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Adlet
Adlets are from Inuit mythology. They are blood sucking creatures resembling humans with the lower bodies of dogs. They were said to be the children of a woman and a red dog. The woman had ten children. Five of the children start as dogs and were sent out into the world, where they eventually became white people. The other five became Adlets. Citations: Sullivan, Irene F., and Gill, Sam D.. Dictionary of Native American Mythology. United Kingdom, Oxford University Press, 1994.
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Adaro
The Adaro are fish-man creatures from the Solomon Islands. They have legs and feet with tail fins extending from them, huge fins on their heads like shark fins, a horn extending from where the nose would be like a narwhal, and gills placed behind human-like ears. They’re believed to utilize armies of poisonous flying fish as weapons. They use these poisonous fish to attack any humans entering their territory, either killing or knocking the target unconscious. It is believed that throwing a flying fox into the water after this occurs will wake the victim of the Adaro attack. Some beliefs say they once lived on the sun and came to…
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Adam’s Hedgehog Bear
Adam’s Hedgehog Bear is a creature who was sighted in Oregon near Klamath Lake by explorer John “Grizzly” Adams. The creature had the body of a hedgehog with the head and feet of a bear. John Adams and his men attempted to catch the creature but unfortunately failed. Ultimately John Adams and his men were the only ones to sight this creature leading many to believe they made it up. Citations: Hittell, Theodore Henry. Theodore H. Hittell Interviews with Grizzly Adams. United States, n.p, 1857.
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Accordianteater
The Accordianteater is from Lumberjack Folklore. Its “scientific” name is Musicacorupus Botkini. It makes a sound that starts as a sigh and grows into a wail before dying off. It stays hidden in dark places. It is sometimes heard during the day, but mostly at night. Its body is similar to an accordian and it makes its sound by contracting its body. Citations: Yarns of the Big Woods, Written and Illustrated by Art Childs
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Abu Rigl Maslukha
Abu Rigl Masluka is from Egyptian folklore (not mythology). The name means “man with burnt skin” or “man with burnt leg.” The story goes that he was burned because he didn’t listen to his parents telling him to stay away from something hot. He serves as a bogeyman figure. He kidnaps disobedient children to cook and eat. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Giants and Humanoids in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
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Ababil
Ababils were giant birds and the name translates to “flocks.” It was believed that when the king of Yemen attacked Mecca, Ababils dropped stones on them. They had dark feathers, green necks, sharp claws, and yellow beaks. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
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Ab-Ta
Ab-Ta is from Egyptian mythology. This creature was a monstrous giant snake that guarded the entrance to the ninth hour of the river of the night. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
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Ab-She/Ab-Shaw/Āb-Shau
Ab-She is a monstrous giant crocodile from Egyptian myth. It exists in the seventh hour of the river of the night. It was seen as the warden of symbols in a particular city in the Duat. It devours the souls of any who become lost in this hour, unless they know the image of him consuming his own body as Ra travels through the night. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016. Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Spirits and Ghosts in World Mythology. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016. Budge, Ernest Alfred Wallis. The Egyptian Heaven and Hell. United…
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Ab-Esh-Imy-Duat/Ab-Sha-Am-Tuat
Ab-Esh-Imy-Duat is a beast from Egyptian mythology. This creature’s name means “to split” or “to wear out the eyes” and is sometimes referred to as “Osiris the Eye Of Ra.” It is a massive crocodile that guards the seventh hour of the river of the night and the tomb of Ra. It stands on a funeral mound that has a bearded mans’, presumably Osiris’s, head sticking out of it. Ra mesmerizes it with magic. Since this is the domain of Osiris, this distraction allows Osiris and his followers to see Ra and become alive again. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States,…
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Aarvak
The Aarvak is a notable horse from Norse mythology. This horse’s name means “early waker”. He pulls the sun chariot of Sol across the sky along with the horse Alsvid. He and Alsvid were both born in Muspelheim. He has runes carved in his ears and is protected by the shield Svalin against the sun. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
