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Polaski Aliens
The Polaski Aliens were strange alien beings sighted in Greensburg Pennsylvania in 1973. They were seen by a farmer who sighted a bright red ufo hovering over his field. He went to investigate with his two children, when the light flew low and they got out of their car. The UFO then flew towards them and it was noted to have sounded like a lawnmower. While the witnesses were watching the UFO, one of the children saw two bear-like, seven foot tall creatures with dark hair and yellowish green eyes standing behind a nearby fence. They smelled like burning rubber and made a noise like a whining baby. These figures…
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Pishtaco
The Pishtaco is a legend from Peru and the Andes Mountains. They are described as looking like tall white men wearing long white coats which they use to hide knives. They are known to be aggressive and are considered very powerful. They sleep a lot and drink large amounts of milk. They are known to steal children, and sever their heads and limbs until there’s only a torso. They remove the body fat from their victims to run machinery and cover church bells. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Vampire Mythology. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2017.
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Piranu
The Piranu is an aggressive and territorial form of monstrous fish from Argentina. They have large black fish-like bodies with the heads of horses and large eyes. They live in deep freshwater rivers, and ram any boats which gets too close. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
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Piast/Biast/Bestia
The Piast is a monstrous creature from Irish myth. They are described as giant lake monsters, being part salmon and part serpent. They are also thought to be capable of breathing fire. It is believed Piast are one of the kinds of monsters banished by St. Patrick until judgment day. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
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Phantom Clowns/Killer Clowns
The Phantom Clowns are an odd phenomenon encountered in New England, 1981. Many others were seen in various locations during the spring of 1981. Witnesses described various clowns attempting to lure away children, often into vans. They were noted to have targeted elementary school children, often trying to lure children in with candy. Some brandished weapons. They evaded capture and detection by any, other than potential victims. Despite their name, they are believed to be flesh and blood. They do however add a layer of validity to a larger Urban Legend of killer clowns. Citations: American Myths, Legends, and Tall Tales: An Encyclopedia of American Folklore [3 Volumes]: An Encyclopedia…
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Pesanta
The Peasant is a strange creature from Catalonian myth. They act similar to the Alp or Mara, sitting on peoples chest at night. This action causes nightmares and breathing troubles. They appear as giant black dogs or cats. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
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Peng/P’eng
Peng is gigantic bird from Chinese myth. It is thought to have started its life as a fish named K’un. Its back measures thousands of leagues across, and the ocean moves in conjunction with its wing flaps. It flies so high that it can’t tell if the sky is blue. It lives in a place known as North Gloom and migrates to a place known as South Gloom. This migration causes whirlwinds and tsunamis. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
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Peluda/La Velue/Shaggy Beast/The Shaggy Beast Of La Ferte-Bernard/Peallaidh/Pehuda
The Peluda is a large dragon thought to have lived near the Huisine River in the village of La Ferte-Bernard, France. This creature was spoken of in Medieval times, and it was thought that it refused a ride on Noah’s ark but still survived the great flood. It was thought to have had four stubby legs, quills covering its back, a scaly tail, shaggy green fur, turtle claws, and the ability to breath fire. It was so large that it flooded nearby farms when it entered the river. One day, it ate a young maiden, whose fiancé sought out a wise woman to find the creature’s weakness. He was told…
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Pau-Walu
Pau-Walu lived by the Wailua river in Maui, Hawaii. His name translates to “eight dead”. He warned people going fishing that a shark would kill eight of them, and then he turned into a shark and killed eight of them. People quickly figured out what’s going on, and he was confronted, captured, and bound by a hero known as Hau-Ola the Strong then thrown into a fire. Citations: Beckwith, Martha Warren. Hawaiian Mythology. United States, University of Hawaii Press, 1976.
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Pastinaca
The Pastinaca was a creature from medieval belief. They look like weasels but are the size of elephants. They smell so terrible that they kill trees just by being near them. Citations: Cawson, Frank. The Monsters in the Mind: The Face of Evil in Myth, Literature and Contemporary Life. United Kingdom, Book Guild, 1995. Gilmore, David D.. Monsters: Evil Beings, Mythical Beasts, and All Manner of Imaginary Terrors. United States, University of Pennsylvania Press, Incorporated, 2012.
