The VERY Messed Up Tale of the TAILYPO Monster

[@JonSolo]

Had you heard of the Tailypo before this episode? Should I do more scary retellings of folktales? Let me know your thoughts in a comment! And hey... thanks for watching. 👻

[@wolfman2.055]

I’ve heard and read a few variations of this story prior and MAN is there a lot of versions of it

[@ahlycea]

I used to have the kids book and a cassette recording version ….very nostalgic. Thanks for this😊

[@traceypowell9563]

im 50 soon and it was read to me in my local library about 45 years ago, the voices the librarian made scared the bejaysus out of me, im so glad you covered this, still gives me shivers

[@colorlesscanvas1151]

I have a cassette tape of David holt sing storytelling Appalachian stories. Tally bone was one of those stories it was my childhood. Before you go cassettes how old are you I’m 36. Some of David holt stories are on KZbin now.

[@pierrebuieii3908]

Really

[@stames6678]

I first heard this story in first grade. Mrs. Morgan, our librarian, told it in a way that I’ve never forgotten it. I’m currently 38 and anytime I hear noises in the house I tell my husband “beware the TailyPo!

[@briewest738]

I found it in an old collection of scary stories! I used it for a 'how to tell a ghost story' Project in college!

[@redhead_redneck]

​@briewest738 I found it in an old book that a family friend had in her office, some "scary stories to tell your friends" or something, she was a librarian and collected old children's books

[@andrewrogers1861]

Our elementary school librarian, Mrs. Johns would read this story every Halloween. It’s still scares me today.

[@delwinalvarez8086]

I was in first grade when I heard this too. They had it played on tape while we read along. Creepy as hell. And why this is a book read to children I'll never know

[@adri101190]

OMG I remember hearing this the same way, but I was in kindergarten. I'm about to be 33 so this was so scary to me growing up. Ok, I am an adult now, this story is still horrifying.

[@ThatWitchMorri-V]

As an Appalachian native, I've heard this story all my life. You did a fantastic job of hitting the key points of isolation and desperation the story is meant to convey, I think. And that parting shot about "don't eat tails if you don't know what animal they come from" was VERY apt. The original story has the man living isolated year 'round like so many in the mountains used to. So instead of pride (not leaving sooner) being a factor, it leaned more into "don't let desperation make you stupid (try not to eat things you can't identify, no matter how hungry you get) ." Anyone living off the land knows not to eat what you can't identify. I very much enjoyed this updated version, though. Much more appropriate warnings for modern times.

[@leoncaw326]

I like that message. Lines up more with how I remember first encountering the story.

[@gingersnapcam7334]

That's crazy! This story means so much more to me hearing that. I grew up reading it all the time

[@bombkirby]

The version I grew up with had it so the creature never made it inside until the dogs. Were all dead. The hunter heard the voice outside his cabin and sent the dogs out to chase it off. The story went the same (for the most part) otherwise. It was kind of more eerie when the only thing stopping the creature from entering the home was the dogs, and then once all of the dogs had been killed, it was finally free to slowly claw its way into the cabin, up the stairs and onto the hunter's bed.

[@LucyLioness100]

That’s one of the versions I’ve read and it was pretty chilling

[@Flowerlytdm]

This is even more terrifying

[@jlynn8707]

That’s the version I grew up reading.

[@radiofreemurray5008]

Same, plus I was always told it was "Tailything'"

[@jonathangoodwin5609]

In the version that was read to me, it DID make it into his house and climbed up on his bed, but the man was able to survive cuz he hadn't eaten the tail yet.

[@IDreamOfCrafting]

I've never heard this story before, but this was terrifying.

[@kateajurors8640]

I am surprised at how many never heard this story

[@cameronr9513]

@@kateajurors8640me too lol. It was the first scary story I heard when I was a kid

[@tsunemara]

Mrcreepypasta does a wonderful rendition of it as well

[@sensualchocolate4928]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@talkingraccoon525]

im the opposite. my older sister was obsessed with it and tried to scare me with it all the time. if i didnt get spooked enough though she'd just hit me -_- nothing like the fear of violence to keep you up at night

[@RachelNichols-writer]

They actually turned this story into a children's picture book. Our teacher read it to us in second grade. It kept me awake for a week.

[@deazysmoove7497]

i think thats the one i read also

[@LadyLunarella]

how did it go for kids? still scary??

[@dragonborn2718]

​@@LadyLunarella it was scary when I was a kid, my teacher read it to us when we were in kindergarten but she changed it to "taily-bone" and it usually didn't make into the house at all until the dogs were all dead The gun still didn't work at all

[@hereverydayadventure]

Something about the monster calling it “taily-po” like in a childish sing-song contributes to the creep factor. It reminds me of a kid throwing a fit over losing their toy and there’s something about that. Maybe it makes the monster seem more unreasonable? Like he’s just wreaking blind revenge like a kid lashing out in unrestrained rage.

[@cherylwilson5349]

Im so glad you did this one! One day I read this to the children I nannied at bedtime. I got to the end of the book and was shocked and horrified! Those poor kids, they were scared for a week!

[@johnjones2nd667]

Sounds like you are traumatizing children on purpose when all you have to do is read the little azz book first.

[@Khazbin]

My best friend is absolutely terrified of TailyPo. So of course I sent this video to her. 🤣 Happy Spooky Season! 🎃

[@faithgoga3983]

😂😂😂😂 Ey check on her though

[@Artretha]

Thank you for pronouncing "Appalachia" correctly! As a Native to that area I can attest that this is the correct pronunciation as the Native Americans who settled in the region, who named the mountain range, didn't have the equivalent of a long - a sound (like what you get with apa-lay-shia), so they pronounce it "apple-atcha," which is why the locals pronounce it that way. 🙂 On a very different note: I heard this story all through my childhood, although they storytellers said "Taily*bone*, instead of "Taily*po*." It makes no difference to me, of course. I juat wasn't sure if it was the same story or not until I heard what the creature was saying. Also, Mr. Creepypasta narrarated this story on his channel several years ago.

[@football4life85]

Taily*bone* is way scarier

[@cole8975]

As a native of North Carolina, I thank Jon.

[@ghoultooth]

@@football4life85I disagree. ‘Tailypo’ sounds almost like a cute nickname the creature has for its tail and to hear it be said by something horrifying is really creepy. It’s like a young girl’s laugh, the context makes it scary. Tailybone is too on the nose for me.

[@lina9535]

It feels so strange hearing it told this way. I still remember when I heard it as a Creepypasta the first time, and I got spooked even though I live on the other side of the globe from where it takes place.

[@JV-bc8um]

Lol it's a book and it use to come with an audio cassette. It was great .

[@marymauney3235]

One of my favorites! Terrified me as a child. Thank you for this cool retelling and the additional context/meaning at the end. Haven’t watched your other videos yet but if you haven’t done one on Old Raw Head and Bloody Bones (the American boar one) that would be super cool!

[@femalecalypso2517]

Finally! Jon Solo is talking about Tailypo the scariest folklore tale ever. It gave me nightmares when I heard that in the Fawful Minion's Top 10 Scariest Nostalgic Moments video especially on TikTok. But still a damn good scary story to tell in the dark. Great job Jon Solo Golden Metal for you!!!👏👏👏🥇😊😊😊

[@lindseygarciafreiberg]

the fact that i subscribed/discovered you right at the beginning of your channel and now you’re almost at 1.5 million makes my heart sing :’) you’re so talented Jon, you deserve every ounce of success you’ve achieved and more!!

[@molokoboke8558]

I'm a South African and I have this vivid memory of my mother reading me the story when I was younger. I always thought I had made it up because no one I knew had ever heard about Tailypo. Thanks for vindicating me 😅

[@thebludevil3647]

This Haunting Tale had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. Well done 👏🏻👏🏻

[@Wolfbane382]

I've heard of TailyPo before, but I never knew the whole story behind it until now. Also, if you do Old Aaron Kelly's bones, I've got quite a creepy saying I can share about it. ^^

[@BeautyKhaleesi]

Do it!

[@Wolfbane382]

@@BeautyKhaleesi are you saying that to me or him? ^^;

[@BeautyKhaleesi]

Both i love hearing about all this stuff. I don't know old Aaron kelly

[@Wolfbane382]

@@BeautyKhaleesi Alright. ^^ There's a longer version of Old Aaron Kelly's Bones I read a long time ago. In that version, he's married and his wife had a dream about a beautiful wedding. And then a day or so later Arron Kelly died only to come back that night and start dancing. Growing up in Tennessee I often heard of the old saying "If you dream of a wedding it means there's going to be a funeral." Meaning someone you know or are close to will die soon. I'll be honest I have no idea where such a saying came from but I do believe it.

[@BeautyKhaleesi]

@@Wolfbane382 i wonder if there are more folk tales about weddings and traditions or dreams that Jon and his team could do a video about. Thanks for sharing!

[@emilyishere1994]

During kindergarten my school librarian read this to us. I literally couldn’t sleep because this story stuck with me and scared me so much! My poor mom had many nights of me begging to sleep on her bed.

[@falconcorban4128]

had similar, not sure if he was a librarian. couldn't remember the full story and he also told it differently, ended with the tailypo saying tailypo tailypo, give me back my tailypo and the hunter saying he doesn't have it and the tailypo saying yes you do! and lunging for him. The teacher did describe the tailypo or say what it did, just ended it on a cliffhanger, which could be just as bad XD. I was a weird kid, didn't have sleep issues, but I wanted to know what the tailypo did, that ate at my brain for awhile and i used think it was something the teacher made up cause was the only time herd that story and caouldn't find anything on it and now lately its been popping up on the internet, nice to finally learn the full story.

[@krystalhyrule]

I remember this story from a book called "Scary Stories to tell in the Dark" I remember not being afraid of the story but the drawings that accompanied it were terrifying to little kid me. It's interesting though how much the story changed from this version to the one printed. In the book, the creature got into the old man's cabin through a hole, and was just sitting there by the fire before the man took a carving knife and chopped off it's tail, instead of shooting it.

[@kellysueballard7654]

Same. And wasn't it set back in the trapper days?

[@rolandswift4311]

@@kellysueballard7654 I could be wrong, but I also remember it being set somewhere in a swamp rather than the mountains. Also; in the version I heard as a kid the man was so hungry that he ate the whole tail without feeding any to his dogs, so they ended up being found alive by whoever found the mans remains.

[@kellysueballard7654]

@rolandswift4311 I heard the one about the dogs surviving too. While I like it better because I am a critter lover, the dogs getting picked off one by one helps to build up the suspense and heighten the sense of impending doom. In the version i heard that had everyone die, the last dog ran into the woods never to be seen again. I like that version better than to know-know the dog's fate.

[@JStryker47]

You don't mean from Alvin Schwartz, do you? Because I have all three of those books and I never saw that story in any of them.

[@krystalhyrule]

@@JStryker47 you know, I'm not actually sure anymore. I no longer have the book, I only remember it having a graveyard gate on the front.

[@mickeyd343]

I remember reading this story as a kid. Scared me then, and it still scares me now. 😱

[@labyrinthgirl17]

I remember reading a story years ago called "The Tailypo" and there was a note at the end of the story in parenthesizes that said if the story was being read out loud to others, after asking who has my tailypo for the last time, jump up and shout, "YOU DO!" at someone to make everyone jump. xD

[@expressiondestination6430]

Thank you jon for helping me learn while being cripplingly depressed

[@H0r53f7y]

Hope things get better for you in whatever ways are needed, including the depression itself🙏💖

[@losjojo]

I'm depressed to it. It seems nothing I do to try to get ahead works. Keep your head up. You're not alone.

[@expressiondestination6430]

Doin my best, but when 80% of it is out of your hands, it's like being in a tornado and hoping you hit a mattress and not a house😂🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@jamiepickle9848]

I use to tell this story to my younger brothers and cousins at every family gathering. Told it so much that if I missed something the kids would correct me😂

[@thomasgaunce1981]

I am so excited and surprised to see this tale covered on here! Being Appalachian I grew up hearing my Great Grandma telling this story. She used to do this voice when she'd say "Tailypo, Tailypo, who's got my Tailypo" and it would always give me the heebie-jeebies ❤ Thank you for sharing this story to a wider audience, and reminding me of simpler times

[@jolieheerema5599]

I didn't remember anything about this except being afraid of the word as a kid. When I was in middle school we got a black kitten who wanted to sit on my brother's feet every night and look at him with her glowy eyes. He started calling her tailypo after that and it scared me to death without even knowing why.

[@kristibunny1620]

I went to high school in this area and mentioned I planned to go camping alone (early fall) and a local called me an “idiotic Amos” i never knew what they meant (and I was well prepared for a weekend) but this makes sense lol My dog and I both lived everytime we went out.

[@TitularHeroine]

Geez😂😂 I thought this was gonna have a humorous jump ending like "The Big Toe". Thanks as always, Jon, and have yourself a very Merry Spoop season!!

[@leaannmoore4334]

I grew up hearing "the big toe" tale. My Aunt used to tell me and my sister when we were little. And I tell it to my daughter now. It's nice to hear someone else refer to it.

[@ahlycea]

Yaaaaaaay! I asked for Talypo. One of my favorite stories. Looking forward to this.

[@theanimeunderworld8338]

YAY, OCTOBER!!!

[@dariothecat3898]

One hundred percent I think you should continue! This was the scariest cryptid tale I’ve ever heard. Most assuredly please. 🙏

[@Feedyourchickens]

I remember my dad telling me this when I was a kid, this is arguably more terrifying

[@Crowned_ladyd]

Yes. I'm from lower Appalachia as well. And please do Helen's bridge in Asheville NC

[@maxstrike3022]

Gave me elementary school flashbacks to the libararian reading this in October; creepy af story.

[@tayloredwards4968]

Please do a video on Frankenstein and the phantom of the Opera

[@lastofus2149]

Have you ever talked about circe yet I don't know much about her besides her appearance in the odyssey

[@daineko1154]

please do Philippine Mythology and Cryptids.... :D :3

[@lisamartinbradley1039]

Nice job on the story Solo Cup! I loved it! Also, I'm happy you went back to the original ending. It's way better.

[@elysiapalmer9244]

No way!!! Tailypo was my ALL TIME FAVORITE scary story to tell in the dark story. Still to this day the line "tailypo tailypo now I've got my tailypo" freaks me right the F out.... Having grown up in the middle of the woods in the middle of no where I'd spend ages terrifying myself with the thoughts of tailypo. THANK YOU JON!!! I'm sooooo insanely stoked about this episode!

[@austinhunt6566]

Can you go through the folklore behind the most popular urban legends of each state? I think it would be really interesting

[@shelbylynn9]

Agreed! Would be really cool!

[@VertigoRoses]

never even head of this folktale before but i instantly clicked as soon as i saw the notification lol

[@dawnmacdonald7334]

I heard this story from a storyteller when my kids were little. I retold it for them at bedtime many, many nights because they loved it so much. In our version the monster would say, “tailypo, tailypo, alls I wants is my tailypo”. Thank you for bringing back a great memory.

[@MackenzieNerdyEMT]

Could it have been scary stories to tell in the dark?

[@sinner8679]

They had a KIDS BOOK! A KIDS...BOOK of this messed up story in our library and I had the misfortune of stumbling apon it. I was a niave little 4th grader who had no idea what she had just checked out. Well I learned, and it sent me into a 2 week long sleepless nightmare. The book I read was not what is being shown here, but let me tell you when I say that book should never have been in that library. It still hounts me from time from time. Trauma from books is a real thing kids😅

[@JV-bc8um]

Bro I had the cassette and the book. Definitely was scared for a long time.

[@AceIsMisfit]

This story scared the shit outta me when I was a kid

[@SLAPNTZ_MCCOY]

Californian here, I had this tale on cassette, and while it had some differences from the tale you told, still scares the hell outta me

[@KezzieRedlioness]

From 'The People Could Fly'. That's where I heard this tale. No pun intended!😂❤

[@KezzieRedlioness]

Also, 'Little Eight John' and 'Ol RawHead and Bloody Bones'.

[@lv4tmnt90]

Nicely done. The sound effects really gave me chills

[@nalanhazzard]

I use to live in west Virginia so this hit home love the art by the way

[@bitterbites3859]

😮 This was just as scary as the wendigo story. Thank you so much. ❤

[@SugarandSarcasm]

I felt bad for the fictional dogs 🤷‍♀️ Figured the guy would survive to tell the story, but I know that’s not the point. Surprised he hadn’t shat it out before the end; I probably would have 🤣

[@autumnnightshade1204]

Oh My God! Wait near the end of act one and at the start of act two I started to recognize some elements of the story but it wasn't until the creature started to speak that I realize what story this is. My big sister used to tell me this story all the time when I was a kid cause it was one of my favorite spooky stories that she told me back then. I even rewrote this story in school once for a Halloween writing assignment. All this time I thought she made this story up.

[@mangafangirl]

Thank you so much for putting out this video! My fourth grade teacher used to read this to our class all the time, and as an adult, I've never heard anyone else even talk about it. It's great to know this is a real folktale and not some messed up story my teacher just made up haha

[@marcusprovost5192]

I remember reading this from an old book of American tales as a child about 26 years ago. It had a collection of old songs, ghost stories, tall tales, and beautiful artwork. Tailypo was always one of my favorites. Good job retelling and beautiful artwork.

[@Dragontamer135]

I've been requesting you to do this story for a couple of years now. Thank you so much.

[@WinteryNeighborhoodWinterspell]

I actually remember this creature, I remember reading this giant book of American Folktales my Mother had for her classroom.

[@Mrs.Vendetta]

I remember in elementary our school librarian would read this during Halloween season and boy did it creeped me out when she would say the Tailypo's lines 😅😂

[@22yayayaya]

Woah! My parents told me a version where the creature was more lizard like and the man threw up the tail instead. Lol they must have been making it less horrific to tell me as a child.

[@grapeshot]

Always thought Mothman was the king of the Cryptids in West Virginia.

[@wyrmtungue]

My dad told me this story when I was pretty young and I remember the delivery of it- the whispery rasping "I want my tailypo" still gives me chills!

[@simlover00]

I'm confused. If the guy ate the tail, it would be in pieces and mush. 😮Or did he slurp it up like a noodle

[@N3k0Y0m1]

I remember when I was younger hearing a less gruesome version of this tale when I listened to it when KZbin back then, I might have heard versions with a dog but not many, but most I listened to had the human character all alone, with the person hearing the story never hearing what happened to the person having to interpret what happened to them, honestly don't know which is creeper, or even if anyone online has a crash on this "Tailypo."

[@alyssamontgomery2978]

I heard a version of this when I was a little kid. I couldn't sleep with the lights off for years after. But if I had heard this version at the time, I'd have never slept again.

[@kateajurors8640]

I've heard slightly different variations and I mean by slightly different unlike whether all the dogs died immediately in the room when they pounced upon the creature. Where the dogs were never left inside because that's the way hunters used to be with their dogs they wouldn't let them inside during certain hunting season periods because they wanted them to be conditioned to the outside temperatures. And other little changes here and there that aren't too major

[@mrs.major_joe101]

Thank you Jon literally scaring a 20 year old. I can't look at the bottom of my bed the same anymore

[@enzoforgets9456]

No i aint even halfway thru the first quarter his ultimate end was due to naming his dog OTIS

[@KayeHalliwell]

I though for a minute that to account for the fact that people chew their food his Tailypo was going to be the man’s spine. With all the implication that it has done this before and will do it again with the endless cycle of thinking the next person’s spine is his eaten tail.

[@diseasedwombat5611]

I’m not from Appalachia, but I remember hearing this story when I was in elementary school. It still remains one of my favorite cryptids of all time.

[@baubojan4862]

I got back my tailypo I told a version of this tale as a story telling assignment for one of my courses

[@sakurakitsunestar]

I prefer scary stories to tell the dark's bookon tape rendition where the creature has a sort of whiny nasally voice Just feels more eerie

[@jennifershepherd2145]

Learned this in the Midwest, second grade. Moved to Virginia, never heard the story again lol.

[@poisonapplecakes799]

Maybe the jiangshi? Its from chinese myth and in some tellings feeds on human lifeforce it is notable for its locomotion of hopping because the body is stiff from rigimortous in the legs great video as always Jon i look forward to all your scary stories this year happy spooky month 🖤😈

[@T-51_]

Creatures said to haunt the Appalachians • witches • mutant hillbillies • the Wendigo • the Mothman • giant wampus cat • giant killer hogs • Bigfoot • sheepsquatch

[@heatherturner2366]

Is the sheepsquatch relates to the sasquatch?

[@MyNameIsKaz]

I remember hearing this story as a kid and it was so buried deep in my subconscious 😂 I sent it to my sister and her response and I quote, “Don’t you put that evil on me!”

[@kasalsant5753]

Can't help but remember the Big Toe Story from scary stories to tell in the dark.

[@courtneewho8906]

Yay I'm first 😊 always love your content Jon!

[@noondayfair]

For some reason, they used to read "The Tailypo" storybook by Joanna Galdone every Halloween in first through third grade. It was definitely a sanitized version, but for a while, I lived in fear of a monster creeping over the foot of my bed and devouring me 😅

[@lunarskies24]

West Virginia resident here. I've never heard of this story before but it definitely sounds more scary than Mothman

[@JeneenRose-Osborne]

We moved to a plot of land on a mountain in southern Oklahoma last month. It’s very dark n quiet up here at night. This just makes it scarier, thanks!

[@Sir_Outsider]

I remembered a youtuber moonraven animated this story and someone reuploaded the vid

[@newsnco]

@Jon Solo as a writer with decades of experience I’ve gotta say, bravo! Well done! Combining old and new age story telling techniques like a pro!

[@JosephSmith-xy4lp]

You have my tailypo just hearing the voice over gives me the creeps

[@theandrebeast9714]

Heard this one when I was a youth. An was still out on the farm. Got the story from Mr creepypasta or was it scary stories for the dark? Either way when I heard the story. It was a reminder for me to sleep with something close to me. An always be wary of what lurks in the moons shadows an her nightfall. Oh an the dogs were also named different from what I remembered. I think it went like this when their master called them back after chasing the little beast. "I know, You know, chinchilla calico." Something like that. Had a good ryme to it.

[@seannolan9857]

In the version I had, the dogs were Uno, Eino and Cumtico-Calico.

[@cesarquijano94]

Man I haven't heard of Tailypo since the second grade. This is much scarier than the version I was told

[@maxstrike3022]

For good reason

[@kaylabrown9090]

I was just binging

[@tonygoodwinjr9293]

December here. You hit 1.5 million subscribers lol

[@ShySo9]

I remember listening to this in the 2nd grade a short movie type and a few differences this was the only thing that gave me major nightmares every night

[@bubblemum]

Never heard this story, or should I say "Tail" before, thank you for telling it!

[@captnardy]

I first heard this story as a kid in school, soon after i read the Cremation of Sam Magee. Both stories stuck with me for years.

[@katykohley201]

I had Otis Jiry tell this tale and I have never forgotten it

[@tsizontwitch7250]

Excellent. I honestly need more stories like this in my life.

[@nko3037]

Great story ,animation and sound effects. Especially the voices

[@thomasfoster7387]

so this is basically r-rated fantastic mr. fox

[@tattoodlady71g]

Ok Jon my hats off to u!!! U had me from the start ......I love the term "tailypoe" u are 1 of a kind!!! That was an AWESOME STORY......AND UP TILL U SAID U WROTE IT? I WOULDVE COMPLETELY BOUGHT IT AS LEGEND!!!! Who knows maybe in 100 years someone will be telling that story as a "urban legend"!!! Love u jon n love all ur stories!!! Keep it up 👍👍🤗🤗

[@bluecretan7441]

It IS an existing urban legend, he just wrote the version of it. No flack though, I agree it was very well done

[@JV-bc8um]

It almost follows the book. Definitely read it. I think it's a lot better.

[@kenyonwilson4918]

My teacher uses read that to me when I was elementary school

[@Rainbowofthefallen]

Just commenting for the algorithm 💙

[@lupusdesertum2.040]

The tail was amazing I got so surprised about what you said in the end of the video

[@NotMe-ml9mt]

this story gave me ptsd as a child and till this day

[@wolfman2.055]

First

[@chessjames1468]

I haven't heard this take since the 3rd grade ❤

[@briewest738]

The golden arm is a good spooky tale!

[@1tiptip187]

Just seeing the title I started to imagine "Tailypo! Tailypo! Give me back my Tailypo!" I thought it was just a short story in a old young adult scary story book. I need to try to track that book down. I don't remember the title but I remember Tailypo, a story about a kid on a "snipe" hunt. And a story where a kid hides in a wax museum to steal a gold ring.

[@splitfries69]

YASSSS!!!!

[@JV-bc8um]

The stand alone book is called The Tailypo: A ghost story told by Joanna Galdone illustrated by Paul Galdone

[@TylerRakstis]

Ironically it follows the same story archetype as some of the stories from Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. Like The Big Toe, Cemetary Soup, It's Him, Clinkity-Clink, and The Teeny-Tiny Woman. All follow a similar tale known as The Golden Arm. Or known as in the Aarne-Thompson Index, Type 366 "A corpse comes back from the dead to claim what was stolen from them, usually a body part, article of clothing or object. This stems from the belief that 'a dead man or animal can find no rest until its physical remains are intact.'"