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Sal’awa/Salawa/Al-Salaawa/Al-Salawwa/Silawa
The Sal’awa is a mysterious creature from Egypt. Their name means “she-wolf” in Arabic. Sometimes they are related to Djinn, while others view them as a cryptid. They’re described as nocturnal dog-like animals sometimes resembling a cross between a jackal and an anteater. They have square ears, a drooping nose, a hyena-like muzzle, big canine teeth with prominent fangs, and a poofy forked tail. They are roughly the size of dogs with beige or black fur, and back legs longer than the front. They are thought to live in the desert and are often related to depictions of the Egyptian god Set. They are known to attack and kill humans, especially children. They were first sighted in the 1960s and then disappeared for decades with some attacks in 2005 blamed on Sal’awa. Biologists have suggested sightings of Sal’awa are based on foxes, feral dogs, or other canine hybrids.
Citations:
Eberhart, George M.. Mysterious Creatures: A Guide to Cryptozoology. United Kingdom, ABC-CLIO, 2002.
Lebling, Robert. Legends of the Fire Spirits: Jinn and Genies from Arabia to Zanzibar. United Kingdom, I.B.Tauris, 2010.
Salvager Sucker
The Salvager Sucker is a strange fish from Lumberjack Folklore which is considered rare and endangered. They are found in the water of Discovery Bay in the Puget Sound. They measure two feet long with powerful fins, and a tail that moves up and down. They notably have a growth like a suction cup just below the mouth. They use these growths to produce a suction so strong it creates a seal that can only be broken with dynamite. With this seal, it makes strong movements through the water and can lift incredibly heavy objects out of the water. It’s believed they can be trained by tying a rope to them and giving them a treat when it brings things up from the water. They became endangered because many were caught and taken to try and get pearls in Southern Seas.
Citations:
The Seattle Star, “Speaking of Fish, Old Reader of Star Writes of Salvager Sucker, Which Does the Work of Steam Derrick.” April 08, 1913.
San Carlos Magnetic Alien
The San Carlos Magnetic Alien was sighted in San Carlos, Salta, Argentina by Omar Ferlatti and Walter Lopez. They encountered a short glowing humanoid figure standing 40 cm tall. It stood in a field and seemed to be surrounded by a magnetic field that prevented the witness from approaching. The figure had human-like features, a pointy nose, round black eyes, thin lips, and copper-colored hair that was parted in the middle and pointed up on both sides. It wore a tight coverall with two brown tones and a tight-fitting wide belt around the waist. It had long arms and long fingers without nails and the feet were not visible. Another person in the area reported sighting a similar being.
Citations:
Rosales, Albert S. Humanoid Encounters 2000-2009: The Others Amongst Us. N.p., Amazon Digital Services LLC – Kdp, 2021.
Sanguisuga
The Sanguisuga is a Latin form of vampire. The name means “blood sucker” though it’s sometimes referred to as a “horse leech.” The term was used before the word Vampire was popularized, and likely referred to a Vampire or some other blood sucking demon. They are related to bats, and if pierced they pour out the blood they’ve consumed.
Citations:
Arnold, Thomas Kerchever, et al. A Copious and Critical English – Latin Lexicon, Founded on the German-Latin Dictionary of Dr. C.E. Georges. United Kingdom, Longmans, Green, and Company, 1865.
Bunson, Matthew. The Vampire Encyclopedia. United Kingdom, Gramercy Books, 2000.
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.
Summers, Montague. The Vampire: His Kith and Kin. United Kingdom, Read Books Limited, 2020.
Summers, Montague. Vampire In Europe. United Kingdom, Taylor & Francis, 2013.
Summers, Montague. The Vampire in Lore and Legend. United States, Dover Publications, 2012.
Sea Bishop/Bishop Fish
The Sea Bishop is a bizarre creature from Medieval times. It resembles a large fish with a head resembling a bishop’s miter hat, pectoral fins ending in claws, and a tail resembling legs ending in fishermen boots. Some were thought to have been captured in the Baltic Sea. There is an incident of Sea Bishops pleading for freedom from actual bishops and succeeding. Another was captured and refused to eat until it died.
Citations:
Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
Rosen, Brenda. Mythical Creatures Bible: The Definitive Guide to Legendary Beings. Taiwan, Sterling, 2009.
Serket
Serket is a minor goddess of scorpions and other venomous things. People call to her if they get hurt by something venomous. She is depicted as a woman with a scorpion on her head primed and ready to strike. She protected the throne of the king in the form of a scorpion. In a select few other interpretations she has been depicted as a woman, holding knives, with the head of a lioness and a crocodile head coming out of her back. She is the mother to a god named Nehebu-Kau, and she is also seen as a minor death goddess who guards the canopic jars or the god Qebehsenuef.
Citations:
Hart, George. The Routledge Dictionary of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses. N.p., Taylor & Francis, 2005
Jordan, Michael. Encyclopedia of Gods: Over 2,500 Deities of the World. United Kingdom, Kyle Cathie, 2005.
Shampe
The Shampe are from Choctaw myth. They are massive hairy wildmen with incredibly good senses. Their vision is like that of an eagle. They can smell blood from miles away and will relentlessly stalk anyone who is injured or who has freshly killed game. They are sometimes described as having coarse hair, but sometimes described as hairless. They have hiding places and only emerge from them to consume human flesh. They are weakened and made sick by sunlight, so they only hunt at night. They are relentless in hunting prey once they’ve set their sights on something. They are virtually indestructible aside from their weakness to the sun. The best thing to do if being stalked by one because of having a fresh kill is to immediately drop the game and run. If one is attracted to an injured person, they must kill an animal immediately and leave it to lure the Shampe away.
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.
Shinigami
The Shinigami are Yokai of death from Japanese myth. They are sometimes seen as spirits of the dead that possess the living and seek to harm them. They typically resemble humans with pale grey skin and inhuman features. They are drawn to death and linger around areas where people have just died. They thrive in areas where particularly gruesome deaths have occurred, as they haunt areas tainted by evil and look for people to possess. They haunt people and alter their behavior causing them to become obsessed with death and their own sins, eventually leading to suicide. They particularly like targeting bad people but will target anyone. Anyone who sees a Shinigami is doomed to a violent death. There is a specific legend from the Kumamoto prefecture that says that if someone attends a vigil with the body present, a Shinigami will follow them home. If they do not leave out a cup of tea or bowl or rice, then the Shinigami will possess them.
Citations:
The Fox’s Wedding: A Compendium Of Japanese Folklore by Matthew Meyer
Shovel-Faced Oscar
The Shovel-Faced Oscar is a strange creature from Lumberjack Folklore. It has the “scientific name” Caputpala borgesia. They are creatures with four legs and a face shaped like a shovel that lives solely underwater. They use their shovel-like faces to dig out the burrows where bass then leave their eggs. Supposedly they are named after a man named Oscar Wicklem, who was one of the first people to encounter this creature.
Citations:
Yarns of the Big Woods, Written and Illustrated by Art Childs
Sidehill Gouger
The Sidehill Gouger is a creature from Lumberjack Folklore. It has the “scientific name” Membriinequales declivitatis. Their legs are longer on one side of the body than they are on the other. This allows them to live on steep cliffs and spiral around them on ledges instead of climbing straight up, as they can only go in one direction. They are known to dig holes into the sides of these hills and feed on the rabbits that fall in. They are only though to come out on dark moonlit nights. If confronted from the front and clubbed, they will tumble down the hill and be unable to right themselves again.
Citations:
Yarns of the Big Woods, Written and Illustrated by Art Childs
Skatene
The Skatene is a bogeyman figure from the Choctaw Native Americans. Her story teaches children to not trust strangers, even if they seem nice. She appears as an old woman who could turn herself into an owl. There is a story where she befriends a child to gain access to the household, and then cut the fathers head off. She then fled with the severed head in a basket and threatened to blind any animals who asked about it. Some wildcats confronted her and ignored the threat. They saw the severed head and one held her down while the others grabbed a club. Skatene managed to escape in the form of an owl before she could be beaten to death.
Citations:
Rose, Carol. Giants, Monsters, and Dragons: An Encyclopedia of Folklore, Legend, and Myth. United Kingdom, Norton, 2001.
Sullivan, Irene F., and Gill, Sam D.. Dictionary of Native American Mythology. United Kingdom, Oxford University Press, 1994.
Skeljaskrímsli
The Skeljaskrímsli is a creature from Iceland whose name means “shell monster.” They are described as stocky creatures with large heads and huge mouths which are sometimes described as similar to that of a hippopotamus. Seashells cling to their scales, skin, hair, and they make a clinking and rattling sound as they move.
Citations:
Greene, A. Kendra. The Museum of Whales You Will Never See: And Other Excursions to Iceland’s Most Unusual Museums. United States, Penguin Publishing Group, 2020.
Skinwalker/Yeenaaldlooshii
The Skinwalker comes from Navajo, Hopi, and Pueblo myth. Though they are known for taking the form of coyotes, they can also take other animal forms. Some believed the Anasazi were these shapeshifters and the word Anasazi either means “ancient enemies” or “ancient ones.” Skinwalkers were inherently viewed as evil, but in more recent times they are not always seen that way. They wear the skin of wolves or coyotes to transform.
Citations:
Brown, Nathan Robert. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Werewolves. United Kingdom, DK Publishing, 2009.
Steiger, Brad. The Werewolf Book: The Encyclopedia of Shape-Shifting Beings. United Kingdom, Visible Ink Press, 2011.
Sköll
Sköll is a giant wolf from Norse mythology. His name means “repulsion” and he chases the sun trying to devour it. He is a son of Fenrir and is paired with his brother Hati. The giantess Iarnsaxa feeds him the marrow from adulterers and murderers. Eclipses are caused when he or his brother nearly succeed, and people would make loud noise to scare them off. It is thought that at Ragnarok both will succeed and devour the celestial bodies, setting off three years of winter.
Citations:
Dougherty, Martin J.. Norse Myths: Viking Legends of Heroes and Gods. United Kingdom, Amber Books Ltd, 2016.
Guerber, Hélène Adeline. Myths of the Norsemen: From the Eddas and Sagas. United Kingdom, G. G. Harrap, 1912.
Lindow, John. Norse Mythology: A Guide to Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs. United Kingdom, Oxford University Press, USA, 2002.
Skovtrolde
The Skovtrolde are creature from the myths of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. They are trolls found only in the densest areas of the woods, and their name fittingly means “wood trolls.” They’re malicious creatures who constantly try to hurt humans.
Citations:
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.
Keightley, Thomas. The world guide to gnomes, fairies, elves, and other little people. United States, Avenel Books, 1978.
Skrat
The Skrat is a form of ghost from Scandinavian myth and a variation of the Myling. They toy with people at night, typically appearing at midnight and especially during the winter. They are known to hang on sledges and make the horses tired from the added weight. Once the horse is tired, the Skrat disappears while laughing. They have horse-like laughs and if someone finds treasure, the laugh of the Skrat can make it vanish.
Citations:
Northern Mythology: Comprising the Principal Popular Traditions and Superstitions of Scandinavia, North Germany, and the Netherlands. United Kingdom, E. Lumley, 1851.
Slide Rock Bolter
The Slide Rock Bolter is a creature from Lumberjack Folklore which are said to be found in Colorado. They live in mountains on inclines of at least 45 degrees. They have large heads, small eyes, mouths like a sculpin (a kind of fish) and tails with two tail flippers shaped like hooks. They anchor themself at the top of mountains and wait for people to pass underneath. When this happens, they drool down the mountain and slide down this saliva to consume their prey. After is slides down, it uses its momentum to slide up the next mountain and latch itself on to repeat the process.
Citations:
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.
Snow Wasset/Snow Wassit
The Snow Wasset is a creature from Lumberjack Folklore. They live in Canada and spend winter in the great lakes region and hibernate in the summer. During hibernation their hair turns green and curly, and they grow small legs to make burrows in cranberry bogs. They emerge from hibernation after the first snowfall and move through the snow like a porpoise. They hunt in packs to catch and consume grouse, rabbits, and when in desperate situations, wolves. They are known to have voracious appetites and are thought to be four times more dangerous than a wolverine.
Citations:
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.
South River Sprinting Alien
The South River Sprinting Alien became known 10 years after it was encountered. It was described in a letter from the witness dated November 2, 1973, and was sent to Dr. J. Allen Hynek who was the Chairman of the Department of Astronomy at Northwestern University. The letter was put aside due to countless sightings occurring and not addressed until April 1975. Ted Brocher with the assistance of Hynek and the Center for UFO Studies, contacted the witness for an interview. The witness had a degree in forestry and chose to remain anonymous. He crossed the South River and had his encounter at 11 pm. He was driving on South Amboy Road at 50-60 mph when he saw a bright light off the side of the road like a flashlight. He turned to look and immediately three silvery figures crossed the road in front of him running to a wet area. The light was separate from the beings. They were 3.5-4 feet tall and didn’t run like a normal human. It was estimated to move twice as fast as the fastest sprinter. Their legs seemed like they fluttered across the road rather than running and they had small legs that moved almost like pistons, while the feet were obscured. The legs were spindly but still had a defined shape with the calf and thigh visible, but the knee less clear. They glowed slightly in the headlights, like a reflective silver. The head was round and their arms moved like a typical human running. They had no butts and tight-fitting 1 piece garments. Other features were unclear and they were only seen in profile. The witness stopped a mile down the road but decided not to investigate due to fear.
Citations:
Bloecher, Ted. The Humanoids at South River, New Jersey: Friday, October 23, 1963. New York: The Author, 1975a.
Specs
Specs is a cryptid and possible Lazarus taxon. It was sighted in Florida in 1959. It was seen in a large underwater cave at about 35 feet deep. It was reported to have a cylindrical body measuring five and a half feet long, eight spiny legs, and stood three feet off the sea floor. It had a pointed head with stalks that have brown spotted eyes the size of silver dollars on the end. It was called Specs by the press due to a team going back to try to get ‘specs’ on the creature. It has been compared to the Spiny Lobster, or the Japanese Spider Crab, both being seen as unlikely answers. Other theories are that it was possibly a living specimen of an extinct species known as Sea Scorpions.
Citations:
Newton, Michael. Florida’s Unexpected Wildlife: Exotic Species, Living Fossils, and Mythical Beasts in the Sunshine State. United States, University Press of Florida, 2007.
Speedemon
The Speedemon is a creature from Lumberjack Folklore. It has the “scientific” name Rapidusdemonicus dorsonae. They have round bodies with five legs. They love chasing around small animals just for fun. They can often be heard in the evening spinning around as if in a cartwheel. They are thought to be incredibly hard to spot because of their rapid speed.
Citations:
Yarns of the Big Woods, Written and Illustrated by Art Childs
Squonk
The Squonk is a sad creature from Lumberjack Folklore. They can be found most commonly in Pennsylvania. They have loose, wrinkly skin covered in moles and warts. They only travel at dusk and at night, and they constantly cry because of their ugly appearance. They can be found if hunters follow the paths left by their tears. When captured or cornered, they cry so much that their body dissolves.
Citations:
Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
Steipereidur
The Steipereidur is a form of sea monster from medieval times. They’re described as a gentle and tame form of whale, that fought other sea monsters who endangered fishermen. They measure at least 100 cubits (roughly 147 feet) in length and have the scientific name “Balænopetra sibbaldi.” It was forbidden to hunt this creature, but it was thought their meat tastes like beef.
Citations:
Carpenter, Alfred, and Wilson-Barker, David. Nature Notes for Ocean Voyagers: Being Personal Observations Upon Life in “the Vasty Deep” and Fishes, Birds, and Beasts Seen from a Ship’s Deck; with Popular Chapters on Weather, Waves, and Legendary Lore. United Kingdom, C. Griffin, limited, 1915.
Jenkins, James Travis. A History of the Whale Fisheries: From the Basque Fisheries of the Tenth Century to the Hunting of the Finner Whale at the Present Date. United Kingdom, H.F. & G. Witherby, 1921.
Topsell, Edward. The Elizabethan Zoo: A Book of Beasts Both Fabulous and Authentic. United Kingdom, F. Etchells & H. Macdonald, 1926.
Stregoni Benefici
The Stregoni Benefici is a unique supernatural creature from Italian belief. Sometimes they are seen as an Italian variation of the Krsnik. Their name translates to “beneficial vampire.” They are thought to be a form of living vampire, or half vampire, that repents from evil and is forgiven by the church. They abstain from drinking blood and become powerful monster hunters. Sometimes they aren’t actually vampires at all and are simply humans who dedicate their life to vampire hunting.
Citations:
Bunson, Matthew. The Vampire Encyclopedia. United Kingdom, Gramercy Books, 2000.
Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Vampire Mythology. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2017.
Gothic Shakespeares. Ukraine, Taylor & Francis, 2008.
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.
Oinas, Felix J.. Essays on Russian folklore and mythology. Columbus, Slavica Publishers, 1985.
Striga/Strigen/Strigle(pl)
The Striga are powerful shapeshifting witches from Hebrew and Roman myth. Its name comes from the Italian word “strega” meaning “witch” which also serves as the root word to many other mythical creatures. They resemble old women, and it is unclear whether they are living creatures or undead. They can transform into birds like magpies and crows, but often take the form of owls which they are commonly represented as. They are thought to be intelligent and very strong, and they drain the blood of children. When children are attacked by the Striga, they are either drained of blood or cursed to waste away and die. It’s thought they cannot enter a child’s room if whitethorn is placed in the window. They often form covens of roughly 7-9 and would gather together to dance, celebrate, and fly off to hunt for children in glowing forms called “witch lights.”
Citations:
Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Vampire Mythology. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2017.
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.
Strigoi
The Strigoi is a form of vampiric monster from Romanian myth. The term Strigoi can be used as a general term for any evil entity, and it comes from the Italian word “strega” meaning Witch. They often shapeshift into night birds like owls. Over time they transformed from witch vampires to an undead form of vampire.
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.
Sucuriju/Sucuriju Gigante
The Sucuriju is a cryptid from the jungles of South America. Its name means “giant anaconda” or “giant boa.” It’s described as a massive green anaconda measuring between 45-130 feet in length. It’s described as dark brown in color with black rings and oval spots along its body. Several supposed pictures of Sucuriju eating bulls have appeared, though none have been confirmed. Colonel Percy Fawcett supposedly encountered one that was estimated to be 62-feet-long and 1 foot in diameter.
Citations:
Emmer, Rick. The Giant Anaconda and Other Cryptids: Fact Or Fiction?. United States, Facts On File, Incorporated, 2010.
Storm, Rory. Monster Hunt: The Guide to Cryptozoology. United States, Sterling Publishing Company, 2008.
Sundel Bolong/Sundal Bolong
The Sundel Belong is a form of ghost from Indonesia. The name translates to “prostitue hole” referring to the large hole in their backs. Sometimes they’re ghosts of women who died while pregnant outside of marriage. As the baby is still inside her body when she’s buried, it is born in the grave and bursts out of her back. This action leaves a massive hole in her back. She often has long black hair reaching all the way down her back to cover the hole. They often take the form of a seductive woman in a white dress. They appear pale but entirely human aside from the hole in their backs. Sometimes they appear completely naked but more often, they wear white dresses. They lure men into secluded spots and then reveal their true form, that being a rotted corpse, then rip out the man’s throat and drain their blood. They may instead choose to infect their male victims with a disease that causes lesions, especially near the genitals. Then when the man goes to return home, the Sundel Bolong kills him just as he gets to his front door. Sometimes she lures men away to castrate them. Some legends say they can be trapped in special bottles prepared by priests. Some believe the legends of the Sundel Bolong were created to deter prostitution led by Dutch colonization. The Sundel Belong is one of the most well-known creatures of Indonesian folklore.
Citations:
A Book of Indonesian Ghosts. N.p., StoryTale Studios.
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.
Susszheevo Aquatic Alien
The Susszheevo Aquatic Alien was sighted near Susszheevo, Tver Province, Russia in the Summer of 2001 in the evening. It was sighted by Oleg Smelkov and a friend Nikolay. They went to a lake Northwest of Moscow to go fishing. While searching for a fishing spot they found the lake covered in a dense eerie fog. Eventually, they found a spot and started fishing, later it got darker and the wind picked up. They heard splashing 20 meters ahead of them and a head emerged from the water. The creature slowly approached and suddenly jumped on the riverbank. It was a humanoid creature with a huge head, a wide mouth filled with sharp teeth, a long scaly body, large clawed hands, and a long fishtail. It was described as overall very reptilian. The witnesses panicked and ran away, leaving behind a dog that was never seen again. When they told others of their encounter they were told the lake was supposedly haunted.
Citations:
Rosales, Albert S. Humanoid Encounters 2000-2009: The Others Amongst Us. N.p., Amazon Digital Services LLC – Kdp, 2021.