Santa's Evil Helpers Around the World

Santa's Evil Helpers Around the World

In How to Write a Unique Spooky Story, I wrote about how to write a unique spooky story by either creating your own monster, creature, or horror yourself or by finding a monster that is not well known. I advised finding a monster by researching myths and legends in other cultures to find something that has a rich history surrounding it, but that is not considered modern. However, when writers think of monster stories, they typically think of Halloween monsters and not of the monsters that are associated with Christmas.
Frau Perchta
In Austria, Frau Perchta is a witch that is known for punishing and rewarding people during the holiday season. Her favorite punishment is to replace the criminal’s organs with garbage and to laugh as they slowly die. Those that Frau Perchta sees doing good deeds, she rewards with good luck or a gift hidden under their bed.
Krampus
In Europe, Krampus is believed to be Santa's twin, but while Santa is the carrot that rewards children, Krampus is the stick that punishes them. Krampus punishes the children on Santa's naughty list and will occasionally satiate his appetite by eating children who have been on the naughty list for more than two years in a row.
Hans Trapp
In France, Hans Trapp is an anti-Santa character who used to be an evil man that ate children until one day he was struck by lightning when attempting to eat a child. However, that was not the end of Hans Trapp as every year during the holiday season he rises from the grave as a demonic scarecrow that hunts and scares naughty children in the days leading up to Christmas.   
Père Fouettard
Also in France is Père Fouettard whom Santa Claus caught trying to butcher three young children for a holiday feast. Santa Claus saved the boys and made Père Fouettard into a servant that he could use to punish bad children on St. Nicholas Day; however, it is also believed that Santa Claus does not allow Père Fouettard to permanently harm or kill any of the bad children.
Jólasveinar
In Norway, the Yule Lads are a group of 13 trolls that were caught causing trouble on Christmas by Julenisse (Santa Claus). Julenisse then gave the Yule Lads the job scaring the children of Norway into good behavior so that they can get gifts from Julenisse on Christmas.
Jólakötturinn
In Iceland, Jólakötturinn is an evil cat that eats lazy children. In Iceland, children who finish their work on time get new clothes for Christmas. When Christmas Day has passed, Jólakötturinn wanders Iceland, looking for children that did not get new clothing and whenever Jólakötturinn finds a child without new clothing, he eats them whole.
Belsnickel
In Germany, Belsnickel is a creature that wears a tattered old cloak that hides his face and only leaves his long, fur covered arms visible. Belsnickel wanders the streets of Germany during the week before Christmas, carrying a switch that he uses to either threaten or punish naughty children with in order to teach them a lesson in time for them to change their ways before Christmas Eve so as to get a visit from St. Nicholas.

Written by Readers’ Favorite Reviewer Sefina Hawke                   

Italian Monsters

Italian Monsters

In How to Write a Unique Spooky Story, I wrote about how to write a unique spooky story by either creating your own monster, creature, or horror yourself or by finding a monster that is not well known. I advised finding a monster by researching myths and legends in other cultures to find something that has a rich history surrounding it, but that is not considered modern. One of the countries that have some unique myths is Italy.
Ferocious Beast
The Ferocious Beast was a monster with wolf-like features that was the size of a large horse. It was used as a cautionary tale by parents to scare their children into being home before dark. It was after dark that the Ferocious Beast was known to hunt for its food and its food of choice was children, though if none were available, it was known to eat pets as well. It preferred to hunt in villages, towns, and cities and was rarely seen hunting in the forest, even though that was where its den was often located.
 Badalisc
The Badalisc, also known as the Badalisk, was the size of a large bear with the head of a goat, two small horns on its head, a large mouth with razor sharp teeth, and large glowing eyes. The Badalisc was known for being a transient creature that made its home in the forests of Italy. However, it was not an intelligent monster and it often entered the local communities in the area where it made its home to cause trouble, only to find itself driven off. The Badalisc was only ever driven off as it was considered bad luck to harm or kill the creature, especially because the trouble it caused was always mischief and never deadly or truly harmful.
Squass
 The Squass is a small elf that looks a bit like a squirrel without a tail with some human features and pointed ears. The Squass is known for being summoned to frighten unruly children. However, once summoned, the Squass has a mind of its own and often deviates from the summoner’s wishes once it has frightened the children it was summoned to frighten. Once its mission is complete, the Squass can often be found laughing behind the backs of drunks, playing jokes on random people, and its true joy comes from playing pranks on young girls that it considers pretty.
Marabbecca
The Marabbecca is an aquatic creature that is best known for living in wells. The Marabbecca prefers to make its home in only the most popular wells as its food of choice is children, and it will often be able to drag in unwary children who play by its well without being careful. The Marabbecca sometimes gets lucky and will get food without having to hunt when a careless child plays on or near the well and falls in.
La Bissabova
La Bissabova is a reptilian creature that has the ability to control storms and cause high winds. La Bissabova has been known to use its abilities to cause tornados and hurricanes to destroy entire villages when it has been offended by an inhabitant of a village. However, it has also been known to turn storms away from those who have paid it respect and provided it with gifts.

Written by Readers’ Favorite Reviewer Sefina Hawke                   

Monsters and Creatures of Canada

Monsters and Creatures of Canada

In How to Write a Unique Spooky Story, I wrote about how to write a unique spooky story by either creating your own monster, creature, or horror yourself or by finding a monster that is not well known. I advised finding a monster by researching myths and legends in other cultures to find something that has a rich history surrounding it, but that is not considered modern. One of the countries that have some unique myths is the Canada.
Mussie
Mussie (also known as Hapyxelor or Hapaxelor) is a creature that is believed to have made its home in Muskrat Lake. Mussie is believed to be a mostly aquatic creature that has three eyes, three ears, one large fin located halfway up its back, or a razor sharp silver-green tooth, and the body of a walrus that is twenty-four feet long. Some believe that Mussy was frozen during the ice age and was released when the ice melted, while others believe that Mussie was dropped in Muskrat Lake by aliens in a UFO. It is also debated whether Mussie is a single entity of a species that has been breeding in Muskrat Lake.
Old Yellow Top
Old Yellow Top was first spotted in 1906 where it was believed to be a large blond bear. However, it was soon discovered that Old Yellow Top was not a bear, but in fact a blond Sasquatch that had made Ontario its home. Old Yellow Top has been known to mostly ignore humans, though in 1970 it was spotted walking across a road, carrying several miners to safety after a mine collapse.
Adlets
Adlets are creatures that have the upper body of a human and the lower body of a dog. It is believed that the Adlets were first created from a union between a human woman and a male dog. The human female gave birth to ten puppies and five of them ran away from their mother in order to embrace their human side; these five are believed to have become the very first Europeans. However, the other five that stayed with their mother ended up embracing their dog side and became monsters that spent their time either fighting each other or hunting for humans in human villages. Those humans that they managed to hunt they would devour, whether alive or dead.
The Thetis Lake Monster
The Thetis Lake Monster or the Canadian Lizard Man has the form of a man, but the features of a lizard and insect. The Canadian Lizard Man is believed to have silver blue scales, webbed claws, and a single barbed fin on his back. This creature generally leaves humans alone as long as they stay clear of its territory. However, those that trespass on its territory, no matter how unknowingly or unwillingly, find themselves mauled by the creature's webbed claws and bitten by its razor sharp teeth. It is rare that a human survives an encounter with the Canadian Lizard Man and those that do are never the same again.

Written by Readers’ Favorite Reviewer Sefina Hawke                   

Mythical Creatures of Switzerland

Mythical Creatures of Switzerland

In How to Write a Unique Spooky Story, I wrote about how to write a unique spooky story by either creating your own monster, creature, or horror yourself or by finding a monster that is not well known. I advised finding a monster by researching myths and legends in other cultures to find something that has a rich history surrounding it, but that is not considered modern. One of the countries that have some unique myths is Switzerland.
Barbegazi
Barbegazi are similar to dwarves and gnomes in their stature and manner. Barbegazi have the appearance of a short human man with white fur, a long beard, and huge feet. The Barbegazi are best known for living in the mountains of Switzerland because they love using their large feet as skies for traveling down the mountains, and as snowshoes for climbing back up the mountains. The Barbegazi also enjoy making their own tunnels which connect to caves within the mountains that they call home. Barbegazi have been occasionally known to aid lost travelers in finding the path off the mountain, shepherds in rounding up their flocks, and rescuing humans that have been buried by avalanches.
White Women
White Women are spirits with an elfish appearance that may only be seen in direct sunlight. These White Women are beautiful creatures that are most often seen bathing in small bodies of water near a sandy shore. These White Women were once human women that were often killed ritualistically to force them to guard castles and/or treasures from robbers or those seeking treasure. While White Women are forced by their nature to kill those seeking to rob, they have been known to willingly allow humans to break their curse to allow them their final rest. Once the curse has been broken, the spirit will often give the one that freed it a clue to where the treasure is located in thanks for giving it the freedom to leave the living world.
Nix
Nix are intriguing water creatures whose natural form is that of a half human half fish. However, a Nix can also take the form of a beautiful woman, an invisible form, or that of an old woman at will in order to enjoy the human world. The Nix are well known for their love of music and dancing, as well as their ability to give accurate prophecies to those that they love or respect. Every Nix has their own unique personality and nature that make them different from other Nix. For instance, some Nix have been known to kidnap human children to use as bait to get humans close enough to the water to drown them. Other Nix have been known to fall in love with human men, marry them, and even have children with them. These children that are born from the union of a Nix and a human always take on a human appearance, but some have been known to inherit their mother's gift for shape changing or invisibility.

Written by Readers’ Favorite Reviewer Sefina Hawke                   

How to Find a Less Than Modern Monster

How to Find a Less Than Modern Monster

In How to Write a Unique Spooky Story, I wrote about how to write a unique spooky story by either creating your own monster, creature, or horror yourself or by finding a monster that is not well known. I advised finding a monster by researching myths and legends in other cultures to find something that has a rich history surrounding it, but that is not considered modern. However, I did not explain the different resources that could be used to discover and research these less than modern monsters. The first step in researching and finding your monster is deciding what culture you want your monster to come from.
Books
If you are looking for a truly old and unknown monster then books are your best bet, especially older books that do not have digital versions. Once you know what culture you want to research, you need to seek out old books that contain mythology and legends from your chosen culture. These books can sometimes be located at libraries; however, more often than not they can be found at used books stores and sometime estate auctions. Since these books are going to be older, you should keep in my mind that they will be written in the languge(s) used by the culture you are researching. Make sure to choose your culture based on your own language knowledge or make sure to have a translator available to you.
People
One of the best ways to find out about the monsters from your chosen culture is to travel to the place and talk to people about their monster legends and myths. Tour guides can be an invaluable source as not only do they often live in the area, but they also know a lot about the area and its backgrounds in both legends and history. A tour guide could also recommend some locals that might have more knowledge of local mythology that was passed down through the generations. Just make sure that when you talk to people about the legends and myths from their culture to always remain polite and do not claim that the monster or creature does not exist if the local population believes it does.
Internet
The internet is the easiest option for exploring monster myths as Google and other search engines will allow you to research a multitude of monsters and cultures without leaving your home. However, not all legends and myths have been digitized and made available online so you may be missing out on some of the best monsters that mythology has to offer if you only confine yourself to the internet. Many of the older books on mythology have never been made into digital books or posted online.
Combining Methods
The best way to truly understand your monster, once you have chosen one, is to research it using all of these methods so that you can truly interpret all of the different legends surrounding the monster. Different sources will often offer a different view on the legend and they might also see the monster’s actions differently.

Written by Readers’ Favorite Reviewer Sefina Hawke                   

The Mythical Spirits of Venezuela

The Mythical Spirits of Venezuela

In How to Write a Unique Spooky Story, I wrote about how to write a unique spooky story by either creating your own monster, creature, or horror yourself or by finding a monster that is not well known. I advised finding a monster by researching myths and legends in other cultures to find something that has a rich history surrounding it, but that is not considered modern. One of the countries that have some unique myths is Venezuela. Venezuela is officially known as the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, and it is located in South America; it is mostly known for its high level of biodiversity.
El Silbon
El Silbon was once a spoiled child who killed his own father in order to eat his entrails, but was caught by his grandfather who whipped the boy. The grandfather then gave the boy his father’s bones in a sack, banished him from his home, set his dogs on him, and then cursed him. When the dogs caught up to the boy, they killed him, and the grandfather’s curse took hold, turning the boy into El Silbon. El Silbon takes the appearance of a ghostly man, over six feet tall, who is very skinny, and he carries a large sack on his back. El Silbon can be recognized by his eerie whistling which causes humans to feel intense fear and dread. At night, El Silbon sneaks into houses where he will count his father’s bones all night long. If the family living in the house hears El Silbon, then they will have good luck for a year; however, if no one hears El Silbon then at least one member of the household will die before morning.
La Sayona
La Sayona was once a very pretty young woman called Melissa who was married and had a young son. Melissa would swim naked in a river near her village every day, and one day a man came across and was hypnotized by her beauty. For weeks he would come to the river to watch her swim, until one day Melissa caught him and told him to leave her alone. The man told Melissa that he was there to warn her that her husband was sleeping with Melissa's mother. In anger Melissa killed her husband and her son, and then set out to kill her mother. As her mother was dying, she laid a curse on Melissa that she would have to avenge all women for all of time who had unfaithful husbands. When Melissa’s mother took her last breath, Melissa was transformed into the ghostly figure that became known as La Sayona. La Sayona is a mostly transparent ghost that can take the form of any woman to lure unfaithful husbands to come near. Once the unfaithful are within her grasp, La Sayona kills them and devours their life energy.   
La Llorana
La Llorana was once a young woman called Maria who drowned her two children to get revenge on her husband, who left her for a younger woman. However, she quickly fell into a deep despair when she realized that she had not just punished her husband, but also killed her own children. In her despair, she killed herself in the same river as she drowned her children. She then rose as a spirit known as La Llorana, who searches without rest for her children to beg their forgiveness. La Llorana will often drown any child that resembles her own dead children in the hope that their lives could be exchanged for those of her own children. She often asks for forgiveness from these children before she drowns them.

Written by Readers’ Favorite Reviewer Sefina Hawke                   

Monsters of Poland

Monsters of Poland

In How to Write a Unique Spooky Story, I wrote about how to write a unique spooky story by either creating your own monster, creature, or horror yourself or by finding a monster that is not well known. I advised finding a monster by researching myths and legends in other cultures to find something that has a rich history surrounding it, but that is not considered modern. One of the countries that have some unique myths is Poland.
Baba Yaga
Baba Yaga is an old witch that lives in Poland. She has gone by many different names over the centuries such as Jedza, Wiedzma, and Czarownica. It is believed that Baba Yaga lives in a hut that is held up by dead birds' feet, with a fence made of human skulls and bones, and the very walls of the hut are made out of human organs and skin. Baba Yaga is a witch that is both destructive and nurturing in that she is a cannibal that feasts upon the flesh of children, yet she is also known for reuniting lovers. She can take the form of a bird, fish, or reptile at will, yet in those forms she is known for nurturing life and not taking it. She can also alter her human form from that of a young maiden princess to that of an old crone.
Topielec
Topielec, also known as Vodník and Utopiec, are spirits of the water that were once humans who died violent deaths caused by drowning. After losing their human life due to a watery death, the spirit rises as a Topielec. Once risen, a Topielec immediately begins to hunt for humans who wander into the water that once stole the spirit’s human life away. Those humans that wander into the domain of a Topielec find themselves dragged and held underwater until they breathe their last breath. Topielecs are believed to feed off the misery and fear of the humans they drown; if there are not enough humans close to the Topielecs’ domain, they have been known to drown animals.
Leśny Dziadek
Leśny Dziadek loosely translates to forest gramps; these creatures appear like harmless, elderly human males. Yet, they have a sinister appetite for human flesh and organs. The Leśny Dziadek uses its harmless appearance to lure its victims with pleas for assistance. When its victim comes to help, the Leśny Dziadek strikes. Leśny Dziadek drags its victims back to its cave where it strips the victim of as much meat, skin, and organs as possible before the victim dies. The Leśny Dziadek has a particular taste for flesh and meat that is harvested while its victim still breathes.
Cmentar
Cmentar is a somewhat harmless monster known for living in cemeteries and feeding off the corpses of the dead. The Cmentar waits until midnight and then digs up the bodies of the freshly dead, which it then harvests for meat, flesh, and organs before putting the skeleton back into the grave and restoring the grave to its original appearance. The meat, flesh, and organs are then either eaten or preserved so that the Cmentar has a food supply, even if a new body does not come into the cemetery for a while. The Cmentar does not hunt humans for food nor does it wish them any harm unless it is attacked by them.

Written by Readers’ Favorite Reviewer Sefina Hawke