Kelpie

A Kelpie is a water horse, a supernatural creature from Celtic Folklore.Its name may derive from the Scottish Gaelic words ‘cailpeach’ or 'colpach'. It is believed to haunt the rivers and lakes of Scotland and Ireland. It is mostly black, although it can be white as well. It could be seen as a pony, although its mane is always dripping water. In the west coast of Scotland, the Kelpie is described as a young, handsome, sleek horse, brown, gray or black in color but it can effortlessly shape-shift into human form.

While appearing as a human, the kelpie will still have its hooves. For this reason, the kelpie is seen as a malefic entity. In Scotland, almost every lake has a story about a kelpie. Probably the most well-known of these stories is the one about the kelpie of Loch Ness. Kelpies There are some stories, however, in which kelpies are depicted in a more positive light and are said to protect small children from drowning in lakes. Kelpies also apparently warned young women to be wary of handsome strangers.

Legend:

The Creature could take many forms and had an insatiable appetite for humans.The kelpie may appear as a beautiful tame pony beside a river. Anybody foolish enough to mount the horse - perhaps a stranger unaware of the local traditions - would find themselves in a dangerous situation, as the horse would rear and charge headlong into the deepest part of the water, submerging with a noise like thunder to the travelers watery grave. 

A common Scottish tale is the story of nine children lured into its back, while the tenth remains on the shore. The Kelpie chased him, but he escaped. Another more gruesome variation on this tale is that the tenth child simply stroked the Kelpie's nose but, when it stuck to it, he took a knife from his pocket, and cut his fingers off to free himself.The child survives but is unable to save his friends, as they are pulled underwater with the Kelpie.

They are also said to appear as a beautiful young woman, hoping to lure young men to their death.They created illusions to hide themselves, keeping only their eyes above water to scout the surface. 

There was one way in which a Kelpie could be defeated,the Kelpies power of shape shifting was said to reside in its bridle, and anybody who could claim possession of it could command the Kelpie to submit to their will. A captive kelpie was highly prized, it had the strength of at least 10 horses and the stamina of many more. It was said that the MacGregor clan were in possession of a Kelpies bridle, passed down through the generations from when one of their clan managed to save himself from a Kelpie near Loch Slochd.

The Kelpie is also mentioned in Robert Burns poem, "Address to the Deil" (1786):

"...When thowes dissolve the snawy hoord

An' float the jinglin icy boord

Then, water-kelpies haunt the foord

By your direction

An' nighted trav'llers are allur'd

To their destruction..."

There are many similar tales of water horses in mythology. In Orkney, there is the nuggle, in Shetland the shoopiltee and in the Isle of Man, the cabbyl-ushtey. In Welsh folklore there are tales of the Ceffyl Dŵr. And in Scotland there is another water horse, the each uisge, which lurks in lochs and is reputed to be even more vicious than the kelpie.

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Sigbin

Sigbin is a blood sucking creature from Phillipan Folklore said to lurk in the shadows at night, who sucks the blood of victims by consuming their shadows.It is said to walk backwards with its head lowered between its hind legs, and is said to have the ability to become invisible to other creatures, especially humans.It is said to emit a pungent body odour.

Appearance:

The Sigbin resembles a goat without horns but with large ears. These ears can clap together, much like a pair of human hands. It also possesses a long flexible tail which it uses sometimes as a whip. The Sigbin, it is said, has a distinct pungent odour which is immediately noticeable. 

Legend:

According to legend, there are certain families who own and held command over aa Sigbin. These are called Sigbinan. They keep the Sigbin in jars made of clay and have power of those in their care. The Aswang are also said to keep these creatures as pets.

The creature is active during Easter, looking for children that it will kill for their hearts, which it fashions into amulets.

The Sigbin not only kill people by biting them, or sucking their blood, but spend a lot of time eating charcoal or paper. In some cases they are known to eat pumpkins or squash and are often reported in fields of these.Legends also say that if you walk in front of a Sigbin, you will be fine. It is only when you walk behind them that you are in mortal danger.

There is speculation that the legend may be based on actual sightings of a cryptid related to kangaroo. In 2005,Scientists discovered a rare cat-fox, a potential new species of carnivore described as having hind legs that are substantially longer than its front legs, it has been postulated that reported sightings of Sigbin may actually be sightings of a member or relative of the cat-fox species.Others speculate that the creature may be one related to the Thylocene, Tasmanian Tiger.

The myth is common inn Visayas Islands and Mindanao. It is also said that it looks like a dog and owned by rich people who hid those creatures in a jar.

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Invunche

Invunche by Genzoman.

In the Chilote folklore and Chilote legends of the Chiloé Island in southern Chile, the Imbunche is a vampirish creature that guards the entrance to a warlock's cave.The invunche is a deformed human with its head twisted backwards, along with having twisted arms, fingers, nose, mouth and ears. The creature walks on one foot or on three feet (actually one leg and two hands) because one of its legs is attached to the back of its neck. The invunche can't talk, and communicates only by guttural, rough and unpleasant sounds.

Legend:

According to legend, the Imbunche was a little one kidnapped by, or sold by his parents to a Brujo Chilote (a type of sorcerer or warlock of Chiloé).

The Brujo chilote hideously transformed the child into a deformed hairy monster, applying a magic solution over the boy's back to cause thick hairs and, finally turning his tongue to snake-like one.

Besides guarding the entrance to the warlock's cave, the invunche is used by warlocks as an instrument for revenge or curses. And, because it has acquired magical knowledge over its lifetime spent guarding the cave, even if the invunche is not initiated on wizardry, it sometimes acts as the warlock's advisor.

The invunche leaves the cave only in certain circumstances, such as when the warlock's cave is destroyed or discovered and the warlock moves to another cave, or when the warlocks have need of him, and they carry the invunche while he's thrashing and yelling, scaring the townspeople and announcing misfortune to come. The invunche also comes out when the warlocks take it to the Warlock's Council.

When he goes in search of food it is on three feet, getting along in leaps and letting out blood-curdling yells scaring anyone who hears them.

If anyone sees him they are frozen to the spot forever.The only beings who can look at him without risk are witches.As tough as this abomination may be, it is possible to eradicate the Imbunche.

Because it was once human, the monster is still vulnerable to man-made weapons like cold steel and firearms. However, there is another difficult task to face beforehand: one must kill the Trelquehuecuve, the water beast that serves the Imbunche.


As this creature is said to be large in size and vicious towards humans, slaying the monster will not be an easy task.

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Tikbalang

Tikbalang (also written as Tigbalang, Tigbalan, or Tikbalan) is a cryptid of Philippine folklore said to lurk in the mountains and forests of the Philippines It is described as a tall, bony humanoid creature with disproportionately long limbs and a horse-like head. It has been compared to the half-man, half-horse centaur from Greek mythology. It is sometimes believed to be a transformation of an aborted fetus which has been sent to earth from limbo.

Legend:

A traveler who finds himself lost and suspects that a Tikbalang is leading him astray may counteract it by wearing his shirt inside out. Another way is to verbally ask permission to pass by, or to avoid making too much noise while in the woods so as not to offend or disturb the Tikbalang.A superstition popular with the Tagalog of Rizal Province is that Tikbalangs are benevolent guardians of nature. They are usually found standing at the foot of large trees looking around for anyone who dare to bestow malignancy on their kingdom's territory.

Folklore says that one can tame a Tikbalang and compel it to be one's servant by plucking three golden hairs from its mane. There are also stories where a Tikbalang asks its intended prey a riddle. Someone who manages to answer correctly will be rewarded with a pot of gold.

A common saying has it that rain from a clear sky means "may kinakasal na Tikbalang."(Filipino, "a Tikbalang is getting married".) This was potentially connected with a similar Spanish proverb that claimed a witch was getting married when there was rain on a sunny day, although many cultures have such sayings in which a trickster figure gets married (cp. fox's wedding, bear's wedding, monkey's birthday).

According to traditional folklore, the Tikbalang can also transform itself into human form or turn invisible to humans. They like to lead travelers astray. Tikbalang are generally associated with dark,thick, sparsely populated, foliage-overgrown areas, with legends variously identifying their abode as being beneath bridges, in Bamboo or Banana groves, and atop Kalumpang (Sterculia foetida) or Balite (Ficus indica) Trees.

Other legends depict the Tikbalang as a monster of the night, with eyes that glow red. This version of the Tikbalang depict it as a frightful creature, a real danger to humans. It is believed that when it is angered - and it is easily angered - it stomps on people with its hooves until they die. According to these tales, the Tikbalang is always accompanied by the stench of burning hair and smokes great big cigars.

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Capelobo

The capelobo is a chimera-like creature from Brazilian myth, particularly in the states of Pará and Maranhão.

Appearance:

Capelobos have two forms, animal and humanoid. In animal form, they appear as a creature resembling tapir but are bigger, faster, and thinner. They have a busy coat of black fur and a snout that appears similar to the snout of anteater or armadillos.They are shaggy and ugly.They live in Tropical forests Pará and Maranhão in Brazil.

It is not clear how the capelobo transforms from animal to humanoid form, or if it is not a matter of transformation at all, but they are clearly separate. The humanoid form of these creatures is muscular with a human body and an anteater's head. They maintain their thick, matted coat of fur, and in addition, are covered head to toe in an impenetrable and thick armor-like skin. Even hunched, they are two meters (seven feet) high.

Their front claws are similar to that of a tamandua, a kind of small anteater. However, their feet have a set of perfectly round hooves (or no feet at all) that leave an imprint in the ground like a bottle, making them difficult to track. Another notable feature of the capelobo is its unearthly stench, so powerful that it is said that it is always surrounded by a cloud of flies.


Rarely, it is described as having a singular eye or only one leg; however, these are traits more often associated with the similar mapinguari. Some accounts also mention its long and sharp fangs.

Capelobo's body parts

Behaviour:

The capelobo can stun with its foul stink, and even those who survive the encounter will get headaches and dizziness for several days to a month. It is also known for its shrill screams, which can be heard for ten miles and are powerful enough to bring even the bravest of hunters to their knees and completely paralyze most with fear. When heard in the distance, they can bewilder hunters and travelers, causing them to become lost and sometimes mad. 

Their thick hide and fur act as a sort of armour, and even bullets bounce off of their hides. They can only be killed by a blow to the eye or to the navel, and some accounts even claim that it must be done with a spear.Hunters must use their wits to defeat this beast.

Even while predatory, capelobos do not actively hunt humans. They prefer dogs, cats, and goats, especially newborns. However, if they can manage to capture a human, they will grab them tightly and suck their brains out through the top of their skull. They are more likely to devour someone if they are foolish enough to hunt on a Sunday. They have a ravenous appetite, and they hunt at night to satiate their unending hunger.


It is said that these creatures are a sort of lycanthrope; however, rather than changing between forms, a human who has changed into a capelobo has no hope of turning back. According to the legend, when a person is old and dying, if they choose to spend their last days in the woods, they will transform into one of these monsters.

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El Cuero

Deep in the Andes mountain range, in the Southern Province of Neuquen, is a small glacial lake, which is situated approximately 25-miles away from the Chilean border. This icy water is known as Lago (Lake) Lacar, shares many traits in common with other mountainous, freshwater bodies (such as LAKE TELETSKOYE and LAKE BAIKAL).

Appearance:

El Cuero, meaning "Cowhide" the locals describe this as an extremely dangerous creature having a hairless head and spine, and a body structure which has the appearance of cowhide which has been splayed out to dry, hence the name. It has wide pectoral fins and a long, whip-like tail, absent of a barb. Its eyes are on stalks and its mouth is apparently extendable, like that of a sturgeon. Eyewitness have also reported seeing a serious of razor sharp claws along the fringes of El Cuero, which the creature uses to secure its prey.

Sightings:

There have been countless, yet controversial, attacks on humans. One story tells of a woman washing clothes in the Hua-Hum River; her baby slept nearby. According to her, the creature burst from the water like a crocodile and snatched her baby as it lay next to her on the shore.. It then slipped into the water as quickly as it appeared.


Similar creatures to El Cuero have been reported to dwelling the rivers and lagoons of both Argentina and Chile, and the legend of El Cuero has circulated throughout the ingenious populations of these two nations. Some Investigators have pointed out the similarities between this animal and the vicious Hueke-Hueke, another South American lake cryptid. So similar are the reports of these two creatures that many researchers suggest that the creatures are actually the same animal.

Additional evidence of this creature’s amphibious tendencies are said to be found in the bird and animal remains, which litter the Lacar shoreline after one of its voracious, nocturnal feasts.

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