Legends and myths about terrifying creatures are nothing new in this world. For hundreds of years, people have sat down and shared stories about monsters lurking around and although many of these today may seem like a mockery to us, such as the bigfoot or the chupacabra, it doesn´t mean that the story behind all of these monsters, is not scary at all.
And even if we decide not to believe in some of these monsters, it doesn’t make them less real or less true, since around the world there are several testimonies of people who promise to have seen at least one strange creature, would you believe them?
These monsters are what one would call a cryptid, which is known as “an animal (such as Sasquatch or the Loch Ness Monster) that has been claimed to exist but never proven to exist Contrary to popular belief, cryptids don’t have to be supernatural, mythical or even all that strange—though many popular creatures acquire these characteristics as their legends grow.”
In the United States alone, there are more than 30 different cryptids, some of which seem to be just another story that scares children, but others will give you the creeps, no matter how old you are…
The Pope Lick Monster
The Pope Lick Monster, a half-human, half-animal cryptid lives underneath the trestle bridge on the Norfolk Southern Railway which passes over Pope Lick Creek in Kentucky. According to the legend, this monster uses some type of hypnosis or voice mimicry to lure people onto the train tracks, where they meet a devastating fate. The origin of this legend is still unclear and locals provide various versions of it. Some say the creature was a circus freak that decided to escape and take revenge on others for his mistreatment.
Another version tells the story of a sick man, a farmer who got too intimate with one of his goats, and the animal gave birth to this monster. Several different stories, one sounding crazier than the other, are heard around the area, which doesn’t make people afraid of the monster anymore but encourages their curiosity to prove if it actually exists. However, no one has seen the beast and actual sightings would only get in the way of the myth.
After several inexplicable deceases, Authorities had to place an 8-foot high fence around the trestle to keep people away from danger, but even with this obstacle, all the curious ones force themselves in, and unfortunately, they end up losing their lives.
Some describe this monster as having the bizarre-looking and deformed body of a man, fur-covered goat legs, a porcelain face with an aquiline nose, wide set-eyes, sharp horns emerging from his forehead and long greasy hair just like the fur on his legs. Whether it’s true or not, the monster of this legend has taken the lives of many people.
Wendigo
The Wendigo is a creature from the mythology of the ancient inhabitants of Canada and the United States. The legend served to deter the tribes from terrible practices during the harsh winter, such as cannibalism.
It is said that this monster devoured the Native Americans who dared to go into the forests but no one has ever seen the Wendigo in person, or at least no one has ever lived to tell about it. The myth describes this creature as a humanoid-looking creature, tall and bony. It has long limbs, thin, elongated claw-like fingers, a scary face, and sharp teeth, their skin is hard as an armor, and only fire can make them retreat.
Some say that the Wendigo would come to his victim and take them by the hand, making them run by his side with long strides, which were drawn in the winter’s snow. At some point along the way, the human footsteps would fade away, unable to keep up with him, at which point the Wendigo would lift his hostage into the air to devour him.
The legend of the Wendigo is said to have been created hundreds of years ago. During the long winters of North America, was also a season of famine. To avoid resorting to cannibalism, the tribes told the story of the Wendigo as a warning; how did it all start? the true story is more macabre than the monster itself…
Among the stories that contain references to the Wendigo, a very famous one stands out, which is situated in the year 1878.
A Native American who was expelled from the Cree tribe and had to take refuge in the forest with his family. Sometime later, this man arrived in a nearby town, emaciated and desperate. He said that his family had passed away of starvation, but the city’s inhabitants didn´t believe him and called the authorities to clarify the case.
Finally, the man had to lead the police to the cabin where he had been living with his family where they found the bodies of his wife and children, partially eaten. The father of the family was condemned to death; before he passes away, he defended himself by claiming that the Wendigo had possessed him, forcing him to do it.
The Beast of Bray Road
In 1930, while on a fishing trip in Elkhorn Wisconsin, loggers reported seeing a creature that looked like a wolf but walked upright, and whose torso and limbs were strangely human. No one paid attention to his story, but a few weeks later several heads of cattle were also found horribly mutilated and experienced hunters organized hunting parties in pursuit of this creature.
In the region, the Indians have spoken since time immemorial of a great Indian chief who, due to a curse, ended up becoming an enormous irrational monster, for which he was condemned to pay for his crimes in the darkness of the woods.
It is said to be around six feet tall with gray and brown fur. Its face resembles that of a wolf, with shiny yellow eyes and pointed ears. Although it has never attacked any human, some witnesses claim that it has acted aggressively, running at them and jumping on their vehicles.
One of the most popular and completely terrifying encounters, tells the story of a man, a security guard from neighboring Jefferson County, who was driving his truck on a patrol around the old Indian cemetery outside Elkhorn.
Near a hill, he saw something that at first, he thought was an enormous gray wolf, but when he shone his lights around it, he could see that it was actually something more horrifying.
The creature stood up, showing him its enormous fangs. The man wanted to start the vehicle to escape, but the terror made him drop his keys falling under the seat. Desperately he tried to find them without taking off his eyes of the creature, which was slowly approaching and stumbling towards the vehicle.
When he managed to find the keys and tried to start the vehicle, the creature was already by the window… Horrified the man heard it say a word that sounded like “Ga-da-ra” and at that moment he started the vehicle and accelerated at full speed leaving the monster behind.
It is unsettling to remember that Gadara is the name of an ancient Roman-Hellenistic city, according to the gospel it was in that city that Jesus of Nazareth fought, in the middle of an ancient cemetery, against two demonized beings. He defeated them by throwing them from the cliffs into the sea.
Do you think any cryptid was ever real?