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Fachan
The Fachan is a strange creature from Scottish myth. They stand taller than the average person and run around on one large leg, managing to hop faster than anyone could run. They also have a singular muscular arm that bursts from their chests with an unbreakable grip. They have singular cycloptic eyes and use these to paralyze their victims to then consume. They mostly target travelers who move through their mountainous homes, and the only ones who survive their attacks are those agile enough to dodge out of their way.
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.
Faery Dragon/Fey Dragon/Fairy Dragon/Penny Dragon
The Faery Dragon is a creature commonly from South American folklore. They resemble the typical European Dragon but range from the size of a mouse to a foot long. They also have two sets of wings resembling a dragonfly or butterfly, long tapered snouts, large iridescent eyes, and coloration matching their surroundings. Their scales are thought to reflect rainbows in the correct light.
Citations:
Zell-Ravenheart, Oberon, and DeKirk, Ashley. Dragonlore: From the Archives of the Grey School of Wizardry. United States, Red Wheel Weiser, 2006.
El Fantasma Malo
El Fantasma Malo is a form of ghost from El Salvador created when someone builds a house and later dies in it. It’s thought that the effort they put into the building is what ties them to it and leads them to refuse to give up the house to anyone else. They often pull down blankets, throws things, hides things, and move around furniture. It’s thought they may hover over sleeping children in the form of a thick mist and make it hard for them to breathe, making them ill. They may also inhale the breath of a child to steal its life force which causes them to become sick and die. These children could only be healed by a priest, though it’s possible El Fantasma Malo could have been used to explain SIDS. It has also been reported breathing on people like a dog, spraying water, and scaring farm animals.
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.
Farkaskoldus
The Farkaskoldus is a vampiric form of werewolf from Hungary. Its name translates to “wolf beggar.” Oftentimes they are undead creatures that in life, were abused shepherds. Sometimes a person could become a Farkaskoldus if they consumed the flesh of someone who was executed. They return from the dead to right some serious wrong and are known to be incredibly dangerous and easy to anger. Sometimes the spirit that brings them back will fade quickly after getting revenge. They can take the form of a cat, dog or goat, and they use these forms to discreetly seek out prey. After finding prey, typically sleeping people, they sit on the person’s chest and drain their blood. After they’ve finished feeding and morning comes, they return to their graves to rest. They can be killed with normal weapons but are incredibly hard to kill one on one and often need to be killed by a large group. If exhumed, the Farkaskoldus shows little sign of decay either visually or in smell and are filled with fresh blood. They can be killed if the body is burned to ash or soaked in holy water. Sometimes a wooden stake would be driven through the heart or a nail driven through the skull before burning the body to ash. Some sever the limbs and head, remove the heart through the back, and then burn the body. Some however simply place the body in a sack and throw it into a river.
Citations:
Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Vampire Mythology. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2017.
Kenyon, Theda. Witches Still Live: A Study of the Black Art Today. United Kingdom, Rider & Company, 1931.
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.
Féar Gortagh/Fair Gortha/Fear Gortach/Fod Gortach/Fairy Grass/Hungry Grass
The Féar Gortagh is from Irish myth. It’s thought to be a patch of grass where someone died a violent or unnatural death, though it is indistinguishable from any other grass. It drains the life force of its victims, with them sometimes dying if they don’t immediately eat or drink something. Some believe that any who step on Fèar Gortagh becomes so hungry they eat themselves.
Citations:
Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Mythological Objects. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2020.
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.
Felixstowe Fire Demon
The Felixstowe Fire Demon is an alien sighted by Michael Johnson. He was riding in a car with Geoffrey Maskey and Mavis Fordyce. The car stopped on Walton Avenue in Felixstowe Essex at 10:30 at night. Johnson randomly left the car without a word and walked into the woods. Minutes later a high-pitched humming noise was heard. Maskey looked out the car window to find the source and saw a brightly glowing orange oval shaped object. The UFO was 6 feet long and 100 feet off the ground. The object quickly disappeared into the trees, but the sound could still be heard. Johnson soon emerged from the woods gripping his neck and eyes and collapsed into the road. He was taken to the hospital and diagnosed with severe shock. He had burns on the back of his neck and bumps below his right ear. Later Johnson described a “force” pulling him from the car, and a man in flames pointing at him.
Citations:
Aliens. United Kingdom, Parragon Book Service Limited, 1996.
Fenrir/Fenris Wolf/Hródvitnir
Fenrir is a giant monstrous wolf from Norse mythology. Fenrir is a wolf so large his jaws stretch from the ground to the sky. He was born as one of the children of Loki and Angrboda. Some believe Fenrir embodied the chaotic and destructive aspects of nature, and represented subterranean fire. Some see the binding of Fenrir as symbolic of humanity trying to contain nature. Fenrir was taken to Asgard by Odin, with the intent of taming him. He grew to remarkable size and ferocity, so much so that almost all the gods were too afraid to approach him. Tyr was the only one not afraid, and was the one to feed him. Soon the gods decided Fenrir needed to be removed from Asgard, but didn’t want to kill him. The gods presented a challenge to Fenrir to see if he could break the bindings they presented. The first two chains failed immediately, but the third was a magical binding made by the Dwarves. It was made from the sound of cats moving, spit from a bird, the beard of a woman, roots from a mountains, and breath from fishes. The paradoxical nature made it incredibly powerful though it resembled lithe silken flax. They took Fenrir to an isolated island, and challenged him with this magic binding. Fenrir became suspicious at the seemingly weak binding, and only agreed to the challenge if Tyr would place his hand in Fenrir’s mouth as collateral. After he was bound, Fenrir found that the bindings tightened as he struggled, and bit Tyrs hand off. Some think that Tyr losing his hand to Fenrir is symbolic, him being the god of justice and Fenrir representing violent crime. The gods chained down the binding and used a sword to gag Fenrir. At the time of Ragnarok, it is thought that Fenrir will swallow Odin. He will then be killed when the son of Thor named Vidar, pries opens his mouth.
Citations:
Andrews, Tamra. Dictionary of Nature Myths: Legends of the Earth, Sea, and Sky. United Kingdom, Oxford University Press, 2000.
Leeming, David. The Oxford companion to world mythology. Spain, Oxford University Press, USA, 2005.
Redmond, Shirley Raye. Norse Mythology. United States, Greenhaven Publishing LLC, 2012.
Fetch
The Fetch is a supernatural creature from Scottish myth. They are thought to be made of all the negative qualities and traits of a person. Everyone is believed to have one, but it is suppressed by conscious and societal laws. If someone is disturbed or unbalanced enough, the Fetch can separate from the person and become a whole separate being. Sometimes they remain completely invisible and whisper temptations into the ear of their better half. This may cause one to believe they are insane, or cause them to become insane. They can move objects and harm people and can also manifest looking identical to their better half.
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.
Fext/Kostlivec
Fext are a form of undead from Eastern Bohemia and Western Moravia. Their other name, Kostlivec, simply means “skeleton” which is a less specific term. It is believed that babies with their amniotic sac still around them at birth are likely to become Fext. Their corpses do not decompose after death. Their skin is like a hardened shell, and they cannot be killed with normal bullets but can be killed with a glass ball or peg. Many of them are connected to the thirty years war.
Citations:
Marenčin, Albert, and Stejskal, Martin. Labyrintem tajemna, aneb, Průvodce po magických místech Československa. Czechia, Paseka, 1991.
Fish-Fox
The Fish-Fox is a silly creature from Lumberjack Folklore. It has the “scientific name” Piscivulpus coertduboisia. They can be commanded like dogs. They dive into the water and make sounds like an angleworm. They then return to the shore, causing the fish to follow it back onto land, leaving themselves completely vulnerable to anyone to kill.
Citations:
Yarns of the Big Woods, Written and Illustrated by Art Childs
Flittericks/Flitterick
Flittericks are small creatures that come from Lumberjack Folklore. They are believed to be an odd form of flying squirrel. They are noted for being able to move so fast they’re impossible to avoid. They can hit hard enough to kill another creature, but also kill themselves in the process.
Citations:
The American People: Stories, Legends, Tales, Traditions and Songs. United Kingdom, Taylor & Francis, 2020.
Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
Matthews, John, and Matthews, Caitlin. The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures: The Ultimate A-Z of Fantastic Beings from Myth and Magic. United Kingdom, Harper Element, 2009.
Rose, Carol. Giants Monsters and Dragons: An Encyclopedia Of Folklore Legend And Myth. United Kingdom, WW Norton, 2001.
Ruickbie, Leo. The Impossible Zoo: An Encyclopedia of Fabulous Beasts and Mythical Monsters. United Kingdom, Little, Brown Book Group, 2016.
Flugdreki
The Flugdreki is a form of dragon from Norse myth. Its name translates to “flying serpent” and is separate from the Dreki and Ormr. They have been known to attack those out at sea and can often be killed like any other creature.
Citations:
Fee, Christopher R.. Mythology in the Middle Ages: Heroic Tales of Monsters, Magic, and Might. United States, Praeger, 2011.
Vídalín, Arngrímur. The Supernatural in Íslendingasögur. Iceland, Tower Press, 2012.
Foddenskkmaend/Holder-Folk/Hollow-Men/Underground-People
The Foddenskkmaend are trolls of the Faroe Islands. They are believed to kidnap humans and take them to their underground lairs.
Citations:
Conway, D.J.. Ancient Art of Faery Magick. United States, Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed, 2005.
Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Fairies in World Folklore and Mythology. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2013.
Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Giants and Humanoids in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
Keightley, Thomas. The Fairy Mythology: Illustrative of the Romance and Superstition of Various Countries. United Kingdom, H.G. Bohn, 1850.
Fog-Hog
The Fog-Hog is a creature from Lumberjack Folklore. It is known by the “scientific name” Purcusnebulus vancerandolphi. They are believed to inhabit Star Lake in Wisconsin. When the fog gets dense enough for fish to swim through it like water, the Fog-Hog follows to prey on them. They only eat fish and have a ravenous appetite. People who live in this area have to close their windows to keep the fish from swimming into their houses to keep the Fog-Hog from entering.
Citations:
Yarns of the Big Woods, Written and Illustrated by Art Childs
Fyglia
The Fyglia is a form of undead from Iceland. They’re flesh eating creatures whose name means “following spirit.” They climb roofs and kick off shingles when searching for prey. To kill a Fyglia, it must be captured, decapitated, and reburied with the head placed under the body.
Citations:
Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Vampire Mythology. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2017.