The Whispering Woods : Real Life Ghost & Paranormal Stories · True, Scary, Paranormal, Folklore and Ghost Stories

MALICE IN THE MOONLIGHT : Pukwudgies & the Little Ones | New England Encounters & Bridgewater Triangle

·32 min·2 clips

A man hears a strange chant and sees a three-foot-tall creature beckoning him into the woods at midnight.

This solo episode of The Whispering Woods, hosted by Sarah, explores the folklore and modern encounters with the Pukwudgie, a malevolent creature from New England legends. Sarah presents a series of narrated firsthand accounts from individuals who claim to have met these beings. The episode focuses on the creature's origins in Wampanoag and Algonquin tribal stories and its alleged presence within the Bridgewater Triangle region. According to the legends, Pukwudgies are two-to-three-foot-tall, troll-like humanoids with grayish skin or fur, large noses, and pointed ears. A Wampanoag story explains they were once peaceful but turned vengeful after being exiled by the cultural hero Maushop, whom they later allegedly killed. Their reported abilities include shapeshifting, moving silently, and conjuring mysterious flames to mislead travelers. Modern sightings are reported from Massachusetts, Connecticut, Indiana, and even Prince Edward Island. One detailed account describes a man in Raynham, Massachusetts, who heard a strange chant—"Iwachu, we want you"—and saw a small, hairy figure beckoning to him under a streetlamp. Another witness, Joan, reported a green-eyed, grey-skinned creature watching her in Freetown State Forest, which later followed her home and tapped on her windows. A particularly chilling insight is the folklore warning that Pukwudgies can command the spirits of their human victims, turning them into servants called *Taipaiwankas*. The episode suggests these beings engage in psychological torment, as seen with Russ in Connecticut, who experienced stones being thrown, eerie laughter, and persistent tapping on his house after an encounter. The account of a man at Assawompsett Pond describes his life unraveling with bad luck after he saw a snarling Pukwudgie, aligning with legends of a curse. Sarah notes the consistency of descriptions across decades, like a woman named Sarah who, as a child in 1989, saw a gaunt, gray-skinned figure in the woods and only recognized it as a Pukwudgie thirty years later. The tone is atmospheric and narrative, blending historical folklore with dramatic, first-person storytelling to create an eerie and suspenseful mood. Listeners who enjoy campfire-style ghost stories, cryptid lore, and regional American folklore will find this episode compelling. Those who prefer skeptical analysis or strictly historical documentaries might find the content too speculative or sensational.

As heard by us

Folklore-driven paranormal storytelling that turns ordinary places into something quietly watchful.

This episode puts pukwudgies at the center of the story, and the best moments are the ones that let the oddness creep out of forest lore and into places that feel too familiar, like suburban backyards and bedrooms.

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Why you'd press play

For a slow-burn Pukwudgie story built from witness reports and local folklore.

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