Mythology

Hrosshvalur

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Tradition: Icelandic Mythology
Alternative Names: Horse-Whale, Monoculus
Category: Whale

The Myth

The Hrosshvalur is a monstrous whale from Icelandic mythology, growing between 15 and 40 metres long. It has a horse-like head, enormous eyes, a flowing red mane, and a horse’s tail. Its body is covered in fine fur, its back may be dappled, and it makes a sound resembling a horse neighing. It also has a foul smell and internal organs resembling those of a horse. Its enormous eyes distinguish it from other evil whales and have earned it the nickname Monoculus, meaning “One-Eyed.”

One of the most feared illhveli, or evil whales, the Hrosshvalur is notorious for destroying ships. It charges through the waves at high speed, holding its head above the water with its mane trailing behind. It sinks vessels by leaping onto them or pressing its weight against them until they capsize. It can also whip its tail to create enormous waves and is considered a portent of bad weather. Its flesh is inedible and disappears when cooked, and its consumption was forbidden by law. Sailors sometimes use euphemistic names to avoid attracting its attention.

The Hrosshvalur has several weaknesses. Although it is not as easily distracted as some other evil whales, its enormous eyes are particularly vulnerable. In one thirteenth-century tale, a Hrosshvalur that surfaced beside a ship was driven away by a barrage of heavy objects. In another story, it attacked the heroes Hjalmper and Olvir but was defeated with the help of a Skeljungur, a Vagnhvalur, and two vultures. A cutlass thrown into one of its eyes weakened it, allowing the other creatures to tear it apart.

The Hrosshvalur is also associated with sorcery and witchcraft. Its size and ferocity made it a suitable form for sorcerers and witches seeking to cause destruction. In the Kormaks saga, the witch Dorveig transforms herself into a Hrosshvalur to attack the brothers Kormakr and Dorgils. They recognise her by her enormous eyes and drive her away by throwing a javelin into her back.

The Hrosshvalur is generally believed to have originated from descriptions of the walrus, whose name is thought to derive from hval-hross, meaning “whale-horse.” However, Icelandic accounts distinguish the two animals, describing the Hrosshvalur and the walrus as separate creatures.

Sources

“Hrosshvalur.” A Book of Creatures, September 4, 2015. https://abookofcreatures.com/2015/09/04/hrosshvalur/

Skeljúngur

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Tradition: Icelandic Mythology
Alternative Names: Shell Whale, Svarfhvalur, Iron Whale, Hnúfubakur
Category: Whale

The Myth

The Skeljúngur is an Icelandic whale measuring between 20 and 45 metres long. It has a fat body, short flippers, no dorsal fin, and is covered entirely in shells that rattle as it swims. The shells make it itchy, causing it to rub its head against rocks in deep coastal waters. Despite its portly appearance, it swims quickly and is known as the “tiger whale.” It dives and sleeps vertically, with its head sticking out of the sea. Whether it has teeth or baleen is unclear.

One of the illhveli, or evil whales, the Skeljúngur is unusual because its flesh is edible and safe to eat. However, it is dangerous to ships, positioning itself in their path and continuing to obstruct them when captains attempt to avoid it. Ships that sail directly onto the whale are thrown into the air, killing everyone aboard. It attacks vessels with its fins and tail, and its shell-covered body protects it against most attacks. It may also pretend to be dead to lure prey within reach. The whaling ship Minerva, off Grímsey, once believed it had killed a Skeljúngur, only for the whale to recover and destroy the boat sent to finish it off.

Skeljúngurs hate the sound of iron being ground or filed. Hearing it drives them into a frenzy, causing them to beach themselves to escape the noise. This aversion gives rise to the alternative name Svarfhvalur, meaning “iron whale.” Despite their hostility towards humans, Skeljúngurs have occasionally helped them. A young one once aided Hjalmper and Olvir in battle against a vicious Hrosshvalur. Skeljúngur is also used as another name for the humpback whale, or Hnúfubakur.

Sources

“Skeljúngur.” A Book of Creatures, December 14, 2015. https://abookofcreatures.com/2015/12/14/skeljungur/

Raudkembingur

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Tradition: Icelandic Mythology
Alternative Names: Red Comb, Red Crest
Category: Whale

The Myth

The Raudkembingur is a monstrous whale from Icelandic mythology. It has an elongated, streamlined body measuring 10–20 metres long, with a coffee-brown back, a pink belly, and a bright red crest resembling bristly hair, a horse’s mane, or a row of small fins. Its head has a reptilian appearance, with sharp teeth in both jaws. It swims extremely fast, producing enormous amounts of foam and an ominous neighing sound.

One of the most savage of the illhveli, or evil whales, the Raudkembingur is notorious for attacking and destroying boats. It sometimes pretends to be dead, floating on the surface until a boat approaches, then leaping onto the vessel and drowning everyone aboard. Beluga whales and narwhals follow behind it, feeding on the remains.

The Raudkembingur is so consumed by destruction that it may die of frustration if it fails to destroy a boat during the day. In one tale, a boat escaped by throwing a piece of wood dressed in clothes into the sea. The whale mistook it for a person and repeatedly tried to drown it.

The creature can also pursue its prey until it dies of exhaustion. In one story, a Raudkembingur chased a boat commanded by Eyvindur Jónsson off Fljót. The crew escaped to Saudanesvik, and the whale died, turning the sea red. The boat was subsequently named Hafrenningur, meaning Ocean Runner.

Another tale tells of a cruel young man from Hvalsnes who was cursed by elves and transformed into a red-headed whale. He terrorised Faxafjörður and Hvalfjörður before dying of exhaustion in Hvalvatn Lake while pursuing a priest. Its bones are said to remain there.

Sources

“Rauðkembingur.” A Book of Creatures, July 31, 2015. https://abookofcreatures.com/2015/07/31/raudkembingur/

Inugami Gyōbu

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Tradition: Japanese Mythology
Alternative Names: Inugami Gyōbu, Yamaguchi Reishin, Lord Inugami
Category: Marten

The Myth

Inugami Gyōbu is a powerful shape-shifting tanuki and the supreme leader of the raccoon dogs of Iyo Matsuyama, in present-day Ehime Prefecture, Japan. Possessing extraordinary supernatural powers, he commands eight hundred and eight tanuki known collectively as the Eight Hundred and Eight Tanuki. His home is a rocky cavern in the mountains of Kuma, from where he is said to have guarded Matsuyama Castle for many years. He was regarded as a formidable supernatural guardian whose influence extended throughout the surrounding region.

During a succession dispute within the Matsuyama domain, Inugami Gyōbu became entangled in a political conspiracy. Following a confrontation and subsequent pact with the wandering samurai Gotō Kogenta, he reluctantly agreed to assist those plotting a rebellion. This brought him into conflict with the forces supporting the legitimate authorities. Inugami Gyōbu and his numerous followers were eventually defeated by Inō Budayū, a renowned warrior from Hiroshima who sided with the defenders of the domain. He sealed the tanuki leader and his followers within the mountains of Kuma.

Despite his involvement in the conspiracy, Inugami Gyōbu was not simply destroyed as a defeated monster. His long service guarding Matsuyama Castle was remembered, and a shrine was established in his honor. He came to be worshipped as Yamaguchi Reishin, allowing the powerful tanuki guardian to retain a place of reverence even after his downfall.

Sources

“Inugami Gyōbu.” 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑 (New TYZ Yokai Encyclopedia). https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1010654423.html

Korōri

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Tradition: Japanese Mythology
Alternative Names: Kororijū, Cholera Beast, Tiger-Wolf-Tanuki
Category: Marten

The Myth

The Korōri is a monstrous creature said to have spread cholera during the epidemics that devastated Japan in the late Edo and early Meiji periods. It is a chimera composed of three animals reflected in its name: a tiger, a wolf, and a tanuki, or Japanese raccoon dog. It generally resembles a tanuki, but its body bears tiger-like stripes and its face has the ferocious jaws of a wolf. The creature was associated with infected homes, where it supposedly brought the deadly disease to the people living inside.

Korōri were said to lurk around houses afflicted by cholera, sometimes fleeing after the inhabitants recovered. Those who died from the illness were believed to attract the creatures, which were reportedly seen feeding on their corpses. During the cholera outbreak of 1862, sightings allegedly became increasingly common. One story tells of a recovering samurai who spotted a strange, weasel-like beast near his home and beat it to death with a piece of firewood. He then roasted and ate the animal, while other families in the area subsequently reported similar creatures lurking around their infected homes. Some accounts even claimed that Korōri emerged from the bodies of cholera victims.

The creature arose from the terror surrounding cholera, an illness whose invisible cause was not understood by most people at the time. The Japanese word korori was used for the disease, and one way of writing it combined the characters for tiger, wolf, and tanuki. This spelling inspired the imagined beast, turning the fear of a devastating epidemic into a visible monster. An 1877 newspaper account explicitly described Korōri as an imaginary representation of the disease’s horrors rather than a real animal. In this sense, the creature embodied the dread of cholera itself.

Sources

“Korōri.” Yokai.com. https://yokai.com/korouri/

Yatsuzura Tanuki

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Tradition: Japanese Mythology
Alternative Names: Yatsuzura no Tanuki, Eight-Headed Tanuki
Category: Marten

The Myth

Yatsuzura Tanuki is a monstrous raccoon dog said to have lived near Hazzuma Falls in what is now Ikegawa, Kochi Prefecture, Japan. Unlike an ordinary tanuki, this creature possessed eight heads and preyed upon the beautiful young women of Inotani, coming to their homes every night to devour them. Its attacks caused the local population to decline, and the villagers lived in fear of the creature.

One day, a hunter arrived in the area and asked a local household for lodging. The owner refused, explaining that a dangerous tanuki haunted the region. Determined to hunt the monster, the hunter devised a trap. He concealed seven dogs inside a steaming apparatus used for preparing mitsumata and had a large cauldron of boiling water prepared. He then hid in the attic and waited for the tanuki to appear.

When the monster arrived and began pulling at the okuji, the hunter attacked and struck it down. The seven dogs were released from their hiding place and set upon the tanuki’s underlings, while the fallen monster was immersed in the boiling water. After the creature was defeated, the people of Inotani were no longer lost to its nightly attacks, and the village population ceased to decline.

Sources

“Yatsuzura-Tanuki.” 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑 (New TYZ Yokai Encyclopedia). https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1021807441.html

Kama-itachi

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Tradition: Japanese Mythology
Alternative Names: Sickle Weasel, Kamaitachi
Category: Marten

The Myth

The Kama-itachi, or Sickle Weasel, is a supernatural weasel associated with the mountainous regions of Japan, particularly Yamanashi, Nagano, and Niigata. It rides cold, swirling whirlwinds and moves so quickly that it cannot be seen with the naked eye. Its fur is described as stiff and spiny like a hedgehog’s, it barks like a dog, and its claws are as sharp as razors. The creature appears and disappears with the wind, striking without warning.

Kama-itachi attack people in groups of three. The first knocks its victim to the ground by slicing at their legs, while the second inflicts thousands of tiny cuts using its forelegs and hindlegs. The third then applies a magical salve that heals most of the wounds almost instantly, preventing them from becoming fatal. The creatures are said to cut away entire chunks of flesh without spilling a drop of blood. Because their attacks and healing happen so quickly, victims often experience only a sudden fall, some pain, and a few scratches, with no clear understanding of what happened.

One explanation suggests that the creature’s name arose as a play on words involving kamae tachi, a sword-fighting stance. However, similar legends of invisible beings that ride the wind and injure people are found throughout Japan. The Kama-itachi remains a popular supernatural explanation for sudden, unexplained cuts and injuries.

Sources

“Kama Itachi.” Yokai.com. https://yokai.com/kamaitachi/

Itachi

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Tradition: Japanese Mythology
Alternative Names: Ten, Japanese Marten, Weasel
Category: Marten

The Myth

Itachi are supernatural weasels known for their trickery, strange magic, and ability to transform into other beings. They resemble ordinary Japanese weasels but are feared as ill omens, particularly in mountainous regions. Their cries are considered a warning of approaching misfortune, and hearing a group of itachi yelping is believed to be followed by despair and disaster. Although they generally avoid direct contact with humans, they sometimes stand upright on their hind legs to bewitch people, hypnotizing them into leaving food or performing tasks for their benefit.

Itachi possess a remarkable range of supernatural abilities and are considered among the most accomplished shape-shifters in Japanese mythology. A traditional saying declares that foxes have seven transformations, tanuki have eight, and itachi have nine. They often disguise themselves as young priests wearing oversized robes, a form they use to obtain alcohol, which they cannot brew themselves. They may also imitate other supernatural creatures to frighten people, especially the enormous Ōnyūdō, a bald-headed giant said to destroy houses, devour livestock, and even eat humans.

Their magic can become especially dangerous when they gather in groups. Itachi are said to climb onto one another’s shoulders to form enormous columns of fire that erupt into swirling whirlwinds. These supernatural fires are blamed for devastating conflagrations capable of burning down entire towns. Their association with destruction, deception, and ill fortune has made them feared creatures, despite their generally shy nature.

Sources

“Itachi.” Yokai.com. https://yokai.com/itachi/

Kakubei Tanuki

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Tradition: Japanese Mythology
Alternative Names: Kakubei-danuki, Kakubei Raccoon Dog
Category: Marten

The Myth

Kakubei Tanuki is a shape-shifting raccoon dog from Mount Tatsuzu who appears in a tale of supernatural rivalries, revenge, and a disastrous attempt to abduct a fox bride. He falls in love with the daughter of a powerful fox who serves as a messenger of the Inari deity, but his advances are dismissed because of his low status. Resentful of the fox’s arrogance, Kakubei forcibly takes the daughter and plots to challenge her family. To accomplish his ambitions, he seeks the help of Shiratawashi, a powerful yokai who is being escorted toward hell after committing violent acts against demons.

Kakubei first saves Shiratawashi by disguising himself as a strange boy carrying sake. The demons escorting the yokai are tempted by the drink, unaware that it is poisoned sake known as Onikoroshi. After they collapse and die, Kakubei reveals his true identity, frees Shiratawashi, and persuades him to help with his plans. Together with other tanuki, they later attack a nighttime bridal procession, hoping to seize another fox bride. However, their assault is interrupted by Mikoshi Nyudo, a righteous wandering yokai who defeats the attackers. Kakubei and Shiratawashi are captured and handed over to the supernatural beings they have antagonized.

Kakubei is sentenced to be tortured by smoke from burning pine needles. Hung upside down over the fire, he weeps and apologizes until Mikoshi Nyudo takes pity on him and releases him. Kakubei promises to change his ways, but his resentment toward the foxes remains. Later, he takes advantage of a raid on a fox mansion to steal the family’s treasured White Fox Ball, hoping to frame Shiratawashi. The foxes quickly discover the deception and capture Kakubei again, nearly killing him. The jewel is eventually recovered, but Kakubei’s fate remains unknown after the story turns to other conflicts among the foxes and their enemies.

Sources

“Kakubei Tanuki.” 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑 (New TYZ Yokai Encyclopedia). https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1072057392.html

Ichneumon

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Tradition: Greek Mythology, Egyptian Mythology
Alternative Names: Echinemon, Pharaoh’s Rat, Egyptian Mongoose
Category: Marten

The Myth

The Ichneumon is a swift, ferret-like animal with a slender body and an elongated head. In ancient accounts, it is renowned as a deadly enemy of dragons, crocodiles, and venomous serpents, particularly the asp. When preparing to fight, the creature covers its body with mud and dries it in the sun, building up a protective coating like a suit of armour. It is said to close its nostrils with its tail before attacking a dragon, then use its speed and agility to overcome its much more dangerous opponent.

The Ichneumon’s most famous enemies are the crocodile and the asp. According to ancient traditions, it destroys asp eggs and attacks the serpents themselves, using its mud-covered body for protection against their venomous bites. It seizes its opponents by the head, throat, or tail, and some accounts describe it dragging serpents into the water to kill them. Against crocodiles, the Ichneumon supposedly waits until one is basking with its jaws open, slips inside its mouth, and devours its internal organs. These extraordinary tales made the creature a symbol of cunning and courage, capable of defeating animals far larger and more dangerous than itself.

Sources

“Ichneumon (Medieval Zoology).” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 22, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ichneumon_(medieval_zoology)