Ghosts
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Sundel Bolong/Sundal Bolong
The Sundel Belong is a form of ghost from Indonesia. The name translates to “prostitue hole” referring to the large hole in their backs. Sometimes they’re ghosts of women who died while pregnant outside of marriage. As the baby is still inside her body when she’s buried, it is born in the grave and bursts out of her back. This action leaves a massive hole in her back. She often has long black hair reaching all the way down her back to cover the hole. They often take the form of a seductive woman in a white dress. They appear pale but entirely human aside from the hole in their…
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Skrat
The Skrat is a form of ghost from Scandinavian myth and a variation of the Myling. They toy with people at night, typically appearing at midnight and especially during the winter. They are known to hang on sledges and make the horses tired from the added weight. Once the horse is tired, the Skrat disappears while laughing. They have horse-like laughs and if someone finds treasure, the laugh of the Skrat can make it vanish. Citations: Northern Mythology: Comprising the Principal Popular Traditions and Superstitions of Scandinavia, North Germany, and the Netherlands. United Kingdom, E. Lumley, 1851.
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Revenant
The Revenant is a form of undead creature and at one time it was used as a synonym for “ghost.” Their name is a variation of the French “revenir” meaning “to return.” They return from the grave and can be physical or incorporeal. In Irish folklore, they are physically risen bodies that sometimes attend their own funerals. Other times they are undead, with some being vampiric in nature. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Vampire Mythology. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2017. Guiley, Rosemary. The Encyclopedia of Ghosts and Spirits. United States, Checkmark Books, 2007.
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Radiant Boys
The Radiant Boys are from Europe and Great Britain specifically and are the ghosts of children murdered by their mothers. They glow like phosphorus. They chase people for miles and lure them into bogs. Citations: Maberry, Jonathan. Vampire Universe: The Dark World of Supernatural Beings That Haunt Us, Hunt Us, and Hunger for Us. United States, Kensington Publishing Corporation, 2006.
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Poltergeist
The Poltergeist is a form of ghost whose name means “noisy ghost” in German. They make their presence known by moving things, breaking things, and even interacting physically with the living. Often they are defined as ghosts that cause mischief, sometimes unexplainable noises. They are sometimes believed in modern days to not be actual creatures, but examples of a phenomenon called RSPK, meaning Recurrent Spontaneous Psychokinesis. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Spirits and Ghosts in World Mythology. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016. Maberry, Jonathan. Vampire Universe: The Dark World of Supernatural Beings That Haunt Us, Hunt Us, and Hunger for Us. United States, Kensington Publishing Corporation, 2006.
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Mjertovjec
The Mjertovjec is an undead creature from the myths of Belarus. They have the features of vampires, werewolves, and witches, and are created when a werewolf or a witch dies. They may be the ghost of someone who cursed their father during church service. They are described as having purple faces. One could also become a Mjertovjec if they committed heresy, abandoned their faith, or committed crimes against God. They feed on human flesh and blood, hunting only at night. Mjertovjec can be destroyed by sprinkling poppy seeds on the road between their grave and their former house. They could also be killed by driving a nail into their coffin. Citations:…
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Mejenkwaad
The Mejenkwaad is a form of ghost or demon from the Marshall Islands. They are formed when the husbands of pregnant women leave, and do not return before the birth. After transforming, they devour their husbands as soon as they return. It was believed this was the fate of any lonely pregnant woman. There is a story of the island of Airok which had an incredibly high pregnancy death rate and was filled with Mejenkwaad. There were two women who never gave birth and lived to be old. They treated these Mejenkwaad as their daughters. They lived on the oceanside of Airok and none passed through that area because of…
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La Llorona
La Llorona is a well-known ghost from Latin America whose name means “the weeping woman.” It is believed she is the ghost of a woman who’s man left her after impregnating another woman. In an attempt to get revenge against him, she drowns their children in a pond. Due to her crime, she is bound to the area for eternity. She is thought to sing songs common to mothers to lure in children, often from under any body of water, and drags them to their deaths. Sometimes they would need to enter the water, but other times she would simply pounce on them as they get close to the waters…
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Knockers
The Knockers are a helpful form of Fae from Cornwall. They are believed to work alongside miners to help them find lost things and lead them to veins of ore. They tap against the walls to lead people to these veins. They are typically helpful but can be dangerous if annoyed. Knockers can be angered if someone whistles or swears, and they throw rocks until these offender apologizes. While most believe Knockers to be a form of Fae, there are other possible origins. – Some beliefs suggest that they are the spirits of Jewish people made to work in mines. – Some suggest they are the spirits of those who…
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Jerangkong
The Jerangkong are from Indonesian myth. They are ghosts in the form of human skeletons and are sometimes covered in blood or dirt. They make a chattering sound like hard wood hitting together. They create a gap in their graves and emerge in the form of smoke. They mean no harm. They burn on contact. They have various origins but are said to have been egg thieves in life. They will continue to steal eggs when in the form of the Jerangkong. They will not break the egg but will suck the egg out through the shells pores. Citations: A Book of Indonesian Ghosts. N.p., StoryTale Studios
