Here There Be Monsters!

October wouldn’t be the month of Halloween without some discussion on the legend and lore of monsters. After all, in just a few days – 18 to be exact, not that anyone is counting – the streets will fill with monsters of all kinds going door-to-door seeking treats. Like so many of our modern celebrations, Halloween and the traditions associated with it have roots in a more mysterious past. And while today the only monsters we tend to think about this time of year are the characters we are trying to find for our latest costumes, there are many places throughout the world where the existence of monsters is still a very deeply accepted fact.

Centuries ago, in the ancient times of the Celts, it was believed that this was the time of year when strange creatures and supernatural beings could most easily walk among us. And it’s in that age where we find some of the origins of our most popular Halloween activities of today. For example, the notion of wearing masks or dressing in costume was not meant as a way of standing out from those around you, but rather blending in with the monsters that were roaming around. Similarly it was not candy that was left on the doorsteps for kids, but offerings of food and drink that were placed there to appease the spirits as they moved from house to house. If you left them gifts, than they would pass you by without causing any trouble. But if you forgot, or you didn’t believe, the spirits would bring their mischief upon you.  

In ancient times the belief in creatures such as vampires and werewolves, spirits and fairies, was simply an established part of everyday life. These were not the Hollywood version of the creatures we think of today, but were developed from legends that date back to the oldest civilizations on the planet. We may like to think that these stories were just the ramblings from a time when we didn’t know any better, but perhaps it is our modern time that doesn’t know better. In fact, polls taken from around the world show that people in all areas, and from all backgrounds, are increasingly believing more and more in the existence of creatures that are sometimes considered “monsters.” And we’re not just talking paranormal popularity such as ghosts, we’re talking traditions that are even stronger than those, such as the belief of fairies.

Fairies are not a creature one would think of as a monster, but the ancient stories are quite a bit darker than the ones we are familiar with today. The idea of the Disney version of Tinkerbell is very much different from the original story book, and the European origins of fairies present them in a different light. Many places in Europe hold to these beliefs so strongly that entire construction projects have been altered because they included plans to remove areas that were long-thought to be the homes of fairies. In our modern American towns we might think that these stories have no place here, but in fact the belief in fairies and nature spirits are strong here in our own backyards. You might be surprised to find how many of your friends and neighbors have areas of their property that they consider “fairy gardens” or have put up or created “fairy houses.” Perhaps it’s all just fun and games… but perhaps there’s more to it than that.

Monsters, in one form or another, most certainly exist even in our modern society. It’s true that investigations into encounters with strange creatures often turn up a far less mysterious culprit, such as the Fishercat stories of late, but there are indeed still genuine unidentified monsters roaming around which elude capture and explanation. One such monster is the legendary Chupacabra, which despite numerous attempt to explain it away, and several uninteresting claims of its capture, is a creature that continues to be reported. Other notable monsters more local to our area include the Jersey Devil, the Native American Pukwudgies, and the Dover Demon.

So maybe it’s not that we know so much better now, maybe it’s just that we don’t often take the time to stop and think about how much there is that we don’t know.