The International Guide to the Mythological

Origin: English and Scandinavian Habitat: Churchyards Behavior: Moderate Description:  A ghost of a big black dog. Facts:  Church grims oversee the welfare of a particular  church  and protects the  churchyard  from those who would profane and commit  sacrilege  against it.  It dwells in the churchtower or some other place of concealment, or wanders the grounds at night.  In English and Scandinavian folklore, when a new churchyard is opened it is believed that the first person buried there had to guard it against the devil. In order to prevent a human soul from having to perform such a duty, a dog is buried on the north part of the churchyard as a substitute.  In Yorkshire tradition, it is an ominous parent and is known to toll the church bell at midnight before a death.  They are associated with dark stormy weather . It often appears as a  black dog  but is known to take the fo...

Origin: Dutch Mythology/Legend Habitat: Streets Behavior: Aggressive Description:  Oude Rode Ogen was said to have been a 7-foot-tall (2.1 m) black man who changed into a large black dog with fiery red eyes. In more recent times he has taken the form of a dark shadow figure with red eyes whose late evening appearance is usually followed by a menacing dog's growl.  Facts: Oude Rode Ogen  or  Old Red Eyes , otherwise known as  The Beast of Flanders , is a Dutch bogeyman or ghost  whose tales and sightings began after a true series of events . The legend of Oude Rode Ogen began in the Flanders region of Belgium in the late 17th century after reports of children who went missing and were believed to be victims of a cannibalistic shape shifter.  Witnesses claimed to have seen a large naked black man running away after trying to steal a young girl from her bed . He was shot at and seen to change into a large...

Origin: Scandinavian Mythology Habitat: Water (Waterfalls) Behavior: Harmless Description:  He is a young and handsome looking man that sits at the base of the waterfall playing a fiddle.  Facts:  The Fossegrimen is neither good nor evil . The Fossegrimen is described as an exceptionally talented fiddler : the sounds of forest, wind and water play over his fiddle strings. The Fossegrimen is said to be willing to teach his skills in exchange for a food offering made on a Thursday evening. They enjoy 'fenalâr (smoked mutton) If the meal isn't sufficient, he'll only teach the supplicant how to tune the fiddle. If the offering is satisfactory, he will take the pupil's right hand and draw the fingers along the strings until they all bleed, after which he will be able to play so well that "the trees shall dance and torrents in their fall stand still".

Origin: Japanese Urban Legend Habitat: Streets Behavior: Aggressive Description: A once before now hideous woman with a bloody smile carved into her face. Usually seen with a surgical mask over her face before she shows you what's underneath. Facts: Kuchisake-Onna was a beautiful woman who was found in bed with another man and her husband in a fit of rage took a large pair of scissors and carved a smile into her face from ear to ear. He then asked her, “Who will think you’re pretty now?” and decapitated her. Her spirit walks the streets of Japan and when you encounter her, she approaches you and says, “Am I pretty?” and if you say yes, she will take off the mask and ask again.  If you reply to her by saying, “You’re ugly.” she will kill you with a large pair of scissors and if you say “You’re pretty” she will carve a smile in your face to make you as ‘pretty’ as her.  However, if you reply by saying, “You’re average.” She will stop...

Origin: South American Mythology Habitat: Mountains, Jungles, Woods, Forests Behavior: Aggressive Description:  They can take on the appearance of a beautiful woman but when changing into their true form, the most notable feature is their one leg terminating into a bovine-like hoof . They is described as possessing one breast, bulging eyes, catlike fangs, a hooked nose, big lips, and tangled hair.  Facts: Deriving from vampire mythology, the Parasola or "One foot" is a female monster from the jungle who lures men away from their companions and sucks the blood from her victims .  They can transform into other animals,  materializing as a large black dog or cow.  They often interferes with work by blocking shortcuts through jungles, disorienting hunters, and throwing hunting dogs off the scent of their game.  They is  usually regarded as protective of nature and the forest animals and unforgiving when humans enter their doma...

Origin: Peruvian Mythology Habitat: Rainforest Behavior: Aggressive Description:  A wrathful ghost that has never been seen. Facts:  This wrathful ghost is said to be condemned to wander the paths and undergrowth of the Peruvian rainforest, collecting the souls of explorers and travelers who die in the forests. It reveals its presence by doing a short but persistent whistling sound   to try and trick people into whistling back, and giving away their exact location.  If a potential victim is on 'good terms' with the flora and fauna of the forest, the creature will just scare them away , though it will kill them if they seek to damage the ecosystem .

Origin: Norse  mythology Habitat: Graveyards/Gravesite Behavior: Aggressive Description:  They are d ead bodies usually swollen, blackened or dead blue skin, and generally hideous to look at. Their bodies are described as being extremely heavy. Facts: Draugar live in their graves, often guarding treasure buried with them in their burial mound, wreak havoc on living beings, or torment those who had wronged them in life. They are animated corpses — unlike ghosts they have a corporeal body with similar physical abilities as in life. Older literature makes clear distinctions between sea-draugar and land-draugar.  Draugar possess superhuman strength , can increase their size at will, and carry the unmistakable stench of decay.  They are also noted for the ability to rise from the grave as wisps of smoke and "swim" through solid rock ,  which would be useful as a means of exiting their graves.  In folklore, draugar slay their victims through va...