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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

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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Ud Ata

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Tradition / Region: Turkic mythology (Oghuz, Kyrgyz, Buryat traditions)
Alternate Names: Boğa Ata
Category: God / bull

The Myth

Ud Ata is the bull god, a powerful divine being who protects bulls and embodies strength. He is associated with physical force, vitality, and the sacred power believed to dwell within horned animals. In the traditions of the Oghuz Turks, Ud Ata is remembered as the being who gave his name to Oğuz Kağan, linking the legendary ruler directly to the strength and authority of the bull.

The horns of heroes are said to be inspired by the bull. These horns are signs of power and are closely connected with the moon. A single horn, or two horns placed side by side, resemble the crescent shape of the moon. Because of this, horns are understood as symbols of both strength and celestial order.

Among the Kyrgyz, it was believed that the world itself rested upon the horns of an ox. This belief placed the bull at the foundation of existence, supporting the earth and maintaining balance through its strength.

Ud Ata is also said to take on a physical form. In some tales, he appears as a gray bull and wrestles with other bulls. In another tradition, Ud Ata, in the form of a bull, unites with a young woman, and a child is born from this union. The Buryat people are said to descend from this child. Because of this ancestral connection, it is known that the Buryats once offered gray bulls as sacrifices to Ud Ata.

Through these stories, Ud Ata appears as a divine bull who grants names, strength, lineage, and protection, moving between godhood and animal form while shaping the fate of peoples and the structure of the world itself.

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Jörmungandr

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Tradition / Region: Norse mythology (Scandinavia)
Alternate Names: Midgard Serpent, World Serpent (Miðgarðsormr)
Category: Snake / world-serpent

The Myth

Jörmungandr is the immense serpent who dwells in the world-sea that surrounds Midgard, the realm of humankind. He is so vast that his body encircles the entire world, and he lies beneath the waves biting his own tail. As long as he holds his tail, the world remains intact. When he releases it, the end of all things will begin.

He is the child of Loki and the giantess Angrboða, and the brother of Fenrir and Hel. When the gods learned of these children, Odin seized them. Fenrir was bound, Hel was cast into the realm of the dead, and Jörmungandr was thrown into the great ocean. There, the serpent grew without limit until he encircled Midgard itself.

From that time onward, Jörmungandr and Thor were bound as enemies.

Thor first encounters the serpent at the hall of the giant king Útgarða-Loki. There, Thor is challenged to perform feats meant to humiliate him. One such trial is to lift a massive gray cat. Thor strains with all his strength, gripping the cat around the belly, and manages to raise one of its paws from the ground. The giants watching grow afraid. Later, Útgarða-Loki reveals that the cat was Jörmungandr in disguise, magically constrained. By lifting even part of it, Thor had nearly lifted the World Serpent and stretched the world itself.

Thor’s second great encounter with Jörmungandr occurs during a fishing expedition with the giant Hymir. When Hymir refuses to provide bait, Thor tears the head from Hymir’s strongest ox and uses it on a massive hook. They row far out into the sea, beyond where Hymir dares to go. Thor casts his line, and Jörmungandr rises from the depths, biting the hook.

Thor pulls the serpent from the water until they face one another. The sea churns, poison sprays from the serpent’s mouth, and Hymir trembles in terror. Thor braces his feet through the bottom of the boat and reaches for his hammer to strike. At that moment, Hymir cuts the line, and Jörmungandr sinks back into the sea. In some older poetic accounts, Thor succeeds in striking the serpent before it escapes, though the outcome differs across traditions.

Jörmungandr remains in the ocean, coiled around the world, waiting. His final rising is foretold in the prophecies of Ragnarök. When the end approaches, the serpent will release his tail, causing the seas to surge over the land. Earthquakes and floods will follow as Jörmungandr crawls onto the shore, filling the sky and waters with venom.

At the battlefield of Vigrid, Jörmungandr and Thor will meet for the last time. Thor will strike the World Serpent dead, but after taking nine steps away from the corpse, he will fall and die, overcome by the poison that fills the serpent’s body.

Thus Jörmungandr is fated to remain bound beneath the sea until the final battle — a serpent whose body holds the world together, and whose death will end it.

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Great-hand

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Tradition / Region: Scotland (Edinburgh, Old Town)
Alternate Names: —
Category: House dweller / subterranean horror

The Myth

Beneath the Old Town of Edinburgh lies a network of cellars, tunnels, and hidden passages. Among these underground spaces is a tunnel said to run beneath the Royal Mile, stretching from the Castle to the Palace of Holyrood. Long ago, soldiers used this passage to launch surprise attacks, but over time it fell into disuse. After that, the tunnel was said to become the lair of a being known as Great-hand, and no one who entered it ever returned alive.

Great-hand is never seen in full. The only part of it that has ever been described is a single hand—enormous, grisly, and inhuman. Its fingernails are said to be long and curved like the talons of an eagle. Whether this hand is attached to a body or exists alone is unknown, as no one has ever seen anything beyond it.

After the tunnel had been avoided for a long time, a piper once declared that he would pass through it to prove that it could be crossed safely. He said he would play his pipes the entire way so that those above ground could follow his progress by sound. Taking his dog with him, he entered the tunnel through a cave near the Castle. As he moved underground, the sound of the pipes could be heard descending the hill.

When the music reached the area of the Heart of Midlothian, it suddenly stopped. Alarmed, those listening rushed back to the tunnel entrance. From the darkness emerged only the dog, running in terror, its fur completely gone. The piper was never seen again.

After this event, the tunnel was sealed at both ends. Stories of Great-hand spread, and similar tales were told across Scotland of haunted caves, lost pipers, and dogs driven hairless by fear. Great-hand remained beneath the city, an unseen presence in the darkness, guarding the underground and claiming any who dared to enter.

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