Horror stories always grab us, whether they are stories told around a campfire at night or horror films at your local theater. They become extra scary when the campfire tale ends with "...and every word of it is true." Or if the movie is advertised as "Based on real events."
According to Wikipedia, an urban legend is "a genre of folklore comprising fallacious claims or stories circulated as true, especially as having happened to a "friend of a friend" or a family member, often with horrifying, humorous, or cautionary elements." It is distinguished from a fairy tale by being set in a more contemporary era to make it believable, and supernatural elements are toned down to the point of plausibility to persuade the listener that it's a true story. Some people will believe any urban legend, and are ripe for believing in conspiracy theories, too. Others are always skeptical.
But where do these tales originate? Strangely, the biggest and longest-lived urban legends grew from real events, although they happened quite some time ago and have been embellished over time. The embellishments make them more exciting, but the kernel of truth underneath makes them terrifying. Weird History looks at the truth behind the origins of nine urban legends you might have heard.