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  • Champ the Lake Monster: History, Accounts, and Explanations

    Champ the Lake Monster: History, Accounts, and Explanations

    Champ, sometimes known as “Champy,” is a legendary lake monster that may or may not exist. Its name comes from Lake Champlain, which straddles the international boundary between Vermont, New York, and Quebec, Canada. It was the French explorer Samuel de Champlain, for whom the lake was named, who first mentioned the existence of this monster. Champlain claimed to have seen gigantic animals in the lake in 1609. These creatures were called tatoskok or chaousarou by the local Abenaki people of Canada. But in the 1980s, his works were heavily reinterpreted.

    Champ in History

    Origin of the Story

    Champ Lake Monster

    1609

    The Iroquois and the Abenakis, two Native American groups with a local presence around the lake, also have stories about supernatural beings who dwell there. The Abenaki people describe them as tatoskok or chaousarou (both of which mean “bony garfish“), although they don’t look anything like Champ the Lake Monster. The Iroquois spoke about a big-horned snake before the coming of Europeans.

    Samuel de Champlain and his guide when they first set foot on Isle La Motte, Vermont, in 1609. Lake Champlain is in the background. 
    Samuel de Champlain and his guide when they first set foot on Isle La Motte, Vermont, in 1609. Lake Champlain is in the background. 

    During his conflict with the Iroquois to the south of the lake, Samuel de Champlain is supposed to have heard rumors of a monster. He recorded and gathered a number of eyewitness accounts of a mystery creature in the lake. A big, prehistoric predatory fish native to North America, the bony garfish is coated in thick silvery scales and has long jaws and keen, lethal teeth. He mentioned species like these in a chronicle written in 1609.

    Champlain wrote in his journal about the lake, noting that it was full of various fish species. Among them was a type called Chaousarou, named by the locals. These fish were quite large, reaching up to eight to ten feet in length, although Champlain saw some that were about five feet long.

    They had heads as big as a few fists, a beak around two and a half feet long, and sharp teeth. Their bodies resembled pikes, but they were covered in tough scales that couldn’t be pierced. The fish were silvery-gray in color and had snouts similar to a pig’s.

    Popularization of the Animal

    Champlain may have seen the Champ monster in the lake in July of 1609. However, this fictitious story was republished in 1960 by journalist Todd Frye, who made unfounded claims in his reporting. Popularizations of excerpts from Champlain’s journal have been met with criticism from scientific works.

    In the 1980s, the press (most notably a story in Reader’s Digest Selection authored by Brian Vachon) significantly reinterpreted and reworked these sections to construct an “incredible” event around the creature and imply that the explorer personally saw it. Champlain’s journal is referenced by almost every online resource and news piece. Despite this, virtually little information about the animal can be discovered in Champlain’s writings.

    Champ Sightings in the 19th Century

    Champ the Lake Monster

    1819

    The population of the lake region increased rapidly once the Champlain Canal was finished. In the summer of 1819, Champ was first seen by humans. According to “Cape Ann Serpent on Lake Champlain,” published in the Plattsburgh Republican that year, Capt. Crum testified that he had seen a massive serpent-like creature in the lake while using his scope. American skeptic Benjamin Radford suggests that this story might be satire or an elaborate fabrication.

    1873

    However, in the summer of 1873, there was a second sighting. The newspaper story included the accounts of railway employees: the witnesses saw the serpent’s head rise out of the water on the other bank and swim toward them on June 25. The Lake Champlain Monster Organization claims that the supposed snake did not try to attack the guys but instead turned away and dove back under the water. Similarly, a party of hunters in the 1880s reported seeing and killing a gigantic snake. There was a spike in reports between the 1870s (with 15 sightings) and the 1880s (with 23 reports), then a sharp decline until the 1960s.

    1883

    In 1883 (or July 1873), Sheriff Nathan H. Mooney reported seeing a massive sea snake from the beach, perhaps 50 yards distant. He estimated the creature’s length to be between 25 and 30 feet based on how close he was to it and his description of the white, circular patches within its mouth was noteworthy. Mooney heard conflicting stories from several witnesses.

    Phineas Taylor Barnum, owner of the famous circus, offered a $50,000 prize in 1873 and again in 1887 for the capture of Champ, the subject of widespread urban legend at the time. Barnum considered incorporating it into his monumental world’s fair and circus events.

    In the 20th Century: A Baby Champ

    1945

    A person from Vermont made the claim in 1945 that he had caught a young Champ (referred to as “a baby Champ creature“) that measured almost 40 inches. Those who didn’t believe the report said that the creature was really a salamander or a baby alligator. A little Champ, looking like a turtle without a shell, approximately 12 inches long, and with a forked tongue, was supposedly collected by Dennis Jay Hall’s father in a marshy location along the lake’s shore in 1976. The University of Vermont Science Department apparently lost the animal he delivered to them. Following this encounter, Dennis read in a prehistory book that the mysterious beast may have been a tanystropheus, a kind of extinct reptile.

    1977

    Before Sandra Mansi presented a picture on July 5, 1977, no formal record of the event existed. She was strolling along the north coast of Lake Champlain in the vicinity of Saint Albans, Vermont, with her two children from a previous marriage and her fiance, Anthony Mansi. At around midday, they pulled off on a rocky outcrop overlooking the water. A commotion in the water that Mansi at first mistaken for a school of fish or a scuba diver caught her eye as the kids were splashing along the beach.

    At first, just the creature’s head and neck were visible above the water. She beckoned the kids back to the water’s edge. A snapshot was taken by Mansi using her Kodak Instamatic camera. The purported Champ did not seem to be worried or scared by the youngsters who were playing along the water’s edge. After sitting still for a while, the monster dove under the waves. The Mansis claimed the duration of the observation to be between four and seven minutes.

    A huge gray-brown reptile’s neck and dorsal fin are seen in the shot. Mansi kept quiet about it for a long time, but ultimately specialists verified that the picture was genuine after analyzing it. The New York Times gave it a first-page treatment on July 6, 1977. Not long after, Port Henry put up a sign cataloging monster sightings, and a huge conference was held to discuss Champ’s existence. Several cryptozoologists and experts on the issue have argued that Mansi’s picture is the most plausible material proof of a Champ sighting since it shows no signs of having been manipulated.

    1980s

    An examination undertaken in 1982 by a member of the University of British Columbia’s Department of Oceanography determined that the item or creature shot by Mansi was huge, measuring at least 16–17 feet. However, scientist Benjamin Radford disagreed with this interpretation, suggesting in his book “Lake Monster Mysteries: Investigating the World’s Most Elusive Creatures” that the serpentine form may just be a piece of wood floating on the lake or the trunk of a fallen tree.

    Since woods surround the lake, it’s possible that trees regularly wash up on the shore. There is a strong connection between silhouette images of floating tree trunks and visual accounts of a long-necked creature. There is reason to mistrust this entire affair since Mansi was never able to supply the negative of the shot, he does not know the spot where it was taken, and there is no way to compare the size of the item in the photo. While the picture has been widely discredited, Sandra Mansi’s attorney compared it to the impossibility of her launching a satellite into orbit to defend her claim.

    Prior to the 1980s, Champ earned notoriety and was the subject of hunting expeditions. In 1981, soon after the picture of the lake monster Champ was released, it was referenced in hundreds of testimonies. Four further photographs were taken and seemed legitimate. The skeptic William Tromblee said he saw a giant creature beneath the lake’s surface in 1981, when he was entirely sober, while the list of witnesses was more of a roster of neighborhood boozers. On the other hand, he speculated that it could be a large sturgeon.

    In 1983, Joseph W. Zarzynski, better known as Champ Hunter, took the previously mocked claims of monster observers seriously. A total of 224 accounts were recorded by the end of 1984; the decade of the 1960s saw the most reports (15), the decade of the 1970s had 19 Champ reports, and the decade of the 1980s saw the most reports (60 by mid-1984).

    Champ Monster in the 21st Century

    Two fishermen, Dick Affolter, a retired lawyer with a degree from Cornell University Law School in Essex, and Pete Bodette, a sales director of a fuel company who had lived near the lake for a long time, went salmon fishing at the mouth of the Ausable River on July 11, 2005. Neither of them believed in the Champ the Lake Monster stories before this. Using their digital camera, they captured something emerging from the water roughly 330 feet from them during their expedition. ABC News aired the footage in 2006.

    Pete Bodette, who is 34 years old, said, “It was as big as my thigh.” I have no doubts whatsoever about what we saw. I can’t say for sure what it was. Dick Affolter, his more seasoned traveling partner, said that they never caught sight of the whole body: “What we saw was always at the surface, and parts of it were sticking out above the water, like the back, the nose, or the head.” Upon closer inspection, cryptozoologists were able to make out what seemed to be the head and neck of an animal like a plesiosaur, complete with an open mouth at times and a closed mouth at others (like a fish or a crocodile).

    This sea serpent-like monster was quite lengthy. It was said to have a massive club-shaped head and lacked the typical dorsal fins of fish, leading some to believe it was air-dependent. As it swam, its wake split in two. The fishermen were quick to rule out more mundane explanations, such as an otter, sea snake, or large sturgeon.

    Two former FBI picture analysts found no evidence of manipulation. For example, Gerald Richards, one of them, said, “I can’t find anything in it that would suggest or indicate to me that it was contrived or manipulated in any way.”

    Summary of the Myth of Champ

    The model of a floating tree stump that resembles the lake monster Champ, or even Nessie.
    The model of a floating tree stump that resembles the lake monster Champ, or even Nessie. Brad06, cc by sa 4.0.
    The model of a floating tree stump that resembles the lake monster Champ, or even Nessie.

    The existence of Champ has been the topic of controversy between cryptozoologists, who believe an ancient plesiosaur might still be alive today, and various scientists, who point to the potential for confusion with recognized species or floating objects with misleading outlines.

    The cryptozoologists’ idea is based on research revealing varying population numbers of particular fish species in the lake, in addition to eyewitness testimonies, several pictures, and a video shot in 2005. However, this does not provide solid evidence for the presence of lake monsters.

    Since 1983, the city of Port Henry, New York, has been protecting Champ from hunters thanks to a statute to honor the animal. It is also considered a species in danger and is on the endangered list. Literature has been influenced by its mythology.

    The length of the narrow, deep Lake Champlain is almost 125 miles. It lies mostly in the United States but also partly in Vermont, New York, and the Canadian province of Quebec. Lake Ontario, reachable from the Atlantic through the lengthy maritime route of the Saint Lawrence River, is home to nearly three hundred accounts of monster sightings.

    According to these accounts, the majority of observations are made between the hours of 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. In contrast to Loch Ness in Scotland, where the legendary monster is said to dwell, the waters of Lake Champlain are home to a thriving fish population. Significant water oscillations occur in the lake, which is encircled by its valley.

    Seiches are a natural occurrence that may cause waves in Lake Champlain’s currents to reach heights of 30 to 330 feet. They are “standing waves” in an enclosed body of water. Due to the fact that everything is happening below the surface, nobody seems to notice it. Because the warm and cold water layers don’t mix, this large oscillation follows the border between them.

    It is possible for the lake’s water level to rise at one end while falling at the other due to the direction of the prevailing winds. When the wind dies down, the water level in the reservoir starts to rise again. It may take four days for this gigantic wave to span 60 miles across the widest area of the lake as it bounces off the coastline before it stabilizes.

    Explanations for Champ the Lake Monster

    Seiches

    Champ is a subject of cryptozoology since its presence has never been verified. Most cryptozoologists, according to American cartoonist Haden Blackman, think it exists. In terms of general looks, Champ would resemble the Loch Ness Monster. Lake Champlain, like the Loch Ness water, is deeper than 390 feet, and the glacial meltwater generated both lakes. There are two fish populations in the lakes, and proponents of this idea argue that both are big enough to support a lake monster. For this theory to work, we need either one very enormous creature or a fish population big enough to sustain multiple smaller ones.

    The tremendous seiche, albeit unseen, drags all kinds of detritus to the surface, including a fallen tree trunk that may resemble the sea monster from a certain distance, according to those who disbelieve in Champ and the Loch Ness Monster. Experts who don’t believe in the Lake Champlain monster point out that the summer is when seiches are most common and when the monster is most likely to be seen.

    Prehistoric Creatures

    Cryptozoologist Roy Mackal, who visited the lake in 1981, speculated that Champ may be a living plesiosaur, basilosaurus, or zeuglodon from ancient times.

    Belua Aquatica Champlainiensis, coined by the infamous “Champ Hunter,” Joseph W. Zarzynski, translates to “huge aquatic creature of Lake Champlain.” Middlebury College geologist Dr. Patricia Manley disputes the existence of Champ. She claims that plesiosaurs couldn’t have been in Lake Champlain since the lake’s age (10,000 years) doesn’t match the time period when they did live (approximately 65 million years ago).

    Modern Findings

    A serpentine shape, a large body with a long neck of around 12 inches in circumference, and black lustrous skin, but without scales, are all characteristics of Champ that have been seen in over three hundred reports. The length is described as being anything from 13 feet to 130 feet in length. Champ is believed to resemble an eel, sea snake, or catfish because of the way it moves, with its neck held rigidly straight. It has been likened to a lizard, a horse, a manatee, a boat, a periscope, a monster with lizard-like legs, and ultimately a whale, depending on who you ask.

    In July of 2002, bioacoustician Elizabeth von Muggenthaler detected an echo signal in the lake that was very similar to that of an orca. She taped it and saved it for later use. In 2003, the Fauna Communications Research Institute recorded echolocation from inside the lake for a television broadcast, providing concrete proof of the phenomenon. The institution found that the noises were comparable to those of a beluga or an orca but distinct from those of a dolphin or other whale species. The analysis of Mansi’s shot in this light led to the hypothesis that what seems to be a neck and head is, in fact, the fin of a gigantic animal surfing the lake’s waves.

    The Lake Champlain Fish and Wildlife Management Cooperative (consisting of the New York Department of Environmental Conservation and the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife) announced in a report published in July 2008 that the population of some fish species had fluctuated for reasons that were not clear. Population growth and decline were shown to occur in cycles in the research. However, they discovered that these differences quickly shifted. According to the results of the research, the origin of this occurrence remains mysterious. The Lake Champlain Fish and Wildlife Management Cooperative did not make the connection between this factor and the local Lake Monster Champ, despite widespread belief to the contrary.

    Otters Swimming Together

    Scientists who doubt the existence of ancient lake monsters in Lake Champlain point out that every piece of evidence and witness account may be explained by anything other than what cryptozoologists and believers propose. They believe that most sightings are the result of simple misidentifications, such as floating tree trunks in pictures, or more complicated misidentifications involving well-known creatures.

    Retired New York State DEC employee Jon Kopp once saw a group of river otters swimming together in a line at night, generating a ripple effect on the water, and at first mistook them for a big snake. He came to the conclusion that someone uneducated in zoology may mistake the creature for real. River otters are found all throughout North America and may grow to be as long as 4,5 feet; they have dark brown fur and a gray throat; and they can raise their heads out of the water, furthering their resemblance to plesiosaurs. Furthermore, naturalist Laura Hollowell recorded people claiming to have seen a “baby Champ,” when in reality it was either a mink or an otter.

    Deer in the water is another option in connection with reports that Champ had horns. Misidentification is also often brought on by long-necked birds and rocks.

    Altered Photos

    The mythology is further bolstered by photos that have been digitally altered or photoshopped, as well as by planned hoaxes involving miniature replicas of monsters. Since the number of claimed sightings of the Champ legend always falls once barge activity is discontinued on the lake, this might be an explanation for it.

    In addition, as Benjamin Radford pointed out, the media’s portrayal of Champ has changed over time. During the nineteenth century, it was often referred to as a sea snake. Since Mansi’s photos popularized the plesiosaur theory in 1978, the media has consistently called Champ a dinosaur. According to Michel Meurger’s 1988 book “Lake monster traditions: A cross-cultural analysis,” Champ is the result of local interest in creating a monster similar to the Loch Ness Monster’s folklore.

    According to Benjamin Radford’s 2004 inquiry, not only was there no concrete proof of Champ’s existence, but it was also impossible for a rare ancient species to survive in the lake for hundreds of years without any other like specimens. He also noted that if there were a plesiosaur or other extinct marine animal community, at least one corpse would have washed up on shore or been seen floating. No giant lake creature’s bones or teeth have ever been discovered.

    The Legacy of Champ

    A Champ mascot in Minor League Baseball.
    A Champ mascot in Minor League Baseball. Jared and Corin, cc by sa 2.0, cropped

    Champ, along with Ogopogo, is the most well-known lake monster in the Americas. This fame, which attracts visitors from all over the world, is particularly lucrative at Port Henry, where a life-size replica of Champ is on display. Also, there’s a sign at the lake that details everyone who claims to have seen the monster. The locals are split on this issue. There are many who think there really was an ancient whale, while others think it’s all a media gimmick. Every year on the first Saturday of August, people all across the world celebrate “Champ Day,” an annual festival in honor of Champ.

    When the Vermont Expos baseball club changed its name to the Vermont Lake Monsters and started employing Champ as their mascot, he quickly became a local celebrity. This lake has been associated with the New York-Penn League club known as “Champ” since the league’s establishment. There are a number of local businesses, including a car wash, that utilize the word “Champ” in their branding. Greeting cards, t-shirts, and other mementos may be purchased at several locations surrounding Lake Champlain. Even a sweet, big maple sugar disc that can be dipped in melted chocolate has been made in honor of the beast. The candy is labeled as “Pure Vermont Maple Candy,” and the story of Champ is written right there on the wrapper.

    Champ is such a popular monster that it has earned the moniker “Champy.” The mayor of Port Henry, Robert Brown, is happy with the recent uptick in tourism. The city of Port Henry passed legislation in October 1983 to protect Champ and the surrounding area from the impact of increased tourists. The Vermont House of Representatives and the New York State Senate put Champ on the endangered species list in 1983, giving him the same protection as other species and making it illegal to injure the animal or destroy its habitat.

    A statue was dedicated to Champ in 1984 by the state of Vermont. It’s a solid granite stone tucked away at the base of the Perkins Pillar, a distant volcanic plug. The majority of locals are familiar with the landmark’s existence but have trouble locating it. Rock has an inscription reading, “Dedicated to Champ, Belua Aquatica Champlainiensis, and to the people of Vermont who have seen Champ.” The image of the monster and a logo are also included.

    Champ in Popular Culture

    • Champ is a monster in Rapala Pro Bass Fishing (video game) that looks a lot like American eels, another creature found in the lake.
    • Jeff Danziger, author of Champlain Monster, has been inspired by the monster’s mythology.
    • Canadian rock band Groovy Aardvark has a reference to the creature in one of their songs.

    References

    1. Lake Monster Mysteries: Investigating the World’s Most Elusive Creatures – Benjamin Radford, Joe Nickell
    2. Loch Ness Monster
    3. The Untold Story of Champ: A Social History of America’s Loch Ness Monster – Robert E. Bartholomew
  • Yara Ma Yha Who: A Creature of Australian Aboriginal Mythology

    Yara Ma Yha Who: A Creature of Australian Aboriginal Mythology

    Indigenous Australians tell stories of a vampire-like monster called the Yara Ma Yha Who. Also written as Yara-ma-yha-who, it looks like a furry, red-skinned dwarf that stands about 4 feet (1.2 m) in height. Like snakes, it has a broad, toothless mouth and eats its prey whole. Like an octopus tentacle, it may attack its prey through the orifices or suckers at the tips of its arms and legs.

    His Method of Hunting

    Humans are a staple food for the Yara Ma Yha Who. This totally evil male demon watches the ground above a leafy tree, often a fig tree, seeking prey. When a traveler gets too close, it attacks and drains his blood from its orifices, rendering him immobile on the ground.

    The passersby rarely died immediately from these injuries, but they were left weakened, allowing the furry creature to finish them off at a later time. Like a snake, it leaves its prey for a while before returning to swallow it.

    The Yara Ma Yha Who finishes its meal with a dance of good fortune, some water, and a snooze, and then regurgitates the victim, who is still very much alive although somewhat shorter in stature and redder in appearance.

    How to Escape from Yara Ma Yha Who

    Yara Ma Yha Who

    One conceivable part of the story is that the Yara-ma-yha-who does not run quickly, so if the unfortunate victim manages to trick it into thinking it is dead, they may be able to get away. However, if a person were attacked multiple times by this creature, the person would grow shorter in height, their hair would cover their entire body, and eventually, they would transform into another yara-ma-yha-who.

    Since the Yara Ma Yha Who is only active during the day, the victim must play dead until sundown. Children were always told not to resist when encountering this monster because their injuries were seldom severe enough to make escape impossible. Conserving their strength offered the best chance of survival, enabling them to flee after the initial attack.

    Historical Origin

    Yara Ma Yha Who is a popular myth in the Australian mythology of the aboriginal people who have been living on the continent for several millennia. It has been said that unruly children were taught stories about this monster. Young children who may stray from the tribe were warned about the Yara Ma Yha Who, and mischievous youngsters were warned that it could come and take them away.

    Some European Australians today also tell the stories of this creature to their children.

    The Thing with the Fig Trees

    Yara Ma Yha Who

    In other versions of the story, the monster looks like a little red frog-like humanoid with a huge head, a gaping mouth, and no teeth other than suckers on the hands and feet. It’s also a permanent resident of the fig trees, specifically the strangler ones.

    The Yara Ma Yha Who tests its victims’ life signs by prodding them with a stick. If the person remains motionless, the creature leaves briefly, returning to tickle the victim under the neck or arm. Children are advised not to resist since the Yara Ma Yha Who might swallow and then vomit them. After vomiting, it rests, providing the victim with a chance to escape.

    When the Yara Ma Yha Who fails, the fig tree spirit slays him by reaching his head through his ear and causing a mumbling noise that ends in a sudden death. In its final form, the spirit is now a gloomy fungus that hangs from the trees at night.

    The mythological stories of numerous cultures around the world include fig trees in their legends, probably due to their large, spreading branches, which impose some sort of forceful and scary appearance on the onlookers.

    References

    1. Myths & Legends of the Australian Aboriginals – William Ramsay Smith – Google Books
    2. The indigenous literature of Australia / Mudrooroo | National Library of Australia (nla.gov.au)
  • Bishop Fish: A 16th-Century Myth Told for 500 Years

    Bishop Fish: A 16th-Century Myth Told for 500 Years

  • Sea Monk: Legends, Lore, and Modern Interpretations

    Sea Monk: Legends, Lore, and Modern Interpretations

    • The sea monk myth originated in 12th-century writings.
    • Sea monk sightings linked to octopus and monkfish theories.
    • Conrad Gessner “discovered” sea monk species in 1550.
    • The sea monk myth was probably associated with anti-Catholic sentiments.

    The sea monk (piscis monachus) is a made-up beast popularized in early modern and medieval animal tomes. Around the year 1200, he was introduced to the world by Alexander Neckam. There have been several reports of sightings of the sea monk since 1550; one specimen was even supposedly given to the King of Denmark. Illustrations of the sea monk may be found in many writings of the 16th century, for example in Conrad Gessner‘s Fish Book. Sightings of the sea monk in contemporary times have been tried to be explained away as misidentifications of different creatures. Though it was first attributed to an octopus by Japetus Steenstrup in 1855, subsequent speculation has focused on other potential marine mammals such as seals, angelsharks, and anglerfish.

    Their Symbolic Meaning

    Drawing of a sea monk collected by Felix Platter, to be used in Historiae animalium.
    Drawing of a sea monk collected by Felix Platter, to be used in Historiae animalium.

    Bestiaries from the time period often portrayed him as a scaly, lanky, purple creature with humanoid characteristics. It was said to be eight feet in length, and its corollated head gave it a monkish appearance.

    At the time, the sea monk was hailed as a prodigy, a marine monster that proved the universe was “perfectly balanced.” It testified to the singular symmetry of the world, whereby everything terrestrial has an equivalent in the sea.

    Just as Lucas Cranach portrayed the “Donkey Pope” and the “Monk’s Calf,” these alterations, including the origin of sea monks, could have been driven by anti-Catholic sentiments.

    Origins of the Sea Monks

    The depiction of a sea monk in Thomas of Cantimpre's Liber de natura rerum, France ca. 1290.
    The depiction of a sea monk in Thomas of Cantimpre’s Liber de natura rerum, France ca. 1290.

    The first written reference to a “sea monk” dates back to the late 12th or early 13th century, to a book by Alexander Neckam titled “On the Natures of Things”. Strange fishes are discussed in this book, and it is said that some fishes resemble monks. An expanded version of this story may be found in Albertus Magnus’ “On Animals” where the first sightings in the British Sea are also recounted. Thomas of Cantimpre, a student of Albertus, wrote about the sea monk in his work “A Book on the Natures of Things.”

    Their Appearance

    In his Book of Nature, a German translation of Cantimpre’s work, Conrad von Megenberg introduces the sea monk to the German-speaking world. You may find the sea monks on this list along with other “sea marvels” like sea dragons and sea cattle. Megenberg claims that the sea monk has a fish’s snout and a countenance unlike that of a human, but that the sea monk’s head resembles a monk’s tonsure.

    Bellon du Mans' (Pierre Belon) sea monk illustration, 1553.
    Bellon du Mans’ (Pierre Belon) illustration, 1553.

    This is the description of an exceptional “fish” by Megenberg in 1349:

    Monachus marinus. The monachus marinus is a monster in the shape of a fish, and the top like a man; it has a head like a newly tonsured monk. It has scales on its head, and around its head is a black hoop above the ears; the hoop is composed of hair like that of a true monk. The monster is in the habit of luring people to the seashore by making various leaps, and when he sees that people are happy to look at his game, he is even more cheerful to rush in different directions; when he can grab a man, he drags him into the water and devours him. It has a face not quite similar to a man: fish nose and a mouth very close to the nose.

    — Conrad von Megenberg, Book of Nature, 1349

    The sea monks would lure people with their playful antics, only to drag them beneath the ocean and devour them. This is similar to the legend of the mermaids. This theory holds that Megenberg’s descriptions of the “marvels” of the water are allegories of human attitudes, character qualities, or professions, making the sea monk a metaphor for a charismatic con artist who leads his victims astray.

    Sea Monk Sightings in History

    1564 illustration of sea monk. Printed and presumably illustrated by Richard Breton, text possibly by François Deserps.
    1564 illustration. Printed and presumably illustrated by Richard Breton, text possibly by François Deserps.

    There are reports of sea monk sightings from the Middle Ages to the early modern era. One sea monk was supposedly seized in 1187 in Suffolk and kept for six months in a fortress. But he jumped into the water to escape when the conditions were right. There have also been reports of sightings in the open seas of the North Sea and along the Norwegian coast.

    In the year 1531, a “sea monk” was hauled up in nets not far from the Swedish city of Malmö. Boethius’ account of a similar creature in the Firth of Forth in Scotland was cited, as was a 1531 sighting off the coast of Poland.

    According to Arild Huitfeldt’s chronicle of the Danish kingdom, he fell victim to the net once again in Denmark. In 1546, a monstrous fish that resembled “a monk with a shaved tonsure in his hood” washed up on the Danish beach after a storm:

    In 1550 an extraordinary fish was caught near Oresund and sent to the king in Copenhagen. He had a human head and a monk’s tonsure on his head. He is dressed with scales and a kind of monastic hood. The king ordered the fish to be buried. Several drawings were made of the fish, which were sent to various crowned persons and naturalists of Europe.

    King Christian III of Denmark depicted this weird sea monster that had been trapped and sent to Emperor Charles V of Spain in the mid-16th century. Numerous pictures of the sea monk in numerous animal books presumably trace back to these sketches.

    Sea Monk

    Described as a “fish” that externally resembled a human monk in his habit, the monster was 15 feet long. It was caught in the waters of Copenhagen when it became the victim of a herring net.

    From the fish books of Pierre Belon and Guillaume Rondelet to Conrad Gessner’s Fish Book (1558), Japetus Steenstrup cites a total of eight references for the sea monks during this time period.

    Gessner’s book included not only a description of the sea monk but also images of him and the bishop fish. Other fabled animals, including the phoenix and the unicorn, are mentioned in Gessner’s works, although his writings are often ambiguous (like a novel) on whether or not these creatures really exist. He enumerates the reports of the sea monk sightings while maintaining a crucial distance. According to him, the monster’s face was as dark as an Ethiopian’s.

    The “bishop fish,” seen in 16th-century European literature for the first time, is a comparable figure to the sea monk.

    It Looked Like a Catholic Monk

    Sea Monk

    A character in the fish book is called the “sea monk,” and he has a humanoid face and wears scales for attire like Catholic monks. His skull is tonsured like the medieval depictions of Megenberg. In François Deserps’ costume book from 1562, the sea monk appears not long after Gessner’s fish book, with the sea bishop once again. When compared to Gessner’s work, the figure here seems bulkier, the face displays a grimacing, shark-like smile, and the clothing appears more humanlike.

    Like Lucas Cranach’s portrayals of the “Donkey Pope” and the “Monk’s Calf” the rationale for these alterations like the sea monks might be anti-Catholic animus.

    Several texts, such as Gaspar Schott’s Physica Curiosa (1697) and Robert Chambers’ Book of Days (1863/64), continued to mention the sea monk well after the 16th century, when it had mostly been forgotten. First proposed by Steenstrup in 1855, the octopus confusion theory attempted to provide a scientific explanation for sea monk sightings.

    Sea Monk

    Merfolk like sirens, tritons, naiads, and nereids were occasionally linked to the sea monk in 16th-century writing.

    Even species he had never seen alive, such as the armadillo, were faithfully represented by Gessner based on accessible knowledge. Animals having unusual characteristics, such as flat feet or a bell-shaped trunk on an elephant, were shown in Gessner’s works. The skill with which Gessner was able to depict guinea pigs led to his being famous as Zurich’s first guinea pig breeder.

    Real Animals Similar to the Sea Monks

    Sea Monk

    In 1855, Steenstrup equated the sea monk with an octopus. He speculated that an octopus would closely match the description given by the sea monk’s preserved body form and other features. He assumed the tonsure-like form on the top of the skull was an ink sac.

    Anglerfish, often known as monkfish, is a good example of a contender for this interpretation, while in more recent times other creatures have been brought into play as possibilities. The angelshark (monkfish), which resembles a monk to a lesser extent and would be a better fit for the reported size of the sea monk than the squid typical in the North Atlantic, is often mistaken for a monkfish.

    Seals, which are widespread in the North Atlantic and also resemble monks, might be another option. Although dried and taxidermied rays (Jenny Haniver) may seem like dead sea monks, they provide no explanation for living individuals who are spotted. Regardless, the little oral history precludes any convincing explanation for the sea monk phenomenon.

    The bishop fish and the Japanese umibōzu are only two examples of the many mythical marine animals that take their inspiration from or are based on religious people.

    Explanation of the Sea Monk Myth

    Sea Monk

    The sea monk was not all that uncommon and was sometimes pulled up with herring in fishing nets. Conrad Gessner (1516-1565) of Zurich, Switzerland, discovered the species he would later draw for his “Historia animalium (“History of the Animals”) in the basements of the royal palace in Copenhagen, where it had been held as a “curiosity” since its capture in 1550.

    Professor Steenstrup drew a conclusion from matching these images to historical accounts of the “monster”: it was a ten-tentacled cuttlefish, often colored black and red, with suckers and warts on the skin and suckers on the tentacles, which might easily be mistaken for scales. The “sea monk” mythos, therefore, seems to have its roots in the all-too-common cognitive bias of unconsciously “doctoring” the unknown with the known.

    Some people think the sea monk is either a gray whale, a walrus, or a large stingray (known as a “monkfish” in Germanic nations). In addition to that, Jenny Haniver was also a “humanoid monster,” but it was in reality a hoax of a dried and mutilated sea creature that was given the body of either a “devil” or “dragon.” This could be another explanation for the sea monk.

    In Modern Culture

    A modern recreation of the sea monk in the Zoological Museum Zurich in the special exhibition of Conrad Gessner.
    A modern recreation in the Zoological Museum Zurich in the special exhibition of Conrad Gessner. (Adrian Michael, cc by sa 3.0, cropped)

    Several video games include a monster known as the Sea Monk, including Lost Kingdoms II and Final Fantasy XI.

  • Anthropophage: A Cannibal People of Scythia

    Anthropophage: A Cannibal People of Scythia

    The fabled race of cannibals known as Anthropophage (from Greek ανθρωποφάγος “human eater”, plural “Anthropophagi“) was initially portrayed by Herodotus (c. 484–425 BC) as Androphagi in his writings, and afterward by other writers, such as playwright William Shakespeare. In 1552, the term made its English debut.

    Origin

    Anthropophage The Mythical Cannibal People of Scythia

    Anthropophagi are commonly depicted in popular culture as headless creatures, although in alleged reality, their faces were on their bodies like a usual human.

    Shakespeare’s description of Anthropophage as “and men whose heads do grow beneath their shoulders” in Othello may have led to this misunderstanding.

    Furthermore, the Anthropophage sometimes alludes to a distinct race of mythological animals called Blemmyes, more commonly known as “headless men”, who are said to have facial characteristics on their chests rather than their heads.

    However, they were two different people. The Blemmyes also dates back to ancient Greek history with the name ἀκέφαλοι, “without a head.”

    References to Anthropophage

    Anthropophage The Mythical Cannibal People of Scythia

    In his “Histories,” Herodotus first mentioned the Anthropophage, referring to them as one of the several tribes that lived close to Scythia. An additional note states that Androphagi are cannibals, as their name implies:

    The manners of the Androphagi are more savage than those of any other race. They neither observe justice, nor are governed, by any laws. They are nomads, and their dress is Scythian; but the language which they speak is peculiar to themselves. Unlike any other nation in these parts, they are cannibals. […] Now they who had come together were the kings of the Tauri, the Agathyrsi, the Neuri, the Androphagi, the Melanchaeni, the Geloni, the Budini, and the Sauromatae.

    The Histories Book 4: Melpomene

    Philostratus in The Life of Apollonius of Tyana, mentions the Anthropophage:

    And the Nasamones and the man-eaters [Anthropophagi] and the pigmies and the shadow-footed people are also tribes of Ethiopia, and they extend as far as the Ethiopian ocean, which no mariners ever enter except castaways who do so against their will.

    Philostratus, Life of Apollonius 6.21-25 – Livius

    The same cannibals in Scythia were subsequently reported by Pliny the Elder in his book Naturalis Historia to have carried human scalps on their chests.

    The Anthropophagi, whom we have previously mentioned as dwelling ten days’ journey beyond the Borysthenes, according to the account of Isigonus of Nicaea, were in the habit of drinking out of human skulls, and placing the scalps, with the hair attached, upon their breasts, like so many napkins.

    Natural History (Naturalis Historia), by Pliny the Elder, Book 7, Chapter 2.

    Pliny the Elder, who lived in the first century AD, once again references Anthropophage in Book 7:

    In a more westerly direction [in Athiopia] are the Nigroæ, whose king has only one eye, and that in the forehead, the Agriophagi, who live principally on the flesh of panthers and lions, the Pamphagi, who will eat anything, the Anthropophagi, who live on human flesh, the Cynamolgi, a people with the heads of dogs […]

    Pliny the Elder, Natural History 6. 195

    The work “Res gestae” by Ammianus Marcellinus made reference to Anthropophages:

    Next to these are the Melanchlamae and the Anthropophagi, who roam about upon different tracts of land and live on human flesh. And these men are so avoided on account of their horrid food, that all the tribes which were their neighbors have removed to a distance from them. And in this way the whole of that region to the north-east, till you come to the Chinese, is uninhabited.

    Ammianus Marcellinus, Res Gestae, Book 31, 1862

    Anthropophage in Written Works

    Later authors who referenced the mythical people of Anthropophage in their works were probably influenced by the writings of the ancient Greeks.

    • The most well-known example related to these people may be found in Act 1. Scene III of William Shakespeare’s Othello, where it says,
      • “of the Cannibals that each other eat … and men whose heads /
        Do grow beneath their shoulders        “
    • In The Merry Wives of Windsor, Shakespeare made reference to the Anthropophage once again.
    • T.H. White‘s book “The Sword in the Stone” also portrayed Anthropophage as Robin Hood’s adversaries.
    • Myths about Anthropophagi are used by American author Rick Jency in his 2010 book The Monsterologist.
  • Waheela: A Wolf-Like Cryptid of Canadian Tundra

    Waheela: A Wolf-Like Cryptid of Canadian Tundra

    • Large wolf with unique features, robust build, wide feet.
    • Theories suggest survival of amphicyonids or unique local wolf species.
    • Reported sightings in Nahanni Valley, Alaska, and Michigan.

    The Canadian Northwest Territories and the Nahanni Valley are purported hotspots for sightings of the wolf-like cryptid known as the Waheela. There have been reports of sightings in both Alaska and Michigan. Even though the extinct Canis dirus (Dire wolf) does not fit the description of the Waheela, cryptozoologist and writer Ivan T. Sanderson thought in the 1970s that the Waheela may represent a remnant population of amphicyonids, ancient bear-dogs from the Pleistocene. Since no physical evidence of the Waheela survives, the presence of this mysterious wolf-like animal cannot be demonstrated by science.

    The Waheela is a murderous ghost-like animal described in Native American mythology.

    What Does Waheela Look Like?

    The reality of the Waheela, a big wolf said to inhabit the tundra of northern Canada and Alaska, has not been established. The Waheela is said to resemble a huge wolf in appearance. Its feet are unusually large, and it is reported to be larger and more robustly constructed than a wolf.

    It’s been stated that its forelegs are noticeably longer than the back ones. This type of leg disproportion is common in mythical figures such as Dahu goats, or Nasnas, Ciguapa, and Fachan humanoids.

    Its feet are notably wider apart than those of a typical wolf, producing footprints that are fashioned like a wolf’s but far larger in size. It has a robust tail and relatively small ears in contrast to its enormous, wide head. The animal allegedly stood as tall as 4 feet at the shoulder.

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    The snowy tundra regions of Michigan’s far north, Alaska, and Canada’s Northwest Territories are said to be home to this creature.

    Scotland-born cryptozoologist T. Sanderson claimed that a hunter friend of his fired two shots at such a monster in the 1940s or 1950s while tracking in Canada’s Nahanni Valley. The thickness of its fur, however, rendered his bullets ineffective, and the animal just retreated. Waheelas have also been blamed for the finding of decapitated prospectors throughout the years in the same area.

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    Theories on Waheela’s Origin

    Waheela
    Waheela, artwork.

    Sanderson made a bold guess, suggesting it might be a living amphicyonid (“bear-dogs“). These powerful predators, different from dogs and bears, vanished around 5 million years ago in the Late Miocene. He thought a group of them survived in the harsh Arctic of northern North America, rarely seen by people and hunters.

    Another theory suggests Waheela might be an extinct local wolf type from Alaska, similar to modern wolves but with unique features described in Waheela accounts.

    Waheela also might have suffered from a condition called “gigantism.”

    The name “Waheela” comes from an old report that was uncovered by the American cryptozoologist Loren Coleman, who learned that three trappers in colonial-era Michigan claimed to have seen a ghostly, white wolf of enormous size near a lake. As both are characterized as enormous white wolves, the name is sometimes mistaken for the Great White Wolf of Canada’s Nahanni Valley.

    Specimens of the suborder of ancient bear-dogs and the extinct relative of modern Pleistocene wolves, Canis dirus, have been linked to this legendary narrative. An extinct kind of hyena or a new type of canine are among other candidates.

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    Other Cryptids Similar to Waheela

    According to urban legend, the Waheela has all-white fur and can survive in subzero conditions. Although it resembles the Shunka Warakin, another large cryptid caniform, the Waheela lives considerably further north.

    Greenland sightings of this animal have also been linked to the Amarok, a mythical enormous wolf from Inuit folklore. This gigantic wolf is certainly an analogue of this beast.

    However, a lot of people also think it resembles the Ringdocus, a nearly monstrous canid with blackish hair that a taxidermist shot in Montana in 1886 and later stuffed.

    However, there are also many who believe it is similar to the Ringdocus, an almost-monstrous canid with blackish hair that was shot in Montana in 1886 and later stuffed by a taxidermist.

    References to Waheela

    • “Ista” is a therianthropic waheela and a close friend and ally of Verity Price, the heroine of the American writer Seanan McGuire’s novel series called InCryptid.
    • Waheela is a character in Barrack Muluka’s 1997 novel When Ogres Lived.
    • The Secret Saturdays is an animated animation that features the Waheela. The same show also features the giant Amarok wolf.
  • Ciguapa: Myth of the Dominican Women with Backward Feet

    Ciguapa: Myth of the Dominican Women with Backward Feet

    • Ciguapa is a nocturnal creature with backward-bent feet and partridge-like cries.
    • First mentioned in 1866, its origins are debated between colonial and pre-Hispanic times.
    • The origin theories include Africa, Ciguayos, or Taino survivors.

    Dominican legend has it that the Ciguapa is a mythical beast that lives in the country’s mountain ranges. A legendary female monster with feet bent backward, the Ciguapa (from Nahuatl, cihuatl, “woman”) makes high-pitched noises like a partridge’s call. It is said to be able to bewitch men and only appears at night at the edge of water currents in myths and legends. However, during nights of the waxing moon, a white dog may aid in capturing ciguapas, despite the fact that the ciguapas’ grief at their capture often leads to their untimely deaths. These creatures are also known as maboyas in Dominican folklore.

    Various Remarks on Ciguapa

    Ciguapa. Myth of the Dominican Women with Backward Feet.

    Ciguapa was probably a Dominican woman with foot deformities who isolated herself from the community and lived in the mountains. First mentioned in print in 1866 by Dominican author Javier Angulo y Guridi, the ciguapa’s origins were not known until the 19th century. With works like a well-known play from 1867 and the 1866 short story “The Ciguapa,” both of which drew inspiration from Dominican folklore, he founded the Indianist (for indigenous) literary movement in the Dominican Republic.

    Some historians date the ciguapa to the colonial period, while others believe it has pre-Hispanic roots.

    The Spanish-Dominican historian Cipriano de Utrera, who first heard about the Ciguapa tale in 1911, supposedly had this to say about them in 1951:

    “As such a property of reversely turned feet would necessarily have to be said about a non-human animal species, everyone considers it a hoax and something that we do not remember reading anything written about the Ciguapa. However, the antiquity, apparently, is respectable, if only for the first foundation, of the rarity that goes beyond the limits of the Spanish.”

    Utrera explains that he ultimately boiled it down to a connection of likeness with the paintings that the aristocratic people of Spain and Italy saw as odd entities.

    Her Alleged Appearance

    A companion of Columbus and bishop of Santo Domingo, Alessandro Geraldini (1455–1524) writes in his Itinerarium ad Regiones sub Equinoctiali that there were wild individuals whose entire bodies were wrapped in lengthy hair, except for their feet, hands, knees, and faces, in a very remote part of the island to the north, in front of a very high and absolutely inaccessible mountain. Due to their walking in reverse, their tracks cannot be used to determine direction.

    According to Geraldini, this entity was a common subject for wall painting in the halls and patios of wealthy homes in Spain and Italy. These people didn’t talk to anyone else. If they happened to be on the plain and spotted a traveler, they would immediately make their way back up the mountain. No horse was quicker than those barbarians, and none could catch them.

    The ciguapa is primarily a part of the folklore of the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and even Central America.

    Historical Roots of the Ciguapa Myth

    Africa

    Many people don’t know where this beast of Ciguapa came from. But there’s been a theory floating around that says it all started in Africa. The difficulty is that the myth didn’t emerge until a very late time and is completely absent from other Afro-American groups, including those of Haiti.

    People of Samana

    Some people think the Ciguapa was named after the Ciguayos, the indigenous people who inhabited the Samana Peninsula. They were the island’s protectors since the time the Carib people of a neighboring island put an eye on their home on the Bay of Samana. This bay was on the side of the island where the Ciguayos allegedly lived.

    They reportedly slept with their feet pointed toward the sea and the rest of their body facing wherever they were staring in order to be ready for an assault by the Caribs at any moment. According to legend, the Ciguapa also faces in the opposite direction her feet are pointing, for the same reason.

    The Spanish Conquistadors

    However, the arrival of Christopher Columbus and the invasion of the Spanish conquistadors could have something to do with the beginnings of the Ciguapa myth. Many of the historic Indigenous people of the Caribbean, like the Taino, were slaves after the Spanish invasion, forcing many more to escape.

    The last of the Taino may have concealed themselves in the mountains, underground tunnels, and caverns to escape being captured by the Spanish; this is where the mythology of the Ciguapa probably originated.

    A lady with long hair, a white complexion, blue eyes, and strolling half-naked was supposedly spotted emerging from a cave. She would rob them of food, clothing, and other necessities, like a mermaid. This kind of conduct was thought to be characteristic of demons, witches, or other otherworldly creatures.

    Taino Who Lived in Caves

    However, it’s possible that the Ciguapas were really descended from a group of indigenous Taino people who lived underground and made it to the modern day.

    A legendary creature known as a Ciguapa is said to frequent the rural parts of the Dominican Republic and Holguin, Cuba. Dominicans who fought for Cuban independence may have taken the myth of this person with them.

    Many elements from other folktales occur in the myth of Ciguapa: witches, elves, fairy spirits, enchantresses, nymphs, sirens, succubus, and other supernatural beings. The reason for their backward feet could be due to a condition today called genu recurvatum.

  • Astomi (Astomoi): Ancient Breatharians Who Didn’t Eat or Drink

    Astomi (Astomoi): Ancient Breatharians Who Didn’t Eat or Drink

    • Astomi were mouthless people in Indian and Western mythologies.
    • They survived on aromas, following a breatharian lifestyle in ancient times.
    • They symbolized “monstrous races” in Romanesque art and literature.

    The Astomi (sometimes spelled Astomoi; the name comes from the Ancient Greek άστομα, meaning “mouthless”) are a mythological people that allegedly lived in antiquity and also in the Middle Ages. The Astomi get their name because they have no physical mouth. It was perhaps through Indian mythology that they made their way into Western literature. These odor-eaters were named Homo astomus in the Middle Ages.

    What Is Astomi (or Astomoi)?

    Astomi (Astomoi), odor eater breatharians

    Book VII of Pliny the Elder’s “Naturalis Historia” (“Natural History”), published in 77 AD, is devoted to anthropology and includes the following description of the Astomi people:

    At the very extremity of India, on the eastern side, near the source of the river Ganges, there is the nation of the Astomi, a people who have no mouths; their bodies are rough and hairy, and they cover themselves with a down plucked from the leaves of trees. These people subsist only by breathing and by the odors which they inhale through the nostrils. They support themselves upon neither meat nor drink; when they go upon a long journey, they only carry with them various odoriferous roots and flowers, and wild apples, that they may not be without something to smell at. But an odor, which is a little more powerful than usual, easily destroys them.

    Pliny the Elder, The Natural History, BOOK VII.
    Astomi (Astomoi), Homo Astomus
    What Astomi people internalized was called “breatharianism”. The Hindu idea of “prana” (energy or lifeblood) is the basis for the belief that real breatharians don’t need to eat or drink anything other than the sun’s rays, air, and energy to sustain life.

    Pliny states that the Astomi may be found in northern India, close to where the Ganges River originates. They wrap themselves in tree leaves since they are completely covered with hair. The Astomi have no appetite or thirst. They get all of their nutrition by doing deep nose dives into flower beds, root cellars, and fruit trees. They bring wild apples with them on long travels to keep their sense of smell sharp.

    Pliny cites a statement by Megasthenes, a Greek historian, in his “Indica” that suggests a powerful stench is all that is needed to kill them. Megasthenes, as reported by Strabo (a Greek historian), claims that the Astomi are domesticated. They get by on the aroma of smoked meat, fresh produce, and flowers.

    Where Did Astomi Live?

    Geographer Gaius Julius Solinus (3rd century) and grammarian Aulus Gellius (2nd century AD) both mention the Astomi, as well as the Renaissance scholar Petrarch. Other later authors include Thomas of Cantimpré (13th century) and John of Mandeville (14th century).

    The Astomi, according to Mandeville’s writings, inhabit the nearby island of Pitan. They are small in stature, but not smaller than the Pygmy people.

    Astomi exists in Hinduism, and it also claims that they are an ancient race of people who do not need to eat or drink at all and survive their lengthy journeys by constantly inhaling the aroma of apples, roots, and flowers they carry with them. They can die due to unpleasant odors.

    Augustine of Hippo’s non-divine wilderness is populated by “monstrous races,” and in Romanesque art, the Astomi often symbolize these races. One such specimen may be seen on a capital (architecture) from the 12th century in the westwork of Maastricht’s Basilica of Saint Servatius in the Netherlands.

    Astomi Followed Breatharianism

    Astomi smell leaf vines on the capital of the Basilica of Saint Servatius.
    Astomi smell leaf vines on the capital of the Basilica of Saint Servatius. (Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed, cc by sa 4.0)

    What Astomi people internalized was called “breatharianism“. The Hindu idea of “prana” (energy or lifeblood) is the basis for the belief that real breatharians don’t need to eat or drink anything other than the sun’s rays, air, and energy to sustain life.

    There have been various practices like this throughout ancient times. For instance, fruitarianism entails avoiding leafy greens and animal products in favor of a diet consisting primarily of seeds, fruits, berries, and nuts that doesn’t harm the plant. The strictest fruitarians will only eat fruits that have naturally fallen from the trees, rather than risking plant or tree damage.

    The Bible’s account in Genesis 1:29 suggests a religious basis for this practice, where God commanded Adam and Eve to eat only fruit in the beginning. This points to the fact that fruitarianism was a practice that ancient people probably engaged in prior to the publication of the Bible.

  • 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.

  • Zaratan: A Mythical Crab (or Turtle) in the Form of an Island

    Zaratan: A Mythical Crab (or Turtle) in the Form of an Island

    • Zaratan myth originates from Arabic literature, blending crab and turtle.
    • Al-Jahiz referred to Zaratan as a marine wonder.
    • The creature appears in Dungeons and Dragons and video games.

    Zaratans, also known as Saratan in Latin, are giant turtles or crabs whose backs resemble islands on the ocean’s surface. The 9th-century Arabic book Kitāb al-Hayawān (The Book of Animals) includes a description of Zaratan. It is one of the “World Turtle” myths, such as the “Turtle Island” myth among the Indigenous North American people. The tales of sailors mistaking a giant animal for an island and landing on it, only to discover it’s alive and moving, is a widespread myth around the world.

    The Zaratan Myth

    The Zaratan myth’s beginnings are obscure, although they seem to lie in literature or mythology. Zaratans were first mentioned by the Arab writer and zoologist Al-Jahiz (776–869) in his work “The Book of Animals.” “Saratan” is actually the Arabic word for “crab.” Al-Jahiz was familiar with crabs. He said that they are eight-legged, have two “teeth,” and have eyeballs at the rear of their heads. Crabs inhabit water or shoreline burrows, place their eggs there, and feast on other creatures out of gluttony.

    The Zaratan is believed to be a Middle Eastern legend.

    However, one crab al-Jahiz mentioned is different.

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    This particular crab dwells thousands of feet below the surface of the ocean. Its back is covered with vegetation while it relaxes on the water’s surface. Its shell has fissures and crevices that look like little canyons and rivers. Similar to other crabs like this, it disappears into the depths as soon as you set foot on it, taking with it all of your possessions.

    This enormous fictional turtle or crab is also mentioned in the 13th-century work “The Wonders of Creation” by Persian scholar Zakariya al-Qazwini. There’s a tale of sailors landing on what they thought was a lush island, but it was actually Zaratan. They unwittingly awakened it with their campfire’s heat.

    “What is the most incredible thing you’ve ever seen?” was the question Al-Jahiz and his companions discussed. People heard things like “soul,” “fire,” “forgetfulness and memory,” and “the womb of the cosmos.” One of the scholars thought that an elephant was the most remarkable thing ever. Next, Ma’bad bin Omar said, “Zaratan and the ostrich are greater wonders than the elephant.”

    Al-Jahiz expanded on this theme elsewhere, saying that “the greatest of God’s creations are snakes, Zaratan, and fish” and “the greatest animals are fish and Zaratan.”

    How Zaratan Turned Into a Turtle

    Argentine essayist and short story writer Jorge Luis Borges (1899–1986) made reference to this beast. Borges, in his Book of Imaginary Beings, cited a passage from “The Book of Animals” by Al-Jahiz, translated into Spanish by Arabic scholar Miguel Asin Palacios. However, Palacios omitted the segment mentioning the Saratan being a marine crustacean.

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    Despite the transliteration “Saratan” being used, Borges used “Zaratan” since the letter S before vowels may represent a sound close to Z.

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    Furthermore, in the Zaratan entry of the Book of Imaginary Beings, it introduces not only Saratan but also sea turtles and the great fish Jasconius from “The Legend of Saint Brendan.” These factors converged, leading to the conception of Zaratan as a gigantic turtle instead of a gigantic crab.

    When Borges failed to indicate this fact, the animal has also been misinterpreted as a turtle in later works, as seen in the “Dungeons and Dragons” board game.

    As Seen in the Media

    Zaratan in dungeons and dragons
    DnD artwork.

    The Dungeons and Dragons tabletop game has Zaratans in several of its versions. Their stomping creates shockwaves that travel 120 feet into the earth, making them a unique unit. They can throw chunks of stone from their jaws and sprint very quickly, but they will return inside their shells if they are seriously injured.

    In the World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria video game, The Wandering Isle zone is a giant sea turtle in the form of a land.

    Romancing SaGa, a 1992 role-playing video game, features this animal, as well as the Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei II, another Japanese RPG released in 1990.

  • Amarok: The Spirit Wolf of the Inuit Mythology

    Amarok: The Spirit Wolf of the Inuit Mythology

    • Amarok is a spirit wolf aids humans by ensuring healthy caribou.
    • In Inuit beliefs, Amarok symbolizes the balance in nature, hunting, and sustenance.

    In Inuit mythology, the great spirit wolf is known as Amarok or Amaroq (in Inuktitut syllabary, ᐊᒪᕈᒃ). Amarok, who is often portrayed as a huge wolf, eats careless hunters who go out in the dark. Still, this legendary wolf helps people by watching over caribou herds and making sure the wolves hunt any sick or injured animals and leave the healthy ones to humans to allow them to avoid diseases. Inuit people use the word “amarok” to refer to wolves, and the word has also shown up in cryptozoology, contemporary literature, and popular music. It is a common theme in Inuit artwork.

    What Does Amarok Mean?

    Inuit village, 1865, Frobisher Bay, Nunavut, Canada.
    Inuit village, 1865, Frobisher Bay, Nunavut, Canada.

    In Inuit culture, the word “amarok” means “wolf” or “wolf spirit.” It incorporates the wolf in its animal form as well as the wolf’s spiritual essence in Inuit animism.


    Amarok, who hunts alone as opposed to wolf packs, targets human hunters who are either alone or careless enough to come out at night.

    Although the Amarok has been given the title of “god” on occasion, the Eskimos are animists and do not believe in the existence of a supreme being. This name has survived to the present day thanks to literature and songs.

    Wolves have a good connotation in the traditions of indigenous peoples such as the Inuit and other nations of “Turtle Island” or North America. They consider wolves to be helpful companions in their search for food, in contrast to Europeans, who often portrayed wolves as wicked.

    Myth of the Amarok Wolf

    amarok wolf

    The Amarok wolf and the caribou mythology are integral parts of Inuit cosmology.

    The First Animals

    There were no animals or plants on Earth prior to the arrival of the first man and woman. The woman pleaded with Kaïla, the sky god, to bring life to the planet. He sent her to dig a hole in the pack ice to fish, and one by one she pulled out all the animals that inhabit the world, with the caribou coming out last.

    Kaïla assured her that the caribou would provide for her people, and this was the nicest gift he could provide. The woman let the caribou go and commanded it to proliferate all over the world. Their rapid growth allowed the woman’s sons to successfully hunt caribou for food and skins to make shelter and clothing.

    Time to Plead Amarok

    However, the first woman’s offspring were known for picking the most beautiful ones. Eventually, only the ill and weak caribou survived, and the Inuit refused to consume them for fear of becoming sick themselves.

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    When the woman asked Kaïla for help, Kaïla went to see Amarok, the wolf spirit. He pleaded with Amarok’s offspring, the wolves, to devour the sick and weak caribou so that the caribou herds might grow again and turn into healthy animals. For the sons of the woman, the Amarok and the caribou, in Inuit mythology, have fused into a single entity ever since.

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    If the wolf eats caribou, the caribou will stay healthy.

    Because of the way they hunt, wolves are vital to keeping deer, caribou, and other large game populations stable. They keep aiding Inuit human hunters by providing food.


    There is also a trickster and wolf deity in Inuit mythology named “Amaguq”.

    Amarok as a Cryptid

    Unlike other Arctic peoples, the Greenlandic Inuit do not use the name Amarok for any other wolf. Thus, since the word seems to represent a specific animal in Greenlandic Inuit that is very dangerous and invariably gray, the Amarok has also been the subject of cryptozoological research.

    This fictional animal allegedly belongs to the wolf family (canis lupus), according to cryptozoologists. However, the animal referred to by the word amarok is likely the white Arctic wolf. Amarok is sometimes mistaken for the waheela, another canine cryptid from Northern Canada.

    Modern Culture

    • Volkswagen’s first pickup truck model was dubbed the “Amarok.”
    • Mike Oldfield’s album is named “Amarok.”
    • The Amarok tale served as direct inspiration for the Disney film “Never Cry Wolf,” in which a government researcher probes the loss of Arctic caribou, blamed on wolf ferocity. Among the production companies is “Amarok Productions Ltd.”
    • There is a Polish musical group by this name.
    • The novel “Julie of the Wolves” by Jean Craighead George has three parts and the first is named “Amaroq, the Wolf“.
    • It is also the name of a freeware music player with a wolf logo.
    • Albums from the German black metal band Nargaroth were published under the collective name “Amarok” in 2000.
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      The band also has a song titled “Amarok: Zorn des Lammes.”
    • The animal is featured in the animated TV series The Secret Saturdays.
    • In Season 4 of Grimm, Amarok, a hairy Wesen with the ability to freeze its victims with its breath, makes an appearance. Its purported home country is Norway.
    • Published in 1989, Bernard Clavel’s “Amarok” tells the tale of two trappers and their wolf-dog hybrid companion as they escape 1940s Quebec for the Arctic.
  • Monoceros: A Mythical Beast with Ties to Unicorns

    Monoceros: A Mythical Beast with Ties to Unicorns

    The monocerus was a legendary beast that first gained popularity in Asia and then spread to Europe. It shared a significance with the unicorn, which contributed to the general public’s conflation of the two. The fabled monoceros is characterized by a single horn that is both large and sharply pointed. Carcazonon and Karkadann are all alternative names for this legendary animal.

    The African or Indian rhinoceros is probably the inspiration for the monoceros. The narwhal, a whale with a large “horn”, is endowed with the scientific name M. monoceros in reference to this mythical creature.

    History of the Monoceros

    Monoceros 2
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    Add. 11183). 11-12th century.” class=”wp-image-40407″/>
    A monoceros. From a bestiary (British Library MS. Add. 11183). 11-12th century.

    Its name is derived from the Greek words μόνος (monos), meaning “one,” and κέρας (keras), meaning “horn.” The earliest known account of the monoceros was written by Megasthenes (about 350–290 BC), an envoy at the court of the Indian monarch Chandragupta. His book, “Indica,” has since been destroyed. Strabo, the ancient Greek geographer and historian, mentioned monoceros in his book “Geography”:

    “Moreover, Megasthenes asserts that most of the animals which are domestic with us, in those parts are wild. And he speaks of horses with a horn and the head of a deer […].”

    Strabo, Geography, Book XV, Chapter 1, No. 56.

    Mythology of the Monoceros

    The monoceros. Ashmole Bestiary. Early 13th century.
    The monoceros. Ashmole Bestiary. Early 13th century.

    Pliny the Elder, a Roman scholar, wrote about the monoceros in his “Natural History,” describing it as a wild beast that could never be captured alive and let forth a dreadful cry. It was equine in form, yet its head belonged to a deer, its feet to an elephant, and its tail to a boar. In the middle of its forehead stood a single black horn measuring 35 inches in length.

    Pliny made sure to set monoceros apart from other creatures that looked similar, such as the rhinoceros, the Indian wild ass, and Aristotle’s unicorn antelope.

    Later, additional details were added, such as blue eyes, a red head, the base of the horn white with the other end sharp and crimson-colored, and the central part black.

    The animal has a 3-foot-long unicorn horn.


    Why Monoceros Was Called a Unicorn

    unicorn
    (Galetoiles, cc by-sa 3.0)

    However, since then, the monoceros has often been mistaken for a unicorn. This reference traces back to early editions of “Physiologus,” which refer to an “animal called monoceros in Greek and unicorn in Latin.” A Christian scholar in Alexandria, Egypt, wrote this Greek literature between the 2nd and 4th centuries.

    Isidore of Seville, in his “Etymologies” (7th century), similarly claimed that the Greek word “monoceros” was the equivalent of its Latin version, “unicornis.”

    In both sources, monoceros is described as an animal equipped in the center of the forehead with a single horn that was four feet in length.

    Although some medieval writers, including Albertus Magnus, Bartholomaeus Anglicus, and Vincent of Beauvais, maintained that the monoceros and the unicorn were separate species, later writers in the 17th century began to call the monoceros the “real” or “proper” unicorn.

  • Camahueto: A Unicorn-Like Cattle of Chiloé

    Camahueto: A Unicorn-Like Cattle of Chiloé

    • Camahueto is a Chiloé mythical creature, resembling cattle with a golden horn.
    • Camahueto’s horn provides cure, but overdose leads to madness.
    • From hills to ocean, Camahueto is shaping landscapes.

    Among the mythical creatures of the Chiloé Islands in Chile is the Camahueto. This organism is utilized to shed light on the origins of rivers, streams, and other waterways in Chilote mythology. The Camahueto looks like cattle, although its short coat has a variety of colors, from gray to green. Its most distinguishing feature is a single golden horn that sprouts from its forehead, much like a unicorn’s horn. Getting to the ocean is one of its primary life objectives. There is a rugby club with the name Camahueto in the Chilean municipality of Calbuco.

    Legend of the Camahueto

    Legend has it that the Camahuetos of Chiloé begin their lives buried deep below the soil of the hills that overlook the ocean. A piece of Camahueto horn is buried in the hills; when the dust from the horn is put into a well, a new Camahueto is born. Or it is naturally born as the offspring of the Chilote sea cow, which burrows into a den beneath the forest or fields.

    Camahuetos emerge from their underground homes after 20 to 30 years to make the harrowing journey to the ocean in search of the sea cow. They mow down everything in their path and, using their horn, create a furrow in the earth that may be channeled into a stream later on. The coastal regions usually collapse, and massive fractures appear in the earth after this movement, which happens during stormy nights.

    Once the Chilote has reason to anticipate that a Camahueto will be born on his territory, only a witch called “lacero”, using a rope made with sargazo (a seaweed), or a healer called “machi”, using a rope woven with voqui (a climbing plant), may capture it.

    Its virility and power are located mostly in that golden horn; thus, when imprisoned, it must be directed to the sea without injuring it or tamed by severing its horn so that it becomes entirely tame and ceases inflicting damage. The machi would also be responsible for the trapping of this horn in order to get its magical qualities. Usually, the machi would take a part of this horn to create a new Camahueto, ensuring a fresh supply of horn for his magical rituals in the future.

    The Camahueto’s Mystic Horn

    It is believed that the Camahueto horn may be used as a miraculous cure for a wide variety of ailments, including impotence, rheumatism, anemia, skin infections, and many more. It is cautioned, however, that one not overdo it with the Camahueto horn scraping; otherwise, the patient will turn into violent craziness.

    Some people in Chiloé claim to offer scrapings of the magical Camahueto, a substance often extracted from mollusk shells or sea lion teeth, as a miracle cure. It is said that a plant found in the wild may be used to provide an unusual increase in endurance for humans or animals, endowing them with superhuman levels of strength and stamina. No one knows what its qualities are or even its reality.

    The Chilean historian Renato Cárdenas’ book on the mythology of Chiloé, published in 1998, provides a rich depiction. This unicorn’s horn is the proverbial “philosopher’s stone” of the pharmaceutical industry. Its scrapings are sprinkled in swampy or humid places to make a Camahueto emerge. The scrapings are used in medicine to offer power and vitality to work animals and humans, but the amount must be highly precise; otherwise, the powder might cause adverse mental effects. For instance, when ingested, camahueto horn powder is believed to cause people to change their minds.

    A Camahueto Story Still Told

    golden horn of Camahueto

    To safely move the horn of Camahueto out of its province or region, with all its hidden qualities, it must be encased in toasted flour.

    Many people tell a story about coming in a boat from Cucao Lake. One of the passengers had a piece of Camahueto horn hidden because it had been requested in the city of Castro. She probably didn’t wrap it properly because it must be placed inside a jar with toasted flour so that the Camahueto doesn’t smell that its horn is being taken.

    The lagoon was calm when suddenly a huge storm arose, so massive that it almost sank the boat. An expert among them said, ‘Someone among you must be carrying something! Whoever has it should throw it away because this storm isn’t natural; it’s because of something.’ Then she realized her Camahueto horn was causing the problem and discreetly threw it into the lake. It worked like magic; everything calmed down almost immediately, and thus, the Camahueto claimed its property.

  • Catoblepas: An Ancient Beast with Deadly Stare

    Catoblepas: An Ancient Beast with Deadly Stare

    One huge African antelope species is known as the catoblepas (from ancient Greek: καταβλέπω, meaning “one who looks downwards”). It’s a mythological beast that looks like a black buffalo, but only its head is so massive that its neck is permanently bowed. Those unlucky enough to face its gaze supposedly perish on the spot. Pliny the Elder brought attention to this species, and Claude Aelian and other Renaissance thinkers like Leonardo da Vinci built on his depiction. A literary metaphor of human foolishness, the catoblepas occurs in the writings of Gustave Flaubert and others of the 19th and 20th centuries, as well as in role-playing games and video games.

    What Is the Catoblepas?

    Catoblepas
    ©Malevus

    Catoblepas is composed of a bovine body and a porcine head. The scales on its back provide protection, and it keeps its head in a low position at all times. Its presence alone was enough to turn humans to stone, and its breath could kill.

    Pliny characterized it as a slow-moving, medium-sized monster with a hefty head that was always aimed downward. Like the basilisk, he thought its glare was deadly; thus, people were lucky that its skull was so heavy.

    Catoblepas was an herbivore around the size of a bull, according to Claudius Aelianus. He said it had a thick, bushy forehead, a thin, long body, bloodshot eyes, and scales on its back. The beast could only glance down because of the weight of the head. Its breath was venomous since it ate dangerous plants, yet its stare was harmless (or not lethal), according to his account.

    Catoblepas

    Legend of the Catoblepas

    According to legend, the catoblepas was initially mentioned by Pliny the Elder, who located it far away in Ethiopia at the Nile’s headwaters.

    “Among the Hesperian Æthiopians is the fountain of Nigris, by many, supposed to be the head of the Nile. I have already mentioned the arguments by which this opinion is supported. Near this fountain, there is found a wild beast, which is called the catoblepas; an animal of moderate size, and in other respects sluggish in the movement of the rest of its limbs; its head is remarkably heavy, and it only carries it with the greatest difficulty, being always bent down towards the earth. Were it not for this circumstance, it would prove the destruction of the human race; for all who behold its eyes, fall dead upon the spot.”

    — Natural History, Book VIII, Chapter 32, by Pliny the Elder

    Second to Charles Darwin, Claudius Aelianus mentioned it in his book On the Nature of Animals. He transforms the herbivore catoblepas into a domestic bull-sized creature with a thick mane, slanted and bloodshot eyes, and heavy eyelids. According to this account, its breath is poisonous and may convert living things into stone, yet its gaze is harmless.

    It was also shown as an Ethiopian animal in the notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci.

    “It is found in Ethiopia, near the Nigricapo source. It’s not a very large animal; it is flabby in all its parts, and its head is so big that it carries it with difficulty, so much so that it always leans towards the ground. Otherwise, it would be a great scourge for man; anyone upon whom it fixes its gaze dies immediately.”

    — The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci

    The catoblepas, mentioned in Gustave Flaubert’s “The Temptation of Saint Anthony,” illustrates its destructive nature:

    “Fat, melancholic, wild, I remain constantly feeling the warmth of the mud beneath my belly. My skull is so heavy that I cannot lift it. I roll it around me, slowly; and with my jaw half-open, I tear with my tongue the poisonous herbs soaked in my breath. Once, I devoured my own legs without realizing it.”

    — Gustave Flaubert

    Origin of the Catoblepas

    Catoblepas

    French zoologist Georges Cuvier speculated that the wildebeest, tainted by the basilisk and the gorgons, may have inspired the ancients to create such a beast. Based on a comparison of the wildebeest’s (Connochaetes taurinus) physical characteristics with those described in classical writings, it has been suggested that this species may be the one that corresponds to the catoblepas.

    Bestiaries were collections of animal descriptions that featured both actual and made-up creatures. The authors of these works have only heard rumors about the animals’ traits before creating their works of art. These were often described by stating something like “this part resembles that of such animal,” and the artist would then draw a faithful representation of the remark.

    However, the wildebeest is responsible for spreading the herpesvirus responsible for malignant catarrhal fever in cattle, which is called Alcelaphine gammaherpesvirus 1 (AlHV-1). Although wildebeests show no symptoms of the virus, it may be fatal to other animals. This would be the case if the catoblepas really did have a toxic breath or a fatal glare.

    British anatomist Joshua Brookes established a now-defunct genus in 1928, from the Catoblepas operculatus coined in the 1830s for the black wildebeest. Most likely because the black wildebeest is similar to the catoblepas described in ancient texts. However, rather than the black wildebeest seen in southern Africa, these descriptions are more likely to match the common wildebeest with a range closer to the Mediterranean, the Greco-Roman environment.

    Books and Plays on Catoblepas

    • In “The Fourth Book,” Chapter 64 (LXIIII), François Rabelais included the “catoblepas” among a list of poisonous creatures.
    • Philip Sidney‘s “The Countess of Pembroke’s Arcadia” makes reference to a catoblepas.
    • In Gustave Flaubert‘s 1874 edition of “The Temptation of Saint Anthony,” the catoblepas is described at length as follows:

    “The Catoblepas, a black buffalo, with a hog’s head hanging down to the ground, attached to its shoulders by a thin, long, flabby neck like a gutted intestine. It lies completely flat; and its feet disappear under the enormous mane of coarse hairs that covers its face.”

    “The Cynocephali bark, the Sciapods lie down, the Blemmyes work, the Pygmies argue, the Astomi sob, the Unicorn neighs, the Mantichore roars, the Griffin paws the ground, the Basilisk hisses, the Phoenix flies, the Sadhuzag emits sounds, the Catoblepas sighs.”

    • Chapter III from “Mount Analogue” by the late René Daumal:

    Can one dream of gnomes, giants, hydras, catoblepas that can compete in power and mystery with a glacier, with the smallest little glacier?

    • When Henry de Montherlant writes about a small child riding the train in “La Petite Infante de Castille,” he paints a realistic picture of the experience.

    “She spread bread and pieces of meat on her apron and ate them, grabbing them with both hands. I, imagining her with divine stupidity, thought she would, like the Catoblepas, devour the tips of her fingers without realizing it.”

    • In the 77 BC Egyptian setting of Lindsey Davis‘ book “Alexandria,” the “legendary Catoblepas” is among the “main characters who are not mentioned but deserve a mention.”
    • Some of Rick Riordan‘s heroes encounter a swarm of Catoblepas in Venice in “The House of Hades,” (2013) the fourth novel in the Heroes of Olympus series.

    A Word About Video Games

    • Multiple Castlevania and Final Fantasy games include catoblepas as a monster.
    • The Catablepon, undoubtedly modeled after the Catoblepas, can be encountered in a dungeon in the MMORPG RuneScape.
    • Princess Adda the White enjoys raw catoblepas flesh in The Witcher.

    Dungeons and Dragons

    The Catoblepas has been a playable monster in Dungeons & Dragons since the game’s inception in 1977. Its design was clearly influenced by this mythical beast described by ancient Greek and Roman writers. Catoblepas are sometimes held by strong demonic magicians, the monarchs of Zakhara, and others in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting. A dangerous meal known as “death cheese” is made from the milk of some of these creatures.

    Aurora’s Whole Realms Catalogue, a book on the Forgotten Realms written by Marco Volo and released in the 1990s, states that death cheese is prepared using Catoblepas milk from the marshes on the outskirts of Cormyr. Catoblepas is defined as follows in the Monster Manual II:

    “An odd creature that dwells in marshes and dismal swamps… it is usually a herbivore… but once a month, usually under the light of a full moon, it hunts for meat to supplement its diet of reeds and grasses.”

    Yu-Gi-Oh!

    One card in the Yu-Gi-Oh! card game is titled “Catoblepas and the Witch of Fate,” and it depicts a little witch sitting on top of a dozing Catoblepas.

    The second card is titled “Catoblepas, Familiar of the Evil Eye.”