We have all heard ghost stories at one time or another. Often when people tell ghost stories, they say they are true. Some people may believe the story and some may not. But the stories are told over and over again. This is how folklore is created. The story of the Flying Dutchman is a well-known ghost story. Sailors often tell it. The tale is about an old sailing ship that was sailing through a storm. The ship was passing the Cape of Good Hope, going to the East Indies. The crew wanted to stop at the port, but the captain did not want to waste time. One of the crew tried to take the ship’s wheel but the captain threw him overboard. The ship sank in the storm and everyone died.
The story says that an angel appeared and told the captain’s ghost that he must sail around the world forever in a ghost ship. Sailors say this ghost ship will bring tragedy to any ship that comes near it.
So do we have to be afraid of the Flying Dutchman if we go to sea? Most people say we needn’t be too worried. In the old days some sailors were very young. The old sailors probably enjoyed scaring the young ones. That’s how the story became folklore.