A faceless ghost, is a Japanese legendary creature. They are sometimes mistakenly referred to as a mujina, an old Japanese word for a badger or raccoon dog. Although the mujina can assume the form of the other, noppera-bō are usually disguised as humans....

In Babylonian mythology Irkalla is ruled by the goddess Ereshkigal and her consort Nergal or Ninazu. Ghosts spent some time travelling to the netherworld, often having to overcome obstacles along the way. The Anunnaki, the court of the netherworld, welcomed each ghost and...

In ancient Mesopotamia, the living and the dead were closely connected. It was believed that mortality was one of the defining characteristics of humans. Anyone who died young had been cursed by the gods. Those who were healthy were watched over by beneficial...

The truth is there is much to this world that remains unseen by mortal men and woman; yet, that does not make it any less real. There are a few people, like myself, that can perceive the unseen and others that get glimpses....

The Demon Cat (or Bake-neko) is a supernatural creature from Japanese folklore. It is an ordinary cat that has transformed into a monstrous demon. According to legend, it can shapeshift and take the form of a human being. The name Bake-neko means “Monster...

In Austro-Bavarian Alpine folklore, Krampus is a horned, anthropomorphic figure who, during the Christmas season, punishes children who have misbehaved, in contrast with Saint Nicholas, who rewards the well-behaved with gifts. Regions in Austria feature similar figures and, more widely, Krampus is one...

The kallikantzaros (Greek: Καλλικάντζαρος; Bulgarian: караконджул; pl. kallikantzaroi) is a malevolent goblin in Southeastern European and Anatolian folklore. Stories about the kallikantzaros or its equivalents can be found in Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, Bosnia and Turkey. Kallikantzaroi are believed to dwell underground but come...

"Evil genius of the household" Among the demons of Greek and Roman mythology, one of the most famous is Alastor, popularly known as the evil genius of the household. ...

Some mythical creatures have their origin in tradition and tales from the distant past. However, each culture is associated with a multitude of interesting and odd creatures, many of these beings are humanoids. One of these legendary humanoids is the Genderuwo. ...

In French mythology or folklore, Dames Blanches (meaning literally white ladies) were female spirits or supernatural beings, comparable to the White Women of both Dutch and Germanic mythology. The Dames Blanches were reported in the region of Lorraine (Lotharingen) and Normandy. They appear...

Once upon a time there was a miller who was poor, but who had a beautiful daughter. Now it happened that he got into a conversation with the king and said to him: "I have a daughter who knows the art of turning...

In Greek mythology, a satyr is one of a troop of ithyphallic male companions of Dionysus with horse-like (equine) features, including a horse-tail, horse-like ears, and sometimes a horse-like phallus. Early artistic representations sometimes include horse-like legs, but in 6th-century BCblack-figure pottery human...

Alien: (UFO, Martian, Extraterrestrial) A being from another planet or world other than Earth. Some are said to have large round heads, large eyes, and very thin fragile-looking bodies. Also said to arrive by way of a spaceship or unidentified flying object, usually...

A gnome is a mythical creature characterized by its extremely small size and subterranean lifestyle.The word gnome is derived from the New Latin gnomus. It is often claimed to descend from the Greek γνώσις gnosis, "knowledge", but more likely comes from genomos "earth-dweller",...

Sir Edmund Hillary, the great New Zealand explorer and first conqueror of Everest, died in 2008 to be greeted with unusual displays of affectionate remembrance throughout the countries of the Commonwealth. Politicians honoured his memory. Newspapers published special supplements to recall his life...

The most obvious question in relation to King Arthur is whether or not he existed at all. Historians continue to debate this topic fiercely and there is no general consensus on the point. There are precious few references to Arthur in documents from...

"Cryptozoology If you're heard of Bigfoot or the Lock Ness monster, you've been exposed to the world of cryptozoology, even if you didn't know it. Cryptozoology is the study of mythical animals that have yet to be proven real. The animals that are...

Early Greek and Asian Vampires The ancient Greeks feared similar creatures, notably Lamia, a demoness with the head and torso of a woman and the lower body of a snake. In one version of the legend, Lamia was one of Zeus' mortal lovers....

Modern Vampires Abraham (Bram) Stoker, a theater manager and part-time novelist, was not the first author to feature the vampire in a literary work, but his version is the one that really caught on. This is largely due to the novel's unforgettable villain,...