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Vermillion Bird/Zhūquè/Suzaku/Meng Chang Phoenix/Su-Zaku/Ling Kuang
The Vermillion Bird 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 White Tiger, Azure Dragon, and the Black Tortoise. It’s associated with the South, the color red, fire, and summer. It was thought to represent heat, passion, and love, and was also often connected to the Ogura-No-Ike pond. It resembles a large bird with big wings and a long tail, covered in bright red and orange feathers, and these features typically lead to this creature being related to, and confused with, the Phoenix. It has the associated mansions (these being associated with the…
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Mutated Martian Ants
The Mutated Martian Ants are creatures that supposedly live on the surface of Mars and in rocky caves. They walk semi-erect on back feet, stand at four feet tall, and have less than human intelligence. They were initially regular ants but became mutated by an atomic experiment. They were recounted by Ernest Norman who said he visited Mars. The Martians went to war with them due to their being too many of them that were really big. Citations: Callahan, Timothy D., a nd Prothero, Donald R.. UFOs, Chemtrails, and Aliens: What Science Says. United States, Indiana University Press, 2017.
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Murung River Bear
The Murung River Bear is a cryptid reported from the Murung River in Borneo, Indonesia. They are described as bear-like creatures that gather along the river once a year to feed on berries, while otherwise they live in the jungle. They can swim and have been known to attack boats and claw humans to death. Citations: Eberhart, George M.. Mysterious Creatures: A Guide to Cryptozoology. United Kingdom, ABC-CLIO, 2002.
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Mugharribun
The Mugharribun are a form of being from Islamic belief. They are though to be children born as hybrids of humans and Djinn. They were defined by the Prophet Muhammad as “those in whom is the strain of the Djinn.” Citations: Ansari, Moiz. Islam and the Paranormal. IUniverse, 2006. Grandy, David, et al. Magic, Mystery, and Science: The Occult in Western Civilization. United States, Indiana University Press, 2004.
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Qutrub
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Mu Pitz/Piamupits
Mu Pitz is a cannibalistic monster, possibly fitting the category of Cannibal Giant. It comes from the Comanche people, largely from Texas. Sometimes it is seen as a cave dwelling ogre, but other times it is believed to be a giant owl person. It liked to prey on humans and mostly children, and was often seen as an evil spirit who served as a bogeyman figure. It stood twelve feet tall, and was covered in hair and wasn’t actually fully an evil force but rather a big dangerous creature that in a way represented the balance of nature. Citations: Eberhart, George M.. Mysterious Creatures: A Guide to Cryptozoology. United Kingdom,…
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Moorundi Water Spirit
The Moorundi Water Spirit is an unnamed creature from the myths of the Moorundi people of Australia by the Murray River. This bizarre creature is sometimes related to stories of the Bunyip. The creature is dreaded by the local people and appears frequently. Despite the frequency of its appearances, it was supposedly difficult to describe, with the closest comparison being to a giant starfish. The story of this creature was documented by a naturalist named George French Angas in 1847. Citations: Angas, George French. Savage Life and Scenes in Australia and New Zealand: Being an Artist’s Impressions of Countries and People at the Antipodes. United Kingdom, Reed, 1847. Journal of…
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Mòkìlà/Mòkèlàkèlà
The Mòkìlà is a strange creature that comes from the Baka people of Cameroon. They are a sort of therianthropic creature being a person capable of turning into an elephant. When in their animal form, they are indistinguishable from normal elephants to the untrained eye. Their face and body odor however is often still distinctly human. They could also be recognized by the fact they have shallower footprints than regular elephants, and that they aren’t with other elephants. Killing a Mòkìlà elephant is considered murder since they are people. Some think when a Mòkìlà dies, it leaves behind a single human corpse. Some however believed that when a Mòkìlà dies…
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Mlokowy Smij
The Mlokowy Smij is a form of dragon from Lithuanian myth. They are good-natured and give milk to those they like, often women of high status. Citations: Grimm, Jacob. Teutonic Mythology. United Kingdom, George Bell, 1883. MacKenzie, Shawn. Dragons for Beginners: Ancient Creatures in a Modern World. United States, Llewellyn Worldwide, Limited, 2012.
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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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Milosnice/Merciful
The Milosnice is a creature of Slavic belief specifically from Serbia. They are thought to be invisible beings that bring disease. Though often invisible, they sometimes take the form of women dressed all in black. They may work alone but have also been known to work in groups to cause even worse disease. In some places it was believed they possessed people to cause illness while other times they spread disease by poisoning food or the air. It was often believed that every Milosnice carried one specific disease that they spread. If an outbreak began, the Milosnice responsible could be stopped by lighting fires at crossroads and the entrances to…
