Between Myth and Belief | The Witch of Booger Hole: West Virginia’s Legend of Murder and Mobs
What happens when a community’s justice system fails, and the line between vigilante law and supernatural lore begins to blur?
In this episode of Between Myth and Belief (formerly Folkloric), Michelle and Beth travel to the dark hollows of Booger Hole, West Virginia. Known for a string of mysterious disappearances and a history of post-Civil War violence, Booger Hole became the stage for one of Appalachia’s most haunting legends: The Witch of Booger Hole.
We dive deep into the tragic story of Lacey Ann Boggs, a woman labeled a witch and targeted by the notorious Clay County Mob. Was she truly "hag-riding" her neighbors through sleep paralysis, or was she a convenient scapegoat for a community gripped by fear and lawlessness?
Whether you’re here for the West Virginia folklore, the Appalachian history, or the true crime mysteries of the 19th century, grab a hot drink and join us in the gray area between what we know and what we believe.
As mentioned in the podcast, here is the Upcoming Events for 4/16 to 5/1 of 2026:
Folklore & Myth Events: April 19 – May 1
April 19: The Cerealia & The Ritual of the Burning Foxes
This was the primary festival for Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture. The most evocative (and slightly "feral") ritual involved tying blazing torches to the tails of live foxes and releasing them into the Circus Maximus.
* The Lore: It was said to cleanse crops and protect them from vermin, or to represent Ceres' frantic search for her daughter Proserpina with torches in hand.
* Links: History of Cerealia | Ceres and the Foxes
April 21: Parilia (Rome’s Birthday)
A pastoral festival dedicated to Pales, the deity of shepherds. This is a day of purification and "city-building" mythology.
* The Lore: Shepherds would jump through bonfires of straw and laurel to purify themselves and their flocks. Legend says Romulus founded Rome on this day in 753 BC by plowing a sacred boundary line.
* Links: Parilia Traditions | Rome’s Founding Myths
April 23: St. George’s Day
A cornerstone of European dragon lore.
* The Lore: The Golden Legend tells of a dragon in Libya that demanded human sacrifices. St. George subdued the beast, and in some versions, the princess led the dragon back to the city on a leash like a "meek beast."
* Links: St. George and the Dragon
April 25: St. Mark’s Eve (The Death Vigil)
In British folklore, this was a night of eerie divinations, often focused on mortality and marriage.
* The Lore: It was believed that if you sat in the church porch and fasted from 11:00 PM to 1:00 AM, you would see the ghosts of all those in the parish who were destined to die in the coming year entering the church.
* Links: St. Mark's Eve Superstitions
April 25: Robigalia (The Red Dog Sacrifice)
A Roman ritual to ward off Robigo, the spirit of grain rust (mildew).
* The Lore: To protect the wheat, a priest would sacrifice a red-haired dog. It’s a fascinating look at how ancient cultures personified agricultural diseases as vengeful spirits.
* Links: Robigalia Lore
April 30: Walpurgis Night (Hexennacht)
Known as the "Other Halloween," this is the night witches were said to gather on the Brocken, the highest peak in Germany's Harz Mountains.
* The Lore: Traditions involve lighting massive bonfires to ward off evil and playing pranks. Offerings of bread with butter and honey (ankenschnitt) were often left out for "phantom hounds."
* Links: Walpurgis Night History | Witch Lore in the Harz
May 1: Beltane (The Gaelic Fire Festival)
One of the four major Gaelic seasonal festivals, marking the beginning of summer.
* The Lore: This is a "liminal" time when the veil between worlds is thin. Cattle were driven between twin fires for protection, and offerings were left for the Aos Sí (The Fae). It’s also the day of the Maypole, symbolizing fertility and the union of earth and sun.
* Links: Beltane Myths & Customs | Fae Offerings & Traditions
Cryptid Anniversaries
April 21–22: The Dover Demon (1977)
One of the most famous short-lived cryptid "flaps" in American history occurred in Dover, Massachusetts.
* The Event: Over 24 hours, three teenagers independently reported a creature with glowing orange eyes and a watermelon-shaped head. It was described as having long, spindly fingers and peach-colored, "sandpaper-like" skin.
* Links: Dover Demon Records
April 22: The "Strange Animal" of West Sutton (1921)
A more obscure historical sighting from the Pine Barrens region.
* The Event: Residents reported a creature that "would answer a horn" with a cry like a wolf, but could also roar like a lion. It was noted for its incredible fleetness and tracks much larger than a wolf's.
* Links: Pine Barrens Cryptid Archive
