Jenny Greenteeth

Jenny Greenteeth

Region of origin: Lancashire, England

A river-hag related to other aquatic fae creatures like the grindylow, Jenny (or Jinny or Ginny or…) Greenteeth lived in stagnant, murky waters in western England near Lancashire and Liverpool and would pull down anyone who ventured too close to the water’s edge, drowning them. Parents would use warnings of Greenteeth to keep small children away from the water and keep them from accidentally falling in. Claiming it may her hair as she sat in the water lurking, she also became associated with pondscum and duckweed or other floating water-plants, that may in reality tangle the child up and prevent them from being able to get back out to dry land. She was similar to Peg Prowler, another hag said to inhabit the River Tees further up north.

[Sources referenced: X | X | X | X ]

Yara-ma-yha-who (updated)

Yara-ma-yha-who

Region of origin: Australia

A small red imp of a figure with a head disproportionately larger than its body, the Yara-ma-yha-who makes it home in fig trees. If anyone stops to rest under its tree, it will descend and latch on to them with its leech-like fingers and toes, draining blood until its victim passes out, at which point it swallows them whole and, sated, falls asleep. Upon awakening, it will regurgitate the person, who find themselves worn down, slightly smaller and redder than before but with no memory of the encounter. The Yara-ma-yha-who will repeat this process over and over until eventually the victim themselves has become a new Yara-ma-yha-who. Tales of the Yara-ma-yha-who are used to discourage children from entering potentially dangerous areas.

[Sources referenced: X | X ]

An updated version of this post

Massacooramaan

Massacooramaan

Region of origin: Guyana

One of a class of malevolent spirits in Caribbean folklore known as jumbees, the massacooramaan is an ape-like boogeyman figure who attacks from rivers and other Guyanese bodies of water, upturning small boats and dragging people under the water to drown them before consuming them. It is believed the origins of the story may lie in escaped slaves who fled into the jungles and swamps of Guyana and were faced with surviving the rough waters of rivers they then had to cross.

Sources referenced: [ X | X | X ]

Black Annis

Black Annis

Region of origin: Dane Hills, Leicestershire, England

A blue-skinned hag who would capture and eat anyone who she found while out wandering the glens of Leicestershire, Black Annis was particularly fond of taking children, who she would flay before eating with her sharp iron claws, wearing their skins on her belt or hanging them in her cave home. The cave, known as Black Annis’s Bower, was said to be dug out of the sandstone by the witch by hand. In some tales she was said to be able to take the form of a large cat.

Originally posted on Tumblr on November 28, 2016

Likho

Likho

Region of origin: Ukraine

Literally “bad luck,” the likho is physical manifestation of misfortune, appearing as a cycloptic goblin- or hag-like creature who lived in the dark forests of moralistic fairy tales and fables. The likho would wrap its arms around the story’s protagonist’s neck and cling to their back, weighing them down. In different stories, the likho could be attempted to be removed through tricking or cheating the creature itself, tricking another person into accepting it as part of a gift and passing it on or attempting to drown it by jumping in a river, which usually resulted in the hero drowning themselves and the likho emerging from the river, no worse for wear and ready to find its next victim.

Originally posted on Tumblr on November 11, 2016

Kaw Kaw

Kaw Kaw

Region of origin: Malta

A figure formed of grey slime, the Kaw Kaw or Gawgaw will roam the streets of Malta at night, tracking people who misbehaved by the smell of their guilt then using his viscous form will squeeze into their homes through cracks or open spaces. Once inside, he will meet his victims with a wide, toothless grin and proceed to frighten or torment them through the night or kidnap them away to an unknown land. Kaw Kaw is supposedly most active during the winter months, and in some versions he is actually a human unlucky enough to be born on the night of December 24, cursed by God for sharing a birthday with such a holy time to take on this form between Christmas Eve and Christmas morning, meting out punishments throughout the night then awakening human once more but covered in bruises. Alternatively, there are older tales of another creature called Kaw Kaw who was a giant who was large enough cross the island of Malta in two steps.

Originally posted on Tumblr on October 17, 2016

Shellycoat

Shellycoat

Region of origin: Southern Scotland

A freshwater boggart that haunts rivers around southern Scotland and Northern England, Shellycoat is so named, quite literally, for the coat covered in shells he wears which creates a telltale rattling sound as he moves. Not malevolent but mischievous, he will attempt to pull mostly-harmless pranks on people who venture into his territory in an effort to cause them to lose their way or just mess with them for his own amusement; he would often pretend to be someone drowning to trick would-be rescuers to jump into the river, then laughing at their getting drenched for their efforts.

Originally posted on Tumblr on August 26, 2016

U’tlun’ta

U’tlun’ta

Region of origin: Cherokee tribal lands

A monstrous old woman who lived in the wilderness and mountains of what is now the southeastern United States and hunted the local population, U’tlun’ta’s most notable features were her stone skin, which was impervious to damage, and her long, knife- or awl-like index finger on her right hand, which she used to cut open victims and eat their livers. Her other abilities included shape-shifting, which she used to transform into people’s loved ones to lure them into her woods or gain access to their homes, and a magical control over stone; she could lift stones of any weight and fuse any two stones together. She used this latter ability to build a giant upward bridge to the sky, but her “Tree Rock” angered the deities in the upper realm for daring to approach them and it was struck with lightning and shattered it, scattering fragments across the region. Eventually tiring of U’tlun’ta preying on their community, a group of hunters set out to eliminate the creature. After being unable to harm her on their initial attempt, they were assisted by Tsïkïilï the chickadee and instructed to aim at her right palm where the knife-finger met her wrist, the one weak-spot in her otherwise impervious stone hide. When U’tlun’ta charged forward to slash at them with her claw, they landed an arrow in her wrist, killing her.

Originally posted on Tumblr on August 24, 2016

Marabbecca

Marabbecca

Region of origin: Sicily

A creature said to live in the bottom of wells and drag down and eat anyone who ventured too close, parents would use stories of the marabbecca to discourage children from playing too close to edge.

Originally posted on Tumblr on August 1, 2016

La Tunda

La Tunda

Region of origin: Colombia and Ecuador

A child of the Devil and a human woman, la tunda was a witch-like spirit who preyed on small or unbaptized children or men who ventured into the woods. La tunda could shapeshift into a female loved one of the person, to trick them into entering her domain; but the transformation was always imperfect, most notably including a leg that was a molinillo, a traditional wooden whisk-like utensil. Once she had lured in her victim, she would lull them into a stupor through strong odors and by feeding them shellfish, where should would eat the children and keep the men in her thrall.

Originally posted on Tumblr on July 27, 2016