Day C - Oni

Japanese ogre,

Kanabō-swinging demon,

Brute strong beyond strong.

The captivating ogre or troll creature of Japan, Oni refers to a wide range of demonic humanoids in the region's cultural legend. Monstrous beings of a variety of types and individual odd traits (see the demon hag-woman Onibaba, for example) Oni are most often depicted as having huge fangs, a pair of horns and red or blue skin. A destructive and dangerous bunch, the demons typically wear a tiger-skin loin cloth and wield a distinctive iron club (the kanabō) to emphasise their might and ferocious nature. Said to torment sinners in Hell, the Oni's reputation for fearsome strength is such that its image is used to ward off bad luck and malign spirits. Nasty but lovable, nevertheless, the mythical Far Eastern entity with the lethal iron weapon has permeated pop culture and appears all over art through the ages. The Oni has even made its mark on the Japanese language: idioms like 'Oni with an iron club' ("oni-ni-kanabō"), for instance, refer to invincibility or something that is 'strong beyond strong'. A perilous demonic powerhouse swinging an impressive iron club: kudos to all the Oni of Japan. By demons, be driven...

And that's one hundred mythical creatures, one hundred screwy haiku verses and one hundred silly supernatural sketches. Whoa. It's been beautifully beastly. To the majestic mythical entities of the supernatural realms: I salute you!

Day XCIX - Sha

Egyptian canid,

Square-eared symbol of Set,

Tail like a fork.

Understood to be a wild dog or jackal-like creature, the Sha is an auspicious entity of ancient Egyptian mythology associated with Set (god of darkness, chaos and the desert). Calling the North African Saharan home, the Sha is said to be black or red and has a slender body like a greyhound, a pair of perpetually stiff rectangular ears and a firm tail that's forked at the end. As a divine representation of Set's power, the creature can be found in hieroglyphs and archaeological remains lasting from antiquity and was adopted as an icon of several emperors and cults of the desert god. Sadly, in periods when Set was unpopular the Sha's standing likewise suffers, so depictions of the angular dog dies cease after the Third Intermediate Period. Linked with stories of the mysterious Salawa ("scary wolf") dog-beast that allegedly stalks the Egyptian desert, the wonderfully-named Sha is intriguing as a legendary animal purely for its idiosyncratic ever-erect ears and triton tail. For those features alone, the ancient Egyptian desert dog of divine significance deserves some veneration.

Day XCVIII - Minotaur

Tragic Cretan bull,

Labyrinth of King Minos,

Falls to Theseus.

One of the most infamous supernatural entities in Greek mythology, the mighty Minotaur of Crete is a compelling creature of depth and pathos. Described as a brutal hulking human with the head of a bull, the horned hybrid was condemned to a solitary life in the labyrinth below King Minos' palace at Knossos according to ancient legend. The story goes that Poseidon decided to punish the Cretan king after Minos failed to sacrifice his beloved white bull in honour of the sea god and so struck his Pasiphaë with odd bestial desire. Falling in love with the bull and consequently making love to it (assisted by a bull disguise crafted by the legendary inventor Daedalus) she ended up pregnant and gave birth to a monstrous half-human, half-bull hybrid named Asterion. Wider society would come to know the creature as the Minotaur and his shamed royal stepfather imprisoned the ugly, violent being to the subterranean maze. Sacrificial victims paid as tribute by other city-states were sent down to the labyrinth for the vicious captive to devour until Theseus of Athens arrived intent on bringing its demise. With his cunning, encouragement from Minos' daughter Ariadne and a ball of thread to guide him back out of the maze, Theseus took his sword to the bull and cut its sad life short. An iconic creature in art across the ages, the poor Minotaur strikes me as one of the most tragic of all mythical beasts that deserves at least some love just for its distinctive appearance and tremendous lack of luck. Here's to the unfortunate Asterion: the mighty Minotaur of the labyrinth.

Day XCVI - Harionago

She of Shikoku,

Itching to unleash barbed braids,

Hook-hair horror.

Another scary, hairy female figure from Japanese folklore, Harionago literally translates as "barbed woman" and terrifies the island of Shikoku. Legend has it that the beautiful lady (also known as Harionna) wanders the roads of the Ehime prefecture region actively looking for victims, preferably younger men. The Harionago's outstanding attribute is her sharp barbed hook hair which she lets down and unleashes on the victims she encounters. The ghoulish terror allegedly laughs at those she comes across and should they laugh back, she sets her sentient hair on them and ensnares them for their audacity. She's an excellent and imaginative Japanese folklore entity, and so I'd say we should salute the Harionago, her striking looks and lethal locks.

Day XCIV - Behemoth

Immense animal,

Great grazing beast of scripture,

Largest in the land.

So humongous that its name now generically refers to anything very large and powerful, the Behemoth is the land-based equivalent of the Leviathan. Just like the very big fish, the Behemoth makes his mark on the Book of Job and symbolically stands as the largest animal of the earth in Judeo-Christian scripture. Beyond the consensus on its colossal size and tremendous strength, descriptions of the beast's appearance vary with some identifying the Behemoth as an oxen-type creature, some a warthog-like-being or others more along the lines of a hippopotamus or elephant. Envisaged as a insurmountable grazing herbivore that can only be killed by God, eschatological traditions suggest that the Behemoth's meat will be served to the righteous at the great banquet of the Apocalypse. Basically, the creature is the most immense and enormous hulking being that could inhabit dry land in Jewish and Christian thought. Regardless of its nature or what it looks like, here's to the biggest beast in the Bible.

Day XCIII - Geryon

Three-bodied giant,

Visited by Heracles,

Hero claims cattle.

Another great figure from Greek mythology, Geryon is the three-bodied giant believed to live on the isle of Erytheia beyond the Hesperides to the west of the world's end (ancient Greek thought figured the edge of existence was whatever lay beyond the Mediterranean Sea). Reckoned to be a ferocious giant with brutal, warrior inclinations, the most outstanding thing about the figure is that he's seen as a 'three-in-one' beast. Geryon is described as being triple-bodied with three heads and torsos joined together which all ultimately adds up to something spectacularly terrifying. Depictions don't always agree on exact numbers of heads, legs and arms, however, and sometimes the giant is given wings. Despite all the ferocity, Geryon has a herd of magnificent red cattle that he cares for with the aid of Eurytion the human hersdman and Orthrus the two-headed watchdog (and brother of Cerberus). Heracles, despatched to claim the cattle, sails in a golden cup to the Hesperides and clubs the giant's companions to death before grappling with Geryon himself. The triple-titan meets his demise when the demigod knocks off one of his helmets and pierces the forehead with a hydra-venom-laced arrow. Legend then has it that Heracles brings the special bovine back to King Eurystheus having successfully completed task ten (after he gets sidetracked when Hera sends gadflies to bother the cattle and causes them to scatter across the continent. It takes the hero a year to gather them together again). It's a pretty sorry end for such a striking, imaginatively-inspiring beast. To the great giant cowherd of Greek mythology, I'd say a bit of empathy and awed respect for his outstanding anatomy is due.

Day XCII - Vampire

Cadaverous fiend,

Ubiquitous bloodsucker,

Unholy icon.

Probably the most popular of all mythical monsters in the present day, everyone knows of (and either loves or fears) vampires. Most often configured as 'living dead' beings that feed off the blood of humans, Vampirism is usually the result of improper burial or an unholy death which consequently links the creature to religious superstition, disease and decay. Vampires may be able to shapeshift, are often imagined as being fanged and cadaverous figures who keep to the dark; in the whole mass of divergent mythologies, protective methods include religious paraphernalia, garlic, holy water and mirrors. Every region and culture has their own vampire-type entity operating as a bloodsucking horror though the archetype has been mainly drawn from European traditions - particularly Slavic - with the rest fleshed out by literature (especially Bram Stoker's Dracula) and classic horror flicks. Ultimately, the Vampire is many different things to many different people and, thus, is probably the finest folklore figure in that it serves as an embodiment of all death and fear according to the individual's own psychological profile. Whatever the tradition and whatever your idealised Vampire is (mine is Murnau's Nosferatu) make sure you don't invite one in and ensure that you appreciate the awesome monsters well out of biting distance.

Day LXXXIX - Manticore

Tail of shooting spikes,

Lethal lion-hybrid strikes,

Brass tones of terror.

An incredible man-eating hybrid, the Manticore is a terrifying creature that has spread dread through a range of different mythical traditions. Like a masculine-version of the sphinx, the creature is commonly a composite of human head, a red lion body and a lethal tail of spiny poisonous spikes that it shoots to kill or paralyse its prey. The mythical beast - also understood to have a brilliant booming voice like a brass section - has its origins in ancient Persian legend and was believed to lurk in the far away lands of India. Tales of the Manticore spread to the leading intellectual arenas of Mediterranean antiquity and the creature consequently enjoyed a prominent resurgence in medieval European bestiaries. Despite its human traits and tuneful trumpet tones, the creature is a carnivorous horror desperate to rip flesh, sink its multiple rows of sharp teeth into meat and swallow victims whole. Flinging deadly arrows, the hybrid form of the Manticore is something to fear and, quite frankly, flee from without so much as a second thought.

Day LXXXVIII - Trauco

Stumpy seducer,

Small but sexually potent,

Women can't resist.

A curious little creature small in stature but sinister in nature, the Trauco is a South American dwarf said to dwell in the forests of Chile and the sleeping dreams of the region's younger women. The Chilota folklore figure is often depicted as a diminutive little fellow in a suit and hat of natural fibres with footless stump legs. The Trauco is often believed to carry a powerful stick or stone-headed hatchet which he bashes trees with to emphasise his sexual potency. Oddly enough, the mythical being's allure is overwhelming and he's irresistible to women who will subsequently be charmed by his magical magnetism. Such is the pull of the peculiar forest goblin that single women who fall pregnant with no clear father are excused as victims of the Trauco. The deadly gaze of the Chilean goblin is also alleged to be able to kill a man which makes the little fellow lethal regardless of gender. Beware the hatchet-bearing stumpy humanoid in the forests of South America: the Trauco brings trouble.

Day LXXXVII - Lóng

Enter the dragon,

China's supreme scaly one,

Power and prestige.

The mighty reptilian form of the dragon reigns supreme over Far Eastern culture and the most influential tradition in the imagery and dispersed mythology is probably that of China. Commonly conceptualised as a wingless, great scaled serpentine creature with four legs, the Chinese dragon (or "Lóng" as it is known in the local tongue) is venerated as an icon with connotations of power, strength and good fortune. Historically, the Lóng is linked to the prestige of the Emperor (a dragon with 5-claws symbolises the Imperial ruler), the water element and Han Chinese cultural identity and such is its celestial and social significance that disfiguring a depiction of a dragon is taboo. This all makes a welcome change from Western folklore traditions of evil dragons that must be slayed; the prominence of the Lóng in art, folk tales and popular culture across Asia attests to a wide appreciation of what are awesome supernatural entities. As the most potent and alluring of all dragons, the great Lóng of China commands a colossal amount of respect and should be celebrated (rather than brutally slain).

Day LXXXVI - Domovoi

Hairy housekeeper,

Upset by untidiness,

Sulks beneath the stove.

A diligent domestic spirit from Slavic folklore, the Domovoi is revered as a superb household creature that is undoubtedly handy to have around. Eastern European legend has it that every house has one of the hairy little domesticated beings living under the stove or threshold protecting the family and maintaining a peaceful, orderly abode. In terms of appearance, Domoviye are commonly characterised as having grey beards, little horns and a tail and may even look like their owner who they'll dutifully serve and possibly even act as an oracle for. The furry housekeeper will do the chores and generally be a friendly family member as long as its owners show it affection, don't deliberately make a dirty mess and give it gifts (milk, biscuits or salted bread are popular presents). They'll also unleash their malicious streak on neighbouring households and harass the horses, cause disorder and break things if they're in a bad mood. It pays to appease and appreciate the hairy household spirit of Russian mythology so it doesn't start playing poltergeist tricks. Altogether, I'd say that the Domovoi is a sweet and charming supernatural entity, and no home should be without one.

Day LXXXII - Nuppeppo

Odious yōkai,

Lumpy blob of flabby flesh,

Malodorous mass.

An extremely unusual and pretty unnerving yōkai from Japanese folklore, the Nuppeppo is a, basically, a supernatural blob of flesh. Most commonly characterised as being a genderless lump of flab no taller than a metre-and-a-half in height, a face and features such as fingers and toes may also be attributed as anatomical features amindst the folds of skin. Legend has it that the mythical "Blobby" is a passive, benign being who harmlessly wanders around deserted graveyards, temples and villages. What is truly offensive though is the smell of the Nuppeppo: said to be body odour worse than the stench of rotting flesh (some believe that the Nuppeppo is decaying flesh). Despite its odious nature, eternal youth allegedly awaits those who eat the skin of the lumpy spook and, altogether, it's hard not to find the 'the Blob' of Japanese legend just a little appealing. It's a moving mass of flesh! Brilliant!

Day LXXXI - Centaur

Savage hooves gallop,

Engaged in war with Lapiths,

Equestrian man.

With the torso of a human being emerging out of the body of a horse, the Centaurs are supreme hybrid creatures of Greek mythology whose equestrian forms live long in cultural memory. Lusty, violent and easily influenced by wine, the creatures are generally characterised as a brutal and unruly race of beings with the exception of the wise Cheiron (master medicine expert and tutor to many a Greek hero who gave up immortality so he could become the Sagittarius constellation) and Pholus (friend of Heracles who accidentally kills himself with one of the legend's poison arrows). Out of the many myths in which the Centaurs make an appearance, the most significant episode is their clash with the Lapiths which comes when the horse-human hybrids violently gatecrash King Pirithous' wedding and attempt to abduct the female guests. With the help of Theseus, the Lapith people inflict huge losses on the Centaurs and scatter them across the lands in a battle which symbolises the triumph of civilisation over barbarism. Despite the defeat and condemnation as 'uncivilised', the presence of Centaurs in art across the ages - beyond their Greek origins - attests to the fact that these are awesome mythical entities that deserve our respect and appreciation. The half-man-half-horse is magnificent.

Day LXXX - Yeti

Legendary snowman,

Mystery of the mountains,

Great Himalayan.

The infamous Abominable Snowman of Asia, the mighty Yeti is reckoned to be a giant ape-man lurking in the Himalayas. Well-known the globe over thanks to its popularity in pop-culture and numerous sightings and cryptozoological expeditions, the Yeti is also known as Mi-Go and Meh-Teh in Tibetan and Ban-manche in Nepalese (amongst many other names). Various accounts (and after reading and weeping through Tintin in Tibet, no one is telling me that the Yeti isn't out there) have the creature as a woolly great primate or bear-type being with thick white or dark fur. The mysterious, gargantuan thing in the world's highest mountains continues to captivate imaginations and its awesomeness can't be denied. All hail the Yeti!

Day LXXIX - Abatwa

Zulu warrior,

Nomad mounted on an ant,

Careful where you step.

An incredible element of Zulu mythology, Abatwa are pretty much shy tiny humans said to be so small they can hide in anthills or behind blades of grass. South African legend has it that the little beings are hunter nomads that ride ants to get about or indeed get away from being seen. So sensitive is the Abatwa about its diminutive height that it can only tolerate being spotted by magicians, pregnant women or children under the age of four. If you spy one and you don't meet those criteria then you'll have to convince the Abatwa that you saw it from a long way away in order to as not to offend it (and consequently feel the points of poison arrows). Stepping on the creatures is also a death sentence so altogether it makes sense to be aware of the awesome pygmy people of South Africa. All hail the Abatwa as they ride astride their ant-mounts!

Day LXXVII - Kobold

German household sprite,

Small domestic folk figure,

Dressed in peasant garb.

A legendary little race of beings with many local variations and divergent traditions, Kobolds are German fun folklore beings whose mythical roots date back to the Middle Ages. Usually configured as monstrous dog-troll terrors in Dungeons & Dragons realms, the traditional Kobold of legend is said to be a humanoid figures no taller than a few feet high. What they look like depends on where they dwell: there are hunched-up mine Kobolds, sailor-suit-wearing and pipe-smoking ship Kobolds and - most prominent - household Kobolds. The domesticated little spirits are understood to do chores or make mischief depending on how they're treated and characteristically wear peasant clothing. Popular fairyfolk that they are, stories of Kobolds include the Heinzelmännchen of Köln (they used to do all the work in the town) and the Hödekin of Hildeheim (felt-hat wearing friend of the local bishop). In a way it's a shame their reputation has been uglified by role-playing in recent years, and the Mainzelmännchen who appear in the ZDF TV channel idents are much closer in spirit to the old-fashioned folklore figuration of the imagination-capturing Kobold. The tiny people of German legend deserve our tribute and praise.

Day LXXVI - Nian

Firecrackers flash,

Dancing for Chinese New Year,

Beast flees from the noise.

A popular figure from Chinese folklore, legend has it that the Nian comes from under the sea or mountains to attack the villages and prey on people. Humans need not fear though, for the creature - given different characteristics depending on region and local tradition - is an easily-scared entity that will never return to bother the area again once it's been frightened. Allegedly afraid of the colour red and loud noises, the Nian can be driven away by cacophonous celebrations, firework displays and dance processions: all of which take place on Chinese New Year. Thus, New Year celebrations the world over feature a lion dance around a symbolic representation of the Nian to scare the monster away and mark 'the passing of the beast'. Even though it only takes some rhythmic kung-fu acrobatics, a few red banners and the banging of drums to send it scarpering, for its role in Chinese New Year tradition the fantastical Nian deserves tribute. Kung Hei Fat Choi!

Day LXXV - Chimera

Three mouths breathe fire,

Beast battles Bellerophon,

Hybrid monster slain.

Legendary composite creature of Greek mythology, the Chimera (or Chimaera) is said to be a feminine fire-breathing monster of many heads whose infamy is such that her name now refers to anything of many amalgamated parts or a 'wild fancy' in popular lexicon. Said to have three faces, whoever encounters the ominous Chimera comes up against a lion at the front, a goat in the middle and a snake at the tail-end, altogether making it a terrifying beast and another terrible offspring of Echidna and Typhon. It's the great Greek hero Bellerophon who travels to the perpetual fires of Lycia, Asia Minor to obliterate the monster: according to the myth he avoids the flaming breath of the Chimera by flying high on the back of the winged horse Pegasus. Crafty Bellerophon defeats the dread creature by sticking a block of lead on the point of his spear which he rams into the mouth (which mouth we're not sure) whereupon it melts under molten flame and suffocates the great Chimera. It's a tragic but fittingly gruesome finale for a monster that epitomises the ancient Greek idea of combining a number of amazing animals together into one awesome supernatural package. I salute this scary entity: the great goat-lion-serpent deserves much praise.

Day LXXIV - Curupira

Flame-haired little boy,

Toothsome Amazonian,

Wrongfoots forest foes.

A funny forest guardian figure of South American folklore, the Curupira is said to inhabit the form of a flame-haired little boy with green teeth and backwards feet. The funny fella has his roots in the mythology of the Tupi tribe and protects the Amazon rainforest from the damage and destruction brought upon it by humanity. The Curupira tolerates hunting for food but can't stand those that do it for pleasure and so acts to punish them for their disrespect of nature. Its backwards feet leave confusing tracks which cause vicious people to get forever lost in the forest and the supernatural being is also said to leave traps to capture cruel humans. Altogether, the Curupira is an appealing eco-warrior fairy-type being with a firm place in Brazilian folklore, and I'd say that the fiery-headed, backfooting fellow of the rainforest deserves high praise indeed. Kudos to the Curupira!

Day LXXI - Asasabonsam

Hanging on leg hooks,

Vampiric fangs of metal,

African iron.

The vampire of West African legend, the Asasabonsam (or Asanbosam) is a dangerous beast hanging in the trees ready to prey on unsuspecting passers-by. Believed to have iron teeth and iron hooks for legs, the Ashanti people fear attacks from the evil predator who will dangle down and do away with them by eating them alive. The Asasabonsam allegedly aims its razor-sharp features on human thumbs first though doesn't appear to be fussy and will also stick its hooks and fangs into animals to satisfy the bloodthirst. In a way, the creature is an African mix of Count Dracula and Jaws from the James Bond movies with metal peg-legs and powerful acrobatic capabilities; all of which makes it pretty cool in my book. Respect is definitely due to the metal-edged tree-vampire terrorising West Africa.