Folklore is an essential part of human culture. It’s the collection of stories, traditions, and beliefs that have been passed down from generation to generation. Folklore carries the essence of a culture’s identity, customs, and distinctiveness. However, not all folklore is uplifting, joyful, or even amusing. Folklore has a dark side, with plenty of horror stories and monsters that can cause chills down anyone’s spine. In this blog post, I will explore some of the horror stories and monsters that exist in different cultures.
One of the most well-known folklore horror stories is from Japan; the story of Kuchisake-Onna, the slit-mouthed woman. This legend tells the story of a woman that was mutilated by her husband, and now wanders around the streets with a mask covering her mouth until she encounters someone. When the person asks her a question, she removes the mask, revealing her gruesome slit-mouth and asks them whether they think she’s pretty. If the person replies no, she kills them with a pair of scissors. If the person replies yes, she removes their mouth to match hers. This story has been adapted into several movies, manga, and games.
Another Japanese monster is the Kappa, a river-dwelling demon that drags people to their watery grave. The Kappa has a shell on its back, webbed hands, and a bald head with a dent that holds water. According to the legends, to escape a kappa, one must make it bow and spill the water over its head, which will make it weak or even powerless.
In the Philippines, the Aswang is another legend that causes fear. The Aswang is a shape-shifting creature that can transform into different animals or even an exact copy of a person. The Aswang’s diet mainly consists of human organs, especially the liver and heart.
The Wendigo is another creature from Native American folklore. The Wendigo is a monster that inhabits the forests of the north and is known to be a malevolent and cannibalistic spirit. The Wendigo is associated with extreme cold, and people who find themselves stranded in icy environments might become possessed by the creature, their insatiable hunger gradually mutating them into Wendigo themselves.
These are only some examples of the dark side of folklore. However, despite the horror stories and monsters that exist in different cultures, folklore remains a crucial part of humanity, and these myths continue to captivate audiences worldwide.
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