In Medieval Europe, parents lived in fear of the Fae-folk, who liked to steal sleeping infants from their crib. Whenever they did this, the faeries would replace their human child with one of their own. These Changelings would take the shape of the human child, so that the parents would have no way of knowing that it was an imposter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
This half-man, half-horse creature from Greek mythology combines the wisdom associated with civilization and the wildness of nature. We'll look at the stories of several of the worlds' most famous centaurs, each of which shines a light on the bestial elements of human nature. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
It is a mermaid-like creature from Inuit folklore that makes its home in the icy-cold waters of the arctic. The qalupalik pounces on any children foolish enough to stray into its path. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
It’s a mischievous, shape-shifting trickster from Celtic folklore, often appearing in the guise of a demonic horse. Though the Púca can bring good or bad fortune, its ability to hold a grudge has made it an enemy of Irish farmers for centuries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Part man, part monstrous amalgamation—his thighs are said to have been made of snakes, and his back covered in feathers and wings. A denizen of pure evil, Typhon was created for the sole purpose of sowing chaos, and has often been called the father of all monsters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Part eagle, part lion, these formidable creatures have commanded respect for centuries. Today, the griffin is used as a symbol of strength. But hundreds of years ago, its incredible size and power instilled true dread. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
They are an obscure but truly disturbing army of monsters found in the Book of Revelation. While the description for Abaddon’s Locusts is less than 12 lines long, these hybrid creatures make a real impression—torturing everyone they see who isn’t marked for safety by God. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
They’re a mysterious race of giants mentioned in the Book of Genesis. The non-canonical Book of Enoch tells the story of the Nephilim’s conception—sired by rebellious angels and human women, they were one of the most destructive forces in the world before the Great Flood covered the earth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
He is a demon prince of hell, often depicted as the right-hand man of Satan. But long before Beelzebub appeared in the Bible or Paradise Lost, he was the pagan god Ba'al Zebub, the "Lord of the Flies." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
We are thrilled to bring you a brand new episode of Mythical Monsters today and for the foreseeable future. We thank you for your patience during this unprecedented time. Appearing in Abrahamic mythology, the Behemoth is a gargantuan beast of chaos. Its steps shake the earth and drive livestock insane. At the end of the world, it will face its sister Leviathan where the land meets the sea. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
If you enjoy the stories told in Mythical Monsters, check out this episode from our series Tales: An adult Nathanael attempts to overcome the traumatic experiences of his childhood. But he knows, deep down, that Coppelius will always return, ready to take his eyes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
If you enjoy the stories told in Mythical Monsters, check out this episode from our series Tales: Young Nathanael fears the one who comes in the night, who takes the eyes of children. His fear only grows when his father's co-worker, Coppelius, begins to show signs of being the boogeyman himself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Prevalent in medieval European folklore, the Succubus is a demonic entity that assumes a female form and seduces men as they sleep. She was said to drain her victims of vitality, bringing fatigue, mental illness, and even death. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
They were two sea monsters from Greek mythology that represented real-life hazards in the Strait of Messina. One was a jagged, rocky cliff wall, and the other, a deadly whirlpool. Greek sailors who tried to pass through the strait found themselves caught between a rock and a hard place...literally. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Due to the unfortunate spread of COVID-19, Parcast has decided to halt recording for the time-being. This is a precautionary measure taken to ensure the safety of our hosts and staff. In the meantime, we're excited to share one of our classic episodes that we know you'll enjoy! He’s not the loveable guy you’re used to seeing in animated films: These 12th century monsters were usually depicted as large, hideous, man-like beings that ate humans—especially infants and children. Learn more about you...
They’re one of history's most pervasive mythological creatures, appearing in the folklore of cultures from around the world. From the temples of Ancient Assyria to the epic poems of Ancient Greece, mermaids have endured the test of time to make a big splash in pop culture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Known as the “Irish harbinger of death,” this female fairy appears before the death of members of the oldest families of Ireland. If the Banshee appears to you, it means that before the day is over, some unlucky soul will perish. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Before Lamia was a monster, she was a queen. Her children were sired by Zeus, and her life was perfect. But then, Hera, the queen of the gods, became jealous. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Pearly white and standing no more than two feet tall, Yumboes have been described as Senegal’s Wolof counterpart to the European fairy. Unlike fairies, however, Yumboes are the chosen form of the spirits of the dead, who haunt the hills of the woodland savannah. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
For years, Zulu people living near Howick Falls in South Africa have reported encounters with the Inkanyamba—a giant water-dwelling serpent with a horse-like head. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
It’s a legendary creature said to live in the Richtersveld, a desert region of South Africa. Was the Grootslang an abomination from the dawn of the Earth, or a mythological warning against the dangers of man’s greed? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Kongamato is a legendary winged creature first described by the Kaonde tribe of modern Zambia, formerly Northern Rhodesia. Sightings of the Kongamato have continued well into the 21st century, leading some cryptozoologists to believe that it might actually exist. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
In Hindu Mythology, Narasimha was the fourth avatar of Lord Vishnu. Vishnu took the form of the half-lion, half-man to face the evil Asura Hiranyakashipu—adopting Narasimha’s fierce lion appearance to fight evil, injustice, and to protect the earth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
A walking corpse with inhuman strength and the power to change its shape and size, the Draugr was a true outcast. In death, it preyed upon the society it had scorned in life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Long before the Vikings, before the first man, and even before the Gods, there was Ymir—a primordial giant who figures prominently in the Norse creation myth. As the first being to exist in Norse cosmology, Ymir gets to the very heart of their culture and belief system. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Vampires have sucked on our attention for centuries, thriving on our fears. But they reached a new height in 1897, when Irish author Bram Stoker published his novel, Dracula. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
It had the head and body of a lion, as well as a goat’s head protruding from its back, and a long tail that ended in the head of a serpent. Chimaera is one of the most fearsome legendary beasts in the Greek pantheon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Also known as the Yeti, the Abominable Snowman has purportedly stalked the mountainous areas of Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan for hundreds of years. Often reported, but never caught, the Yeti is the spirit of the harsh conditions of the Himalayas, where death is a constant companion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
According to Japanese legend, when a golden orb-weaver spider turns 400-years-old, it grows horrifically large and becomes capable of transforming into a beautiful woman known as the Jorōgumo. Their shape-shifting abilities enable them to lure young, virile men into their webs to devour. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
A powerful and mischievous shape-shifter from Japanese mythology, Tengu was known as a mythological trickster. Its depiction ranges from a fierce demonic dog in Chinese folklore to a modern half-man-half-bird creature that permeates Japanese art and ceremony. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
