Some Interesting Curses

Throughout history, several curses—both legendary and well-documented—have captured the imagination of cultures and communities, often used to explain repeated misfortunes or dramatic reversals of fortune. Three of the most famous are the Brunswick Springs Curse rooted in Indigenous land, the curse tied to the tomb of Mongol conqueror Tamerlane, and the Billy Goat Curse that haunted the Chicago Cubs baseball team for over seventy years.

Brunswick Springs Curse Originated From Indigenous Sacred Land

Abenaki Tribe Inhabited Area For 12,000 Years, Considering Mineral-Rich Springs Spiritually Significant Healing Sites

The Brunswick Springs region in Vermont has been inhabited by the Abenaki, an Algonquin-speaking tribe, for about 12,000 years. The Abenaki held these mineral-rich springs as sacred sites, believing the waters had mystical healing powers. Even today, the springs are significant to the tribe, acknowledged as places of spiritual importance.

French Soldier Healed and Commercialized Spring Water

During the French and Indian War, the Abenaki brought a wounded French soldier—an ally in their fight against the British—to the springs. The soldier reportedly experienced a miraculous recovery after being treated with the spring’s waters. Grateful but opportunistic, he later returned, took over the site, and began bottling and selling the spring water for profit.

Abenaki Sacred Site Desecration Confrontation Results in Man's, Infant's Death; Bereaved Mother Curses Profiteers

The Abenaki confronted the Frenchman for commercializing their sacred land. The dispute escalated into violence, resulting in the deaths of a man and his infant child. Overwhelmed by loss and anger, the bereaved mother declared a curse: anyone who sought to exploit or profit from the springs would face failure and misfortune.

Resort and Hotel Structures on Springs Repeatedly Burned In 1800s and 1900s; Dentist-Owned Resort Burned In 1894, and Rebuilds in 1930, 1931 Also Burned

The curse appeared to hold. In 1894, a dentist who built a resort on the land saw it burn to the ground. John Hutchins purchased and rebuilt it in 1929; that building also burned down. Hutchins tried again, adding more hotels in 1930 and 1931, but all burned as well. After these repeated disasters, Hutchins gave up, convinced the land truly was cursed.

Abenaki Resolve Curse By Transferring Land To Vermont Trust, Preventing Future Development

Ultimately, the Abenaki tribe purchased the land around the springs and transferred it to the state of Vermont a few years ago. It is now held in a trust, ensuring perpetual protection from future development or exploitation, seemingly resolving the curse by honoring the significance of the land to its original stewards.

Tamerlane's Tomb Curse Coincided With Operation Barbarossa

14th-Century Mongol Warlord Tamerlane Caused 17 Million Deaths, 5% of the Global Population, Making Him a Great Conqueror Like Genghis Khan and Alexander the Great

Tamerlane, or Timur, was a powerful 14th-century Mongol warlord who was responsible for as many as 17 million deaths—about 5% of the world’s population at the time. He ranks among history’s greatest conquerors, alongside figures like Genghis Khan and Alexander the Great.

Stalin Exhumed Tamerlane In 1941 to Verify Deformity Claims, With Mikhail Gerasimov Reconstructing the Skull

After Tamerlane’s death in 1405, he was entombed in an ebony coffin in Samarkand. His remains stayed undisturbed for about 500 years until 1941, when Stalin ordered their exhumation. Part of the expedition’s goal, led by Mikhail Gerasimov, a famous forensic reconstructionist, was to determine if Tamerlane had the physical deformities described in legends.

Tamerlane's Tomb Inscription Warned Disturbance Would Unleash Greater Conqueror; Two Days After Exhumation, Hitler Launched Operation Barbarossa

Legend claims there was an inscription on Timur’s tomb: “Whosoever disturbs my grave shall unleash a conqueror greater than I.” Remarkably, two days after the disinterment, Hitler launched Operation Barbarossa, the largest invasion in history, thrusting the Soviet Union into World War II’s deadliest phase.

Stalingrad Battle's Impact: 1.1 Million Soviet Deaths, Stalin Orders Tamerlane's Reinterment to Avoid Curse

The German invasion was catastrophic, with massive civilian and military deaths. The Battle of Stalingrad alone resulted in 1.1 million Soviet soldiers’ deaths, making it the bloodiest urban battle ever. As the war turned disastrous, the legend goes that Stalin, spooked by the curse, ordered that Tamerlane’s remains be returned to their tomb. Shortly after, Soviet forces repelled the German army from Russia.

Russian Documentary's 2003 Invented Inscription Curse; Soviet Researchers Found No Authentic Tomb Curse

Despite the compelling timing, research shows that the tomb inscription warning of a curse did not appear in historical records and seems to have been invented by a 2003 Russian documentary. The Soviet team meticulously recorded the real inscriptions, none of which contained any curse. The story of the “curse” is thus a modern legend, though the coincidence remains dramatic.

Billy Goat Curse on Cubs Lasted Over 70 Years Until 2016

William Sianis Denied 1945 Wrigley Field Entry With Pet Goat

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The world of Hollywood and entertainment is peppered with tales of mysterious curses affecting both people and products. Two notorious examples are the so-called "Curse of Atuk" script, associated with a string of untimely celebrity deaths, and the "Jackie Chan curse," blamed for the commercial downfall of numerous brands and even unlucky encounters at sporting events.

Curse of Atuk Script Resulted In Multiple Deaths

"The Atuk Script: A 1963 Satirical Novel's Unproduced Hollywood Enigma"

The legend of the Atuk curse originates from attempts to adapt "The Incomparable Atuk," a biting 1963 satire by Mordecai Richler. The story chronicles an Inuit hunter and poet brought from Canada’s remote North to Toronto, only to become an exotic urban curiosity before adopting—and thriving in—the city’s life. The script, quickly optioned after the novel’s release, underwent several Americanized rewrites, shifting Atuk's origins to Alaska and relocating the setting to New York.

Belushi Signed to Star As Atuk In 1982 but Died At 33 From a Drug Overdose Before Production, Marking the First Casualty Associated With the Script

Over the years, the unproduced script developed a deathly reputation. The first major tragedy occurred in 1982. Comedy star John Belushi enthusiastically agreed to play Atuk, but before production began, he died in the Chateau Marmont Hotel at just 33 from a drug overdose, marking the script’s first high-profile casualty.

Sam Kinison's Filming of Atuk Movie Halted After Script Dispute; Died In 1992 At Age 38

In 1988, comedian Sam Kinison took on the lead role and even began filming, finishing about eight days of the movie. However, a dispute over script control erupted, resulting in halted production and lawsuits. In 1992, with the project unresolved, Kinison died in a car crash at age 38, further fueling the curse’s reputation.

Screenwriter Michael O'Donohue Enlisted Actor John Candy For a 1996 Adaptation, but Both Died That Year; O'Donohue From a Cerebral Hemorrhage at 58, and Candy From a Heart Attack at 43

Another adaptation effort surfaced in 1996, with SNL writer Michael O'Donohue working on rewrites and recruiting John Candy for the film. Tragically, both men died that year: O'Donohue from a cerebral hemorrhage at 58, and Candy from a heart attack at 43.

Farley and Hartman Joined Atuk Project In 1997, Dying Before Production

The following year, comedian Chris Farley became attached to the script and brought on his colleague Phil Hartman. Both died before production could move forward: Farley in 1997, and Hartman in 1998. The pattern of untimely deaths among those seriously involved with the script cemented its place as a Hollywood curse.

Jackie Chan Curse Affects Brands and Products

Jackie Chan, Prominent Since the 1980s and Hollywood Star Since 1995's Rumble in the Bronx, Developed a Reputation For Endorsing Many Products That Failed In the Marketplace

Jackie Chan, a household name in martial arts cinema since the 1980s and a Hollywood crossover star after 1995’s "Rumble in the Bronx," is renowned not only for his films but also for his willingness to endorse a staggering variety of products. Companies in his native region, particularly, flocked to Chan for endorsements, hoping to leverage his fame for commercial success.

"Jackie Chan-Endorsed Companies Face Scandals and Failures"

However, Chan’s high-profile endorsements have often coincided with scandals or commercial disaster. This has led to the phrase "the Jackie Chan curse"—a tongue-in-cheek warning that companies seeking his endorsement may be courting bad luck.

Jackie Chan-Promoted Products, Such as Fen Wang Cola, Volkswagen Caddy, Subor Learning Machine, and Ba Wang Shampoo, Ceased Production or Saw Sales Declines Due to Carcinogen Misreporting

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Curses As Cultural and Anthropological Phenomena, Not Scientific Events

Podcast hosts Chuck Bryant and Josh Clark acknowledge that while the idea of curses captivates audiences, there is no scientific basis for their existence. Bryant states openly that curses aren’t real phenomena, but admits people enjoy stories about them. Instead of treating curses as testable scientific events, the hosts explore them as folklore, oral traditions, and cultural beliefs that offer insight into how societies understand and explain misfortune.

Bryant describes how attempting to fact-check specific cases of curses is often fruitless, as the details usually unravel upon closer inspection. The challenge is that curses often blur historical events with fabricated supernatural explanations, resulting in a blend of genuine coincidences and mythological narrative. Clark adds that most stories about curses are legend and should be approached with a sense of fun—rather than an expectation of rigorous scientific accuracy.

Confirmation Bias and Statistical Probability Explain Curse Patterns

A critical explanation for the persistence of curse myths is rooted in confirmation bias and probability. The hosts point out that when someone like Jackie Chan endorses around fifty products, it is statistically inevitable that a subset will fail. These failures have mundane explanations—such as business mismanagement or market forces—unrelated to supernatural influence. Since Chan’s broad promotional involvement increases exposure to risk, failures are expected and do not reflect anything other than normal business outcomes.

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