This legend has been carried on since the beginning of the 1900s and has even brought Clifton, Virginia into the national spotlight. Here is how the story goes:
After the Civil War, an insane asylum was built in the Clifton area. The residents didn't like this and petitioned to get it relocated. While relocating the residents the bus got into an accident and some of the residents escaped. Two men were never found. While on the search police would find random mutilated bunnies. They then found one of the escapees hanging from the bridge and dubbed the lone escapee, Bunny Man.
Things slowed down for awhile until the townspeople started seeing dead bunnies again. Then one Halloween night some teenagers went to the bridge and do what teenagers back then did. At midnight they were all murdered and left hanging from the bridge. This was said to have happened within a blink of the eye by the soul of the Bunny Man.
The myth is that every Halloween when young people go to the bridge they will be murdered by the Bunny Man come midnight if they are directly under it. If they choose to stay in the vicinity of the bridge, not under it, they will survive.
It is now a popular and terrifying game to go to the bridge on Halloween and see who has the guts to go under the bridge and wait; I can't say that I've ever done this.
This is the link to a rendition of the "full" story:
This is just another example of an urban legend and how long the history can be. Since the early 1900s this myth has been circulating communities. Upon learning about this as a pre-teen, I had the desired reaction. Every bridge I saw brought chills down my spine and I no longer had the desire to venture outside after dark. I have to admit I have never been too keen on going outside after dark, anyway. This story just added to my hesitance, though.
What do you think the moral of this story is? What strategies were used to engage the audience? Is this legend similar to those that you've heard throughout your life?
I really like this urban legend! Growing up in Texas I have never heard of the "Bunny Man Bridge," but I think this is a great urban legend. I love how it paints a vivid picture of what will happen if you are out that late on Halloween or to be out that late in general. It definitely gets the point across of how as teenagers, you should be not be running the streets late at night, rather you should be at home sleeping safe and sound. Great post!
ReplyDeleteI think it is really interesting that this urban legend is specifically set on Halloween night. Halloween is a holiday in which many times children are out at night without their parents. It makes sense that parents would want to instill maybe a little fear in their kids to keep them out of mischief while they are out alone. Like many urban legends, the "Bunny Man Bridge" plays heavily into the reader's emotions.
ReplyDelete