The Manananggal is a vampire-like creature that comes from the Philippines. It is said to be hideous and is usually depicted as a woman but can also be male. At night, when it goes out in search of victims it will sever its upper torso from the bottom and grow big bat-like wings, leaving their entrails flying behind them. Its primary victims are said to be sleeping pregnant women, newlyweds, and new couples in love. They will use their elongated tongue and suck out the heart of the fetus or a person’s blood. It also goes after grooms as well, as they are most vulnerable when they are left at the altar. It will lure a man into a secluded place and eat him alive. When they separate their upper torso they leave the bottom half just standing there so it is vulnerable. If you sprinkle salt, crushed garlic, or ash on the bottom torso it will destroy the creature. As the creature can’t get back to its lower torso it would be destroyed come sunrise.
The Tokoloshe is from the Zulu/Xhosa people’s mythology in South Africa. The Tokoloshe is a dwarf-like water sprite that is said to be mischievous and have an evil spirit. To ever come across one though it has to be created. A jealous person will go to an evil witch doctor, or shaman, with the intent to take vengeance upon someone. The price is the soul of a loved one but the person does not get to decide who it will be, the Tokoloshe does. They will find a dead body for the Tokoloshe to posses and poke its eye with a hot iron rod so it cannot think for itself and only obey its master. After they sprinkle powder on the body and shrink it, they let it loose. It can become invisible when it drinks water or swallows a pebble. It will take a person’s life while they’re sleeping. This creature does have origins that come from reality. In the past when people would sleep in rondavels, or huts, on the floor they would build a fire. The big fire would deplete oxygen levels, turning into carbon monoxide killing people and whole families. When they realized people survived when they had their beds raised (because carbon monoxide sinks to the floor), it became common to put bricks beneath beds to make them higher than the evil dwarf. They would also called in priest to ward the Tokoloshe off. Doing this would protect people from the Tokoloshe, and unknowingly, death from carbon monoxide.
Kuchisake-onna or “slit-mouthed woman”, is an urban legend from Japan. She is a malicious spirit or onryō, with a slit mouth going from ear to ear. There are a few explanations behind her. She was a woman who was mutilated at some point in her life. She was an adulterous wife or concubine of a samurai who’s punishment was mutilation. A woman who was jealous of her beauty mutilated her. Or she was mutilated during a dental procedure. Nonetheless, she is back for revenge and when she approaches her victim (lone travelers) with the bottom of her face covered she will ask “am I beautiful?”. If the person says yes, she will take her mask off, showing her grizzly slit mouth and ask if they still think she is beautiful. If the person says no or screams in terror she will lash out and slit their mouths like hers. If they say yes, she is still beautiful, she will walk away only to follow and brutally kill them later that night. To survive her, you can say she is average, or throw hard candy or money at her which will give you enough time to escape and lose her in the darkness.
slh6222
November 6, 2020 at 3:09 amI might just have to review the Tokoloshe. My first impression from the picture was “aw, it’s kind of cute!” Then, I read the description and I was like “aw, it’s kind of disturbing!” In a twisted way, I like the plot twist that the person does not get to choose which of their loved-ones’ soul will be taken: it seems like a mysterious form of karma. Otherwise, it’s also interesting that mythology was able to save people from natural risks, like carbon monoxide. Science often ignores the supernatural, but it’s creepy how the supernatural has caused science to try to discover more, like how the idea of aliens caused more space exploration. Nonetheless, avoiding the Tokoloshe and avoiding carbon monoxide seems to be more coincidental, but still a saving grace for the people. In this case (and probably this case only), jealous vengeance is a good thing for people’s health! Overall, I really loved this post all around: creepy, yet amazing!
nxw5198
November 6, 2020 at 9:52 pmI followed the link about the slit mouth woman and I can’t believe that her “diet” is exclusively hard candy. Is that supposed to encourage people to always have hard candy in their pockets just in case? Is it some sort of Japanese Halloween type thing? Anyway, she sort of reminds me of the Joker who has the same slit-mouth scars, but I guess with completely differing origins. Either way random ladies approaching me on the road would leave me suspicious already, but now knowing what it could be I guess its better safe than sorry to just ignore them. Great Post!
Alexandria McKenna
November 8, 2020 at 1:21 pmIn comparison to your previous post, this one is even creepier! Out of all the urban legends I have read about in your last post and this post, the Manananggal is by far the most frightening. I clicked on your link for the Manananggal and the images of the supernatural beast are disturbing. The Manananggal’s way of torturing innocent people is also gruesome and it makes me wonder how this urban legend ever came to be in the first place. I did notice that there are similarities between the Manananggal and vampire legends. For example, garlic and sunlight are both the Manananggals’ and vampires’ weaknesses. Finding similarities between different cultures is always interesting and it makes you realize that we are all connected in more ways than understood. Awesome post, LeMhai, and I can’t wait to read your next one!
Blake Lipko
November 8, 2020 at 11:55 pmThis was such a neat post and I enjoy how you’re relating it to your main theme of your blog. I thought the first legend was probably the creepiest of the three as the pictures of it were quite terrifying. I liked the second one and how the Zulu used it to explain how people would die from carbon monoxide related to indoor fire pits. I also thought the slit-mouthed woman was pretty disturbing until I read the last part about calling her average or giving her candy. I always find it interesting when some myths have unique items that repel them. Great post!