Buzz
Move over UFOs. Tales of encounters with mythical beings from ancient folklore are flooding the internet and social media platforms globally. Here are 10 reported modern-day interactions with legendary creatures.
10. Acknowledgment of The Wyrm
Previously, we’ve discussed Iceland’s widespread belief in elves, where worries about disturbing their habitats have impacted road development. However, elves aren’t the only mythical beings receiving official acknowledgment in the region. Lake Lagarfljot, near Egilsstadir in eastern Iceland, is said to house Lagarfljotsormurinn, a mythical sea serpent or wyrm that has been part of local legends since the 1300s.
In 2012, a viral YouTube video showed an enigmatic form moving oddly beneath the ice, sparking widespread belief that it was undeniable evidence of the ancient beast. Finnish researcher Miisa McKeown challenged this, analyzing the footage and using still images to demonstrate that the seemingly moving object was stationary in the water, likely just a frozen fishing net or a piece of fabric.
The local authorities, however, established a truth commission to verify the authenticity of the footage and decide if the videographer deserved the $4,000 reward offered by the council for evidence of the creature. Seven out of the 13 panel members concluded that the footage was genuine. This decision was undoubtedly based on a rational evaluation of the evidence and had no connection to the local tourism sector.
9. The Mermaids of Kiryat Yam
Residents and visitors in the Israeli town of Kiryat Yam have claimed to see a mermaid, described as a blend of a young girl and a dolphin. Witnesses say the creature performs acrobatic stunts before vanishing into the sea. The town has embraced these tales, which have boosted local tourism, and the council has even promised a $1 million reward for photographic proof of the aquatic being.
In 2010, an NBC investigative team spent a week filming along Kiryat Yam’s shores. They claimed to have spotted the mermaid at night but were unable to follow it after it submerged. Over the years, hoax videos of the mermaid have gone viral multiple times. One infamous clip showed her lounging on a rock, but it was later revealed to be a staged scene created for an Animal Planet mockumentary.
8. Dragons Over China
In August 2014, two students from Jilin University in China were leaving a library when one of them noticed something unusual. The other student quickly recorded the bizarre sight on his phone, describing it as a 10-meter-long (33 ft) red flying entity with four legs and a tail. It was said to be flying at a great height, emitting a faint metallic glow that grew brighter before disappearing toward the southeast.
Historically, Chinese dragons have appeared in news reports, surveillance camera recordings, and even as far as a Buddhist temple in Penang, Malaysia. In 2004, an amateur photographer traveling to the Qinghai-to-Xizang railway opening in Tibet’s Amdo region snapped photos from a plane window of two elongated, scaly beings soaring above the Himalayas.
7. Zimbabwe’s Goblin Crisis
Goblins are becoming a growing issue in Zimbabwe. In 2012, students at St. Sebastian Secondary School in Bulawayo ran screaming after reportedly being assaulted in their classrooms by goblins that looked like dwarves and transformed into baboons. Known as zvikwambo in Shona, these malevolent spirits are said to be visible only to their victims. Reports also mention aggressive mermaids, identified as zvikwambo, terrifying workers installing water pumps in reservoirs. These goblins have been blamed for various disturbances, from invading marital beds and demanding sexual acts to attacking nurses and police officers.
6. The Falcon’s Nest Pixie Skeleton
In March 2015, a listener from Cornwall sent unusual photos to a UK-based alternative arts podcast. The images depicted a small, incomplete humanoid skeleton, featuring a skull, rib cage, and spine. The anonymous individual claimed to work at a bird rescue center, where part of his role involved inspecting nests of endangered birds to monitor breeding and prevent rare egg theft. During one such inspection of a falcon’s nest, he stumbled upon the peculiar bones concealed among twigs and feathers, which he then collected in a sample bag.
He speculated that the remains might belong to a Cornish pixie. Concerned about potential ridicule, he shared the photos with the podcast for their opinion. Interestingly, one of the podcast hosts, Dan Baines, was behind the 2007 mummified fairy hoax in Ireland but has since retracted his claims. While he believes in fairies, he views them as spiritual beings rather than physical entities. Regarding the Cornwall find, he admits to being completely puzzled.
5. The Taniwha Spotted on Google Earth
In late 2014, New Zealand engineer Pita Witehira was using Google Earth to survey Oke Bay on the North Island when he noticed something strange. Witehira, who owns land in the area, was examining satellite images to plan a beach chalet when he observed what he thought was the trail of a massive sea creature from Maori folklore. He told the Daily Mail: “The Maori people would call this a taniwha, as it doesn’t resemble a whale and is much too large to be a shark. Its speed and sharp turns are unlike any whale.”
He rejected the possibility of it being a boat’s wake, as there was no white foam typically produced by a motor. Experts reviewing the images disputed his claims, stating that the absence of foam is not unusual for a small recreational boat around 5 meters (16 ft) long. One researcher suggested the image was consistent with a catamaran moving at seven knots.
Taniwha, dragon-like guardian spirits from Maori folklore, have previously appeared in New Zealand media. In 2011, a dispute arose between the Auckland City Council and the Ngati Whatua tribe over a proposed railway tunnel in an area thought to be home to one of these elusive beings. A Maori advocate questioned the council about measures to protect the taniwha, prompting a frustrated councilor to accuse the advocate of “dropping the T-Bomb.”
4. The Alabama Leprechaun
In 2006, a WPMI news crew visited Le Cren Street near UMS-Wright in Mobile, Alabama, to investigate a gathering crowd. Some attendees claimed a leprechaun had been spotted in a nearby tree. An amateur sketch of the small Irish figure was created, and lively interviews with locals helped turn the report into one of YouTube’s early viral hits.
Some speculate the incident was a prank by residents targeting the news crew, while others, including the O’Reilly Factor, suggested the video’s popularity exploited racial stereotypes. A 2015 AL.com follow-up included an interview with a man who claimed to have first seen the leprechaun. He described the creature’s appearance as a “metamorphosis,” with its mouth or nose forming first. Since the original report, he has tweeted multiple sightings, including one in 2010 with 70 percent visibility.
3. Aswang Attacks
Among the many mythical creatures in Filipino folklore, the aswang stands out as the most influential in modern times. This shape-shifting, blood-sucking monster hunts humans and animals at night. Its features and abilities vary: some claim it can turn into a pig or dog, others say it can detach its upper body to fly, and some believe it uses a long tongue to extract unborn babies from their mothers’ wombs.
In 2014, an anonymous text sparked widespread fear: “WARNING: Residents of Batangas, avoid going out at night. A group of aswang traveling in a large truck from CAPIS CAM SUR has reached Sto. Tomas. Be cautious of strangers. This is serious. From: POLICE Tanauan.” Local authorities dismissed the message as a hoax. However, belief in the creature has led to tragic outcomes. In 2014, a 70-year-old woman in Bacolod City was decapitated by her son, who was convinced she was an aswang.
A year earlier in the same city, a drunk man killed his neighbor, believing him to be a flesh-eating aswang. In 2013, a man severely injured his mute daughter in a case of misidentified aswang. These incidents highlight how human ignorance can be far more dangerous than mythical monsters.
2. The Djinn Divorce
In 2014, a man in the United Arab Emirates was permitted to divorce his wife after claiming she was possessed by a djinn, a supernatural spirit. The alleged possession was evident in her refusal to engage in marital relations. She directed him to consult her family, who revealed that religious scholars had unsuccessfully attempted multiple exorcisms. The Dubai Sharia Court approved the divorce and initially ordered $11,000 in alimony, but this was later overturned due to the wife’s dishonesty about the djinn possession.
The belief in djinn spirits stems from pre-Islamic Arabian mythology and persists among immigrant communities in the West. Ahmed Al-Khatib of Manchester, accused of murdering his wife, pleaded not guilty on mental health grounds, claiming he saw her as a terrifying djinn, leading him to push her. She died after hitting her head on furniture. A witness testified that Al-Khatib had previously said, “She is not a woman, I will kill her.” Ironically, Al-Khatib himself seemed possessed when he later attacked an interpreter in court, pinning him against the wall.
1. The Naga Protests
Protests broke out in Baan Kan Sai, a village in northeast Thailand, after local resident Sayan Chomkamsingha found an unusual object while fishing in a nearby pond in April 2015. The object was a bronze figurine of a naga, a serpent-like being from Buddhist lore. Sayan claimed that when he first discovered it, the figurine was slippery and moving, only solidifying into bronze upon exposure to air.
Police seized the figurine to send it to the Department of Fine Arts for evaluation, but they were met by a crowd of 300 devout pilgrims who believed it was the actual remains of a naga. After negotiations, the police managed to load the figurine into a van, but the angry mob attempted to smash its windows. The Department of Fine Arts concluded the object was less than 30 years old and returned it to the police, who faced further protests from 100 pilgrims at their headquarters. While authorities suspect Sayan of deceiving the pilgrims, he insists the figurine is the authentic remains of a naga.
