Aaron Mahnke

In this short bonus episode, I'm going to dig into our archive of 11 years of topics and point out some older episodes that fit well with this week's newest.

And the hope is that you might be able to keep the spooky feeling going well into the weekend and put a handful of old episodes into a new, more powerful context.

So, let's get started.

This week for episode 306, Disorienting, we step into the labyrinth and find our way to the truth at the center of the folklore.

But it's not the first time that we've discussed ancient folklore that has managed to stick around and stay relevant.

So here are three older episodes that will pair up nicely with this week's new one.

First up, episode 111, Inside Job.

For this classic episode, we dive into the world of dreams.

Man's best friend might also be man's oldest source of dark omens.

At least, that's what centuries of folklore have tried to tell us.

Come for the general survey of dog folklore and stay for the wild true-life events that might just prove one legend's truth.

And there you go.

Follow up this week's brand new episode with a trip into the past.

Episodes 111, 127, and 136 are waiting for you in this podcast feed.

Just scroll through your app to find them, or you can tap on their direct links in the description for this episode.

Texas, the lone star state whose mythic image of wide-open plains, rugged cowboys, and heroic independence is woven into the fabric of American culture.

But it also bears a shadowy ledger of tragedy, violence, and lingering hauntings.

These dark chapters are not merely footnotes, they are narratives that have shaped local identities, inspired folklore, and even filtered into popular media, reminding us that history is as much about loss and fear as it is about triumph.

Take, for example, the case of the poor colonel who haunts the halls of the Presidio La Bahia, sitting in a chair in the corner waiting for a death sentence that has long since been executed.

His presence is a reminder of the terrible massacre that occurred near the fort nearly two centuries ago, and of the terrible decision-making that he showed at a crucial moment in history and how it has echoed throughout time.