strange tale; curious report
Refers to an unusual or mysterious story or piece of news, often with a slightly literary or formal feel. Not an everyday word for gossip.
He collected the strange tales he heard on his travels and turned them into a book.
Many strange stories handed down from long ago remain in that region.
strange stories and curious tales
Compound of 異 (i, 'different, strange') and 聞 (bun, 'hear, rumor'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word has been used since at least the Edo period to refer to unusual or curious accounts.