#5 Sabawaelnu
Also known as the Halfway People or Water People in English. They are exactly like mermaids with the upper bodies of a human’s with a fish tail. They were described as having pale scaly skin, beautiful, has big black eyes and long hair.
They mostly just mind their own business singing and having a merry time without a care in the world or a kind hearted creature that helps humans. They have some power over water and could create waves when needed.
Like most mermaid stories around the world, or should I say most stories of beautiful female creatures around the world, men would likely want to be with them and you know what I mean, have kids with them. Some use force, some love was mutual while some was unrequited.
Especially the forced ones, quite heartbreaking.
#4 Skin-Walkers
From the Navajo legend, they are almost the same as wizards and witches like in Harry Potter but the skin walkers are specifically evil and of course carries no wands. The Skin Walkers are those who practiced magic like the shaman or medicine man, whichever you want to call it and has reached the highest of their abilities.
Usually those who want more power are the ones that turn into these Skin-Walkers. This is because there is a taboo procedure in attaining the power of a Skin-Walker, that is to kill their closest family member.
As a Skin-Walker, they can transform into any animal they want and rather than healing magic, they have more battle magic. You know…anything to kill people.
It was also said, the transformation to a Skin-Walker was once only used during desperate times to protect the tribe against enemies because of the sacrificial taboo. But like most powers, the power was then abused by those who are power hungry and those who are just plain evil.
So the traits of a Skin-Walker is like this: When in human form, they usually wear a pelt of predator animals such as bears, coyotes, cougars and their eyes would glow when lights are shown on them just like an animal’s. In animal form, they would look like any animal they transform into but their eyes will not glow as an animal’s would.
#3 Deer Woman
The Dear Woman or Deer Lady is a spirit that can shape-shift. There are two conceptions about the Deer Lady, one is that she is a benign spirit that might help women by giving her blessings to become fertile while another version of the Deer Lady is that it is a benevolent spirit that seduces men and lead them to their deaths.
In various folklore, the Deer Lady is often described as a beautiful woman but with deer hooves and beautiful deer like brown eyes while other times they appear like an old woman or even a deer. Then some even depicts the Deer Lady as half human on top and white-tailed deer for its lower half of its body. All in all, a woman with deer features.
There is a story in Oklahoma where the Deer Woman would trample people to death under her hooves. It is said that the Deer Woman is a spirit that was a rape victim who was also killed. So her trampling people to death was her way of revenge.
#2 Mishipeshu
Also known as the Underwater Panther. This creature always live near waters such as creeks, rivers or lakes. They would lie in wait like a cat waiting for their prey in a distance and would pounce at them while dragging them toward the body of water just to drown them.
The description of the creature varies from tribes to tribes with some saying its the size of a mountain lion while some say they are truly humongous. But of course they are said to have cat features, some scales on its body and a long tail.
Other than dragging people to drown, the Panther is said to be quite magical being able to control storms and waterflows at their will. So while its mostly malicious, if you get on their good side, it is said that it will protect and help those in its domain.
#1 Rolling-Heads
These are man eating monsters. They appear to be, well, heads rolling about on the ground and sometimes can even fly but really mostly just rolling on the ground and maybe bouncing.
They are said to either be a victim of a violent murder which rose from the dead in seek of revenge or they become these rolling heads when cannibalism is involved, either their own flesh that’s being eaten or others.
There’s a few different stories of the rolling heads and one of them goes like this:
Long ago, in a village near a river, there was a young girl who had just reached puberty. So her parents were planning to have a Puberty Dance which is a coming of age ceremony for girls.
Anyways, the father of the child was the chief of the village and asked the villager’s women to go and strip some bark of the maple tree to make a maple-bark apron.
“But don’t take my daughter with you” he said, “go secretly” he said.
So the next morning, they went out really early without telling the girl but the girl woke up early as well and actually followed them secretly from behind. Seeing the others stripping the bark, she followed suit, the others were surprised that she’s there but she’s already there so might as well just let her be.
This is when she accidentally pricked her little finger and the blood just wont stop. Worried, that the chied might be angry, everyone ran back to the village to get help. The father saw what happened and became tense, she was then asked to stay at home until the bleeding stops because its just a prick on her little finger. Or is it JUST a prick on her little finger?
The girl kept on sucking on her fingers as if to lick her wounds. She did it until the sun sets and the more she sucks on it the more she likes it. She likes it so much she bit her little finger off and ate it. Then she went on to eat her whole body leaving just her head. Turning into an evil spirit, she bounced and rolled out of her home and started devouring every one who crosses her path.
Until one day, she saw a man sitting across the river near a rope bridge. While she was crossing the bridge to get to the man, so she can devour him, the man swiftly went to the edge of the bridge, cut the rope and she fell into the river together with the bridge.
wasabiroots 