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Taejagwi

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Tradition / Region: Korean Mythology
Alternative Name: –
Category: Ghost, Spirit

The Myth

Taejagwi is a spirit from ancient Korean shamanic tradition believed to be the ghost of a young girl who died from smallpox during an epidemic. In some rarer stories, the spirit may also be that of a deceased boy, though it is most commonly associated with girls.

The spirit was feared and respected because it was believed to possess knowledge of both the past and the future. Taejagwi would sometimes appear to humans in order to reveal hidden truths, predict future events, or expose secrets long forgotten.

Unlike many ghosts in Korean folklore, Taejagwi was usually not seen directly. Witnesses claimed its presence was recognized through strange cries or the sound of a child’s voice seemingly emerging from empty air. These eerie voices were believed to carry prophecies or supernatural knowledge.

Belief in Taejagwi became especially widespread in Korea after outbreaks of smallpox, and stories of the spirit often came from grieving mothers who had lost children during epidemics. Some accounts claimed the spirit appeared before groups of people, astonishing witnesses with accurate revelations about past events or warnings of things yet to come.

In Korean folk belief, Taejagwi became associated with sorrow, disease, death, and supernatural foresight.

Sources

Bestiary.us. (n.d.). Thjedzhagvi. Retrieved May 10, 2026, from https://www.bestiary.us/thjedzhagvi/

Chandusa

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Tradition / Region: Korean Mythology
Alternative Name: –
Category: Snake, Deer

The Myth

The Chandusa is a mysterious giant serpent from Korean folklore and classical literature of the Joseon period. It is described as an enormous snake around seven meters long with the hornless head of a roe deer. Some traditions considered it related to other strange serpents such as cat-headed snakes and gigantic tesa serpents.

Unlike ordinary snakes, the chandusa was believed to possess supernatural powers. It often appeared near human homes and settlements, especially around gates, courtyards, or walls. Despite its massive size, it lived inside tiny holes or burrows that seemed impossibly deep.

Legends claimed that attempts to block its lair were useless. Stones placed over the hole would mysteriously return to their original position by the next morning, as though the creature had moved them through unnatural means.

One famous story appears in the Taedong Yaseung. The scholar and nobleman Yiam Seong-in reportedly encountered a chandusa near his home at night. He described seeing a massive snake with the head of a roe deer moving near the gate before vanishing into a tiny hole by the southern wall.

After discovering that the creature’s burrow could not be sealed, even with heavy stones, he became convinced the serpent was supernatural. Fearing the creature, he sold his house and moved away entirely.

Sources

Bestiary.us. (n.d.). Chandusa. Retrieved May 10, 2026, from https://www.bestiary.us/chandusa

Alû

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Tradition / Region: Mesopotamian Mythology, Iraqi Mythology
Alternative Name: –
Category: Demon

The Myth

The Alû is a terrifying spirit from Akkadian and Sumerian mythology associated with nightmares, sickness, fear, and the underworld. It belongs to a class of malevolent beings connected to the Utukku demons and was believed to wander during the night searching for victims.

Ancient descriptions portray the Alû as a strange and unnatural being without a mouth, lips, or ears. It attacks sleeping people, overwhelming them with terror while they lie helpless in bed. Some traditions say the Alû presses itself upon the chest of its victim like a heavy garment, leaving the person unable to move or cry out.

The demon was feared for causing unconsciousness, illness, and states resembling coma or sleep paralysis. Mesopotamian texts describe it appearing alongside other dark spirits such as the Gallu, Lilu, and ghostly Etimmu, all associated with disease, curses, and torment.

Ancient incantations describe the Alû entering the body of the sick and filling it with poison, fear, suffering, and evil influences. It was believed to attack both physically and spiritually, afflicting humans with nightmares and wasting illnesses simply for its own cruel amusement.

The Alû eventually became one of the best-known night demons of Mesopotamian folklore, representing unseen terror, oppressive sleep, and supernatural affliction during the darkness of night.

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Alû. In Wikipedia. Retrieved May 10, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al%C3%BB

Scorpion-Men

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Tradition / Region: Mesopotamian Mythology, Iraqi Mythology
Alternative Name: Girtablullû
Category: Insect

The Myth

Scorpion-men are ancient creatures from Mesopotamian mythology, usually depicted with the upper body of a human and the lower body and tail of a giant scorpion. They appear in Akkadian myths and were represented in the art of Mesopotamia and ancient Iran long before many written stories survived.

In the Babylonian creation epic Enuma Elish, scorpion-men are listed among the monstrous beings created by the primordial goddess Tiamat during her war against the younger gods after the death of her mate Apsu.

The creatures are most famous for their appearance in the Epic of Gilgamesh. There, scorpion-men guard the gates of the sun god Shamash at the twin mountains of Mashu, the entrance to the dark realm through which the sun passes every night.

Their appearance is terrifying. The epic describes their presence as so dreadful that their gaze itself brings death. Each day they open the gates for Shamash as he travels across the heavens, and at night they close the gates after his return through the underworld.

When the hero Gilgamesh arrives seeking the secret of immortality, the scorpion-man and his wife recognize that he is not entirely human. They perceive divine blood within him and allow him to continue through the mountain passage into the land of darkness.

Scorpion-women also appear in the myths alongside the scorpion-men, usually as guardians or companions who possess great wisdom and supernatural perception.

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Scorpion man. In Wikipedia. Retrieved May 10, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scorpion_man

Palm Tree King

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Tradition / Region: Iraqi Mythology, Mesopotamian Mythology, Sumerian Mythology
Alternative Name: –
Category: Demon

The Myth

The Palm Tree King was one of the strange and monstrous beings known as the Slain Heroes in ancient Sumerian mythology. These creatures appear in the epic Lugale, which tells the story of the warrior god Ninurta battling monstrous enemies to recover the stolen Tablets of Destiny.

The Slain Heroes served the monstrous being Imdugud, also known later as Anzu, who had stolen the divine Tablets of Destiny from the god Enlil, ruler of wind, storms, and the heavens. Ninurta set out to defeat these creatures and reclaim the tablets.

Very little survives about the Palm Tree King compared to the other monsters in the epic. Ancient texts mention him among the creatures allied with Imdugud, but few details describe his appearance or powers. His unusual name suggests a connection to sacred trees, fertility, or the wilderness of southern Mesopotamia.

Unlike many of the other Slain Heroes defeated by Ninurta during his campaign, the Palm Tree King may have escaped destruction. Some interpretations of the surviving myths describe him as the only monstrous servant of Imdugud not clearly slain in battle.

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Palm Tree King. In Wikipedia. Retrieved May 10, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palm_Tree_King

Azhdaha

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Tradition / Region: Iranian Mythology, Persian Mythology
Also Known As: Azhdahak, Ezhdeha, Azhdar
Category: Dragon

The Myth

The Azhdaha is a dragon-like creature from Iranian mythology, often described as a gigantic serpent with an enormous body, blazing eyes, huge jaws, and countless teeth. In Persian legends, azhdahas could live in the sea, on land, or in the sky, and some were said to possess wings or fin-like appendages.

The creature appears throughout Persian epic literature, especially in the Shahnameh, where heroic warriors such as Rostam, Esfandiar, and Sām battle and slay monstrous azhdahas during their legendary quests.

In later Islamic-era traditions, the azhdaha was sometimes said to begin life as an ordinary snake. After living for hundreds of years and growing to an unnatural size, the serpent became violent and destructive. Because of the chaos it caused, God cast it into the sea. There the creature continued to grow even larger, developing fins or wings and creating massive waves with its movements.

Some medieval Persian accounts claimed that the heart of an azhdaha granted courage and bravery to whoever consumed it. Its skin was believed to possess healing properties, while its buried head was said to fertilize the earth.

The azhdaha became one of the most feared monsters in Persian mythology, representing destruction, chaos, and the dangerous power of nature.

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Azhdaha. In Wikipedia. Retrieved May 10, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azhdaha

Manticore

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Tradition / Region: Iranian Mythology, Persian Mythology
Alternative Name: Mantichore, Martichora
Category: Lion

The Myth

The Manticore is a monstrous creature from Persian mythology later adopted into Greek and medieval European legends. Its name means “man-eater,” reflecting its terrifying appetite for human flesh.

The creature is most commonly described as having the body of a lion, the face of a human, and the tail of a scorpion. Some legends describe the tail as being covered in venomous spines or quills that can be launched like arrows at enemies. It was also said to possess three rows of teeth and a powerful voice resembling a trumpet or pipe.

Ancient writers claimed the manticore lived in India or the distant eastern lands beyond Persia. It was feared as a swift and aggressive predator capable of overpowering humans and animals alike. According to the earliest stories, the beast would devour its victims entirely, leaving no bones behind.

Greek physician Ctesias recorded one of the earliest descriptions of the creature after hearing stories from Persian sources during the Achaemenid Empire. Later Roman writers such as Pliny the Elder repeated and expanded the legend, helping spread the manticore throughout medieval Europe.

During the Middle Ages, the manticore became a common creature in bestiaries and medieval art. Illustrations often portrayed it with a human-like face, massive claws, a lion’s body, and a deadly spiked tail. Some depictions gave it wings or exaggerated monstrous features, though these additions varied between manuscripts.

The manticore eventually became a symbol of savagery, hidden danger, and insatiable hunger in folklore and literature.

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Manticore. In Wikipedia. Retrieved May 10, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manticore

Davalpa

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Tradition / Region: Iranian Mythology
Alternative name: Old Man of the Sea, Devalpa, Dawal-bay
Category: Human Creature

The Myth

The Davalpa is a terrifying creature from Persian and Middle Eastern folklore, usually described as an old, frail-looking man dressed in rags. At first glance it appears weak and helpless, often begging travelers to carry it across rivers or rough terrain.

Its true horror is hidden beneath its clothing. The davalpa possesses long, leathery legs resembling straps or snakes, sometimes stretching several meters in length. Once lifted onto a victim’s shoulders, the creature wraps these powerful limbs tightly around the person’s neck and body, trapping them completely. From that moment on, the victim becomes the creature’s unwilling servant.

The davalpa forces its captive to carry it endlessly across deserts, islands, and wilderness while it strikes them with whips or its tail and demands food and movement. Some victims are strangled to death, while others slowly die from exhaustion after days or weeks of enslavement.

The most famous tale involving the creature appears in the adventures of One Thousand and One Nights through the story of Sindbad the Sailor and the Old Man of the Sea. Sindbad helps what appears to be a helpless old man cross a river, only for the creature to lock its legs around his neck and enslave him. Sindbad eventually escapes by giving the creature fermented grape juice until it becomes drunk and loosens its grip, allowing him to kill it with a stone.

Older legends place davalpas on remote islands shared with other monstrous races and strange beings. Ancient Greek writers described similar creatures called Himantopodes or “strap-feet,” beings unable to walk normally who crawled or clung to others.

Over time, the davalpa became a symbol of parasitic oppression in folklore — a creature that survives only by draining the strength and freedom of others.

Sources

A Book of Creatures. (2015, June 5). Davalpa. Retrieved May 10, 2026, from https://abookofcreatures.com/2015/06/05/davalpa/

Huma

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Tradition / Region: Iranian Mythology, Persian Mythology
Alternative Name: –
Category: Bird

The Myth

The Huma is a legendary bird from Persian mythology said to live its entire life flying high above the earth without ever landing. In many legends, the bird is invisible to humans and is believed to never touch the ground.

The Huma is often described as a bird of fortune and divine blessing. Seeing its shadow or catching even a brief glimpse of it is believed to bring happiness, luck, or greatness for the rest of a person’s life. In some traditions, the bird’s shadow falling upon someone foretells that they will become a ruler or king.

Certain legends describe the Huma as similar to a phoenix, burning itself in fire after many centuries before rising again from its ashes. Some stories also say the creature possesses both male and female qualities within a single body.

In Persian and Sufi traditions, the Huma became a symbol of spiritual elevation, destiny, and unreachable perfection. The bird was believed to be impossible to capture, and legends warned that anyone who killed a Huma would die within forty days.

The Huma later appeared in Ottoman, Mughal, and Central Asian traditions, where it continued to symbolize kingship, fortune, and heavenly blessing.

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Huma bird. In Wikipedia. Retrieved May 10, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huma_bird

Srei Ap

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Tradition / Region: Cambodian Mythology
Alternative Name: –
Category: Spirit

The Myth

Srei Ap is a malicious spirit in Cambodian folklore believed to bring death to humans. The demon is said to hover around dying people and devour their flesh after death.

In traditional belief, Srei Ap is associated with death and human suffering. The spirit is feared as a dangerous being that appears near the weak, the sick, and the dying.

Sources

Rose, C. (n.d.). Spirits, Fairies, Leprechauns, Goblins: An Encyclopedia.