A
-
Abaia
The Abaia is a giant eel from Melanesian myth. It resides in a massive lake and protects fish from predators and fishermen alike. When people try to fish in its lake, it overwhelms them and their people with an enormous wave. Citations: Rose, Carol. Giants Monsters and Dragons: An Encyclopedia Of Folklore Legend And Myth. United Kingdom, WW Norton, 2001.
-
Alameda Whirlwind Alien
The Alameda Whirlwind Alien is a creature sighted in Alameda, Spain in July 1948. A 17-year-old named Lucas Pozo was guarding his family’s watermelons when a whirlwind suddenly appeared in the middle of the patch. The wind covered everything in dust as the witness investigated further, finding a metallic bowl-shaped object. A figure emerged from the object resembling a short figure with long dangling arms, small fingers, and short legs. It had beady black eyes and hair that seemed to be glued on which was slicked back. It wore mustard-colored coveralls and moved in a coordinated manner. The witness panicked and ran away immediately. Citations: Rosales, Albert. Humanoid Encounters 1930-1949:…
-
Akusara
Akusara is a supernatural figure from Japanese urban legends, similar to Kuchisake-Onna or Hasshaku-Sama. Her origin is unknown, but she’s known to appear before men she likes. She is described as standing over two meters tall, with long hair, wearing a red coat and a broad-brimmed red hat. Her left arm is covered in scars, she has no eyes, and her mouth is a grin seemingly cut from ear to ear. She commonly peeks over fences, and those who see her often face a death curse. Citations: Devlin, Tara a. Kowabana: ‘True’ Japanese Scary Stories from Around the Internet: Volume One. N.p., Independently Published, 2019.
-
Bifrost/Asabridge/Asbru
The Bifrost is a magical location from Norse mythology. It’s translated as “rainbow bridge” or “the trembling way.” It’s thought to connect the earth, Midgard, to the world of the gods, Asgard, by spanning across the sky. It’s constructed of three fragile-looking strands of air, fire, and water, though despite its weak-looking structure it’s impossibly durable. It’s believed that the god Heimdall guarded the bridge to prevent the Jötnar from crossing. He was given this duty due to his remarkable senses, and since he has a magic horn to alert the entire nine realms of danger. Most all the gods use to bridge to travel on horseback, aside from Thor…
-
Zduhać/Aloviti/Vjedogonja/Wind Chasers/Cloud Chaser/Hail Defender/Fairy Man/Dragon Man
The Zduhać are mythical figures from Slavic myth. They are described as people capable of protecting people, homes, and entire villages from rain and hail. They are often thought of as mythical creatures, like dragons or fairies, but in human form. Sometimes they were seen as prophets and connected to angels and saints. They are generally seen as heroic figures that look entirely human, though often melancholic, thoughtful, strong, resourceful, and resilient. A Zduhać could be detected from birth if they were born with the caul still on their head, and they would also often have an affinity to crows. Some believed however that a Zduhać could only be born…
-
Yeti/Abominable Snowman/Metoh Kangmi/Metch Kangmi
The Yeti is a cryptid from the Himalayas. It is known of in Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, and Sikkim. The name “Abominable Snowman” was a mistranslation made by Henry Newman in a 1921 column of the Calcutta Statesman newspaper. He mistakenly wrote Met-Tah Kangmi as Metoh-Kangmi, and the newspaper then changed it to Metch Kangmi. The name gained notoriety and led to a boom of expeditions. A yeti was first sighted by the Western world in 1921 by Lieutenant Colonel C. K. Howard Bury and his team. They saw the creature on a twenty-thousand-foot snow field on the Tibetan side of the mountains. They seem to live in stream filled valleys…
-
Sal’awa/Salawa/Al-Salaawa/Al-Salawwa/Silawa
The Sal’awa is a mysterious creature from Egypt. Their name means “she-wolf” in Arabic. Sometimes they are related to Djinn, while others view them as a cryptid. They’re described as nocturnal dog-like animals sometimes resembling a cross between a jackal and an anteater. They have square ears, a drooping nose, a hyena-like muzzle, big canine teeth with prominent fangs, and a poofy forked tail. They are roughly the size of dogs with beige or black fur, and back legs longer than the front. They are thought to live in the desert and are often related to depictions of the Egyptian god Set. They are known to attack and kill humans,…
-
Jackalope/Antelabbit/Aunt Benny/Horny Bunny/Jack-A-Lope/Jack-Pine Jackalope/Stag Bunny
Jackalopes are from the Southwestern region of the United States. They are thought to resemble jack rabbits with either deer antlers or antelope horns in proportion to their bodies. They ar extremely shy, but will fight ferociously if they or their families are threatened. They are thought to be capable of running over sixty-five miles per hour. While running at high speeds, they are incredibly dangerous as they can gore people to death. When in this state of anger, the Jackalope can only be killed with a buffalo gun. They are thought to only mate during flashes of lightning. Jackalope milk is supposedly capable of curing any number of ailments.…
-
Azure Dragon/Green Dragon/Qinglong/Seiryu/Seryu/Shōryū/Meng Chang
The Azure Dragon is a creature that was initially a Chinese symbol and was later adapted into Japanese myth. It is one of the Shijin along with the Vermillion Bird, White Tiger, and the Black Tortoise. It is connected to the East, the colors blue and green (because there wasn’t always a clear distinction between the two), wood and spring. It was thought to represent new life and was connected to the Kamo-Gawa River. It was depicted as a long serpentine dragon with no wings, that was blue, green, or turquoise color, occasionally with a red or black mane. It has the associated mansions (these being associated with the phases…
-
Axehandle Hound
The Axehandle Hound is largely from Wisconsin and Minnesota. It has short legs, a long thin body like an axe handle, and a head like an axe head. It eats the handles of unattended axes. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016. Yarns of the Big Woods, Written and Illustrated by Art Childs
