Lore Legends: Episode 47 - "Darkness Rising"

Release Date: February 17, 2025
Host: Aaron Mahnke

Introduction

In "Darkness Rising," the 47th episode of Lore Legends, host Aaron Mahnke delves into the shadowy realms of waterborne tragedies and the folklore that emerges from them. This episode explores how mysterious drownings and unexplained disappearances have given rise to enduring legends, serving as humanity's attempts to understand and cope with inexplicable losses.

The German Plague Tale

Aaron opens the episode with a haunting German folktale dating back to the time of the plague. In a village near Kotbus, residents successfully warded off the plague by following an old wives' tale: they used a copper kettle handle to draw a protective circle around the town, believing that maintaining the circle would keep the pestilence at bay. However, the story takes a dark turn when a miller repeatedly encounters a woman in a clean white dress—an embodiment of the plague. Every time he tries to bring her into the circle, she falls out until he is forced to drag her across the boundary.

Tragically, the woman brings the plague to his household:

"The woman in white, of course, had been the plague, and the miller had been had invited her in." [04:35]

This tale illustrates how communities created narratives to explain the ravages of disease, providing a semblance of control over the uncontrollable.

Squando and the Curse of the Saco River

Transitioning to American folklore, Mahnke recounts the story of Squando, the Sagamore (chief) of the Abenaki people in Saco, Maine. Squando's life was marked by tragedy when English settlers, testing an old myth that indigenous babies could naturally swim, deliberately overturned his canoe, leading to the drowning and subsequent death of his infant son.

In response to this personal loss, Squando instigated conflicts against the settlers, culminating in King Philip's War and the destruction of Sacco. Legend later attributes a curse to Squando, where he vowed that the Saco River would claim three white lives each year until the settlers were expelled:

"Squando cursed the Saco River that each year the river would claim three white lives by drowning until all the white men were driven from the banks of the Saco River." [14:50]

While historical records do not confirm Squando's use of magic or curses, the enduring local belief in the curse underscores how folklore can evolve to explain recurring tragedies, in this case, frequent drownings in the Saco River.

The Haunting of Lake Ronkonkoma

Mahnke then explores the legends surrounding Lake Ronkonkoma in Long Island, New York. Known for its calm waters, the lake has been the site of numerous drownings, giving rise to tales of the "Lady of the Lake." One version of the legend speaks of a chief's daughter, Tuscawanta, who drowned after a heart-wrenching tragic love story:

"Is said that her intended bride comes once in every floodtime in a phantom canoe, singing for the return of her lover." [28:20]

Another narrative involves a native princess named Ronkonkoma, who, after unrequited love, drowns herself, forever haunting the lake in search of her lost love. These stories serve as cautionary tales, deterring locals and visitors from venturing too close to the water's edge.

Despite the romanticized and supernatural elements of the legends, historical data on drownings does not support the presence of a curse. However, the persistent folklore highlights the human tendency to personify and mythologize natural dangers to make sense of repeated tragedies.

The Tragic Story of Mabel Douglas

One of the most poignant stories Mahnke shares is that of Mabel Douglas, a dedicated dean at Rutgers Women's College in the early 20th century. After the death of her husband in 1917, Mabel threw herself into her work, founding and leading the college with remarkable passion. However, personal tragedies soon followed. In 1923, her 16-year-old son, William, took his own life, and later, her daughter Edith followed in 1948.

In September 1933, plagued by grief and mental distress, Mabel disappeared after paddling her boat into Lake Placid. Her body was not found until 1963, remarkably preserved near Pulpit Rock:

"Within a matter of days, Mabel was assumed to have drowned... Her body, though, disintegrated as they pulled her out of the water." [45:10]

Mabel's death transcended a personal tragedy, evolving into local legend. Sightings of her ghostly apparition at Lake Placid contribute to the lore surrounding the lake, embodying themes of loss and the undying quest for peace:

"Her story might be tragic, but it isn't a tall tale... locals say that her death has cursed Lake Placid." [49:55]

Water Babies of Pyramid Lake

The episode concludes with a look at Pyramid Lake in Nevada and its chilling legends of "water babies"—vengeful spirits resembling human infants. Rooted in the beliefs of the Paiute tribe, these entities are said to lure individuals to their watery doom:

"The water babies were the spirits of all those who had been killed, crying out in pain and fear." [56:30]

Various versions of the legend attribute the origin of the water babies to sacrificial practices or tragic romances involving mermaids and rejected lovers. Scholars suggest that these stories were mechanisms for the Paiute to explain the frequent drownings in the lake, intertwining cultural practices with supernatural explanations:

"It seems the validity of this curse is tenuous at best, relying on word of mouth rather than actual data." [1:03:45]

Conclusion

"Darkness Rising" masterfully intertwines historical events with the mythical narratives that arise from them. Aaron Mahnke illustrates how communities across time and geography have created legends to explain and cope with the enigmatic and often tragic nature of drownings. Whether through curses, ghostly apparitions, or vengeful spirits, these stories reflect humanity's enduring quest to find meaning in the face of loss and the unknown.

As Mahnke aptly summarizes:

"Water... can give life and support a community, but it can also become a hotspot for tragedy and pain." [1:14:20]

This episode of Lore Legends underscores the profound connection between human experiences and the folklore that shapes our understanding of the world around us.

Notable Quotes:

• "The woman in white, of course, had been the plague, and the miller had been had invited her in." [04:35]
• "Squando cursed the Saco River that each year the river would claim three white lives by drowning until all the white men were driven from the banks of the Saco River." [14:50]
• "Is said that her intended bride comes once in every floodtime in a phantom canoe, singing for the return of her lover." [28:20]
• "Within a matter of days, Mabel was assumed to have drowned... Her body, though, disintegrated as they pulled her out of the water." [45:10]
• "The water babies were the spirits of all those who had been killed, crying out in pain and fear." [56:30]
• "It seems the validity of this curse is tenuous at best, relying on word of mouth rather than actual data." [1:03:45]
• "Water... can give life and support a community, but it can also become a hotspot for tragedy and pain." [1:14:20]

Produced by Aaron Mahnke, with writing by Alex Robinson and research by Jamie Vargas. For more information or to share your local legends, visit lorepodcast.com.