Being situated right in the middle of America, Nebraska has collected some fascinating stories from a variety of sources over the years. Some Native American legends live on in the minds of Nebraskans while new urban legends make their way into our collective consciousness as well. These eight tales are a sampling of the rich folklore in this heartland state.
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Mutant Radioactive Hornets
Following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, plenty of urban legends popped up regarding radiation-related horrors reaching the mainland U.S. In 2013, a rumor arose that giant Asian wasps had made their way to central Nebraska. According to the reports, the hornets had been exposed to radiation and grew to four times their normal size. They were said to be extremely aggressive and to have venom 2000 times stronger than their non-mutated cousins. Although the Asian hornet is very large and produces venom strong enough to kill a human after repeated stings, they did not gain these attributes from radiation exposure. Moreover, no Asian hornets have never been spotted in Nebraska, and they certainly haven't killed anyone here.
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The Legend of Blackbird Hill
The Blackbird Hill legend is a heart-wrenching story of lost love. It starts out with a young couple who were deeply in love; the young man was to travel abroad for a short period before returning to marry his young lady. However, he was shipwrecked during his journey and took nearly five years to find his way back to America. By that time, the young lady had given him up for dead and married a Nebraska pioneer. The couple set up their home on Blackbird Hill, the burial place of honored Omaha chief Blackbird. One day, a man walked up the path toward their home. The woman went outside to greet the visitor and was shocked to see her former love. The man was dumbfounded; he had been heading west for California when he noticed the interesting hill and wanted to get a closer look. The two confessed their undying love for one another and vowed to be together again. The wife planned to explain the situation to her husband that evening and ask him to release her from the marriage. Her love hid outside and waited for her to join him on his journey. The husband, upon learning of his wife's affection for the other man, flew into a jealous rage and attacked his wife with a knife. As she lay on the floor bloody and screaming, her husband picked her up and carried her to the cliff at the top of Blackbird hill. He leaped from the cliff into the river below, killing them both. The young lover could not reach the couple in time to stop the tragedy. A final anguished scream rose from the river as the woman perished. Legend has it that on October 17th of every year - the anniversary of the murder/suicide - the woman's terrified screams can still be heard echoing across the hill.
