Kingmaker

For example, the Greek Zeus and the Roman Jupiter were both rulers of their respective kingdoms. They both threw lightning bolts, and they both married their sisters. Many Eastern cultures also share folklore, such as the myth of the rabbit that lives on the Moon. They began as a way to explain the lunar maria dark markings on one side of the moon's surface. The story started in China before spreading to Japan, Vietnam, and Korea, and all have their own versions.

In the West, one legend has endured for hundreds of years. It's been written about in countless stories adapted into films, and television shows, and depicted on stage in plays and musicals. It's the story of a man who pulled a sword from a stone and took his rightful place as the King of England. The King Arthur's story, as we know it today is caked in lore and legend. What is truth and what is fiction cannot be determined for sure, and it's been suggested that Arthur may not have existed

at all. Yet the legend continues to be shared and embraced, along with many of the elements that has picked up over the years. There's the Lady of the Lake, Merlin Gwenevere, and of course, the sword in the stone. According to the tale, the young Arthur was the only person able to withdraw the sword ex caliber from the stone, and in doing so was declared the true and rightful king of all of England. But did you know that there was another sword thousands of miles away and it wasn't

just a story. In fact, it's still there, stuck in the stone. It belonged to a man named Galgano Guidotta, who lived in Tuscany during the twelfth century. Despite having come from a wealthy family, his early years were difficult he was often in trouble for picking fights and acting like a thug. Even after becoming a night, he continued to behave arrogantly and violently. It wasn't until a vision of the archangel Michael appeared to him on Christmas Day

of eighty when Galgano renounced his wicked ways. In the vision, he was led to a hilltop by the archangel, where he spoke with God and the twelve Apostles. After the vision ended and he woke up, Galgano instructed his horse to take him away, but the horse didn't listen. It took him to the hilltop from his dream instead. The Knight believed it to be a sign. Just as his horse had changed direction, Galgano knew that he too had

to change the direction of his own life. Then a voice explained that in order to do that, he had to cut ties with the material possessions he owned and live a more humble existence. Galgano said that doing so would be like splitting a stone, and then he plunged his sword into a nearby rock to demonstrate, except instead of the sword breaking or the stone shattering, the blade

went straight in and could not be removed. In another version, of the story, Galgano had tried to make a cross on the top of the hill, but lacked the necessary materials to do so, and so he thrust his sword into the rock, where it got stuck. Either way, he took the hint. He moved into a small hut on the hilltop and lived like a hermit until his death. In several years later, he was declared a saint by Pope Lucius the Third and a round chapel was built

over his tomb in commemoration. Though much of the surrounding land was disturbed to accommodate the new chapel, one important parcel was left alone, the sword in the stone. Instead, the chapel was built around it. In fact, the story of Galgano's life and his sword was so odd it was believed to have been the inspiration for the Arthurian legend we know today. Round chapel, round table, Anything's possible. The sword itself was also enveloped in rumor, mainly that

it was fake. However, scholars tested the metal and confirmed that it was an authentic weapon from the late twelfth to early thirteenth century. Along with the sword, the chapel also housed a pair of mummified hands, which were also said to have come from a thief who once attempted to steal the sword. When he tried to pull it out, he was devoured by a pack of wild wolves that left behind his hands a warning. They say today, Galgano's sword is kept under a plastic dome within the chapel.

Visitors can look, but they can't touch. Perhaps it's simply waiting for the right pair of worthy hands to reach down and try their luck. When it comes to one's character, people aren't black and white. Nobody is purely good or evil. There are shades of gray in all of us. Take Jesse and Frank James, for example. History has labeled the two pro Confederate outlaws as thieves and murderers. Jesse's behavior earned him notoriety across the country, and he became quite

the celebrity, both in life and in death. But despite their objectionable actions and beliefs, there was another side of the James boys, at least that's what some of the stories want us to believe in movies and TV shows. Frank and Jesse robbed from the rich and gave to the poor. Like wild West Robin Hoods, historians argued otherwise and claim that they only ever looked out for themselves and their gang. So what's the truth. Well, for that answer,

we might want to ask miss Benton. During the early eighteen sixties, at the start of the Civil War, Missouri became a battle ground not just between the Union and the Confederate armies, but between Confederate guerrillas known as bush whackers and local Union militia called jayhawkers. Bush Whackers were

brutal and indiscriminate when it came to the enemy. Unionist civilians were just as much at risk as Union soldiers themselves, and were subjected to murder and scalping by the Southern guerrillas. The James family were Confederates through and through, with Frank joining up to fight at the Battle of Wilson's Creek in August of eighteen sixty one. After a brief illness, however, his fight was over and aligned himself with a group

of bush whackers at home. Instead, he moved from gang to gang, though eventually his younger brother Jesse joined him and their escapades across the South and the Midwest. Then in eighteen sixty five, the war ended, although the Confederates lost, that didn't stop them from seeking other methods of rebellion against the North. Frank and Jesse started robbing Missouri banks,

specifically those owned by abolitionist Republicans. Confederate army may have disbanded, but the guerrillas continued to fight, and as the James brothers robbed bank after bank, they left bodies in their wake, cashiers, owners, customers, anyone who got in their way. Over the years, numerous stories were written about the James's, and Jesse was declared an outlaw by Missouri authorities. Newspaper editor John Newman Edwards, however, had fought for the Confederacy during the war and supported

the James's. He published letters from Jesse in which the former bush whacker defended himself, claiming he was innocent of the charges against him, and the more letters Edwards published, the less readers believed he really was as evil as the police had made him out to be. Stories like the one about Jesse and the widow Benton when a long way to earning him sympathy from the public as well.

According to the tale, Jesse and Frank had stopped at a remote farmhouse in Tennessee looking to rest and grab a meal. They were greeted by a woman with the last name of Benton. Miss Benton lived with her children in a very modest home, with almost no food for themselves, let alone for a pair of strangers at their door. Still, she didn't turn them away. She welcomed them in and gave them what little food she had. Jesse noticed the woman crying at one point, and he asked her what

was wrong. She explained how a man from the bank was on his way to foreclose on her home. Her husband, a former Confederate soldier, had died, and she had nothing to her name. Jesse felt for the woman. He gave her the money that she needed to keep her home and then instructed her to get a receipt. Several hours after the man left, the banker arrived, ready to evict the widow Benton. Instead, she gave him the money Jesse had left for her. She and her children were allowed

to stay in the house. A one her full heartwarming story about two murderous criminals who did the right thing when the time came. Except it didn't end there. You see, the banker eventually left the widow's home with a bag full of money he sat out on his horse to return to the bank, when suddenly two men appeared out of nowhere. They demanded that he hand over the sack of cash or risk getting shot, and he did as he was told. Jesse and Frank took off with the loot,

and the banker went home a lot poorer. Clearly, Jesse and Frank James did a lot of terrible things while they were alive. They killed, they robbed banks, and they destroyed property. But one woman saw a different side of them. In her time of need, they provided her with the means to seek a better life for herself and her children. In true robin Hood fashion, they stole from the rich and gave to the poor. And when that poor woman handed it over to the wealthy banker, well they stole

it right back. I hope you've enjoyed today's guided tour of the Cabinet of Curiosities. Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, or learn more about the show by visiting Curiosities podcast dot com. The show was created by me Aaron Manky in partnership with how Stuff Works. I make another award winning show called Lore, which is a podcast, book series, and television show, and you can learn all about it over at the world of lore dot com and until next time, stay curious. Yeah,