Tag: Fachan

  • Nasnas: One-Legged Evil Being Faster Than a Horse

    Nasnas: One-Legged Evil Being Faster Than a Horse


    The Nasnas is a legendary creature that some Middle Eastern cultures, including Persians, believe to be a kind of genie. It has humanoid traits on one half of its body, including an arm, a hand, and an eye. The other half is more bird-like, like the Anunnaki or other animals with beaks. Some people think that Nasnas, also known as Nesnas, either come in two genders or are hermaphrodite.

    Who Is Nasnas?

    Nasnas

    People who believe in the existence of Nasnas defend that this creature was similar to the first proto-humans, resembling primates like monkeys and chimpanzees, including Neanderthals, upright humans, tool-using humans, and various hominid species in Chad (Sahelanthropus), albeit it is an Islamic fabrication without a proof.

    In ancient Persian biological books, the word “nasnas” was often employed in place of the word “mimun,” which is commonly used to refer to a group of anthropoids (such as gorillas, chimpanzees, orangutans, and gibbons).

    Ironically, the term “tailless baboon” is sometimes used to describe the Nasnas in the media today.

    Myth of the Nasnas

    Nasnas was said to be the hybrid child of a Shiqq jinn and a human. Legend has it that God wiped off the Nasnas race for being too barbaric and wild and then modified one of the demons who worshiped him into an angel in his court.

    According to the legend, Nasnas is believed to be a demonic entity that, through devotion and worship of God, was transformed into an angel in God’s realm. This happened after the Nasnas species became extinct on Earth due to their savage and animalistic behavior, a decision made by God himself.

    In a pact with God, Satan stipulates that if there exists a genuinely devout human, humanity will triumph in this conflict of good and evil. However, if such a devout human does not exist on Earth even after numerous reincarnations, Satan (represented by Nasnas) would emerge victorious.

    Consequently, humanity would face extinction, and the Nasnas species would be reinstated on Earth again. This mythological claim is not believed by all local Middle Eastern people today.

    Nasnas people with one hand and one leg. Walters manuscript W.659.
    Nasnas people with one hand and one leg. Walters manuscript W.659.

    The Legend of Nasnas in Persian Culture

    Described as a tall, four-eyed creature with a red face and green body resembling a sheep, the Nasnas were native to the region around India. Historically, people in India used to hunt and consume this creature, according to Asadi Tusi’s Dictionary, the oldest existing Persian dictionary.

    Nasnas are beings that walk on a single leg, as mentioned in Dahar, and are a type of animal that moves in a similar manner, as noted in Ghiyas al-Lughat. This is similar to the Scottish creature Fachan, an evil dwarf (or giant).

    According to the Book of Animals by al-Jahiz, Nasnas is a creature with one ear, one hand, and one leg, speaking in Arabic like a human.

    Bahjat al-Alam stated that Nasnas could be found abundantly in the regions of Aden and Oman. It resembled a half-human, possessing one hand, one foot, and one eye. The creature communicated in Arabic and was hunted and consumed by the locals, as per Ghiyas al-Lughat.

    Historically, there were tales of beings similar to Nasnas hopping on one leg, as recorded in Mahzab al-Asma and Al-Sami. These beings spoke in Arabic and were recognized as distinct people, notably due to their unusual physical characteristics.

    Nasnas in Different Accounts

    According to an Islamic hadith, there was an ancient group called ʿAd who defied their messenger, leading God to transform them into Nasnas. This transformed group had one hand and one foot on one side, resembling the plucking of birds and the milking of animals.

    According to the tales, the transformed people of ʿAd never reverted to their original state, and a group still exists in this form. Alternatively, there are three categories: Nas, Nasnas, and Nisans.

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    Some suggest Nisans are their women, while others propose Nasnas hold a noble status compared to Nisans.

    Another belief links the Nasnas to Gog and Magog, or a community allegedly descended from the lineage of Aram, son of Shem, speaking Arabic and bearing Arabic names. These beings are known to climb trees and flee from the sound of barking dogs.

    They appear human-like in their form, albeit with distinct features that set them apart, leading to the conclusion that they are not entirely human. Alternatively, these beings reside in the wilderness along the shores of the Indian Ocean. In ancient times, Arabs were known to hunt and consume them, as documented in Montahi al-Arab.

    A Creature from Turkestan

    Nasnas, in another account, was described as a creature from the deserts of Turkestan (“Land of Turk”), known for its human-like appearance and peculiar habits. It stood upright and had a long neck and broad hooves.

    The creature had a fascination with humans and would observe them closely. When encountering a solitary human, it would capture and take them away, leading to the belief that it laid eggs after capturing humans. In some respects, it shared similarities with humans, including its upright tail, wide nails, and hair on its head, as documented in the Fourth Essay of Nizami Aruzi.

    The descendants of this creature, referred to as Nasnas, were said to have been transformed by God into a different form, characterized by a half-bodied structure and an ability to run swiftly on a single leg. This made them “elusive”, even to horses, as stated in Mojmal al-Tawarikh.

    All things considered, Nasnas means an evil genie or creature resembling a human in appearance but lacking typical human characteristics in Middle Eastern mythology.

  • Fachan: An Evil Dwarf of Scottish Folklore

    Fachan: An Evil Dwarf of Scottish Folklore

    • Fachan, from Scottish folklore, has a single eye, hand, and leg.
    • His terrifying gaze paralyzes the bravest, striking fear in Scots.
    • As a goblin companion, it is part of both Scottish and Celtic lore.

    The fachan, also known as the fachen or the dwarf of Glen Etive (a glen in the Highlands of Scotland), is a terrifying creature from Scottish folklore. Fachan is just half a human being and has fangs protruding from its gaping maw and stringy hair that is impossible to bend. Its speed at hopping on one leg is believed to be astounding. This giant monster has one central eye, one central hairy hand, and one central veiny leg that emerges from the middle of the creature.

    A Deadly Gaze

    Fachan

    The sight of the dreadful fachan’s terrible gaze is enough to render even the bravest of the Scots and Celts helpless. In the tales, claims vary as to what just about fachan chills the people’s blood. What’s more menacing: the solitary, bulbous eye it uses to stare at its victim, the muscular arm that protrudes from the creature’s torso, or the fact that it is an agile creature with only one leg? All of these things, together with the brutality and hatred that seem to seep out of his body, must contribute.

    The fachan’s slender hand clutched a heavy iron flail club. There were twenty chains in total, and each one contained fifty poisonous apples. An animal hides a girdle wrapped around his body. A tight, strong, dark blue cloak of twisted, hard, thick feathers was part of his suit. It has a bald head with long chin whiskers and wears a deer loincloth.

    Glen Etive, Scotland. Fachan is also called the "dwarf of Glen Etive".
    Glen Etive, Scotland. Fachan is also called the “dwarf of Glen Etive”. (Adam Ward, cc by-sa 2.0)

    The fachan is also considered a companion of goblins and is sometimes regarded as a small creature akin to a dwarf. Conversely, it is also believed to be a descendant of the Fomorian tribe in Celtic mythology, appearing in a giant-like form. He didn’t look like a human being so much as a demon.

    Legend has it that his terrifying appearance could cause death by heart attack just by seeing him. Among his demonic prerogatives, “he could destroy, during the night, tree by tree, an entire orchard with his mighty arm.” Similar to the Scottish term famhair, which also means “giant,” the Irish word fathach may have been shortened to become the Gaelic word fachan.

    Bizarre Appearance

    fachan

    Despite the fachan’s bizarre appearance, which somewhat resembles a humanoid, the most horrific aspect of this creature is its mouth, which has two rows of sharp, pointed teeth and makes grunting and snapping noises. This gaping maw is reminiscent of a prison from a nightmare. This horrible beast is often gnashing its teeth or chewing the air, and according to Scottish folklore, it may seriously hurt anybody who comes too close to it.

    When a fachan talks, it will only do so to curse whomever they come into contact with. In Scottish folklore, sages and naturalists alike have puzzled over how these savage animals keep reproducing in the face of their seeming lack of civilization. They have an unsettlingly barbaric aspect, as if they were constructed of nothing but pure wrath.

    The average fachan is less than 5 feet 11 inches in height, and while being just half a human in size, it may weigh up to 165 pounds owing to its powerful build. Although the fachan isn’t allegedly a very large creature, the abomination’s intimidating manner and air of ferocity make it seem much bigger than it really is.

    Similar Creatures and Possible Origin

    Nasnas or Shiqq, similar to Fachan
    Nasnas in Islamic mythology.

    Probable inspiration for the fachan from creatures in Arabic folklore is the Nasnas or Shiqq (الشق) which is a jinn. They are depicted as being half-human and hopping about on one leg. This inspiration is reminiscent of the mythical zaratan crab in Middle Eastern mythology, which probably gave way to its European adaptations (“World Turtle”).

    Fachan in Popular Culture

    Popular Tales of the West Highlands: Scottish academic and writer who focused on Celtic topics, John Francis Campbell described the fachan in his book “Popular Tales of the West Highlands.” It features a fachan named Nesnas Mhiccallain who was defeated in a race by the hero of the story, Murchad mac Briain, who became king of Ireland:

    “Ugly was the shape of the fachan; there was only one hand on the crest of his chest and the tuft on the top of his head; it was easier to take a mountain by the root than to bend that tuft.”

    Monster in My Pocket: The Fachan is the #114 creature in Monster in My Pocket, and has the appearance of a feathered insect. It not only looks to have legs and arms, but also a tail.

    Howl’s Moving Castle (film): In Studio Ghibli’s Howl’s Moving Castle (film), Howl transforms into a black-feathered creature resembling a fachan but with two arms and legs. He can also fly.