Ghosts, Curses, and Virgins

I love the thrill of ghost stories. I spend an extraordinary amount of time watching the Travel Channel’s Haunted Hotels and other ghost programs. I don’t exactly have an affinity for ghosts; I’m not even sure what I’d do if I actually met a ghost. If he was a good-looking pirate, I’d undoubtedly try to seduce—I really read too many paranormal novels.

My favorite ghost story is the one about the Flying Dutchman. Yeah, you thought that was just a bit from the Pirates of the Caribbean, didn’t you? No, it’s a legend in and of itself.

Over three hundred years ago, a Dutchman by the name of Captain Hendrik van der Decken was said to have sailed around the cape of Good Hope. Instead of pulling into port during a nasty storm, he chose instead to weather it out: cursing a blue streak while he did. Apparently this bit of blaspheming earned him an eternity of sailing the seas without any hope of making port. If you’re out at sea and you see a visible red light, be aware you are in the presence of the Flying Dutchman. Also, be careful what you do aboard your ship after, since a sighting of the Dutchman is typically a death sentence for one of the crew. Look, but don’t look too close.

Some say his curse can be broken, and is the case with all curses, the only way to break it is with True Love. One telling of the story has it that the Flying Dutchman can only make port once every seven years, in hopes he will find True Love (the love of a faithful woman), because only that will free him from his curse. That’s just the way of men, isn’t it? They do one thing to screw everything up, then expect a woman to come and fix it. I’m sure it can’t be any woman either. It’ll probably have to be a virgin.

Tell us your favorite ghost story and we’ll break out the S’mores and hot chocolate. What stories and legends do you know that have made their way into fiction? (Send me in their direction—I love ghost story novels!) Why do you think ghosts stick around? Have you ever seen a ghost? (Do tell.) And do you think you could break a curse, or do you too have the t-shirt that reads: Virgin—this is a really old t-shirt?