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Lore

Lore 316: A Spoonful of Sugar

Duration
34m
Broadcast on
05 Oct 2026
Audio Format
other

Sometimes the most frightening stories involve things we consider safe retreats or mindless pleasures. If that sounds tasty, today's exploration will hit the spot.

Narrated and produced by Aaron Mahnke, with writing by GennaRose Nethercott, research by Cassandra de Alba, and music by Chad Lawson.

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©2026 Aaron Mahnke. All rights reserved.

This episode is sponsored by Wildwood. From Leica, the studio behind Coraline, comes a new epic fantasy adventure. And at the heart of Wildwood is a simple question. How far would you go for someone you love? Wildwood is a handcrafted epic fantasy adventure that transports audiences into a secret magical and dangerously alive world just beyond their doorstep. At its heart is the story of a courageous girl, Prue McKeel, on a desperate mission to rescue her baby brother from a forbidden forest filled with enchanted creatures, endearing allies, and formidable adversaries. Her journey unfolds in a spectacular high-stakes adventure where the fate of an entire hidden world hangs in the balance. The film features vocal performances from Carrie Mulligan, Mahershala Ali, and Angela Bassett. And I have to tell you folks, I have seen the trailer for this film so many times, and I cannot wait to park my button to seat and experience this adventure. Wildwood is now playing in theaters everywhere, so grab your tickets today. Hola, Dember! La Granina curación de wafer, commune salveinte de no bienbre. Bena comprario rar con esta un ochenta porciento de des cuentos en tien de todo del fin de semana. Además, los primeros sienclientes cada día, reciben una tarketa de regalo de sinquenta dola de scratiz. Traya tu familia de spruatar de sorteos, múcica y sopresas. Desperamos en avenues at Northfield, del bien te al bien te los de no bienbre. [Music] It's certainly unique. There might be plenty of glowing bioluminescent creatures in the ocean, but you won't find this one on any scientific record. It's called the Amabia, a spirit from Japanese folklore, and not only does it glow bright enough to see from the shore, but it's also a mermaid, sporting a mix of human and fishy features, as well as a beak and three legs for good measure. Now, according to the stories, back in April of 1846, an Amabia marched right up out of the water, tapped a government official on the shoulder, and warned him of a coming plague. Not as a threat, mind you, just a heads up so the people could be prepared. From then on, the Amabia was celebrated as a protector from disease, which is why when a particular world event occurred in the spring of 2020, this little guy made a major comeback, and it was all thanks to one shop, a candy shop. You see, in the early days of COVID, the president of a Tokyo sweet shop noticed the Amabia tales had started making the rounds online, and so he had an idea. He popped onto the Health Ministry's website, found a drawing of the mer creature, and copied the image right onto a piece of candy. "Although the candy is not medicine," the creator said, "I hope people will keep it with them as a charm for good luck." And that's exactly what happened. Within weeks, he had sold over 10,000 bags of the infectious confections. In fact, many were specifically purchased as gifts for people hospitalized with COVID. When times get tough, humans have always found creative solutions for keeping our spirits afloat. Whether it's by reviving old tales or inventing new treats, we somehow manage to sugarcoat even the most frightening dangers around us. And sometimes, that sugarcoating just happens to be real. I'm Aaron Mankey, and this is Lore. Most of us enjoy a sweet treat every now and then, from peanut butter cups to jelly beans. And according to folklore, we aren't alone. In fact, there are monsters with a bit of a sweet tooth who seem to show up all over the world. Take, for example, the Kuchisake Ona, another example from Japan. At first, she may look like an ordinary woman that is until you see the massive bleeding gas in the place of her mouth. She tends to stop travelers to ask the question, "Am I pretty?" And let's just say you better not give the wrong answer. But don't worry, there's a surefire way to escape. Simply distract the vengeful spirit with the hastily flung fistful of her favorite hard candy. She'll be too busy slurping it up to notice that you are running away for your life. Have plans to go swimming in Estonia? Well, you might want to toss a bit of cake into the water first. This ensures that the knack of people eating water spirit is nice and full before you take a dip. Meanwhile, in Slavic mythology, the household spirit known as the Doma Voi is often appeased with candy, cookies, or simply a saucer of sugar. The snacks keep the spirit from harming you and even incentivizes it to stick around as your home's protector.

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