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“The Ultimate Resource To Creatures Of Myths And Legends”: This Page Is Sharing How Mythical Creatures Actually Look, And They’re Both Fascinating And Spine-Chilling
Interview With Artist
Have you ever heard of Mantabungal, Sannaja, or Colôrobètch? Don’t worry, me neither.
But this fascinating project called A Book Of Creatures shows the most unbelievable mythical creatures that were born in the folk and legend of different cultures.
“Our imagination has always been our greatest ally, and our worst enemy. In the face of the unknown, we populated it with creatures of all shapes and sizes, from minuscule spirits to gigantic cosmic monsters,” the description says and you can already pull your seat closer.
The creator of the project named Emile draws all the entities himself, sharing their stories and origins in every post on Instagram.
“One of the things I want to convey is just how imaginative we humans are, and how well we can create meaningful, understandable things to make sense of a complicated and confusing world,” the artist told Bored Panda. Scroll down for the full interview!
More info: ABookOfCreatures.com | Facebook
This post may include affiliate links.
I’m Really Glad To Find That Dijiang Is Getting More Popular! Identified With Hundun By Some, It Has No Face But Has Six Legs And Four Wings (Like An Insect?) And Resembles A Sac Of Cinnabar. And It Lives In A Perpetual State Of Confusion, But Can Sing! And Dance! A Real Triple Threat! And It’s Cute Too!
Emile, the creator of A Book Of Creatures and the artist who draws these monsters, told us that he has always been creating imaginary creatures.
“At least as far as 1st grade I used to fill up copybooks with such terrifying beings as crab dragons and snakehead striders. Eventually, I grew fascinated with the creatures our imagination has dreamed up, whether they were misinterpreted real animals or explanations for natural causes or simply flights of fancy,” the artist recounted.
Usilosimapundu Is A Colossal Creature From Zulu Folklore. He Literally Carries Ecosystems On His Back, And His Head Is An Enormous Boulder. A Swallowing Monster, He Is A Personification Of Landslides
The Nurikabe Is A Japanese Yokai That Is Little More Than A Living Wall. It Loves Nothing More Than Obstructing People’s Paths By Night And Being A General Nuisance
But what really made Emile make A Book Of Creatures was discovering the Caspilly–“a unicorn fish that stabs whales to death–in an old book about the sea, and I went ‘hey, I didn't know about that! Everyone should know about it!’"
That was the origin of the project. “I collected a bunch of creatures over time, and eventually progressed to serious in-depth research to describe and illustrate them.”
The Brethmechin Is A Sea Creature That Looks Like A Cross Between A Fish And A Panther, And Is Red With Blue Markings. One Was Found Washed Up On Java On April 14, 1551
The Araǵanaqlta’a Is The Father Of Snakes In Argentinian Toba Folklore. It Is A Shapeshifter That Normally Appears As A Rainbow Colored Snake With A Mark On Its Head And A Sawlike Structure On Its Sides That Helps It To Move. It Punishes Those Who Harm Nature And Snakes, And Rewards Those Who Treat It With Respect
Emile believes that there is no end to what our imagination can come up with. “That said, I also want to convey how trends in creatures exist - Europe has so many dangerous water horses, Africa has swallowing monsters... By putting them together I want to make it easier to compare them,” he said.
The Yamabiko Lives In The High Mountains Of Japan. When People Call Out, It Responds With A Mocking Echo
The Wolpertinger Is A Taxidermist’s Chimera From Bavaria, Germany. Stick Wings And Antlers And Fangs On A Hare, And Done! It Has A Bunch Of Relatives Throughout Germany Too, And All Of Them Are Much Like The American Jackalope
Moreover, the artist explained that his other mission is to make it clear how important research and going back to original sources is. “There's a lot of poor, surface-level scholarship that's been done on mythical creatures, and I want to help untangle that by citing primary references. That, I think, is the most important thing to me, making sure references are available.”
The Tabib Al-Bahr Or Doctor Of The Sea Is A Gentle Marine Creature From Middle Eastern Alchemical Texts. It Can Shapeshift Into A Giant Sea Monster, But Its Good Nature Leads It To Healing Others With The Magical Gemstone On Its Forehead
The Yedua Or Adne Hasadeh (Lord Of The Field) Is A Plant-Animal Hybrid From Jewish Folklore. It Is Connected To The Ground By A Stem Attached To Its Navel. It Is Very Fierce, But It Dies If Its Umbilical Stem Is Cut. Its Bones Are Useful For Divination
I wouldn’t be alarmed by this if that grass is keeping it tethered safely
The Saratan (Also Incorrectly Known As Zaratan), Literally “Crab”, Is A Gigantic Sea-Going Crustacean Described By Al-Damiri. It Pretends To Be An Island, And When Sailors Land On It, It Sinks And Drowns Them
When Emile started ABC, there was relatively little well-researched and illustrated resources on "real" mythical creatures ("’real’ as in they're actually from folklore and myth, as opposed to created for a literary or fantasy project,” he explained).
But this has been changing. “I would say that followers would be interested in myths, legends, folklore, fantasy - looking for the origins of a creature mentioned in a book, perhaps? But also an interest in science and the natural world is present, after all, a lot of creatures are misidentified animals that would be familiar to us today,” Emile said.
Readers frequently write to him, informing him of creatures he hadn't even heard of. “A huge shout-out to them! I wouldn't be where I am today without my readers, who I greatly appreciate.”
The Kamaitachi Is The Yokai Of Unexplained Cuts. Found Primarily In Chilly Honshu, It Is A Weasel With Sickle-Like Claws That Travels In Whirlwinds And Inflicts Cuts On People
The Sannaja Is An Enormous And Ridiculous Basilisk-Like Creature From Middle Eastern Folklore. It Is Said To Live In The Himalayas. If You See It, You Die… But If It Sees You, It Dies. Therefore Coming Up To It With Your Eyes Closed Will Kill It Easily
The Eintykára Are Stingless Bees From The Folklore Of The Chamacoco Of Paraguay. Not Only Do They Produce Delicious Honey And Build Suggestive Hives, But A Swarm Of The Bees Can Shapeshift Into A Beautiful Man Who Will Provide Honey And Beeswax For The Tribe
I need to know what a "suggestive" hive looks like...Sexual? Inviting? Massive? Girthy? I DON'T CARE FOR THE HANDSOME BEE MAN, I MUST KNOW ABOUT THE HIVE!
When asked what is his favorite creature, Emile said that it’s a tough question since there's so many of them. “I already mentioned the Caspilly, the idea of a unicorn fish that stabs whales to death is hilarious to me. There's the Boongurunguru, a Solomon Islands wild boar with ferns growing on its head and a hornets' nest under its chin. It hates being called a pig, so if someone mentions that a pig must be around, snakes appear everywhere.”
The Jaculus Is A Snake That Flings Itself From Trees Like A Dart Or Javelin, Puncturing Clothing And Flesh Alike. It Comes From Superstitions Around Vipers, Believed To “Jump” At Victims
Tiddalik Was An Australian Frog Who Once Swallowed Up All The World’s Water, Swelling Up To An Enormous Size In The Process. He Only Released The Water After Laughing At An Eel’s Goofy Gyrations. He’s Had A Chip On His Shoulder Ever Since
I thought for a second that the size was compared to Australia... I had a heart attack :0 lmao
The Colôrobètch Is A Bogey That Personifies The Bise Or Icy Wind. Known From Namur, Belgium, It Nips Unprotected Children With Its Red Beak Until Their Skin Becomes Red, Cracked, And Bleeding
Moreover, “just about all the Icelandic illhveli ('evil whales') are great, with a shout-out to the raudkembingur which will die of sheer rage and frustration if a boat escapes it. The Swiss Butatsch Cun Ilgs is a giant cow's stomach covered with eyes that spit fire. The Swan Valley Monster of Idaho is just ridiculously outlandish and goofy and I love it,” Emile said.
“And did I mention the Owner of Storms, Qasoǵonaǵa, from Argentinian Toba folklore? It's a rainbow-colored anteater that falls from the sky and needs help getting back up! I could go on like this forever.”
Mourioche Is A Shapeshifting Waterhorse From Brittany, France. He Disguises Himself As All Sorts Of Livestock, Often With An Extra Pair Of Muscular Arms, And Plays Cruel Tricks On People He Encounters
The Shadawar, Shad-Hawar, Shadhahvar (Or Any Of A Number Of Spellings) Is An Antelope With A Single, Hollow, Branching Horn. When Wind Goes Through That Horn, It Produces Beautiful Music. It May Be Found Around Greece And Byzantium. It Is (Unjustly) Accused Of Eating People
The Bo Is A Sawtoothed Carnivorous Unicorn With Tiger’s Feet. It Lives In China And, Being Of A Noble And Just Nature, Feeds On Other Carnivorous Animals
山海经has lots of Chinese ancient mythical creatures, and they’re all awesome
Emile said that in the future, he would love to compile everything he has done and plans to make it into a physical Book of Creatures, “although when and how that will happen remains uncertain.” So make sure to support this wonderful project here on Instagram and Facebook!
The Khodumodumo Is A Huge Swallowing Monster From South Africa And Lesotho. Its Name Means “Great Noise”. It Is A Vast, Bloated Creature With Multiple Sharp Tongues. It Once Swallowed Up Everyone Around - Whole Towns And Villages - But Was Slain By A Hero, Who Released Its Victims Unharmed
The Aíǰe Is A Spirit-Tadpole From The Folklore Of The Bororo Of Brazil And Bolivia. It Produces A Buzzing Song, And Is Itself Fond Of Good Music And Dance. A Chief Who Can Impress It With Music And Dance Will Earn Its Favor
The Chonchón Is An Owl Or An Evil Sorcerer Disguised As An Owl, With Oversized Ears That Allow It To Fly. Its Ominous Call Announces Mischief And It Sucks The Blood Of Sleepers, But It Can Be Neutralized By Various Rituals
The Katthveli Or Catwhale Is One Of Many Evil Whales That Terrorize Icelandic Waters. Vicious And Aggressive, It Is Nonetheless Smaller And Less Aggressive Than Its Fellow Illhveli, And Has Been Tamed On Occasion. It Has Been Known To Purr And Meow
The Stray Sod Is A Common Element Of British And French Fairy Folklore. It Is A Plant Or Clump Of Plants That, When Stepped On, Causes The Traveler To Lose Their Way. It Can Be Foiled By Turning Your Coat Inside Out, Or Using Certain Herbs That Counteract The Ill Effect
Sorry, I'm British and I have never heard of this one. The only stray sod we know around here is Alchy Dave who wanders into peoples gardens and pees on their dust bins
The Abúhukü Is A Hairy, Foul-Smelling Ogre With A Face In The Back Of Its Head. It Hails From The Folklore Of The Cubeo Of Colombia. They Cut A Hole In Their Prey’s Skull Before Sucking Out The Contents Of The Body, Leaving An Empty Skin Draped Over A Branch
The Rukh Or Roc Is A Gigantic Bird Of Prey That Lives On Madagascar. It Has Been Known To Carry Off Sailors And Destroy Ships By Dropping Boulders On Them. Sindbad The Sailor Met Them During His Voyages
Baxbakwalanuxsiwae, The Cannibal At The North End Of The World, Is A Terrifying Ogre Whose Body Is Covered With Hungry Mouths Constantly Demanding To Eat. He Is A Central Figure In The Folklore Of The Pacific Northwest Cultures
Perhaps The Oldest Horned Rabbit On Record, The Mi’raj Was Found On Dragon Island. It Was Very Fierce, But There Is No Evidence It Was Carnivorous. Confused With A Rhinoceros? Also, Al-Mi’raj Literally Means “The Mi’raj”. Keep Your Definite Articles Out Of Names!
The Mantabungal Is A Mountain Demon From Palawan In The Philippines. Shaped Like A Shaggy Cow With Two Pairs Of Huge Fangs, It Is Known To Dismantle And Destroy Campsites And Tear People To Shreds
Phiomia-Skull.jpg 
Can someone have found a phiomia skull? Roamed in most of Africa and Eurasia during the Pleioscene, most were taller than this drawing though, a good 2 meters or so. But the last surviving mammuts were smaller those who lived eralier, same may have happened the phiomia. And finding an unusual skull a couple of hundred years ago and nok knowing what to do with it could lead to all kinds of fantastic animals.
The “Sarmatian Sea Snail” (No Official Name, But Known By A Number Of Local Names) Is A Giant Snail From The Baltic Sea With Whiskers And Branched Horns. It Was Reported By Thevet, Possibly From A Number Of Unrelated Accounts
I feel like this one could be real, like the kraken/giant squid
Munuanë Is A Monstrous Ogre From The Folklore Of The Guahibo. He Has No Eyes In His Face, But Rather Has Them In His Knees (And They Are His Weak Spot). He Kills And Eats Human Trespassers, But Protects The Rainforest And Its Inhabitants As Well
The Skoffín Is One Of Several Icelandic Cat/Fox Hybrids. This Vile Creature Kills Anyone It Sees, But It Can Easily Be Killed With A Mirror To Reflect Its Gaze Back On It
The Butatsch Cun Ilgs Is A Horrifying Swiss Lake Monster That Looks Like A Giant Cow Stomach Covered With Eyes That Shoot Fire. When It Crawls Out Of Its Watery Lair, It Causes Widespread Destruction And Calamity
Yes, a Swiss monster made it on this absolutely awesome list! Anyway, you better leave cows and farmers alone, when you are near its lake https://abookofcreatures.com/2015/09/23/butatsch-cun-ilgs/
The Basilisk Or Cockatrice Is A Small Animal With A Fearsome Reputation. Originally A Highly Venomous Libyan Desert Snake, It Gained Rooster Characteristics Over Time. Hatched From A Rooster’s Egg, Its Very Gaze Is Deadly. It Only Fears Weasels And The Sound Of Roosters Crowing
There is some debate around whether or not the basilisk is a giant snake/lindworm type of dragon or a cockatrice, but that sort of depends on which sources you use. In some medieval art it's a mix between a rooster and a dragon with a rooster head and wings but dragon scales and a long snake tail.
The Chimera Is A Firebreathing Monster From Greek Mythology. A Descendant Of Typhon, Part Lion, Part Goat, Part Dragon, It Terrorized Lycia And Was Slain By Bellerophon
The Arragousets Are Guernsey Sea-Fairies That Invaded The Land Long Ago. In Retrospect It’s Implied That They’re Human In Appearance, But At The Time It Was A Good Excuse To Draw A Scowling Sea-Fairy Decked In Shell Armor
The Vodyanoi Is A Shapeshifting Water Spirit From Slavic Folklore. It Haunts Millponds And Causes All Sorts Of Trouble If Upset. Various Sacrifices Are Made To Appease It
The A-Mi’-Kuk (Or More Simply Amikuk) Is A Hideous Creature From Yupik Folklore. It Is Leathery-Skinned, With Four Long Tentacular Arms Which Grab Its Prey. It Swims As Easily Through Land As Through Water
The Romŝiwamnari’ Are Demons Of The Serente People Of Brazil. They Are Large Birds With Scissor-Like Beaks And Flabby Bat’s Wings. They Can Even Consume The Souls Of The Dead
The Marool Is The Anglerfish Or Monkfish In Shetland Folklore. It Has Many Eyes And Sings Wildly With Joy When A Ship Capsizes
The Witkəś Is A Creature From Mansi Folklore Inspired By Mammoth Remains Found On Riverbanks. It Is Said To Live In Water, Shed Its Horns Annually, And Drag Intruders Underwater To Their Doom
The Bosch Is A Maritime Demon Of Bad Luck. It Manifests On Ships In Brittany When A Theft Occurs On Board. To Scare It Off, Simulate A Fire, And The Terrified Bosch Will Dive Into The Safety Of The Sea
The Carcolh Is A Giant, Shaggy, Serpentine Snail That Lives In The Caves Below The French City Of Hastingues. It Grabs Its Victims With Its Tentacles And Pulls Them Into Its Maw
The Stella Or Starfish Is A Creature Found On Coastlines And In Shallow Seas Around Europe. It Is So Hot That Shells Melt Inside It, As Can Be Proven By Cutting One Open To Find The Half-Melted Mussels Inside
Wherever There Is The Sea, There Is Davy Jones, The Demon Of The Deep, The Keeper Of Drowned Souls. He Takes On Many Forms; This One Was Inspired By The Rotted, Deformed Carcass Of A Sperm Whale
The Danghu Is A Chinese Pheasant-Like Bird That Flies On Its Whiskers And Throat Feathers. Eating It Cures Myopia
Tosetáx Is An Enormous Red And Green Serpent With Three Mouths, One At Each End And One In The Middle. From Nivaklé Folklore, He Ambushes Thunderbirds That Bring Rain With Them
The Mastopogon (“Breast Beard”) Is A Carnivorous Fish Found Off The Coast Of South America, Reported By Thevet. It Is Also Known As The Houperou, The Shark
Boneless Is A Mysterious Creature From The Shetland Islands That Resembles A Blob Of Jellyfish. It Has Been Known To Haunt Houses, Run Despite Having No Legs, Fly Despite Having No Wings, And Speak Despite Having No Mouth
No mouth. It can only eat you by sniffing you up it's nose and I'm not going to tell you where that is
The Traîcousse Or Trécouche Is A Water Bogey From The Ardennes. It Looks Like A Crab With Countless Pincer Legs And A Huge Mouth Bristling With Sharp Teeth. Anyone Who Comes Near The Water Is Dragged In And Eaten, And The Traîcousse Vomits Up Their Bones And Skin In A Churning Mass Of Foam And Blood
The Lyngbakur Is The Biggest Of The Illhveli, Or Icelandic Evil Whales. It Lies At The Surface For So Long That Lyng (Heather) Grows On Its Back. When Sailors Land On It, It Sinks Below The Sea
The Raiju Or “Thunder Beast” Is A Yokai Resembling A Badger That Falls With The Lightning And Ravages Trees With Its Claws. It Cannot Pass Through Mosquito Nets. It Is Most Likely The Masked Palm Civet
The Sapo Fuerzo Or Strong Toad Of Chile Is... A Strong Toad! How Strong? How About Glowing In The Dark? How About Having Telekinetic Powers? How About Being So Invulnerable It Has To Be Turned To Ashes To Die? All Glory To The Strong Toad
The Fayettes Are Fairies Around The Loire Basin In France. They Like To Hide Themselves And Wreck Gardens By Turning Into Moles. That’s Why Moles Have Cute Little Pink Hands
The Mushveli Or Mousewhale Is One Of The Many Illhveli (“Evil Whales”) Of Iceland. It Is A Whale With Mouse Features That Enjoys Sinking Boats By Pressing Down On The Gunwales. It Can Even Clamber Onto Land In Search Of Its Victims
Isiququmadevu, “Smelly Whiskers”, Is A Swallowing Monster From Zulu And Bantu Folklore. She Is Bearded, Bloated, Hairless, And Squatting, And Can Engulf Entire Villages
The Pal-Rai-Yuk Or Palraiyuk Is A Yupik River Monster, A Sort Of Alaskan Crocodile With Six Legs That Preys On Umiaks Crossing Its Watery Lair. Malevolent Creations Of Raven, They Can Lie On Grass Without Bending The Stems, Or Become So Heavy They Sink Into The Ground
The Caladrius Or Charadrius Is A Bird Found In Medieval Bestiaries. It Is Notable For Its Medical Value - If It Looks Towards A Patient, They Will Recover, But If It Looks Away, They Will Die
The Az’-I-Wû-Gûm Ki-Mukh’-Ti, Aziwûgûm Kimukhti, Or Walrus Dog Is A Large, Scaly Dog From Yupik Folklore. It Protects Walrus Herds By Sinking Umiaks; Its Powerful Tail Can Easily Kill A Hunter
The Sirānis Is A Carnivorous Animal Found Around Kabul And Zabulistan. It Has Twelve Holes In Its Snout, Which It Uses To Make Flute-Like Music. Its Melodies Attract Prey, Which It Pounces On And Eats
A Hrökkáll Or “Coil-Eel” Is An Evil Undead Creature Reanimated By An Icelandic Sorcerer. Its Scales Are Flexible And Hard As Iron, It Secretes Corrosive Venom That Can Melt Through Earth, And It Uses Its Razor-Sharp Fins To Slice Off Limbs
Wakmangganchi Aragondi Was A Colossal Seven-Headed Demon Boar From The Folklore Of The Garos Of India. It Was Slain After A Seven-Year Battle By The God Goera
The Aloés Is A Goose-Like Creature Found By Thevet Around Hispaniola. It Has Fins, A Fish-Like Tail, And No Scales, Not To Mention A Skull Shaped Like A Williams Pear. These Animals Were Seen Swimming Alongside Shoals Of Fish
The Swan Valley Monster Was Seen On August 22, 1868, In Swan Valley, Idaho. This Terrifying Creature Had A Single Mobile Horn, An Elephant’s Trunk, Wing-Like Fins, And A Multicolored Reptilian Body On Twelve Stubby Legs. It Was Highly Toxic And Stank To High Heaven
The Xuangui Is A Black Turtle With A Bird’s Head And A Viper’s Tail. It Is Found In The Strange River In China. Wearing A Piece Of Xuangui Protects From Deafness And Calluses
The Tapire-Iauara Or Tapir Nymph Is A Sort Of Large Jaguar With A Reddish Waterproof Coat And Some Ungulate Features. It Has Long Dangling Ears And A Horrible Stench - In Fact It Stinks So Hard It Can Take Away Someone’s Shadow, Leaving Them Soulless
The Bonnacon Or Bonasus Is An Ox-Like Creature With Inward-Curling Horns That Are Useless For Defence. Instead It Defends Itself By Explosively Defecating A Large Quantity Of Caustic, Flammable Dung
The Hrosshvalur, Horse-Whale, Or Walrus Is One Of The Many Illhveli Or Evil Whales That Terrorize Icelandic Seas. It Has A Red Mane And Big Eyes, And Delights In Sinking Ships And Drowning Sailors. Its Meat Is Inedible, And Saying Its Name At Sea Will Attract Its Attention
The Dodo Is A Swallowing Monster From Hausa Folklore. It Likes To Crash Weddings And Devour The Banquet, The Dishes, The Tables, The Guests, Everyone! But It Can Also Be Easily Outwitted By Clever Heroes
The Tripodero Has Telescopic Legs That Let It Stand Tall Or Crawl Through Underbrush. It Stores Clay Slugs In A Cheek Pouch, And Fires Those Slugs At High Speed To Knock Out Its Prey
The Sverðhvalur Or Sword-Whale Is One Of The Many Evil Whales That Ply Icelandic Waters. It Uses Its Huge, Bladelike Dorsal Fin To Punch Holes In Boats Or Slice Through Them Like Butter. It Also Uses It To Slice Other Whales To Death, But It Only Eats Their Tongues
Huge blade-like dorsal fin. Punches holes in boats. Eats the tongues of other whales. All three are true of the Orca.
The Agrippa Is A Living Grimoire From The Folklore Of Brittany. It Has The Names Of All The Demons, And Has To Be Wrestled With To Read Its Contents. When Not In Use, It Should Be Chained To A Beam. Having An Agrippa In Your Possession Makes It Impossible To Enter Paradise, But Getting Rid Of The Stubborn Book Is Difficult As Well
The Binaye Ahani Or “Eye Killers” Were Among The Anaye, The Alien Gods That Plagued The Navajo. They Were Limbless And Could Kill People With Lightning From Their Eyes. They Were Slain By Nayenezgani
The Shahmat Al-Ard, The “Fat Of The Earth”, Is A Worm That Contracts Into A Bead If Touched. It Resembles A White Fish And A Woman’s Hand. It Has Various Medicinal Applications
The Isitwalangcengce Of Zulu Folklore Is A Hyena-Like Creature With A Basket For A Head. It Carries Off Naughty Children To Eat, But Luckily (For Naughty Children) It Is Easy To Fool
Carries off naughty children. I can guess why that monster was invented.
The Llamhigyn Y Dwr Or Water Leaper Is A Winged Toad-Like Creature From The Folklore Of Welsh Anglers. It Causes All Sorts Of Mischief. Did A Big One Get Away? Probably The Water Leaper’s Fault!
The Yara-Ma-Yha-Who Is A Nasty Creature From Australian Aboriginal Folklore That Drains Blood With Its Sucker-Tipped Limbs. It Then Swallows Its Victims Whole And Regurgitates Them Smaller And Redder. Eventually Its Victims Also Become Yara-Ma-Yha-Whos After Being Swallowed And Regurgitated Enough Times
I know this one! https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZhrOnxbccY
The Alp-Luachra Are Irish Newts That Crawl Into Your Body When You Sleep Near Water. Once Inside You, They Proceed To Eat The Food You Consume, Making You Get Thinner And Thinner Until You Die Of Starvation. Fortunately, They Can Be Forced To Leave By Eating Large Quantities Of Salted Meat. The Newts Will Then Climb Out To Jump Back Into The Water
The Catoblepas Is A Hideous Creature From Ethiopia. Its Head Is So Heavy It Drags Along The Ground, Which Is Good Because Its Very Gaze Is Letha
Looks like they got caught in its gaze before they could finish the sentence
The Skeljungur Or Shell-Whale Is One Of The Many Evil Whales Of Icelandic Folklore. It Is Covered With Armored Shells That Make It Impervious To Harm; It Sinks Ships By Getting In Their Way, Causing Them To Get Wrecked On Its Tough Hide
The Cherruve Is The Araucanian Meteorite Spirit. It Usually Resembles A Serpent With A Human Head. It Lives Underground, And Streaks Across The Sky By Night. Its Appearance Is An Ill Omen
The Orabou Or Orobon Was Reported By Thevet From The Waters Around Mount Marzouan. It Is Ten Feet Long And Plated With Armor Like A Brigandine. It Also Tastes Awful - Old Camel Meat And Livonian Mastiff Taste Better
The Zitiron Is A Sea Creature Armored Like A Knight With A Shield. It Has To Be Cracked Open With Hammers To Be Eaten, And It Defends Itself With Swipes Of Two-Fingered Hands
The Stökkull Or Leaper Is One Of Many Icelandic Evil Whales. It Has Flaps Of Skin Covering Its Eyes, And It Destroys Ships By Leaping High Into The Air And Piledriving Them To Pieces
The Dabbat Al-Ard (Beast From The Earth) Is A Terrifying Chimera Of Animal Parts That Will Appear At The End Of The World, According To Islamic Eschatology. It Is Also Known As Aksar For Some Reason, Which Is How It Percolated To Flaubert
Teelget Is A Colossal, Headless, Elk-Like Creature That Plagued The Navajo People Until It Was Slain, Along With Most Of The Other Anaye, By Nayenezgani, The Slayer Of Alien Gods
The Prester Is One Of The Deadly Snakes Of Libya Described By Lucan. Its Bite Causes Its Victim To Swell Up Into A Horrid, Tumorous Mass. This Of Course Kills Them
The Peteu, Or Bête Faramine, Was A Terrifying Giant Bird That Terrorized Vergisson In France. When It Was Finally Shot And Its Feathers Plucked, It Was Found To Weigh No More Than Four Ounces!
The Vouivre Is A Female Dragon From The Mountainous Regions Of France. Commonly A Firey Winged Serpent, It Has A Large Jewel That Serves For Its Eyes As It Streaks Across The Sky
The Taumafiskur Or Bridle-Fish Has Bridle-Like Markings Around Its Face. It Is One Of Many Illhveli, The Evil Icelandic Whales. It Can Be Repelled With Chopped Fox Testicles
Númhyalikyu Is A Monstrous Halibut From Kwakwaka’wakw Folklore. Its Back Looks Like A Beach, And Its Head Like That Of A Seal. It Has A Highly Valuable Shining Crystalline Object In Its Head, But This Is Hard To Obtain As The Creature Can Cause Storms And Wreck Boats On Its Back
The Xi Is A Three-Horned Chinese Creature That Looks Like A Black Buffalo With Elephant’s Feet And A Pig’s Head. It Feeds On Brambles And Often Drools Blood
The Tsemaus (“Snag”) Personifies The Danger Of River Snags In The Folklore Of The Haida And Tsimshian People. A Monstrous Being Both Animal And Driftwood, It Uses Its Body And Sharp Fin To Cut Boats In Half
The Devouring Gourd Is One Of Many “Swallowing Monsters” In African Legend. It Is Literally A Gourd That Grows To Enormous Size And Proceeds To Swallow Up All The Inhabitants Of A Village
The Qiqirn Is A Giant Dog Of Inuit Folklore. It Is Hairless Except For Its Mouth, Feet, Eartips, And Tailtips. Its Presence Causes Fits In Men And Dogs, But It Is Fortunately Rather Shy
The Nunda, Eater Of People, Is A Swahili Monster That Once Belonged To Sultan Majnún. Originally A Housecat, It Grew Into A Huge Beast Larger Than An Elephant, With Small Ears, A Broad Build, Two Blotches Like A Civet, And A Thick Tail. It Decimated The People And The Landscape Until The Sultan’s Seventh Son Slew It
The Raudkembingur Or Red-Comb Is One Of The Many Illhveli Or Evil Whales Of Iceland. It Is So Ferocious, Bloodthirsty, And Hateful Of Humanity That If A Boat Escapes It It Is Likely To Die Of Sheer Rage
The Lange Wapper Is A Long-Legged Shapeshifting Giant Who Haunts The Waterways Of Antwerp. He Loves To Play All Kinds Of Macabre And Cruel Tricks On People
A Dragon That Does Not Get Slain By A Saint, But Rather Is Imprisoned By Seven “Pagan Heroes”. The Rô Beast Of Aytré And La Rochelle Is Also Compared To A Lion On An Archway, So I Gave It Some Leonine Features. Also, You Don’t Often Hear About Dragons Being Cunning And Setting Traps
The Mi-Ni-Wa-Tu (Surely There’s A Better Way To English That Name?) Is A Creature From The Missouri River, Near The Tetons. It Has One Eye, One Horn, And A Sawtoothed Back. Seeing It During The Day Causes Confusion, Blindness, And Death
It must have caused a great deal of confusion, as the Tetons are in Wyoming.
The Pareas Is A Snake That Travels Upright, Erect As A Staff. It Has Been Suggested That This Is The Original State Of Snakes, Before They Were Cursed To Crawl
The Yuanat Is A Terrifying Serpent From Hispaniola. It Has A Lizard’s Tail, Bird’s Feet, A Fish’s Spines, And A Colorful Flap Under Its Throat. Despite Its Hideous Appearance, It Tastes Delicious
The Auñ Pana Is A Hairy Fish With Human Hands From The Folklore Of The Yanomami Of Brazil And Venezuela. It Hunts In Packs And Destroys Bridges To Drown People Passing On Them
The Whowie Is A Giant Carnivorous Six-Legged Frog-Headed Lizard That Once Terrorized The Land Around The Murray River. It Was Finally Defeated When It Was Smoked Out Of Its Cave
The Nauthveli Is One Of Many Icelandic Illhveli, Or “Evil Whales”. This One Has A Particular Taste For Cattle, Bellowing To Entice Them Into The Sea To Be Eaten
The Bocarin Or Manati Is A Monstrous Creature From Hispaniola In The Caribbean. It Looks Like A Full Wineskin With A Fleshy Ox’s Face And Elephant’s Feet. Hideous As It Might Be, Thevet Tells Us It Makes Good Eating
Scarbo, A Goblin From A French Romanticist Poem. He Bites The Author’s Neck And Cauterizes The Wound With A Hand Heated Red-Hot. He Mocks And Torments His Victim All Night Until Morning, When He Vanishes Like A Guttering Candle. And He Even Has His Own Theme Music, By Ravel!
The Caspilly Is A Monstrous Whale-Slaying Fish Reported By Ambroise Paré In His Discussions On Unicorns. He Combines Two Separate Accounts By André Thevet To Create A Fish With A Four-Foot-Long Horn That Stabs Whales To Death. That Same Horn Has Valuable Medicinal Properties! If You’re Trying To Catch One In The Vicinity Of The Indian Ocean, You’ll Need A Hook Baited With Camel Meat
The Barcädžy Calh, The Wheel Of Balsæg Or Cutting Wheel, Is A Malevolent Thinking Automaton From Caucasian Mythology. It Descends From The Clouds, Armed With Razor-Sharp Spikes And Spurting Flames. It Caused The Death Of The Hero Soslan
The Trolual, Trolval, Or Devil-Whale Is One Of The Greatest Threats To Navigation. You’ve Probably Seen It On An Old Map Somewhere. It Likes To Impersonate Islands And Sink Ships, But Can Be Scared Off By The Sound Of Trumpets. Tossing Barrels Overboard For It To Play With Also Does The Trick
10 types to be exact. There is another BP article with the same artist that focuses on the whales
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Love these! How about a Sasquatch? And a Wendigo (/ˈwɛndɪɡoʊ/)? It’s an evil spirit that lives in the Great Lakes (Canada/US) according to Indigenous legends.
Wish we had the wendigo around where I live, but we just got stuck with not-deer, haha
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Born & raised in the DR & I never heard of any of the 3 creatures listed here. Was hoping to find the ciguapa, but no luck. BTW, that "monster" is shaped like a beautiful naked woman who lures men for sex, then kills them. Her feet point backwards in order to trick hunters following her footprints.
The art is cool, but the title of the post is misleading with the "how they actually look" bit. A lot of these creatures have more than one version and interpretation of how they look in the original folklore some of it is only smaller changes while other like the Basilisk change completely depending on your source even if both sources are equally old. Slight even sometimes large changes (like with the basilisk) are common in mythology and folklore as it was originally spread word to word, so stating that there is only one correct look for some of these creatures is just incorrect. That being said some of these creatures do only have one look and those are done really well (although I'm a bit confused with what's going on with the chimera). Over all nice art, questionable phrasing
well there goes my sleep tonight ( i also is it possible to find a stuff animal of the dijing)
Here’s a link to buy your vet own dijing stuffed animal. This is the little character Morris (a mystical dijing) from the Marvel movie Shang- Chi: https://www.amazon.com/Marvel-Shang-Chi-Legend-Rings-Morris/dp/B09M7G7XT1/ref=asc_df_B09M7G7XT1/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=563706976547&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2076814223282866144&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9007181&hvtargid=pla-1792874237472&psc=1
Load More Replies... I’m disappointed by the lack of nuckulavee. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=c7Q_ABFyewM
Agreed. Nuckelavee are cool but terrifying. I’d love to see a rendition of them. Side note: I’m creating a Nuckelavee for players to fight in my D&D campaign. I’m almost done it’s statblock
Load More Replies... Great drawings and I really appreciate the huge effort to give a little background including a map for every monster. Awesome, thank you!!!
I was kind of hoping to see the wendigo. But that's ok. Lot of interesting creatures to learn about.
Australia has a lot of frog-creatures. What happened down there?
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This artist has weird interpretations on most of these. They don't really look like what is typically depicted in their respective folklore.
10 types to be exact. There is another BP article with the same artist that focuses on the whales
Load More Replies... Love these! How about a Sasquatch? And a Wendigo (/ˈwɛndɪɡoʊ/)? It’s an evil spirit that lives in the Great Lakes (Canada/US) according to Indigenous legends.
Wish we had the wendigo around where I live, but we just got stuck with not-deer, haha
Load More Replies... Born & raised in the DR & I never heard of any of the 3 creatures listed here. Was hoping to find the ciguapa, but no luck. BTW, that "monster" is shaped like a beautiful naked woman who lures men for sex, then kills them. Her feet point backwards in order to trick hunters following her footprints.
The art is cool, but the title of the post is misleading with the "how they actually look" bit. A lot of these creatures have more than one version and interpretation of how they look in the original folklore some of it is only smaller changes while other like the Basilisk change completely depending on your source even if both sources are equally old. Slight even sometimes large changes (like with the basilisk) are common in mythology and folklore as it was originally spread word to word, so stating that there is only one correct look for some of these creatures is just incorrect. That being said some of these creatures do only have one look and those are done really well (although I'm a bit confused with what's going on with the chimera). Over all nice art, questionable phrasing
well there goes my sleep tonight ( i also is it possible to find a stuff animal of the dijing)
Here’s a link to buy your vet own dijing stuffed animal. This is the little character Morris (a mystical dijing) from the Marvel movie Shang- Chi: https://www.amazon.com/Marvel-Shang-Chi-Legend-Rings-Morris/dp/B09M7G7XT1/ref=asc_df_B09M7G7XT1/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=563706976547&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2076814223282866144&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9007181&hvtargid=pla-1792874237472&psc=1
Load More Replies... I’m disappointed by the lack of nuckulavee. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=c7Q_ABFyewM
Agreed. Nuckelavee are cool but terrifying. I’d love to see a rendition of them. Side note: I’m creating a Nuckelavee for players to fight in my D&D campaign. I’m almost done it’s statblock
Load More Replies... Great drawings and I really appreciate the huge effort to give a little background including a map for every monster. Awesome, thank you!!!
I was kind of hoping to see the wendigo. But that's ok. Lot of interesting creatures to learn about.
Australia has a lot of frog-creatures. What happened down there?
Load More Replies... This artist has weird interpretations on most of these. They don't really look like what is typically depicted in their respective folklore.
