Tradition: American Mythology
Alternative Names: Hinge-Tailed Bingbuffer
Category: Forest Dweller
The Myth
The Hinge-Tailed Bingbuffer is a bizarre terrestrial beast known for its unusual method of carrying and firing stones. It possesses a large pouch on one side of its body, where it stores a bundle of broad pebbles. These stones serve as ammunition for the creature’s peculiar hunting technique. Its most distinctive feature is its hinged tail, whose terminal tip functions like a sling or launching mechanism.
When the Bingbuffer encounters a target, it loads stones from its pouch and positions them at the end of its tail. It then swings the tail like a sling, launching the pebbles toward its victim with considerable force. The creature is described as bold and barbaric, using its stone projectiles in a grim and relentless attack. Its technique allows it to bombard targets from a distance rather than relying on its teeth or claws.
The Hinge-Tailed Bingbuffer is portrayed as a territorial and aggressive beast that continues its bombardment until its opponents are dead. Its combination of a specialized stone pouch and a sling-like tail makes it an unusual example of a creature whose body is adapted for projectile attacks. Anyone entering its territory risks being targeted by a relentless barrage of stones.
Sources
Schwartz, Alvin, and Glen Rounds. Kickle Snifters and Other Fearsome Critters. New York: Bantam Books, 1978.