1001 Heroes, Legends, Histories & Mysteries Podcast

Where History Comes Alive! A fast-paced, well-researched weekly podcast covering a wide range of historical events, persons, places, legends, and mysteries, Hosted by Jon Hagadorn, the selection of stories and interviews includes 'Found In The Footnotes" 5-10 minutes history shorts, lost treasure, unsolved mysteries, unexplained phenomenon, WWII stories, biographies, disasters, legends of the Old West, American Revolutionary history, urban legends, movie backstories, author interviews and much more. Available wherever podcasts are found, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Comcast, & others. Episodes air Sundays at 12pm ET and Thursdays at 6am ET. Follow us at www.Facebook.com/1001Heroes and Twitter @1001podcast. All archives available and categorized at www.bestof1001stories.com

ON A TRAIN PLATFORM IN JERSEY CITY 02/04/2026

ON A TRAIN PLATFORM IN JERSEY CITY We celebrate Abrham Lincoln's birthday this Thursday FEB 12th- In late 1864, a young man was waiting for a train in Jersey City, New Jersey. The platform was crowded, with passengers standing close to the edge as trains arrived and departed. It was an ordinary scene—busy, noisy, and unremarkable. At some point, the young man lost his footing. Accounts differ on exactly how it happened, but what’s consistent is the result: he slipped into the narrow space between the platform and a moving train. It was the kind of accident that, in the 19th century, often ended badly. Before the train could pull fully away, someone nearby reacted. A man reached forward, grabbed the young man by the collar of his coat, and pulled him back onto the platform. The incident was over almost as quickly as it began. There was no crowd reaction. No report in the papers. No sense at the time that anything unusual had occurred. Two strangers crossed paths for a few seconds—one falling, one helping—and then went on with their lives. The man who had nearly fallen was Robert Todd Lincoln. He was in his early twenties and traveling at the time, having recently served briefly on General Ulysses S. Grant’s staff. Although his last name was recognizable, Robert generally tried to stay out of the public eye. The man who pulled him to safety was Edwin Booth. Edwin Booth was already well known. He was one of the most respected stage actors in America, particularly admired for his Shakespearean performances. He was considered serious, disciplined, and professionally dedicated. Neither man knew the other’s identity at the moment it happened. Later, when Robert learned who had saved him, he wrote Edwin Booth a letter thanking him for his quick action. Edwin kept the letter and later spoke of the incident as one of the proudest moments of his life. At the time, there was no larger meaning attached to it. That came later. Several months after the incident on the platform, on April 14, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C. The man who shot him was John Wilkes Booth. John Wilkes Booth was also an actor—and he was Edwin Booth’s younger brother. The assassination immediately made the Booth name infamous. While John Wilkes Booth became one of the most recognizable figures in American history, the effects extended far beyond him. Edwin Booth had no involvement in the assassination. In fact, he had openly disagreed with his brother’s political views and was horrified by the crime. Nonetheless, public reaction did not easily separate the two. In the weeks and months following the assassination, Edwin Booth withdrew from public life. His reputation suffered, not because of anything he had done, but because of his family connection. There are historical accounts suggesting that Edwin considered ending his acting career altogether. He felt a deep sense of shame, despite bearing no responsibility for his brother’s actions. Eventually, with encouragement from colleagues and friends, Edwin returned to the stage. Over time, he rebuilt his career and remained a major figure in American theater. He later helped establish The Players Club in New York, a gathering place for artists and performers. Even so, his name was never fully separated from the assassination. Robert Todd Lincoln’s life also continued in public service. He later served as Secretary of War and as the United States Minister to Great Britain. Over the years, people noted that he had been present or nearby during three presidential assassinations—his father’s, James Garfield’s, and William McKinley’s. This led to later speculation and myth-making, which Robert himself dismissed. He disliked the attention and rejected any idea that the pattern meant something more than coincidence. The brief encounter on the train platform remained a quiet footnote in history. A moment when Edwin Booth saved the life of Robert Lincoln—months before Edwin’s brother would take the life of Robert’s father. The episode stands out not because it altered the course of history, but because it reveals how easily history compresses people into names and associations. Two men met as strangers. One helped the other. Neither could have known how their families would soon be linked forever. It’s a small moment—but one that history didn’t forget. /episode/index/show/bc761315-3509-4d33-926a-8d07f95cdff5/id/39863355

BETRAYAL ON THE THAMES: THE FINAL DAYS OF POCAHONTAS 02/01/2026

BETRAYAL ON THE THAMES: THE FINAL DAYS OF POCAHONTAS Todays story explains the controversy which still surrounds the untimely death of 21 year-old Pocahonts, the daughter of a Powhatan chief who, thanks to her trust in Capt. John Smith and willingness to accept English presence in the New World, became a pawn of English colonialism and, according to her tribe's oral tradition, was likely killed for her kindness when she was poisoned while on board a ship leaving Engaland ihn March of 1617- the same ship and Captain which had kidnapped her just a few years earlier to "christianize" her. Our storyline today: 1616 Pocahontas, with husband JohnRolfe and son Thomas, reach England on a mission to promote the English/Native Indian alliance in the New World and hopefully raise money for a new church and school for native peoples. Pocahontas and 12 of her tribe attached to the delegation tour London! Pocahontas ,now Lady Rebecca, is invited to attend a Chrisatmasplay and meets the King and Queen~Later she meets Capt.John Smith, who comes to see her, and she is initially overwhelmed due to her being told in Virgina thast Smith was dead- later she rebukes him for not contacting her~Likely treachery done by Smith's detractors the reason for his severe injury~Pocahontas works closely with Church ofn England officials to ask them to finance a vchurch and sachool for Indian children, idea which is acted upon~the funds raised during her visit went intio the construction of the Colle of Henrico (Richmond area) which was detroyed in 1622 by a Powhatan uprising- but later renewed at a diffent location- resulting in the beginnings of the College of William &n Mary in Williamsburg. Then the sudden sickness and death with hours after boarding the ship which was wo take them home- she dies suddenly- some say smallpox?- not believed by historians- Mattaponi Oral tradition states that she told her sister that she has been poisoned~ suspects are Capt Argyll and even her husband- who may have been using her and her notoriety for his own gainThe primary research revealing Mattaponi oral traditions of treachery, poisoning, and sexual violence was conducted by Dr. Linwood "Little Bear" Custalow and Angela L. Daniel (also known as Silver Star). Their collaborative work resulted in the 2007 book, The True Story of Pocahontas: The Other Side of History, which published these sacred oral traditions for the first time. Key Researchers & Contributors Dr. Linwood "Little Bear" Custalow: A Mattaponi tribal historian and the eldest son of Chief Daniel Webster "Little Eagle" Custalow. He was designated from a young age to learn and preserve the tribe's sacred oral history. Angela L. Daniel ("Silver Star"): A doctoral student in anthropology at the College of William and Mary at the time of publication. She worked closely with Dr. Custalow and his father, Chief Webster Custalow, who encouraged her to document their history to ensure its preservation. Chief Webster "Little Eagle" Custalow: The late Mattaponi chief who served as a primary source for the researchers. He was instrumental in authorizing the public release of these historically guarded accounts. Significant Findings of Their Research Through their interviews and compilation of oral tradition, these researchers documented several accounts of English treachery: Death by Poisoning: Their research indicates that Pocahontas was murdered by poisoning at a final dinner with John Rolfe and Captain Samuel Argall to prevent her from exposing English deceptions to her father. Systemic Sexual Violence: They recorded clear tribal traditions stating Pocahontas was repeatedly abused during her captivity in Jamestown, specifically by Governor Thomas Dale. Paternity of Thomas Rolfe: The oral history they documented asserts that her son Thomas was not John Rolfe’s child but was the result of physical abuse by Thomas Dale. Exploitation of Tribal Members: They noted the tradition that Powhatan women accompanying Pocahontas were exploited, with some sold into servitude or slavery in Bermuda to remove witnesses to these events. While these findings have been debated by conventional historians who rely on written colonial records, the work of Custalow and Daniel remains the authoritative source for the Mattaponi sacred oral history. /episode/index/show/bc761315-3509-4d33-926a-8d07f95cdff5/id/39887580

THE FINEST HOURS (PT 2) THE COAST GUARD RESCUE THAT INSPIRED THE BOOK AND MOVIE 01/29/2026

THE FINEST HOURS (PT 1): THE COAST GUARD RESCUE THAT INSPIRED THE BOOK & MOVIE 01/28/2026

CHARLES DICKENS AND THE STAPLEHURST RAIL CRASH: FOUND IN THE FOOTNOTES 01/25/2026

CHARLES DICKENS AND THE STAPLEHURST RAIL CRASH: FOUND IN THE FOOTNOTES Make Sure to catch Dickens GREAT short story 'The Wreck of The Golden Mary' NOW at 1001 Classic Short Stories & Tales! FOUND IN THE FOOTNOTES CHARLES DICKENS AND THE STAPLEHURST RAIL CRASH Podcast Script – Charles Dickens and the Staplehurst Rail Crash As many of you know,I’m a huge fan of classic literature and four of our 1001 podcasts are packed with My renderings of short stories and novels from the greats like Robert Louis Stevenson, O. Henry, and Charles Dickens- just search 1001 Classic Short Stories and you’ll see what I mean. Charles Dickens gave usGreat Expectations, A Tale of Two Cities, A Christmas Carol, And many more … This is a mostly unknown story about Charles Dickens which I had never known-- until I found it in the footnotes. Picture this. It’s a warm June evening in 1865. The countryside of Kent is slipping past the windows of a train bound for London. Inside one of the first- class carriages sits one of the most famous writers in the English- speaking world — Charles Dickens. He’s tired, he’s thinking about deadlines, and beside him is something priceless: the handwritten manuscript for a new novel, Our Mutual Friend, not yet finished, not yet safely delivered to the public. Then — without warning — the world breaks apart. The bridge ahead has collapsed. The train plunges into open space. Carriages snap loose and tumble into the river below. Iron screams, wood splinters, steam hisses into chaos. In moments, what was a quiet journey becomes one of the worst railway disasters of the Victorian age. And somehow — impossibly — Charles Dickens survives. He climbs out of a shattered carriage suspended over the river. He tends to the wounded. He witnesses death at arm’s length. And before he leaves the wreckage, before he allows himself to process the shock, he does something extraordinary: He climbs back into the ruins to retrieve his manuscript. Tonight’s episode is about that moment — the Staplehurst rail crash, the night Charles Dickens cheated death, and how a single train accident quietly reshaped the final years of one of literature’s greatest voices. /episode/index/show/bc761315-3509-4d33-926a-8d07f95cdff5/id/39730355

THE THEATER OF THE MIND- WHEN RADIO RULED THE AIRWAYS 01/25/2026

THE THEATER OF THE MIND- WHEN RADIO RULED THE AIRWAYS Join us 3X weekly (M-FW-F ) AT 4-5PM for our hosted episodes of what was America's top radio show for nearly 30 years- The Shadow, at 1001 Ghost, Ciller & Lovecraft Stories at Spotify, Apple, and all the rest- Gizelle( whose voice reminds me of Margot Lane in 'The Shadow' will give you the play by playon every episode, and it won't be long before you discover why audiences were glued to the big bx in their living room every Sunday night. 1001 Ghost Chiller & Lovecraft at Apple Podcast: In the 1930s, a miracle happened in the American living room. It wasn’t a piece of furniture, though it looked like one—a polished wooden box with a glowing dial. For the first time in history, the world was coming inside. Before the 1930s, if you wanted news or stories, you bought a newspaper. But print was cold; it required literacy and effort. Radio was different. It was the first medium to reach a truly mass audience simultaneously. It didn't matter if you were a banker in New York or a sharecropper in Georgia; when you tuned in, you heard the same voice. Radio became a "friend" to a nation battered by the Great Depression. Families would huddle together, staring not at a screen, but at each other, or into the glowing vacuum tubes, as they listened to stories that reinforced old-fashioned family values. From the moral lessons of daytime soap operas to the grit of detective hours, radio promised that despite the chaos of the world, someone was looking out for the "American Way." Sun 12ET, Wed 5PM ET, Fri after 5PM ET-Catch Dragnet, Yours Truly Johnny Dollar, Philip Marlowe, Father Knows Best, Dangerous Assignment & 676 more at 1001 Radio Days Catch Sam Spade, Philip Marlowe, Dragnet, Father Brown, Jeff Regan Investigator, Barrie Craig, Nero Wolfe & Others at 1001 Radio Crime Solvers Sn, Wed, FRi at 1001 Radio Crime Solvers Catch Gunsmoke, Fort Laramie, The Oregon Trail and Tales of the Texas Rangers at1001 Stories From The Old West Sun, Wed /episode/index/show/bc761315-3509-4d33-926a-8d07f95cdff5/id/39802180

ORIGINS OF SPIRITUALISM, THE FOX SISTERS SCAM, AND THE OUIJA BOARD 01/24/2026

'THE SHADOW' VINTAGE RADIO MYSTERY NOW PLAYIING M-W-F AT 1001 GHOST, CHILLER & LOVECRAFT 01/23/2026

WHEN THE OLYMPICS GAVE OUT GOLD MEDALS FOR ART 01/21/2026

THE LIFE AND TRIAL OF AIMEE SEMPLE MCPHERSON, (THE VANISHING EVANGELIST) 01/18/2026

THE LIFE AND TRIAL OF AIMEE SEMPLE MCPHERSON, (THE VANISHING EVANGELIST) Aimee Semple McPherson's "trial" was a highly publicized investigation in 1926 following her mysterious disappearance and reappearance, where she faced charges of conspiracy and obstructing justice for allegedly faking a kidnapping to cover up a romantic tryst in Mexico. Although evidence mounted against her, including testimony from her secretary and her mother's inconsistent statements, the case ultimately collapsed due to a lack of definitive proof, and the charges were dismissed in early 1927, allowing her to continue her influential evangelistic ministry, however it was never proved that she had made up the kidnapping story, and Aimee never revealed that she did. It has remained an armchair mystery ever since! From SEE BELOW Aimee Semple McPherson’s daughter recalls her mother’s courage Roberta Semple Salter, the late daughter of Foursquare Founder Aimee Semple McPherson, shares about her mother’s strength and courage to share the gospel and help others, no matter what the cost. Roberta Semple Salter May 15, 2018 foursquare legacy It is both a surprise and a privilege when people recognize me as the daughter of a storied evangelist. Complete strangers feel as though they know me because they knew about Mother. However, my stories about her might be just a bit different than others you have seen and read. When she answered the call of God to preach the gospel, she knew that it would be a difficult, yet joyous, task. Her first challenge came when she and my father were doing missionary work in China. Father, whom I never had the privilege of knowing, contracted both malaria and dysentery, and died before I was born, leaving his wife behind as a soon-to-be single mother in a foreign land. Not only did she deliver a healthy baby, but she also recovered from the same illness that had taken Father’s life. When we were both well enough to travel, she made the arduous journey back to the U.S. and a very different life than she had imagined with Robert on the mission field. The call of God was strong, and she preached, supported by a growing daughter and my grandmother, Minnie Kennedy. Grandmother was the business mind and was savvier in the ways of the world than was my mother. They locked horns at times, which has gotten more press than it deserves considering that most families have their disagreements. Grandmother held to her convictions and stood by mother’s side through most decisions. However, if Grandmother just could not agree with a decision she thought was wrong, she said so, in no uncertain terms. But she also was a reasonable person. From the beginning of her ministry, Mother filled meeting halls and revival tents to capacity, and thousands upon thousands of people came to hear her preach. Opposition came most often from preachers whose churches were consistently half-filled. When critics warned people not to attend her meetings, they came all the more. Perhaps one of Mother’s biggest accomplishments was the way she shared the love of Christ with people in need. In the early years, the Angelus Temple switchboard rang directly to a phone by her bed at night. She never wanted to miss a call for help. Mother believed that the best part of rabbit stew was the rabbit, and said you have to know how to get the rabbit’s attention if you ever hope to have the stew. I think she applied this concept to her sermons. She found the way to attract people to hear the gospel, and when they came, she made sure to tell them. Hollywood legends Sid Grauman and Charlie Chaplin were just two icons of the movie industry who compared notes with Mother about drawing crowds. I don’t believe either of them ever professed Christ as Savior, but who knows, maybe somewhere, somehow, the message she preached reached even them. The truth is, during that time, no theater in town drew the crowds that Mother did at Angelus Temple. One of the things that most distressed Mother was racial segregation, especially in the Deep South. When she held tent meetings in the South, she was aggravated that the tent was filled to capacity with white people, but black people were kept on the outside. Her heart was touched when she saw clusters of black worshipers singing along outside the tent, and she vowed to do something about it. Before the next night’s service, she met with the sponsors of the meeting and told them to make room inside the tent for black people. They resisted, and she wore them down. When she learned that their plan included putting them on the sides or in the back, she put her foot down. “They will sit in the center section,” she demanded. “The white people can sit on the side or in the back, if they want to attend.” One of the things that most distressed Mother was racial segregation, especially in the Deep South. When she held tent meetings in the South, she was aggravated that the tent was filled to capacity with white people, but black people were kept on the outside. Like my grandmother, Mother held to her convictions like flint. She had a distinctive way about her that some called flamboyance. She dared not go to a restaurant for a hot dog or ham sandwich because just one word out of her mouth gave away who she was. One Sunday following a water baptismal service, Mother was leaving Angelus Temple through the side door that led to her parsonage. A hullabaloo was stirring outside, and someone explained that a particular woman who had been baptized was missing. She left behind her clothing and other belongings, but her baptismal gown and the woman in it were gone. The press ate it up, and Grandmother was furious. Some claimed the woman had been translated to heaven after being baptized by Mother. Others just claimed that the Temple was pulling a publicity stunt. A woman named Tulie knocked on the parsonage door the following day to apologize and explain what really happened. Her cousin dared her to do it, but afterward she couldn’t stand the conviction, so she owned up to what she had done. We became friends with Tulie, and ever after she would drop by the parsonage with sandwiches for Mother or a quart of ice cream that she liked. People tried to take advantage of Mother’s good nature by trying to sell her everything from a koala bear to a yacht; because in their pitch, she deserved it or needed it for comfortable living. Grandmother especially disliked such characters because she knew their true motives, while often my mother did not. She trusted everyone to a fault. One detractor tried to discredit her right to vote in U.S. elections because she had been born in Canada. What they did not realize was that she became a U.S. citizen when she married her second husband, Harold McPherson, my brother Rolf’s father. Mother could not locate her marriage certificate to prove her citizenship and called Grandmother, who was always there to help. Grandmother called me because I was living in New York at the time. She knew I could get a copy of the certificate at City Hall, which I did, and that quelled the challenge once and for all. Perhaps one of Mother’s biggest accomplishments was the way she shared the love of Christ with people in need. In the early years, the Angelus Temple switchboard rang directly to a phone by her bed at night. She never wanted to miss a call for help. About 3 a.m. one Sunday morning, a police officer called. While patrolling his beat outside the city among orange groves and gardens, he heard a woman screaming. He investigated and found a woman with three young children in severe distress. The woman’s husband was off looking for work, and she had gone into premature labor with their fourth child. Mother called friends from the Temple who lived in the woman’s area, and they responded immediately to provide food for the children, medical aid for the woman and her newborn baby, and a place for them to live until the husband returned home to help. That morning during Sunday service, Mother made an appeal to the congregation. “We need City Sisters in each quadrant of the city that will be ready on a moment’s notice to reach out and bless people in need,” she challenged. From that experience, the “City Sisters” organization was formed, a ministry that later became the Angelus Temple Commissary and would serve the needs of millions during the Great Depression. Yes, it is indeed a privilege to recount stories from Mother’s life and ministry, and to know the amazing things God did through her. Most of all, I am thankful for her being my mother, the one who gave me life, and a lifetime of love and nurture. Roberta Semple Salter (1910-2007) was the daughter of Foursquare’s founder, Aimee Semple McPherson. This article is adapted from a video interview. Author /episode/index/show/bc761315-3509-4d33-926a-8d07f95cdff5/id/39719615

KING OF THE ROAD- THE HOBO STORY 01/17/2026

HOW LAKE TITICACA GOT ITS NAME 01/14/2026

THE ORANGE IN THE STOCKING 01/14/2026

THE WAR OF THE WORLDS RADIO BROADCAST: OCT 30, 1938- THE BACK STORY PLUS CLIPS FROM THE RADIO BROADCAST 01/11/2026

FARMERS BATTLE ALIENS IN NEW JERSEY 01/11/2026

FARMERS BATTLE ALIENS IN NEW JERSEY Deep dive with original radio broadcast clips follows at 1001 Heroes.... Imagine it’s October 30, 1938. You’re scanning the radio dial, and you stumble upon a live orchestra. Suddenly, a news bulletin cuts in: "Ladies and gentlemen, we interrupt our program of dance music to bring you a special bulletin." A scientist reports strange explosions on Mars. Within minutes, the music is gone, replaced by "live" reports of a giant metallic tripod incinerating a field in Grover's Mill, New Jersey. For decades, we’ve been told that millions of Americans took to the streets in a blind panic, convinced an alien invasion was real. But here is the first thing you probably didn't know: The "mass hysteria" was largely a myth created by newspapers. Why would newspapers lie? At the time, radio was a brand-new medium that was stealing all the advertising revenue from traditional print. The morning after the broadcast, newspapers saw a golden opportunity to discredit their rival.They ran sensational headlines about "Radio's Death Scare" to prove that radio was "irresponsible" and needed more regulation. In reality, most people were listening to Chase and Sanborn Hour on another station—the most popular show at the time. Ratings data later showed that only about 2% of the radio audience was even tuned into Orson Welles. Most of the country was actually laughing at ventriloquist Edgar Bergen while the Martians were supposedly "landing." If you weren't there, it’s hard to understand why anyone believed it. But Orson Welles was a genius of sound. He didn't just tell a story; he mimicked the exact "dead air" and technical glitches of a real news broadcast. One detail you might not know: Welles and his team, the Mercury Theatre on the Air, almost got bored during rehearsals because the script felt too "silly." To fix it, they decided to stretch the first two-thirds of the show into a series of increasingly frantic news flashes. They even used a real-life catastrophe—the Hindenburg disaster—as a template for the actor’s performance. If the reporter sounded terrified, it’s because he was acting out the most famous real-life tragedy of that decade. After the show, Welles was brought before a room of furious reporters. He looked shell-shocked, apologizing profusely and claiming he never intended to cause fear. But here’s the twist: People who knew Welles personally said he was secretly thrilled. He knew this "scandal" would make him the most famous man in America. And he was right. The notoriety from that single night is exactly what landed him a "blank check" contract in Hollywood, allowing him to make Citizen Kane just a few years later. The "War of the Worlds" wasn't just a radio play; it was the ultimate audition for his career. The Lesson of Grover’s Mill So, why does the legend of the panic persist? Because we want it to be true. It’s a story about the power of media and our own gullibility. Even today, the backstory of the broadcast reminds us that the line between "fake news" and "entertainment" has been blurry from the very beginning. The next time you hear a "breaking news" alert, just remember Orson Welles and the night he convinced a tiny, terrified fraction of the country that New Jersey was under Martian rule. /episode/index/show/bc761315-3509-4d33-926a-8d07f95cdff5/id/39592790

NINE MEN'S MISERY KING PHILIP'S WAR REMEMBERED (1675-1676) 01/04/2026

RABBIT RABBIT 01/01/2026

RABBIT RABBIT The tradition of saying "Rabbit, Rabbit" (or "White Rabbits") on the first day of the month is a long-held superstition intended to ensure good luck for the next 30 days. While its exact origins are "fuzzy" and likely rooted in ancient folklore, the practice has several documented historical milestones: Earliest Recorded Origins 1909 (First Written Mention): The earliest known written record of this superstition appears in the British journal Notes and Queries. A contributor noted that his daughters had a habit of saying "Rabbits!" as their first word on the first of the month to bring luck. Early 20th Century Folklore: By the 1920s and 30s, the tradition was well-established in British and North American folklore. It was often framed as a child's ritual, sometimes involving shouting the words up a chimney or saying them before morning prayers to receive a present by the end of the month. Famous Adopters and Popular Culture President Franklin D. Roosevelt: FDR was a famous practitioner of the habit. In 1935, a newspaper reported that he confessed to saying "Rabbits" every first of the month and wouldn't dream of skipping it. He was also known to carry a lucky rabbit's foot. World War II: During the war, RAF bomber crews reportedly said "white rabbits" upon waking each day as a protective charm. Nickelodeon (1990s): The tradition saw a resurgence in the U.S. when Nickelodeon promoted the last day of every month as "Rabbit Rabbit Day," reminding kids to say the phrase the following morning. Symbolic Roots The choice of the rabbit is likely linked to the animal's ancient association with fertility, abundance, and spring. In Celtic mythology, rabbits were believed to communicate with the spirit world because they lived underground. Common Rules & Variations: The "First Word" Rule: To "work," it must be the very first thing you say upon waking—before you even speak to a partner or pet. The "Tibbar" Fix: If you forget and speak before saying it, some folklore suggests you can reverse the bad luck by saying "Tibbar, Tibbar" (rabbit spelled backward) before you go to sleep that night. Regional Variations: In the UK, "White Rabbits" is more common, while "Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit" is frequently used in the U.S /episode/index/show/bc761315-3509-4d33-926a-8d07f95cdff5/id/39584775