If you go to Wikipedia, then you can find that the definition of a monster is a creature whose shape or appearance deviates greatly from the ordinary or can be a giant-sized creature. In most stories, monsters are depicted as evil creatures. But is it true that these creatures are always evil?
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Stories about monsters can be found everywhere. From children’s fairy tales, animation, comics, movies, to real-life mystery stories. This type of creature is also often associated with religion, myths, folklore and legends. All the stories about it still remain today even after hundreds of years. They remain interesting to talk about even today. Here are some monsters from around the world. If comics, fairy tales and movies may be just made up stories, but what about folklore and legends? Could they really exist or have they ever existed?
RAAKSHAS / RHAKSHASA
This being is commonly found in Hinduism and Buddhism. They are portrayed as evil humans who transform into evil demon-like creatures where they possess a number of powers including magic. They can change their physical form, but most often appear in a hideous physical form. The most recognizable of the Raakshas is Raavan, a man with 10 heads, several weapons and unparalleled knowledge.
HUNDUN
Chaos has always been personified by Hundun, a faceless god in Chinese folklore. Its physical appearance changes from place to place, but all agree that it devours all good and survives on hatred and evil. This being is one of the beings killed by the benevolent acts performed by Deities Shu and Hu.
DJIN
Don’t imagine the Djinn here is the one that appears from Aladdin’s magic lamp. Djin lives in a parallel world and is said to be created from smoke and fire. In the Islamic world, Djinn are said to have human-like traits, some evil and some good or in between. It is also known that Satan is actually a Djin named Iblis who was expelled from heaven because he refused to submit to Adam (human).
KRAKEN
This monster is a mythological creature from Scandinavian society, taking the form of a terrifying sea monster the size of an island. He is capable of destroying large ships in just one stroke and drowning hundreds of crew members in an instant. The story of Őrvar-Odd, a 13th-century saga from Iceland, is where this creature is first mentioned.
DYBBUK
Dybbuk are the spirits of sinners who are not elevated to the realm of eternity but still live in the world and possess the bodies of the living. They are often mentioned in Jewish folklore, and are monsters that have different names in different faiths.
NEPHILIM
The Nephilim are great giants who are fierce. What many people don’t know is that many theologians insist Goliath was very likely a descendant of the Nephilim race.
HROTHGAR
Have you heard the story of Beowulf? Well, Hrothgar was once mentioned there as the king of Denmark. Although it’s not a monster, the power it possesses makes it onto this list.
KAPPA
This monster from Japanese folklore is a water demon. It dwells in bodies of water such as lakes and rivers, and is said to prey on children who disobey their parents. It has the body of a turtle, the limbs of a frog and the beak of a bird.
PRETA
This creature comes from Hinduism, Buddhism and Shikism. Preta is a supernatural being who in her previous birth was a corrupt and evil person. When reborn, they turn into Preta, who experience great suffering because when these beings are hungry and thirsty, they will never be satisfied.
LOUP GAROU
Loup Garou is a French werewolf, who unlike most western werewolf stories, can transform from wolf to human and vice versa at will. The intelligence that humans retain when they are in wolf form makes them more dangerous than the typical werewolves we know.
AZI DAHAKA
This is a creature mentioned in many Zoroastrian scriptures that is rumored to have 6 eyes, 3 mouths and 3 heads. He is the most knowledgeable of all human sins. It is said that when he was wounded, his blood was that of insects, snakes and rats.
GJENGANGER
Found in Norwegian folklore, Gjengenger is a creature that returns from the dead due to unfinished business in the world. It is said that this creature was a victim of murder and suicide during his lifetime, so he was vengeful and cruel when he was free to roam the world again. Some people say that it spreads disease by biting, while others say it pinches its victims.
CIPACTLI
Physically, this creature is depicted in several forms. But regardless of its physical form, the ancient Aztecs believed it to be the source of the universe. But then it was destroyed by the gods because they feared Cipactli’s insatiable hunger would cause the entire universe to be devoured.
ABADDON
This creature is mentioned in Christian and Judaistic scriptures. Some books claim he became an angel but later became a demon and earned the nickname ‘the destroyer’. Sitting on a maggot throne, Abaddon has an army of scary-looking locusts, which he can command to wreak havoc on his enemies.
PISHAACH
The Pishaachs mentioned in Hindu scriptures are the spirits of men and women who roam the earth as tormented spirits. They can change their physical form and appearance at will and can penetrate the human soul. They are the most evil of monsters.
BLACK SHUCK
Norfolk (England) legends mention the existence of a creature called the Black Shuck in the form of a large black dog with eyes as red as blood (some legends suggest that the creature has only one eye). If a human looks into his eyes, it is certain that he will die one year later.
BASILISK
We must be very familiar with the name of this one creature from the Harry Potter story, right? This mythical creature is said to have been born from an egg incubated by a frog but laid by a chicken. As for its physical form, some say it takes the shape of a giant snake, while others say it is a combination of a bat, snake and rooster. No matter what it looks like, it is so venomous that even birds that pass over it will die.
FEEL
Piasa is a monster known to Native American Indians. Drawings of these creatures were found in caves dating back to 1,200 BC. An interpreter says that this bird-dragon creature often preyed on the natives, until one day it was killed by a local Indian chief named Ouataga.
KELPIE
This water horse creature, as it was known to the ancient Scots, lives in the water and can change shape at will. It often captures humans, brings them into the water and then eats them.
