10 terrifying demons with disarming and misleading names
To answer Juliet’s famous question in Shakespeare’s play, there’s actually a lot packed into a name. A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet, but when it comes to demons and other dangerous creatures, deceptively innocent names can make them even deadlier.
Someone told not to listen to Belphegor, or associate with Mephistopheles, or warn about another creature with a long, strange-sounding name with lots of vowels would probably take it seriously. But try warning them about Amy, Leonard or – God forbid – Furfur. They hardly sound threatening, but it would be wrong to believe it. This list explains why and provides seven more examples of dangerous demons and mythological creatures that hide behind misleading names.
Related: Top 10 Creepy Stories of Demonic Possession
10 The Beans Nighe
Warn a walker in Scotland to beware of the Bean Nighe, and he’ll probably wonder why he should worry about a nutritious heartbeat nearby. But what hikers should really look out for is an old woman washing blood-stained clothes near a stream or stream (and it’s actually pronounced “ben-nee’-yeh”). If she looks hideous and has webbed feet, it’s best not to get too close, as it is the Bean Nighe – the spirit of a woman who died in childbirth – and an omen of death, like her Irish relative, the banshee.
Legend has it that the clothes she washes are those of people who are about to die. It is best not to be seen by her, but she grants wishes to those who approach her properly. That means sneaking up on her and sucking one of her hanging breasts. One must then claim to be the Bean Nighe’s foster child so that she will not harm them.[1]
9 Lubber Abbey
Death is probably not a concern for someone who has devoted their life deeply to their faith, such as a monk or a priest. His idea of danger is probably the risk of giving in to the temptations he faces during his time on Earth. But it seems that there are folk tales about dangerous demons in disguise who hang around abbeys, trying to distract the monks from their righteous path and tempting them to be greedy, drunk and indecent. These were known as abbey lubbers, and were usually said to wait for victims in the wine cellar.
In some cases they were there to ensure that monks who had already made a mistake actually tried their best to earn damnation. However, many abbeys needed little help in this regard when these stories began to be told in fifteenth-century Europe. In fact, it was the wealth and decadence of the abbeys at the time that probably led to the spread of folktales such as that of the abbey lubbers.[2]
8 Cat of the Corner
Someone traveling to Ireland instead of Scotland need not worry about encountering the Puss of the Corner, also known as ‘Pus an Chuine’ or ‘Cat-head’. Cat-head, the eldest son of a persistent, nasty old witch who burned the same castle every night after it had been rebuilt during the day, was murdered by the famous hero of Irish folklore, Fin MacCumhail. Yet it was not easy for him.
Cat-head, named for his most distinguishing feature, fought Fin so fiercely that he survived when the flesh was torn from his entire body and his head was cut off. However, Fin had a vision that showed him that he needed the witch’s blood to kill the beast. Fortunately, she was already on her way to save her son. Fin decapitated her after what was apparently the greatest fight of all time, and the whole time Cat-head’s cat head was biting his chest. Finally, Fin smeared the witch’s blood on Cat-head, who died immediately.[3]
7 The Killakee cat
Another demonic cat that terrified the Irish was the Killakee Cat, also known as the ‘Beast of Killakee’. Those who have seen it have said it is a black cat the size of a German Shepherd dog with blazing red eyes, although it is also said to take the form of a deformed dwarf. The haunting of Killakee House made the house unlivable even after it was exorcised. The house used to be a meeting place for a sinister secret society known as the Hellfire Club. The club’s meetings began with a toast to the Devil, who was said to have even shown up several times, and there are countless stories of the club’s murders and mysteries.
A regular activity was the sacrifice of cats, which were doused with alcohol and set on fire. A popular story is that this ritual was being performed on a black cat one evening when the group was interrupted by a priest, who caused a demon to burst from the cat’s body. Another story says that the group once tortured and murdered a small person, and that the remains of a child or small adult were actually found there in 1971.[4]
6 Fur
Despite its cute name, Furfur isn’t just another feline, nor is it someone who should ever consider cuddling. He is in fact a fallen angel and is high up in the chain of command in Hell. He holds the title of Earl and commands 26 legions of demons. He appears as a hybrid of deer and human, with the head and hindquarters of a heart – a male red deer – with the chest and arms of a man. He also has bat wings so he can fly, and his tail is permanently on fire.
Furfur has the power to create thunderstorms, but can be quite useful when summoned under the right circumstances. For example, if placed in a triangle when summoned, he will take the form of an angel and will answer questions about secret, divine or abstract things. However, if he is not in a triangle, nothing he says will be true.[5]
5 Amy
Some demons have names that simply don’t sound scary in modern English, and one thing that can cause this is when the name is independent but widely adopted for other uses. Take the name Amy, which at the time of writing is one of the most popular girl names in the US. But centuries ago it was the name given to a great president of Hell who, if you were unlucky enough to see him, first appears as a fire and then usually turns into a man.
According to the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum, a sort of demonic directory from the 16th century, Amy has 36 legions of demons under his command. He also has a somewhat restless character. The Dutch demonologist Johann Weyer has described how Amy hopes to return to heaven in 1,200 years and take a place among the highest angels. However, Weyer added that he thinks this will be impossible.[6]
4 Leonard
Most people have heard of Satan, and thanks to Freddie Mercury, many people have probably heard of Beelzebub. They, of course, hold some of the most powerful positions in the hierarchy of Hell. But alongside them stands a lesser-known demon who goes by the humble name of Leonard. It might not be too much of a stretch to imagine that his colloquial name could be the reason why he isn’t included in stories and song lyrics. He does, however, hold a number of important positions.
Leonard is the Inspector General of Sorcery, Witchcraft and the Black Arts, as well as the Grand Master of the Sabbats. In the latter role he would oversee demonic orgies and banquets. It can take many forms, but usually looks like a goat from the waist down, with three horns and flaming eyes. Oddly enough, he is also said to have a face on his butt that he lets witches kiss as a way of worshiping him.[7]
3 Lilith
Lilith, unlike Amy, is actually a woman, but that doesn’t make her any less terrifying. She is a demonic figure from Jewish folklore, infamous for kidnapping and murdering children and seducing men. According to legend, Lilith was the first wife of Adam from the Old Testament creation story, but after refusing to submit to him, she left the Garden of Eden. Three angels sent by God to find her tracked her down to a cave where she hid and had many children.
The angels killed a hundred of her children every day to make her pay for her disobedience. However, Lilith still refused to follow their orders. In revenge, she kills other people’s children and is said to be responsible for stillbirths and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Although Lilith is still seen by many as a murderous demon, her original crime was simply asserting her independence. Because of this, Lilith has been adopted by some feminists as a symbol of female independence.[8]
2 The uncle
The relationship of El Tío – ‘The Uncle’ – with the Bolivian miners who worship him is complicated. His name connotes closeness as if he were family, and he is sometimes generous enough to let the miners leave the mine, not only with their lives, but also with a large load of silver. On the other hand, the miners should not fear him, even though the punishment for being afraid is itself a cause for fear.
It is said that El Tío kills those who fear him and eats their souls. He is usually depicted as the devil, with horns and red eyes. Miners can worship him by leaving gifts of cigarettes, alcohol and coca leaves at a statue of him. These are easily found at every entrance to the mine to remind the workers that they are entering its territory: the underworld. They must ask his permission to mine the precious metals, and the price they must pay him is their souls.[9]
1 Lady Afternoon
Farmers in Eastern Europe had better not forget to take their lunch break, otherwise they will encounter Lady Midday. Also known as the Noonwraith, she is a wandering spirit who believes noon is a sacred time set aside for rest, and she punishes those she sees working through it. Although several versions of the legend exist, it appears in the folklore of several countries, including Russia, Poland, Ukraine and Serbia. Many have one thing in common: a simple touch of her hand is fatal.
Lady Midday is also often said to wear a white robe and use the wind to float through farmers’ fields, although other aspects of her appearance vary from region to region, such as her age, hairstyle, and beauty. Even if someone isn’t working at lunch and they see her, it’s best not to start a conversation. Some versions of her story say that she will speak without ceasing, but will kill those who turn away from her. Others say that she expects her conversation partner to talk about one topic for an hour, or to ask difficult questions. If they fail, they will become seriously ill, injured or dead.[10]