Soucouyant

 

 

ORIGIN

They are found in Dominican, Trinidadian and Guadeloupean folklore.

 

FIRST SIGHTED/RECORDED

They where first recorded a couple of hundred years ago during the times of harsh slavery in the islands. Some believe that they were tales that were made up by the slaves to scare their captors, others swear by their life that the creature, as well as the tales, are true.

 

APPEARANCE

By day, they appear as a normal old woman, but by night, when they take off their skin, they are the shape of a woman but completely engulfed in flames. They have bright red eyes and very long nails. They may also have wings, sharp teeth and a long tongue.

 

GENDER

Female

 

ALSO KNOWN AS

The name is also spelt as Soucriant. They are also known as Ole-Higue and Loogaroo (elsewhere in the Caribbean). They were also sometimes referred to as Loup-Garou (a type of Werewolf). This was a common term used to describe it, more common in the culture of Mauritius.

 

REPELLED BY

You can be rid of them by throwing a heap of rice either around the house or at a village crossroads. They will have to pick up all of the grains, which will be almost impossible to do before dawn, hence them perishing. You can also place some course salt in the mortar along with their skin which will prevent her from putting it back on.

 

MAGICAL POWERS/SKILLS

They practise Witchcraft, Voodoo and Black Magic. They will sometimes trade in the blood of their victims in exchange for evil powers which they will gain from a demon called Bazil, who resides in the silk cotton tree.

 

HISTORY/ABOUT

They are a cross between a Witch and a Vampire. By day, they live as an old woman who would usually live at the end of a village, and by night, she strips off her old skin, places it in a mortar and flies off as a fireball. She will enter her victims homes either through their keyhole or through a crack or crevice. When she seeks out her victim, she will suck out their blood through their arms, legs and any other soft part whilst they sleep. If she sucks all of their blood then the victim will either die and become like her or they will perish completely and leave their skin behind, which she will have to use. They are part of a class of spirit called Jumbees (Spirits or Demons). Some believe that the creatures herself was brought over from European countries as she had a lot in common with the French Vampire myths. Some beliefs are also intermingled with those of enslaved Africans.

 

CAN BE FOUND

In their human form, they are usually found on the outskirts of a village, usually in seclusion. In their Vampiric form they are easy to locate as they are covered in flames. You are more likely to see them when they are in the sky.

 

TALES

In the French Indies, especially the island of Guadeloupe, it was believed that the creature could actually be anybody and not just an older female (much to the protests of some of the more superstitious community). They were often called Soukougnan or Soukounian.

 

ANY SIGHTINGS?

Some Caribbean islands, such as St Lucia, Haiti, Dominica and Trinidad, still have some belief in the creature. It is even believed that her skin is valuable as it is used for black magic. As for sightings, there are no recorded ones as such but that could be because she is quite a taboo subject in these countries. It may even be led to believe that some old women are often accused of being one of these creatures due to strong superstition.

 

SIMILAR CREATURES

Aswang, Langsuir

 

Tarasque

 

 

ORIGIN

Technically from Galatia, but associated with Provence, Southern France.

 

FIRST SIGHTED/RECORDED

I can't seem to find an actual date as to when the tale came around but if a saint is involved then the tale is likely to be about 600-700 years ago.

 

APPEARANCE

The beast is a sort of dragon with 6 short legs like a bears, an ox like body covered with a turtle shell, a scaly tail ending with a scorpion sting and the head of a lion.

 

GENDER

Appears to be genderless although, there is a possibility that it has been referred to as a male.

 

ALSO KNOWN AS

N/A

 

REPELLED BY

The creature seems to be affected more by charm, but not your average gentlemanly kind! It took the charm of a Saint to tame it.

 

MAGICAL POWERS/SKILLS

It doesn't necessarily have any powers but it is obviously quite destructive so superhuman strength may be one of its skills so to speak.

 

HISTORY/ABOUT

The beast was said to have come from Galatia (highlands in modern Turkey). It is the offspring of Onachus and Leviathan (or possibly another water monster). The beast was said to have inhabited the area of Nerluc, devastating the landscape far and wide. On the last Sunday of June, every year, a festival is held in honour of the beast.

 

CAN BE FOUND

The creature was found all over the region, it didn't seem to be attracted to one particular spot. Maybe places where the population was higher was a likely place to find it.

 

TALES

There is a tale that the King of Nerluc tried to attack the creature with all the knights and catapults that he could provide yet to no avail. Then Saint Martha found the creature and charmed it with hymns and prayers. She managed to tame the creature and led him back to the city. The people in the city however, were still petrified of the beast so attacked it. The beast did not resist and died on the spot. Saint Martha converted everyone to Christianity and when they realised what they had done, they renamed their town Tarascon. The creature even features on their coat of arms.

 

ANY SIGHTINGS?

It is said that in Halong Bay, Vietnam, a monster was spotted along the bay. The French who ruled at that time said that it was the Tarasque.

 

SIMILAR CREATURES

The beast from Beauty and the Beast, King Kong (the anti-hero in tales)

 

Langsuir

 

 

ORIGIN

She is from Malaysian folklore.

 

FIRST SIGHTED/RECORDED

N/A

 

APPEARANCE

She is typically perceived as being very hideous with red eyes and long sharp nails. Her face is also decayed and she has long, sharp fangs. Their clothing tends to be of either green or white. In some places however, she is regarded as beautiful. Her hair is black and so long that it reaches down to her ankles. Her hair is long so that it covers the hole on the back of her neck.

 

GENDER

Female

 

ALSO KNOWN AS

Langsuyar

 

REPELLED BY

After death, glass beads can be placed in their mouths to stop them coming back from the dead. If you put one of their hairs in their hole or cut their claws, then they will become human again. You can also prevent the transformation by placing needles in the palms of her hands and a hen’s egg under each arm pit. Only a particularly powerful magician could drive her away or tame her. This was usually done with specific incantations.

 

MAGICAL POWERS/SKILLS

They suck blood through a hole which is allocated behind her neck. They are also able to fly and can transform into an owl to do so. She also has the ability to possess her victim so that she can suck their blood. This causes a slow and painful death for the victim.

 

HISTORY/ABOUT

They are very closely related to the Pontianak, but considered to be more dangerous. They are sometimes confused but they are actually very different. They are the spirits of women who suffered from labouring sickness which resulted in both the death of them and their child. She could turn into a Langsuir up to 40 days after her death. In Chinese, her name means "bad luck people". Her victims tend to be pregnant women, who she will either kill or cause to have a miscarriage. She is also said to fly into trees and attack children at night. She lets out terrible screams (known as an ngilat). If they have been domesticated then they are able to marry and have children. If they dance at a village merry making however, they will be reverted back into their old ways.

 

CAN BE FOUND

You are said to be able to encounter them near the shore of a river or sea.

 

TALES

There is a popular tale in Malaysia about a woman of exquisite beauty who, upon hearing the news of her child’s stillbirth, died of shock and became a demon.

 

ANY SIGHTINGS?

There appear to be many pictures and video footage found on the internet (whether this is a hoax or not is debatable). There are also plenty of local tales from people who have either seen or been in contact with her in some way. A lot of people say that they have seen her face on that of a black crow.

 

SIMILAR CREATURES

Pontianak, Vampire, Manananggal, Lamia

 

Kuchisake Onna

 

 

ORIGIN

She can be found in Japanese culture.

 

FIRST SIGHTED/RECORDED

There have been rumours of sightings since 1979 around the Nagasaki Prefecture. Although this is probably when the Ghost became well known, the legend is said to have originated in the Heion period (794 - 1185)

 

APPEARANCE

Her main feature has to be her mouth that has been slit from ear to ear. Depending on the region where you hear the legend from, she can either be horribly disfigured or an extremely beautiful woman with a scar on her face. Either way, she is always seen to be wearing a surgical mask, concealing her mouth.

 

GENDER

Female

 

ALSO KNOWN AS

Slit Mouthed Woman

 

REPELLED BY

She isn't necessarily repelled by anything as such and there doesn't seem to be a way to kill her, but there are ways in which you can escape her. When she asks you her question, reply with "You are average". This will confuse her and cause her to be lost in though, giving you a chance to escape. You can also reply with "Is the child pretty?" which will again confuse her and cause her to leave. If you tell her that you have a previous engagement, she will pardon her manners and excuse herself. Throwing fruit or candies on the floor will distract her as she will pick them up.

 

MAGICAL POWERS/SKILLS

She has no magical powers but is filled with a rage that enables her to kill at will. She will kill her victims with a pair of scissors.

 

HISTORY/ABOUT

She is said to have been the wife of a Samurai who lived hundreds of years ago. She was said to have been extremely vain and her husband, who was a very jealous man, began to accuse her of cheating on him. He flew into a rage one day and slit her mouth from ear to ear then said to her "Who will think you're beautiful now?". She died not long after. This led her to become a Yokai (vengeful spirit).

 

CAN BE FOUND

In many regions within Japan. She can especially be found on a foggy night.

 

TALES

It is said that if a child is walking alone at night, they may encounter a woman in a surgical mask. If she says "Watashi kirei?" (Am I beautiful?), and the child answers NO, then she will kill them with a pair of scissors that she carries. If the child replies with YES, then she will reveal her face and ask "How about now?". If the child says NO, she will cut them in half. If they say YES, then she will cut their mouth in the same way as hers. Some believe this to be a tale that was told to children so that they wouldn't stay out late at night. When the tale became popular, there was so much panic that the police actually increased their patrols. Wearing surgical masks in Japan is not uncommon, when they have a cold or illness, they will cover their mouths out of respect for others.

 

ANY SIGHTINGS?

There have been numerous sightings of her since 1979. Some of these have been caught on both camera and video. Whether or not they are real is really up to you to decide.

 

SIMILAR CREATURES

Bloody Mary, La Llorona, Teke Teke, Onryo

 

Hobgoblin

 

 

ORIGIN

They are found all over Europe.

 

FIRST SIGHTED/RECORDED

There is no particular date into which they are thought to have come along. Folklore is as old as time so it is very likely that they are too.

 

APPEARANCE

They are very small, hairy little men. When they turn into a Boggart, they are said to have longer, darker hair and long yellow teeth.

 

GENDER

Male

 

ALSO KNOWN AS

Lutin (French), Bugbear, Bugaboo, Bogie, Hobthrust,

 

REPELLED BY

It is said that if you present them with an item of clothing, it would banish them forever. It is not known whether they have actually taken offence to the item or if they are just too proud to work in new clothes. It differs from tale to tale.

 

MAGICAL POWERS/SKILLS

They have thought to be able to shape shift

.

HISTORY/ABOUT

They are described in folktales as a friendly but troublesome creature of the Seelie court. They are a close relative of the Brownies. They are often found to be doing odd jobs around the house whilst the family, who's house they are occupying, are asleep. Their chores are often small ones such as dusting and ironing. Sometimes they would do these in return for food. They are very fond of practical jokes. They can be very mischievous but often they can be very frightening and even dangerous. This is usually because they have been teased or misused excessively. When this happens, they turn into "Boggarts".

 

CAN BE FOUND

They can often be found within human dwellings. They can also be found in farms, especially dairies.

 

TALES

There was said to have been one living in Sturfit Hall in Yorkshire. He was said to have done many a little chores until one day, the Mistress of the house gave him clothes as she felt bad for him. He was never seen again. Another one was said to work at Carlow Hill. A similar thing happened here, the inn keeper forgot to leave him out bread and butter one night. The Hobgoblin was no seen after that. There was said to have been a particularly nasty Boggart, found in the windy lanes around the town of Longridge in Lancashire. He was said to play very nasty tricks on travellers.

 

ANY SIGHTINGS?

There are numerous tales of sightings, including from the tales above. Some people are also believed to have caught video and photo footage of them. This may be hard to believe considering as they don't like to be seen, especially by humans.

 

SIMILAR CREATURES

Brownies, Sprite,

 

Dryads

 

 

ORIGIN

They are from Greek mythology.

 

FIRST SIGHTED/RECORDED

There is not an exact time to when they were recorded, as they are known within Greek mythology, it is possible that they could have developed at that time. However, as they are part of nature, it is very likely that they are as old as time.

 

APPEARANCE

They are thought to be extremely beautiful. Some may have the appearance of a tree of a have a form of tree like clothing. They also tend to be of a green or brown colour. Some of them are very tall like the trees whilst some are very small.

 

GENDER

Female

 

ALSO KNOWN AS

Dryas, Dryades

 

REPELLED BY

They are not typically repelled by anything. Cruelty is probably the thing that will effect them most. The earth of the tree that they inhabit is also a weakness.

 

MAGICAL POWERS/SKILLS

They are supernaturally long lived. This is possibly because trees themselves have a very long lifespan.

 

HISTORY/ABOUT

They are a female spirit also known as a tree Nymph. The Dryads are specifically associated with the Oak trees. Dryad is also typically the name used for all Nymphs but they are all placed into sub categories. It is said that if the tree that she resides in dies, then she will die also. If a mortal damages or harms the tree then she will punish them. They are thought to be very shy except around Artemis, who is a friend of all Nymphs.

 

CAN BE FOUND

They can be found around the Oak tree that they are part of. They can also preside around any forests or groves that are within their vicinity.

 

TALES

There are hundreds of individual Dryads so there are an equal number of tales. Most of the tales are usually about how they became to be a Dryad and tales of lost love.

 

ANY SIGHTINGS?

Over the years there have been many sightings on what people have believed to be Nymphs or Spirits of the forest. Unfortunately, these tend to get mixed up with Ghost sightings or hoaxes.

 

SIMILAR CREATURES

Hamadryads, Meliai, Oreiades, Daphnaie

 

Sphinx

 

 

ORIGIN

They originated in the Old Kingdom of the Egyptians before being imported into Greek mythology.

 

FIRST SIGHTED/RECORDED

The actual building of the Sphinx was around the 4th dynasty (2723 BC) so it is possible that tales came from around that time or possibly earlier. An exact date cannot be given. 

 

APPEARANCE

They traditionally have the body of a lion and the head of a female (sometimes a male). They are also sometimes depicted as having the head of a ram or a falcon. The appearance can differ within countries but this is the general appearance that everyone is accustomed too.

 

GENDER

In most cultures, especially that of Greek mythology, they are personified as female. Some are depicted as male though, especially in Egypt.

 

ALSO KNOWN AS

Abu al-Hol (Arabic – "Father of Terror"), Sphiggein (Greek – "To draw tight")

 

REPELLED BY

N/A

 

MAGICAL POWERS/SKILLS

They are not known as such for having specific magical powers, they are more known as protectors. They are very strong so they may be more of a threat that way. They are known for giving out riddles so that in essence can be their magical power so to speak.

 

HISTORY/ABOUT

She was said to have been born in the country of the Arimi and is the daughter of Orthus and Chimaera. Some say that her parents could have also been either Typhon and Echidna or Typhon and Chimaera. Some also say that she is the natural daughter of Laius, connecting her to the fate of the house of Laius and her respected stay at Thebes. She is sometimes seen as the symbol of ruler ship. This is why she is the guardian of pyramids, tombs and sacred highways. They are a symbol of abundance, wisdom, mysteries, riddles, truth, unity and secrets.

 

CAN BE FOUND

She is thought to be living somewhere in the Ethiopian mountains.

 

TALES

In early Greek mythology, she was said to be the symbol of the "terrible mother", portrayed as an unhappy monster of death, bringing bad luck, perversion of the intellect, power and womanhood. In some Greek tales, such as "The Sphinx in the Oedipus Legend, 1981", the Sphinx would ask an exact riddle. The riddle was "What is it that has one voice, and is four footed and two footed and three footed?". She sat upon Mount Phikion and if the Thebans got it wrong she would eat them. Oedipus answered with man, and with that she perished.

 

ANY SIGHTINGS?

You can see many statues of the Sphinx in Egypt and in some parts of Greece. Whether someone has actually seen a physical representation of the beast is unknown. Most people believe that they have encountered the monster in dreams of a past life (these are usually done under hypnosis) but whether they are to be believed or not is down to the person listening.

 

SIMILAR CREATURES

Griffin, Harpy, Phoenix, Hybrid, Pixiu