Buzz
The ability to shapeshift is a recurring motif in myths and folktales. Countless legendary beings are said to possess this power, often depicted as a complete physical transformation. This capability allows them to deceive, hunt, and harm humans. Historically, numerous violent events have been linked to these entities. With Halloween approaching, this list could inspire your costume ideas for any parties you plan to attend. [JFrater: I’m attending a Halloween party but am unsure what to dress as—perhaps something related to a site topic. Any suggestions?]
10. Leshy
In Slavic folklore, the Leshy is a male forest spirit known as the guardian of wildlife and woodlands. Typically appearing as tall men, they can alter their size and transform into animals, plants, or other forms. Leshies are characterized by beards of living grass and vines, often portrayed with tails, hooves, and horns. Their skin is pale, and their eyes are a deep green. As rulers of the forest, they share a strong connection with wolves, bears, and all forest creatures. In human form, they resemble ordinary peasants, though their eyes emit a faint glow. They can shrink to the size of grass or grow as tall as the mightiest trees. Leshies are notorious for leading people astray, causing illness, or even tickling victims to death. Their mischievous nature is accompanied by terrifying screams. They can mimic human voices, often using this skill to lure lost travelers to their dens. While not inherently evil, they delight in confusing humans and abducting young women.
9. Selkie
Selkies are mythical beings from Faroese, Icelandic, Irish, and Scottish folklore. They possess the unique ability to shift between seal and human forms by shedding their seal skin. However, this transformation is perilous, as they require the same skin to revert to their seal form. Tales of selkies often revolve around tragic romances. They can only interact with humans briefly before being compelled to return to the ocean. Many stories depict humans unwittingly falling in love with selkies, while others involve humans hiding the selkie’s skin to trap them in human form. Male selkies are strikingly handsome and wield a powerful allure over women. If a man steals a female selkie’s skin, she becomes bound to him, often forced into marriage. These creatures are also known to enchant humans, drawing them into the sea with illusions and distorted realities.
8. Berserker
Berserkers were fierce Norse warriors who, though human, could enter a trance-like state of uncontrollable rage during battle, transforming into wolves, bears, or wild bulls. This heightened state allowed them to fight with unmatched ferocity. The term “berserk” originates from their name. These warriors often wore the skins of bears and wolves into combat and could fully transform as needed. They were known for their bloodshot eyes, immense strength, and remarkable endurance. Many Scandinavian kings employed berserkers as soldiers, mercenaries, or personal guards. Similar accounts of warriors being possessed by gods and granted superhuman abilities appear in The Iliad.
7. Bakeneko
In Japanese folklore, Bakeneko are mythical cats that have lived long enough to become yokai, gaining supernatural abilities. Cats are ubiquitous in Japan, kept as pets, used for pest control on farms, or roaming as strays in urban areas. As cats age, they can develop magical powers and transform into yokai. Initially, Bakeneko resemble ordinary cats but soon start walking on their hind legs. They excel at shapeshifting, often taking the form of smaller cats or humans, sometimes even impersonating their owners. They enjoy dancing joyfully while wearing towels on their heads. However, they often bring curses and misfortune to their households. Bakeneko can summon ghostly fireballs, inadvertently causing fires, and their tails can ignite flammable materials. They also have the eerie ability to reanimate corpses, using them as puppets for their sinister schemes. These creatures are generally a nuisance and a danger to any home they inhabit.
6. Púca
The púca is a mythical being from Celtic folklore, prominently featured in Irish, Scottish, and Welsh tales. Known as a fairy and master shapeshifter, the púca can take on numerous frightening forms, such as a horse, rabbit, goat, goblin, or dog. Regardless of its shape, its fur remains dark. Most often, it appears as a black horse with a flowing mane and glowing orange eyes. Púcas can speak human languages and are known to offer wise counsel, though they also delight in bewildering and frightening people. They enjoy riddles and are social beings, often gathering to play tricks on unsuspecting individuals, especially children. In many cultures, the púca is revered as a spirit of the mountains and hills. If treated with respect, they can be helpful to humans.
5. Wendigo
The Wendigo is a fearsome creature from Algonquian mythology. Descriptions vary, but it is often depicted as a massive, otherworldly canine beast. These malevolent beings are linked to cannibalism and are strongly associated with winter, the north, and cold climates. Humans who resort to cannibalism risk transforming into Wendigos, becoming possessed by the creature’s demonic spirit, often through a dream. Once transformed, they grow violent and develop an insatiable hunger for human flesh. Wendigos symbolize gluttony, greed, and excess, never content with a single victim. They are described as giants, with humans growing significantly in size after transformation. These creatures inhabit remote, forested, and mountainous areas. In modern times, the Wendigo has become a popular figure in horror, akin to vampires, werewolves, and zombies.
4. Encantado
The Encantado is a mythical creature from Brazilian folklore, said to inhabit a mysterious underwater world called the Encante. Often depicted as freshwater dolphins or sea snakes, they possess the power to transform into humans. Renowned for their musical talent, charm, and love of festivities, Encantados rarely take human form, usually doing so at night. In human guise, they wear hats to conceal their bulging foreheads. Their shapeshifting doesn’t erase their magical abilities, which include controlling storms and haunting people. They can manipulate minds, causing illness, madness, or death. Known for abducting humans, they instill fear in villagers, who avoid the Amazon River at night. Many South Americans believe in Encantados and claim to have encountered them.
3. Lycanthrope
Lycanthropes, or werewolves, are legendary humans capable of transforming into wolves or wolf-like beings. Their bite can spread the condition, and their transformation is often tied to the full moon. Originating in European folklore, tales of lycanthropes are found across the ancient world. Werewolves are characterized by fused eyebrows, curved nails, low-set ears, and a distinctive gait. They possess extraordinary strength and senses, surpassing both wolves and humans. These creatures prey on the vulnerable and homeless. Identifying a werewolf involves finding hair under their skin or bristles beneath their tongue. After reverting to human form, they become weak and exhausted. Until the 20th century, wolf attacks were a major cause of fatalities in Europe.
2. Vampires
Vampires are mythical beings known for consuming the blood of humans and animals. While folklore offers varied descriptions, they are often depicted as bloated, with a ruddy, purplish, or dark complexion. These shapeshifters can assume multiple forms, most commonly bats or humans. Though typically considered undead, some cultures believe vampires can be living beings. Modern fiction, starting in the 19th century, portrays them as thin and pale. Historically, vampire superstitions in Europe caused widespread panic, leading to corpses being staked and accusations of vampirism. Vampires are notorious for haunting their former communities, seducing victims, and striking at the neck when least expected. They often revisit family members, especially spouses, and excel at disguise and blending in. The last documented case of vampirism involved Mercy Brown, a nineteen-year-old who died in Exeter, Rhode Island, in 1892.
1. Aswang
The aswang is a legendary figure in Filipino mythology, widely recognized across the Philippines, except in the IIocos region. Often depicted as a blend of vampire and witch, the aswang is typically female and known for consuming the dead and practicing cannibalism. This creature can shapeshift into a large black dog or a black boar, hunting and devouring humans under the cover of darkness. Protective measures against aswangs include garlic bulbs, holy water, and similar items. Tales frequently describe them preying on children and unborn fetuses. In human form, they appear ordinary—quiet, shy, and reclusive—but at night, they become terrifying beasts. Aswangs are notably identified by their bloodshot eyes. During the Middle Ages, they were the most dreaded among Philippine mythical entities.
