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Kodama
The Kodama are yokai from Japanese myth. They’re described as tree spirits similar to the Dryads of Greek myth. They embody specific trees and act as their “personality.” Kodama may help people if given offerings. Trees with Kodama are marked with shimenawa ropes, so they aren’t cut down. Cutting down a Kodama tree is thought to bring misfortune. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Spirits and Ghosts in World Mythology. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
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Jet Baba/Turbo Granny
Jet Baba is a figure from a Japanese urban legend. Baba means old lady and may be translated as “hag” or “granny,” and “Jet” refers to her running speed. The story goes back to July 2001. In the story, a university student was returning home after visiting his parents for the holiday of Obon. To avoid traffic, he decided to take mountain roads at night. He pulled over to pee in some bushes, and when he finished, he looked up and saw a floating old woman in a white kimono. Her eyes were wide open and staring at him, and she was completely still. Upon closer inspection, he realized the…
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Jembalang Tanah/Jin Tanah
The Jembalang Tanah is a form of nature spirit from Malaysian myth. They’re considered dangerous and can cause epidemics and natural disasters. They can be forced to comply with agreements like demons. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Spirits and Ghosts in World Mythology. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
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Ekimmou/Edimmu/Ekimmu/Ekimu
The Ekkimou is a form of vampiric spirit from ancient Assyria. They’re thought to date back to 4000 b.c and are therefore among the oldest recorded myths. They’re ghost-like creatures, bitter and angry. It’s believed they are doomed to stalk the earth and desperately wish to be alive again. They attack and kill humans and may even stalk prey for years. Occasionally, they will leave for a time and return suddenly to taunt their prey with telekinetic abilities. Often they are created when burial procedures aren’t followed, families don’t give proper funerary offerings, or not enough funerary offerings, an improper burial, or simply not burying the body at all. It’s…
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La Cocollona
The Cocollona is a mythical creature from Girona, Spain. The legend originated in the 1980s. There was a girl, the child of a widower, who was taken to a monastery in Santa Clara. Her father had to leave and left her with the nuns. She grew up poor but didn’t care about this and instead just missed her dad. She had a secret door out of the Convent she used to sneak out on moonlit nights. Since the nuns were corrupt with the seven deadly sins, they became jealous of the girls’ happy retreat. They tried to follow her, but found the door had no lock or key. They became…
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Yule Lads
The Yule Lads are ogre-like creatures from Icelandic myth. The stories of these figures first appeared around the year 1600. Over time, they became viewed as the children of the figures Grýla and Leppalúði, who raised them to spread their evil. The number of lads and their order used to vary from place to place, sometimes numbering in the hundreds. Sometimes they are harmless pranksters, but many early accounts describe them as brutal monsters. They killed, tortured, and carried off bad children to kill and eat in bloody ways. It’s thought that it may have been a tradition to tell stories, with everyone one-upping the previous one in cruelty. Eventually,…
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Liqimsa
The Liqimsa were two man-eating monsters from the Borana Oromo people of Ethiopia. These creatures would consume anything and were believed to be brothers. They are monsters that fit into the category of African mythical creatures known as “Swallowers.” This refers to their voracious appetites. It’s believed this story represents the Borana Oromo being smart enough to beat other tribes. The Borana people lived North of a region called Liibaan, described as being between the Dawa Parma and Gannaale Doria rivers, from Kibre Mengist to Filtu. One day, they were attacked by monsters known as the Liqimsa. They were described as resembling elephants, and being taller than mountains with club-like…
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Zburator
The Zburator is a vampiric creature from Romanian folklore similar to an incubus. Its name means “flying thing,” and they are described as resembling handsome young men with black eyes and hair, and wings. When flying across the night sky, they’re said to resemble shooting stars. They visit girls and women at night to have sex. Doing this drains the victim of their life essence, and repeated visits slowly cause the victim to become ill and waste away. They can be repelled by leaving garlic on the windowsill. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016. Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia…
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Yuki-Onna/Yuki-Ona/Yuki-Joro/Yuk-Musume/Yuki-Onba/Yukionna/Yuki-Onne/Yukinko
The Yuki-Onna is a ghostly Yokai from Japanese myth. Its name translates to “snow woman.” They are typically described as beautiful and tall women with long hair and unnaturally pale skin. They hover above the ground, wearing a pure white kimono or appearing totally naked. Sometimes they may be seen cradling a child. They aggressively hunt human victims, but are only active in the winter months. They are perfectly camouflaged in the snow, especially with their ability to shapeshift into a cloud of mist or falling snow. They lead travelers astray, either leaving them to die of hypothermia or speeding up the process with their icy breath. They are known…
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Xolotl
Xolotl is a deity from Aztec mythology. He was viewed as a disguise of, and twin to, Quetzalcoatl. Typically, he was depicted with deformities such as backwards feet and hands, and ears pointing in different directions. Because of these features, he was associated with dwarves and hunchbacks. He was thought to have given humans fire, but is still described as monstrous in nature. It was believed he would accompany Quetzalcoatl into the underworld to collect bones. He was known to chase the sun through the day and catch it every night. He would then drag it into the underworld until the morning. When the gods sacrificed themselves to create mankind,…
