Buzz
For ages, people have gathered around campfires, sharing spine-tingling stories of mythical creatures that can alter their forms. These dark tales both terrify and captivate, haunting our dreams and playing tricks on our minds during long, shadowy winter nights.
The concept of humans morphing into animals, known as therianthropy, continues to intrigue us. The transformation sequence in An American Werewolf in London stands as a legendary portrayal of this supernatural metamorphosis, reminding us of humanity's primal origins.
Today, many view shape-shifting and therianthropy as products of vivid imaginations or relics of ancient superstitions. However, as this list reveals, shape-shifting entities and witch-like therianthropes still linger in the beliefs of certain cultures.
10. Tanuki
In Japan, you’ll encounter numerous statues of creatures with unusually large testicles. These ceramic figures represent the tanuki—small, raccoon-like animals deeply rooted in Japanese folklore. (Interestingly, real Japanese raccoon dogs are also known as tanuki.)
Japanese legend tells of a tile-maker who became wealthy thanks to a dancing tea kettle, which was actually a shape-shifting tanuki. These mythical raccoon dogs used their transformative powers to reward kind-hearted strangers.
The story starts with a Shinto priest fixing an old tea kettle. After cleaning it, he places it on a hot stove, only to be shocked when the kettle grows arms and legs. “Ouch!” exclaims the tanuki. Believing the kettle cursed, the priest gifts it to a local tile-maker. In return for the man’s kindness, the shape-shifter agrees to become his “dancing kettle.”
Some tanuki legends take a darker turn. In the tale of the “Farmer and the Badger,” a tanuki wreaks havoc on a farmer’s rice field. After being captured, the farmer plans to cook the mischievous animal into soup. However, the farmer’s wife frees the tanuki, who then kills her, transforms into her likeness, and attempts to feed her remains to the farmer.
The tale grows even more bizarre. A furious rabbit, one of the farmer’s allies, decides to avenge the tragedy. The rabbit torments the tanuki by throwing a bee’s nest at it, setting it on fire, and sabotaging it in a boat race.
9. Changelings
In ancient times, it was thought that fairies, elves, or witches would steal human babies and replace them with their own malevolent offspring. The stolen children were either raised by these mythical beings or offered as sacrifices to the Devil.
Although changelings appeared as human infants, there were clear indicators of their true nature. They spoke with an intelligence far beyond their apparent age, enjoyed dancing, drinking, and eating excessively, yet often remained unnaturally small despite their voracious appetites.
Changelings are a staple of European folklore, with origins potentially dating back to pre-Christian times. The earliest recorded account of a changeling was documented by William of Auvergne, the Bishop of Paris, in 13th-century France:
They say they are skinny and always wailing and such milk-drinkers that four nurse maids do not supply sufficient milk to feed one. These appear to have remained with their nurses for many years, and afterward to have flown away, or rather vanished.
The “brewery of eggshells” test was a popular method to detect changelings. The suspected child was placed near a blazing fire, and eggshells filled with water were set on fire. The spectacle would astonish the changeling, causing it to declare: “I have seen the acorn before the oak: I have seen the egg before the white chicken: I have never seen the equal to this!”
Desperate parents who believed their child had been swapped with a changeling resorted to drastic actions. They thought harming the changeling would force the fairies to return their real baby. As a result, these “imposter children” were often subjected to burning, beating, or starvation.
In truth, the so-called changeling was likely a child suffering from illness. Parents may have mistaken conditions such as autism or birth defects like spina bifida for supernatural phenomena.
8. Pooka
The pooka, a mythical fairy from Celtic folklore, is a dark-furred being capable of transforming into various shapes. Its name derives from the Old Irish term for “goblin,” puca. Tales describe the pooka shifting into forms such as cats, rabbits, horses, ravens, goats, goblins, and even humans.
The pooka’s intentions are often ambiguous, swinging between mischief and goodwill. Some folklorists claim these creatures emerge at night to cause chaos, descending from their mountain abodes to roam the countryside, damaging fences and ruining crops.
Most commonly, the pooka appears as a black horse with glowing golden eyes. This horse roams isolated areas, seeking riders. Those who ignore its call are left helpless as it destroys their property.
Legend has it that Ireland’s King Brian Boru once subdued the pooka. Using a bridle crafted from the creature’s own tail, he rode it until it was exhausted. The king forced the pooka to vow not to harm Christians or Irishmen, though it was still allowed to torment drunkards and wrongdoers.
At times, the pooka displays a kinder nature. In certain superstitious regions of Ireland, it is believed to share prophecies and warn people about evil fairies. It also repays acts of kindness by assisting with physical tasks.
7. Skinwalkers
Skinwalkers were originally ordinary members of the Navajo and Ute tribes. However, after delving into dark magic and witchcraft, they diverged onto a sinister path.
A skinwalker dons the skin of the animal it desires to transform into. These shape-shifters can assume the forms of bears, wolves, owls, coyotes, and crows. Navajo mystics believe the skinwalker inherits the traits of the chosen animal, such as a wolf’s speed and agility.
To become a skinwalker, a medicine man must perform an unspeakable act, such as murdering a close family member or friend. These shunned shamans are banished from Navajo society forever, becoming what is known in their language as yee naaldlooshii: “With it, he goes on all fours.”
Skinwalkers are often exiled for crimes like necrophilia, murder, or grave robbing. They also torment others with cruel pranks, such as placing dismembered fingers in homes to attract apparitions or pursuing terrified drivers in the dead of night.
The skinwalker’s most feared tool is “corpse powder,” which triggers convulsions and causes the victim’s tongue to fall out. Due to their deep understanding of spiritual medicine, the Navajo people often attribute death, illness, and famine to the actions of skinwalkers.
6. Kumiho
A prominent figure in Korean folklore, the kumiho (or gumiho) is a nine-tailed fox demon that preys on young men. It transforms into an alluring woman to entice its victims, using a magical stone to steal their souls. In some tales, the fox demon removes the liver or heart, sometimes during intimate encounters.
In the story “The Jewel of the Fox’s Tongue,” a shape-shifting kumiho kills 99 schoolboys, draining their life force. The fox needs only one more soul to ascend to heaven but is outwitted by her final target. When she attempts to steal his energy using a magical jewel (yeowu guseul), he swallows it, gaining immense wisdom. He then leads his village in hunting down the treacherous kumiho.
The Korean term for “fox,” yowu, carries negative undertones, often describing cunning and manipulative women. Stories of the kumiho reinforce Confucian values, cautioning Korean women against immoral behavior.
5. Nagual
The Aztecs held the belief that every individual’s life energy was tied to an animal spirit, determined by the Mesoamerican calendar. Sorcerers born on specific dates, capable of transforming into animals, were called naguals. The Olmecs and Maya viewed them as nocturnal predators who fed on the blood of the innocent. Some accounts also claimed they could manipulate the weather and create strange illusions.
One of the earliest records of these enigmatic beings comes from historian Antonio de Herrera. He described the Devil taking the shape of a “lion, tiger, coyote, lizard, snake, bird, or other animal” to deceive the Maya people of Cerquin, Honduras. Herrera recounted a tribesman who, seeking the wealth of his ancestors, turned to nagualism. After sacrificing a dog or bird, he dreamt of spirit animals delivering a prophecy:
On such a day go hunting and the first animal or bird you see will be my form, and I shall remain your companion and Nagual for all time.
This prophecy was likely influenced by the effects of peyote (peyotl), a plant known for its hallucinogenic properties. Its mind-altering effects were often misinterpreted as supernatural visions.
The legend of the nagual persists in many rural areas of Mexico. Recent reports describe the creature as resembling a large dog or wolf. Naguals are often blamed for disappearances, thefts, property damage, and the deaths of livestock.
4. Madame Pele And The Hog Child
Madame Pele, an ancient Hawaiian deity, is credited with shaping the Hawaiian Islands. Her influence is deeply rooted in Hawaiian culture, with her image appearing in stores, a prominent painting in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, and a volcanic rock formation known as Pele’s Chair.
The shape-shifting goddess, also called Pelehonuamea, meaning “she who shapes the sacred land,” is said to appear as a white dog or a stunning woman, according to local accounts.
According to legend, Madame Pele was born in Tahiti but fled after seducing her sister’s husband—a prudent choice, given her sister’s role as the sea goddess. She journeyed to Hawaii, where she used a divining rod (pa`oa) to carve out massive fire pits, which became the islands’ volcanoes.
Madame Pele made her home in Hawaii, creating Kilauea, the island’s most active volcano. Modern volcanic activity is believed to intensify when Pele is upset, prompting locals to offer gifts to calm her.
In 2018, many Hawaiians celebrated Kilauea’s eruption, despite the earthquakes and destruction it caused. “My house was an offering for Pele,” said retired teacher Monica Devlin. “It’s a breathtaking cycle of destruction and creation, and I was fortunate to witness it.”
Pele was pursued by Kamapua’a, the Hog Child, a shape-shifting demigod who could become fish, plants, or a human-hog hybrid. Repulsed by his advances, Pele attacked him with fire. In their battle, Kamapua’a summoned an army of hogs to overpower Pele and her kin.
3. Lagahoo
Across the Caribbean, many communities still hold strong beliefs in black magic (obeah). It’s common to see people wearing protective charms to guard against evil spirits known as “jumbies.” Trinidad and Tobago is no different in this regard.
In the West Indies, people dread a shape-shifting jumbie called Lagahoo (or “La Gahoo”). Rooted in French folklore, the Lagahoo is a powerful figure with a coffin-shaped head and a body wrapped in heavy, clanking chains. It preys on livestock and, occasionally, humans. Though it often appears as a muscular, coffin-headed being, the Lagahoo can also morph into various animals, including a centaur-like form.
Overcoming the Lagahoo is a daunting challenge. It must be captured and beaten with a sacred stick for nine days. Throughout this grueling ordeal, the creature will shift into different animal forms before vanishing in a cloud of smoke.
The Lagahoo’s French equivalent, the werewolf Loup Garou, is far less resilient. Merely scattering rice grains in the air can halt this clumsy beast. Due to its apparent obsessive-compulsive tendencies, Loup Garou will spend the entire night counting each grain.
2. Leyak
On Bali, the Witch Widow Rangda commands a fearsome cult of child-devouring witches, collectively known as the leyak. They instill fear in the island’s superstitious inhabitants.
By day, the leyak mingle unnoticed among humans. At night, they reveal their true nature, plundering graves for body parts to create a potion that fuels their shape-shifting abilities. The leyak can assume the forms of monkeys, goats, lions, and other animals.
If that wasn’t strange enough, a leyak can detach its own head and fly around with its entrails trailing behind, searching for food. While it will consume almost any animal, it has a particular craving for the blood of mothers and their newborn babies.
Balinese legend recounts how Rangda’s witch army once battled Barong, the lion-like king of good spirits. Rangda enchanted Barong’s warriors, compelling them to stab themselves. However, Barong intervened, rendering his people invincible and defeating the Witch Widow to restore harmony to the Hindu island. This epic struggle is celebrated in traditional Balinese dances.
1. Ilimu
Terrifying tales of a demonic predator circulate in parts of Africa. The Kikuyu, a Bantu tribe in Kenya, call this malevolent hunter the ilimu. Some describe it as a healthy man, while others say it resembles a disfigured elder with a foot protruding from the back of its neck.
Kenyan folklore describes the ilimu as a shape-shifting, flesh-eating monster that can mimic humans. To achieve this, it must obtain the target’s hair, nail clippings, or blood.
The demon is also capable of possessing various animals, particularly lions. Some African tribes believe lion attacks are caused by ilimu and seek the help of medicine men to address the threat.
In 1898, the British Empire began building a railway bridge over the Tsavo River. A large camp was set up nearby to house thousands of Indian workers, which became a prime hunting ground for two cunning lions—the Tsavo Man-Eaters, also known as “The Ghost and The Darkness.” The lions worked in tandem to outsmart their prey, bypassing traps and defenses to drag sleeping workers into the wilderness.
The attacks persisted for months, causing widespread panic and forcing hundreds of workers to flee. Rumors of demonic lions spread rapidly. Lieutenant-Colonel John Henry Patterson, the project’s overseer, spent weeks trying to hunt the lions, but they evaded his traps. After multiple confrontations, Patterson finally shot and killed the Man-Eaters, with one lion enduring nine bullets before dying.
