az-i-wu-gum-ki-muhk-ti

A bizarre and frightening monster from the traditions of the Inuit people of Greenland. It resembled a giant walrus with the head of a dog, dog's legs, gleaming black scales, and a huge fish's tale. One blow from this tale could dispatch a human being and the Az-I-Wu-Gum-Ki-Mukh-Ti was much feared among the Inuit. The 19th-century explorer E.W. Nelson heard much of this creature from the native people and dubbed it the 'Walrus-Dog.'

barguest

The Barguest is a native of Yorkshire, Northumberland and Durham. It takes a variety of forms, predominantly as a black mastiff with fiery red eyes, horns, and fangs, but also as a bear with glowing eyes and huge claws. Reports state that it drags a chain, or that it is wrapped in chains like Marley's ghost in dikeens' A Christmas Carol, symbolic of the chains of sin. Specific Barguests appear around their own locality; for example, the one in Leeds causes all of the dogs of the city to bark when it makes its appearance. It has been suggested that the name has been derived from the German bahrgeist or 'spirit of the bier'.

keelut

A type of monstrous dog similar to the Black Dog of European tradition, it is described in the folk lore and mythology of the Inuit people of Canada and the Alaska [sic]. In this instance, it is referred to as being hairless and, as is generally the case for such creatures, the Keelut follows unwary travellers at night, attacking and killing them whenever possible.

black dog

Black dogs appear throughout British folklore as supernatural creatures who are met on the road by unwary travellers. The calf-sized dog is generally described as being covered with black shaggy hair and having red glowing eyes. Most accounts describe it as ferocious and menacing, although others speak of the dog as the guardian of the place it haunts. [...] Some of the black dogs are said to guide lost travellers along the way, although others can turn vicious, biting and mauling if attacked. It would appear that a black dog is generally a spectral or spirit animal that demarks the boundaries as a guardian and challenges travellers at certain points upon the road.

Black Shuck

Old Shuck or the Shuck Dog is a one-eyed dog, the size of a donkey, who haunts East Anglia in England. Sparks of green and red fire shower out from his eye. Black Shuck, whose name probably derives from the Saxon word scucca demon, haunts the salt marshes of this lonely coastline, patrolling the lanes, river banks and dunes that lead to it. Travellers on the road describe the feeling of the beast's icy breath and shaggy pelt as it comes alongside them. In Suffolk and Norfolk, Black Shuck's compansionship on the road augers sickness or death, especially those who have the temerity to challenge it. The Essix Shuck, however, is more of a guardian of travellers guiding them and protecting them if they are attacked upon the road. It is generally seen near the gallows or in cemetaries.

kludde

A monster from the folk traditions of Belgium which preyed upon travellers at night on lonely roads. It has much in common with the Black Dog, and with the Kelpie of Celtic tradition, but unlike these it has the ability to change its shape. It could appear as a giant dog, or as a cat, frog, bat, or horse. However, a telltale blue flame that flickered around its head would identify it. It was reported that if a Kludde kumped on the back of an unsuspecting traveller, it would the grow heavier and heavier, finally forcing its victim to the ground, at which point it savaged them to death.

oschaert

One of the many fearsome Black Dogs mention in the folklore of Europe. This particular creatures, which originates in the area around the town of Hamme, near Duendemonde in Belgium, shares the characteristics of the rest of its kind, and has been described as the size of a horse with fiery eyes. In common with most of these creatures, it preys upon travellers at night, leaping onto their backs and growing heavier until it crushes its victim beneath it. The Oschaert is known especially to seek out those trouble by guilty conscience.

skriker

According to local Lancashire legend in north-west England, the Skriker is a dog with glowing eyes that is encountered by travellers in the dark. It comes up behind them with a squelching sound or walks beside them trying to lead the pace; if it appears ahead, then it is trying to get you from the pathway. In local parlance, a 'skriker' is a person who moans or complains, and this is exactly what the Skriker does. Since it is tantamount to death or disaster to beat it off or attack it, it is unclear just how much more bad luck might be had from ignoring it.

padfoot

According to Yorkshire folklore, the Padfoot was an inhabitant of the moorlands around the city of Leeds. It was reported to be in many different shapes: eitehr a great sheep with shaggy fleece and red eyes or a black donkey or great white dog. The first that a traveller knows of its appearance is the sound of its footsteps padding behind them in the dark, sometimes accompanied by the clanking of chains.

haug-bui

In Anglo-Saxon lore, the Haug-Bui were the barrow-wights or spirits who lived in the ancient turf-covered graves of forgotten ancestors. It was said they were especially adept at guarding treasure. [...] These bedraggled, alarming creatures with their thin faces, long teeth and flaming eyes had their knee joints backwards. They could only be killed if they were beheaded and then their skulls placed between their knees.

wolpertinger

The Wolpertinger seems to be a German equivalent to the American Jackalope, a portmanteau animal that lives in the forests of Bavaria. It has a small mammilian body, but sports wings, anterls and fangs, so that it looks a bit like a horned rabbit or squirrel.

yeti

The Yeti is a species of Bigfoot that lives in the Mimalayas. The word derives from the Sherpa Yeh-The, which only describes one of the three species of Yeti, the others being called the Dzu-The, which is the largest and attacks yaks, and the Meh-The, although European explorers called it 'the Abominable Snowman' since it lives usually above the snowline.

yeren

In Chinese cryptozoology, the Yeren or Yeh'ren is the equivalent of Bigfoot or the Yeti. The word Yeren means 'wild-man'. It is described as being about 6 1/2 feet tall with red fur all over its body. It walks upright and its footprints measure about 16 ins long.

wendigo

In North American legend, the Wendigo is a monster that takes different forms, according to the locality in which these legends are collected. Among the peoples of Canada, around the Berens Lake near Ontario, the Wendigo is an amphibious monster like an alligator with bear's feet or cloven hooves. Amoung the Ojibway, the Wendigo or Windigo is known as an ogre, which is invoked to ensure compliant behavior from children. But amongst the Algonquin Indians it is the spirit of a lost hunter who now preys upon humans in a cannibalistic manner.

muirselche

The Irish name means 'sea snail' but the Muirselche is probably a giant octopus or cuttlefish. Its chief ability is to svck things and people into its huge maw that was like a treasure bag or repository. It could even svck in an armoured man.

nixi

In the myths of Scandinavia, Germany, and Switzerland, the Nixi is a freshwater being who haunts lakes and rivers. Female Nixis are like mermaids who entice humans into the water. But unlike mermaids, they are seldom good looking, having a wizened appearance, with green hair and skin. Male Nixis are like old men from the neck up, with the body and brush of a fox and the hooves of a horse.

pal-rai-yuk

In Inuit tradition, the Pal-Raw-Yuk is a water creature that lives in the estuary swamps and rivers of Alaska. It has two heads, two tales, six legs, three stomachs and a sharp ridge running along its spine.

sianach

In Scotland, the Sianach is a giant deer that hunts humans in the mountains. This may be a faint memory of the prehistoric giant Irish elk that ranged across Europe until its extinction around 9,500 BC, which had an impressive spread of antlers up to 12 ft across.

stollenwurm

In Swiss folklore, Stollenwurm is a large lizard with the face of a cat. It has dragon scales, a long tail and a dorsal ridge along its body. It can raise itself upon its hind legs in order to stand better over its prey. It is reported to live in the Alpine passes. It is also called Tatzelwurm.

tatzelworm

In the folklore of Austria, the Tatzelwurm appears as a hybrid lizard-like creatures with the head of a cat. Agreement as to its exact nature and appearance is hard to come by, and few afree as to the number of legs possessed by this creature - or indeed whether it has ant at all. Its body may be smooth, rough, scaly or covered in hair. In Switzerland, it is known as the Stollenwurm. Both creatures are considered aggressive and they attack travellers in teh mountains without warning.

will o' the wisp

The phantom marsh lights that are seen after dusk over swampy ground, the results of escaping gases of decomposing vegetation, are called Will o' the Wisp in Britain. This phenomenon is internationally known as the Ignis Fatuus, or 'the Jesting Light', which seems to beckon the traveller from his path, often resulting in wet feet if not immersion in a bog hole. People have understood this phenomenon to be the results of spirits. Will o' the Wisps are also known in Japan where they are called a variety of names: 'Buddah lights', 'badger blazes', 'demon lights', 'fox flames', 'ghost fires', 'flash pillars' and 'flaming birds'.

zlatorog

In Slovenian folklore, the Zlatorog is a fabulous beast that has the body and pure white coat of a chamois, but with horns of gold. It grazed upon the top-most peaks of Mount triglav and often lured treasure-hunters after it through dangerous ravines and defiles where the less than cautious fell to their deaths. Only one hunter was able to wound the Zlatorog, though he failed to obtain its golden horns. Nevertheless, the blood spilt form the wounds formed a red flower, the carnation, which is now the emblem of Slovenia.