The Licked Hand (Urban Legend)

Also Known As: “Humans Can Lick Too”

📜 Origin & History

“The Licked Hand” is a well-known urban legend that has circulated for decades, particularly among horror enthusiasts and campers telling spooky stories around the fire. The tale is thought to have originated in the mid-20th century and follows the classic structure of a cautionary horror story. It is often linked to themes of false security, fear of the unknown, and the disturbing realization that a person may not be as safe as they believe.

While no definitive first recording of the legend exists, its themes have appeared in various forms throughout folklore, and its moralistic warning makes it a lasting favorite in the horror storytelling tradition. Some suggest that the story may have originated in early American or European folklore warning against trusting too easily or feeling too safe in solitude.

👀 The Legend

The most common version of the story is as follows:

A young girl is home alone for the night while her parents are away. To keep herself from feeling afraid, she allows her beloved pet dog to sleep beside her bed. Whenever she feels scared, she reaches down, and the dog reassures her by licking her hand.

During the night, she hears strange noises—dripping sounds, scratches, and creaks—but each time she feels uneasy, she reassures herself by reaching down, feeling her dog’s warm tongue licking her hand.

The next morning, she wakes up and finds a horrifying sight—her dog has been brutally killed, its blood dripping onto the floor. On the wall, scrawled in the dog’s blood, are the chilling words:

“Humans can lick too.”

🧠 Psychological & Cultural Impact

• The story plays on the primal fears of being alone, misplaced trust, and the vulnerability of sleep.
• It reinforces the idea that sometimes, what we assume is comforting may actually be something sinister.
• The legend has been used in various horror films and books, including variations in movies like Campfire Tales (1997) and references in Supernatural and Creepypasta forums.

👻 Paranormal Elements

Though not strictly a ghost story, The Licked Hand has eerie supernatural undertones, especially in some versions where the intruder is a demonic or otherworldly entity rather than a human. It plays into the fear of unseen malevolent forces lurking just out of sight, watching, waiting, and taking advantage of the false sense of security humans create for themselves.

🔄 Variations of the Legend

• Some versions have the girl checking the bathroom after hearing the dripping sound, only to find her dog hanging from the shower with its throat slit.
• In other versions, a babysitter or an elderly woman takes the role of the girl.
• Some renditions change the message on the wall to “Aren’t you glad you didn’t turn on the light?” tying it to another famous urban legend about a murdered roommate.

🔎 Paranormal Activity Rating:

❌ N/A (Urban Legend, not tied to a specific haunting).

🎬 Movies & TV Shows Inspired by The Licked Hand

🎬 Campfire Tales (1997)

One of the most direct adaptations of the legend appears in this horror anthology film. The segment titled The Licked Hand closely follows the classic version of the story, where a young woman home alone is comforted by what she believes is her dog licking her hand—only to discover a chilling message.

🎬 Urban Legends (1998)

Though this movie primarily focuses on well-known urban legends like “The Hook,” it plays with themes of real killers hiding in unexpected places, much like The Licked Hand. The franchise thrives on using common folklore as horror material.

📺 Supernatural (2005-2020)

The show has referenced variations of The Licked Hand in episodes featuring urban legends. For instance, Season 1’s Bloody Mary and Hook Man reference how urban legends blend into real supernatural cases.

🎬 Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019)

While the movie itself doesn’t include The Licked Hand, the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark books (by Alvin Schwartz) feature urban legends similar to it, playing on false safety and sinister messages left behind.

📺 Creeped Out (Netflix, 2017-2019)

This horror anthology for younger audiences has an episode called Trolled, which features a disturbing “licked hand” moment where someone’s worst fears manifest in an eerie way.

📖 Books & Literature Inspired by The Licked Hand

📖 Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark – Alvin Schwartz (1981-1991)

While the story isn’t directly included, many of the tales in this famous horror book series closely resemble The Licked Hand in their themes and structure.

📖 The Babysitter and the Man Upstairs (Common in Horror Anthologies)

This tale, closely related to The Licked Hand, has been rewritten in countless books, often as a short horror story about someone who unknowingly interacts with a murderer hiding nearby.

📖 Creepypasta Collections

Online horror fiction websites like Creepypasta Wiki, NoSleep (Reddit), and various horror anthologies have included modern retellings of The Licked Hand. These versions often make the story even darker, sometimes suggesting supernatural entities rather than just a serial killer.

👀 Similar Urban Legends in Horror Media

• Aren’t You Glad You Didn’t Turn on the Light? (similar to the message-writing twist in The Licked Hand).
• The Hook Man (another urban legend about a hidden killer).
• Bloody Mary (stories about unseen terrors just beyond our perception).