The Nerdy Gator Kid

The Kuchisake-Onna is a modern Japanese urban legend of a vengeful spirit, who appears as a woman with a surgical mask. She asks victims, “Am I beautiful?” If they say yes, she removes her mask to reveal a horribly slit mouth from ear to ear, asking “How about now?” The only ways to escape are … Read more

A female spirit from Irish folklore, the Banshee is a symbol of death. She attaches herself to old Irish families and appears as a wailing woman, often seen washing bloody clothes, to warn the family that somebody will die in the family. Her cry is a mournful, piercing sound.

According to legend, in the 1700s, a “Mother Leeds” cursed her 13th child, wishing it were a devil. The child was born normal but transformed into a creature with bat wings, a horse’s head, cloven hooves, and a forked tail before flying up the chimney. It is said to haunt the Pine Barrens, emitting a … Read more

La Llorona is a widespread legend of a ghostly woman who wanders near rivers or lakes, wailing for her drowned children, which she killed in a fit of madness or revenge. She is often said to kidnap or attack children who are out after dark. The myth is a cautionary tale about betrayal, grief, and … Read more

In Australian Aboriginal mythology, the Bunyip is a mysterious creature that hides in swamps, rivers, and billabongs. People describe it in many different ways: some say it has a dog-like face, others say it has a horse’s head and a crocodile’s body. The Bunyip myth is often used to warn children not to play near … Read more

Japan’s Yuki-onna is a beautiful woman with long black hair and pale skin who appears during snowstorms. She can blow cold breath that freezes people to death, but sometimes she’s kind. She might spare travelers or even fall in love with humans. The Yuki-onna represents both the beauty and the danger of winter in rural … Read more

From West Virginia, USA, there’s the myth of the Flatwoods Monster. In 1952, a group of children and a local woman said they saw a weird human-like creature with a spade-shaped head, glowing red eyes, and a tight green suit. The creature made a hissing sound and smelled like metal. This myth is a classic … Read more

In Southern Africa, the tikoloshe is a small, tricky or evil spirit. Witches are said to summon it to torment their enemies, and it can cause illness, bad dreams, or even death. To protect themselves, people sometimes sleep with their beds raised on bricks or put a broom under the bed. Adults can’t see the … Read more

In Cameroon, Africa, the Jengu are water spirits that live in rivers and lakes. They look like beautiful mermaids. The Jengu are said to take humans underwater to their realm, where they teach them how to heal others and use magic. Many traditional healers in Cameroon claim they were taken by the Jengu and came … Read more

European folklore has the myth of changelings. People used to believe that fairies or trolls would steal human babies and leave a changeling in their place—usually a sickly or naughty fairy child. To check if a baby was a changeling, they’d do weird things, like putting the baby on a hot shovel (thinking the changeling … Read more

Japanese urban legend talks about the Ningen, a giant, pale human-like creature that lives in the Antarctic and North Pacific oceans. It’s said to be 20 to 30 meters tall, with smooth skin, no nose or mouth, and big human-like eyes. The Ningen started as a hoax on Japanese internet forums in the 2000s, but … Read more