Mythology

Timberdoodle

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Tradition / Region: American Mythology
Alternative names: Timmerdoodle
Category: Cave dweller

The Myth

The Timberdoodle is a strange creature of American lumberjack folklore, described as a squat, heavy-bodied beast with a broad mouth, powerful jaws, and a vicious bite. Its most remarkable characteristic is that once it bites someone, it refuses to release its grip until it hears the sound of thunder.

According to lumberwoods folklore, anyone unfortunate enough to be bitten by a Timberdoodle must simply wait for a storm. No amount of struggling or attempting to pry the creature loose will make it release its victim, and the creature can remain attached for an extraordinarily long time.

One famous victim was Mule McSneed, who was bitten by a Timberdoodle and found himself unable to escape its jaws. He remained trapped until a thunderstorm finally arrived. When the sound of thunder reached the creature, the Timberdoodle released its bite, ending an ordeal that had lasted for two months.

Sources

Schwartz, Alvin, and Glen Rounds. Kickle Snifters and Other Fearsome Critters. New York: Bantam Books, 1978. (archive.org)

Wako

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Tradition / Region: Colombian Mythology, Venezuelan Mythology
Alternative names: —
Category: Cave dweller

The Myth

The Wako are animal spirits that resemble large pacas covered in spots, with long, vicious fangs. They live underground in large groups, digging extensive burrows filled with small entrances, passages, and places where they can hide. Their presence can be recognized by their distinctive call, which sounds like ao, ao, ao, ao.

The Wako are flesh-eating creatures that also prey upon humans. Anyone who enters their underground dwellings is pursued through the tunnels and devoured. They have one unusual weakness, however: they will not chase a person who is completely naked.

According to one story, a Cuiva man whose wife had left him decided to enter a Wako burrow, despite his son’s attempts to stop him. He began digging into a hole where a Wako had been seen. As he reached into the opening with his hand and quickly pulled it back, the disturbance frightened the creatures inside.

The Wako rushed from their burrow, calling ao, ao, ao, ao, and attacked the man. When they had finished, nothing remained of him.

Another story tells of a man whose pregnant wife had been killed and eaten by the Wako. Seeking revenge, he entered their underground dwelling and fought the creatures inside. He succeeded in destroying the entire nest of Wako.

Sources

Countess Sica. “Wako.” A Book of Creatures. March 25, 2019. Accessed August 15, 2026. https://abookofcreatures.com/2019/03/25/wako/

Dooinney-Oie

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Tradition / Region: Manx Folklore
Alternative names: The Night-Man
Category: Cave dweller

The Myth

The Dooinney-Oie, or Night-Man, is a supernatural being who lives in a lonely cave on the side of Cronk-y-Thonna overlooking Glen Roy. He is associated with the mountains and valleys around Laxey and is known for carrying a horn whose sound can be heard across the surrounding countryside. He is also said to help the local people and to perform work for them while they sleep.

No one willingly approached the Night-Man’s cave. Boys who ventured too close sometimes suffered sudden pains or sprained their wrists and ankles, while children gathering blackberries or hazelnuts were warned to keep away from the place.

Despite this, the Dooinney-Oie was considered useful to the people of Laxey. He warned fishermen when storms were approaching, helping them protect their lines, nets, and fishing pots and sometimes saving their lives. Farmers and crofters also benefited from his warnings, as they could bring their flocks down from the hills before dangerous weather arrived. Like the Fynoderee, he would sometimes perform work for people while they were asleep.

The Night-Man eventually devised a way to reach the breast of Lhergy Grawe so that his warnings could be heard across a larger area. After a month of planning, he built a strange chariot with two small wheels on one side and two large wheels on the other. The seat was suspended from the frame by strips of hide so that he would not be thrown about on the rough mountain paths. By moving the horses from one end of the chariot to the other, he could travel safely along the steep slopes.

From his position on Lhergy Grawe, the Dooinney-Oie would blow his horn to warn the people of Glen Roy, Granane, Glen Drink, and Laxey of approaching storms.

One September night, a young man named Joe Steveson was returning home beneath the bright moon when he heard the Night-Man’s horn. He saw something shining in the ling on the mountain and climbed up Lhergy Grawe to investigate. There he discovered the Dooinney-Oie’s horn lying on the ground. Although he was too frightened to take it away, he hid the horn before leaving.

When the Dooinney-Oie returned and discovered that his horn was missing, he became furious. His cries echoed through the valleys like thunder, and the people said that he was so enraged that fire flew from his mouth. Joe Steveson was terrified and never recovered from the fright.

On another night, a man from Baldhoon who had often mocked the Night-Man was returning home after drinking. When he heard the horn, he shouted insults across the valley. The Dooinney-Oie ignored him at first, but after hearing another insult, he leapt from his seat and rushed down Lhergy Grawe, shouting and stamping so violently that the ground seemed to shake.

The man ran for his life. When the Dooinney-Oie reached the river, however, the stepping-stones were covered by the water. He retreated slightly, took a run, gave a great shout, and leapt across.

The frightened man managed to reach the house of a religious man just as the Dooinney-Oie arrived. One enormous shout at the door shook the turfs on the rafters and rattled the thatch, but the Night-Man could do no more. The man remained inside for the night and never again shouted after the Dooinney-Oie.

Years later, when the sound of the Night-Man’s horn had become rare, a man from Grawe decided that the trees growing around his old position were preventing him from returning. He made a new road through the trees from the Chibbyry-Pherick road, but the Dooinney-Oie did not return.

The man then supposed that the Night-Man had died. Believing that such a faithful friend of the people deserved a monument, he hired quarrymen and masons to build a large round tower at the place where the Dooinney-Oie had once stood.

Before the tower was finished, the Night-Man came to see it. He did not like what he saw. He seized the tower, gave one enormous shout, and tore the entire structure down.

From that day onward, the Dooinney-Oie was never seen again. Yet on quiet evenings, when the sun sinks red behind the clouds over the grey sea, farmers still say that they can hear his horn sounding far away on Lhergy Grawe.

Sources

“Alux.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed July 28, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alux

Mouros

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Tradition / Region: Portuguese Mythology
Alternative names: Moiros, Mouros Encantados, Mourinhos, Maruxinhos
Category: Cave dweller

The Myth

The Mouros are a race of supernatural beings who have inhabited Galicia, Asturias, and Portugal since the beginning of time. They are usually described as powerful beings who live beneath the earth, particularly beneath ancient castros, burial mounds, hills, and other places associated with the distant past. Some Mouros appear as giants or warriors, while the Mourinhos and Maruxinhos are described as much smaller, elf-like beings.

According to legend, the Mouros were forced to abandon the surface world for unknown reasons and retreat beneath the earth. They established hidden dwellings beneath ancient settlements and burial mounds, where they continue to live away from ordinary people.

The Mouros are famous for their skill in working gold, silver, and precious stones. Beneath the earth they manufacture enormous treasures and store them in their underground dwellings. These treasures are guarded by the cuélebres, great serpent-like creatures that protect the riches from anyone who attempts to steal them.

The Mouros rarely leave their underground homes. They emerge to obtain food and occasionally appear above ground during special times of the year, particularly around Midsummer. At such times they may be encountered near their underground dwellings, ancient stones, castros, and burial mounds.

Some Mouros appear as warriors or enormous men, while others take the form of enchanted beings. Among them are the Mouras Encantadas, supernatural women associated with springs, caves, rocks, and hidden treasures, as well as the Mourinhos and Maruxinhos, tiny underground people who live beneath the earth.

The Mouros are said to remain hidden beneath the ancient landscape, continuing their work with gold and precious stones while their treasures lie guarded beneath the hills and ruins where people occasionally encounter them.

Sources

“Mouros.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed August 15, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mouros

Yaobikuni

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Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternative names: Happyakubikuni, Sennenbikuni, Shirobikuni, Eight-Hundred-Year Nun, Thousand-Year Nun, White Nun
Category: Cave dweller

The Myth

Yaobikuni appears as a woman who has lived for hundreds of years without aging. She is often described as a nun with exceptionally white skin and hair, and is said to have traveled throughout Japan while remaining young or unchanged despite her great age.

According to one of the most famous traditions from Wakasa Province, a fisherman or her father encountered a mysterious mermaid and brought its flesh home. Nobody was willing to eat the strange meat, but the man’s daughter eventually ate it. From that moment she ceased to age and gained an extraordinarily long life.

After many years, she became a Buddhist nun and began traveling throughout Japan. She continued her wandering for centuries, eventually reaching the age of 800 years. Stories of the extraordinarily old white-haired nun spread widely, and records from the Muromachi period describe an elderly nun who had come to Kyoto from Wakasa. Those wishing to see her were required to pay a fee according to their social position, while the gates of her residence were kept tightly closed.

Other versions tell that her father encountered a mysterious stranger in the mountains and was taken to a paradise-like place where he was given the flesh of a mermaid. He refused to eat it and brought it home, where his daughter consumed it and gained a life lasting more than 400 years.

In another tradition, a strange fish was caught in the sea and its flesh was discarded because everyone found it disgusting. The daughter alone ate it and gained supernatural longevity.

Some versions tell of a woman from Ōishi on Sado Island who gained a thousand years of life after eating mermaid flesh. She later gave 200 of those years to the lord of the province and eventually died in Wakasa at the age of 800.

Yaobikuni is also said to have traveled with a staff or pair of chopsticks. In many local legends, she planted them in the ground, where they took root and grew into trees. Temples throughout Japan preserve traditions connected with her, including stories of caves where she entered the earth and places where she stayed or founded temples.

Sources

Takahashi, Toshihiro. “八百比丘尼 (Yaobikuni).” 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑 (New TYZ Yokai Encyclopedia). August 14, 2020. Accessed August 15, 2026. https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1077741607.html

Zhegshemeер bookholdoy

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Tradition / Region: Buryat Mythology, Russian Mythology
Alternative names: Zhegshemeer Bookholdoy
Category: Cave dweller

The Myth

The Zhegshemeer bookholdoy is described as a disgusting and abominable spirit belonging to the lower mythology of the Buryats.

In the surviving description, the Zhegshemeer bookholdoy is identified as one of the supernatural characters found in Buryat folklore. No further legend or account of its appearance, behavior, or encounters with humans is given in the source.

Sources

“Жэгшэмээр бөөхөлдой (Zhegshemeer Bookholdoi).” New Bestiary (Bestiary.us). Accessed August 15, 2026. https://www.bestiary.us/zhegshemeer-bookholdoi

Vanatühi

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Tradition / Region: Estonian Mythology
Alternative names: Vanapagan, Old Devil, Old Empty One
Category: Cave dweller, Giant

The Myth

Vanatühi is a gigantic supernatural being who lives in the underworld and is described as a great farmer. He is more foolish than malicious and often becomes the victim of tricks played by humans and other supernatural beings. He is sometimes depicted wearing a hat made from fingernails that gives him the power to become invisible.

In Estonian folktales, Vanatühi appears as the great ogre who is repeatedly outwitted by his clever servant Kaval Ants, or Crafty Hans. Although Vanatühi possesses enormous strength and supernatural powers, his stupidity allows Kaval Ants to deceive him and escape from difficult situations.

In one tale, Vanatühi steals the musical instrument belonging to Pikne, the god of lightning. Pikne’s instrument is an object of supernatural power, and Vanatühi attempts to keep it for himself. The story follows the wider European tradition of tales in which an ogre steals the musical instrument of a thunder god.

Vanatühi is also the greatest enemy of the giant Suur Tõll of the island of Saaremaa. Their forces fight against one another in a great conflict, and during one of their battles Vanatühi’s forces manage to decapitate Tõll.

In some stories, Vanatühi possesses a remarkable hat made from fingernails. When he places the küüntest kübar upon his head, he becomes invisible, allowing the giant to move unseen despite his enormous size.

Sources

“Vanapagan.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed August 15, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanapagan

Kaibani

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Tradition / Region: Papua New Guinean mythology
Alternative names: None known
Category: Cave dweller

The Myth

Kaibani is a mythical guardian spirit associated with a sacred stone on Paho Island. She is described as a woman who lives beneath the stone and was once seen there weaving a belt. In some traditions, the spirit inhabiting the place is called Basai instead of Kaibani.

The stone is connected to a hollow place beneath the ground known as Basai’s Drum. When people stamp on it, it produces a hollow sound. The spirits of the dead, traveling to Adiri, are said to dance around the stone and beat the drum by jumping upon it.

In earlier times, the Mawata people performed ritual dances at the site whenever they visited Paho to fish and catch crabs. The sound of the drum was believed to predict the future. If it rang out clearly, it meant good fortune lay ahead, while a dull or unclear sound foretold difficulties.

Kaibani is also mentioned in a traditional ceremonial song, which refers to her belt with the verse: Mother of Paso makes Kaibani’s belt; that belt is no good. The source provides no further explanation of this incident, only that it refers to an episode from an older legend.

Sources

Landtman, Gunnar. The Kiwai Papuans of British New Guinea: A Nature-Born Instance of Rousseau’s Ideal Community. With an introduction by Alfred C. Haddon. New York: Johnson Reprint Corp., 1970 [originally published London: Macmillan, 1927].

Di Sma

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Tradition / Region: Swedish Mythology
Alternative names: Di Sma Undar Jordi, The Little Ones Underground
Category: Cave dweller

The Myth

The Di Sma are small human-like beings said to live beneath the ground on the Swedish island of Gotland. They are usually invisible to humans and, according to tradition, can only be seen by looking through a hole in a sheet of paper.

According to Gotlandic folklore, the Di Sma live beneath farms, where they watch over the people, animals, and land. As long as they are treated with respect, they quietly care for the farm and its inhabitants.

One of the best-known warnings concerns throwing out boiling water. People believed that carelessly emptying hot water outdoors could scald the hidden beings living beneath the ground. Angering the Di Sma in this way could cause them to withdraw their protection from the farm.

Sources

“Di sma undar jordi.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed July 28, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Di_sma_undar_jordi

Laminyaki

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Tradition / Region: Basque Mythology, Spanish Mythology
Alternative names: Lamiñaku, Lamiñak, Lamiak
Category: Cave dweller

The Myth

The Laminyaki are mysterious guardian spirits of springs, rivers, and caves that often appear as beautiful women with the legs or feet of a duck or chicken. In some regional traditions, however, they can also take the form of large supernatural cats that dwell in caves and lonely places. These feline forms are associated with hidden treasures, ancient magic, and encounters with travelers who unknowingly cross into their territory.

According to Basque legend, the Laminyaki inhabited remote caves, riverbanks, and mountain springs, where they guarded hidden riches and lived apart from humankind. Although they usually avoided people, they occasionally appeared to travelers, sometimes offering help and other times leading them into danger.

Many stories describe the Laminyaki demanding the return of stolen objects. One famous tale tells of a woman who borrowed a golden comb from one of these beings. When she failed to return it, the Laminyaki repeatedly appeared to her, warning that terrible consequences would follow if the comb was not given back. Fearing the creature’s growing anger, the woman eventually returned the treasure.

Other legends tell of Laminyaki visiting isolated farms during the night. If treated with kindness and offered bread, milk, or flour, they rewarded the household by secretly completing unfinished work before dawn, repairing bridges, cultivating fields, or helping with difficult tasks. Those who insulted or cheated them, however, could expect curses or misfortune.

One of the best-known tales concerns a young man who fell in love with a beautiful woman, unaware that she was one of the Laminyaki. She agreed to marry him, but his family suspected she was not entirely human. They instructed him to look at her feet, where he discovered that she possessed the webbed feet of a duck. Horrified, he abandoned the marriage. Heartbroken, the Laminyaki disappeared forever, later returning only to mourn at the young man’s funeral.

Whether appearing as beautiful maidens or as uncanny supernatural cats lurking near caves and springs, the Laminyaki remain among the most mysterious beings of Basque folklore, dwelling on the boundary between the human world and the hidden realm of ancient spirits.

Sources

“Ламиньяки (Lamiñaki).” New Bestiary (Bestiary.us). Accessed July 28, 2026. https://www.bestiary.us/laminyaki