Episode 81 · 17 min · The Moonlit Road Podcast - Southern Ghost Stories and Folklore

The Cow That Ate The Preacher | An Appalachian Tall Tale

Published Oct 15, 2025by The Moonlit Road, LLCFolk tales

One candle for every story

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Story 81 of 91. 80 told, 10 still waiting.

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About this episode

What happens when a traveling preacher seeks revenge on an inhospitable farm couple? This darkly funny ghost story—passed down from Ireland to the Arkansas hills—follows a man of the cloth who decides to teach his unkind hosts a lesson they'll never forget. But in the world of folklore, revenge often takes a very strange and unexpected shape. Advisory: This is an un-sanitized traditional folktale featuring dark themes and descriptions of physical injury/remains, typical of classic Brothers Grimm-era stories. Another version of this story by storyteller Bill Harley can be found here: FOR MORE STORIES: This is just one of the many legends found on the back roads. Visit our archive of Southern ghost stories and folklore at . Follow us on Facebook and X/Twitter "The Cow That Ate The Preacher" was adapted from folklore and directed by Craig Dominey Storyteller: David Hirt Music: Randall Franks - hear more of his work at Audio Production: Henry Howard ABOUT THE MOONLIT ROAD The Moonlit Road has been exploring the dark back roads of the American South since 1999. We are a massive online archive of regional ghost stories, tall tales, and folklore from the Appalachians to the Gulf Coast, told by authentic local storytellers. The Moonlit Road Podcast is a production of The Moonlit Road, LLC. For more stories, including tales not on the podcast, visit our website: Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts: Spotify: Follow us: Instagram: YouTube: X: Facebook:

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