The story of 'The Babadook' is also quite creepy. It involves a children's pop - up book that brings a malevolent entity into a single mother and her son's life. The Babadook is a dark figure that torments the family, and it plays on the fears of both the child and the mother. It's a modern take on the old idea of spooky stories involving children.
Another is 'Bloody Mary'. Legend has it that if you go into a dark bathroom, light some candles, and say 'Bloody Mary' three times while looking into the mirror, a terrifying apparition of a woman might appear. The origin of this story is often associated with a vengeful spirit of a woman named Mary, and it has been passed down as a cautionary tale among children for generations.
Well, creepy children old stories have been passed down through generations. They often carry cultural values or warnings. For example, some stories might be warnings about going to dangerous places or dealing with strangers. And people like to share these stories to create a sense of community and shared experience. Also, the idea of children being involved in something spooky adds an extra layer of shock value. It's unexpected because we usually think of children as pure and untainted, so when they are part of a creepy story, it really gets our attention.
There could be a drawing where a child is surrounded by shadowy figures. The associated story might be that these figures are the child's nightmares come to life, and the child is trying to find a way to escape from them. It shows the power of a child's imagination even in a creepy context.
One example is 'The Little Match Girl' by Hans Christian Andersen. The poor girl is out in the cold on New Year's Eve, facing hunger and the harsh elements. It has a rather melancholy and somewhat creepy undertone as she hallucinates about warm and wonderful things while slowly freezing to death. Another is 'The Tell - Tale Heart' which can be considered in a children's context. The narrator's obsession with the old man's 'evil eye' and his slow descent into madness as he kills the old man and then is haunted by the sound of the still - beating heart is quite creepy.
One common theme is the loss of innocence. For example, in stories where a child is possessed or influenced by an evil force, their normal, innocent state is taken away. They start to do things that are cruel or abnormal, which is a very creepy transformation to witness.
One creepy old west story is about the ghost town of Bodie. Once a bustling mining town, it was suddenly abandoned. People say at night you can still hear the sounds of the saloons and the miners' footsteps. It gives a very eerie feeling as if the past is still lingering there.
Another is the tale of the haunted doll. There was an old doll that was found in an attic. It had a cracked porcelain face and tattered clothes. Strange things started to happen in the house where it was taken. Objects would move on their own, and at night, people could hear faint crying coming from the room where the doll was placed.
One creepy old story is about the Headless Horseman. Legend has it that a horseman without a head rides through the night, chasing the living. It's said to be the ghost of a soldier who lost his head in battle. People in the old days were terrified of seeing this spectral figure on moonlit nights.
Well, these drawings and stories might be the result of the child's attempt to understand the world around them. The 'creepy' elements could be things that they don't fully comprehend yet, like death or the concept of evil. For instance, a drawing of a graveyard with a story about people coming out of the graves could be their way of exploring the idea of what happens after we die. Also, children are often exposed to a lot of media, and sometimes they pick up on the scarier aspects of it and re - create it in their own way through drawings and stories.
Well, a lot of these stories have the element of mystery surrounding the old lady. Maybe she has a past that no one really knows about, like she was involved in some dark magic or a tragic event long ago. Her voice can also be a factor. It could be raspy or whispery, which adds to the creepiness. And often, there are animals associated with her, like a black cat that always follows her around, making her seem even more eerie.
Some children's stories are creepy because they often deal with basic human fears. For example, the fear of the unknown, like in 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' where the strange world is full of unpredictable things. Also, they may contain elements of danger, such as in 'Hansel and Gretel' where the kids are in real peril. These elements are used to create tension and engage the reader or listener.