The American Slenderman Myth
Despite all of the popular fan fiction, fake stories, and photo shopped pictures, there is an actual American legend that doesn’t appear to have a specific date, but it appears frequently in sources.
As the legend goes, there was a man who was gruesomely tortured in an unknown forest. This included being beaten with a log, skewered repeatedly with a 2 ft. stick, and then he was hung from a tree with his arms and legs dislocated from their sockets. After this event, the supposedly dead man captured victims and brought them to the forest where he died. From here, there are two minor variations of the myth. One says you will be tied down, while another states he will tower over you. Either way, there is a log hanging over you head, and this man is before you. He would then prompt you with a question. On the occasion you got the question right, he would break your arms and legs. However, if you answered incorrectly, the man is said to stretch his fingers down your throat and pull out your heart. In one particular variation, he is said to stretch out his arms, legs, fingers, feet, toes, hands, etc. Which is supposed to increase his height. however, this variation is only cited specifically in a few sources.
To start with basics of the analysis, there are some major differences and similarities between this story and other historical references. Perhaps though, that is because this legend is so vague and relatively obscure. Again, there is no reported time or generalization of time. Also, this legend does not give the man a name. So I’ll just refer to him as, ‘the man’.
Starting with the setting, we are once again found in the forest. The forest in particular is where the man died, and where he brings his victims. This correlates information across the spectrum between Germany, Romania, modern myth, and Scotland, because they all have a mention to forestry somewhere.
As a MAJOR difference, the fate of victims for once is revealed. Indeed in this legend, the man is a very malicious cruel person, built on rage and revenge. Now once captured, you fate is narrowed down to two options, based upon how you answer the man’s question. If answered correctly, he breaks your limbs. Not very pleasant. However worse, if you answer wrongly, he will pull out your heart. Not very much better. Also, there is mention of a heavy log hanging over your head, which is also very dangerous. So clearly, by the man’s actions, there is a sense of torture and true evil intent. The only similarity to such torture is found in Romania, where the mother was forced to kill her husband and daughter. Otherwise, most myths leave the victims fate unknown.
Also as a difference, this is the ONLY myth thus far to provide a background or origin story. All other myths merely describe what their present actions were, but only in this myth does it describe how this man can to be the murderer he is described as.
The origin itself is slightly similar though, as his origins were a tortured man, who possibly had become a wraith of sorts. Either way, he is an inhuman entity, comparable to the faerie stories in Germany.
The obscure detail from the variation, the one mentioned by only few sources, provides one more flakelet of comparison. In the rare variation, the man is described to stretch out to incredibly tall heights. Now, this could very much be a false add on to the myth, but if true it does compare well. By stretching out, the man becomes tall, much like depicted in stories from Germany, Romania, and modern myth. If false, then previous information still correlates.
As the legend goes, there was a man who was gruesomely tortured in an unknown forest. This included being beaten with a log, skewered repeatedly with a 2 ft. stick, and then he was hung from a tree with his arms and legs dislocated from their sockets. After this event, the supposedly dead man captured victims and brought them to the forest where he died. From here, there are two minor variations of the myth. One says you will be tied down, while another states he will tower over you. Either way, there is a log hanging over you head, and this man is before you. He would then prompt you with a question. On the occasion you got the question right, he would break your arms and legs. However, if you answered incorrectly, the man is said to stretch his fingers down your throat and pull out your heart. In one particular variation, he is said to stretch out his arms, legs, fingers, feet, toes, hands, etc. Which is supposed to increase his height. however, this variation is only cited specifically in a few sources.
To start with basics of the analysis, there are some major differences and similarities between this story and other historical references. Perhaps though, that is because this legend is so vague and relatively obscure. Again, there is no reported time or generalization of time. Also, this legend does not give the man a name. So I’ll just refer to him as, ‘the man’.
Starting with the setting, we are once again found in the forest. The forest in particular is where the man died, and where he brings his victims. This correlates information across the spectrum between Germany, Romania, modern myth, and Scotland, because they all have a mention to forestry somewhere.
As a MAJOR difference, the fate of victims for once is revealed. Indeed in this legend, the man is a very malicious cruel person, built on rage and revenge. Now once captured, you fate is narrowed down to two options, based upon how you answer the man’s question. If answered correctly, he breaks your limbs. Not very pleasant. However worse, if you answer wrongly, he will pull out your heart. Not very much better. Also, there is mention of a heavy log hanging over your head, which is also very dangerous. So clearly, by the man’s actions, there is a sense of torture and true evil intent. The only similarity to such torture is found in Romania, where the mother was forced to kill her husband and daughter. Otherwise, most myths leave the victims fate unknown.
Also as a difference, this is the ONLY myth thus far to provide a background or origin story. All other myths merely describe what their present actions were, but only in this myth does it describe how this man can to be the murderer he is described as.
The origin itself is slightly similar though, as his origins were a tortured man, who possibly had become a wraith of sorts. Either way, he is an inhuman entity, comparable to the faerie stories in Germany.
The obscure detail from the variation, the one mentioned by only few sources, provides one more flakelet of comparison. In the rare variation, the man is described to stretch out to incredibly tall heights. Now, this could very much be a false add on to the myth, but if true it does compare well. By stretching out, the man becomes tall, much like depicted in stories from Germany, Romania, and modern myth. If false, then previous information still correlates.