History Main / CannotCrossRunningWater

** In particular, ''Discworld/ReaperMan'' shows that a zombie can cross the river Ankh because it's so muddy and polluted it no longer counts as water (and so sluggish it barely counts as running). Although admittedly ''anyone'' can [[WalkOnWater cross the Ankh]], since it [[GrimyWater practically counts as a solid]]. [[HeatWave In summer]], it's been known to catch fire.
** One of many weaknesses overcome by the de Magpyr family in ''Discworld/CarpeJugulum''. The family's patriarch overcomes the neuroses of their kind with ''self-help techniques''. [[spoiler:It all falls apart when Granny Weatherwax causes them to relapse.]]

There are some variations as to what form of water will work. Almost always, the water must be moving. Rain or the ocean may or may not qualify, but rivers always do. The origin of this may be that UsefulNotes/{{Jesus}} was baptized in a river, but undoubtedly helping the folklore is that running water is safer to live near than stagnant water. Stagnant water doesn't allow harmful content to be washed away, is more inviting to mosquitoes and other vermin, promotes mold, and so on. Many of the aforementioned ghosties are associated with disease, so it's logical to interpret the running water to be a barrier against them. HolyWater, of course, packs extra punch, but is less frequently found flowing around on the landscape.

There are some variations as to what form of water will work. Almost always, the water must be moving. Rain or the ocean may or may not qualify, but rivers always do. The origin of this may be that UsefulNotes/Jesus was baptized in a river, but undoubtedly helping the folklore is that running water is safer to live near than stagnant water. Stagnant water doesn't allow harmful content to be washed away, is more inviting to mosquitoes and other vermin, promotes mold, and so on. Many of the aforementioned ghosties are associated with disease, so it's logical to interpret the running water to be a barrier against them. HolyWater, of course, packs extra punch, but is less frequently found flowing around on the landscape.

There are some variations as to what form of water will work. Almost always, the water must be moving, as discussed above. Rain or the ocean may or may not qualify, but rivers always do. HolyWater, of course, packs extra punch, but is less frequently found flowing around on the landscape.

There are some variations as to what form of water will work. Almost always, the water must be moving, as discussed above. Rain or the ocean may or may not qualify, but rivers always do. Holy water, of course, packs extra punch, but is less frequently found flowing around on the landscape.

* Once, in the ''Literature/NorthlandSeries'', Mikki can't cross water, despite not being a wizard, because the superstitious ferryman ''thinks'' he's a wizard and won't let him on the boat.

* Subverted in ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'': a folk belief is that running water can disrupt sorcery, but a sanctioned psyker says it's BS. The fact that the final ritual to summon a daemon princess is taking place on a mining barge in the middle of the ocean kind of underlines it.

Like garlic and [[SaltSolution salt]], water is one of the common substances widely held to have special powers. Among other things, this means it can be used to protect against various creepy-crawlies and things that go bump in the night. Putting yourself across some water might be all it takes to save your neck.

-->-- '''Brom Bones''', ''Disney/TheAdventuresOfIchabodAndMrToad''

* In ''WesternAnimation/Castlevania2017'', the vampire generals talk about this superstition in "Old Homes" when Carmilla brings up attacking a river town. Isaac and Hector are skeptical, while Godbrand, a Viking, denies it. Later, they're seen crossing a bridge with no problem — at least not until [[spoiler:the water is ''blessed'']].

* In the ''Literature/FightingFantasy'' gamebook ''Keep of the Lich Lord'', running water is impassable to ''all'' undead. To get round this, the titular BigBad has dammed the river past his fortress. The final battle of the book can be avoided by destroying the dam while he's on it, causing him to be destroyed by the water.

** The Locate Creature spell doesn’t work if there is running water between you and the thing you’re trying to find.

* This works against various real life animals, including some of our biological cousins the apes, notably Gorillas. In fact this is how speciation often occurs.
* Think Australian wildlife that is native. They are that way because they were isolated for millions of years from other life forms. Only a few other marsupials, such as Possums, live elsewhere, while monotremes, such as the Platypus, live only on Australia or on New Guinea. New Guinea was connected to Australia until sometime during the Pleistocene.

* Pesta, a Norwegian personification of the Black Death plague, usually requires assistance in crossing running water. Not that she'll spare you if you help her

** In 1st and 2nd Edition, vampires could cross running water, but if they were immersed in it for 3 minutes they were destroyed.
** In the third edition they could no longer pass over running water on their own, but could be carried over it in a container. Vampires made from water-dwelling beings (such as, say, a merman vampire) could ignore the restriction entirely.

** Think Australian wildlife that is native. They are that way because they were isolated for millions of years from other life forms. Only a few other marsupials, such as Possums, live elsewhere, while monotremes, such as the Platypus, live only on Australia or on New Guinea. New Guinea was connected to Australia until sometime during the Pleistocene.

[[folder:Fan Fiction]]

* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/JackieChanAdventures'' featured a [[OurVampiresAreDifferent Chi Vampire]] with this weakness. [[DangerouslyGenreSavvy Unfortunately, it's smart enough to destroy the bridge our heroes were about to use.]]

* Used as a handwave in ''VideoGame/AVampyrsTale'' to explain why Mona [[WhyDontYouJustShootHim doesn't just turn into a bat and fly away from Baron Shrowdy's castle]]: the castle is on the middle of a lake, meaning the only way to from is by boat.

** In another episode, "The Headless Motorcyclist", the Headless Horseman has been pursuing Ichabod Crane, as well as the family and friends of all of his descendants for centuries. The latest descendant, a woman named Kate, lives near a bridge for protection, knowing the ghost can't pursue her over running water, though she admits that's no protection for others the ghost might target.

* Used as a handwave in ''VideoGame/AVampyresTale'' to explain why Mona [[WhyDontYouJustShootHim doesn't just turn into a bat and fly away from Baron Shrowdy's castle]]: the castle is on the middle of a lake, meaning the only way to from is by boat.

* Used as a handwave in ''VideoGame/AVampyresTale'' to explain why Mona [[WhyDon'tYouJustShootHim doesn't just turn into a bat and fly away from Baron Shrowdy's castle]]: the castle is on the middle of a lake, meaning the only way to from is by boat.