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Vatnaskratti
The Vatnaskratti is a mythical creature from South Iceland, around Skorradalsvatn and Hvítá, Borgarfjörður. It is sometimes considered a general name for a water monster and may be the same as the Nykur. They are easily beaten but try to drag humans and livestock into the water. Near Eyjafjallajökull, there is a Vatnaskratti resembling a skate. It is believed to be a monster as it doesn’t enter the water. Some witnesses claim to have seen the monsters in the water for several consecutive days, around Christmas Day 1858. In the same year, roughly nine seals started drifting headless out of Hvítá. Locals concluded that the monster of the nearby river…
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Utukku
The Utukku are spirits from Babylonian and Assyrian legends. They are formed when someone is murdered, and they cannot rest until they kill their murderers, or otherwise get vengeance. Some simply return from the grave of pure malicious intent and desire to feed on the living. They can be called forth with black magic or curses. They track down their killer and murder any human they encounter on the way. It’s thought they become stronger every time they kill and grow in their desire for power, sometimes choosing to remain on earth after finding their killer. They often take the form of a man or an animal. Citations: Maberry, Jonathan.…
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Humababa/Huwawa/Kumbaba
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Uthikoloshe/Oothikoloshe
The Uthikoloshe is a mythical creature from Bantu folklore. They’re short hairy hominids with muscular shoulders and chests, sloping foreheads, and bowed legs. They live in small mud huts by rivers or deep in the forest wearing sheepskin clothes and using primitive tools. They may also wear bright and shiny items stolen from their victims. They’re known for dancing and in some areas, it’s thought all women have an Utikoloshe as a secondary husband. They have their own language but can also speak Bantu, albeit with a notable lisp or slur. They often convince the children to play with them. They practice a unique form of witchcraft and commonly have…
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Ukobach
Ukobach is a low-ranking demon from the book Dictionnaire Infernal by Jacques Collin de Plancy. He is thought to have created fireworks and fried food. He is depicted covered in flames and tasked by Beelzebub with tending the oil in the cauldrons of Hell. He tortures the souls of the damned by throwing hot coals on them. Some beliefs describe him as the lamp oil used in jack-o-lanterns. Citations: Guiley, Rosemary. The Encyclopedia of Demons and Demonology. United States, Facts On File, Incorporated, 2009.
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The Two Boys Who Tricked A Tropical Demon
The Two Boys Who Tricked A Tropical Demon is a story recounted by Tonke Aisea. On the island of Wōnbar, two boys lived with their parents. Every day, the father found food for his family, and one day his sons asked him to bring home kōtkōt birds, so they could watch the birds fight. The children went to find birds to eat, and the father rowed off in his canoe to catch fish. He caught many fish and returned to trap a fighting bird for each of his sons. He gave his sons the birds and told them to avoid the North side of the island. The boys built a…
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Mejenkwaad
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Tulivieja
Tulivieja is a Bogeyman figure from the myths of Panama. She’s been known to steal misbehaving children out of their beds. One origin says there used to be a form of spirits that coexisted with humans peacefully until one female of these spirits became jealous of human women and created a mortal body for herself. She was very attractive and made men fall for her when she went into a town posing as a traveler. The human women became jealous of her, though they appreciated her quiet nature. She fell in love with a human man and became pregnant, but decided to drown the child immediately after its birth so…
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Tsuchinoko/Gigi-Hebi/Bachi-Hebi/Koro/Koro-Hebi/Tsuchi-Korobi
The Tsuchinoko is a Cryptid, or UMA, and Yokai from Japan. The name Tsuchinoko has been translated as “child of the earth,” “small mallet,” or “mallet child.” This name references a Japanese mallet called a tsuchi similar in shape to the creature’s body. They’re described as short, thick, snake-like creatures. Some describe them as incredibly poisonous and believe they can survive even when their heads are cut off. They’re known to be incredibly rare with many trying hard to prove their existence. There is an urban legend from Kanazawa stating that there is a slope where one night a man saw something tumbling down it. When he approached he saw…
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To Fu
To Fu is one of the Lwan from Chinese myth. These birds resemble large, graceful pheasants, which have different names based on their changing colors. This form is the yellow version, and goes alongside the Fung, Hwa Yih, Yin Chu, and Yu Siang. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
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Talas
Talas is a mythical figure from Northern Albanian myth. It’s name means “foaming wave” and personifies ocean winds. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016. Elsie, Robert. A dictionary of Albanian religion, mythology, and folk culture. New York, NYU Press, 2001.
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Gjakpirë
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Sukuyan
The Sukuyan is a vampiric form of witch from Trinidad and Tobago. They remove their skin to fly around at night in the form of a ball of light. They can also take the form of jungle cats, big dogs, and predatory night birds. They prey on sleeping humans but must return to skin before dawn, or perish. 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.
