Ghost

Roaring Bull o’ Bagbury

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Tradition: English Mythology
Alternative names: The Roaring Bull of Bagbury
Category: Ghost, Cow

The Myth

A notoriously wicked man once lived at Bagbury Farm. According to the story, he had done almost no good in his life, with only two acts of kindness remembered: giving a waistcoat to a poor old man and giving bread and cheese to a poor boy.

After his death, however, his ghost refused to rest. It began appearing in the buildings at Bagbury Farm in the shape of a bull, where it would roar so violently that boards, shutters, and roof tiles were thrown from the buildings. The haunting became so severe that nobody could live nearby.

The bull originally appeared around nine or ten at night, but eventually became so troublesome that it began arriving as early as seven or eight. Twelve parsons were summoned to lay the ghost. They managed to drive it, still in the form of a bull, toward Hyssington Church, but they struggled to contain it.

One of the twelve priests was an old blind parson who knew the ghost and anticipated its violent charge. He carried his candle inside his top boot. When the bull suddenly rushed at the priests, all their candles were extinguished except his. He then told the others to relight their candles from his.

Inside the church, the bull made such a tremendous burst that it cracked the church wall from top to bottom. According to the storyteller, the crack remained visible for years and was deliberately left unrepaired so that people could see where the supernatural bull had broken the church.

Eventually, the priests succeeded in forcing the bull into a snuff-box. The spirit then requested that it be buried beneath Bagbury Bridge, threatening that every mare passing over the bridge would lose her foal and every woman would lose her child. The priests refused this request and instead cast the bull into the Red Sea for a thousand years.

Even long afterward, people remained frightened of Bagbury Bridge. The storyteller recalled that the old clerk of Hyssington had personally remembered the blind parson. Decades after the bull had supposedly been confined in the Red Sea, people still crossed the bridge cautiously. One man recalled crossing it with horses and deliberately getting down from his horse, walking softly and making as little noise as possible, because he feared that the bull might hear him and emerge from beneath the bridge.

Sources

“Efft60.” Sacred Texts. Accessed August 29, 2026. https://sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/efft/efft60.htm

Poli the Cursed

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Tradition: Liechtenstein Mythology
Alternative names: Poli
Category: Ghost, Cow

The Myth

Poli could have lived a good life as a herdsman on Gritsch, but one particular cow made his work miserable. The animal repeatedly escaped, forcing him to spend hours searching for it.

Poli frequently cursed the cow and began thinking of a way to get rid of it. Eventually, he devised a plan. He felled a fir tree, stripped off its bark, and placed the wet, slippery pieces of bark across a dangerous location.

He then drove the cow over the slippery surface. The animal lost its footing, fell from the mountain, and died beneath a rock.

After his death, the unfaithful herdsman was condemned to wander as a ghost for his crime. He was forced to carry the cow up the mountain as many times as there were hairs on his head.

Whenever he finally reached the summit, he let out a loud cry of joy that could be heard far across the mountains. His cry was believed to be a sign that snowfall would soon come to the Gritsch Alpine pasture.

Another herdsman is said to haunt the path from the Wang Alp to the Rappenstein for the same crime. He had caused many cows to fall into the ravine and was likewise condemned to wander after death. His cries could always be heard whenever a storm was approaching.

Sources

“Van aardmannetje tot zwarte juffer: Een lijst van Nederlandse en Vlaamse elfen en geesten.” Abe de Verteller. Accessed August 29, 2026. https://abedeverteller.nl/van-aardmannetje-tot-zwarte-juffer-een-lijst-van-nederlandse-en-vlaamse-elfen-en-geesten/

Readrokje

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Tradition / Region: Dutch Mythology
Alternative names: Roodrokje
Category: Ghost, Bird

The Myth

The Readrokje (“Little Red Skirt”) is a ghost said to haunt the area around Akkrum in Friesland. She is described as having a sharp, bird-like face, a white upper garment, and a distinctive red skirt.

She wanders the countryside with long, silent strides, gliding effortlessly over ditches and through beds of reeds. At times, the Readrokje suddenly rushes straight toward a lone traveler walking late at night, frightening them so badly that they flee in terror.

Sources

Abe van der Veen. (2014, July 8). Van aardmannetje tot zwarte juffer: Een lijst van Nederlandse en Vlaamse elfen en geesten. Abe de Verteller. Retrieved June 29, 2026, from https://abedeverteller.nl/van-aardmannetje-tot-zwarte-juffer-een-lijst-van-nederlandse-en-vlaamse-elfen-en-geesten/

Orco

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Tradition / Region: Austrian Mythology
Alternative names: Orco
Category: Ghost

The Myth

The Orco is a gigantic and ancient mountain ghost feared throughout the Dolomite Alps, especially in the mountains between Enneberg Abbey and Buchenstein. Said to dwell in deep caves, chasms, and rocky cliffs, the Orco is a malicious supernatural being that never grows old and exists only to spread fear, destruction, and misfortune among humankind.

The Orco is a powerful shapeshifter, appearing in many terrifying forms. It most commonly manifests as a gigantic black dog with blazing eyes, a wild horse whose hooves burn with fire, a raging bull, or even as a massive rolling boulder that chases terrified travelers across the mountains. On the rare occasions it takes human form, it appears as an enormous giant with a cruel expression, either naked beneath a coat of thick bear-like hair or dressed like one of the legendary mountain giants.

Many Tyrolean legends recount encounters with the Orco. One skeptical innkeeper who mocked stories about the creature was confronted by a monstrous black dog that circled his wagon until he finally made the sign of the cross, causing it to vanish instantly. Another tale tells of a fiery horse that attempted to scatter a family’s cattle before disappearing the moment it approached a roadside crucifix.

The Orco often pursued lonely travelers for miles. One young man was chased home by a gigantic black dog whose tongue dripped blue flames and whose breath smelled of burning sulfur. Although he escaped unharmed, the terror and exhaustion permanently damaged his health, leading to his death only months later.

In another legend, two young men returning home at night were stalked first by a wild bull and then by an enormous rolling sphere that crashed over rocks in pursuit of them. They escaped only by throwing themselves at the foot of a large crucifix. Unable to cross the holy ground, the Orco appeared in human form beyond the fence, striking it with such supernatural force that the marks of its blows remained visible for years.

The Orco could also imitate human voices to lure victims. A shepherd boy once answered what he believed were distant woodcutters calling through the forest, only to realize too late that he had mimicked the Orco itself. The monster seized him and carried him across mountains and deep ravines before abandoning him bruised and unconscious many miles away. From that day onward, locals warned never to imitate mysterious voices heard in lonely forests, for doing so could summon the Orco with lightning speed.

Throughout Tyrolean folklore, the Orco embodies the dangers of the wild mountains—an ancient, shape-shifting force of terror that preys upon travelers, but whose power is consistently overcome by Christian symbols such as the sign of the cross and roadside crucifixes.

Sources

von Günther, A. (1874). Tales and legends of the Tyrol. Chapman and Hall.

Ghost Mother

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Tradition / Region: Chinese Mythology
Alternative names: Ghost Goddess, Tiger-Dragon Foot, Python-Eyed Ghost Mother, Dragon-Browed Ghost Mother
Category: Ghost, Deity, Tiger

The Myth

The Ghost Mother is a powerful supernatural being in Chinese mythology, appearing as both a ghost and a divine figure. She is most famously described in the Shuyi Ji (Records of Strange Things), where she dwells on Xiaoyu Mountain in the South China Sea.

Her appearance is bizarre and monstrous. She is said to possess the head of a tiger, the feet of a dragon, the round eyes of a python, and long dragon-like eyebrows that join together. She possesses extraordinary creative power, being capable of giving birth not only to ghosts but also to heaven and earth themselves. Whenever she gives birth, she produces ten ghosts at once, only to devour them again by nightfall.

The Ghost Mother also appears in Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, where she serves as the foster mother of Yingning, a fox spirit, raising her despite not being her biological parent.

In the sequel to Journey to the West, the Ghost Mother appears in another form. After Princess Iron Fan attained enlightenment, the Bull Demon King became the Ghost King and resurrected Princess Jade Face as the Rakshasa Ghost Mother. Together they later had a son named Prince Li Zi, also known as Black Boy.

Across these traditions, the Ghost Mother is portrayed as a mysterious maternal figure whose terrifying appearance contrasts with her immense supernatural power, embodying both the creation and destruction of spirits.

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). 鬼母. In 維基百科，自由的百科全書. Retrieved June 27, 2026, from https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%AC%BC%E6%AF%8D

Yang Wulang Ghost

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Tradition / Region: Chinese Mythology
Alternative names: Yang Wulang (楊五郎鬼)
Category: Ghost

The Myth

The Yang Wulang Ghost is a terrifying ghost recorded in Volume 4 of the Yijian Zhi, a Song Dynasty collection of strange tales. Unlike most ghosts, it possesses a massive physical body rather than appearing as a transparent spirit.

The creature is described as standing nearly ten feet (about three meters) tall, with arms as thick as a man’s thighs. Although enormous and immensely powerful, it is surprisingly agile, capable of making swift leaps and moving with unnatural speed. Its entire body is covered in coarse black hair, and its grotesque face bears three protruding eyes.

According to the legend, villagers eventually managed to capture the monster. When they stabbed it with knives, no blood flowed despite cutting deeply into its body. Its abdomen was opened, revealing ordinary-looking intestines and internal organs, yet the creature remained an unnatural being rather than a living man.

To destroy it permanently, the villagers placed the ghost into boiling oil. As its flesh cooked, its body gradually dissolved into black liquid, which flowed away until nothing remained, finally ending the creature’s existence.

Later writers have suggested that the famous literary image of the powerful monk Lu Zhishen from Water Margin may have been partially inspired by the legendary monk Yang Wulang, from whom this monstrous ghost also takes its name.

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). 楊五郎. In 維基百科，自由的百科全書. Retrieved June 27, 2026, from https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%A5%8A%E4%BA%94%E9%83%8E

Kakehashi

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Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternative names: Kakehashi (掛橋)
Category: Ghost

The Myth

Kakehashi is a tragic woman whose jealousy, betrayal, and violent death transformed her into a fearsome onryō, a vengeful spirit. After being beheaded, her severed head became a supernatural apparition with blazing eyes and flames pouring from its mouth, relentlessly haunting the man who had deceived and murdered her.

According to the Edo-period illustrated novel Baika Hyōretsu (“Plum Blossom Ice Split”), Kakehashi was the wife of the samurai Karakoto Uraemon. While he was away, the villain Mino Bunta manipulated her into believing her husband had betrayed her. Falling under his influence, she abandoned Uraemon and cruelly murdered his pregnant concubine, Mo no Hana, along with her unborn child.

After fleeing with Mino Bunta, the pair lost everything and survived by robbing travelers, with Kakehashi disguised as a terrifying Snow Woman. Soon afterward she was struck by a horrific supernatural curse. Haunted by nightmares of goldfish devouring her body, she developed grotesque sores, rotting flesh, unbearable thirst, and an unknown disease. During her delirium she unknowingly confessed her crimes while speaking with the voice of Mo no Hana’s vengeful spirit.

Eventually Kakehashi found Mino Bunta living in luxury with other women. When she confronted him, he admitted that he had never loved her—his entire relationship had been a scheme to steal the wealth of her family. Realizing she had betrayed her husband and murdered an innocent woman for nothing, she was overwhelmed with rage and regret.

Mino Bunta mocked her, tortured her, and finally beheaded her. At the moment of her death, darkness engulfed the mountain as her severed head flew into the sky, its eyes burning and flames erupting from its mouth. From that day onward, her ghost relentlessly pursued Mino Bunta, driving him toward madness and misfortune until he was finally killed.

The story ultimately portrays Kakehashi as both victim and villain. Although responsible for terrible crimes, she herself became the victim of deception, and after death joined forces with the spirit of Mo no Hana to ensure that Mino Bunta ultimately suffered the consequences of his own evil.

Sources

TYZ. (n.d.). Kakehashi [掛橋]. In 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑. Retrieved June 27, 2026, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1037179730.html

Clíodhna

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Tradition / Region: Irish mythology
Alternative names: Clídna, Clionadh, Clíodna, Clíona, Cleena
Category: Deity, Ghost

The Myth

Clíodhna is one of the greatest fairy queens of Irish mythology and the legendary Queen of the Banshees. Counted among the Tuatha Dé Danann, she is celebrated as a goddess of love, beauty, and the Otherworld, while also serving as the powerful ruler of the sídhe (fairies) of South Munster. Her hidden palace lies beneath the rocky hill of Carrigcleena in County Cork, where Irish tradition says she continues to reign over her fairy court.

Among Clíodhna’s greatest wonders are her three brilliantly colored magical birds. Feeding upon apples from a sacred tree in the Otherworld, their sweet songs possess extraordinary healing powers, curing sickness, soothing sorrow, and lulling listeners into a deep enchanted sleep. Their music was said to be unlike anything heard in the mortal world.

One of her oldest legends tells of her love for the mortal prince Ciabhan, whom she met in the Otherworldly kingdom ruled by Manannán mac Lir. The two fled together to Ireland, hoping to live among humans. As Ciabhan went ashore to hunt, Clíodhna remained sleeping in their boat. The servants of Manannán pursued the lovers and enchanted Clíodhna into a magical sleep with supernatural music. A gigantic wave then swept her out to sea before she could escape. Ever afterward that wave became known as Tonn Chlíodhna (“Clíodhna’s Wave”), one of Ireland’s most famous mythological landmarks. Whether she drowned or simply returned to the Otherworld varies between traditions.

In another medieval tale, The Voyage of Teigue, Son of Cian, Clíodhna appears as a noble lady dwelling on the mysterious island of Inis Derglocha. There she aids the hero by giving him three magical birds to guide and comfort his companions with their music, along with an emerald cup capable of turning water into wine. She warns him never to lose the cup, for doing so would bring about his death. Thanks to her gifts, Teigue rescues his captured people and safely returns to Ireland.

Many later Irish legends portray Clíodhna not only as a fairy queen but also as a passionate and deeply emotional supernatural being. One famous story tells of the prince Caiov O’Keeffe and the two daughters of the last great druid, Clíodhna and Aoivil. Both sisters fell in love with the young prince, but his heart belonged to Aoivil. Consumed by jealousy, Clíodhna secretly cursed her own sister, imprisoned her within a hidden cave, and eventually transformed her into a beautiful white cat doomed to guard vast treasures of gold and silver. Though Clíodhna later regretted her actions, she had lost the magical wand needed to undo the spell. According to legend, the enchantment will only be broken by someone who loves Aoivil more than the riches she guards.

Clíodhna also appears in romantic tales involving the Fitzgerald family. In one legend she abducts the handsome chieftain Fitz-Gerald, carrying him away to her fairy palace beneath Carrigcleena because she desired him for herself. His beloved Ellen O’Brien journeyed to the fairy queen’s dwelling and pleaded so movingly for his release that Clíodhna, touched by her devotion, returned him to the mortal world, allowing the lovers to marry.

Another tradition links Clíodhna to the famous Blarney Stone. Before appearing in court, Cormac MacCarthy, lord of Blarney Castle, sought the fairy queen’s help. Clíodhna instructed him to kiss the first stone he encountered that morning. After following her advice, he spoke with such irresistible charm and eloquence that he won his legal dispute. The stone was later built into the walls of Blarney Castle, where it became renowned for granting the legendary “gift of the gab” to those who kiss it.

For centuries Clíodhna was regarded as the supernatural protector of many noble families of Munster, especially the MacCarthys, O’Keeffes, O’Donovans, and FitzGeralds, who believed she watched over their fortunes and occasionally intervened in their affairs. Local folklore describes fairy gatherings at Carrigcleena, where, under the light of the moon, Clíodhna leads her fairy court in magnificent dances among the ancient rocks before disappearing once more into her hidden palace beneath the earth.

Thus Clíodhna is remembered not merely as a fairy queen, but as one of Ireland’s most beloved mythological figures—a goddess of beauty and love, a healer through the songs of her magical birds, a passionate lover, a patron of kings and noble families, and the eternal sovereign of the fairies of Munster.

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Clíodhna. In Wikipedia. Retrieved June 27, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cl%C3%ADodhna

Hantu Raya

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Tradition / Region: Malaysian Mythology
Alternative names: Great Ghost
Category: Ghost

The Myth

The Hantu Raya is a powerful familiar spirit that serves practitioners of black magic. It usually appears as a towering humanoid with a black, hairy body, rough gray skin, glowing red eyes, long sharp teeth, and a face largely free of hair. One of its most feared abilities is assuming the exact appearance of its master, allowing it to act as a perfect supernatural double.

According to Malay folklore, the Hantu Raya grants extraordinary strength and assistance to the person who controls it. It can perform heavy labor such as farming and clearing fields with superhuman speed, allowing its master to remain elsewhere while the work is completed. Because it can perfectly imitate its owner’s appearance, it can also provide an alibi, remaining at home while the real owner secretly travels, commits crimes, or engages in illicit affairs without arousing suspicion.

The spirit must be carefully maintained through regular offerings known as ancak, consisting of yellow glutinous rice, roasted chicken, eggs, rice flakes, and other foods prepared specifically for spirits. Failure to provide these offerings on time is believed to anger the Hantu Raya, causing it to turn against its master and bring misfortune.

The Hantu Raya has also been blamed for mysterious deaths during childbirth, particularly in times before modern medicine. Such tragedies were sometimes attributed to the invisible influence of the spirit rather than natural causes.

Unlike an ordinary ghost, the Hantu Raya is not simply a wandering spirit but a supernatural servant bound to its master through dark magic. Its immense power makes it one of the most dangerous and coveted spirit familiars in Malay folklore, capable of bringing prosperity and protection when controlled, but ruin if neglected or released.

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Hantu Raya. In Wikipedia. Retrieved June 27, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hantu_Raya

Hantu Tinggi

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Tradition / Region: Malaysian Mythology
Alternative names: Tall Ghost, Bajang Tinggi, Tinggi Puaka, Bapak Hantu, Bapak Jin
Category: Ghost, Giant

The Myth

The Hantu Tinggi is a colossal supernatural being whose enormous body towers so high that its upper half disappears into the clouds. Resembling the fearsome Hantu Raya or the Indonesian Genderuwo, it is said to be thousands of times larger than any ordinary spirit. A single strand of hair from its leg is believed to be as thick as a muscular man’s arm.

According to Malaysian folklore, the Hantu Tinggi dwells in remote forests, mountains, and isolated wilderness. It is considered an immensely ancient being, existing since before the arrival of humanity and, in some traditions, even before the creation of Iblis. Because of its unimaginable size, a person may unknowingly walk between its legs or beneath its towering form without immediately realizing what they have encountered.

Looking directly at the Hantu Tinggi is said to bring terrible consequences. Those who meet its gaze may be struck blind, while others suffer broken necks, damaged spines, or become hopelessly lost after being drawn into the Ghaib Realm, the hidden supernatural world inhabited by spirits. For this reason, parents traditionally warned children to avoid lonely forests, hills, and mountains, especially after dark.

Protection against the Hantu Tinggi is believed to come through the recitation of verses from the Qur’an and sincere prayers. Those thought to have been cursed by the giant spirit often seek help from a bomoh, pawang, dukun, imam, or other Islamic spiritual healer to remove its influence.

Although often confused with the Hantu Galah, a bamboo-like forest spirit, the Hantu Tinggi is regarded as a completely different entity. Rather than resembling a living bamboo, it is an unimaginably massive giant whose presence alone inspires awe and terror.

Thus the Hantu Tinggi is remembered as one of Malaysia’s largest and most mysterious supernatural beings—a towering primordial spirit whose head vanishes into the heavens and whose mere gaze can bring ruin to those unfortunate enough to encounter it.

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Hantu Tinggi. In Wikipedia. Retrieved June 27, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hantu_Tinggi