Folky Friday – September 12, 2025 | Folklore hits the Friday Night Lights
Folklore has a way of slipping into everyday life in unexpected places. At a Texas high school, the Wampus Cat—once told of as a mysterious half-woman, half-cat figure—has made the leap from shadowy forest stories to the bright stadium lights.
What was once a creature of fear has become a symbol of pride, stitched onto jerseys and banners, shouted in chants, and carried by entire communities on game night. It’s a reminder that folklore is never just in the past. The stories we tell around firesides, or pass down in quiet conversations, often take on new forms—becoming mascots, symbols, or shared identities.
The Wampus Cat shows us how tradition and imagination continue to shape the symbols we rally around, long after the first story was told.
Glowing Tombstones: Folklore Under a Texas Moon
