Editing Urban legend (section)

==Propagation and belief==
As Jan Brunvand points out,<ref name="Death Car">{{cite web|last= Mikkelson|first= Barbara|url= http://www.snopes.com/autos/cursed/deathcar.asp|title= snopes.com: Death Car|publisher= Urban Legends Reference Pages|date= 10 August 2006|access-date= 30 June 2010}}</ref> antecedent legends including some of the motifs, themes and symbolism of the [[wikt:urtext|urtexts]] can readily be identified. Cases that {{em|may}} have been at least partially inspired by real events include "The Death Car" (traced by [[Richard Dorson]] to [[Michigan]], [[United States]]);<ref name="Death Car"/> "the Solid Cement Cadillac"<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.snopes.com/love/revenge/concrete.asp|title= snopes.com: Cement in Lover's Car|publisher= Urban Legends Reference Pages|date= 10 August 2006|access-date= 3 July 2007}}</ref> and the possible origin of "[[The Hook]]" in the 1946 series of [[lovers' lane|Lovers' Lane]] [[Texarkana Moonlight Murders|murders]] in [[Texarkana, Texas]], United States.<ref>{{cite web|last= Mikkelson|first= Barbara|url= http://www.snopes.com/horrors/madmen/hook.asp|title= snopes.com: The Hook|publisher= Urban Legends Reference Pages|date= 2 June 2008|access-date= 30 June 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last= Ramsland|first= Katherine|url= http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/notorious/texas_chainsaw_massa/5.html|title= Texas Chainsaw Massacre is based on a real case the crime library – Other Speculations – Crime Library on truTV.com|publisher= [[Turner Broadcasting System Inc.]]|access-date= 28 August 2010|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090831082654/http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/notorious/texas_chainsaw_massa/5.html|archive-date= 31 August 2009}}</ref> The urban legend that [[Coca-Cola]] developed the drink [[Fanta]] to sell in [[Nazi Germany]] without public backlash originated as the actual tale of German [[Max Keith]], who invented the drink and ran Coca-Cola's operations in Germany during [[World War II]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/fanta.asp|title= The Reich Stuff? |access-date= 9 January 2007 |last= Mikkelson |first= Barbara|date= 13 September 2004 |publisher= Urban Legends Reference Pages}}</ref>

[[File:Silverpilen vid kymlinge spökstation.png|thumb|An example of a supposed ghost train, [[the Silver Train of Stockholm]], also known as ''Silverpilen'' (the Silver Arrow).]]

The narrator of an urban legend may claim it happened to a friend (or to a [[friend of a friend]]), which serves to personalize, authenticate and enhance the power of the narrative<ref name="believed">Brunvand, p. 423</ref> while distancing the teller from the [[tall tale]]. Many urban legends depict horrific crimes, contaminated foods, or other situations that would potentially affect many people. Anyone believing such stories might feel compelled to warn loved ones. On occasion, news organizations, school officials and even police departments have issued warnings concerning the latest threat.<ref>{{cite web | last= Gross| first= Dave| url= http://www.lycaeum.org/drugs/other/tattoo/| title= The "Blue Star" LSD Tattoo Urban Legend Page|publisher= the Lycaeum Drug Archives | access-date= 29 August 2010| url-status= live| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110718214538/http://www.lycaeum.org/drugs/other/tattoo/| archive-date= 18 July 2011}}</ref> According to the "Lights Out" [[rumor]], [[street gang]] members would drive without headlights until a compassionate motorist responded with the traditional flashing of headlights, whereupon a prospective new gang member would have to murder the citizen as a requirement of [[initiation]].<ref name="Snopes lights">{{cite web | last= Mikkelson| first= Barbara| url= http://www.snopes.com/crime/gangs/lightsout.asp| title= snopes.com: Flashing Headlights Gang Initiation| publisher= Urban Legends Reference Pages| date= 8 December 2008| access-date= 28 August 2010}}</ref> A fax retelling this legend received at the [[Nassau County, Florida]], fire department was forwarded to police, and from there to all city departments. The [[Minister of National Defence (Canada)|Minister of Defence for Canada]] was taken in by it also; he forwarded an urgent security warning to all [[Ontario]] Members of Parliament.<ref name="Snopes lights"/>

Urban legends typically include common elements: the tale is retold on behalf of the original witness or participant; dire warnings are often given for those who might not heed the advice or lesson contained therein (a typical element of many e-mail [[phishing]] scams); and the tale is often touted as "something a friend told me", the friend being identified by first name only or not identified at all.<ref>{{cite news | url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/6090918.stm | work= BBC News | title= Heard the one about... | date= 27 October 2006 | access-date= 28 March 2010 | url-status= live | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090604154846/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/6090918.stm | archive-date= 4 June 2009 }}</ref> Such legends seem to be believable and even provocative, as some readers are led in turn to pass them on, including on social media platforms that instantly reach millions worldwide.<ref>{{Cite book | title=They are watching you: The Slender Man and the Terrors of 21st Century Technologies| last=Gelfand| first=Lynn| year=2014}}</ref> Many are essentially extended [[joke]]s, told as if they were true events.<ref>Brunvand, p. 223</ref>

Persistent urban legends do often maintain a degree of plausibility, as in the story a [[serial killer]] deliberately hiding in the back seat of a car. Another such example since the 1970s has been the recurring rumor that the [[Procter & Gamble]] Company was associated with [[Satan worship|Satan-worshippers]] because of details within its 19th-century "57" trademark.<ref>''Procter and Gamble v. Amway'' 242 F.3d 539</ref> The legend interrupted the company's business to the point that it stopped using the trademark.<ref>Brunvand, p. 333</ref>