ArchiveFM

Lore

Lore 290: Growing Pains

Duration
34m
Broadcast on
06 Oct 2025
Audio Format
other

They might appear to be nothing more than simple words spoken by the youngest in our communities, but there's a darkness hidden beneath many of them. Let's explore the frightening world of nursery rhymes.

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

—————————

Lore Resources:

—————————

Sponsors:

  • Squarespace: Head to Squarespace.com/lore to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using the code LORE.
  • Mint Mobile: For a limited time, wireless plans from Mint Mobile are $15 a month when you purchase a 3-month plan with UNLIMITED talk, text and data at MintMobile.com/lore.
  • SimpliSafe: Secure your home with 24/7 professional monitoring. Sign up today at SimpliSafe.com/Lore to get 50% off a new SimpliSafe system.
  • MeUndies: Slide into game changing comfort with MeUndies. Get up to 50% off at MeUndies.com/lore with the promo code LORE.

—————————

To report a concern regarding a radio-style, non-Aaron ad in this episode, reach out to ads @ lorepodcast.com with the name of the company or organization so we can look into it.

To advertise on this podcast please email: [email protected]. Or go to: https://advertising.libsyn.com/lore

—————————

©2025 Aaron Mahnke. All rights reserved.

Breathe in and reset with Lincoln Rejuvenate, an available multi-sensory feature in the 2027 Lincoln Navigator SUV. Experience the luxurious massage, visuals, and sense to help you relax in the driver's seat. It's your time for a reset. Visit Lincoln.com to learn more. Lincoln Rejuvenate does not operate unless the vehicle is in part. When the vehicle is off or if any door is open, do not use the feature in a closed garage or in other enclosed areas. See owners manual for important operating instructions. Lincoln Navigator trade marks affordor as affiliates. Mobile Brights Reserve. Overwhelmed? That was me with diabetes. Hey, I'm Jabron. Between teaching and coaching, managing diabetes felt like an extra job. With the Freestyle Libre 3CGM, I get real-time glucose readings and have the insights to make informed decisions. My life feels lighter now. Learn more at freestylelibre.us. The views expressed should not be used for medical diagnosis or treatment as a substitute for professional medical advice. Individual circumstances may vary for prescription only, safety and profound at freestylelibre.us. As long as they stay in the trees, you have nothing to worry about. The spirits are called Abhiku and they tend to lurk in the branches of Baobab and Iroko trees throughout Nigeria. At least, that's where they hang out when they aren't possessing a human host. A very tiny human host. The word Abhiku, you see, translates to none other than predestined to death. According to Nigerian legend, these spirits belong to children who are doomed to die young. And if that weren't tragic enough, they are said to target the same mothers again and again, becoming the soul of each new baby she bears, remorselessly forcing her to lose child after child. A family might think that they've escaped, might have a son or daughter who lives past infancy, then into childhood and toward their teen years, only for the Abhiku to take them on their thirteenth birthday. It's hard to imagine a crueler kind of monster, but according to some contemporary analyses, Abhiku legends do serve a purpose beyond the misery. It's possible that the superstition developed to help families make sense of genetic illnesses, such as sickle cell disease, which could cause multiple premature deaths within the same family line. And they aren't alone. From Scottish changelines to the Filipino Chianak, every culture has its own folklore, explaining why a child might be taken before their time. And the truth is, while these stories may be about children, they really exist to help adults process something too terrible to name. Which leaves us with a question. When death comes calling, what stories are the children telling? I'm Aaron Mankey, and this is lore.

Transcription truncated.