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“The Ultimate Resource To Creatures Of Myths And Legends”: This Page Is Sharing How Mythical Creatures Actually Look, And They’re Both Fascinating And Spine-Chilling

Mar 31, 2023 Admin

Have you ever heard of Mantabungal, Sannaja, or Colôrobètch? Don’t worry, me neither.

But this fascinating project called A Book Of Creatures shows the most unbelievable mythical creatures that were born in the folk and legend of different cultures.

“Our imagination has always been our greatest ally, and our worst enemy. In the face of the unknown, we populated it with creatures of all shapes and sizes, from minuscule spirits to gigantic cosmic monsters,” the description says and you can already pull your seat closer.

The creator of the project named Emile draws all the entities himself, sharing their stories and origins in every post on Instagram.

“One of the things I want to convey is just how imaginative we humans are, and how well we can create meaningful, understandable things to make sense of a complicated and confusing world,” the artist told Bored Panda. Scroll down for the full interview!

#1 The Brethmechin Is A Sea Creature That Looks Like A Cross Between A Fish And A Panther, And Is Red With Blue Markings. One Was Found Washed Up On Java On April 14, 1551

#2 Usilosimapundu Is A Colossal Creature From Zulu Folklore. He Literally Carries Ecosystems On His Back, And His Head Is An Enormous Boulder. A Swallowing Monster, He Is A Personification Of Landslides

#5 The Saratan (Also Incorrectly Known As Zaratan), Literally “Crab”, Is A Gigantic Sea-Going Crustacean Described By Al-Damiri. It Pretends To Be An Island, And When Sailors Land On It, It Sinks And Drowns Them

#6 The Wolpertinger Is A Taxidermist’s Chimera From Bavaria, Germany. Stick Wings And Antlers And Fangs On A Hare, And Done! It Has A Bunch Of Relatives Throughout Germany Too, And All Of Them Are Much Like The American Jackalope

#7 The Yamabiko Lives In The High Mountains Of Japan. When People Call Out, It Responds With A Mocking Echo

#8 The Nurikabe Is A Japanese Yokai That Is Little More Than A Living Wall. It Loves Nothing More Than Obstructing People’s Paths By Night And Being A General Nuisance

#9 The Kamaitachi Is The Yokai Of Unexplained Cuts. Found Primarily In Chilly Honshu, It Is A Weasel With Sickle-Like Claws That Travels In Whirlwinds And Inflicts Cuts On People

#10 The Jaculus Is A Snake That Flings Itself From Trees Like A Dart Or Javelin, Puncturing Clothing And Flesh Alike. It Comes From Superstitions Around Vipers, Believed To “Jump” At Victims

#11 The Colôrobètch Is A Bogey That Personifies The Bise Or Icy Wind. Known From Namur, Belgium, It Nips Unprotected Children With Its Red Beak Until Their Skin Becomes Red, Cracked, And Bleeding

#12 The Tabib Al-Bahr Or Doctor Of The Sea Is A Gentle Marine Creature From Middle Eastern Alchemical Texts. It Can Shapeshift Into A Giant Sea Monster, But Its Good Nature Leads It To Healing Others With The Magical Gemstone On Its Forehead

#13 The Sannaja Is An Enormous And Ridiculous Basilisk-Like Creature From Middle Eastern Folklore. It Is Said To Live In The Himalayas. If You See It, You Die… But If It Sees You, It Dies. Therefore Coming Up To It With Your Eyes Closed Will Kill It Easily

#14 The Eintykára Are Stingless Bees From The Folklore Of The Chamacoco Of Paraguay. Not Only Do They Produce Delicious Honey And Build Suggestive Hives, But A Swarm Of The Bees Can Shapeshift Into A Beautiful Man Who Will Provide Honey And Beeswax For The Tribe

#15 The Khodumodumo Is A Huge Swallowing Monster From South Africa And Lesotho. Its Name Means “Great Noise”. It Is A Vast, Bloated Creature With Multiple Sharp Tongues. It Once Swallowed Up Everyone Around - Whole Towns And Villages - But Was Slain By A Hero, Who Released Its Victims Unharmed

#16 The Abúhukü Is A Hairy, Foul-Smelling Ogre With A Face In The Back Of Its Head. It Hails From The Folklore Of The Cubeo Of Colombia. They Cut A Hole In Their Prey’s Skull Before Sucking Out The Contents Of The Body, Leaving An Empty Skin Draped Over A Branch

#17 The Chonchón Is An Owl Or An Evil Sorcerer Disguised As An Owl, With Oversized Ears That Allow It To Fly. Its Ominous Call Announces Mischief And It Sucks The Blood Of Sleepers, But It Can Be Neutralized By Various Rituals

#18 The Yedua Or Adne Hasadeh (Lord Of The Field) Is A Plant-Animal Hybrid From Jewish Folklore. It Is Connected To The Ground By A Stem Attached To Its Navel. It Is Very Fierce, But It Dies If Its Umbilical Stem Is Cut. Its Bones Are Useful For Divination

#19 Tiddalik Was An Australian Frog Who Once Swallowed Up All The World’s Water, Swelling Up To An Enormous Size In The Process. He Only Released The Water After Laughing At An Eel’s Goofy Gyrations. He’s Had A Chip On His Shoulder Ever Since

#20 Mourioche Is A Shapeshifting Waterhorse From Brittany, France. He Disguises Himself As All Sorts Of Livestock, Often With An Extra Pair Of Muscular Arms, And Plays Cruel Tricks On People He Encounters

#21 Baxbakwalanuxsiwae, The Cannibal At The North End Of The World, Is A Terrifying Ogre Whose Body Is Covered With Hungry Mouths Constantly Demanding To Eat. He Is A Central Figure In The Folklore Of The Pacific Northwest Cultures

#22 The Vodyanoi Is A Shapeshifting Water Spirit From Slavic Folklore. It Haunts Millponds And Causes All Sorts Of Trouble If Upset. Various Sacrifices Are Made To Appease It

#23 The Katthveli Or Catwhale Is One Of Many Evil Whales That Terrorize Icelandic Waters. Vicious And Aggressive, It Is Nonetheless Smaller And Less Aggressive Than Its Fellow Illhveli, And Has Been Tamed On Occasion. It Has Been Known To Purr And Meow

#24 The Aíǰe Is A Spirit-Tadpole From The Folklore Of The Bororo Of Brazil And Bolivia. It Produces A Buzzing Song, And Is Itself Fond Of Good Music And Dance. A Chief Who Can Impress It With Music And Dance Will Earn Its Favor

#25 The Arragousets Are Guernsey Sea-Fairies That Invaded The Land Long Ago. In Retrospect It’s Implied That They’re Human In Appearance, But At The Time It Was A Good Excuse To Draw A Scowling Sea-Fairy Decked In Shell Armor

#26 The Mantabungal Is A Mountain Demon From Palawan In The Philippines. Shaped Like A Shaggy Cow With Two Pairs Of Huge Fangs, It Is Known To Dismantle And Destroy Campsites And Tear People To Shreds

#27 The Stray Sod Is A Common Element Of British And French Fairy Folklore. It Is A Plant Or Clump Of Plants That, When Stepped On, Causes The Traveler To Lose Their Way. It Can Be Foiled By Turning Your Coat Inside Out, Or Using Certain Herbs That Counteract The Ill Effect

#28 The Rukh Or Roc Is A Gigantic Bird Of Prey That Lives On Madagascar. It Has Been Known To Carry Off Sailors And Destroy Ships By Dropping Boulders On Them. Sindbad The Sailor Met Them During His Voyages

#29 The Bo Is A Sawtoothed Carnivorous Unicorn With Tiger’s Feet. It Lives In China And, Being Of A Noble And Just Nature, Feeds On Other Carnivorous Animals

#30 The “Sarmatian Sea Snail” (No Official Name, But Known By A Number Of Local Names) Is A Giant Snail From The Baltic Sea With Whiskers And Branched Horns. It Was Reported By Thevet, Possibly From A Number Of Unrelated Accounts

#31 The Skoffín Is One Of Several Icelandic Cat/Fox Hybrids. This Vile Creature Kills Anyone It Sees, But It Can Easily Be Killed With A Mirror To Reflect Its Gaze Back On It

#32 The Shadawar, Shad-Hawar, Shadhahvar (Or Any Of A Number Of Spellings) Is An Antelope With A Single, Hollow, Branching Horn. When Wind Goes Through That Horn, It Produces Beautiful Music. It May Be Found Around Greece And Byzantium. It Is (Unjustly) Accused Of Eating People

#33 The Marool Is The Anglerfish Or Monkfish In Shetland Folklore. It Has Many Eyes And Sings Wildly With Joy When A Ship Capsizes

#34 The Butatsch Cun Ilgs Is A Horrifying Swiss Lake Monster That Looks Like A Giant Cow Stomach Covered With Eyes That Shoot Fire. When It Crawls Out Of Its Watery Lair, It Causes Widespread Destruction And Calamity

#35 The Basilisk Or Cockatrice Is A Small Animal With A Fearsome Reputation. Originally A Highly Venomous Libyan Desert Snake, It Gained Rooster Characteristics Over Time. Hatched From A Rooster’s Egg, Its Very Gaze Is Deadly. It Only Fears Weasels And The Sound Of Roosters Crowing

#36 The A-Mi’-Kuk (Or More Simply Amikuk) Is A Hideous Creature From Yupik Folklore. It Is Leathery-Skinned, With Four Long Tentacular Arms Which Grab Its Prey. It Swims As Easily Through Land As Through Water

#37 The Chimera Is A Firebreathing Monster From Greek Mythology. A Descendant Of Typhon, Part Lion, Part Goat, Part Dragon, It Terrorized Lycia And Was Slain By Bellerophon

#38 Munuanë Is A Monstrous Ogre From The Folklore Of The Guahibo. He Has No Eyes In His Face, But Rather Has Them In His Knees (And They Are His Weak Spot). He Kills And Eats Human Trespassers, But Protects The Rainforest And Its Inhabitants As Well

#39 Perhaps The Oldest Horned Rabbit On Record, The Mi’raj Was Found On Dragon Island. It Was Very Fierce, But There Is No Evidence It Was Carnivorous. Confused With A Rhinoceros? Also, Al-Mi’raj Literally Means “The Mi’raj”. Keep Your Definite Articles Out Of Names!

#40 The Romŝiwamnari’ Are Demons Of The Serente People Of Brazil. They Are Large Birds With Scissor-Like Beaks And Flabby Bat’s Wings. They Can Even Consume The Souls Of The Dead

#41 The Bosch Is A Maritime Demon Of Bad Luck. It Manifests On Ships In Brittany When A Theft Occurs On Board. To Scare It Off, Simulate A Fire, And The Terrified Bosch Will Dive Into The Safety Of The Sea

#42 The Carcolh Is A Giant, Shaggy, Serpentine Snail That Lives In The Caves Below The French City Of Hastingues. It Grabs Its Victims With Its Tentacles And Pulls Them Into Its Maw

#43 Boneless Is A Mysterious Creature From The Shetland Islands That Resembles A Blob Of Jellyfish. It Has Been Known To Haunt Houses, Run Despite Having No Legs, Fly Despite Having No Wings, And Speak Despite Having No Mouth

#44 Wherever There Is The Sea, There Is Davy Jones, The Demon Of The Deep, The Keeper Of Drowned Souls. He Takes On Many Forms; This One Was Inspired By The Rotted, Deformed Carcass Of A Sperm Whale

#45 The Danghu Is A Chinese Pheasant-Like Bird That Flies On Its Whiskers And Throat Feathers. Eating It Cures Myopia

#46 The Witkəś Is A Creature From Mansi Folklore Inspired By Mammoth Remains Found On Riverbanks. It Is Said To Live In Water, Shed Its Horns Annually, And Drag Intruders Underwater To Their Doom

#47 The Lyngbakur Is The Biggest Of The Illhveli, Or Icelandic Evil Whales. It Lies At The Surface For So Long That Lyng (Heather) Grows On Its Back. When Sailors Land On It, It Sinks Below The Sea

#48 The Stella Or Starfish Is A Creature Found On Coastlines And In Shallow Seas Around Europe. It Is So Hot That Shells Melt Inside It, As Can Be Proven By Cutting One Open To Find The Half-Melted Mussels Inside

#49 The Aloés Is A Goose-Like Creature Found By Thevet Around Hispaniola. It Has Fins, A Fish-Like Tail, And No Scales, Not To Mention A Skull Shaped Like A Williams Pear. These Animals Were Seen Swimming Alongside Shoals Of Fish

#50 The Mushveli Or Mousewhale Is One Of The Many Illhveli (“Evil Whales”) Of Iceland. It Is A Whale With Mouse Features That Enjoys Sinking Boats By Pressing Down On The Gunwales. It Can Even Clamber Onto Land In Search Of Its Victims

#51 The Mastopogon (“Breast Beard”) Is A Carnivorous Fish Found Off The Coast Of South America, Reported By Thevet. It Is Also Known As The Houperou, The Shark

#52 The Swan Valley Monster Was Seen On August 22, 1868, In Swan Valley, Idaho. This Terrifying Creature Had A Single Mobile Horn, An Elephant’s Trunk, Wing-Like Fins, And A Multicolored Reptilian Body On Twelve Stubby Legs. It Was Highly Toxic And Stank To High Heaven

#53 Isiququmadevu, “Smelly Whiskers”, Is A Swallowing Monster From Zulu And Bantu Folklore. She Is Bearded, Bloated, Hairless, And Squatting, And Can Engulf Entire Villages

#54 The Caladrius Or Charadrius Is A Bird Found In Medieval Bestiaries. It Is Notable For Its Medical Value - If It Looks Towards A Patient, They Will Recover, But If It Looks Away, They Will Die

#55 A Hrökkáll Or “Coil-Eel” Is An Evil Undead Creature Reanimated By An Icelandic Sorcerer. Its Scales Are Flexible And Hard As Iron, It Secretes Corrosive Venom That Can Melt Through Earth, And It Uses Its Razor-Sharp Fins To Slice Off Limbs

#56 The Raiju Or “Thunder Beast” Is A Yokai Resembling A Badger That Falls With The Lightning And Ravages Trees With Its Claws. It Cannot Pass Through Mosquito Nets. It Is Most Likely The Masked Palm Civet

#57 The Shahmat Al-Ard, The “Fat Of The Earth”, Is A Worm That Contracts Into A Bead If Touched. It Resembles A White Fish And A Woman’s Hand. It Has Various Medicinal Applications

#58 The Fayettes Are Fairies Around The Loire Basin In France. They Like To Hide Themselves And Wreck Gardens By Turning Into Moles. That’s Why Moles Have Cute Little Pink Hands

#59 Tosetáx Is An Enormous Red And Green Serpent With Three Mouths, One At Each End And One In The Middle. From Nivaklé Folklore, He Ambushes Thunderbirds That Bring Rain With Them

#61 The Sverðhvalur Or Sword-Whale Is One Of The Many Evil Whales That Ply Icelandic Waters. It Uses Its Huge, Bladelike Dorsal Fin To Punch Holes In Boats Or Slice Through Them Like Butter. It Also Uses It To Slice Other Whales To Death, But It Only Eats Their Tongues

#62 The Xuangui Is A Black Turtle With A Bird’s Head And A Viper’s Tail. It Is Found In The Strange River In China. Wearing A Piece Of Xuangui Protects From Deafness And Calluses

#63 The Az’-I-Wû-Gûm Ki-Mukh’-Ti, Aziwûgûm Kimukhti, Or Walrus Dog Is A Large, Scaly Dog From Yupik Folklore. It Protects Walrus Herds By Sinking Umiaks; Its Powerful Tail Can Easily Kill A Hunter

#64 The Sirānis Is A Carnivorous Animal Found Around Kabul And Zabulistan. It Has Twelve Holes In Its Snout, Which It Uses To Make Flute-Like Music. Its Melodies Attract Prey, Which It Pounces On And Eats

#65 The Isitwalangcengce Of Zulu Folklore Is A Hyena-Like Creature With A Basket For A Head. It Carries Off Naughty Children To Eat, But Luckily (For Naughty Children) It Is Easy To Fool

#66 The Tripodero Has Telescopic Legs That Let It Stand Tall Or Crawl Through Underbrush. It Stores Clay Slugs In A Cheek Pouch, And Fires Those Slugs At High Speed To Knock Out Its Prey

#68 The Cherruve Is The Araucanian Meteorite Spirit. It Usually Resembles A Serpent With A Human Head. It Lives Underground, And Streaks Across The Sky By Night. Its Appearance Is An Ill Omen

#69 The Pal-Rai-Yuk Or Palraiyuk Is A Yupik River Monster, A Sort Of Alaskan Crocodile With Six Legs That Preys On Umiaks Crossing Its Watery Lair. Malevolent Creations Of Raven, They Can Lie On Grass Without Bending The Stems, Or Become So Heavy They Sink Into The Ground

#70 The Tapire-Iauara Or Tapir Nymph Is A Sort Of Large Jaguar With A Reddish Waterproof Coat And Some Ungulate Features. It Has Long Dangling Ears And A Horrible Stench - In Fact It Stinks So Hard It Can Take Away Someone’s Shadow, Leaving Them Soulless

#71 The Hrosshvalur, Horse-Whale, Or Walrus Is One Of The Many Illhveli Or Evil Whales That Terrorize Icelandic Seas. It Has A Red Mane And Big Eyes, And Delights In Sinking Ships And Drowning Sailors. Its Meat Is Inedible, And Saying Its Name At Sea Will Attract Its Attention

#72 The Sapo Fuerzo Or Strong Toad Of Chile Is... A Strong Toad! How Strong? How About Glowing In The Dark? How About Having Telekinetic Powers? How About Being So Invulnerable It Has To Be Turned To Ashes To Die? All Glory To The Strong Toad

#74 The Dodo Is A Swallowing Monster From Hausa Folklore. It Likes To Crash Weddings And Devour The Banquet, The Dishes, The Tables, The Guests, Everyone! But It Can Also Be Easily Outwitted By Clever Heroes

#75 Wakmangganchi Aragondi Was A Colossal Seven-Headed Demon Boar From The Folklore Of The Garos Of India. It Was Slain After A Seven-Year Battle By The God Goera

#76 The Catoblepas Is A Hideous Creature From Ethiopia. Its Head Is So Heavy It Drags Along The Ground, Which Is Good Because Its Very Gaze Is Letha

#77 The Skeljungur Or Shell-Whale Is One Of The Many Evil Whales Of Icelandic Folklore. It Is Covered With Armored Shells That Make It Impervious To Harm; It Sinks Ships By Getting In Their Way, Causing Them To Get Wrecked On Its Tough Hide

#78 The Vouivre Is A Female Dragon From The Mountainous Regions Of France. Commonly A Firey Winged Serpent, It Has A Large Jewel That Serves For Its Eyes As It Streaks Across The Sky

#79 The Orabou Or Orobon Was Reported By Thevet From The Waters Around Mount Marzouan. It Is Ten Feet Long And Plated With Armor Like A Brigandine. It Also Tastes Awful - Old Camel Meat And Livonian Mastiff Taste Better

#80 Númhyalikyu Is A Monstrous Halibut From Kwakwaka’wakw Folklore. Its Back Looks Like A Beach, And Its Head Like That Of A Seal. It Has A Highly Valuable Shining Crystalline Object In Its Head, But This Is Hard To Obtain As The Creature Can Cause Storms And Wreck Boats On Its Back

#81 The Zitiron Is A Sea Creature Armored Like A Knight With A Shield. It Has To Be Cracked Open With Hammers To Be Eaten, And It Defends Itself With Swipes Of Two-Fingered Hands

#83 The Dabbat Al-Ard (Beast From The Earth) Is A Terrifying Chimera Of Animal Parts That Will Appear At The End Of The World, According To Islamic Eschatology. It Is Also Known As Aksar For Some Reason, Which Is How It Percolated To Flaubert

#84 The Lange Wapper Is A Long-Legged Shapeshifting Giant Who Haunts The Waterways Of Antwerp. He Loves To Play All Kinds Of Macabre And Cruel Tricks On People

#85 The Mi-Ni-Wa-Tu (Surely There’s A Better Way To English That Name?) Is A Creature From The Missouri River, Near The Tetons. It Has One Eye, One Horn, And A Sawtoothed Back. Seeing It During The Day Causes Confusion, Blindness, And Death

#87 The Llamhigyn Y Dwr Or Water Leaper Is A Winged Toad-Like Creature From The Folklore Of Welsh Anglers. It Causes All Sorts Of Mischief. Did A Big One Get Away? Probably The Water Leaper’s Fault!