One classic is 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. It's about a narrator who is driven mad by an old man's vulture - like eye and eventually kills him. The story builds great suspense and the narrator's psychological state is truly terrifying. Another is 'Dracula' by Bram Stoker. This introduced the world to the iconic vampire figure, with its dark castles, blood - sucking and the sense of an ancient evil.
Another is 'The Tell - Tale Heart'. In this short story, the narrator is driven mad by the old man's 'evil eye'. He kills the old man and hides his body under the floorboards. But he is haunted by the sound of the old man's still - beating heart, which drives him to confess. It's a great exploration of guilt and madness.
One classic scary story for kids is 'The Three Little Pigs'. The big bad wolf is a menacing figure. Another is 'Hansel and Gretel' with the evil witch in the forest. And 'Little Red Riding Hood' also has some scary elements, like the wolf disguising as the grandmother.
There's also the story of 'Bloody Mary'. If you go into a dark bathroom, say 'Bloody Mary' three times in front of a mirror, a spooky woman might appear. It's often told at sleepovers. The origin of this story is a bit murky, but it has been passed down for generations, scaring kids and adults alike.
One classic is 'The Wolf Man'. It tells the story of a man who is cursed to become a werewolf. The idea of a man transforming into a half - man, half - wolf creature during the full moon is really terrifying.
One classic scary riddle is: 'I have no feet to dance, I have no eyes to see, I have no life to live or die, but yet I do all three. What am I?' The answer is a fire. A fire can seem to 'dance', it doesn't have eyes but can 'look' menacing, and it's not alive but can start and end, causing destruction like a living thing might.
One possible scary story could be about a strange figure that appears in the neighbor's backyard at midnight. It's a tall, shadowy figure with glowing eyes that seems to be watching the neighborhood. Whenever someone tries to get a closer look, it vanishes into thin air.
There's also 'Dracula' by Bram Stoker. This tale features the infamous vampire Dracula who travels from Transylvania to England to spread his curse of vampirism. The story is full of spooky encounters, from the vampire's brides in his castle to his attempts to prey on the innocent, like Lucy Westenra.
One classic is the story of Medusa. She was a Gorgon with snakes for hair and anyone who looked directly at her turned to stone. Another is the Kraken, a huge sea monster said to lurk in the deep ocean and could destroy ships with its massive tentacles.
One classic scary cowboy story is about the Headless Horseman of the prairie. Legend has it that a cowboy was cursed after a misdeed. At night, he rides through the plains without his head, chasing any living soul he comes across. His horse makes a strange, otherworldly sound as they gallop.
A famous scary and mysterious story is 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow'. Set in a small town, there is the terrifying figure of the Headless Horseman. Ichabod Crane, a superstitious schoolteacher, encounters this apparition one night. The story is mysterious as it blurs the lines between superstition and reality. No one really knows if the Horseman is a real ghost or just a prank played on Crane. The spooky atmosphere of the town and the unknown nature of the Horseman make it a classic scary and mysterious story.