Legend of the Body in the Bed Essay -- Urban Legends

Body in the Bed The legend of the â€Å"Body in the Bed† has been retold over and over again for years. It is a very popular story, usually taking place at a hotel or motel in the city of Las Vegas, Nevada, or in a remote location in the desert nearby (â€Å"Strange Smells from the Hotel Bed†). Various â€Å"spin-offs† and variations to the legend have arisen since its inception, believed to be in the early 1990s. Many examples supporting the legend have come to the surface over time. They provide a possible explanation to the origin of the legend. The version I collected was told to me by my girlfriend, on March 29th. She has been fascinated by urban legends since as far back as she can remember. Although she recounted several legends to me, I chose this particular one because it was my favorite. Before retelling the legend, she told me that I could easily find this story online. However, I told her that I would prefer if she retold it in the manner she first heard it. Her version of the legend goes as follows: A man traveling on a business trip arrived at a motel, checked in, and proceeded to his room. Once he got in, he became aware that the room had a very foul smell, practically unbearable. He called the desk clerk asking for another room, but there were none available. The desk clerk sent over a maid to clean the room and try to get the smell out while the man went to dinner. When he returned, he didn’t smell the foul smell. He showered, settled in, and went to bed. After some time, the man awoke to the horrible smell again. It was too late to call the desk clerk, so he began looking around, trying to figure out where the smell came from. He searched everywhere, but found that the smell was strongest around the bed. Finally... ...tivity would not agree with what goes on during the course of the honeymoon period. This legend plays upon all of the factors to warn against these â€Å"sinful† activities. It reminds us that we should not partake in activities out of lust or greed, for it may take over our lives and change who we are. It warns us to not seek these pleasures blindly, for we may be missing what is really going on directly under our noses. Works Cited Mikkelson, Barbara (2 November 2006). â€Å"The Bawdy Under the Bed.† Retrieved March 30th, 2007 from http://www.snopes.com/horrors/gruesome/bodybed.asp. Murphy, Autumn. â€Å"The Body in the Bed-An Urban Legend.† Retrieved March 30th, 2007 from http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/classics/Classics.htm. â€Å"Strange Smells From the Hotel Bed.† Retrieved March 30th, 2007 from http://www.halloweenghoststories.com/legends/strange1-2.html.