T
T
Tarasque/Tarasconus/Taras/Tauriskos
The Tarasque was a bizarre chimerical dragon from Medieval France. It was an amphibious beast thought to live in the forest around the Rhone River. It was believed to be the child of the Leviathan and the Onachus. It was larger than an ox, had six legs ending in bear paws, a lion head, a serpentine tail ending in a scorpion stinger, a hard shell covered in spikes, and impenetrable scales covering its body. It was incredibly vicious, being known to sink ships and kill anyone moving along its river. It was believed a village requested the assistance of Saint Martha, who then went and found the creature in the middle of it eating someone. She sprinkled it with holy water and put a cross in front of it, which immediately made it lose all hostility. She led the now peaceful creature back into town, but the scared locals immediately killed it.
Citations:
Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
Tarriassuit/Talliqat/Talliirait
The Tarriassuit are a form of supernatural creatures from Inuit myth. They are invisible, only being seen by their shadows, but otherwise are completely normal people. Though they could not be seen head on, they could be seen out of the peripherals. Along with invisibility they are also noted to not leave footprints. Due to their appearance (or lack thereof) they are often referred to as invisible people or shadow people. They served no specific threat and were thought of as good people. As they are unseen and refuse to attack someone who is defenseless, they never fight humans. They make their homes in the mountains and enter their homes through what appear to be solid cliffs without openings. They run when hunting and can only take down prey they can catch up with. They become visible when they die.
Citations:
Laugrand, Frédéric B., and Oosten, Jarich G.. Inuit Shamanism and Christianity: Transitions and Transformations in the Twentieth Century. United States, McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2014.
Tatsu/Lung/Ryo/Ryu
The Tatsu is a common term for a dragon in Japanese. They are thought to be descended from a primitive form of a three toed Chinese dragon. They are associated with the sea and rain and live in rivers or the sea. They give proper amounts of rain to those who properly appeased them, and cause droughts and whirlwinds when angered.
Citations:
Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
Zell-Ravenheart, Oberon, and DeKirk, Ashley. Dragonlore: From the Archives of the Grey School of Wizardry. United States, Red Wheel Weiser, 2006.
Taxim
Taxim are creatures from Eastern Europe. They are focused on revenge. They spread plagues and sometimes attack cattle. They are animated corpses. They can be detected by their terrible smell. They only hurt their intended target.
Citations:
Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
Larousse Dictionary Of World Folklore: An Unparalleled View Of Folktales And Heritage by Alison Jones
Melton, J. Gordon. The Vampire Book: The Encyclopedia of the Undead. United Kingdom, Visible Ink Press, 2011.
Teelget
Teelget was a quadruped with antlers on his head. He was predatory and round shaped with few features. The hero Nayenezgani killed it by using a gopher to burrow into its chest and he shot its heart with an arrow made of chain lightning. Teelget got angry and ripped apart his own body trying to get to Nayenezgani.
Citations:
Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
Teke Teke/Shaka Shaka/ Pata Pata/ Kata Kata/Koto Koto/ Hijikake Babā
The Teke Teke is a form of ghost from Japanese urban legends. The name is an onomatopoeia meant to reference the sound of them dragging themselves with their hands. They are almost always women and look like people cut in half at the waist. Despite the fact that they crawl, they are thought to be capable of keeping up with cars when in pursuit, sometimes reaching 150km per hour. They commonly carry scythes or sickles. Teke Teke can be found in urban areas, commonly along dark roads. Getting attacked by a Teke Teke is horrific, but stories are often unclear about the specifics of these attacks. Commonly victims are cut in half and have their legs stolen. Some believe that victims of the Teke Teke turn into Teke Tekes themselves. Some believe she is constantly searching for her lost legs, while others think she simply kills in blind rage. The origin of the Teke Teke is often the victim of a tragic accident, or suicide. Some believe magic charms can ward her off, but otherwise she is unstoppable. The origin of the story is unclear, but some point to a woman named Kashima Reiko, from Hokkaidõ. The story says that she was assaulted and raped by an American soldier in the time after WWII. She later jumped onto a train track and killed herself, being torn in half. Because of extreme cold, she didn’t immediately bleed out and writhed in pain for minutes. She crawled down the tracks some and an attendant found her, covering her with a plastic tarp instead of helping her.
Some think that after hearing her story, she will appear and ask you a riddle in a dream or mysterious phone call.
– She asks “Do you need your legs?”
– You respond “I need them right now.”
– She asks “Who told you my story?”
– You respond “Kashima Reiko”
If you do this correctly, she might let you live; if you fail at this then she appears three days later and attacks you.
Citations:
Meyer, Matthew. The Book of the Hakutaku: A Bestiary of Japanese Monsters. United States, Matthew Meyer, 2019.
Tenatz
The Tenatz are from Bosnian legends. They are undead shapeshifters. They can turn into mice or other small burrowing creatures to escape from their graves. They return to the form of a walking corpse once above ground. They consume blood. Cutting the hamstrings of a corpse is thought to prevent them from rising as a Tenatz. If they have already risen, they can be stopped with fire or exorcism.
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.
Thags Yang
The Tags Yang is a demonic creature from Tibetan myth. They attack travelers, wrestle them to the ground, and then drain their life’s breath. They can take the form of humans, tigers, or human tiger hybrids. They can be stopped from attacking if you are strongly religious, and they seek out those who don’t say prayers of protection.
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.
Steiger, Brad. The Werewolf Book: The Encyclopedia of Shape-Shifting Beings. United Kingdom, Visible Ink Press, 2011.
Thaman-Chah/θamá̃ ʤá
The Thaman-Chah is a mythical creature from Burma depicted in a watercolor painting from a Christian missionary. They are known to live in caves in the deepest forests. The story of their origin is that there were medicine men searching for a poisonous plant that could be used to create medicine. They found the plants but failed to say the proper mantras before collecting them, and were turned into tigers as punishment. Similar to this origin, it is sometimes believed that attempting to make a specific rejuvenating medicine (likely the same as the original) would cause a person to become a Thaman-Chah.
Citations:
Tantra, Magic, and Vernacular Religions in Monsoon Asia: Texts, Practices, and Practitioners from the Margins. United States, Taylor & Francis.
Three Tailed Bavalorous
The Three Tailed Bavalorous is a creature from Lumberjack Folklore. It has the scientific name “Theriornis tricauda unicornus.” It’s described as half animal and half bird. Its front half was covered in feathers and the back half was covered in hair. It had legs like a cow or a buffalo, a horn like a corkscrew coming from its forehead, and three tails. The end of one tail was a barb as sharp as a spear, which it used for fighting. The end of the second tail was broad and flat and was used as a chair. The end of the third tail was fanned out like a peacock tail and was used to ward of deer flies and black gnats. Lesser animals paid tribute to it, and it would often sit for hours admiring its colorful peacock tail. Other animals learned of this vulnerability and would attack it while it was too distracted by its own tail. None have survived to be placed in a museum.
Citations:
Wyman, Walker Demarquis. Mythical Creatures of the U.S.A. and Canada. United States, University of Wisconsin-River Falls Press, 1978.
Thunder Horse/Thunder Beasts
The Thunder Horse is a mythical creature from the Oglala Sioux people of Nebraska, Wyoming, and South Dakota. They are huge terrifying creatures that leap from the sky to the ground during storms. It’s thought the hoofbeats were the origin of thunder. They drove buffalo towards the Sioux and vanished into the earth when the storm ended. They were also thought to belong to the deity Wakan Tanka. In 1875 bones were produced and studied. They were classified as Brontotherium by Dr. Othniel C. Marsh, this name meaning “Thunder Beasts.” These are the most famous members of the extinct class of animals Titanotheres.
Citations:
D’Aoust, Gerald, and Breese, Daryl. God’s Steed- Key to World Peace. United Kingdom, Lulu.com, 2011.
Schoch, Robert M., et al. Horns, tusks, and flippers : the evolution of hoofed mammals. United Kingdom, Johns Hopkins University Press, 2002.
Shuker, Karl. The Beasts That Hide from Man: Seeking the World’s Last Undiscovered Animals. United States, Paraview Press, 2014.
Tiamat
Tiamat is a primordial goddess from Sumerian, Babylonian, Akkadian, and Mesopotamian mythology. She is a creator goddess who is thought to embody the water of the ocean. She is thought to have combined with Apsu, who embodies freshwater, and birthed eleven monstrous creatures. She became incredibly angry at Enki and Marduk for leading the deities who later killed Apsu. She created and then married the god Kingu to fight Marduk. Marduk eventually split her in half, using half of her body to make the vault of heaven, and using her eyes as the water sources for the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
Citations:
Jordan, Michael. Encyclopedia of Gods: Over 2,500 Deities of the World. United Kingdom, Kyle Cathie, 2005.
Tirisuk/Tirichuk
The Tirisuk is a monster from Inuit myth. They are creatures similar to dragons but often combine the features of reptiles and either centipedes or caterpillars. They have large leathery feelers or antennae which they use to grab prey. Sometimes they have four legs, and jaws like snapping turtles that could tear through anything. They typically eat humans and even whole hunting parties. They are sometimes thought to live in a giant hole, or in the Buckland and Noatak rivers.
Citations:
Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
Francis, Scott. Monster Spotter’s Guide to North America. United States, Adams Media, 2007.
Mundkur, Balaji. The cult of the serpent : an interdisciplinary survey of its manifestations and origins. United States, State University of New York Press, 1983.
Newton, Michael. Encyclopedia of Cryptozoology: A Global Guide to Hidden Animals and Their Pursuers. United Kingdom, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
Tizheruk
The Tizheruk is an ocean-dwelling monster from Inuit mythology. They are similar to Pal-Rai-Yuk and sometimes seen as a variation of it from King Island. They have 7-foot-long heads on 15-foot-long serpentine bodies with flippers on both ends. They are known to grab people from docks and piers.
Citations:
Eberhart, George M.. Mysterious Creatures: A Guide to Cryptozoology. United Kingdom, ABC-CLIO, 2002.
Gerhard, Ken. A Menagerie of Mysterious Beasts: Encounters with Cryptid Creatures. United States, Llewellyn Worldwide, Limited, 2016.
McElroy, D.R.. Superstitions: A Handbook of Folklore, Myths, and Legends from Around the World. United States, Wellfleet Press, 2020.
Trapspringer
The Trapspringer is a creature from Lumberjack Folklore with the scientific name Inconcinnuscasus wymani. They’re small creatures with spring-like legs. They only come out at night and use their weird legs to trigger traps and still avoid being caught. They live in the dens of fur-bearing animals who give them food in return for keeping them safe from the traps intended for them.
Citations:
Yarns of the Big Woods, Written and Illustrated by Art Childs
Trempulcuehuecuve
The Trempulcuehuecuve is a creature from Araucanin myth. They are controlled by witches and were often placed under the authority of Invunche. Most often they capture young girls approaching the water to feed them to Chivito. They resemble massive octopi with ears covered in eyes and with clawed tentacles. They can expand and open their bodies. Only a hero is capable of killing the Trempulcuehuecuve. They are easiest to approach and attack when they sun themselves on the beach.
Citations:
Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
Troglodyte/Trocodite
The Troglodyte is a primitive humanoid creature from Medieval myth. They were recorded in unclear areas of maps, and were thought to be from deserts in Ethiopia. Their name means “hole creepers” due to their tendency to dwell in caves. They lack the ability to speak and are thought to communicate through clicking sounds. They’re thought to climb trees to jump on prey or lie in wait near paths to lunge at them. They’re also thought to be incredibly fast and capable of running down most wild game. Sometimes they had three faces and were often shown eating snakes. They’re known to eat the flesh of elephants they chase down, jumping on the elephant by its back haunches to cripple their motion, targeting the one in the back of the pack. Some theorize they are a misinterpreted species of monkey or ape.
Citations:
Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Giants and Humanoids in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
De Camp, Lyon Sprague, and Ley, Willy. Lands Beyond. United States, Rinehart, 1952.
Friedman, John Block. The Monstrous Races in Medieval Art and Thought. United States, Syracuse University Press, 2020.
Maps and Travel in the Middle Ages and the Early Modern Period: Knowledge, Imagination, and Visual Culture. Germany, De Gruyter, 2019.
The Natural History of Pliny. United Kingdom, H. G. Bohn, 1855.
Vídalín, Arngrímur. The Supernatural in Íslendingasögur. Iceland, Tower Press, 2012.
Troll/Hill Men/Hill-People/Jutul/Orcs/Rise/Trolds/Trows/Trulli
Trolls are creatures from Scandinavian folklore. Some count them as one of four kinds of fae seen as enemies to mankind. They are larger than humans, initially by a major degree but over time the difference was lessened, though they are always significantly stronger than humans. They are thought to be cannibalistic creatures that eat humans. They have hunched backs, long crooked noses, grey clothes, and red hats. They can become invisible through the use of their magic hats and are thought to be capable of giving immense strength to someone, see the future, and shapeshift into any form. In ballads they are said to have a king, but this is not present in mythology. They hate loud noises, likely due to a cultural memory of struggles with Thor. They are thought to be nearly indestructible due to their size and hard skin but must hide away from sunlight or they turn to stone.
Citations:
Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
Tsutsuga
The Tsutsuga are a form of shapeshifting Yokai from Japan. They are capable of taking the form of bugs, birds, vermin, will o wisps, fog, or recognizable religious figures. They sneak into houses at night to infect humans with various diseases and feed on the misery of those it makes sick. Many victims of the Tsutsuga become miserable enough in their sickness to commit suicide, which also feeds the Tsutsuga. The Kara-Mon gate has a bronze statue of one.
Citations:
La Boda, Sharon. International Dictionary of Historic Places: Asia and Oceania. United Kingdom, Fitzroy Dearborn, 1994.
Guides, Insight. Insight Guides Japan (Travel Guide EBook). United Kingdom, Apa Publications, 2018.
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.
Tuba/Tubae/Toom Ahr
The Tuba are bizarre creatures from Mongolian folklore thought to live in the Khangay and Altai mountains. They are snail-like creatures measuring a yard long with large, coiled shells and horns like a goat. They travel through mountain caves and can climb walls with the sticky mucus they secrete. This mucus is used to protect them from predators. They consume mold to survive but have occasionally been known to eat small invertebrates. Seeing a Tuba is good luck, as long as it isn’t harmed.
Citations:
Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
La Tunda
La Tunda is a bogeyman figure from the African-Ecuadorian people from the Colombian Pacific area, sometimes specifically the Esmeraldas Province. It is said she was once a favored angel from “the time when animal spoke,” but she defied God and was thrown into the Valley of Tears as punishment. Other stories however say she is a mother who killed her child in the woods and was cursed to search for this child until Judgement Day. Some other stories say that at some point she married the Devil and gave birth to Cuco. She is often thought to have eyes like a caiman, hairs like a porcupine, and a grinder (specifically a molinillo which was more like a whisk) for a foot. She lives in a dark cave with caiman skulls, bats, spiderwebs, owl eyes, and the bones of disobedient children as decorations. She’s nocturnal and is filled with rage, and none have seen her and lived. Some believe she lures victims into the forest and drains them of their blood. She has strong shape shifting powers but always has her molinillo foot, though she is cunning and skilled at hiding this detail. People say she appears to bewitch, bite, carry away, and/or eat children if they misbehave. She’s well known from poems by Adalberto Ortiz called “La Tunda, Tunda Que Entunda” and “La Tunda Para El Negrito” which threaten that the Tunda will bite children she catches.
Citations:
Hall, Derek, and Hellman, Roxanne. Vampire Legends and Myths. United States, Rosen Publishing Group, 2011.
Lewis, Marvin A.. Adalberto Ortiz: From Margin to Center. United States, Lehigh University Press, 2014.
Turin Alien Dogman
The Turin Alien Dogman was sighted in Scalenghe, Turin, Italy on June 29, 2005, at 4:15 a.m. It was sighted by a farmer going to his mother’s farm to help with her morning chores. The sky was clear and he was biking through a partially harvested wheat field. He saw a creature near the middle of the field roughly 100 feet ahead of him. It was bent over and then stood up when it noticed the witness. It had a human figure with broad shoulders standing at 2 meters tall. The head was larger than normal and had a muzzle, large glossy black eyes, and pointed ears like a dog. It was dark grey or black, though it was unclear if it was a suit or fine fur. Behind the creature was a large blackish sphere seemingly a meter in diameter that floated a few inches above the ground. A bright light came from the sphere and the witness continued along the road. The encounter lasted seconds and the witness and creature stared at each other during this time. He told his mother, who tried to write it off, but he believed something unnatural occurred.
Citations:
Rosales, Albert S. Humanoid Encounters 2000-2009: The Others Amongst Us. N.p., Amazon Digital Services LLC – Kdp, 2021.
Tuscumbia Space Penugins
The Tuscumbia Space Penguins are aliens sighted by a farmer named Claude Edwards in Tuscumbia, Missouri. On February 14, 1967, he noticed that all of his cattle were staring in one direction. Following their gaze, he saw a spacecraft resembling a large grey-green mushroom. This ship was 18-feet-wide and 8-feet-tall and was shiny and resembled satin while still being clearly metallic. Around the ship were three figures standing 3-feet-tall that were greyish green in color, had dark beaks, and were wearing dark goggles. The three figures made a buzzing sound and seemed to be working on something despite it being unclear how they could move. The witness got annoyed these things were annoying his cows, so he picked up two big rocks and stomped forward to throw them at the ship. Fifteen feet from it though, he hit an invisible forcefield. He threw the rocks to no avail, but the second one scared the aliens, and they entered the ship and took off.
Citations:
Rayborn, Tim. The Big Book of Paranormal: 300 Mystical and Frightening Tales From Around the World. United States, Applesauce Press, 2021.
Tuyul/Toyol/Toyol
The Tuyul are mythical creatures from Indonesian and Malaysian folklore. They are sometimes believed to be the spirits of aborted children. They’re described as child-like and require pampering to make them loyal. They especially like candy and can be controlled with this. They can be bought from a shaman or taken from their resting place. They’re very popular as they don’t require human sacrifices. People may adopt Tuyul to gain wealth, having the creature steal money from others, though they cannot steal money that is tied up. Sometimes Tuyul need to be specifically led to a location they are meant to steal from so they don’t get lost. If the Tuyul is injured, their owner feels the same pain. Owners of Tuyul often have a special room set aside for them with a bed, offerings, and toys that are often in green. They can be passed down from generation to generation so long as they are cared for properly. They take the form of small children with large heads, small hands, clouded black eyes, long nails, sharp teeth, and greyish-green skin usually covered in spots. They wear white loincloths and have protruding bellies. They like to play with mung beans, crabs, water fountains, fish ponds, and swings.
Citations:
A Book of Indonesian Ghosts. N.p., StoryTale Studios.