The Hairy Leg of Recife
Pernambuco · Brazil · Haunted site
Through Recife's alleys at night hops a severed, hair-covered leg that trips passers-by with kicks – Brazil's most bizarre urban legend.
The Perna Cabeluda, "the Hairy Leg", is Recife's most notorious urban legend: a severed human leg covered in thick black hair that moves through the city streets on its own at night, attacking passers-by with kicks and trips. The legend was born in February 1976, at the height of military-dictatorship censorship, when journalist Raimundo Carrero of the Diário de Pernambuco at Praça da Independência began a serial about the impossible limb. The story spread like wildfire through radio and cordel folk literature and took on a life of its own – to this day, Recife locals blame nocturnal stumbles and bruises on the leg. The legend found new fame through the Oscar-winning film The Secret Agent.
FAQ
Where is The Hairy Leg of Recife located?
The Hairy Leg of Recife is in Pernambuco, Brazil.
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Accounts are drawn from local folklore and visitor reports.