In North American
folklore
Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that culture, subculture or group. This includes oral traditions such as tales, legends, proverbs and jokes. They include material culture, rangin ...
, fearsome critters were
tall tale animals jokingly said to inhabit the wilderness in or around
logging camp
A logging camp (or lumber camp) is a transitory work site used in the logging industry. Before the second half of the 20th century, these camps were the primary place where lumberjacks would live and work to fell trees in a particular area. Many ...
s,
[Dorson, Richard M. ''Man and Beast in American Comic Legend.'' (Bloomington, IN: Indiana Univ. Press, 1982.)][Leach, Maria. ''Funk & Wagnalls Standard Dictionary Of Folklore, Mythology and Legend.'' (New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company, 1949.)][South, Malcolm. ''Mythical and Fabulous Creatures: A Source Book and Research Guide.'' (Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group, 1984.)] especially in the
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes in the mid-east region of North America that connect to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River. There are five lakes ...
region. Today, the term may also be applied to similar
fabulous beasts.
Origins
Fearsome critters were an integral part of
oral tradition
Oral tradition, or oral lore, is a form of human communication wherein knowledge, art, ideas and Culture, cultural material is received, preserved, and transmitted orally from one generation to another.Jan Vansina, Vansina, Jan: ''Oral Traditio ...
in North American
logging camp
A logging camp (or lumber camp) is a transitory work site used in the logging industry. Before the second half of the 20th century, these camps were the primary place where lumberjacks would live and work to fell trees in a particular area. Many ...
s during the turn of the twentieth century,
principally as a means to pass time (such as in
tall tales)
[Cox, William T. with Latin Classifications by George B. Sudworth. ''Fearsome Creatures of the Lumberwoods.'' Washington, D.C.: Judd & Detweiler Inc., 1910] or as a jest for
hazing
Hazing (American English), initiation, beasting (British English), bastardisation (Australian English), ragging (South Asian English) or deposition refers to any activity expected of someone in joining or participating in a group that humiliates, ...
newcomers.
[Tryon, Henry Harrington. ''Fearsome Critters.'' (Cornwall, NY: Idlewild Press, 1939)] In a typical fearsome critter gag, a person would casually remark about a strange noise or sight they encountered in the wild, and another accomplice would join in with a similar anecdote. Meanwhile, an eavesdropper would begin to investigate, as Henry H. Tryon recorded in his book, ''Fearsome Critters'' (1939) —
Lumberjacks, who regularly traveled between camps, would stop to swap stories, which eventually disseminated these myths across the continent.
Many fearsome critters were simply the products of pure exaggeration; however, a number were used either jokingly or seriously as explanations for both unexplained and natural phenomena. For example, the
hidebehind served to account for loggers who failed to return to camp,
[Brown, C.E. ''Paul Bunyan Natural History.'' (Madison: self-published, 1935.)][Cohen, Daniel. ''Monsters, Giants, and Little Men from Mars: An Unnatural History of the Americas.'' (New York: Doubleday, 1975)] while the treesqueak offered justification for strange noises heard in the woods.
A handful whether intentionally or unknowing mirrored descriptions of actual animals. The
mangrove killifish
The mangrove killifish or mangrove rivulus, ''Kryptolebias marmoratus'' ( syn. ''Rivulus marmoratus''), is a species of killifish in the family Rivulidae. It lives in brackish and marine waters (less frequently in fresh water) along the coasts o ...
, which takes up shelter in decaying branches after leaving the water,
[Bester, Cathleen. (5 May 2017). "Mangrove Rivulus." Retrieved March 07, 2020, from ''Florida Museum''. Web site: https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/discover-fish/species-profiles/rivulus-marmoratus/] exhibits similarities to the upland trout, a legendary fish purported to nest in trees.
[Wyman, Walker D. ''Mythical Creatures of the USA and Canada.'' (River Falls, WI: Univ of Wisconsin Riverfalls Press,1978.)] In addition, the story of the fillyloo, about a mythical crane that flies upside-down, may have been inspired by observations of the
wood stork
The wood stork (''Mycteria americana'') is a large American wading bird in the family Ciconiidae (storks), the only member of the family to breed in North America. It was formerly called the "wood ibis", though it is not an ibis. It is found ...
, a bird that has been witnessed briefly flying in this manner.
[Randolph, Vance. ''We Always Lie to Strangers: Tall Tales from the Ozarks.'' (New York: Columbia University Press, 1951.)] In particular instances more elaborate ruses were created using
taxidermy
Taxidermy is the art of preserving an animal's body via mounting (over an armature) or stuffing, for the purpose of display or study. Animals are often, but not always, portrayed in a lifelike state. The word ''taxidermy'' describes the proc ...
[Wisconsinosity. (2010). "Barron County: The Friendly Buckhorn Bar." Retrieved March 09, 2011, from ''Wisconsinosity.com''. Web site: http://www.wisconsinosity.com/Barron/barron.htm] or
trick photography.
[Wisconsin Historical Society. (2011). "Larger Than Life: Tall-Tale Postcards." Retrieved March 09, 2011, from ''Wisconsin Historical Society''. Web site: http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/whi/feature/talltales/]
Attributes
The character of the fearsome critters themselves was usually more comical than frightful.
Often the greater emphasis is placed on behavioral traits with little or no detail mentioned on their appearance, as in the cases of the
hidebehind,
teakettler,
[Borges, Jorge Luis; Guerrero, Margarita. ''Book of Imaginary Beings.'' (New York: Dutton, 1969.)] squidgicum-squee,
[Schwartz, Alvin. ''Kickle Snifters and Other Fearsome Critters.'' (Binghamton, NY: Harpercollins Juvenile Books, 1978.)] and hangdown.
Some fearsome critters like flittericks or the
goofus appeared to be ordinary animals that just behaved out of the ordinary. The more physically emphasized and improbable creatures seem to be distinguished by how far the storyteller could push the boundaries of
biomechanics
Biomechanics is the study of the structure, function and motion of the mechanical aspects of biological systems, at any level from whole organisms to organs, cells and cell organelles, using the methods of mechanics. Biomechanics is a branch of ...
. Both the tripodero
and snoligoster
demonstrate facets more in common with mechanical apparatuses than animals, and the
hugag
In American folklore, the hugag is a fearsome critter resembling a hippopotamus with an extensive upper-lip, preventing it from grazing, and joint-less legs preventing it from lying down.
Name usage
The word hugag well predates its usage as a ter ...
and
sidehill gouger
In American folklore, a Sidehill gouger is a fearsome critter adapted to living on hillsides by having legs on one side of their body shorter than the legs on the opposite side. This peculiarity allows them to walk on steep hillsides, although on ...
seem to be more a play on
applied physics
Applied physics is the application of physics to solve scientific or engineering problems. It is usually considered to be a bridge or a connection between physics and engineering.
"Applied" is distinguished from "pure" by a subtle combination ...
than fanciful inspiration. While much of the literature that has been written on the subject echoes a naturalist's perspective, commonly specifying a range of distribution, behavioral habits, and physical appearance,
many of these myths were never as widespread as others. Consequently, it is common to find a lack of consensus on a specific fearsome critter, if not clear contradictions. To illustrate, the
wampus cat differs widely in appearance depending on region. For instance, in Henry H. Tryon's ''Fearsome Critters'', the wampus cat is described as having
pantograph
A pantograph (, from their original use for copying writing) is a mechanical linkage connected in a manner based on parallelograms so that the movement of one pen, in tracing an image, produces identical movements in a second pen. If a line dr ...
ic forelimbs
while in Vance Randolph's ''We Always Lie to Strangers,'' it is portrayed a supernatural, aquatic panther.
The tendency to description of behavior without image is used to eerie literary effect by
Manly Wade Wellman
Manly Wade Wellman (May 21, 1903 – April 5, 1986) was an American writer. While his science fiction and fantasy stories appeared in such pulps as ''Astounding Stories'', ''Startling Stories'', ''Unknown'' and '' Strange Stories'', Wellman i ...
in employing a number of fearsome critters in his 1952 science fiction folk tale "The Desrick on Yandro," as well as commenting specifically on the lack of physical description for one of the beasts: "The Behinder flung itself on his shoulders. Then I knew why nobody's supposed to see one. I wish I hadn't. To this day I can see it, as plain as a fence at noon, and forever I will be able to see it. But talking about it's another matter. Thank you, I won't try."
Firsthand accounts
In his 1939 book, ''Fearsome Critters,'' Henry H. Tryon recounted that "... much true folk-lore was born, lived and died with no chance of ever becoming a part of our permanent records. Without doubt this has happened to a good bit of woods lore." Consequently, firsthand records on fearsome critters are few in number. However, among some of the more significant sources to record fearsome critter stories directly from loggers, hunters and other forest tradesmen, listed chronologically, are:
* ''
,'' by William T. Cox (Washington, D.C.: Judd & Detweiler Inc., 1910)
* ''Fearsome Critters,'' by Henry H. Tryon (Cornwall, NY: Idlewild Press, 1939)
* ''The Hodag and Other Tales of the Logging Camps,'' by Lakeshore Kearney (Madison, WI: Democrat Printing Company, 1928)
* ''Paul Bunyan Natural History,'' by Charles E. Brown (Madison, WI: self-published, 1935)
* ''We Always Lie to Strangers,'' by Vance Randolph (New York: Columbia University Press, 1951)
* ''Mythical Creatures of the USA and Canada,'' by Walker D. Wyman (River Falls, WI: Univ of Wisconsin Riverfalls Press, 1978)
Additionally, in 1922 and 1925, veteran guide Art Childs published an illustrated newspaper column entitled, ''Yarns of the Big Woods'' that featured fearsome critters from oral traditions. Additionally, many of the aforementioned texts has since been made freely available online, yet others are still under copyright.
List
Beasts
*
Agropelter
The Agropelter (Anthrocephalus craniofractens) is a mythical fearsome critter said to inhabit hollow trees of the conifer woods from Maine to Oregon
Oregon () is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The ...
, a beast that amuses itself by hurling twigs and tree branches at passersby.
*
Axehandle hound
In American folklore, the axehandle hound (axhandle hound, ax-handle hound, or similar) is a "fearsome critter" of Minnesota and Wisconsin. The animal resembles a dog with a body axe-like in shape. It has a head shaped like an axe blade, hence the ...
, a beast that reputedly subsists on axe-handles left unattended,
mentioned in
Jorge Luis Borges
Jorge Francisco Isidoro Luis Borges Acevedo (; ; 24 August 1899 – 14 June 1986) was an Argentine short-story writer, essayist, poet and translator, as well as a key figure in Spanish-language and international literature. His best-known b ...
' ''
Book of Imaginary Beings''.
*
Ball-tailed cat
The ball-tailed cat (''Felis caudaglobosa'') is a fearsome critter of North American folklore most commonly described as having similar traits to that of a mountain lion
The cougar (''Puma concolor'') is a large cat native to the Americas. ...
, a feline similar to a
mountain lion
The cougar (''Puma concolor'') is a large cat native to the Americas. Its range spans from the Canadian Yukon to the southern Andes in South America and is the most widespread of any large wild terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere. ...
, except with a long tail with a bulbous end used for striking its prey.
*
Bigfoot
Bigfoot, also commonly referred to as Sasquatch, is a purported ape-like creature said to inhabit the forest of North America. Many dubious articles have been offered in attempts to prove the existence of Bigfoot, including anecdotal claims o ...
is an alleged
ape/
human
Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, cultu ...
-like hybrid creature of North American folklore.
*
Cactus cat, a
feline of the
American Southwest
The Southwestern United States, also known as the American Southwest or simply the Southwest, is a geographic and cultural region of the United States that generally includes Arizona, New Mexico, and adjacent portions of California, Colorado ...
with hair-like thorns that intoxicates itself by the consumption of cactus water.
*
Dungavenhooter, a
crocodile
Crocodiles (family Crocodylidae) or true crocodiles are large semiaquatic reptiles that live throughout the tropics in Africa, Asia, the Americas and Australia. The term crocodile is sometimes used even more loosely to include all extant me ...
creature with no mouth and huge nostrils. The creature uses its tail to pound loggers into a gaseous vapor, which it then inhales for sustenance.
*
Glawackus, an animal resembling a mixture of a
lion
The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large cat of the genus '' Panthera'' native to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; short, rounded head; round ears; and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphic; adu ...
,
boar
The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The species is ...
, or
bear
Bears are carnivoran mammals of the family Ursidae. They are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans. Although only eight species of bears are extant, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the No ...
.
*
Gumberoo, a rare, hairless
bear
Bears are carnivoran mammals of the family Ursidae. They are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans. Although only eight species of bears are extant, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the No ...
-like creature with nearly invulnerable skin. The animal's hide repels anything fired at it. Fire causes the gumberoo to combust in a massive explosion.
*
Hidebehind, an animal that seizes loggers and devours them. The animal was said to be so swift that it could hide behind the nearest tree before being seen.
*
Hodag
In American folklore, the hodag is a fearsome critter resembling a large bull-horned carnivore with a row of thick curved spines down its back. The hodag was said to be born from the ashes of cremated oxen, as the incarnation of the accumulation ...
, a creature of the Wisconsin swamps possessing horns and spines.
*
Hugag
In American folklore, the hugag is a fearsome critter resembling a hippopotamus with an extensive upper-lip, preventing it from grazing, and joint-less legs preventing it from lying down.
Name usage
The word hugag well predates its usage as a ter ...
, an animal similar to a
moose
The moose (in North America) or elk (in Eurasia) (''Alces alces'') is a member of the New World deer subfamily and is the only species in the genus ''Alces''. It is the largest and heaviest extant species in the deer family. Most adult ma ...
, with stiff, jointless legs, and a large upper lip preventing it from grazing or lying down.
*
Jackalope, a
jackrabbit
Hares and jackrabbits are mammals belonging to the genus ''Lepus''. They are herbivores, and live solitarily or in pairs. They nest in slight depressions called forms, and their young are able to fend for themselves shortly after birth. The gen ...
with the antlers of an antelope or deer.
*
Jersey Devil
In South Jersey and Philadelphia folklore in the United States, the Jersey Devil (also known as the Leeds Devil) is a legendary creature said to inhabit the forest of Pine Barrens in South Jersey. The creature is often described as a flying ...
, a predatory creature that inhabits the pine forests of Southern
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delawa ...
.
The creature is often described as winged and bipedal, and sometimes connected to
witchcraft
Witchcraft traditionally means the use of magic or supernatural powers to harm others. A practitioner is a witch. In medieval and early modern Europe, where the term originated, accused witches were usually women who were believed to have ...
and
devil worship
Theistic Satanism, otherwise referred to as religious Satanism, spiritual Satanism, or traditional Satanism, is an umbrella term for religious groups that consider Satan, the Devil, or Lucifer to objectively exist as a deity, supernatural entit ...
.
*
Sidehill gouger
In American folklore, a Sidehill gouger is a fearsome critter adapted to living on hillsides by having legs on one side of their body shorter than the legs on the opposite side. This peculiarity allows them to walk on steep hillsides, although on ...
, an animal legged for hillsides having legs on one side taller than the other, thus always having to travel on hillsides.
*
Splintercat, a legendary
cat
The cat (''Felis catus'') is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members of ...
of the
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest (sometimes Cascadia, or simply abbreviated as PNW) is a geographic region in western North America bounded by its coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains to the east. Thou ...
that uses its incredible speed and stiff forehead to smash into large trees, knocking the branches off and withering the trunks.
*
Squonk
The squonk is a mythical creature that is reputed to live in the hemlock forests of northern Pennsylvania in the United States.
Origins
Although the earliest written account of the squonk was from the 1910 book ''Fearsome Creatures of the Lu ...
, an animal which, saddened by its deformed countenance, cries incessantly and even dissolves into tears if seen.
*
Teakettler, a small variety of vermin that makes a noise like a teakettle.
*
Wampus cat, a large phantom
panther
Panther may refer to:
Large cats
* Pantherinae, the cat subfamily that contains the genera ''Panthera'' and ''Neofelis''
**'' Panthera'', the cat genus that contains tigers, lions, jaguars and leopards.
*** Jaguar (''Panthera onca''), found in S ...
that varies widely in appearance.
*
Whirling Whimpus, a
gorilla
Gorillas are herbivorous, predominantly ground-dwelling great apes that inhabit the tropical forests of equatorial Africa. The genus ''Gorilla'' is divided into two species: the eastern gorilla and the western gorilla, and either four ...
-like monster with large arms and
horse
The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million yea ...
-like hooves, with the ability to spin around into a small tornado to catch prey,
similar to
Taz of
Looney Tunes
''Looney Tunes'' is an American animated comedy short film series produced by Warner Bros. starting from 1930 to 1969, concurrently with its partner series '' Merrie Melodies'', during the golden age of American animation.[ ...]
fame.
Birds
*
Belled buzzard, a vulture with a bell affixed to it. The ringing of which is cited as an omen of disaster.
*
Gillygaloo bird, a
bird
Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweig ...
that lays square eggs, so they do not roll.
*
Goofus bird, a backwards-flying
bird
Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweig ...
that builds its nest upside down.
Fish
*
Fur-bearing trout
The fur-bearing trout (or furry trout) is a legendary creature purportedly found in American folklore and Icelandic folklore. According to folklore, the trout has created a thick coat of fur to maintain its body heat. Tales of furry fish date to ...
, a species of
trout
Trout are species of freshwater fish belonging to the genera '' Oncorhynchus'', '' Salmo'' and '' Salvelinus'', all of the subfamily Salmoninae of the family Salmonidae. The word ''trout'' is also used as part of the name of some non-salm ...
that grows a thick fur coat for warmth in cold climates.
[Fellowship of Fur-Bearing Fish. (2011). "Myth or Marvel?: The Fur-Bearing Trout." Retrieved March 09, 2011, from ''Furbearingtrout.com''. Web site: http://www.furbearingtrout.com]
Serpents
*
Hoop snake, a
snake
Snakes are elongated, limbless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes . Like all other squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales. Many species of snakes have skulls with several more ...
that bites its tail to enable it to roll like a wheel.
*
Joint snake, a
snake
Snakes are elongated, limbless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes . Like all other squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales. Many species of snakes have skulls with several more ...
that can reassemble itself after being cut to pieces or break apart when hit with something.
*
Snallygaster, a
bird
Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweig ...
/
reptile
Reptiles, as most commonly defined are the animals in the class Reptilia ( ), a paraphyletic grouping comprising all sauropsids except birds. Living reptiles comprise turtles, crocodilians, squamates ( lizards and snakes) and rhynchocephalia ...
-like hybrid beast said to inhabit the hills surrounding Washington and Frederick Counties of
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean t ...
*
Snow snake
Snow snake is a Native American winter sport traditionally played by many tribes in the Great Lakes region, including the Ojibwe, Sioux, Wyandotte, Oneida and other Haudenosaunee people.
Play
A game of snow snake is played by four teams, called ...
, a
snake
Snakes are elongated, limbless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes . Like all other squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales. Many species of snakes have skulls with several more ...
that is active only during winter months.
See also
*
List of legendary creatures
*
Paul Bunyan
Paul Bunyan is a giant lumberjack and folk hero in American and Canadian folklore. His exploits revolve around the tall tales of his superhuman labors, and he is customarily accompanied by Babe the Blue Ox. The character originated in the o ...
*
William T. Cox
*
Drop bear
The drop bear (sometimes dropbear) is a hoax in contemporary Australian folklore featuring a predatory, carnivorous version of the koala. This imaginary animal is commonly spoken about in tall tales designed to scare tourists. While koalas are typ ...
*
Snipe hunt
References
Sources
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
External links
''Fearsome Critter Database''
{{American tall tales
Practical jokes