Have you ever heard of the Jersey Devil? A creature with bat-like wings, horse's hooves and hellish horns that stalks the New Jersey Pine Barrens, terrorising humans and killing livestock.
According to legend, one cold New Jersey night in 1735, a woman in labour with her 13th child cried out, "Let this one be a devil!" If you believe the stories, she got her wish, and over the next two and a half centuries the Jersey Devil was sighted by some of history's most unlikely players, from Napoleon Bonaparte's brother to a distinguished Navy officer.
But what is the Jersey Devil really? Where did it come from? What can we learn from the continued popularity of the Jersey Devil today? And did Don ever catch a glimpse of it while camping in the Pine Barrens as a boy?!
Our guest today is Dr Lynne McNeill, Associate Professor of Folklore Studies in the Department of History, Culture & Ideas at Utah State University to bring the Jersey Devil to life like never before.
Produced by Tim Arstall & Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. The Senior Producer is Freddy Chick.
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All music from Epidemic Sounds.
American History Hit is a History Hit podcast.
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