Tag Archives: monster

The Busaw: A Ghoul with an Ulterior Motive

The busaw looks and behaves like  an ordinary human being — until night falls. You’ll know you’ve found a  busaw posing as a human if you see someone cocking their ear to listen for sounds of death as the sun goes down. Another give away is that the busaw likes to climb trees by cemeteries.

In his ghoulish demon form, the busaw has pointed teeth, hooked nails and a long tongue. He creeps around in the dark and steals corpses out of their coffins. He replaces the bodies with banana tree trunks. The busaw’s greatest talent is his ability to turn human corpses into pork.  Once back in human form he often prepares feasts for his neighbors. If humans eat the busaw’s ‘pork’ they too become demons.

To keep the busaw away make sure that all corpses are washed thoroughly with vinegar and rubbed with strong-smelling herbs. A liberal application of salt will also deter the busaw.

Although, vinegar, herbs,  salt… mmm.

 

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Vetala

In Hindu folklore, the vetala is an evil spirit who haunts cemeteries and takes demonic possession of corpses. They make their displeasure known by troubling humans. They can drive people mad, kill children and cause miscarriages but they also guard their villages.

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The Hodag

The Hodag scared its first victim in Rhinelander Wisconsin in 1893. Eugene Simeon Shepard first discovered the beast while hiking. The 7 foot long lizard-like creature covered with black hair and spikes bared its fangs, lowered its horns, and spewed flame and smoke from its nostrils. According to Shepard the smell was a “combinations of buzzard meat and skunk perfume.” He wisely turned and ran.

Shepard became obsessed with capturing a hodag. He assembled a hunting party and armed them with rifles and squirt guns loaded with poison. The band of hunters discovered a hodag den close to the location of the first sighting. They sent in their dogs to corner it. When the hunters went in to collect their trophy, they found instead pieces of the hunting dogs scattered around. Their guns had no effect on the irate hodag. Instead of retreating, they decided to blast the beast with dynamite. The explosion and resulting fire killed the creature. Shepard brought the charred remains back in to town and put it on display. But his true quest was to capture a hodag alive.

Three years later, in the autumn of 1896, Shepard discoved a hodag in its den. With a chloroform soaked rag attached to a stick he was able to subdue the creature. Finally, he’d captured a living hodag.  Shepard displayed his prize from a dimly lit tent at the Oneida County Fair. The popularity of the exhibit encouraged Shepard to tour the state with his attraction. Hundreds paid to see the beast and hear it’s ferocious roar. When not touring Shepard housed the hodag in a shed behind his Rhinelander home. Visitors were always welcome.

Today the creature seems to enjoy sports. It appears frequently at football games at both the high school and college level.
To learn more about the hodag visit The Hodag Press or Hodag Sightings
Thank you to Brent Kelley for suggesting the hodag. Follow him on Twitter @spicyhambone
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The Nure-onna

The nure-onna is a creature who wreaks havoc in Japanese folklore. She has the head of a woman and the body of a giant snake. Her name translates as ‘wet woman.’ The nure-onna’s appearance varies slightly from story to story, but she usually has beady eyes, sharp claws and large fangs. Her motives and desires are somewhat changeable. No one seems to have a clear idea of why she does what she does. The nure-onna can usually be found at the water edge washing her long hair. Often, she carries a swaddled baby which she uses to lure her victims. When kind people pass by and offer to hold the child, the baby attaches to their hands and grows heavy so the victim can’t run away. Nure-onna then uses her long tongue to suck all the blood from the helpful person’s body.

Thank you to Jenna Whyte for the use of her wonderful artwork. You can see more of her work on her website and learn more about the Haiku project she collaborated on with poet James Clayton. http://www.jennawhyte.co.uk/

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Asabonsam

According to the Ashanti people of West Africa, the asabonsam lurks in the darkest jungles hanging from trees and waiting for an unsuspecting victim to walk by. In spite of its somewhat human appearance, (the jungle is dark) it has unnaturally long legs. Often its legs are so long that they touch the ground while its sitting  in the treetops. The asabonsam dangles from its hook shaped feet and slashes with its razor sharp claws.  Once it has captured its prey it eats them alive with is solid iron teeth. 

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