-
Ustrel
The Ustrel is a form of undead creature from Bulgaria. It’s believed if a child is born on a Saturday but dies before being baptized the following Sunday, they rise from the grave. They’re the size of a small child though larger than an infant, and continue to grow as they feed. They rest in their graves between feedings but become strong enough after ten nights of feeding in a row that they can live in fields. They rest during the day and hide in between the horns of goats, or behind the back legs of cows. Their intelligence is considered similar to adult predatory animals, and they may feed…
-
Two-Headed Alien Baby
The Two-Headed Alien Baby comes from a tabloid magazine article about a supposed incident that occurred in Harare Zimbabwe. A baby was born to a 23-year-old woman named Mari Yapi and died 2 hours after birth. This strange baby was born with 2 heads, gills, and almond-shaped eyes. According to a nurse, the mother refused to nurse the baby saying it wasn’t of this world. The mother told nurses that prior she had encountered 4-foot tall aliens with large heads and silvery-grey skin. After an encounter where she lost consciousness, she somehow knew she was pregnant. It was supposedly considered an omen of doom by locals. Government officials explained the…
-
Tutu
Tutu is a deity from Mesopotamian myth. He is believed to have been the god of the Babylonian city of Borsippa. After the reign of Hammurabi, he was replaced by the deity Nabu. Citations: Jordan, Michael. Dictionary of Gods and Goddesses. United States, Facts On File, Incorporated, 2014.
-
Tulpa
The Tulpa is a mystic phenomenon from Shamanistic beliefs in Tibet. They’re created when a person’s thoughts collect and take astral form. This can be done intentionally or through subconscious thought during sleep or meditation. The form a Tulpa takes depends on the nature of the thoughts that create them, with violent forms creating a beastly creature. After existing for some period of time, the Tulpa becomes a completely separate entity. These Tulpas can become strong enough to be seen in dreams or on the physical plain. Citations: Tyson, Donald. Serpent of Wisdom: And Other Essays on Western Occultism. United States, Llewellyn Publications, 2013.
-
Trazgos/Trasgos
The Trazgos are mythical creatures from Spain. They’re four feet tall, and have human legs with bird toes, short arms, and rough, red, human-like skin. They’re known to set traps in the woods like snares and deadfall traps. They use these to capture travelers, spit venom in their eyes, and kill them by slashing and biting, consuming flesh and blood. They can be killed by an ax or sword that has been soaked in sweet oil and mashed garlic for three days. If not killed in a single blow, they turn into will-o-wisps that escape to heal. Dead Trazgos must be rubbed with garlic paste, wrapped in shroud cloth, and…
-
Te Po
Te Po is a primordial deity of the void from Maori myth. They personify the night existing before light came to be. Te Po is often spoken of alongside Te Kore, a similar deity of darkness. Citations: Jordan, Michael. Dictionary of Gods and Goddesses. United States, Facts On File, Incorporated, 2014.
-
Te Kore
Te Kore is a primordial deity of the void from Maori myth. They personify the darkness and chaos existing before light came to be. Te Kore is often spoken of alongside Te Po, a similar deity of the Night. Citations: Jordan, Michael. Dictionary of Gods and Goddesses. United States, Facts On File, Incorporated, 2014.
-
Splinter Cat
The Splinter Cat is a creature from lumberjack folklore, particularly in Wisconsin and Minnesota. They’re described as large cats with hardened skulls. They solely feed on raccoons and bees by charging into trees and breaking them into splinters. The result of their actions makes the trees look like they were struck by lightning. Citations: Rose, Carol. Giants Monsters and Dragons: An Encyclopedia Of Folklore Legend And Myth. United Kingdom, WW Norton, 2001.
-
Sisior
In a story from the island of Yap, there was a woman from Maki named Sisior. She went to bathe next to her house, and her tattoos were visible as she undressed. A demon in the form of an eel saw this and fell in love with her. When it approached her, she panicked and ran away. In her dreams, she saw a handsome man who asked why she ran away when he approached her in the water. She was confused until the man explained he appeared in the form of an eel. She explained she did see him but was afraid of the eel, so he asked her to…
-
Nattramn/Nattravn
The Nattramn is a mythical creature from Swedish, and Danish beliefs, related to Germanic Nachktrapp. Its name means “Night Raven” since it takes raven form. They’re believed to be a manifestation of the souls of abandoned children. They’re associated with those who die and sink into marshes. Sometimes they are believed to be murdered children whose bodies have been hidden. They resemble black birds or bird skeletons with a hole in their wings. It’s believed anyone who looks through the hole in their wings will die. They’re also sometimes thought to foretell evil. Hearing the Nattramn flying causes illness or blindness and causes death within a year, and they may…
