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Algae

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Tradition / Region: Chinese Mythology
Alternate Names: —
Category: Gnome, Spirit

The Myth

In legends dating to the Han Dynasty, Algae is a small supernatural being described as the essence of water and wood. It is recorded in the Funming Record, where the scholar Dongfang Shuo identifies and names the creature as “Algae.”

Algae is said to live quietly within nature. In spring, it dwells deep in forests, and in winter it resides in cold, hidden rivers. The creature is very small, only eight or nine inches tall, and resembles a frail old man. It walks slowly with the aid of a crutch, taking careful steps as it moves.

According to tradition, Algae appeared during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han. When the emperor ordered the construction of a palace and cut down the land where Algae lived, the spirit emerged to admonish the ruler directly. In doing so, Algae revealed itself as a manifestation of the vital forces of water and wood, responding to the disturbance of its natural dwelling.

Later texts, including the Taiping records, repeat these accounts, preserving Algae as a symbol of nature’s living essence that can appear before humans when its domain is harmed.

Ee (İye / Iye)

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Tradition / Region: Turkic traditional beliefs (Volga region, Central Asia, North Caucasus, Western Siberia, Altai–Sayan)
Alternate Names: İye, Ee, Iye, Iyase (elemental forms)
Category: Spirit-masters / place spirits

The Myth

In Turkic traditional belief, Ee (also called İye or Iye) are spirits who permanently inhabit and rule specific places, objects, and elements of the world. Every natural or cultural space is believed to have its own ee: mountains, forests, fields, rivers, springs, baths, mills, barns, abandoned houses, ravines, and swamps all possess their own spirit-master.

These spirits are understood as the rightful owners of their domains. They dwell continuously in one place and govern what happens there. Ee may appear in human form—male or female—and are often described with unusual features such as being blind, slant-eyed, three-eyed, fat, or otherwise distorted. They can be benevolent or hostile, depending on how humans behave toward their domain.

Among the Kazan Tatars, West Siberian Tatars, and Bashkirs, ee are divided into specific elemental and domestic spirits. These include su iyase, the master of water; urman iyase, the forest spirit; and oy iyase or yort iyase, the house spirit. Among the Altai and Sayan peoples, a prominent figure is tag-eezi, the master of mountains and taiga, though ee were believed to inhabit all landscapes and could function as protectors of clans tied to particular territories.

In Western Siberian traditions, ee were believed to dwell in abandoned houses, swamps, and ravines, places considered dangerous or spiritually unstable. In Islamized Turkic traditions, especially among the Turkmens, ee gradually came to be regarded as malevolent spirits or genies bound to specific locations.

Among the Chuvash, the iye is believed to live under the stove or in bathhouses. In these places, it may play tricks on people—pushing them, dislocating limbs, or causing their eyes to twist—but it is not purely evil. The iye can also protect the household, prevent fires, increase livestock, support beekeeping, and bring success in trade. For this reason, offerings such as bread, baked goods, or small objects are thrown onto the stove during household rituals.

In later folklore, ee were increasingly blamed for illnesses affecting people and animals, including weakness, exhaustion, and paralysis, especially in children. These afflictions were believed to result from violations of unwritten rules, such as sleeping on boundaries, lying on damp ground without prayer, or leaving children unattended. To appease or expel an ee, people performed incantations and offered sacrifices such as human- or animal-shaped figurines made from dough, bread, or rowan twigs.

Though feared for their capacity to harm, ee were never simply demons. They were understood as guardians and enforcers of cosmic and social order, reacting to human respect or neglect. When treated properly, they protected their domains and those who lived within them; when offended, they punished transgressions, reminding people that every place in the world had a living master.

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The Rabbit Mystery

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Tradition / Region: Japan (Amami Ōshima — Yamato Village)
Alternate Names: —
Category: Rabbit / shapeshifter

The Myth

In Yamato Village on Amami Ōshima, there is a legend of a strange and terrifying occurrence that once plagued the island. Every night, an unknown visitor would appear, stealing a set of rice cakes and kidnapping one person. As night after night passed, fear spread through the village and the number of inhabitants steadily decreased.

At last, two courageous villagers decided to uncover the truth. They prepared rice cakes and carried them in a basket, intending to follow the visitor and discover its true form. As they walked, they suddenly saw many white rabbits appear around them. The rabbits gathered together, chanting softly and repeatedly bowing toward the east, as if praying to something unseen.

The two men sought help from an old woman and borrowed her dog. When the dog was brought among the rabbits, it attacked them, killing and devouring them one by one as they ate the rice cakes and continued bowing toward the east.

Afterward, it was revealed that until that time, the rabbit had been transforming into the shape of a monk. In that form, it had been stealing rice cakes and kidnapping people from the village. With the rabbits destroyed by the old woman’s dog, the nightly disappearances ended, and the villagers were finally able to live in peace again.

Thus the rabbit came to be remembered not only as an animal, but as a dangerous shapeshifter whose true nature had long been hidden beneath a human disguise.

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Penanggalan

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Tradition / Region: Malay folklore (Malaysia and wider Southeast Asia)
Alternate Names: Penanggal
Category: Vampire / witch

The Myth

The Penanggalan is a nocturnal vampiric being from Malay folklore. By day, it appears as an ordinary human woman, but at night it separates its head from its body. The head flies freely through the darkness, trailing its internal organs and entrails from the neck. From a distance, it is said to glow or flicker like a small ball of fire, resembling a will-o’-the-wisp.

The name penanggalan comes from the Malay word tanggal, meaning “to remove” or “to take off,” referring to the creature’s ability to detach its head. The Penanggalan is not an undead corpse but a living woman who has gained this ability through black magic. According to tradition, a woman becomes a Penanggalan by performing a ritual bath in vinegar, meditating while her body is submerged except for her head. Through this practice, she learns how to separate herself from her body at night.

When active, the Penanggalan soaks its dangling organs in vinegar to shrink them, making it easier to reattach to its body before dawn. Because of this, the creature is always associated with a strong smell of vinegar, which is said to betray its true nature even during the daytime.

At night, the Penanggalan hunts for blood. Its preferred victims are pregnant women, women who have recently given birth, and young children. Traditional Malay houses were built on stilts, and the Penanggalan was believed to hide beneath them, extending its long tongue upward to feed on the blood of new mothers. Those it feeds upon are said to suffer a wasting illness that is often fatal. Even being brushed by the dripping entrails of the creature could cause painful, festering sores that would not heal without the help of a bomoh.

The Penanggalan is closely related to similar beings across Southeast Asia, all sharing the same basic form of a flying female head with trailing organs. These include the Ahp in Cambodia, the Kasu in Laos, the Krasue in Thailand, the Ma lai in Vietnam, the Kuyang and Leyak in Indonesia, and the Manananggal in the Philippines.

Protection against the Penanggalan involves physical barriers. Thorny leaves of the mengkuang plant are scattered around houses or hung near windows to snag and injure the exposed organs. Shards of glass fixed to the tops of walls serve the same purpose. Pregnant women are said to keep scissors or betel nut cutters under their pillows, as the Penanggalan fears sharp metal.

A Penanggalan may be destroyed if its abandoned body is found. Filling the neck cavity with broken glass will tear its organs apart when it tries to reattach. The body may also be sanctified and burned, or otherwise prevented from reuniting with the head before sunrise. In some accounts, turning the body upside down causes the head to reattach incorrectly, exposing the creature’s identity to everyone.

In Malay tradition, the Penanggalan remains a feared figure of the night—born of witchcraft, moving unseen above villages, and preying upon the most vulnerable while hiding in plain sight by day.

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Cikavac

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Tradition / Region: Serbian Mythology
Alternate Names: —
Category: Bird / Pelican

The Myth

The Cikavac is a creature of Serbian folklore, described as a strange winged being that is neither fully bird nor beast. It is said to resemble a bird with a long beak and a pouch like that of a pelican. The Cikavac does not appear naturally in the world but must be deliberately created through a secret ritual.

To obtain a Cikavac, a person must take an egg laid by a black hen. The egg is then carried under the armpit of a woman for forty days. During this time, strict rules must be followed. The caretaker must not confess sins, must not pray, must not wash her face, cut her nails, or speak of what she is doing. If these conditions are kept, the egg hatches, and the Cikavac is born.

Once created, the Cikavac becomes bound to its owner. At night, it flies out to perform tasks on their behalf. It is said to steal honey from neighboring beehives and milk from other people’s cattle, bringing these goods back to its master. Despite this, the beehives and animals it visits are often described as remaining unharmed.

The Cikavac is also believed to grant its owner the ability to understand the language of animals. Through this power, humans gain insight into the hidden world of beasts and birds, learning things normally beyond human hearing.

The Cikavac remains close to the household that created it, acting as a secret helper and bringer of prosperity. Its existence depends on secrecy and careful observance of the ritual that brought it into the world. If the rules are broken, the creature is said to fail to form or to disappear.

In Serbian tradition, the Cikavac is remembered as a liminal being—born through human action, moving between forest, farm, and home, and serving as a hidden companion that operates under cover of night.

Shisa

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Tradition / Region: Ryukyu Islands (Okinawa, Japan)
Alternate Names: —
Category: Guardian beast / talisman

The Myth

Shisa are guardian figures found throughout the Ryukyu Islands, especially in Okinawa. Their name comes from the local pronunciation of the word “lion,” and they are believed to descend from lion figures that spread from the ancient Orient through China and into Japan. Though commonly seen as statues, Shisa are understood as living protectors in spirit.

Shisa are most often placed on rooftops, gates, and walls of houses. There they stand watch over homes and villages, guarding against fire, misfortune, and evil spirits. They are typically made of stone, ceramic, or plaster. In many cases, Shisa appear as a pair: one with an open mouth and one with a closed mouth. One is said to ward off evil, while the other is said to invite good fortune and prosperity.

According to Ryukyuan tradition recorded in the Kyuyo, the national history of the Ryukyu Kingdom, the origin of the Shisa is linked to a time when fires repeatedly broke out in a village. A feng shui master advised that a lion statue be placed facing a particular direction—toward Yaese Takashi—to suppress the destructive force. After the statue was set in place, the fires ceased. The oldest Shisa connected to this account is said to still exist in Yaese.

Over time, Shisa became widespread across Okinawa. Each household placed them according to local custom, believing that the guardian beasts watched constantly, standing between the human world and unseen dangers. Though unmoving in form, Shisa are remembered as ever-vigilant protectors whose presence alone was enough to keep disaster at bay.

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Olde Marolde

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Tradition / Region: Netherlands (Achterhoek; Drenthe)
Alternate Names: Marolde
Category: Witch / night spirit

The Myth

Olde Marolde is a figure from folk belief in the eastern Netherlands, remembered in a Drents poem as a witch who flies naked through the night sky. She is said to move unseen through the air, traveling great distances as darkness falls.

According to tradition, Olde Marolde steals children from their cradles and carries them away to the witches’ sabbath. Her presence was feared, especially at night, when illness, restlessness, or misfortune struck a household.

Despite her danger, people believed there was a way to protect themselves from her influence. A spoken rhyme could be used to transfer illness—especially fever—to Olde Marolde herself. To perform this act, one had to walk three times around an old oak tree or bind a garter around its trunk, and then recite:

“Olde Marolde,
Ik hebbe de kolde,
Ik hebbe ze now,
Ik gève ze ow,
Ik bind em hier neer,
Ik krieg em neet weer.”

Through this ritual, the sickness was believed to be passed on to Olde Marolde and bound to the tree, never to return.

In these stories, Olde Marolde appears as a flying witch of the night, a child-stealer and bearer of illness, yet also a being whose power could be resisted through ritual words and actions rooted in the landscape itself.

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Octopus Girl

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Tradition / Region: Japan (late Edo period)
Alternate Names: —
Category: Yōkai

The Myth

Octopus Girl is a monster depicted in Yoshimori’s Shinban Bakemono Tsukushi, created at the end of the Edo period. She appears as a female yōkai distinguished by her gigantic head, which dominates her form.

Beyond her appearance, little is recorded about her behavior or origin. She is remembered primarily through illustration, existing as one of the many strange beings cataloged in late Edo yōkai imagery.

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Triangular Beast (Triceratops)

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Tradition / Region: China
Alternate Names: Triangular Deer
Category: Deer / auspicious beast

The Myth

The Triangular Beast is a mythical creature recorded in Chinese legend. It is described as a deer-like animal with three horns: one on the top of its head, one on its forehead, and one on its nose. Its body is red, and its feet are said to burn like flames, leaving fiery traces where it walks.

According to ancient descriptions, the Triangular Beast resembles a deer in form but differs in its unusual structure. It has a triangular body, a white belly, and a green tail. Its head is compared to that of a ze, with green hair, and it is often depicted on red banners or flags, especially in ceremonial contexts.

The creature is said to dwell on a western mountain, sometimes called the Western Convex Mountain. It does not appear at random. The Triangular Beast is regarded as an auspicious sign, and its appearance is believed to coincide with times of perfect order in the human world.

Several classical texts state that the Triangular Beast emerges only when the laws and regulations of former kings are faithfully upheld. When a ruler inherits the institutions of the past without alteration or neglect, the Triangular Beast is said to appear as a sign of harmony between heaven and the realm.

Thus, the Triangular Beast is remembered as a rare and sacred deer-like creature whose presence marks an age of rightful rule, established law, and cosmic balance.

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Jatai

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Tradition / Region: Japan (Ehime Prefecture and other regions)
Alternate Names: —
Category: Object/ yōkai

The Myth

The Jatai is said to appear at night as a living obi, a kimono sash that moves on its own like a great snake. By day it is nothing more than a length of cloth, but after night falls it slithers from its resting place, coiling and gliding through rooms in search of victims.

According to old folk belief, if a person lays an obi near their pillow while sleeping, they may dream of snakes. From this belief grew the story that the obi itself can transform. Because the word for a snake’s body sounds the same as the word for a wicked heart, the sash was believed to awaken as a murderous being. In this form it becomes the Jatai, a dangerous tsukumogami born from jealousy and malice.

The Jatai is especially associated with an obi once worn by a jealous woman. After long use, the resentment bound into the garment gives it life. When it hunts, it wraps itself around sleeping men and strangles them in their beds.

The creature is described as a poisonous snake, long enough to coil itself around a person seven times. This detail is remembered as part of its fearsome nature and its unnatural length. Once the Jatai has tightened its coils, escape is said to be impossible.

The Jatai is depicted in Toriyama Sekien’s Konjaku Hyakki Shūi, where it appears as a living sash transformed into a deadly serpent. Through these tales, the Jatai is remembered as a reminder that strong emotions can linger in objects, waiting for the moment when they take on a life of their own.

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