Have you ever looked at a rotting corpse and thought, they sure look plumper than when they were alive... must be rising from the grave and feeding on the blood of innocent victims? Well you're not alone. Turns out, almost every culture in the world has lore about creatures returning from the dead (or having their dead bodies reanimated by demons) and wreaking havoc on their communities! This week, Hannah tells Katy about some of the reasons people came up with Vampire lore in the first place, a...
Mar 24, 2021•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 53
It's still our anniversary week, and we are still celebrating with a special Friday bonus episode! What would YOU do if you heard a baby crying on your doorstep? If you said, ignore it because it's probably a trap, then you heard/read the clickbait/chain mail/urban legend of a serial killer luring women to their doors in order to attack them! And Katy is here with the FACTS, and the very real story of Derek Todd Lee, and the one time being black made him less of a suspect in police's eyes. This ...
Mar 19, 2021•33 min
Who's tired of MEN getting all the attention for murdering people? We are! So, in honor of Women's Herstory Month (and, in celebration of our ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY), Hannah and Katy explore three of herstory's women who killed. You'll learn about Frankie Silver, who almost got away with axe-murdering her husband and "hiding" the pieces that were left. Also, about Amelia Dyer, one of the most prolific serial killers in all of herstory (and history) who threw her tiny victims into the Thames and as...
Mar 17, 2021•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 52
In 1999 a woman was seen running naked through the streets of a small town in New Mexico, screaming about a torture dungeon she'd been kept in for the past two days. No one would believe just how unimaginably horrible her story would turn out to be. This week, Hannah tells Katy about the Toybox Killer, aptly named for the sadistic "toy box" he kept on his property, full of every conceivable torture device one could imagine. Find out why you should never trust Sam Elliot's ugly younger brother, w...
Mar 10, 2021•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 51
Better late than never! In this week’s slightly belated episode, Hannah and Katy explore the haunting history of Eastern State Penitentiary, and discover how plans for rehabilitations and repentance dissolved into torture, torment, and inhumane conditions. Do the restless spirits of former inmates roam the abandoned halls of this deserted prison? Or is it the sadistic history that taints the space still? Pour your favorite drink (it’s Friday!!!) and find out in this Spooky Story! Make sure to fo...
Mar 05, 2021•54 min•Ep. 50
Has life ever overwhelmed you to the point that you just want to go live in a storage container in the middle of the Oklahoma wilderness? That's exactly how Sherilyn and Bobby Jamison felt in the fall of 2009. But somehow, their plan to start a new, simpler life for themselves and their six year-old daughter Madyson took a turn for the worse. This week, Hannah and Katy dive into what exactly happened to the Jamisons, and the strange (and spooky) circumstances surrounding their disappearance. No ...
Feb 24, 2021•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 49
You've' probably heard the story or seen one of the 15 movies made on the topic. But Amityville and what happened at 112 Ocean Avenue was too good to pass up! So this week, Hannah and Katy dive into this classic and discuss what definitely happened, what might have happened, and what probably didn't happen in the notorious house on the water. Was it all a scam to get a book deal? Were the swarms or flies supernatural, or just regular natural? What has Danny Lutz so shook up 20+ years later? Was ...
Feb 17, 2021•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 48
Have you ever seen a windowless white van on the streets and regarded it with suspicion, even though it was probably a day laborer doing odd jobs and needing a large space for his various tools? Did your mother (or teacher, coworkers, aunt, etc.) ever warn you against parking next to a windowless van because someone could just open the doors and snatch you? Have you ever seen that scene in Silence of the Lambs where Buffalo Bill lures a woman into his van by getting her to help him move a couch?...
Feb 10, 2021•1 hr 38 min•Ep. 47
Welcome to Part 2 of our two-part series on the Satanic Ritual Abuse Panic (at the disco) that swept the nation in the 1980's. This week, Hannah tells Katy about the McMartin Preschool case, in which one woman set off a seven-year, multimillion dollar court case based on her son's gastrointestinal problems (and inability to effectively communicate due to being a child.) Find out why you should be playing RPG's, what conservative Christians have to gain from Satanism, and how to properly excavate...
Feb 03, 2021•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 46
Hold onto your butts, because this ride is WILD. In part one of this insane two-part series, Hannah takes Katy back to the 1980's when fundamentalist Christianity revived a centuries-old bias and incited a panic around Satanic ritual abuse. Did you know that the devil only speaks in Dr. Suess-esque rhymes and in order to summon him you have to three-legged race with a child and then use said child as a compass? Hear about Michelle, and her extraordinary "memories" of hanging out in a Satanic cul...
Jan 27, 2021•1 hr 55 min•Ep. 45
It's the lost episode 2.0! This week, Hannah and Katy revisit the gruesome tale of the Lawson family--an episode they had originally recorded for Christmas, but had to redo completely when that recording was lost. Join the girls in Germanton, NC where they get to know Charlie Lawson, his probably cancerous chest growth, and his large-boned family who meet tragic ends on Christmas Day, 1929. Find out why you should never take raisins from crime scenes, why you should always bring a knife to a tob...
Jan 20, 2021•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 44
In 1955, before anyone was talking about "little green men", a family in southern KY experienced a night unlike anything they could've imagined, engaging in an hours-long gun fight with mysterious metallic beings that showed up at their farm from a mysterious glowing fog. This week, Hannah tells Katy about the "little men" that started it all: the Hopkinsville Goblins! Decide for yourself whether they were actual extraterrestrial goblins, Katy's childhood Furby tucked inside an oil can, or deran...
Jan 13, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 43
Ever get the feeling you're being watched by some creepy entity whose been tasked with keeping watch over your house and its occupants and keeps sending you odd rambling letters about "young blood" and some secret hidden in the walls? No? Well the Broaddus family has, and let us tell you, it was a HASSLE. This week, Hannah tells Katy about the mysterious Watcher who terrorized the Broaddus family in 2014 until they gave up on their $1.3 million home and fled the neighborhood. Katy gives some gre...
Jan 06, 2021•1 hr 44 min•Ep. 42
Happy almost New Year and good riddance 2020! This week, Hannah and Katy swap places again and Katy tells Hannah about different New Year's tradition and folklore around the world! Hear about some friendly-ish demons who uphold their end of a bargain even when they're being scammed, and more ways to terrorize your disobedient probably hellish children after Christmas! Tell us your favorite New Year's traditions on IG: @thetaleswetellpodcast! Pop some champagne, and enjoy the last episode of this...
Dec 30, 2020•50 min•Ep. 41
Merry Christmas Eve Eve! Are you tired of the same old boring Santa? Great news! Hannah has a list of some of Santa's lesser known counterparts from around the world! Join Katy in learning about a cannibalistic butcher who turned his life around (sorta) when he met St. Nick, undead werewolves that turn into vampires, pesky mountain trolls that lick your doorways and steal your sausages, and plenty more! This one is just in time for the holidays. And if your kids have been undeterred by Elf on a ...
Dec 23, 2020•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 40
Due to some unforeseen technical difficulties, we are giving you another bonus episode in lieu of our regular shenanigans! Join Hannah and Jarek as they read a spooky tale from Kill, My Darlings, a collection of horror by Christy Aldridge! Have you ever felt the inky darkness staring back at you from the crack in your closet door? Snatched your feet up under the covers at night so that nothing can get you? Sprinted down the hall as soon as you turn out the lights just in case? Thomas Martin know...
Dec 16, 2020•42 min
What stops a werewolf? Silver bullets? Holy water? Turns out, a super starched collar, a couple of good boy doggos, and some good old fashion medieval torture/execution! This week, Hannah tells Katy the story of Peter Stumpp (aka: Able Griswold, aka: disAble Griswold, aka: the Werewolf of Bedburg), a probably psychopath who did a lot of really horrible stuff thanks to a magical belt that Satan gave him. Hear his gross descriptions of what human baby flesh tastes like, and try to keep up with all...
Dec 09, 2020•56 min•Ep. 39
Happy post-Thanksgiving! Since Hannah and Katy didn't record over the break, we are bringing you a special throw-back bonus episode in which Hannah reads a spooky story she wrote in high school! Jarek joins for sound effects and commentary on Hannah's obviously undiagnosed depression as a teenager, and to help solve the mystery of WHAT is lurking in the library. Drinking game rules: When Jarek provides a sound effect, take a drink. When Hannah says, "darkness", "alone", or "aisle", take a drink....
Dec 02, 2020•35 min
What's your favorite thing to eat for Thanksgiving? Turkey? Stuffing? Cranberry sauce? Sweet potatoes? Pieces of your husband's dismembered body? This week, in honor of the holidays, Hannah tells Katy about Omaima Nelson, the beautiful young woman who went a little crazy and hacked up her husband on Thanksgiving, and then got "creative" in finding ways to dispose of the body. Also, learn how cannibalism is actually an American Thanksgiving tradition, dating back to the early settlers (shocker!) ...
Nov 25, 2020•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 38
Have you ever met a doll whose eyes seemed to follow you wherever you go? What about one who leaves creepy handwritten notes around your house? Or who shows up in your dreams and then also in your actual bedroom? If dolls terrify you, then this episode is for you! This week, Hannah tells Katy about a bunch of different haunted dolls and how they have terrorized and tricked their human companions through the years. Bottom line: don’t trust a doll that talks to you; it’s probably maybe a demon try...
Nov 18, 2020•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 37
We're getting into the Christmas spirit early, with a Tell We Tale about Kallikantzaroi (aka: Christmas goblins!) Katy takes the reigns this week and tells Hannah an amusing (and wild) Greek fairy tale, and expands on the legend of the mischievous goblins that live underground and come out to wreak havoc at Christmas! Find out why you should be breaking out your colanders and old shoes, and why it might actually pay off to be the ugly sister. Pour that egg nog (or spiced rum!) and light the fire...
Nov 11, 2020•42 min•Ep. 36
Have you ever encountered pure evil? Unfortunately, for the people who crossed paths with Israel Keyes, they looked evil incarnate in the eyes. In this week's incredibly dark and horrifying story, Hannah tells Katy about the infamous Israel Keyes and explains why none of us are safe, why you should be afraid in your own home, and why literally anyone can fall victim to a sadistic psycho killer. The girls also explore a White Supremacy sect of fundamentalist Christianity, why the car rental guys ...
Nov 04, 2020•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 35
One Spring, a small Texas town, wrought with fear and paranoia, hoarded weapons and ammunition, and called the police for anything (and anyone) suspicious. Fortunately, this is not a story about today's current political climate (what a horror story that would be!), but of a series of murders that rocked Texarkana, TX in 1946. Follow Hannah and Katy down the road of lover's lanes, missing saxophones, and the most terrifying home-invasion we've ever heard of. Lock your doors and windows, pour a d...
Oct 28, 2020•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 34
What could be worse than having all your joints dislocated or being roasted alive? How about being slowly impaled through an number or orifices? Eaten alive by vermin while you poop yourself to death? Fortunately, you don't have to wonder, because we have compiled ten of the worst ways to (hopefully) die, as thought of by all the people/civilizations that came before us. Join us, as Hannah forces Katy to guess the gruesome uses of these "medieval" devices, and the girls learn that most of them a...
Oct 21, 2020•55 min•Ep. 33
While Hannah and Jarek are celebrating their anniversary in the mountains, you get to enjoy story time with Hannah's dad. It's a happy coincidence that the stories he shares from his childhood happen to fit the macabre theme of the show. Enjoy! Support the show Follow us @thetaleswetellpodcast on Facebook and Instagram, or thetaleswetellpodcast.com Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/join/thetaleswetellpodcast? Click here for merch!...
Oct 14, 2020•15 min
When a young Lutheran boy who dabbled in spiritualism and ouija boards starts speaking in Latin, growling, and moving the furniture around, his parents knew exactly what to do: call the Catholics. This week, Hannah tells Katy about the possessed teenager who inspired the 1971 horror classic, The Exorcist . In the process, they both learn a thing or two about Protestantism, how many Bishops it takes to get rid of 1-10 demons, and how to interpret signs ands symbols carved into skin. Katy plays de...
Oct 07, 2020•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 32
In the middle of the night, five children vanished in a horrific house fire. A mysterious phone call, several sequences of bad luck, and the lack of any physical evidence leaves their family reeling, and searching for answers. This week, Hannah tells Katy the story of the Sodder Children, and why their family never gave up looking for them. Katy is full of conspiracy theories, and Hannah learns about the science of burning human bones (and finds another link to Hamilton!) It's dark and full of m...
Sep 30, 2020•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 31
You know that quiet guy who is weirdly obsessed with cemeteries, collects giant dolls, and lives an a smelly apartment, but otherwise seems pretty harmless? Well, he's the subject of today's episode! Meet Anatoly Moskvin: the mild mannered intellectual who lived a quiet life with his parents, but harbored a gruesome secret. Also, why you should call Katy for all your grave robbing needs, and how distinguish decomposing body stink from regular Russian apartment stink. This one is disturbing on mo...
Sep 23, 2020•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 30
Are you fond of your internal organs? More specifically, are you fond of them remaining internal? Well then 19th century London was NOT for you, and this episode may give you the heeby jeebies. This week, Hannah dives right into the notorious mystery that is Jack the Ripper--the serial killer who terrorized the Whitechapel parish of London, gutted unsuspecting women in the street, taunted the police, and got away with it all. Did he have five victims? Or 18? Why were there torsos showing up in b...
Sep 16, 2020•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 29
How could there NOT be stories of spirts and hauntings at a historical southern plantation? This week, Hannah tells Katy about this staple in Louisiana lore that is home to disembodied voices, children in mirrors, and Chloe, the restless spirit of a former slave who took justice into her own hands and was met by a similar fate. Also, find out how Alexander Hamilton accidentally had a hand in setting it all in motion! Pour a strong one, and get ready hear some depressing (but spooky) American his...
Sep 09, 2020•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 28
