In many ways, winter can be mythical and frightening. But it can become even more so when you associate it with monsters as frightening as each other. Suppose winter is usually associated with end-of-year celebrations, Santa Claus and his reindeer and elves. In that case, you should know that these are not the only mythological creatures to haunt this time of year. So here are 6 of the spookiest folk monsters of winter.
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MAHAHA
Flickr / Elke Mader
Mahaha is a maniacal demon who terrorized parts of the Arctic. This creature is described as a thin, wiry being with ice blue skin cool to the touch. This demon is always smiling and funny. Mahaha is usually seen with almost no clothes on, but he never seems bothered by the cold. This demon takes pleasure in tickling his victims to death with his sharp nails and long bony fingers.
Although this demon is twisted and evil, Mahaha is easily fooled. Most of the stories told about Mahaha end with the devil being duped. Usually, Mahaha is made to lean over a waterhole to take a last glass of water for the victim, then is pushed into the water to be washed away by the currents.
PAL RAI YUK
SVG Silh
Pal Rai Yuk or Tizheruk is a sea monster described as a sort of sizeable serpent-like creature that lurks in the waters off Alaska’s coast. The beast has an extraordinary appearance. It has three pairs of legs that resemble those of a mammal, two heads resembling those of a fox, short horns, three stomachs, thick fur, a long tongue, and a tail resembling that of a fish. . According to legend, the Pal Rai Yuk feeds mainly on fish and humans.
KOGUKHPAK
Maxpixel
The Kogukhpak belongs to Yupik mythology. The Kogukhpak are underground monsters that lurk in the carcasses of mammoths, were the bodies of these underground monsters when hunting down prey. These creatures would be giant and would have large teeth like those of a mammoth. Yet they had the bodies and legs of frogs. Like vampires, they were afraid and threatened by the sun. In winter, the sun’s rays are less intense, and the Kogukhpak then come to the surface to hunt.
QIQIRN
Wikipedia
In Inuit mythology, Qiqirn is a great bald dog spirit who terrifies the Inuit people. He’s a scary beast but also temperamental and stupid. Men and dogs are afraid of him because the creature would feed on their blood. It only has hair on the feet, ears, mouth and tip of the tail. When people approach it, they suffer from seizures. One of the ways to scare him is to call out his name.
In MMORPGs, Final Fantasy XI, and Final Fantasy XIV, there is also a race of beast-men based on Native American mythology known as Qiqirn. They are funny rat-like creatures. They are known for the over the pronunciation of vowels in all words.
WENDIGO
Deviantart / DrewCarriker6231993
The Wendigo is a mythical creature created by cannibalism on Native American territory because of a curse. The Wendigos are cursed and must wander the earth eternally, seeking to satisfy their voracious appetite for human flesh. Various Native American tribes tell slightly different stories about this creature and refer to it by different names like Witigo, Witiko and Wee-Tee-Go. Still, each version roughly translates to the evil spirit devouring humanity. Like many other intelligent creatures, the Wendigo does not like the sun and hunts humans more in cold weather.
KALLIKANTZAROI
Wikimedia / ΟΕΔΒ 1961
The Kallikantzaros is a malicious Christmas goblin in Southeastern European and Anatolian folklore. Stories about the Kallikantzaros, or their equivalents, can be found in Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, Albania, Bosnia, and Cyprus. The Kallikantzaroi are believed to dwell underground but rise to the surface during the twelve days of Christmas, from December 25 to January 6, from the winter solstice. When they rise to the surface, they attack the tree of life to end the existence of humanity. When they go out, they also wreck human constructions in their path.
