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Zitny Smij
The Zitny Smij is a form of dragon from Lithuanian myth. It is known for being good natured, and its name means “corn dragon.” They bring corn to their favorite people and look like fire streaking across the sky. They are thought to be one of many forms of household dragons. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016. Lecouteux, Claude. The Tradition of Household Spirits: Ancestral Lore and Practices. United States, Inner Traditions/Bear, 2013. MacKenzie, Shawn. Dragons for Beginners: Ancient Creatures in a Modern World. United States, Llewellyn Worldwide, Limited, 2012.
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Zeroids
The Zeroids are a form of alien whose name was proposed by Dr. Franklin Ruehl. The Zeroids are theorized as a way to explain UFOs, saying they are living creatures originating in space. Prebiotics in gas clouds are thought to be their origins, and organic compounds that are known to exist in space could serve as building blocks for these creatures. They could be simple or complex creatures in their structure. Due to their origins out in the universe, it is possible these creatures could be older than any known species. It’s theorized that they consume intergalactic dust and gas, or possibly each other. It is thought they would have…
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Zduhać/Aloviti/Vjedogonja/Wind Chasers/Cloud Chaser/Hail Defender/Fairy Man/Dragon Man
The Zduhać are mythical figures from Slavic myth. They are described as people capable of protecting people, homes, and entire villages from rain and hail. They are often thought of as mythical creatures, like dragons or fairies, but in human form. Sometimes they were seen as prophets and connected to angels and saints. They are generally seen as heroic figures that look entirely human, though often melancholic, thoughtful, strong, resourceful, and resilient. A Zduhać could be detected from birth if they were born with the caul still on their head, and they would also often have an affinity to crows. Some believed however that a Zduhać could only be born…
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Yurei
The Yurei is a ghost from Japanese folklore. They are created when a person dies unexpectedly or is murdered or commits suicide. They return from death to enact revenge. They are often seen wearing white kimonos and headbands. This is due to the color white representing mourning. They also often have wild hair, solid upper bodies, fading lower bodies, and feet that are not visible. 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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Ypotamis
The Ypotamis is a creature from Medieval myth made from distorted accounts of hippopotami. They’re amphibious creatures that hunt humans for food. They are typically described as hybrids of horse and human. Citations: Barber, Richard, and Riches, Anne. A Dictionary of Fabulous Beasts. United Kingdom, Boydell Press, 1996. Rose, Carol. Giants Monsters and Dragons: An Encyclopedia Of Folklore Legend And Myth. United Kingdom, WW Norton, 2001.
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Yoda-Like Alien
The Yoda-Like Alien is a creature sighted on March 16, 1996 in Ottawa Canada. This account was reported to the Air Force. A child claimed that at 1:30 AM an alien entered his room though a second story window. The creature was described as 2.5-4.5 feet tall, with pointed ears, slanted almond shaped eyes, and three fingers on each hand. The picture drawn by the witness vaguely resembled Yoda from Star Wars. The alien supposedly took the child from his room and then to a UFO. The ship was described as “dovetail shaped” with pinkish orange pillowy walls that smelled like paint. There were five other aliens aboard, and all…
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Yeti/Abominable Snowman/Metoh Kangmi/Metch Kangmi
The Yeti is a cryptid from the Himalayas. It is known of in Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, and Sikkim. The name “Abominable Snowman” was a mistranslation made by Henry Newman in a 1921 column of the Calcutta Statesman newspaper. He mistakenly wrote Met-Tah Kangmi as Metoh-Kangmi, and the newspaper then changed it to Metch Kangmi. The name gained notoriety and led to a boom of expeditions. A yeti was first sighted by the Western world in 1921 by Lieutenant Colonel C. K. Howard Bury and his team. They saw the creature on a twenty-thousand-foot snow field on the Tibetan side of the mountains. They seem to live in stream filled valleys…
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Yeitso
Yeitso was born from a woman and a stone in Navajo myth. He was a scaly giant that lived by a lake. His name means “great genius” or “great god.” He could hurl lightning bolts. He was killed by Nayenezgani and Thobadzistshini with the help of Tsohanoai and they took his scalp. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016. Matthews, Washington. Navaho Legends. United States, American Folk-Lore Society, 1897.
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Yehwe Zogbanu
The Yehwe Zogbanu is a giant from the folklore of the Fon people. While Yehwe Zogbanu is an individual giant, it’s a part of a species of giants called Yehwe. Several of these giants were encountered by Ayigbili. They have thirty horns on their heads and bodies and live in the forest. They are territorial and hunt down humans that enter their terrirtory. The house of Yehwe Zogbanu specifically has a wall that opens only for people who have not eaten intestines. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Giants and Humanoids in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016. Herskovits, Frances Shapiro, and Herskovits, Melville Jean. Dahomean Narrative:…
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Yegorov Alien Monkeys
The Yegorov Alien Monkeys were sighted in Inner Mongolia in August 1945. They were sighted by a Soviet fighter pilot named Vasiliy Yegorov who got out of his ship before it crashed. He laid down in the brush and fell asleep, only to awake being unable to move his arms or legs. He lifted his head to see he was restrained by semi-transparent tape and around him was a sound like twittering birds. There were hundreds of small monkey-like humanoids holding knives that took him away. They stood 45 cm tall and lived in underground mazes. They claimed they were a part of the “Khanyangi” tribe. He lived among these…
