Featured: 10 Evil Creatures from Mythology

Legends and myths have fascinated humans since the dawn of time. They tell us the story of how the world and our culture came to be. They teach us lessons or warn us from the creatures they speak of. The creatures from these legends or myths can be separated into two categories: good and bad. The 10 Ways... column is focusing on one category, though: on the evil creatures of the world. They come from the depths of hell or the pits of the underworld. They curse humans for fun and are omens of death. They are the Slendermans and Bloody Mary of the past, but some of them are still believed to haunt people today.

1. Aswang

The Aswang is a mythical creature from Filipino folklore. The term “Aswang” is used as a generic term for most mythical creatures, like witches, vampires, and monsters. The Aswang is a shape-shifter and an evil vampire-like creature. They switch back and forth from being shy and seemingly harmless humans into terrifying monsters who eat unborn fetuses and small children’s livers and hearts. So be warned! You never know - there might be an Aswang near you!

2. Adlet

The Adlet is the Werewolf of the Inuit. They resemble the Werewolf in shape, form and behavior. It stands between six and eight feet tall and has human-like features such as hands, only with long and sharp claws. They can be found in some regions of Quebec, Labrador and some lands to the north. They are merciless killers who hunt in packs and stalk their prey. They paralyze their prey with fear, making them easier to hunt. The prey’s death is slow, agonizing and extremely painful; the Adlet crushes its prey into an unrecognized pulp and then eats the guts and blood that spill out from the body. Though their intellect is of some lower primates', they are somewhat smarter than wolves and are capable of using some tools. The Adlet is omnivorous; they only eat vegetation when their desired food is not available. They enjoy meat - especially human flesh and blood, according to legend. Like werewolves, they heal fast and they can only be injured or killed by fire or silver.

3. Duende

A Duende is a fairy, goblin-like creature that comes from Iberian, Latin and Filipino folklore. There are different terms for these creatures; the French call them lutin, the Irish call them leprechaun or far darrig, and the Swedish call them tomte. This word is the equivalent of the English word ‘sprite’ and the Japanese word ‘yokai’. It is believed that they are of small stature and wear big hats. While some cultures say that the duende is mischievous and often bad, some say that they are of good nature because they help lost people find their way home. Either way, be careful not to cross them because they can use their talents to take your toes off or to cast a curse upon you.

4. Doppelganger

According to the dictionary, doppelganger means alter ego or a ghostly counterpart of a living person. In German, this word means “double walker.” Doppelgangers are paranormal counterparts of people often representing evil or misfortune. They are perceived as a sinister form of bilocation (when an individual or object is in two places at the same time) and often bring bad luck. In some cultures, a doppelganger is an omen of death.

5. Kikiyaon

The Kikiyaon is a mythical creature that hails from Africa. It is the soul cannibal; one of the most terrifying but least seen and understood of all the forest creatures. It looks like an owl; it has a huge beak, talons on its arms and feet, and has a huge pair of wings. It is the inhabitant of the dark forest in Africa; it’s rarely seen but it contents itself with attacking travelers. The people who see this creature and live will die of sickness or from shock, according to the people in Africa. It is a deadly opponent that is capable of swooping down on its prey and surpasses or outruns humans. In addition to that, it can also move from the spirit and physical realm easily. But they are feared in both realms though there is more chance of escape in the latter realm.

6. Banshee

Also called as Banshi or Benshee (in Scottish and Irish mythology). They are female spirits and are usually seen as an omen of death or a messenger from the Otherworld. According to legend, banshees wail if someone is about to die. The banshees can either appear as an ugly hag or a stunning woman of any age. Although they are not usually seen, they wail usually at night. They are also described as wearing white or grey with pale silver hair.

7. Tikbalang

The Tikbalang is a creature from Philippine mythology. It is a half-human, half-animal (most common is a horse) creature that is said to lurk in the mountains and forests. They scare travelers and lead them astray. In the province of Rizal, they believe that Tikabalangs are benevolent guardians of kingdoms. They are found standing at the foot of large trees, looking for people who dare to cause trouble in their kingdom. In some provinces, they believe that they can turn themselves invisible or turn into human form. Tikbalangs are usually associated with the dark, sparsely populated and dense forests. In order to ward this creature off, one must wear his or her shirt inside out. Another countermeasure is to ask permission to pass through the forest or to produce little noise.

8. Jinn

The jinn are genies of Islamic mythology. They are spirits mentioned in the Koran (Quron or the central religious text of Islam). Moreover, the Jinn was also featured in Supernatural (it’s Djinn in Supernatural). In that episode, the Jinn wasn't granting people wishes but rather granted their greatest wish in their dreams and feeding off their life forms. According to Islamic mythology, they inhabit an unseen world beyond the universe. The Koran states that the jinn are made of a scorch-less and smokeless fire and they also have weight. In addition to that, they can either be good or bad, like human beings. In One Thousand and One Nights, several types of Jinn coexist and interact with human beings. Some of them are the Ghoul, the Ifrit which is considered the strongest and most massive type of Jinn and the Angels. To protect oneself from the Jinn, an amulet or talisman known as tawiz must be worn. Other methods of avoiding trouble with the Jinn are leaving them food and charcoal to keep them satisfied and happy and sprinkling salt on the floor to avoid attacks from the Jinn when you sleep.

9. Harpy

A harpy is a creature from Greek mythology. A harpy was one of the winged spirits who constantly stole from Phineus, the king of Thrace and the seer who appeared on the accounts of the Argonaut’s voyage. The literal meaning of harpy is ‘that which snatches’ as it comes from the ancient Greek word harpazein, which meant ‘to snatch.’ They are agents of torture for the souls going down to Tartarus. Moreover, the harpy is the mother of the horses which Achilles sired by the West Wind Zephyros. Harpies were regarded as beautiful women with wings but, due to confusion with Sirens, harpies were described as ugly.

Thank you to Audrey T. Moon and whomping willow. who edited this article for me!