Episode Overview

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Episode: Ripley's Believe It Or Not - 1 Minute Episodes (364): Marriage Rite
Original Air Date: November 28, 2025

In this brief, classic segment from "Ripley's Believe It Or Not"—a staple of the Golden Age of Radio—the audience is treated to two fascinating and unusual true stories. The episode exemplifies the show's unique blend of odd facts and storytelling, focusing on a dramatic tale of martyrdom and a peculiar marriage custom from India.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Martyrdom of St. Barbara (00:31–00:52)

• Main Story:
  The segment opens with a dramatic account of St. Barbara, a Christian martyr, emphasizing both the cruelty and the supernatural twist of her story.

  • St. Barbara refused to renounce her faith and was consequently beheaded by her own father, Dioscorus.
  • Immediately after committing the act, her father was struck dead by lightning—a tale of poetic justice with a mystical edge.

  Notable Quote:

  • “When St Barbara would not renounce her faith, she was beheaded. Her accuser and executioner was her own father, Dioscorus. The instant he murdered her, he was struck dead by a bolt of lightning, believe it or not.” (B, 00:32–00:52)

2. Bizarre Marriage Rite in Hoshangabad, India (00:53–01:34)

• Main Story:
  Focuses on an unusual social custom among the Loti caste in Hoshangabad, India, designed for bachelors seeking to marry widows.

  • Before a bachelor can marry a widow, he must first "rid himself of his bachelor status" by "marrying a pair of earrings."
  • For a full year, he must "decorate his ears with this strange wife."
  • After the year, he can formally "divorce" the earrings, freeing him to marry the widow.
  • The narrator quips, “He gets married by ear.”

  Notable Quotes:

  • “The Loti caste of the district of Hoshangabad, India, generously allows a bachelor to marry a widow. But before he does, he must undergo a bizarre rite. He must first rid himself of his bachelor status by marrying a pair of earrings.” (B, 00:54–01:09)
  • “For a whole year, he decorates his ears with this strange wife, after which he may discard his earrings by way of a formal divorce. After that, he's then free to marry the widow. Literally. He gets married by ear. Believe it or not.” (B, 01:09–01:34)

Memorable Moments & Tone

• The delivery retains a signature dramatic, slightly sensational tone befitting Ripley’s tradition.
• The phrase, “Believe it or not”—punctuating both vignettes—serves as a challenge to the audience’s sense of amazement and skepticism.

Important Timestamps

• 00:31: Introduction to St. Barbara’s martyrdom story
• 00:54: Unveiling of the marriage rite among the Loti caste in Hoshangabad, India
• 01:34: Concluding with the memorable line, “He gets married by ear. Believe it or not.”

Summary Bullet Points

• St. Barbara: Martyred by her father, immediately avenged by a deadly bolt of lightning—an example of both cruelty and cosmic retribution.
• Hoshangabad Marriage Rite: Bachelors must symbolically “marry” and wear earrings for a year before being eligible to wed a widow, highlighting a fascinating intersection of ritual, symbolism, and social custom.
• Signature Style: Short, punchy delivery; ending each segment with “Believe it or not.”

For New Listeners

This "Ripley's Believe It Or Not" mini-episode captures the eccentric, fact-based storytelling that made the show a cultural touchstone—quick, strange, and always memorable. The content flows briskly, ensuring even a single minute is packed with intrigue and wonder.