PHOTO: The Gurdon Light - Gurdon, Arkansas

Gurdon Light

The Gurdon Light is one of the better-known, and examined, cases of "ghost lights."  First reported in Gurdon, Arkansas (US) around 1931, the Gurdon Light is seen over the railroad tracks in the small town in Clark County, Arkansas.  It is clearly visible, and attracts flocks of spectators -- especially around Halloween.

This photograph was taken in 1994 by the immensely popular US TV show, Unsolved Mysteries (see sidebar).  It was one of the first photos of the phenomenon considered "credible" by the scientific community.  Other photographs and footage of The Gurdon Light captured both before and since 1994 have taken on added significance, but I chose this one due to its historical import (and Fair Use).

Ghost Lights go by many names, including faery fires and corpse candles, and have been seen across the world for centuries.  They seem to be most prolific in Welsh legend, but are far from unique to the UK.  Prevailing theories explaining the Ghost Lights phenomenon include magnetic fields, mineral deposits, and the infamous "swamp gas."  While some instances are known to be manufactured (usually by, and for, criminal means), there is no official explanation for Ghost Lights.

Arkansas' Gurdon Light remains unexplained.

© The Weirding, 2018

The Hollow Earth Theory, or Symmes' Hole

Symmes' Concentric Circles of Hollow Earth

After several posts debating the merits of such theories being connected to Admiral Byrd, I stumbled upon the modern origin of the Hollow Earth Theory or, as it was once called, Symmes' Hole:

John Cleves Symmes, Jr. was a military provisioner and veteran of the War of 1812 who latched onto a popular notion of the era regarding concentric circles and an inner earth.  It appears that these ideas, both in the theoretical and literal, existed prior to Symmes -- Johannes Kepler in 1618, Edmund Halley in 1692, and even Cotton Mather referenced an Inner Earth of concentric circles -- but he somehow came upon the concept independently, perhaps during the War, as Symmes was not a classically educated man likely to have read the likes of Kepler and Halley.

Symmes' Circular Number 1, published on April 10, 1818, begins, "I declare that the earth is hollow and habitable within; containing a number of concentric spheres, one within the other..."  He goes on to give rather precise coordinates to the entrance of this fantastical world before requesting funding for an expedition to validate his claims.  He went on to write many more circulars before taking his theory on the road, speaking to any audience that would have him.

Symmes' Hollow Earth Theory inspired many of his contemporaries, including Edgar Allan Poe and Jules Verne -- both of whom wrote stories regarding a Hollow Earth -- as well as Edgar Rice Burroughs, and others.  In fact, the public became so intrigued that Congress was forced to vote on the matter in 1822.  James McBride, a supporter, published Symmes's Theory of Concentric Spheres in 1826, bringing the Hollow Earth Theory even more mainstream notice.  Though the expedition was turned down -- many times, actually -- John Symmes' Hole Theory deeply impacted popular culture, resulting in countless sci-fi/fantasy classics of both the 19^th and 20^th -Century.

© The Weirding, 2017

The "Lost" Thunderbird Photo

The "Lost" Thunderbird Photo

Thunderbirds -- and "living dinosaurs," in general -- are a difficult topic to discuss, due to religious Fundamentalists, moneyed "experts" who receive backing from shady organizations and are known to falsify research, and a general lack of evidence that has been made public.

Many photos, video documentation, even alleged specimen, regarding a great number of topics we discuss exist in private collections that are not accessible to the public.  Some can be found in reputable books (where they were licensed for publication), others in privately-owned museums (where no photography is allowed), and elsewhere -- just not online.  Uploading them can result in termination of accounts (though the images are usually just reported/removed), and has -- as they are protected by Copyright and similar restrictions.

Stories of Thunderbirds go back centuries, but appear to be specific to North America.  While tales of winged, sky-faring, man-eating beasts appear in cultures worldwide, the very term is taken from Native American accounts.  Early settlers' accounts repeatedly mention the fear American Indians had of these creatures, and record tales of their attacks on people -- mostly children.  These scant details bear the hallmarks of Legend, but the story goes deeper.

Accounts of posses being amassed, and hunts organized, for Thunderbirds also exist in historical record.  In several cases, these hunts were carried-out by otherwise serious-minded, "common" people of Anglo-Saxon descent who may have been swept-up by hysterical tales of recent attacks, or sightings in the area.  Others were expeditions carried-out by wealthy trophy hunters -- even more important, as it proves that belief in these tales was strong enough to entice men of a higher status (and assumptively better education) into paying top-dollar, and traveling the world to brave unchartered territory, just for the chance to nab one!

There are a handful of similar photos, all of which appear to be fakes based on the fabled accounts of "The Lost Thunderbird picture" -- none of which mention Vicksburg or the Civil War, by the way.  Most Thunderbird accounts of that period came from the American Southwest -- Arizona and the immediate area, to be precise.  Some of these tales were likely cases of mistaken identity coupled with fear -- the product of conditioning from hearing tales of such fearsome, loathsome beasts since childhood -- others, however, are not as easily dismissed.

And, though some modern researchers have conducted studies that seemingly "prove" modern people untrained in Zoology often misidentify known creatures -- not something serious researchers question in the first place -- their apocryphal data proves nothing regarding the knowledge of ancient tribal peoples whose entire lives were spent living and working in tandem with their natural surroundings.  This is especially true of American Indian culture, which revered nature and the animal kingdom.  On a separate note, the very hypothesis smacks of racial bias, as it seems to "confirm" the era's prevailing, racist views toward Amer-Indians more than anything.

This alleged picture of a Thunderbird hunt may well be the "Lost Thunderbird Photo" of paranormal lore.  While many have attempted to debunk it, no conclusive evidence proving its fraudulence has come to light.  Proffering that it may have been a hoax of its day -- a staged photo in front of a theatrical prop or taxidermic creation -- is a sound approach toward establishing reasonable doubt; resorting to claims of digital manipulation is lazy at best, and not at all convincing.  As always, I am not claiming this is an authentic photograph; I remain hopefully skeptical that it is, and so far unswayed by attempts to debunk it.

Especially since I am not sure how this picture made it online, because I think it belongs to a private collection.  Most of the photos from said private collection are unavailable online (although many are available in print), so I am not entirely sure how this particular photo of an alleged Thunderbird hunt around the turn of the 19^th-Century persevered.

Though I, too, may be mistaken.

© The Weirding, 2017

Naga Fireballs

Naga Fireballs

Each October, fireballs appear to emerge from the Mekong River in Nong Khai, Thailand. Also known as the Mekong Lights, or "bung fai paya nak," legend has it that the Naga Fireballs are spat by a river monster from Buddhist lore. Some "explanations" include swamp gas and tracer rounds fired by soldiers on opposing banks, but swamp gas (methane) can apparently be ruled-out.

While soldiers do fire tracer rounds and fireworks (apparently for tourism, as the Mekong Lights are sparse some years), many films and photos appear to show the Naga Fireballs emerging from the water. One study by a Thai science institution claimed the Mekong Lights are actually isoprene.

© The Weirding, 2016

Urban Legends

If you have a subscription to Hulu+, you can watch the entire Urban Legends series from 2002. Hosted by Natasha Henstridge, the retellings of urban legends from over the centuries can be tedious, but it is packed with interesting information. While many of the legends are debunked, others may surprise you; most have a grain of truth to them, but change over time.

Each hour-long episode explores a handful of urban legends, spending several minutes on each.

© The Weirding, 2016

Pacu Fish in New Jersey Lake Origin of Urban Legend?

Pacu

Regardless of where you live in the United States, you are likely to have heard the urban legend regarding testicle-biting fish that infest local bodies of water.  Usually, these myths are accompanied by moralistic tales of illicit activity -- skinny-dipping or romantic trysts by moonlight.  However, a recent discovery in a New Jersey Lake had even national periodicals discussing the urban legend.

Two Pacu, fish with human-like teeth that are indigenous to South America, were discovered in Swedes Lake in New Jersey.  Pictures of the fish went viral online, and have been seen around the globe, causing the testicle-eating fish myth to begin anew.  However, National Geographic, USA Today, and other major outlets were quick to lay the urban legend to rest, saying the Amazonian fish eats fruits and nuts, not meat.  Pacu are related to piranha -- another fish with razor-sharp teeth which is infamous for its, very definite, carnivorous diet.

However, the legend persists: In 2011, two swimmers' bodies were found in New Guinea sans testicles, fueling speculation amongst the locals.  No one can confirm or deny that the fish may mistake swimmers' testicles for their usual vegetarian fare on occasion, but fish and other wild animals are also known to eat the soft parts of decomposing corpses.  They usually go first for the eyes, ears, and -- yes -- the testicles.

Tropical fish, the Pacu are unlikely to survive in temperate waters that may well freeze in winter.  As to how the Pacu got into Swedes Lake, it's likely they outgrew their fishtank and someone threw them in there.

© The Weirding, 2015

The Prophetic Ghost Lights of Golden Grove Bridge

Another Welsh term for Ghost Lights is Corpse Candles, which are believed to prophesy death in the area in which they appear.  The number of lights is said to indicate the number of lives soon to be lost.  

One famous case claims witnesses on a coach saw three corpse candles as they crossed the river bridge near Golden Grove.  Several days later, three boating men capsized and drowned at the spot where the ghost lights had been seen!

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Ghost Lights: Wales, 1904

Ghost Lights are a particular form of unexplained phenomenon involving phosphorescent spheres thought to be supernatural or paranormal in nature. Ghost Lights are often associated with specific places, times, and events, and have given life to legends throughout the world. In Wales, they are often associated with the Faerie folk, and are termed "faerie fires."

In December of 1904, three witnesses saw a large Ghost Light floating some ways off the ground, but not quite in the sky. In the middle of the light was "something like a bottle or black person," and smaller lights of many colors surrounded the larger sphere.

The 1904 case of Wales Ghost Lights has yet to be explained.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

The Tatzelwurm

The Tatzelwurm

The Tatzelwurm truly tests the accuracy and efficacy of cryptozoology, as its existence remains a hotly-contested subject for debate.  While there is a lot of anecdotal evidence to support the creature's existence, others have completely written it off as folklore and legend.

To be sure, the legend is incredulous: A seven-foot, serpentine creature with the head of a rat and shiny, possibly scaly, skin.  Its mode of transportation and attack is even more disturbing, as the tatzelwurm is said to coil itself and spring toward its victims, biting and scratching them with its short forearms.

The tatzelwurm's origins are rooted in antiquity; it is thought to have been first mentioned in 1779 in the Swiss and Austrian Alps.  Reports grew more frequent in the late 19^th-Century, but no tatzelwurm was ever produced.  A skeleton discovered in 1924 was purported to be that of the tatzelwurm, which was so well-known as to have three distinct names (stollenwurm and springwurm being the other two), but it was never proven to be.

Many believe the creature did exist at one time, but is now extinct.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Man Charged in 'Werewolf' Killing

Thomas Masaryk doesn't deny shooting and killing his brother-in-law in his front yard -- in fact, he called a priest to witness the shooting and was standing over the body when police arrived!  No, Masaryk freely admits to shooting his brother-in-law through the heart, killing him, but he says he committed no crime, because his brother-in-law was a werewolf.  In Romania, it is not a crime to kill a werewolf, nor has it been for 500 years.

"It's true," Father Batistel said, "I... saw him change before my eyes!  Hair sprouted on his face, and hands and fangs grew right out of his mouth.  His eyes glowed fiery red -- and he began to groan and moan like a caged beast."

Masaryk, a used car salesman, believes 42-year-old Dumbrava Serghiescu killed dozens of people, including Masaryk's sister.  He used a .38 caliber pistol loaded with a single, silver bullet.  The bullet was made from a crucifix said to have been blessed by the Pope.

Masaryk has been charged with first-degree murder.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

UPDATE:  This post, like this blog, has been tampered with by US/ISraeli military operatives, as well as other parties that shall remain unknown.  No further information is available ATM. - 2018

Did Jesus Survive the Crucifixion?

According to the New Testament of the Holy Bible, Jesus rose from the dead three days after He was crucified. Some believe He then moved to Kashmir, where He lived-out the remainder of His years quietly. While the grave at the Roza Bal shrine in Srinagar belongs to one Youza Asaph, a Muslim priest from the Medieval era, some believe it is the tomb of Jesus Christ.

Believers say Christ survived the Crucifixion and changed His name to Yuz Asaf, which, literally translated, is said to mean "Son of Joseph." Locals dispute the legend, saying it was forwarded by local merchants to boost tourism. And boost tourism it has: The shrine at Roza Bal has attracted so many pilgrims in the last few years that it has been closed and gated. Yet tourists are not deterred and continue to flood the small town.

The legend goes back to the 19^th-Century, and has become more popular in recent years thanks to several books, including some written by the former Director of Archives, Museums, and Archaeology of Kashmir, Dr. Fida Hassnain. The legend has become so popular, in fact, that a number of documentaries and films have been made about it, including one by the BBC. However, locals and most scholars completely dismiss the idea as nonsense. What's interesting is why:

The locals are largely Muslim and do not want the grave disturbed; scientists and others want to test the DNA of the corpse (though I don't know how that will help - do we have Jesus' DNA on file?). Further, they do not believe it is Jesus' tomb specifically because the Quran states that God lifted Christ up to Heaven... which means (logically?) that the grave could not possibly be Jesus'.

Closer to the truth is that Jesus' tomb has been claimed all over the world and no proof exists in any case, largely for the same reasons no proof has been collected at Kashmir: Believers consider them sacred places, not to be disturbed.

The other part to this legend concerns Jesus' "Missing Years" -- age 12 to 30 -- which are not covered by the Bible. It is popularly thought that He spent these years traveling, and many think he visited Tibet. Some say He met Buddha, while others say he simply learned the principles of Buddhism. There is supposed to be documented evidence of this but, again, it is inaccessible due to the resistance of the holy men who possess it (Hemis Monastery in Ladakh).

Believers say Christ also visited Kashmir during this time, looking for the lost tribes of Israelite. Some say tales and evidence found along the ancient Silk Road -- the first, major trading route in history -- fill-in that 18 year gap in Jesus' history, thus proving he was in Kashmir, however briefly, during that time.

Is Jesus Christ buried in the Roza Bal Shrine in Srinagar, Kashmir?

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

The Panther of Blackhole, Tennessee

The story of the Blackhole Panther was relayed to me by someone who has lived in the area her entire life.  I believe it to be fallacious (to a large extent) and classify it simply as Tennessee folklore of the region.  I relate it in hopes of hearing from others who may have heard the tale of the Blackhole Panther, or possibly even have an encounter of their own to share.

According to the subject, she, her future husband, his brother, and his brother's wife were "partying" on the Buffalo River in Humphreys County (Tennessee) at an area once called "Blackhole," at Exit 143 (I-240), late one night in the summer of 1980.  She had to think about the date, but settled firmly on 1980, as her child was born in 1981.

The spot was called "Blackhole" due to the depth of the river at that point.  According to the subject, "If you stood on the bridge in broad daylight, the water looked black, it was so deep."  She later relayed several stories of people who tried to reach the bottom but could not.  Neither she nor I know if Blackhole still exists as it did 30 years ago.

The couples were drinking and smoking marijuana, then decided to go skinny-dipping in the river.  All four went to the bank and began disrobing when they were startled by what "sounded like a woman screaming."

According to the her, local lore held that a "panther" frequented the area and she had "been hoping to see it."  When the shriek frightened the foursome, they saw "glowing" red eyes on the opposite bank.  Suitably scared, the party collected their clothing and made their way back to the single car in which they had arrived -- an early 1970's model Ford LTD (1974, according to her, but she was not certain).

She said the eyes belonged to a large, black cat which swam across the Buffalo River to their site and made its way to their car.  The width of the river at Blackhole was estimated by the subject to be about 40' -- or from one side of I-40 (a four-lane interstate) to the other.

She said the Panther of Blackhole approached the car, then mounted the hood.  The cat walked around on the hood before curling-up to gaze at the party, "Daring us to get out of that car."  It had a long body- - distinctly different from that of a bobcat which, though extremely rare, are still in the area -- and a long tail.  Bobcats can be black, but have a distinctive head and mane, which is often gray and tawny.  The bobcat is named for its "bobbed" tail -- a short, stubby, and fuzzy appendage.  The encounter lasted approximately 15 minutes from first appearance (on the opposite side of the river) to it laying on the hood of the car.

The subject continued: About a year after the incident at Blackhole, she and her (then) mother-in-law were at an undisclosed cemetery (the name of which escapes her) at Cuba Landing -- approximately ¹/₂ mile from the site at which they first encountered the Panther of Blackhole -- when they spotted several, small, black creatures in a field.  At first, she thought they dogs, due to their large size.  "They were fuzzy -- fuzzy and black.  There were a lot of stray dogs [that] used to run around out there, back then.  I was pregnant then and I wanted to take one home."

When she went to the fence to lure one, she realized they were large cats and told her mother-in-law, who was still behind the wheel of the car.  Partially inspired by her alleged encounter with the Blackhole Panther, she decided she still wanted one to take home.  As she stood there, her mother-in-law called excitedly from the car, "Those aren't just cats -- here comes their mama!"

The subject said a large, black cat, similar to the one she saw that night at Blackhole a year earlier, slinked from the woods.  Both it and the kittens were sable, with long tails.  She was within an estimated 20' of the kittens and the mother was about twice that distance from them (roughly 60' from the subject).  Her mother-in-law began screaming at her to get in the car.  She did so calmly, but quickly, and they left the area.

The subject says the Blackhole Panther legend was well-known amongst residents of the area at the time, but few claimed to have actually seen it.  She has not heard much about it since, but no longer lives in the area.  The friends she had at that time generally live elsewhere, or she has lost contact with them, and she has since divorced. She never saw the creature before nor since these, possibly related and entirely alleged, incidents.

I wholly discount the witness' alleged encounter at Blackhole, though I do believe she encountered a wild creature that night on the opposite bank -- possibly even one with "glowing red eyes" (that is to say, the eyes were red and may have appeared to be glowing to her and the others in her group). 

That the creature remains unidentified is not meant to suggest an Unknown or Cryptid; there is a very good chance that the creature unseen was, in fact, a bobcat -- or a cougar, bear, owl, even a large, stray dog.  Whether or not anything more happened beyond that point -- the creature crossing the river, and most especially mounting the hood of the car -- I cannot say, but do not believe it did.

I remain unconvinced of the story, though "The Blackhole Panther" sounds cool as hell.  This was the boom-time of the infamous "Beast of Exmoor" in England, and those accounts made headlines and network news here in the States several times throughout the era.  However, The OddBlog is always interested in tales relating to the subject matter we discuss.  If you, or anyone you know, has anything to add to the Panther of Blackhole, TN legend, please share!

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Ancient Magic: Singing Spells

A Typical Skald or Bard

Singing was closely related to early wizardry. In many of the earliest legends in which they appear, the wizards and wise-women simply sing their enchantments into being. Some are as simple as love spells, while others move mountains and change the faces of entire worlds, and even raise the dead.

Most of history was passed orally through epic tales, almost always by performers known as skalds or bards. The most treasured bards wove magic through their music, primarily through their lyrics. Homer's Iliad, largely considered the first Western work of literature, was meant to be sung. This tradition continued well into the 14^th-Century, as Merlin -- the wisest and most well-known of all wizards -- employed singing in many of his spellcasting feats.

One of the most well-known of the skalds was the Welsh bard, Taliesin. Taliesin was an actual, historical poet of the 6^th or 7^th -Century, responsible for writing and popularizing many of the earliest-known Welsh myths. In legend, he was the son of a witch named Ceridwen. When Talisein, in another form, spoiled one of Ceridwen's potions meant to give her lame son all the knowledge of the world, Ceridwen pursued him in many forms until she ate him in the form of a seed. The witch then gave birth to the beautiful Taliesin, who eventually carried a magic harp, and cast magic through his songs.

This appears to have been common-thinking, worldwide: Many sorcerous operations involved singing, chanting, or playing instruments. Dancing featured prominently, as well. As late as the 18^th-Century, dancing and singing at different times of the day or year were associated with witchcraft.

By the 16^th-Century though, Magic -- Astrology and Alchemy, in particular -- had become scholastic pursuits, and the wizards of legend were revered more in theory than as actual, and possibly (once) living, beings.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Ancient Magic: Circe

Circe (Oliver Wetter)

Circe is one of the oldest and most powerful of wizards. She was also one of the many evil sorceresses who bedeviled the era's heroes at every turn -- and Circe was particularly vicious. She was a feared sorceress known for her skill with herbs, drugs, and potions, and had a fondness for transforming her victims into animals whom she, in some versions of the legend, then ate.

Circe lived alone on the island Aeaea, which was overpopulated by swine, wolves, and bears -- many of which once were sailors Circe had lured to her island with her singing. In one particularly evil display of power, Circe set upon a beautiful, young nymph named Scylla. Circe desired Scylla's shepherd lover, so she snuck down to the river where the nymph bathed each morning and poisoned the waters there with an emerald-green potion poured from a large, crystal bowl.

When Scylla entered the river, the waters churled! Emerald-green tendrils emerged and pulled her under, where she was transformed into a horrible sea-creature which became the bane of sailors throughout the area. Scylla continued to reign on her wooded isle, later turning many of Odysseus' crew into pigs, but the tale does not mention the coveted shepherd's fate.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Ancient Magic: Lemminkainen's Resurrection

Lemminkainen's Resurrection

In later times, sorcerors and alchemists needed complex formulae, laboratories, libraries, and other scholastic accoutrement.  But in the earliest times, wizards just were. These enchanters were demi-godlike figures whose very essence was imbibed with the Supernatural. Lemminkainen, one of the earliest Finnish wizards, was one of these.

While Lemminkainen would go on to have many adventures, one story tells of his mother, whose name may be lost to antiquity (or was never recorded):  She knew her son was in trouble, but knew neither its nature nor son's location. She scoured the world looking for her son and found Lemminkainen, who had died trying to win the favor of the evil sorceress, Louhi, and the hand of her daughter.

Lemminkainen's mother had another wizard fashion her a rake made of copper with which she descended into the Underworld and painstakingly collected her son's remains. Once she had them all, she carefully pieced Lemminkainen's torn body back together and sang sorcerous chants and melodies into the day and night. Some tales say her magic alone brought the fallen wizard back to life, while others say Lemminkainen's mother had to steal honey from the hall of the gods to provide him true "life."

Many early stories feature similarly fantastic impossibilities, but this is among the first to feature resurrection -- a feat generally thought of as reserved for the gods. In fact, the tale credits the gods in one version, but I do not know which version came first.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

New Series: Ancient Magic

Odin One-Eye

Today's headlines too often center on claims of witchcraft, sorcery, and injustices in the name of various religions which prohibit a belief in or practice of actual "magic." But ancient societies the world over believed in magic as an everyday element, and those who practiced it were considered wise and learned. True, some used their magic for selfish -- and often ruinous -- reasons, but it wasn't until the advent of Christianity and Islam that what was once considered magic became known as "witchcraft," and its practitioners -- both old and new -- came to be slandered as evil.

Ancient society's earnest research into such magical fields as astronomy and alchemy laid the groundwork for the scientific work which followed. Even today, archaeologists and researchers routinely uncover new pieces to ancient history which suggest our ancestors knew far more than modern scholars credit them. Much of this knowledge was considered magic, or sorcery, until about 300 years ago when Western Thought underwent an Age of Enlightenment.
In this series, we will examine some of the stories which comprise the rich mythology of magic in the ancient world, along with lists of spell ingredients and their reputed effects, and more. At various times throughout history, Man has believed we live alongside alternate dimensions, such as Faerun, and men and women possessed of supernatural powers walked between them. 

Ancient Magic will recount some of these tales, and examine these concepts.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Texas' Violent Sasquatch At It Again

Texas' Bigfoot has a history of violence.  In one of the handful of Bigfoot accounts in which the creature actually attacked (or tried to) someone, a Texas sheriff claims a white-haired beast threw a tire at him... a tire with the rim still in it!  (Such things are abundant in Texas, apparently even back then.) 

BIGfoot.

There are a few other instances in which eyewitnesses claim the hairy biped (as Bigfoot is also sometimes known) they encountered threatened, chased, or attempted to attack them, but in America, they are fairly rare.  

In certain other countries, however, the Bigfoot (which goes by any number of names, from Yowie to Wildman to Yeti to Sasquatch, and many, many more) is a fearsome, sometimes predatory, and always violent creature to be avoided.  The beast seems to appear on every continent on the planet, excepting the warmer ones, where their "wildmen" are far more ape-like, even by zoological standards.

In a 1977 New Jersey string of encounters, a wildman Sasquatch was credited for the killing of several neighbors' rabbits.  It tore through barns to get to the rodents (rabbits are rodents, aren't they?) and was seen by several eyewitnesses.  While studies were performed on the carcases and the area canvassed, no real evidence was ever discovered.  It did, however, "swat" a snarling attack dog some 20' aside.  

BIGfoot.

And so it came to pass the other night that San Antonio police were bombarded with calls reporting a "Sasquatch" and "large, hairy man over 6' 3" which had just killed a deer -- with its bare hands -- and dragged the fricking thing into the woods!  

BIGfoot.

According to police, though almost all of the calls came from "homeless" people, they "sounded scared, and surprisingly sober."  Police did not look for the creature.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Saudi Family Sues Genie

A Saudi family has taken a genie to court, citing theft and harassment over the last two years.  Some say this case is being taken more seriously because every person in the family alleges the genie's existence and testifies to the theft and harassment.  A local charity has moved the family to a temporary residence while an investigation is conducted.

The family says they were first made aware of the djinn's existence two years ago, when they began hearing strange noises.  While they dismissed them at first, the events became more boisterous and impossible to overlook.  The family alleges threatening voicemails, theft of their cellphones, even assaults by rocks!

Many Saudis believe jinns, djinn, or genie exist and are even capable of daemonic possession.  The belief is prevalent in the Islamic religion, as the creatures are even mentioned in the Quran.  Djinn are Elementals.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

The Leeds Devil, Pt. 1

This bit of American folklore is often confused (in my estimation) with what is indisputably (again, in my estimation) an eyewitness account of an actual, paranormal event. In fact, I was not even aware of the connection between the Leeds Devil and the Jersey Devil until researching the folklore of the former. From what I can tell, the tales are only interchangeable amongst the New Jersey citizenry; everyone else seems to consider the Leeds Devil and the Jersey Devil not only as two separate accounts, but in completely different lights.

First, let us dispense with the folklore of the Leeds Devil. Since there are numerous variations on the story, I will pass along the account most often traded, as it is disputably the oldest of the bunch (published):

Mother Leeds of Burlington was a sober Quaker highly suspected of practicing witchcraft. In 1735, she bore a child during a terrible storm ¹. As the women of the time crowded around whenever there was a death, marriage, or birth, they were all present, and before their very eyes, the shape and demeanor of the child did change: it grew long and brown with a snake-like body, a horse's head, cloven-hoofed feet, bat's wings, and a long, leathery, forked tail. It increased in strength and size until it was the bulk of a full-grown man, whereupon it emitted savage screams and "fell on the assemblage," beating them all - even its own mother - severely with its wings and tail before escaping through the chimney.

That night, several children disappeared - eaten by the dragon. While it seldom did much harm afterward, it was glimpsed in the woods of the Pine Barrens many times. Wherever milk soured, cows dried-up, or corn was seared, the Leeds Devil was said to have been. On still nights, farmers could follow its trail by the howling of dogs, hoots of owls, and squawks of birds - but few did.

At this point, the account gets a little blurry, connecting the Leeds Devil to the shoreline, where it portended shipwrecks (and was sometimes "seen in the company of the spectres that haunt the shore: the golden-haired woman in white, the black-muzzled pirate, and the robber, whose head being cut-off at Barnegat by Captain Kidd, stumps about the sands without it, guarding a treasure buried nearby." - American Myths & Legends, Charles M. Skinner). It was blamed for the deaths of the fish in the ponds and creeks in the cedar swamps - as it wanted a "change of diet" and breathed upon them - as they whitened and decayed and floated in such numbers as to threaten illness to all the neighborhood ².

The legend of the Leeds Devil then comes full-circle when, in 1740, a pious and exemplary clergyman is secured - one who "had dominion over many of the fiends that plagued New Jersey" (including applejack, "which some declared to be a worse fiend than any other") - who banned the Leeds Devil for 100 years. And for a century, the area was unmolested by the creature.

The Leeds Devil was all but forgotten by 1840 when, as if on cue, it once again began stealing sheep and clutching at children after twilight. Sightings were rare and spotty, but it was reported in Vincetown and Burrville in 1899, which was its last, great raid - at least at the time this account was published. The Leeds Devil's lifespan was thought to have run its course and the fiend was seen no more again forever...

...unless you link it to the strange events which occurred in the very region in January, 1909. While this seems plausible, given this regional folklore, it becomes more difficult, once we include the events of 1885 in Devonshire, England. And I feel this necessary, given that these events actually occurred - whereas the Leeds Devil legend is almost certainly just that. Like all verifiable legends, it has many variations, little to no solid evidence backing it, and is completely far-fetched in nature...

Except that there is some evidence backing it. And the same could be said of the strange events occurring in 1885 and again in 1909, were it not for the photographs and multitude of eyewitnesses.

Note also the inclusion of other New Jersey legends. This co-mingling is somewhat unusual and must be noted when considering the intersection of the folklore concerning the Leeds Devil and the very real account of the Jersey Devil, which occurred in 1909. After all, the lore of the Leeds Devil was already present in the region, and the last "great raid" attributed it was a mere decade before, so - faced with such an inexplicable event - it was quickly associated. The legend told here, from the source cited, was published in 1903. Kind of early for the author's insistence on the finality of the Leeds Devil, but this is a folklorist's tale, which demands an end.

In the second part of this study, we will delve into the lore surrounding the Leeds Devil - independent of the events which occurred in and around the area in 1909.
---
¹ Leeds' impregnation alone is considered "proof" of her witchcraft in this published account - why, I cannot say, except to note that she is referred to as "Mother" Leeds, which denotes an advanced age. This particular account - passed-on in several books, at least - does not mention a husband or father, which may also be the reason.

² This suggests an historical event, possibly due to a massive turnover - the mixing of upper and lower layers of a freshwater body, which occurs in the fall and can kill fish, especially bottomfeeders, such as catfish - though this does not explain the deaths of the livery in the creeks, unless they are slow-moving. Disease is also a possibility - and, given the account, more probable - but as I have personally seen the effects of a turnover, and the condition of the fish as described is similar, I included it.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Slip-Skin

Shapeshifting has often been related to witchcraft. According to the basic, European legends surrounding witches, a witch often performed a summonings ceremony to call forth a familiar. According to the culture and region, the witch was either able to see through the familiar's eyes and access its other senses in various fashions, or literally shapeshift into its form. But American folklore brings its own twist to this belief: that of the slip-skin.

According to much folklore, American witches are able to "slip-skin" - that is, remove their skin to reveal an animal beneath, thought to be their "true form." Most witches did this at night - some even used spinning wheels to accomplish the task - largely so they could go about, causing mischief.

As witches were killed with silver and this was young America, silver bullets were the usual manner of dispatch in these tales. In several, a strange creature, or domesticated animal acting strangely, is shot but survives. Shortly thereafter, a woman bearing the animal's same wound(s) comes to light.

The slip-skin belief seems to be isolated to America; European folklore leans more heavily toward witches' associations with their familiars. It may have its roots in American Indian beliefs in shapeshifters, which also used the slip-skin method to change form. Shapeshifters were prevalent in American Indians' beliefs.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008