Voice Thief

There are many tales passed down from eldest child to youngest and among friends at school, but few tales are so feared as that of the Voice Thief.

Summary

The Voice Thief is a shadow in the night that dogs the steps of children that have misbehaved. She will lie in wait in a child's sleeping area until the exact moment is right. She then lays her hands upon the throat of the child in question and suffocates their voice from out of their body. They are no longer able to talk or make any music with their own voice. Even the simplest of melodies will be take from them, excluding them from the bulk of society.

Variations & Mutation

Various infractions are enough to prompt the Voice Thief to come for a child. At times it is something as simple as speaking out of turn. Others say that bullying or other more serious offences are needed to court disaster from the Voice Thief. The Voice Thief is usually a woman, although there are stories of other creatures taking her place including aliens. The most common form of the myth invovles suffocating the voice out of a person, but there are variations including hitting the child hard on the head, singing a song that cuts the vocal cords, or simply scaring the child into silence.

Cultural Reception

In general, the tale of the Voice Thief is encouraged when adults overhear that children are discussing the story. Often times, they will ask probing questions or add some gruesome details to the story. Most adults can remember a distinct time in their life when they stopped believing in the Voice Thief.

by M Brugman

Spread

This myth is widespread in the homes and schools of the Idran empire. Mostly it is told from child to child, but at times teachers have been known to allude to the Voice Thief when their pupils are being particularly troublesome.