The Banshee or “bean sí” or “bean sidhe”in Irish Mythology, is a female spirit-like creature that is usually seen as a death omen or a messenger from the underworld. The term banshee translates from Old Irish (ben síde) as ‘Woman of the fairy mound” or “fairy woman.”
According to legend, the wail of the banshee is a warning that someone is about to die. In Scottish Gaelic mythology, she’s known as the bean sìth or bean nighe and is reported to be washing the bloodstained clothes or armor of those marked for death. She is also referred to as the “Washer Woman.” Sightings have been for centuries and are also known in both Welsh and Norse folklore, with some reports coming from the United States.
The scream of a banshee is known as the “caoine” which translates as the “keening.” Originally, it was a mark of death in one of the five major Irish families: the O’Grady’s, the O’Neills, the O’Briens, the O’Connors, or the Kavanaughs. With the blending of families through the centuries, it is now believed that most Irish families have their own banshee attached to them. As families left Ireland and emigrated around the world, it is believed that banshees followed those families, as well.
Descriptions vary from a woman with long red hair and deathly pale skin to an old hag with stringy grey hair, rotten teeth, and fiery red eyes. She was often depicted as having a comb in her hair and this detail led to the Irish belief that finding a comb on the ground is bad luck. It is also believed that she can change her form at will, resembling either or both versions.
The Bean nighe is supposedly the ghost of a woman who died during childbirth, but this version is found more in Scotland. She is described as wearing the clothes of the person about to die, while the “Washer Woman” is seen as dressed like a normal woman but is stooped over and cleaning bloody rags in a body of water.
It is believed that if a Banshee discovers that a human is watching her, she will vanish in a cloud of mist, and it sounds like the flapping of bird wings. Many believe that the banshee doesn’t actually cause death, but merely warns of it.
Sightings go back centuries, and the lore is often contradictory, but the banshee is a terrifying creature that deserves a great deal of respect. Whether you choose to believe it or not, there is simply too much lore on this subject to dismiss it outright. You do so at your own risk. After all, every legend and myth have its roots in something that really happened.
Just because you don’t believe in the fae folk, doesn’t mean they aren’t out there. Some are good and actively help people, but others are dark and dangerous. None should be taken lightly.
The Yeti, sometimes called the Abominable Snowman, is the Asian cousin of Bigfoot. It’s found throughout Nepal, Tibet, Russia, India, and China. However, in some areas, it is known by different names. The Alma, the Almasti, the Yeren, and others. The name Yeti is derived from “Yeh-Tah,” meaning “rock thing.”
The Yeti may be descended from Gigantopithecus blacki. This prehistoric ape lived in Asia and is believed to have died out during the Pleistocene Epoch, which ended just over eleven thousand years ago.
In Buddhist mythology, the Yeti is said to be a peaceful creature that lived in dense snow caves and the glaciers along the Ganges River in India. Most recently, the majority of sightings and evidence are found on and around the infamous K2 Mountain, which is nearly as tall as Mount Everest.
According to modern sightings, it stands between 8 and 10.5 feet tall, has a thick coat of reddish-brown or black hair, and walks upright. It’s a common misconception that the Yeti is white, but the infamous “Yeti photo” was actually a picture of “Snowflake,” an albino gorilla in the Barcelona Zoo. Only footprints, bones, and hair samples have been found despite numerous expeditions.
While most of us immediately think of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving, the lore on creatures like this dates back centuries.
The Headless Horseman
While most of us immediately think of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving, the lore on creatures like this dates back centuries.
In Irish folklore, it’s called the “dullahan” or “dulachán”, which means dark man. It usually is depicted riding a horse and carrying its head beneath its arm. It is believed to be a dark fairy or fae. Some versions say it is the spirit of the Celtic God Crom Dubh who wields a whip made from a human spine. When the rider stops can calls out a name and that person dies instantly.
A similar figure is called the “gan ceann” (meaning without a head) and it is the headless driver of a black carriage called “the cóiste bodhar” which means death coach or silent coach. This version is found in Britain and the United States as well. In Scotland, it is seen on the Royal Mile of Edinburgh where it collects the souls of the dead.
In Welsh folklore, there are stories of headless horsemen and woeman. The “Fenyw heb an pen” (the headless woman) who rides “Ceffyl heb un pen” or horse without a head. Bryn Hall in Llanymawddwy is said to have been haunted by a headless horseman and only stoppy when one of the servants there discovered it was trying to give them a message and it led to the discovery of a body buried on the grounds. The body was allegedly the illegitimate child of Lord Bryn.
In German folklore, mostly in Rhineland, the headless horseman kills its victims by touching them. They were believed to be revenants that were cursed to walk the earth until they atoned for their sins. Sometimes they would do good deeds for strangers but would not shake their hands, instead they would grab a tree branch that would whither and die. Another version is “Der Kopfloser Reiter” (the headless horsemen) who warns the living of danger and would chase down the wicked to punish them.
In England, there is said to be a headless rider that haunts the area around Dartmoor. In Arthurian legends, the Green Knight was beheaded by Sir Gawain, but did not die. He retrieved his head and left after reminding Gawain to meet him at the Green Chapel in a year to complete the challenge.
In American folklore, there is a figure in southern Texas called “El Muerto.” Stories of El Muerto have been circulated since the mid 1800s. Allegedly, he carries his head dangling from his saddle and his horse produces lighting from its hooves as they strike the ground. This is believed to be based on another legend where a horse thief was captured and beheaded. His corpse was tied to a wild horse and sent running.
Varies books, movies and television shows have used the headless horseman theme as well, including an episode of “Kolchak: the Nightstalker” called Chopper where a headless motorcycle rider sought revenge for his killing.
This sighting occurred in Pickens County, South Carolina in approximately 1981. I have since spoken with the witness and he has agreed to allow us to use his name. His name is Robby Raines and he’s spent his career in Law Enforcement. Also, I checked the BFRO database and there were other sightings in that same area at the same time, so that really corroborates his story. I spoke with him via video chat, and he was very sincere and forthright about his sighting. I could also see that, even after all these years, it still affected him profoundly. The following is his account, in his own words. The only edits I made were punctuation and grammar.
D.A. Roberts
The Nightmare Hunter Project
Ok this will probably be long, and I know that I am not the writer that you are, but I will try to describe my first encounter to you as best I can. As I told you earlier, I am also in law enforcement and have been since 1996 so I’m now one of the grizzled old veterans. I say that to let you know that like yourself, I prescribe to the evidence and what the evidence shows or tells me. I became an officer to follow in my stepfather’s footsteps and I approach things in much the same way as him.
He retired from Our local county Sheriff’s Office. After 25 years as a Lieutenant in the juvenile division of the Criminal Investigation Division and then he went and worked another 15 years as a School Resource Officer at one of the small municipalities within the county. This encounter happened in early 1981. Dad was a Sergeant on the road at the time and he was on second shift on the day in question, so he was not at home. We live in a small community in Pickens County, South Carolina, which was very rural back in those days.
We lived in the Dacusville community and there was a lot of woods and farmland and not much else. Back in those days we still sat on the front porch in the summer evenings and talked instead of what most people do nowadays. This one summer night, my mom and I, along with my grandparents and my great grandparents were sitting on my great grandparent’s front porch. Well, my mom and the others were sitting on the porch, and I was inside my great grandparents’ house watching TV. It was probably after 2100 hours (9 PM) because it was dark outside when I finished watching whatever show I was watching.
My great-grandparent’s house was just an old-style farmhouse with an open floor plan and where I was in the house was the den and it directly lined up with the kitchen and the back porch. So, from where I stood up to turn off the TV, I could look straight into the kitchen, the back porch, and right out the storm door into the back yard. As I turned the TV off, and to this day I do not know why I looked to my right instead of walking straight out onto the front porch where my family was, but I looked to my right after turning off the TV and the back storm door was 15 to 20 feet away from me.
The light was on in the room I was in, but no other lights were on inside the house, so as I looked out the storm door, I saw a big shape standing in the door. I wasn’t sure what I was seeing at first or if I was seeing anything at all other than a trick with the shadows and lights, but then I saw it move. And it moved exactly how you described it in Odin’s Call. That side-to-side sway. I will never, as long as I live, forget that movement.
The top of its head was at the top of the storm door and the significance of that is that the top of that door was probably a good 12 feet off the ground. I sat there staring at this thing for what seemed like forever, but was most likely only a moment, staring into the deep sunken black eyes. It had black leathery looking skin on its face, and it had dark fur/hair everywhere else I could see. It constantly did the side-to-side sway, but it followed my movement with its eyes. I was terrified but I found the courage to finally run outside to my mom and grandparents on the front porch.
Long story short, nobody believed what I saw. At least at that time. My stepdad was on a call and being before the cellphone age we could not get a message to him, but my mom did call my uncle to come down and try and talk me down. My Uncle, who I also looked up too, is no small man. At this time, he was probably close to 6’6 and weighed over 350. He played college football and was a center, so you get the picture.
Anyway, he went to the back porch and stood in the doorway to see if maybe I saw a person looking in on me, but he did not even come close to taking up the doorway like the creature had, and he was standing on the steps and his head was not at the same height as the creature’s. The next day, my dad looked for any footprints, but it had not rained in a few weeks, so the ground was really hard packed and there was no sign of anything.
Like I said nobody believed me then, but my stepdad has since become a believer and believes that I did in fact see a bigfoot that night. I have always believed that is what I saw, and I have been laughed at many times when I told this story, but it is what it is, and I saw what I saw. I would love to sit down and talk to you sometime, either on the phone, or face to face and discuss this and my other encounters further. Anyways, thank you for your interest in my encounter.
Robby
That’s his story in his own words. I, for one, totally believe him. You can check for yourself on the BFRO website. Just check Pickens County, South Carolina. I look forward to more conversations with Robby and plan to have a beer with him the next time I’m in South Carolina. I even want to visit the spot where the sightings occurred.
Folks, this is what the Nightmare Hunter Project is all about. You can help and become a member of the project. Strange things are happening every day, all around us. You just have to look beyond the shadows. Welcome to The Nightmare Hunter Project.
This account was brought to me and is, in my opinion, very credible. The name of the reporting party will be redacted since I do not have his permission to use his name on the blog. This encounter seems to quite typical for hunters’ encounters all across the United States and Canada. Many never return to the woods to hunt again. Below is his account. In addition, RP is not the subject’s initials. It’s shorthand from my law enforcement days. It means “reporting party.”
RP – from Republic Mo.
Account told through FB Messenger
RP: I have a problem. My wife doesn’t believe in Bigfoot. I myself had an experience hunting deep in the woods one year in Poplar Bluff. I know what I saw, I put it in my scope, and I know what a bear looks like and I know what a primate (gorilla) looks like. This was scary and heart pounding with excitement at the same time. You are the first to hear this statement, not story.
Me: How long was your sighting?
RP: Maybe 5 minutes, it’s like he/her knew of my presence.
Me: I’ve heard accounts like that. It’s like they sense your presence even from a distance.
RP: Before I spotted him/her, I heard what sounded to me like rocks rolling down the hill.
Me: What were the sounds in the woods like? Also, what time of day was this? What Season, as well?
RP: Deer season, 1986. I got in my stand at 2:30 and it was a thicket, but very visible. It was 4:47pm. I never forgot, it is something I definitely carry the rest of my life.
Me: Did it leave the area or did you?
RP: Exact times, where the sun was at. Well when I finally got back to camp they did ask why I was so pale, I told them I ate some bad pork for breakfast. Needless to say, I didn’t go more than 300 yards from camp after that. I was scared to death.
Me: Did you see it again on that trip or did anyone else see it?
RP: No one in our camp witnessed anything. I wanted the big buck, so that’s why I went so deep in the woods. To tell you the truth, him/her didn’t seem harmful, very nonchalant and keeping their distance.
Me: A lot of encounters are just like that. A brief sighting where it seemed more curious than anything else. It’s not uncommon.
RP: I was scared to death, but that’s just natural fight or flight human nature.
Me: Exactly. Completely natural. I would have felt the same way.
RP: I am a believer! All these educated idiot’s say “we would of found a body by now.” Not true at all! I believe they’re very intelligent, and they take care of their own, I believe they would possibly bury their dead. Just a theory.
Me: I agree. I think they don’t want to be found and they’re smart enough to hide from us.
RP: Yes sir! With some of the supposedly educated Bigfoot hunters I don’t think it would be too hard to outsmart them.
This is his sighting. I found him to be both believable and credible. This encounter mirrors many others I have taken and/or read. Many hunters never return to the woods.
In the strictest sense of the word, a Dogman is any creature that exhibits a condition known as cynocephaly. If you’re like me, you probably didn’t have a clue what that was when you first saw the word. It’s defined simply as this:
Cynocephaly: The characteristic of cynocephaly, or Cynocephalus, having the head of a dog—or of a jackal—is a widely attested mythical phenomenon existing in many different forms and contexts. The literal meaning of “cynocephaly” is “dog-headed”; however, that this refers to a human body with a dog head is implied.
There are many historical examples of cynocephaly. Saint Christopher is depicted in many accounts as having the head of a dog. Then, of course, we have Anubis from Egyptian Mythology. There are even references to men with the heads of dogs (and lions) in the bible. Greek Mythology tells of the story of King Lycaon, who tried to trick Zeus as was cursed to become the first lycanthrope.
Next, some accounts do not involve mythology. Christopher Columbus and Marco Polo both wrote of encountering dog-headed men in their travels. Even the Norse spoke of the Ulfhednar or the Wolf Warriors. Berserkers took on the aspects of wolves when they went into battle and no spear or sword could slow them down.
Numerous accounts down through the centuries speak of these types of creatures. Some call them werewolves and some call them Dogmen. But what are their origins? Where do they come from? That, my friend, is the true question. That is exactly what The Nightmare Hunter Project is all about. We search for the nightmares that plague us all.
Theories abound about the Dogman and where it comes from. Our mission is to delve into myths, legends, sightings, and stories to find clues to this origin. We do this by collecting as much information as we can. Through diligent research, field investigations, combing through eye-witness accounts, and exploring the lore, we hope to begin solving the mystery surrounding the creature known as the Dogman.
What we do know:
Dogman has been seen all around the world. People describe the same or similar creatures across numerous cultures and climates. Although there appears to be more than one type of creature, behaviors all seem consistent.
Eyewitnesses use the term “hellish” or “demonic” or “pure evil” when they describe a visual encounter. Usually with yellow or golden eyes. Visual encounters have always inspired fear and most describe feeling in grave danger.
Many encounters speak of the creature moving on all fours and then hearing a “popping” sound like knuckles cracking just before it standing up and having hands. Hands that were described as “raccoon-like” or “not quite human.”
Quite a few accounts have taken place in or around cemeteries. Why? We have no idea. Yet another mystery surrounds this subject.
Some accounts have mentioned these creatures wearing crude armor and carrying weapons like spears or swords. Some also speak of possible language use. This would indicate a higher intelligence than previously suspected.
There have been reports of lethal encounters with humans. Whether or not those accounts can be proven is another matter, but the fact remains that it is completely possible that they have/will prey on humans. This could contribute to some of the disappearances in the “Missing 411” and “CanAm Project.”
This is not an all-inclusive list. It is merely to help explain the phenomenon known as Dogman. We will delve more deeply into this subject in subsequent articles, blog entries, videos, and reports. Watch this blog as well as the Facebook Group we will be building in the coming weeks.
I hope you will join us on this adventure. The evidence is mounting and it’s very compelling. All we ask is that you come with an open mind. If you refuse to believe in cryptids, then there will be little we can do to change your mind. However, if you’re interested in learning more about Dogman and, by extension, other cryptids, then you’ve come to the right place.
Join The Nightmare Hunter Project. We’re all Nightmare Hunters, in one capacity or another. You can help solve the mysteries surrounding Dogman. Your stories, encounters, and sightings could provide key details that help us find the answers we seek.
3 college boys sighting.Near Ou***** ***** Greater Manchester•
This account comes from a colleague in England. He’s an experienced cryptozoologist and a solid investigator. Check out the account below and like/subscribe to his YouTube channel.
Thank you – The Nightmare Hunter
UK Report of a baboon like creature seen running along the edge of a stream banking. Witness by three males around the age of 16 to 17 years old. The boys say that they were playing truant from college and are unwilling to give their names. They were smoking cannabis and also drinking beer. The animal was reported to be roughly the size of a man. It had features of a baboon like creature whilst upright. But once the animal was down on all 4’s it resembled more of a canine/Wolf looking creature. They stated that they had had 3 or 4 beers each. And shared two joints between the three of them. They were laid-back relaxing in the sunshine, when they heard movement on the opposite side of the banking coming from up stream. One of the boys saw it first and then got the attention of the other two. When it was first spotted it was travelling on all fours in the direction of the water flow. The boys say that has the animal moved to the far left it seemed to slow down and sniff around as though it could smell them. It then got onto its back legs and slid down a mudslide. rear legs first, like a human would do. NOT A DOG! They say after it had slid down the mudslide it disappeared into trees following the flow of the water. They state that it took them at least a good 10 / 15 minutes before they had the courage to go over and see where it went. They finally managed to get to the point that they lost sight of it and noticed that the water disappears into some kind of a cave system. The boys state that they were in no shape whatsoever to even attempt to follow.
The Ozark Mountains are part of one of the oldest geologic formations on the planet, the St. Francois Mountains, which date back to the Protozoic age. Over the ages, these mountains have eroded and shifted, leaving little of what they once were. What remains is scattered sections of highlands that range from Ohio to Texas. A large section of this extinct mountain range is the Ozark Mountains or Ozarks Highlands. Ranging from just south of St. Louis, they run through Missouri, Arkansas, and parts of Kansas and Oklahoma. By extension, they join with the Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas and Oklahoma, offering a vast area of heavy forests, waterways, lakes, rivers, valleys, caves, and thick brush. This provides the perfect backdrop for all sorts of legends, tales, and cryptids. But every legend has its roots in the truth.
Since the settlement of the Ozarks Region by European settlers, there have been strange tales of creatures in the woods. The entire area is rich with folklore, legends, stories, and myth. Stories of creatures like the Missouri Wildman, MoMo the Monster, ghostly apparitions, strange creatures, hauntings, and the Ozarks Howler. These stories date back to the early 1800s, long before stories of Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster were ever heard reported. Some of these stories even predate European settlers, coming from the Native American tribes that lived in the area for centuries before the first explorers arrived in the area. Even in modern times, sightings are still being reported. Out of the dozens of eyewitness reports, many more go unreported. In some cases, hundreds of accounts go unreported because of the insular and untrusting nature of the people who live in remote areas.
Dozens of blog entries could be written, just focusing on the Ozarks. More will undoubtedly come from that area, but this article will focus on one, the Ozarks Howler. If you’ve never heard of the Ozark’s Howler, then you’re not alone. Many people outside the Ozarks haven’t. As legends go, it’s very localized and seldom reported. The origins of the legend are lost to antiquity but easily trace back to the first settlers in the area.
The Ozarks Howler is also known as the Ozarks Black Howler, the Black Howler, Devil Cat, the HooHoo, and the Nightshade Bear. Eyewitness accounts of the Ozarks Howler describe a massive predator, roughly the size of a bear. Descriptions mention glowing red eyes that can be seen from a distance. Witnesses also describe a creature with a body of a bear or large dog. Some accounts say it’s a large cat, bigger than a mountain lion. They all describe the coat as being black with thick, shaggy fur. Accounts also describe the creature as having horns. Descriptions vary, calling them deer-like or like the horns of a ram. Then there is the howl, which is said to sound like a mixture of a wolf’s howl and the bugling of an elk. A blood-curdling scream that is said to turn the blood to ice in your veins.
Accounts of the Howler range from sightings to animal attacks and mutilations, to missing people. People who have had a face-to-face encounter describe the feeling of fear and pure evil. Undoubtedly, whatever they saw frightened them deeply. Having spoken to several witnesses personally, I have found their accounts to be credible and the fear in their eyes told me that they weren’t lying. Over the years, I have developed a good sense of when someone is making up a story and there are always inconsistencies. Unfortunately, some people seem to delight in hoaxing or making up stories, which is terrible. Hoaxes and lies only serve to discredit actual accounts, making it harder for the truth to be found. Due to the negativity in the press and stigma placed on people who have had encounters, many true accounts are never reported.
One of the earliest accounts of the Ozarks Howler was from Daniel Boone, who claimed to have wounded one and later to have encountered it again new Cuba, Missouri, where he was able to kill it. Allegedly, he had the animal stuffed and added to the collection of trophies he kept in his home. This can be verified by a letter written by Boone, himself, to his sister.
During my research, I have found several similar legends that range across the United States and beyond. The legend of the Shunka Warakin is remarkably like the Howler. As are the Black Dogs of Death from English Folklore. The legend of the Black Dog is an omen of death and misfortune. There are other similarities to the Cù-Sìth of Scottish folklore, the Barghest of Northern England, the Black Shuck of East Anglia, and most notably, the Hellhound. This could be due to overlapping of the legends or, possibly, that they were all describing the same creature.
Whatever the origins of the legend, it has been part of the local folklore for over two hundred years. Despite claims of hoaxes and false stories, there are still sightings happening all over the Ozarks. There are numerous similarities to the appearance of these creatures as well as the behaviors exhibited. Far too many similarities to dismiss them outright. Add to that the fact that many eyewitnesses are telling the truth, then we start seeing a pattern. Say there are a thousand reports. Tossing out 90 percent of those reports as false would still leave you with one hundred reports that aren’t false. If even one report is true, then that means the creature must exist. Now, I know from experience, the percentage of false or hoax reports is much smaller than the percentage of honest accounts. That’s very telling.
Some accounts could be a simple misidentification. Many accounts are from experienced hunters and woodsmen who know the animals in their area. I cannot accept that every account is a simple misidentification of a known animal. I once read that “Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbably, must be the truth.”
I submit to you that it is impossible to dismiss all these reports as either a hoax or misidentification of a known animal. I’ve interviewed too many people personally to ever believe that they’re all making it up. Too many people have seen something in those dark Ozarks woods, things that they know shouldn’t exist. Yet, saw them, they did. The experience haunts them to this day, casting doubt on every odd sound they hear in the night or outside their own homes. Fear like that leaves a stain that you carry with you for the rest of your life. You can’t fake that kind of fear. That’s how I know they weren’t lying.
So, the next time you find yourself walking alone in those deep, dark Ozarks hills and you see glowing red eyes followed by a blood-curdling howl, try telling yourself it’s just a wolf. It’s just a cougar or something similar. Convince yourself that those glowing red eyes aren’t following you. Try not to run, because that’s the worst thing you can do. It triggers the hunting response in predators. They will chase you and you will not escape.
The Ozarks Howler is out there. It’s very real to the people who have experienced it, firsthand. Sightings have been around since the early 1800s and continue to this day. It’s easy to sit behind your computer or television and dismiss these creatures as pure myth, as a hoax, or just as the imaginings of a scared person. It’s quite another to be out in the deep woods at night when the howling starts, and you can see the red eyes in the distance. The old expression “there are no atheists in foxholes” comes to mind. Don’t believe me? I can give you a few places to go and see for yourself. Don’t forget to take a good flashlight.
There are many strange things in the world that we don’t fully understand. Science discovers new species every day. Most are just insects, but sometimes they find something big. We’re fooling ourselves by saying that we know everything there is to know about this planet. There are places in those Ozarks woods, and in many places in the world, where man either has never been or rarely goes. Those woods are dark, deep, and mysterious. They have yet to reveal to us all that they know.
I believe that the Ozarks Howler is out there. Much like Bigfoot or the Dogman, I do believe they exist. We cannot, in our hubris, dismiss the legends and folklore of the Native Americans. All three of those creatures were known to them. We’re fools to ignore their wisdom. You do so at your peril.
I am the Nightmare Hunter. This is what I do. Join me as I search for the truth. Be safe, be careful, take precautions, and do not go alone. The Nightmares are real.
The Nightmare Hunters 