern technology to the quirky rituals preserved in rural Spain, the show delivers two stories that are as intriguing as they are unbelievable. Whether pondering the depths of a mouse's footprint or the need to frighten an olive tree for its yearly bounty, listeners are treated to a world where the incredible is, indeed, true.