This dragon-like beast was depicted in two Native American murals along the Mississippi River. Like all good boys, the dogman was perfectly peaceful; but the woodsmen ran away in terror all the same. Category:Legendary creatures of the indigenous peoples of North America, Legends and tales of the New Jersey Pine Barrens, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Category:American_legendary_creatures&oldid=1076025965, This page was last edited on 9 March 2022, at 00:35. Her face was a charred, unrecognizable mass of flesh. matabiri - nasty swamp spirits in Papua New Guinea. The Piasa Bird was a Native American dragon, similar to a Manticore or Chimera in Persian and Greek mythology, depicted by an ancient mural on the cliff sides of the Mississippi River. All cultures have historic mythical tales created long ago to explain things people didn't understand. It smells awful, like skunk spray and wet dog. Fast-forward to the mid-1990s, when a Puerto Rican woman reported seeing a monstrous being near her home. Often called the Southernmost Bigfoot, the Florida Skunk Ape is described as a large, hairy ape-man that gives off a horrendous smell and roams around the state of Florida. "State by State Sightings List." Her ghost came back and continued the vigil, wailing and screaming in the night. Disclaimer: this monster is actually real. Al-mi'raj lived on a mysterious island named Jezrat al-Tennyn within Indian Ocean. Its heart is frozen and thus, unfeeling. An eighteenth century mother, frustrated that she'd fallen pregnant yet again, cursed out loud that her unborn thirteen kid would be "the devil." Those souls captured by Bakwas are condemned to eternal hunger, misery, wandering and evildoing.. Some believe that the legend got conflated with a real-life eccentric old lady named Doc Anderson who was known as the Donkey Lady because she lived in shack by a road and took care of donkeys. Not only is the Wendigo a human-eater (possibly having been cursed into its monster status for having performed an act of cannibalism while still relatively normal-looking) but even a glance at this creature can bring death. the Siren of Greek myth, and that creepy girl from the "Ring" movies, El Naddaha has a relatively recent origin compared with the 5,000-year span of Egyptian mythology.Just within the past century, apparently, stories began to circulate in rural Egypt about a beautiful voice that calls, by name, to men walking the banks of the Nile. We've got another real one, folks! According to eyewitness reports, these sleek wood devils are so good at blending in with their surroundings that you might walk into one before you saw it. Also known as the Arizona Bigfoot, reports claim this monster smells like a mixture of dead fish, skunk, and decaying peat moss. According to witnesses, the creature seemed to have no neck and was six to seven feet tall. The Mothman is not only one of North America's most well-known creatures, it's also one of the greatest examples of cryptids and zooforms firmly lodged in the "flying humanoid" category. The Yara-ma-yha-who is said to be a tiny red man with a large head and no teeth, resembling that of a small monkey-man or mini monster that drops from fig trees and uses suckers on the ends of its hands to devour human flesh. The creature is described variously as resembling a hairless bear, sometimes with spikes on its back, or a hairless dog-like animal. In terms of Cajun folklore, the Rougarou may be the most popular. The Skunk Ape appears now and again throughout the American Deep South, from Oklahoma to North Carolina, but most sightings have been reported in Florida. Sightings of the Skunk Ape tell terrifying tales of a large, foul-smelling, hairy, ape-like creature running upright on two legs. A freelance writer who specializes in American history, Karen has a bachelor's degree in journalism from Central Michigan University and a master's degree in English from Indiana University. The legend in Guatemala tells of him always wearing a black hat, while he victimizes young women. While no photos of him exist, reports consistently place him at around 7 feet tall with piercing red eyes (sometimes on his head, other times on his chest) and either bat-like or feathered wings. Doppelganger - Apparitions of people that occur in impossible situations. The Van Meter Monster has been described by a handful of citizens as a human-shaped beast with giant bat wings. It's said to have glowing red eyes and razor-sharp teeth. Beginning in late 1953, Bladenboro, North Carolina was the scene of unexplained attacks. Elsie resembles a combination of a plesiosaur and a sea serpent. 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It signifies ambitious energy, conflict, opposition, and the irrational. Also known as the Fresno aliens, these leggy entities were first recorded in California by a surveillance videoand since then, at least one local Native American tribe has pointed out that certain wood carvings look similar to the creatures caught on film. (Oct. 16, 2014) http://www.floridaskunkape.com/what-is-the-florida-skunk-ape/, Hayes, Joe. "La Llorona Weeping Woman of the Southwest." "13th Annual Mothman Festival." If the human ate it, he or she would be transformed into a Bakwas too. It's pretty obvious that even the standard, ocean-bound octopus is a space alien. It was first spotted by a wildlife photographer in 1963, and a film reel featuring the creature was allegedly found in the photographer's possessions after his death in 1980. May 30, 2011. With a rap sheet stretching back to the 1950s, the Blandenboro's trail went cold in 2003 but locals still keep their pets indoors overnight, just in case. It is produced by Disney Television Animation and it airs on Disney Channel since June 18th, 2021. Local reports describe Momo as a foul-smelling hairy monster that leaves three toed footprints. The Piasa was quite different from the Thunderbird: it was depicted as a flying dragon in ancient paintings dating back as far as 1200 CE. One enterprising Arkansan claimed to have captured a Gowrow, and would let the public see it for a small price of admittance. Spokane Daily Chronicle. It could be that the Skinwalkers are nothing more than mangy dogs or coyotes, or that cougar or bear attacks are responsible. According to some anthropologists, they may also have been used as a warning against resorting to cannibalism during the harsh winter months. One on our list even began in the Internet Age. Either way, she was responsible for their deaths, and could not bear the guilt. To ensure safe passage, they would bring a chicken or rabbit or another small animal with them. There are several stories about how the Wampus Cat came to be. When the Spanish arrived in Colombia, the Muisca told the story of a mythical tribal chief who covered himself with gold dust then submerged in Lake Guatavita. tahsaia. As the name implies, Thunderbirds were associated with storms. Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images. It swings its arms like a monkey and smells like a wet dog combined with a skunk. It's ash-gray and gives off a disturbing odor of decay and decomposition. According to him, the monster had a head like a seahorse and eyes the color of a peeled onion. It is muscular and scaly with bulging, red eyes. "We tell ourselves stories because we (humans) are storytelling animals," said Shira Chess, assistant mass media professor at the University of Georgia in a Washington Post article. Amikuk by Behane. They are described as being ghostly gaunt, with sunken gray skin, hollow eyes, and a shuffling gait. First, there are eyewitness accounts from European explorers, most notably Meriweather Lewis of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, to corroborate the legends. We all know about beings such as dragons, the Minotaur, and even kappas, but not much is known of the creatures that originate from Native Americans. It's said to make a sound like that of a crying baby. The Thunderbird is a very large and powerful bird. How can you not love a story about the spawn of Satan? In fact, their mythologies are rich in powerful and fearsome animals that permeate their legends and oral traditions. The Mogollon Monster is described as bipedal and covered with long black or reddish-brown hair, apart from on his face, hands, feet and chest. The writer of the letter seemed to think this was an escaped orangutan, but no missing ape was reported. The Loogaroo is closely related to the Soucouyant of Trinidad and Guadeloupe. If the Bakwas came upon a human who was lost in the woods, it would offer the person some food but it wasnt normal food. The 7 Scariest Creatures From Native American Folklore By Natasha Ishak | Edited By John Kuroski Published December 2, 2020 Updated September 21, 2022 From the cannibalistic Wendigo and the Flying Head to Skinwalkers and owl witches, these Native American monsters are the stuff of nightmares. The national press initially named the monster Slimy Slim, but the McCall Star News switched it up after a contest to find a better name for their local celebrity. It was described as six to feet tall with huge wings and red eyes in the center of its headless body. The many different tribal groups each developed their own stories about the creation of the world, the appearance of the first people, the place of humans in the universe, and the lives and deeds of deities and heroes. That's the most terrifying Slenderman story of all. He's the world's first mythical creature spawned on the Internet, and there's no question as to whether or not he really exists. All Rights Reserved. Wikimedia. Similar sightings have been reported in Michigan and Ohio. It was ghost food. By continuing to browse you are agreeing to the use of these cookies. From the Sphinx of ancient Egypt to the dragons of China and the Minotaur of ancient Greece, one thing all cultures myths have in common are fantastical creatures and monsters. As menacing as the tahsaia was, however, most of the tales about this cannibalistic demon end in the creatures defeat. Other witnesses have described Colossal Claude as being 40 feet long with a big round body, a vicious looking tail and an evil, snake-like head. Although she never harmed anyone, the thought of a hug from Miss Molly is enough to make kids keep curfew. Both groups of little people were described as being child-sized, incredibly aggressive, and cannibalistic. Okay? When he tracked it down, it looked him straight in the eye, causing the warrior to go insane. According to this popular Hispanic tale, a woman named Maria is La Llorona, which means "the weeping woman" in Spanish. Generally on the prowl in northeastern Tennessee, the creature has also been spotted in eastern Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia and, intriguingly, at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. Every culture around the globe creates mythical tales. Many of these animals are just legends or myths made up to scare little children. What we've got here is another dinosaur that refuses to stay extinct. I'd certainly heard of Bigfoot before I dug into this article. American Museum of Natural History 200 Central Park West New York, NY 10024-5102 Phone: 212-769-5100. Lurking along the Utah-Idaho border, this serpent-like creature was first spotted by a Mormon colonizer in 1868. But while the true explanation for the existence of horned rabbits (those horns are actually cancerous tumors) may be scientifically satisfying, it still doesn't account for the fact that these terrifying but tragic creatures can apparently sing along with human songs. It was said in thunderbird legend that the bird caused thunder . In ancient Scotland, two special breeds of Shapeshifter haunted the waters. Although sightings were reported as far back as 1886, and possibly earlier, Bigfoot really established a toe-hold in North American culture in the latter half of the 20th century, when an article ran in the December 1959 issue of True magazine detailing the discovery of large, mysterious footprints in California. Some witnesses have found strange footprints, 14 inches long and eight inches wide, with four toes, in the snow. 32 Creatures From American Folklore (That Aren't Bigfoot!) Tales of Tahoe's answer to Nessie stretch back to legends told by the Washoe and Paiute tribes, and perhaps even further others have speculated that rather than a monster, Tessie could be a plesiosaur. (Oct. 13, 2014) http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2014/06/03/the-complete-terrifying-history-of-slender-man-the-internet-meme-that-compelled-two-12-year-olds-to-stab-their-friend/, Florida Skunk Ape. Their agility and ability to shapeshift makes them impossible to capture. According to witnesses, The Squonk has saggy, ill-fitting skin that's covered in warts. Here, we rounded up some mythical creatures that bring good luck in the ancient Chinese culture. He had glassy eyes and a bent snout that he used to push a 20-pound halibut off our lines and into his mouth." Legends of America. "Is The Chupacabra Real? According to Navajo stories, the only way to kill a Skinwalker is to dip a bullet into a white ash and shoot the creature with it. Not fun. It's often described as having the body of a human and the head of a wolf - almost like a werewolf. The warrior's wife wasn't happy about this, so she hid under the skin of a mountain lion and stalked the beast to exact revenge. Sightings of this 80-foot-long serpent known as Tahoe Tessie continue to this day. The Conestoga wagon was an icon of Western expansion, but it is often misunderstood. Plus reviews of ghost hunting television shows, and the latest on supernatural movie and documentary releases. A staple in West Virginian lore, the Mothman is described as a human with owl-like features. The tale is often used by parents to scare their young kids away from dangerous rivers [sources: Hayes, Weiser]. Related read: 7 Facts About Cheyenne Dog Soldiers & Their Warrior Legacies. Perhaps there really was a race of fierce dwarves roaming the Old West. 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