Snallygaster

Snallygaster, as portrayed in an early 20th century Maryland Newspaper

Snallygaster

Origin: American Folklore

Description

In American folklore, the snallygaster is a dragon-like beast described by hill communities of German immigrants in the forests of northern Maryland and southern Pennsylvania, who knew it as a monster called a Schnelle Geist, meaning "quick ghost" in German. The Snallygaster would be described in an infamous newspaper campaign spanning the first half of the 20th century as one-eyed, reptilian, ghoul-like creature, with leathery bat-like wings, a metallic beak lined with razor-sharp teeth, and octopus-like tentacles. It swoops silently from the sky to pick up and carry off its victims, from whom the Snallygaster would then suck the blood, discarding their corpses on the lonely cliffs of the Maryland hills. Star-shaped "hex signs", which reputedly kept the snallygaster at bay, can still be seen painted on local Maryland barns.

Keeper Notes

• The sinister, hybrid, winged Snallygaster (and the similar Jersey Devil) might be thought of as regional variations on the Byakhee. (fan theory)

Associated Mythos Elements

• setting: Folk Mythos