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Malebête

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Tradition / Region: French Mythology
Alternative names: Malbête, Malebàete, Malebeste, Beast of Angles, Troussepoil
Category: Bear

The Myth

The Malebête, meaning the “Evil Beast,” is a monstrous bear from the folklore of Angles in the Vendée region of France. It was described as a gigantic black bear with shaggy, matted fur that terrorized the countryside by preying almost exclusively upon young women. After feeding, it washed itself in a nearby river, whose waters became stained with blood and whose tangled reeds gave rise to the name Troussepoil, or “Hair-Raiser.”

The beast’s strength exceeded that of any knight, and it was believed to be an incarnation of the Devil. Several holy men attempted to confront it, including the abbots of Fontaines and Talmont and even a papal envoy. Despite prayers and fasting, each fled in terror when the Malebête charged.

The monster was finally faced by Father Martin, an elderly monk from the monastery at Angles who devoted his life to prayer and contemplation. Carrying only a walking stick and wearing his religious robes, he approached the fearsome beast. Instead of attacking, the Malebête lowered its head before him. Father Martin simply ordered it to follow, and the obedient creature walked behind him as the people of Angles watched in astonishment.

The procession ended at the church of Notre-Dame-des-Anges. Father Martin commanded the Malebête to climb to the top of the bell tower. As soon as it reached the summit, the beast turned to stone, ending its reign of terror.

According to the legend, several young women mocked Father Martin after his victory, accusing him of becoming the Devil’s shepherd. Smiling, the monk looked up at the petrified Malebête and declared that from that day onward it would feed only upon the beauty of the women of Angles. Instantly, every woman present lost her beauty, and ever since, tradition says that the women of Angles avoid passing beneath the stone bear’s gaze by entering the church through a rear entrance. The petrified Malebête remains atop the bell tower, where it continues to watch over the town.

Sources

A Book of Creatures. (2015, July 13). Malebête. Retrieved June 29, 2026, from https://abookofcreatures.com/2015/07/13/malebete/

Blutschink

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Tradition / Region: Austrian Mythology
Alternative names: Bluatschink, Bluetschinke, Plutschinke
Category: Bear

The Myth

The Blutschink is a fearsome demonic water spirit from the folklore of Tyrol and South Tyrol. Its name is often interpreted as “Blood Foot,” although some traditions suggest it ultimately derives from an older Slavic water demon. It is known as a dangerous creature that dwells near rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water, where it preys upon unsuspecting humans.

The Blutschink has the upper body of a shaggy, coal-black bear, while its lower body consists of powerful human legs. Its bare legs are stained blood-red and are said to drip constantly with blood, giving the creature its terrifying appearance.

According to tradition, the Blutschink attacks people by first draining the blood from its victims before devouring them. Because of this gruesome habit, it was greatly feared by those living near rivers and streams.

In South Tyrol, the legend expanded beyond waterways. There, the Blutschink was also believed to lurk among bean fields and poppy fields, waiting to seize and eat children who wandered too far from home. As a result, stories of the Blutschink were often told as warnings to keep children away from dangerous places where the monster was thought to hide.

Sources

Wikipedia-Autoren. (o. D.). Blutschink. In Wikipedia. Abgerufen am 29. Juni 2026, von https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blutschink

Ghost Bear of Old Martin

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Tradition / Region: English Mythology
Alternative names: Old Martin’s Ghost
Category: Bear

The Myth

The Ghost Bear of Old Martin is a legendary apparition associated with the Tower of London. The tale centers on Old Martin, a massive grizzly bear presented to King George III by the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1811. Already fully grown when he arrived in England, Old Martin was kept in the Royal Menagerie at the Tower of London, where he became famous for his enormous size and fierce temperament. Despite years in captivity, he never became tame and remained feared even by his keepers.

According to the legend, a Yeoman Warder standing watch at the Tower in 1816 encountered a ghostly bear near the Martin Tower during the night. Believing it to be a real animal, he thrust his bayonet at the apparition. The weapon passed straight through the spectral bear and struck the wooden door behind it, revealing that the creature was no living beast.

The terrifying encounter is said to have so shocked the guard that he died only a few hours later. The apparition thereafter became one of the many ghost stories connected with the Tower of London, and the phantom bear was remembered as the restless spirit of Old Martin.

Old Martin himself was later transferred to the newly established London Zoo after the Royal Menagerie closed, where he died in 1838. More than a century later, his preserved skin and feet were rediscovered in the collections of the Natural History Museum and temporarily returned to the Tower of London for a special exhibition, further reviving interest in the legend of the ghostly bear.

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Old Martin. In Wikipedia. Retrieved June 29, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Martin

Medvedko

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Tradition / Region: Russian Mythology, Serbian Mythology
Alternative names: Medjedović (Serbian)
Category: Bear

The Myth

Medvedko is a legendary hero of Slavic folklore, renowned for his immense strength and his dual nature as both man and bear. He is commonly described as the son of a woman and a bear, giving him the body of a human above the waist and the form of a bear below it. Other versions simply portray him as a half-man, half-bear possessing extraordinary physical power.

Gifted with remarkable strength from birth, Medvedko performs feats far beyond the abilities of ordinary people. He uproots ancient oak trees, shatters rocks, and overcomes powerful giants and other supernatural opponents. In many tales, he serves as the heroic champion who defeats dangerous monsters and restores order.

In Russian folklore, Medvedko is often presented as a clever and resourceful hero in addition to his great strength. In Serbian tradition, where he is known as Medjedović, he is remembered for battling enormous giants, defeating them through his unmatched power and courage.

Although the details of his adventures vary across Slavic traditions, Medvedko is consistently portrayed as a mighty bear-born hero whose supernatural strength allows him to accomplish deeds impossible for ordinary humans. His stories belong to the widespread tradition of the half-bear hero found throughout Eastern and Southeastern Europe.

Sources

Bestiary.us. (n.d.). Medvedko. In New Bestiary: Encyclopedia of Imaginary Beings. Retrieved June 29, 2026, from https://www.bestiary.us/medvedko

Yalpus-Oika

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Tradition / Region: Mansi Mythology, Russian Mythology
Alternative names: Konsyg-Oika
Category: Bear

The Myth

Yalpus-Oika, meaning “Old Man of the Sacred Town,” is a guardian spirit and the mythical ancestor of the Por phratry in Mansi mythology. His cult was centered for centuries at the village of Vezhakary on the Ob River, although images of the spirit were also venerated in other Mansi settlements along the Northern Sosva River.

Yalpus-Oika was believed to take the form of a bear. Because the bear was regarded as sacred among the Mansi, its true name was considered taboo. Instead, respectful titles such as “Old Man with Claws,” “Old Man Living in the Forest,” and “Old Man of the Earthen House” were used when referring to either the animal or the guardian spirit.

According to traditional stories, Yalpus-Oika is the son of Kaltas-Ekwa and the brother of Mir-Susne-Hum. Other versions of the tradition instead describe Kaltas-Ekwa as his sister, particularly where she was worshipped as a local guardian spirit.

Yalpus-Oika was revered as a benevolent protector who watched over the health and well-being of his people. Many illnesses were believed to occur when a person’s shadow-soul left the body. In these cases, a shaman would call upon Yalpus-Oika to help recover the wandering soul and restore the person’s health.

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Yalpus-Oyka. In Wikipedia. Retrieved June 29, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yalpus-Oyka

Ya-o-gah

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Tradition / Region: Haudenosaunee Mythology, American Mythology, Canadian Mythology
Alternative names: Ya-oh-gah, Ya-o-gah
Category: Bear

The Myth

Ya-o-gah is the great bear spirit who personifies the North Wind in Haudenosaunee mythology. He serves as one of the four mighty wind spirits governed by Gǎ-oh, the giant master of the winds and the being through whom the Great Spirit moves the elements across the world.

Among the four winds, Ya-o-gah is the most destructive. His breath brings bitter cold and possesses the power to freeze and destroy the world. Despite this terrifying strength, he does not act freely, for Gǎ-oh keeps him under control and commands when the North Wind may blow.

The other winds balance Ya-o-gah’s fierce nature. The South Wind, Ne-o-ga, is gentle and warm like the rays of the sun. The West Wind, Da-jo-ji, takes the form of a panther capable of climbing mountains, tearing down forests, carrying whirlwinds upon his back, and stirring the seas into violent storms. The East Wind, O-yan-do-ne, appears as a moose whose breath chills the young clouds drifting across the sky.

Together, these four spirits maintain the natural order of the world under the guidance of Gǎ-oh, with Ya-o-gah embodying the harsh, relentless power of winter and the frozen north.

Sources

Rasmussen, K. (1930). Intellectual culture of the Hudson Bay Eskimos (Vols. 1–3). Gyldendal.

ImiEru’jap Inua

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Tradition / Region: Inuit Mythology, Greenland Mythology, Canadian Mythology
Alternative names: Spirit of the Meteor
Category: Bear

The Myth

ImiEru’jap Inua is the spirit of a meteor that appears in Inuit tradition. It is described as a supernatural being with a body divided between human and bear. One side of its glowing form is that of a bear, while the other is human, and its head is human in shape but bears the tusks of a bear.

The spirit is most closely associated with the shaman Uvavnuk. One winter night, as she stepped outside her home, she saw a brilliant ball of fire descend from the sky. Before she could escape, the meteor struck her and entered her body. She immediately perceived an inner light before losing consciousness. At that moment, the spirit of the meteor entered her, transforming her into a powerful shaman.

When Uvavnuk regained consciousness, she returned to her home singing without understanding why. Filled with supernatural knowledge, she began revealing the hidden wrongdoings of everyone present. Those who confessed their misdeeds cast them away with symbolic gestures, believing themselves cleansed of evil. Whenever the spirit possessed her, she could see, hear, and know things beyond ordinary human perception.

Outside these moments of possession, Uvavnuk was an ordinary woman with no special abilities. Only when the spirit of the meteor illuminated her from within did her extraordinary powers return.

Before her death, Uvavnuk held one final ceremony and declared that humanity should never suffer from hunger. Through her connection with the spirits, she brought forth an abundance of game from beneath the earth. After her passing, her people experienced an exceptionally prosperous year, with plentiful whales, walruses, seals, and caribou, fulfilling her final blessing.

Sources

Rasmussen, K. (1930). Intellectual culture of the Hudson Bay Eskimos (Vols. 1–3). Gyldendal.

Gumberoo

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Tradition / Region: American Mythology
Alternative names: –
Category: Bear

The Myth

The Gumberoo is one of the legendary fearsome critters of American lumberjack folklore. It resembles an enormous, fat black bear but is completely hairless except for its thick eyebrows and the bristly hairs on its chin. Instead of fur, it possesses a smooth, coal-black hide as tough as leather.

The creature’s skin is said to be completely impervious to harm. Bullets, arrows, rocks, and other projectiles simply bounce harmlessly from its body, making the Gumberoo nearly impossible to kill by ordinary means.

Its only known weakness is fire. Although nothing can pierce its hide, flames ignite the creature instantly, causing it to burn with explosive force. According to lumberjack tales, the rarity of Gumberoos was often explained by the frequent forest fires that swept through the cedar forests, destroying the creatures in spectacular explosions.

One story tells of a man named S. W. Allen who supposedly managed to photograph a Gumberoo. However, the legend claims that even the photographic negative exploded, adding another impossible feat to the folklore surrounding the indestructible beast.

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Gumberoo. In Wikipedia. Retrieved June 29, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gumberoo

Kawaguma

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Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternative names: Kawakuma
Category: Bear

The Myth

The Kawaguma, meaning “river bear,” is an aquatic yōkai said to inhabit the deep rivers of northern Japan, particularly the Omono River in Akita Prefecture and the Shinano River in Niigata Prefecture. Covered in black hair and rarely seen by humans, it spends most of its life hidden beneath the water.

Little is known about the Kawaguma’s habits because it remains at the bottom of deep rivers. It is sometimes curious enough to approach boats, clinging to their sides or stealing objects and dragging them back to its underwater lair. It is also blamed for digging into riverbanks, causing them to collapse and bringing about floods.

One famous legend tells of a lord who was hunting from a boat on the Omono River when a black, hairy hand suddenly reached up from the depths and snatched away his rifle. A skilled diver later recovered the weapon from the deepest part of the river, and it thereafter became known as the “Kawaguma gun,” remaining a treasured possession of the Satake clan.

Another tale recounts how a ferryman had just tied up his boat for the night when he heard a splash behind him. Looking back, he saw a pair of black, hairy hands gripping the side of the boat. Startled, he struck at them with a large knife. The following morning, a severed hand was found inside the boat. It resembled the paw of a cat but was covered in black fur, and everyone who saw it declared that it belonged to a Kawaguma.

Sources

Foster, M. D. (n.d.). Kawaguma. In Yokai.com: The Illustrated Database of Japanese Folklore. Retrieved June 29, 2026, from https://yokai.com/kawaguma/.

Sasnalkáhi

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Tradition / Region: Navajo Mythology, American Mythology
Alternative names: The Bear that Pursues
Category: Bear

The Myth

Sasnalkáhi, “The Bear that Pursues,” was a monstrous bear counted among the Anaye, a race of dangerous beings born from unnatural unions. His fathers were said to be a smooth stone and a leg sinew. He lived in a cross-shaped cave within Tse’bahástsit, the “Rock that Frightens,” and once he began hunting, no prey could escape him.

The hero Nayenezgani set out to destroy Sasnalkáhi, carrying yucca fruit in his left hand and hard oak twigs in his right. These sacred medicinal plants protected him from the monster’s supernatural power as he approached the bear’s cave.

Nayenezgani searched each of the cave’s entrances. When he reached the northern opening, Sasnalkáhi withdrew his head and attempted to escape through the southern entrance. Anticipating the monster’s movements, Nayenezgani waited there. As soon as the great bear emerged, the hero struck and severed its head.

After defeating the beast, Nayenezgani declared that although Sasnalkáhi had brought only suffering during its life, it would now become a blessing to the people. He cut the head into three pieces and cast them in different directions. One became tsási (Yucca baccata) in the east, another became tsásitsoz (Yucca angustifolia) in the west, and the third became nóta (mescal) in the south. The creature’s nipples transformed into pinyon nuts, while pieces of fat taken from around its tail became the first bear and the first porcupine. Nayenezgani kept the left forepaw, the gall, and the windpipe as trophies of his victory.

Sources

A Book of Creatures. (2020, June 8). Sasnalkáhi. Retrieved June 29, 2026, from https://abookofcreatures.com/2020/06/08/sasnalkahi/