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“iii T
CH COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM

— 28971 |I F

The Dark World of Supernatural Beings

That Haunt Us, Hunt Us,
and Hunger for Us
Don’t Miss Jonathan Maberry’s
Spine-Tingling Thriller

"CHILLING, LYRICAL, MELODIC, AND DARK.”

—Scott Nicholson

GHOST
ROAD

JONATHAN MABERRY

“Plenty of chills...reminiscent of Stephen King.”

—Publishers Weekly
VAMPIRE UNIVERSE
Date: 9/2/11

133.423 MAB
Maberry, Jonathan.
Vampire universe :
VAMPIRE UNIVERSE
The Dark World ofSupernatural Beings
That Haunt Us, Hunt Us, and Hunger for Us

JONATHAN MABERRY

CITADEL PRESS
Kensington Publishing Corp.
www.kensington.com
 CITADEL PRESS BOOKS are published by

Kensington Publishing Corp.

850 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10022

Copyright © 2006 Jonathan Maberry

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by
any means without the prior written consent of the publisher,
excepting brief quotes used in reviews.

All Kensington titles, imprints, and distributed lines are available at special quantity
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CITADEL PRESS and the Citadel logo are Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.

First printing: September 2006

LORORS
O7 nO oma al

Printed in the United States of America

Library of Congress Control Number: 2006926711

ISBN 0-8065-2813-3
As always. . . this isfor Sara Jo, my own immortal beloved.
 — Contents —
Acknowledgments "i :

INTRODUCTION: ix
The Nature of the Beast

CHAPTER ONE: 1
Vampires and Monsters A—F

CHAPTER TWO: 122

Live Fast, Die Young, and Have a Good-Looking Corpse
(The Vampire Paradigm in Fiction and Film)

CHAPTER THREE: 132

Vampires and Monsters G-M

CHAPTER FOUR: 221

If It Had Teeth It Would Bite You
(The Why Behind the Weird)

CHAPTER FIVE: aot

Vampires and Monsters N-R

CHAPTER SIX: 259 ”

And in This Corner... The Good Guys
(Vampire Slayers and Other Enemies of Evil)

CHAPTER SEVEN: 263

Vampires and Monsters S~Z,

Artist Index 311

About the Author 317

 — Acknowledgments —
Vampire Universe and the books to follow have been a massive undertak-
ing, and a host of people have generously provided information, assis-
tance, insights, and support. Thanks to:
My agent, Sara Crowe of the Harvey Klinger Agency; and my editor
at Citadel, Michaela Hamilton.
To the folks who helped shape the book: Sara Jo West, Sam West-
Mensch, and Arthur Mensch.

David Kramer, for doing the first serious edit on this book.
My “crew,” for support and feedback: Fran and Randy Kirsch, Gina
and Charlie Miller, Gary and Donna Berkowitz, Cindy and Steve Rubino,

Marylou and Frank Sessa, Marge and Frank Makos, and Carol and David
Gabay.
Geoff Strauss and David Kramer (again) for designing my websites
www.ghostroadblues.com and www.vampireuniverse.com.
My team at Career Doctor for Writers www.careerdoctorforwriters.com:
Jerry Waxler, John Moskowitz, Mark and Gretchen Gunn, Keith Strunk,
Raquel Pidal, Justin Bowers, Edie Moser, Kim Nagy, Toni Lopopolo, Su-
san Korman, and Lisa Papp.
HWA: The Horror Writers Association; and the GSHWA: Garden

State Horror Writers.

To Kim Zagoren, editor of Forever Underground, for first publishing
my column on Supernatural Predators.
PWC: Philadelphia Writers Conference—to my fellow board
members and the many conferees I’ve come to know, many thanks!
To the Wild River Gang who work with me to produce The Wild River
Review, the world’s coolest literary magazine—www.wildriverreview.com.
And to the wonderful artists who provided the amazing art that
graces this book (please check out the Artist Index in the back to learn
more about them).
 — ytroduction —
THE NATURE OF THE BEAST

THEY ARE OUT THERE IN THE DARK, always watching, always hungry.
They have always been there, preying on humanity since before recorded
history. Eternal. Patient. Ravenous.
Scary thought, isn’t it?
We humans have always believed in monsters, in strange beings whose ex-
act nature is unknown and whose intent is decidedly alien. Prehistoric man
painted cave walls with half-human half-animal figures. The walls and col-
umns of ancient temples around the world are carved with semi-humans,

monsters, demons, and bestial gods. Clerics in the churches and temples of a

thousand religions have warned of unnatural monsters that wanted to corrupt

or destroy mankind. Stories of them have been handed down through the mil-
lennia, and are still told today, sometimes in jest...and sometimes with a
tremble in the voice and a flick of the eye toward the nearest shadow. In the
whole history of humanity on Earth there has not been one single culture that
has not had legends of predatory supernatural monsters. They are everywhere.
And they are certainly in here... in these volumes of the Vampire Universe
series. In these pages, and in the books that follow, you will meet many hun-

dreds of these weird and pernicious beings. Although there are other single
volumes that have attempted to collect all of these monsters, there are just too
many for one book. They exist in astonishing variety. Within that vast horde,
x 4 INTRODUCTION: THE NATURE OF THE BEAST =

however, there are a number of recurring types of supernatural predator,

and these categories or paradigms include vampires, theriomorphs (shape-

shifters), revenants (the living dead), hags, imps, faeries, sea monsters, beast
men, and tricksters. Most people think that there is just a single example of
each, that—for example—a vampire is a vampire and all vampires are alike.
That couldn’t be further from the truth. Even within a major grouping there
are dozens, sometimes hundreds, of sub-species, each one unique. This creates
a pretty severe problem for a monster hunter because what might stop one
vampire might not stop another. It is vital to understand as many of the mon-
sters as possible, otherwise the intrepid vampire slayer might become the main
course of agruesome feast.
Vampires, you see, come in all shapes and sizes, and they exist in such ex-

otic variety that the term “vampire” itself is only used here for convenience.
Vampirism isn’t limited just to the blood-sucking living dead, because only
about a third of the world’s vampires are hematophageous, meaning they
hunt for blood. Many vampires attack humans in order to feed off life essence,
breath, or sexual essence; some even feed off emotions such as hope or love, or

qualities like fidelity. Some vampires possess no physical form and prey on
their victims as a flashing ball of light, or come in the form of a destructive
plague. Some are even necrophageous (flesh eaters).
So, what defines a creature as a vampire?

Quite simply, vampires are supernatural beings that take what is not theirs
to takes—blood, life, breath, or some other vital part of their human victims;

and they take it by force. It is the taking without permission that characterizes
the vampire. Even in cases of vampire seduction, the vampire is using super-
natural powers to seduce its victim, which is no more a consensual act than

spiking a woman’s cocktail with a “date rape” drug.

One aspect of this book that will surprise many readers is that nearly
everything the average person knows about vampires is wrong. Most of the
qualities of the vampire and the methods of destroying them in the popular
 “4 INTRODUCTION: THE NATURE OF THE BEAST = x1

consciousness is not drawn from any of the world’s many cultural beliefs, but

are instead the creation of writers of horror fiction, such as Bram Stoker and
his many successors. For example, vampires, as a rule, do not fear sunlight or
the cross, they are not prohibited from entering a house unless invited, they
can cross running water, they don’t always sleep in their graves, and very few
of them can be killed by a stake through the heart.
Also, vampires come in all shapes and sizes (though generally they do not
appear in the form of Eastern European nobility, wearing tuxedos and opera
cloaks). Many species of vampires can shape-shift; but they generally don’t
turn into wolves or bats (birds, insects, cats, and balls of light are far more

common). Not all vampires are resurrected corpses—some have never died,
some are immortal beings, and some are created through sorcery. Vampires are
not created by an exchange of blood between the vampire and its victim—that
is pure fiction. Moreover, not all vampires are evil. In short, if the average per-
son living in modern times were to be confronted by a vampire, that person
would be armed with all the wrong knowledge. “Oops!” hardly covers it.
Vampire Universe presents vampires in all their many forms and types; just
as it does with the different species of werewolves, vengeance ghosts, wildmen,

and others. It is the ultimate survival guide for anyone wishing to either take
a stand against evil—or successfully flee from it.
For students of the weird and terrible, the book and its sequels have an ad-
ditional benefit in that even some of the well-documented monsters presented
here are seen from a different point of view. Often the entries include informa-
tion from older and rarer sources than are commonly referenced in occult
encyclopedias, which means that scholars, writers, and anyone fascinated by

monsters will have some new information to chew on. Even more information
can be found on the official website of this book (www.vampireuniverse.com).
The following are some of the major groupings and sub-groupings of
monsters that will help you navigate the rest of the book.
xu +4 INTRODUCTION: THE NATURE OF THE BEAST

-{ VAMPIRES =
Here are the major categories into which vampires are classified:

*Astral Vampire’: Vampirism in which the astrally projected’ spirit of a liv-

ing person preys on human victims, often draining them of life force or spir-
itual energy. This differs from psychic vampirism in that it is a deliberate
method of attack, whereas most people who use psychic vampirism do so

without conscious knowledge.

*Essential Vampire: Essential vampires feed on one or more of the following:

~ Life force. Life force is often called Chi (Chinese), Gi (Korean), or Ki
(Japanese). This life force is believed to be either electro-chemical, or made
from pure energy and flows throughout the body along pathways called
meridians that are laid out much like the circulatory system. This energy
flow is the basis for healing arts such as acupuncture and acupressure, and
it cultivated through various meditative practices, such as yoga. Humans
generate this vital energy naturally, but essential vampires cannot and
therefore must feed on humans to maintain their own existence.
- Breath. Many of the world’s shape-shifting vampires, particularly those
that transform into cats, will-o’-the-wisps, or flying insects, land on sleep-

ing humans (usually children) and then drain away the breath leaving a
child gasping or dead.
- Sexual essence. Some vampires seduce their victims in order to drain
away a man’s potency or a woman’s fertility.

*Human Vampire: These are not supernatural beings but ordinary humans
who embrace one or more aspects of the vampire life. There are a number of
different kinds of human vampires:

1. A term coined by Theosophist Franz Hartmann.

2. Astral projection is the practice of deliberately separating one’s consciousness from the physical body in
order to move unhindered by any limitations.
 + INTRODUCTION: THE NATURE OF THE BEAST = xiii

~ Role players: People involved in online vampire role-playing games such

as Vampire: The Masquerade, Vampire: The Eternal Struggle, and BloodLust.
~ Lifestylers: People who live the vampire life constantly and identify with
vampires as kindred spirits.
- Real vampires: Self-named for their addiction to activities involving real
blood, often involving sadomasochistic cutting (of themselves and their
willing partners) and sometimes the ingestion of blood. To these real?
vampires, vampirism is not a game but an actual way of life bordering on,
and perhaps actually becoming, a religion.

*Living vampire: Supernatural creatures that have vampiric qualities but

who are not dead; and because they are alive, they are hard to detect and can
more easily infiltrate a community.

*Psychic vampire: Living humans who either deliberately or, more often,
subconsciously use passive aggressive or codependent behavior to drain oth-
ers of emotional, mental, and psychological energy.

*Revenant: A true “living dead” being that has risen from the grave as a vam-
pire, ghost, zombie, or angel. In this book the term “revenant” is used to clas-
sify those vampires that are human corpses that have returned from the dead.

*Nosferatu: A Romanian word that is widely used in folklore to describe any

of the many vampires around the world who spread disease. The word “nos-
feratu” translates as “plague carrier.” In his novel, Dracula, Bram Stoker incor-

rectly translates it as “undead.”

¢Sexual vampire: A vampire that uses sexuality as a predatory tactic. Many

sexual vampires are also essential vampires, but often there are other distinct
qualities that set them apart. Within this group there are two primary sub-
groups.

3. Often called “true” vampires.

xiv -<4 INTRODUCTION: THE NATURE OF THE BEAST

~ Seduction vampire: These are creatures who use seduction merely as a

tool to lure a victim close enough to attack. This sub-group is largely com-
posed of blood-drinkers or meat-eaters. Most vampires in this category
are female, though there are certainly examples of male vampires using
the tactic of seduction.
- Incubi/succubi: These are (almost always) invisible spirits who visit sleep-
ing humans at night and engage in sex for the sole purpose of feeding on
sexual energy, potency, or in some rare cases, sexual fidelity. Incubi are

male sexual vampires and Succubi are female.

- Charismatic shape-shifter: These vampires take the form of a compel-
lingly beautiful woman or man in order to lure a victim into a tryst. Once
alone, the creature then reverts back to its true form and attacks with
great violence, feeding on blood or flesh.

*Vampire: A general name given by the English-speaking world to supernat-

ural predatory monsters who feed on the blood, psychic energy, emotion, or

life essence of others.

Another way to classify vampires is by what they consume, which creates

a shorter and somewhat different list:

*Blood-drinker: These are the “classic” vampires, largely because of the

source of their sustenance, but in folklore, blood-drinkers are varied and of-

ten wildly dissimilar, both to each other and to popular impressions of them.

*Flesh-eater: This is a much larger class of monsters and includes many

species of vampire as well as all species of werewolves, various kinds of living
dead, ghouls, and even some faerie folk, gnomes, and imps.

*Breath-taker: Are usually invisible, though not always. They come in vari-
ous forms, are often small, and generally prey on the weak and sick; how-
 +4 INTRODUCTION: THE NATURE OF THE BEAST E> XV

ever, the legend of the Old Hag* falls partly into this category and partly
into the next.

¢ Waster: This is another name for essential vampires. As most of the wasters
appear at night they are frequently referred to, in folklore, as night wasters or
night comers.

“3 THERIOMORPHS =
A “theriomorph” is a creature who possesses the ability to change its shape
into that of another creature. Most often this is a human who can take the
shape of an animal, bird, or insect. The most famous theriomorphs in folklore
are werewolves, but there are many other kinds as well. In folklore it is more
common for a vampire to turn into a bird or cat than into a wolf. Many of

these shape-shifters become balls of light that fly through the air, also known

as will-o’-the-wisps.

Unlike the transformations seen in films, in folklore the ability to shape-

shift is a deliberate choice, even with werewolves. These creatures are not the

victims of a tragic curse but evil-hearted predators who take animal form in
order to deceive, elude, hunt, or attack. The cycle of the moon has nothing to

do with the transformation, which means that theriomorphs of all kinds can

change at will.
Theriomorphs abound in Vampire Universe and they truly do come in all
shapes and sizes. When referring to the various kinds of theriomorph com-

monly known in modern culture as a werewolf, the term “lycanthrope” is of-

ten used since it refers to both versions of wolf monster, the Wolf-Man and the

true Werewolf.

4. See the sidebar on page 211 for more on this monster.

xvl +4 INTRODUCTION: THE NATURE OF THE BEAST =

«4d CRYPTIDS AND HOMINIDS =

Throughout the world there are many hundreds of creatures that have been
seen—and which are widely believed to exist—but which have never been cap-
tured or classified. These unknowns are called cryptids, and debate has raged
for years between folklorists and scientists as to whether they are real but un-
known, supernatural, figments of wild imaginations, or simply unreliable ac-
counts. Cryptids include many of the world’s lake monsters (Nessie and her
cousins), woodland monsters like the Jersey devil and the goat-sucking Chu-
pacabra, and of course the many shaggy forest beast-men.
The Wildmen, as this latter group is called, form the biggest sub-group and
range from the shy Bigfoot of the American Northwest to the murderous
Yeren of the Himalayas. Unlike vampires and werewolves, there are frequent
modern-day sightings of these wildmen, and some researchers have even col-
lected artifacts such as plaster casts of footprints and bits of hair.
While cryptid is used generally for all of these unknown animals, the term
“hominid” is used frequently in this book to describe possible species of wild-
men. Hominids, in the strict scientific sense, refers to any member of the fam-

ily of humans, Hominidae, which includes all of the species of humans and
living apes, and are included in the super-family of all apes, the Hominoidea.
Not all scientists use this broad a description, however, and there is some

heated debate on the point ongoing in scientific circles. For our purposes,
however, the term “hominid” will be used to describe the shaggy beast-men in
all their variety mainly because they have not yet been properly and scientifi-
cally classified but who, if they exist, will probably prove to be cousins, how-
ever distant, of Homo sapiens.

Since wildmen are usually predatory in nature and are not truly human—
or anything else represented in the fossil record—they are included here among
other potentially supernatural monsters.
 +4 INTRODUCTION: THE NATURE OF THE BEAST = xvi

-4 THE HUNGRY DEAD =

Throughout the world there are tales of bodies brought back to life, often
through black magic or sorcery. Mummies, zombies, and ghouls are just a few
of the many kinds of living dead creatures that prey on humans. Some of these
creatures share commonalities with vampires; others are unique and exotic.

The Living Dead films by George Romero brought these creatures to the
public eye most successfully, but there are plenty of examples of flesh-eating
corpses in folklore as well, and they have been included in this book.

-4 EVIL GHOSTS =
For the most part the typical ghost story, though often frightening, does not
tell the tale of a predatory monster but of some lost soul, or perhaps a kind of

spiritual echo that has no driving personality. In folklore, however, many of

the spirits that return to the Earthly plane are quite vicious and do a lot more
than moan in the night and rattle their chains. Some ghosts return to exact re-
venge or redress a wrong. Others are trapped on Earth because of some crime
against Heaven; others exist for no known reason but appear to delight in
causing torment. In many cultures, the line between a ghost and a vampire is
completely blurred and some vampires are themselves, ghosts, and manifest
bodies that are more illusion than substance.
There are quite a few modern versions of the “evil ghost” tales, most of
which have become part of that vast wealth of stories known as urban legends.
In these more modern tales, ghosts often appear to lure travelers to their
deaths or to cause destruction.

«4 A MISCELLANY OF MONSTERS
Aside from the traditional vampires, werewolves, zombies, and ghosts, a num-

ber of other creatures lie waiting for you in these pages. From life-sucking hags
to vile faerie tricksters, there are all manner of rare and dangerous monsters
xviii -— INTRODUCTION: THE NATURE OF THE BEAST &

lurking herein. The monsters here are not fictional creations for TV, books, or

movies, but creatures that our ancestors grew up fearing. Perhaps our fore-
bears were right all along and there are reasons to fear the dark, to close the
closet doors firmly, and to shut the windows against the spirits that ride the
night wind.
In the next volume we will explore further into the darkness, and there

we'll meet demons, evil gods, creatures of mythology, and other beings that are
far, far stranger and more deadly. |
Right now we'll meet the vampires, werewolves, and other predators that
haunt us, hunt us, and hunger for us.

So, grab your stake, string garlic bulbs around your neck, and follow me....
 — Chapter One —
VAMPIRES AND MONSTERS
A-F

Abatwa
A
The insect-size people of Zulu folklore are small enough to ride ants
and hide under blades of grass, but despite their size they are great hunters and
can work together to bring down large animals. These are wandering creatures
who travel in tribes but have no home and occasionally build temporary
homes—or hunting lodges—in anthills. They can be found in mountains or
forests, but most often they follow the migration patterns of game. Humans
observing the diminutive Abatwa during a hunt often learn the secrets of coop-
erative hunting that will make their own efforts more successful.
In the great majority of Abatwa tales, the little hunters are seen as either
indifferent to the presence of the taller humans, or more often, as kindly
guides and advisors; however, other stories tell of quick tempers and vengeful
rage. For example, if a person steps on an Abatwa the little warrior is likely to
lash out with a poison-tipped spear, piercing the sole of the taller human’s
foot. The poison can sometimes kill. Also, if human steals an animal that has

been killed by a tribe of Abatwa, then the little hunters are likely to come en

masse and carry off the sleeping child of the thief.

Children under the age of four see the Abatwa most often, and usually
that means that good luck will follow the child the rest of the day. If a preg-
nant woman sees a male Abatwa, then it is a sign that she'll give birth to a
2 ~~ JONATHAN MABERRY 5

healthy boy. However, if a sick person sees three Abatwas walking side by side,
then it is an omen of impending death.

Abchanchu The Abchanchu of Bolivia in South America is a shape-

shifting blood-drinking vampire who assumes the form of an old man who
pretends to be lost and helpless, and when some kindly stranger comes along
to help the old duffer home, then out come the fangs and the bloodlust. Wary
travelers wear small amulets in which they’ve placed a drop of garlic oil, and
this is enough to ward off this beast.

Abere The Abere is a particularly vicious mermaid species from Melanesian

legend. This monster has the typical mermaid’s anatomy: the lower half of a
fish and the upper half of a well-endowed woman with long golden hair; and
it has a siren voice that can lure men right out of their boats. Once the men are
in the water, the Abere drags them into the reeds and either drowns them in

the shallows or slashes their throats with a sharp piece of oyster shell. She then
feeds on the hot spewing blood, and then shares the flesh with her offspring,
all of whom are female. How—or with whom—the Abere mates in order to pro-
create is a matter for unsavory speculation.

Abnuaaya (also Bekk-Bok, Almas, and Albasty) The Caucasus Re-

gion, comprising the newly independent states of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and

Georgia in Asia, has many ancient tales of strange creatures and supernatural
beasts, but chief among them is the legend of the Abnuaaya, the Yeti-like wild-
men who some cryptozoologists* believe may be based on sightings of rem-
nants of Neanderthal Man who survived as late as 500 years ago.
The Abnuaaya haunt the fierce and remote Caucasus Mountains of cen-
tral Asia and have been described as manlike with a lot of coarse body hair,
sloping brows, and faces that are an even blend of simian and human. The Ab-

nuaaya have deep chests, sloping muscular shoulders, long arms, short bandy
legs, and often wear clothes made from animal skins. In some reports these

5. Cryptozoology is the science ofidentifying creatures previously unknown to the fossil record.
 “4 VAMPIRE UNIVERSE & 3

ABERE Kelly Everaert

cryptids are not hirsute but were instead wearing clothing made from fur or
hide. The description bears a striking resemblance to that of the Neanderthal
as described by paleontologists. Neanderthals, of course, were a race of hu-

manoid beings similar in many ways to Homo sapiens, but evolved parallel to
the more genetically successful Cro-Magnon.
The great majority of the folktales of the Abnuaaya suggest that they are
harmless, or at least timid, and very shy of contact with humans. But in remote
areas some tales have been handed down from father to son telling of how dur-
ing bad winters when food was scarce, the Abnuaaya would grow so hungry
and desperate that they would come hunting for any kind of meat... includ-
ing the flesh of men.
4 -< JONATHAN MABERRY

The Abnuaaya have been sighted for centuries, with reports of them enter-
ing into official records as early as 1420. This is, of course, very much at odds
with the widespread belief in the scientific community that the Neanderthals
became extinct about 30,000 years ago.
Many of the reports of wildmen surviving in remote areas bear similarities
to the Neanderthal, raising the question as to whether these early cousins of
mankind could have survived for tens of thousands of years longer than be-
lieved... or might still survive in small pockets in the world’s most remote
and inaccessible places.

“4 CRYPTIDS &
Cryptids are creatures that are believed to exist but for
which there are no existing physical records or evidence.
The science of Cryptozoology is built around discovering
proof of these creatures so that they can be moved from —
the long list of “unknown” animals to proven additions
to the ever-growing fossil record.

Accuser One of anumber of different names given to Satan. Others include

Shaitan, the Father of Lies, and Lord of the Flies. Also known as the Evil One,

the Accuser appears in one form or another in nearly every culture, often as the
embodiment of everything corrupt, unnatural, and wicked.

Acheri Vampires and the spread of disease is a common theme throughout

the world, especially in third-world or underdeveloped countries where sup-
plies of fresh water, availability of adequate medicines, and a lack of under-
standing of the nature of disease create an ideal breeding ground for germs of
all kinds. In many of these cultures the spread of disease is believed to be the
result of an evil and supernatural intent, as in the case of the Acheri of India.
 “+4 ‘VAMPIRE UNIVERSE = 565

The Acheri is the ghost of a little girl whom travelers sometimes en-
counter in India’s vast mountainous regions. There are two primary versions
of the Acheri’s hunting practices. In one version she appears to other children
and either walks with them or plays with them, seeming to be nothing more
than an ordinary child herself. But when the human children leave her they
carry with them a terrible disease. In the other (and more common) version,
the Acheri comes down from the mountains during festival times and visits
the villages in the lowlands where she joins in the celebrations as if she is part
of the town, but will single out children as victims and poison them by casting
her shadow over them. The very touch of the Acheri shadow is like the breath
of someone with a highly communicable respiratory disease; infection occurs
instantly and spreads rapidly throughout the community.
The disease can take many forms and generally manifests as a mysterious
wasting sickness that is ultimately fatal. Whole families and sometimes whole
villages are wiped out by the infection spread by the Acheri, who in turn feeds
off of the sadness, pain, heartbreak, and death the disease creates, marking her

as an essential vampire as well as a species of nosferatu.°

The Acheri, like many evil spirits, can be thwarted by sacred charms and
the one used most effectively against them is woven red thread. This practice
is common around the world, and charms of red, scarlet, or crimson are used

throughout Asia and Europe, though in the case of the latter the practice has
died out in the past few centuries.

Adlet The Adlet of the Inuit peoples of Alaska and Canada is the hideous
offspring of an unholy union of an Inuit woman and a demonically possessed
red-haired dog. This unnatural coupling resulted in a litter of five monster
hounds that seemed to embody evil. The woman, horrified by her offspring,
bundled them onto rafts made from whalebone and animal hides and set

6. Nosferatu is a Romanian word meaning “plague carrier” and is used here to identify vampires who spread
disease.
6 -< JONATHAN MABERRY

/ 4 RED: THE COLOR OF &

PROTECTION
The color red is purported to be the first color humans
perceive, and since Neolithic times red has symbolized
new life, health, fertility, and protection against evil.
Red string bracelets are worn by followers of the Kab-
balah. (Even the singer Madonna sports one!)
India charms hung from red cords are proof against
the dreaded Acheri.

To this day Australian Aborigines paint their weapons

red in order to conquer evil.
Amulets set with rubies or garnets were used for thou-
sands of years as charms against the Evil Eye.
During the Middle Ages, particularly in Germany, red
linen on a bed was believed to protect against “red sick-
nesses” such as rashes, fever, anemia, and miscarriages.

In Greece, Albania, and Armenia new brides wear red

wedding veils as charms to insure that they will be fertile
and that their children will be healthy.
The red rose is the classic symbol of pure love and
fidelity.
In biblical times the ancient Israelites painted their
y doorframes with red blood to ward off demons.

them adrift in the frozen arctic waters. The infant monsters did not die from
the cold but rather drifted all the way to Europe where, according to the Inuit
beliefs, they became the progenitors of all the white races on that continent.
Since then at least one or more of the Adlet apparently returned to the icy
lands of its mother and has since preyed on its mother’s people.
 ~—- VAMPIRE UNIVERSE & 7

Adze In southern Togo (formerly the Slave Coast of Africa), on the west
coast of that vast continent, there is a cult of sorcerers of the Ewe tribe who be-

come voluntarily possessed by a vampiric spirit called Adze. The Adze is a delib-
erate theriomorph—shape-shifting by magic and will into various insect forms
such as a firefly, common fly, or large mosquito. These diminutive forms are so

common and innocuous that they can bypass any posted guard or watchful eye.
This makes the Adze one of the world’s most dangerous vampires in that it is
nearly impossible to notice and therefore equally difficult to stop.
Though their base form is that of a human sorcerer, once the Adze spirit
has been accepted the witch becomes a living vampire whose powers are sus-
tained and even enhanced by a regular diet of innocent blood. Children—
especially infants—are its special prey, and the Adze does more than feed on
their blood. It is a carrier of disease as well.
In rare cases when the Adze is caught it will instantly revert back to its hu-
man form, and through keen observation or by methods of divination the vil-
lagers sometimes recognize the person as someone who is possessed of this
inner evil. In human form, the Adze can be killed by any ordinary means, and
is sometimes given over to the families of a child who has suffered from the
monster’s bite. The punishment the Adze suffers at the hands of vengeful fam-
ily members is often quite terrible and does not end quickly.
If an Adze is denied its normal food of children’s blood, it can sustain it-
self on coconut milk, palm oil, or juice from ripe fruits; but on this diet it will
gradually become weaker. When its strength begins to fail, the Adze may go
into a feeding frenzy and consume all of the coconut water in the district, leav-
ing the villagers parched. Or it will drink up all of the palm oil, leaving the vil-
lagers with no oil for their lamps.
If an Adze is able to feed regularly, it sometimes settles into a pattern of tak-
ing only what it needs to survive. When denied or deterred, the creature’s spiteful

side emerges. In such cases it may seek to inhabit the body of a particularly viru-
lent disease-carrying fly so that it will intentionally start the spread of a plague.
8 -< JONATHAN MABERRY >

-{ DIVINATION =
“Divination” is a general term for any of a large number
of methods by which cultures around the world glean in-
formation from supernatural or celestial sources. Div-
ination is still practiced today in even the most modern
of cultures. Tarot cards, palmistry, astrology, and many
other forms are part of our everyday life. Here are just a
few methods of divination:

AEROMANCY: Divination by the study of the sky.

ALEUROMANCY: The study of the patterns of flour in a
bowl into which some water has been added.
ANTHROPOMANCY: Reading the future through hu-
man sacrifice where the entrails of a victim are studied.
ASTRAGLOMANCY: Divination in which dice bearing

various letters and numbers are used.

AUSTROMANCY: The observation or study of the wind

for purposes of divination.

BIBLIOMANCY: In which a book, usually the Bible or

other sacred text, is opened and a passage is read at ran-
dom and the passage studied for possible significance.
CARTOMANCY: Divination through the use of cards.
CaTOPTROMANCY: The practice of gazing at a reflec-
tion of the moon in a mirror.

CAUSIMOMANCY: Divination by fire.

CEPHALOMANCY: Literally “head divination,” this prac-

tice involves using the head of goat or donkey to predict
future events.
 “4 VAMPIRE UNIVERSE & 9

Ceraunoscopy: The observation of thunder, light-

ning, and other features of the atmosphere to predict
future events.

CLAIRAUDIENCE: Also “clear hearing,” this is the percep-

tion of voices and sounds outside of the normal spec-
trum of hearing.
CLAIRVOYANCE: Meaning “clear seeing,” the percep-
tion of visions beyond the normal spectrum of sight.
Also a form of ESP.

CRYSTALLOMANCY: The observations of crystals for

divination; also referred to as serying.
DEMONOMANCY: When the aid of demons is used for

purposes of divination.
Dowsinc: The use of a “divining rod” or forked stick
to find sources of water or precious minerals beneath the

Earth’s soil.

GELoscopy: Divination by examining the tones and

nuances of someone’s laughter.
Heptascopy: Predicting the future by examining the
entrails of various types of animals.

ICHTYOMANCy: Examing the entrails of fish to predict

future events.

METAGNOmMy: Practitioners of this craft study visions

that come to them while in a trancelike state to predict
future events.

METEOROMANCY: Divination by the notation and the

study of the appearance and behavior of meteors. |

10 -3 JONATHAN MABERRY

NUMEROLOGY: The study of numbers, dates, times,

and values assigned to various letters of the alphabet for
purposes of divination.
OMPHALOMANCY: The practice of counting the amount
of knots in the umbilical cord to predict how many chil-
dren a woman may have in her lifetime.
Oomantua: Also called ooscopy and ovomancy, it is div-
ination by the examination of various types of eggs.
OPHIOMANCY: Divination by observing the behavior
of snakes.
PuHysIOGNomy: This practice of divination works by
examining a person’s physical features.
ScioMANcy: The employment and use of “spirit
guides” to predict the outcome of future events.
TasseoGrapuy: The famous practice
of “reading tea
leaves.”
TiRoMaNCcy: Divination by the study of cheese.
XYLOMANCY: Despite its musical-sounding name, this
practice of divination concerns observing the behavior of —
aX wood while it burns.

Agogwe Inthe East African nation of Tanzania there is a legend of a crea-

ture that bears a strong resemblance to wildmen such as the Yeti and Bigfoot,
though much smaller. The Agogwe stands only four feet tall and is completely
covered in thick rust-colored hair like that of a yak. His shoulders and arms are
heavy with muscle and his head sits low on a short, thick neck pitched forward
like a gorilla’s.
The Agogwe is rarely seen and most sightings date back seventy or
eighty years, but every once in a while a child will go missing and there will
 “4 VAMPIRE UNIVERSE 5 ll

be blood on the ground and the villagers will start whisperiig the name
“Agogwe.”
A similar creature, the Sehité, has been reported in the Ivory Coast.

Agta (also Agra) Supernatural predators generally prey on humans, but

not all of these predators are evil. The Agta of the Philippines is one such
creature. This bizarre creature is known for smoking fat cigars and loitering
around streams where fishermen tend to congregate; the Agta is a great boon
to fishermen. The Agta is a very strange species of essential vampire that
feeds off of the life energies of fish, which is why it hangs around fishing
holes and often leads fishermen to the best spots. When a fish is hooked and
killed, the Agta feeds off of the release of its life force just as the fisher will
feed on the flesh. It is one of the strangest examples of symbiosis known
to man.
One of the many quirky aspects of this creature is that the only way in
which someone can actually see the Agta is if they bend over and look back-
ward through their legs. No good spiritual reason for this has ever been re-
vealed, but this quirk is shared by the Dwende as well.

Ahool The Ahool is a gigantic batlike creature that has been spotted off
and on for nearly a century in western Java. The Ahool has a head like an ape,
huge dark eyes, aud a fur-covered body that is about the size of a small child,
and it flies around on powerful wings twelve feet across. The largest known
bat, the flying fox, only has a six-foot wingspan.
The Ahool is generally timid, preferring to hunt for fish and small mam-
mals, but there are reports of it chasing hunters and frightening fishermen so
badly that they overturned their boats. The creature is said to live in caves be-
hind waterfalls and may only be acting aggressively to protect its nest.

Akhkharu (also Akakharu) Vampirism has been part of our worldwide

human belief system since the earliest days of recorded history, and very likely
for many centuries before that. Vampires—or creatures such as demons,
12-3 JONATHAN MABERRY

wit-es, gyi and ghosts that have preyed viciously on humans—fill the an-
cienc. . songs of the first cultures.
Ancient ssyria, one of the oldest documented cultures, suffered from

plagues of vampires 6,000 years ago, and these monsters of the ancient world
were no less terrible than the fiends of more recent times. One of the oddest of
the ancient Assyrian monsters was the essential vampire called the Akhkharu.
This seductress vampire fed on the life essence of its victims, using sexuality

as a true weapon and-—for all intents and purposes—“loving” her victims

to death. Like the Succubus of later myth, the Akhkharu was a creature of
irresistible sexual appeal who would seduce her victim and over time drain
him of all vitality, potency, breath, blood, and leave him a withered and dead

husk.
The Akhkharu herself grew younger with each feeding and reached the
point of perfect health at the moment of her victim’s death. From then on she
would begin to age again, slightly faster than a normal human, until she be-
gan feeding on another unwilling victim.

Algul The Arabian deserts are often empty and desolate during the long
days, but the cooler nights are filled with creatures of all kinds—both natural
and supernatural. The night is the hunting time for most desert dwellers, and
the Algul is as hungry and determined a night-hunter as anything that runs,
slithers, or flies. The name means “horse leech,” and this monster is not a res-
urrected corpse but an evil spirit, a jinn, who takes the form of a woman in or-

der to win the confidence of untended children. But there are no traces of
motherly concern in the Algul—she is a blood-drinking monster.
Much like a traditional vampire, the Algul often haunts cemeteries and
places where death has occurred or where blood has been spilled; but she is not
confined there, and by the dark of night she slips through windows or through
tent flaps in search of sleeping children, taking either blood or breath—and
sometimes both. At other times she plays the trickster and lures children into
the dark where she can feast on their flesh as well. When the Algul can’t get
 -~—4 VAMPIRE UNIVERSE © 13

fresh blood, she’ll feast on the flesh of newly buried corpses to sustain her,

preferably the corpses of children or pregnant women.

The Algul is a wretched monster—heartless, cruel, and sly. One of her fa-
vorite tricks is to mimic the cry of a wounded traveler calling out for help and
then attacking anyone coming to investigate. In the regions of the Algul, cu-
riosity will kill more than just the cat.
The Algul has been written about for centuries, most notably in The Thou-
sand and One Nights.

Allghoi Khorkhoi With an imposing nickname such as the Mongolian

Death Worm it’s no wonder that the Allghoi Khorkhoi has earned such a
dreadful reputation. This monster is a huge snakelike creature about three to
four feet in length that can kill faster than a cobra. Stories vary as to just how
the Allghoi Khorkhoi accomplishes its quick kills—surviving witnesses are few.
Some report that it kills by spitting lethal venom that works like a neurotoxin;
other tales suggest that it kills with an electric discharge not unlike an eel’s. In
either case, its attack is rumored to be potent enough to instantly drop a man
or even a horse. Added to its lethal armament is a skin that secretes an oily poi-
son that can kill any person unwise enough to touch it. Who would want to
fondle such a beast is another matter.
The Allghoi Khorkhoi, first reported in 1929, is fortunately a rare creature

that lives in the remote southern reaches of the Gobi desert. It lives deep in the
hearts of sand dunes and generally preys only on desert animals, but will ex-
tend its diet to include unwary travelers if they happen by.
The literal translation of its name is “intestine worm,” and it gets this

gruesome appellation from the bruised reddish purple coloring of his hide,
which looks like an intestine.
Though it may only be a naturally evolving creature that has not yet been
added to the classifications of known animals, it also has ties to the supernat-

ural in that many Mongolians believe that a mere mention of its name can
bring bad luck resulting in sickness or death.
14 -< JONATHAN MABERRY

Alp (also Alp, Doggele, Doggi, Druckerl, Driickermannchen, Drud)

Every so often the difference between vampire, ghost, and demon is hazy. In
many cases it overlaps, as in the case of the lethal German monster, the Alp.
The world “Alp” translates as, “shining white one,” and it is one of the most
feared (and indeed most common) supernatural predators in Europe. Some
myths maintain that the Alp is the returning spirit of a man who has died un-
der horrific circumstances, such as murder or suicide; others suggest that it is
the vampiric specter of a child who died before he could be baptized. There are
also those who believe that the Alp is not a ghost at all but rather a particu-
larly vicious demon, but whichever version of its origin is accurate, they all
agree that the Alp is a voracious blood drinker and one that is nearly impossi-
ble to kill.
Like the Incubus, the Alp typically preys mainly on women, appearing first
in dreams and then manifesting in the corporeal world to drink their blood or,
in some cases, to nurse at their breasts in order to drink their breast milk.
From this milk it derives tremendous power and at the same time deprives the
woman’s child of his or her rightful sustenance. Sometimes the Alp drinks
both milk and blood from its victim’s nipples, thereby weakening her and
making her vulnerable to disease, depression, and despair. The Alp may also
assault men and young boys for blood, similarly feeding at the nipple, though
this is far less frequent.
When the Alp has fed but left its prey alive, the victims have suffered from
horrific nightmares and in many cases, a wasting sickness.
In all of its many aberrant manifestations, the Alp wears a tarnkappe (“cap
of concealment”), which gives it a variety of magical powers, including invisi-
bility. If the hat is stolen, the Alp loses this power of concealment and its pow-
ers are reduced. In such cases the Alp can be driven out by prayers or spells,
though actually destroying the creature appears to be impossible.
The Alp’s most formidable weapon against its human prey is its “evil eye,”
with which the Alp can trouble the dreams of the living. The Alp is also a the-
 4 VAMPIRE UNIVERSE = 15

riomorph. It most often appears as a moth or butterfly, but is able to assume

a variety of animal forms, including birds, dogs, and wolves, and in some cases

it can transform into a cold mist. Some folktales link the Alp to tales of were-
wolves because of this shape-shifting capability.
Since destroying the Alp is impossible, various methods have been devised
to try to discourage this creature. Women are instructed to sleep with their
shoes placed by the side of the bed with the toes facing outward toward the
door. Scissors can also be placed under one’s pillow with the points facing
toward the head of the bed. Either method will deter the Alp because for some
reason it will become confused, turn away from the sleeper, and back out the

door. Another popular deterrent is to take a large sack of seed and pour some
in the center of a crossroads with thin trails of them laid along the center of
each of the four off-shooting ways. Like many vampires, the Alp will feel com-

pelled to count them; because the seeds go off in all directions the Alp will get
thoroughly confused and sit there weeping in frustration until dawn when it
must slink away to seek a resting place. In those rare times when an Alp can be
cornered or caught sleeping, it can only be deterred by filling its mouth with
lemons. This does not kill it, but it weakens the creature considerably and it
may not be able to resume the hunt for months or even years. It will, however,

ultimately return and generally will not be in a forgiving mood when it reap-
pears.

-4 EVIL EYE
The Evil Eye is a wicked spiritual ability allowing a per-
son to cause harm or illness to another merely by looking
at them. It appears in one form or another throughout
the world, and most cultures have some traditional charm
or amulet that serves as a protective against this curse.
16 -< JONATHAN MABERRY

Alukah The ancient Hebrews had trouble with a fierce predator called the
Alukah, whose name translates as “horse leech.” This monster was either a hu-

man who could change into a wolf or other predator, or a demon (very proba-
bly of Babylonian vintage) who took human form as a disguise.
The horse leech is also an actual insect parasite, often found in and

around Palestine, that was lapped up by horses when they drank from contam-

inated wells or streams. It grew to larger size and lodged in the throats of the
animals. Historians believe that legend of an evil, shape-shifting Alukah is
nothing more than a less scientifically evolved culture attempting to explain
the nature of this deadly parasite. Folklorists, on the other hand, contend that

the Alukah took the form of a leech as one of its many disguises.
In either case, the Alukah has become the model for grasping behavior. In

Proverbs 30:15-16 (KJV)’ there is the following enigmatic reference to the

monster:
15. The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There

are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It
is enough:
16. The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with
water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough.
In either case, the Alukah is a destructive monster and one that has been

feared for thousands of years.

Aluga Many of the demons that plague men act through a human agent,
but there are some who take a far more personal approach. The Aluga is one
of the most ferocious of these. She is both a succubus—draining her victims of
sexual essence and potency—and a psychic vampire—who drives her victims so
mad with frustration and shame that they often commit suicide.
Many folktales of the Aluga have been confusingly merged with those of
the ancient Hebrew vampire Lilith,® but they are not at all the same creature.

7. Kings James Version.

8. See Lilith, page 198, for the complete story.
 +4 VAMPIRE UNIVERSE = We

When depicted, Aluga is often presented as a woman of surpassing beauty

with a face that has the appearance of pure innocence, but a serpent coils in
her heart. Being a demon she cannot be killed, but fervent prayers can drive her
off. Sleeping with a nail under one’s pillow has been shown to be a potent de-
terrent, lending even more weight to the belief that there is great defensive
power in cold iron.
In a number of folktales the Aluqa legend is overlapped with that of the
Alukah, and the name is often given the same translation, “horse leech.” As
with many of the legends of monsters, gods, and demons that grew out of an-
cient Assyria and Mesopotamia and evolved into the early stories of the He-
brew culture, the Aluga and Alukah may indeed have sprung from the same
historical sources. Then as cultures rose and peoples moved from place to
place, the legends became splintered and over time evolved into their own en-

during versions.

Andandara A strange race of evil were-cats of sixteenth-century Spanish

legend were said to seek out human women with whom to mate, produc-

ing both human and feline offspring. The Andandara kill with their lethal
stare, though they can certainly use fangs and claws with equal effectiveness.
The very presence of an Andandara can cause crop failure, disease, and ill

fortune.

Angiak In centuries past when hard times and famine struck the Inuit peo-
ple of what is now Alaska, another young mouth to feed was a hardship that
could endanger the survival of the entire family and the unwanted child was
sometimes taken out into the remote snowfields and left to die. After the poor
child died its spirit sometimes returned as a vengeful revenant called an An-
giak who sneaks into the camp and suckles each night at its mother’s breast
while she sleeps. This feeding helps it gain strength, and when it becomes
strong enough, it starts openly attacking the elders of the family, taking vari-
ous fierce animal forms. '
18 -& JONATHAN MABERRY 5

Animalito The bizarre Animalito of Spain is a water predator, much like

the Dames Blanche (White Ladies) of Fau in France, the Grindylow of Great
Britain, and the Kappa of Japan. Animalito means “small animal” in Spanish,
and as the name suggests the creature is diminutive and bestial, standing no
more than two or three feet high, with a dark reptilian body and a canine
snout for its mouth. Agile and swift, the Animalitos attack swimmers and
bathers, biting at submerged body parts and feasting hastily and hungrily on
the flowing blood.
In centuries past, when a common care for just about any ill would be to
bleed a patient, wizard-healers would use Animalitos like leeches to rectify the
humors. However, the creatures were known for developing an addiction to

the blood of specific patients and would seek them out long after they were
discharged from the healer’s care.
Though supernatural, the Animalitos may be destroyed by any common
method used to kill a small animal, and will also choke to death on waters pol-
luted with oil. The difficult part is catching one of these elusive monsters,
since they possess a cunning ruthlessness, swim with the supple trickery of ot-
ters, and are as ferocious as sharks.

Anito (also Mamangkiks and Cancaniaos) These are “spirits of the

mound,” a kind of nosferatu from the Philippines who rise from the grave as

formless vapors and spread sickness. For the most part the Anito stick close to
their burial mounds and are therefore not much of a threat, but if some un-
lucky person were to disturb either the mound or the clinging vapor, then the
Anito would breathe sickness into that person. The sickness manifests as a
spread of boils, but soon infects the lungs and blood, and if the will of the An-
ito is strong enough, the sickness can be fatal.
There is a protective chant that announces to the creatures that a person
has no intention of doing harm or interfering with the grave. That chant goes:
“tabi-tabi po... makikiraan lang,” which translates roughly as “Honored
spirit, please step aside—I’m just passing through.” This is spoken when a per-
 “+4 VAMPIRE UNIVERSE = 19

son is walking at night, just in case an Anito’s spirit is blowing by on the

breeze.
Ifa child accidentally collides with an Anito and incurs its anger, parents
of the afflicted child place offerings of fruit near the mound they believe is
home to the spirit.
As the Anito sometimes claims all of the territory around its mound as
its own, great care is used before cutting down any trees near any mound—
whether it is a burial mound or a simple hillock. Prayers of appeasement and
offerings of fruit are used to secure the Anito’s permission to cut the trees.

Aniukha One of the rarest of the world’s vampires is the little-known

Aniukha of Siberia. This creature was most recently sighted by Jews exiled to
the frozen forests and icy wastes of that remote land following World War II,
and in their accounts the creatures ranged from the size of a large grasshopper
to about the size of a rabbit. The Aniukha runs on all fours like a woodland
mammal, but it can also stand erect and leap great distances much like a cat.
Its body is covered in pale scales with patches of sparse dark brown fur. It has
huge dark eyes, pointed ears, and a short snout filled with jagged teeth.

The creature, though odd-looking, is not physically powerful and relies on

cunning and trickery in order to hunt, and also chooses the easiest prey: young

children and the sick or very old.

The Aniukha is repelled by garlic, and those who dwell in those remote ar-
eas know that smearing garlic in a circle over the sternum will insure a safe
night’s sleep. Likewise, daubing garlic around doorways and windows will
keep the creature out. However, nothing but fire can kill the beast.

Anjing Ajak In the Indonesian nation of Java there is a ferocious lycan-

thrope called the Anjing Ajak who lives as a normal man by day but when the
sun sets he undergoes a deliberate transformation into a vicious Wolf-Man that
goes about on two legs and savages its victims with teeth and talons.
Though the Anjing Ajak is not particularly difficult to kill—a single bullet
20 -& JONATHAN MABERRY

to the heart or brain will do the job—it is smart and tricky, and its viciousness

is seldom paralleled in either the natural or supernatural world.

Apotamkin Among the Maliseet-Passamaquoddy Indian tribe of the Pa-

cific Northwest there are legends of a race of ferocious wildmen with hairy
bodies and long fangs that hunt on the fringes of tribal society. These crea-
tures, called the Apotamkin, hunt singly or in packs, and though their prey is
often deer and other game, they do consider humans to be part of their diet.
The Apotamkin stand taller than a man, with heavy shoulders, long arms,

and thick orange-brown hair that covers their entire bodies. They have faces
that are often described as apelike, though in some tales they are given snouts
like wolves. The cry of the Apotamkin can cause a heart to freeze and die in the
chest, and the sight of one is sometimes enough to cause heart attacks or
strokes. Parents use tales of the Apotamkin as a kind of Bogeyman story to
caution children about the dangers of straying too far from home or talking
to strangers.
Among the Alsea, also of Oregon and surrounding areas, there is a similar

legend, that of Asin, a female monster who bears such a strong resemblance to

the Apotamkin that some believe that she may be one of their young. Young
or not, however, the Asin is every bit as bloodthirsty and ferocious as the adult
Apotamkin.

Asasabonsam (also Asanbosam) Imagine walking through the dark-

ened paths of the jungle, perhaps heading back to your village after seeing to
the livestock, and suddenly a creature reaches down out of the trees and drags
you off the ground before tearing at you with long taloned fingers and biting
with wickedly sharp teeth made of iron! The Asasabonsam also has strange
hook-like legs, much like those of a praying mantis, with which it holds its vic-
tims while it feeds. In all other ways, though, the Asasabonsam looks human
and at times can even blend in with a group of humans, especially if the light
is poor. That is the hunting tactic of the Asasabonsam, the fierce vampire
 “4 VAMPIRE UNIVERSE & 2]

predator spoken of in legends of the Ashanti people of Ghana as well as in

chilling accounts from Togo and the Ivory Coast.
The creatures dwell in the forests of West Africa and are masters of con-
cealment, hiding in the leaves of the trees and waiting for travelers or farmers
to pass by. Or they may hide in bushes and shrubs that line the paths through
the woods and grab the ankles of passers-by. In either case, the Asasabonsam
then drags the victim off to a secluded spot and uses its iron teeth to tear out
the throat, open the chest, and begin feeding. First it drinks the blood as it

spurts, then as the heart stills and the blood no longer flows, the Asasabonsam
sets to eating the flesh of its prey. What it can’t finish in one sitting it casts to
the ground, leaving body parts like scraps for wild animals.
The Asasabonsam is a malicious being and enjoys the hunt as much as the
kill, often prolonging the moment of attack so that it can entertain itself by
hunting a fleeing human. Like a cat, the Asasabonsam sometimes catches, re-
leases, and catches again, delighting in the power it has over its prey.
Some Asasabonsam use other kinds of trickery, such as mimicking the
plaintive cry of a child in the manner of a Calling Ghost, waiting in the dark for
a concerned parent, a Good Samaritan, or another child to come to investi-

gate, and then killing the good-natured helper. It is a well-known trick of the
Asasabonsam to use imitations of human calls—child or adult—to lure vil-
lagers or travelers away from their campfires at night. The unwise person who
goes to investigate is seldom seen again, or at least seldom seen alive again.
In some parts of the same region of Ghana there is a different version of
the Asasabonsam story. In this alternate version the Asasabonsam seldom kills
outright but instead comes at night to bite the thumb of a sleeping person,
taking some blood but not enough to kill. The creature may return the follow-
ing night, and many nights thereafter, until the victim has been slowly drained

of blood and, eventually, of life. These nighttime visits often have a secondary
effect in that the bite of the Asasabonsam is either poisonous or it carries dis-
ease, the latter being the most likely.
22, -& JONATHAN MABERRY

This habit of biting the thumb links the Asasabonsam with the feeding
habits of some species of vampire bats. Though bats rarely prey on humans, in
the rare cases when they do the thumb is a likely target for a bat bite because
its large, exposed, and bleeds freely. Bats are a well-documented disease vector,
and depending on your personal stance on the existence of supernatural vam-
pires, the hunting tactics of the bat and the Asasabonsam of Ghana are either
similarities from species that share common qualities, or evidence of how a su-

perstition can grow out of a natural event.

Asema_ Throughout the Caribbean there are a number of very similar

vampiric creatures that are more or less human by day, but by night undergo
a startling transformation. Known as the Loogaroo in Haiti and the Sukuyan
in Trinidad, the Asema of Surinam is a bizarre creature that was probably

brought to the New World with slaves captured from among the Fo peoples of
Benin, where it is known as the Aziman. There are subtle differences culture to

culture, but the essential creature is the same.

By day the Asema takes the form of an ancient crone who looks frail and
helpless, but when the sun goes down the Asema sheds its skin and becomes a
ball of fiery blue light that instantly takes to the air seeking prey. Once it lo-
cates a victim—generally someone out walking alone—the Asema descends like
a thunderbolt, knocking the victim to the ground and feasting on blood and
life essence.
Like many of the world’s vampires, the Asema has a manic fixation with

counting seeds. Consequently, a wary person will often strew seeds, grains, or
rice and even small nails on the ground in a spot that is likely to attract the
Asema, which feels compelled to stop and count each one and as a result
wastes the whole of the night. If the Asema is caught by the rising sun it will
evaporate into nothingness, making it one of the very few vampires in the
world that can be destroyed by sunlight. Most European vampires are not so
 “+4 VAMPIRE UNIVERSE & 23

-q BATS &
Bats can be found nearly everywhere in the world except
in areas of extreme heat or extreme cold, and they live on
every continent except Antarctica. In the United States
the greatest number of bat species can be found in the
southwestern states. Texas alone has 32 different species;
Arizona has 28. The 952 species of bats currently extant
make up about 20 percent of all known living mammal
species.
Though bats are tied to folklore, especially that of
vampires, they are not particularly aggressive toward hu-
mans in real life. For example, they don’t get caught in
your hair (a silly old myth), they aren’t blind, and they
don’t all carry rabies (theyre actually quite clean little
critters).
Bat species are divided into two major suborders,
Megachiroptera and Microchiroptera. Megachiroptera
has only one family, Pteropodidae, and about 166 spe-
cies. All of them feed on plant material, either fruit, nec-
tar, or pollen; Microchiroptera has 16 families (around
759 species) and these are predominantly insect eaters.
One sub-family of this latter grouping has three species
that are blood-drinkers. The classic vampire bat (Desmodus
rotundus) is one of these.

easily dispatched, though they often share the obsession with counting seeds.

Another method of disposing of the Asema requires a little more effort

and daring. If someone were to track down the Asema’s lair and steal its skin,
and then take that skin and boil it so that it shrinks, then the returning Asema
24 - JONATHAN MABERRY

will be unable to put its skin suit back on in time to avoid the rays of the ris-
ing sun.
A few of the various Asema legends argue a different view of sunlight and
its effects on the creature. In more urban folktales of the Asema it is believed
that the sunlight does little more than weaken the monster and that come
sunset it regains its strength. In these beliefs it is stressed that only destruction
of the skin will have any lasting effect because it needs to return to its skin in
order to rest. Without that respite its energies will gradually become dissi-
pated and it will fade into oblivion.

Asin In the Pacific Northwest, home to the Alsea Indian people, there is a
legend of a murderous creature called the Asin. The creature is variously be-
lieved to be a demon in human form or a female of a species of woodland mon-
sters. In either case, the Asin appears as a monstrous girl—feminine in basic
form, but covered with hair and possessing taloned fingers and teeth like those
of a wolf.
The Asin preys on the fringes of communities, watching for children who
stray too far from their homes or who are left unattended. When the Asin sees
an opportunity she rushes in, snatches up the child, and vanishes back into
the woods at great speed to feast on the helpless child.
One legend recounts that Asin bewitched the fruit of the huckleberry
bush so that any child who ate them would become entranced and would wan-
der off into the woods, where the Asin would be waiting. For that reason the
Alsea banned anyone from eating huckleberries.
The Asin myth overlaps to some degree with that of the Apotamkin of the
Maliseet-Passamaquoddy tribe, with the exception that the Apotamkin is of-
ten seen as a large hairy male, much in keeping with creatures such as the
Shampe and Sasouatch.

Asuang (also Aswang and Aswang Mananaggal) The Asuang is one

of the fiercest of the Filipino monsters, and certainly the most clever. In its
 “4 VAMPIRE UNIVERSE & 25

true form, the Asuang is an ordinary

man or woman who has taken up the

dark arts and learned the foulest secrets

of sorcery. Through magical practices

the Asuang acquires vast supernatural
abilities, the most startling of which is

its ability to change shape at will.

The Asuang can become a bull, dog,
cat, bird, even an insect. Unlike were-

wolves who transform from human to a

wolf of equal mass, the Asuang changes

its actual mass. Where this extra mass

goes to or comes from is unknown.

To determine if an animal is, in fact,

a transformed Asuang requires a person

to do the one thing that no one should
do: get close and stare it right in the eye.
The eyes of the Asuang are fiery and red-
veined, and there is the ummistakable

presence of human intelligence. Sadly,

the discovery that Rover or Elsie the
Cow is actually a shape-shifting mon-
ster is often the last discovery a person is
likely to make, because the Asuang is a

foul-tempered meat-eating predator.

The Asuang has often been de-
scribed as a kind of vampire, but this is

incorrect. It is far more closely related to

the werewolf in that it changes shape MANANAMBAL
(Enemy of the Asuang) Ken Meyer
and eats meat. Like the true werewolves
26 -< JONATHAN MABERRY

of Europe, the Asuang keeps its human mind and memories when in beast-

shape, though it does gain the animal’s cunning and instinct as well, making
it the most fearsome of predators.
When the Asuang makes a kill it generally drags its victim back to its lair
and then settles down to a grisly feast, favoring the liver as the choicest deli-
cacy. It will drink the blood to wash down the meat, but it is not primarily a
blood-drinker: that’s just a nasty side effect of consuming a living human.
The Asuang has its vulnerabilities, though, and chief among them is an
absolute dread of garlic. The sight of a garlic bulb is enough to chase the
Asuang off, the smell of garlic can render it powerless, and garlic oil is fatal.

The Asuang also has an aversion to various kinds of metal, which is why trav-
elers often keep a lucky coin in their pocket. Just the proximity of a single coin
can make the Asuang so weak it cannot lift its prey.
If a witch has been an Asuang for a very long time it undergoes other
changes, and in its most advanced form the creature can literally rip its head,
torso, and entrails free from its body and fly through the air, dripping gore. In
this most hideous of forms it is the most powerful and can kill with a shriek
or a single bite. This head and entrails form is very similar to the Kephn of
Burma, the Mjertovjec of Belarus, and the gruesome Penanggalan of India, as
well as monsters in Vietnam and other torrid climates.
The unique cry of the Asuang, a strange kik-kik noise, has compelling su-
pernatural properties, and when a person hears it they are drawn inexorably to
the creature. Only by fingering a coin in one’s pocket can a person escape.
Unlike other kinds of witch-monsters, the Asuang does not become a

monster by choice: the Asuang curse is a side effect of certain kinds of magical
practices—a kind of spiritual sickness from which there is no known cure. The
descent into total evil is unstoppable.
A person can also be forcibly transformed into an Asuang by another of
that species. To do this an Asuang creeps up on a person and breathes its foul
breath down the back of the unsuspecting person’s neck. This causes a kind of
 “4 VAMPIRE UNIVERSE & 27

spiritual infection that sparks the transformation. Once the transformation

from true human to Asuang has taken place, the Asuang retains all of its mem-
ories and personality traits, but these are governed by a new, supernatural intel-
ligence. It is like two minds—one demonic and one human—becoming a single
mind.
The Asuang is self-aware, of course, and never hunts in its own village. In-
stead, it flies through the sky to other towns to hunt. Some Asuang choose not
to hunt at all, but use animal familiars (typically crocodiles) to hunt for them.
These less active Asuang are called Hayopan.
Fighting the Asuang requires cunning and great knowledge, and the most
effective enemy of the monster is also the antithesis of the sorcerer—a village
shaman or healer, called a “Mananambal.” This healer is skilled at potion mak-
ing and can make drafts lethal to the monster; but more often the Mananam-

bal focuses on preventative salves and charms, many of which are garlic based.
Some Mananambal have even been known to cure the Asuang—separating the
demon and the human, but this is a dangerous process that seldom works.

Atraiomen The Carib’ people tell a story of how they became scattered
throughout so many islands, and at the heart of the tale is a terrible monster

called the Atraiomen. This creature was once a “Callinemeti,” a “very peaceful

man,” and was very popular among his people but his sons were deeply jealous
of their father and shared none of his peaceful, easygoing ways. One day they

ambushed him while he was getting ready to go fishing, murdered him, and
threw his body into the ocean.
Something happened to this peaceful man as his body floated out to sea
and decayed. His soul was released, but somehow it had become corrupted and

twisted and the Callinemeti entered into the body of a fish, transforming it
into a fierce man-killer called the Atraiomen.
In this awful form the Atraiomen pursued his sons with such wild aban-

9. “Carib” is a name given to these people by Europeans. They refer to themselves either as Callinago in the
men’s language and Calliponam in the “women’s language,” while Callinemeti was “a good peaceful man.” A
more common phonetic spelling is Kalinago.
28 -3 JONATHAN MABERRY

don that anyone who got in his way was slaughtered. Fearing the wrath of this
monster, the people deserted their islands and fled across the water, hoping to
escape from its hunting grounds. And this is how the Caribs explain why their
people are so widely scattered.
It is not known whether the Atraiomen ever caught up with his traitorous
children, but the legends say that the monster still hunts the seas between the
islands.

Aufhocker The name “Aufhocker” means “leap upon” and that certainly
describes this monstrous canine from German folklore. The Aufhocker is a
hulking brute of a dog that walks about on its hind legs (much like a Wolf-
Man) and tears the throats out of its victims. The creature is often found in
the vicinity of a crossroads, waiting for hapless travelers.
The Aufhocker is a theriomorph who can also take the form of other ani-
mals and, in rare cases, of humans; and some folklorists claim that it has no
true shape at all, being a spirit that only adopts animal form in order to kill.
The Aufhocker cannot be killed, but the rising of the sun or the tolling of
a church bell can scare it away as it can abide neither.

6B
Bagat Many of the world’s supernatural predators either appear as a
monstrous dog, or assume that shape through transformation. This pack of
hellhounds includes the Eng-Banka of Malaysia, the Kludde of Belgium, the Of-
giruru of Namibia, the Qigirn of the Eskimo, the Sukuyan of Trinidad, the Upor

of Poland and its close relative the Upyr of Russia, the fierce Barghest of Great
Britain, the Transylvanian Murony, and several Filipino monsters, including

the Aswang, the Pugut, and Bagat.

Unlike many of its cousins, the Bagat is not always evil or even malicious,
but it is easily offended. If i-—or any dog in its vicinity—is either deliberately
injured or harmed through carelessness, the Bagat becomes enraged and will
 “4 VAMPIRE UNIVERSE 29

attack with terrible ferocity. A corpse found along the side of the road, savaged
and torn, is generally believed to be the leavings of this hulking beast.
Luckily, the Bagat is a creature who favors lonely and remote places and
one seldom encounters it. It loves to hunt at night and during the full moon,
or during storms. If one should spot one of these monsters, a quick prayer and
a change of direction are both advised.

Baital India has hundreds of gods and demons, and many supernatural

predators that may have qualities of one or the other. Some of these mon-
sters are steeped in its ancient religions and some dwell only in regional folk-
tales.
One of the strangest and most frightening of the Indian predators is the
brutal Baital. This creature is a grotesque patchwork, half-bat and half-man.
Though short in stature (the Baital only stands about four feet tall) it is fierce
and clever, and it delights in drinking human blood.
The Baital is also something of a trickster and in the Battal-Pachisi, or
Twenty-Five Tales of a Baital, an ancient Hindu text written in Sanskrit, there is
a long account of how King Vikram (the Hindu equivalent of Britain’s King
Arthur, also called Vikramaditya) promised a Yogi that he would bring him
one of the Baital. King Vikram found one of the creatures hanging from a tree
and managed to subdue it, but maintaining control over the Baital was an-
other matter. This trickster vampire challenged King Vikram to keep totally
silent while the monster narrated a series of stories (both moral and philo-
sophical); but as he finished each tale he asked the king for his opinion. Natu-
rally, to answer meant to break silence and the Baital was released. The king

had to go back, regain control, and start over again—each time with a new tale.
Each time his attempt to answer the creature’s questions resulted in the mon-
ster being released from Vikram’s control.

Bajang Vampires who either transform into cats or transform from cats

into the semblance of human beings are to be found all throughout Asia. The
30 <3 JONATHAN MABERRY

Bajang of Malaysia is one such monster, and it is a creature born from despair
and sudden death into an unnatural life of murder and predation.
As far back as the oldest of recorded human cultures there have been leg-
ends built around the angry ghosts of stillborn male infants who return to the
world of the living to cause great harm. The Assyrians and Mesopotamians
had the horrible Ekimmu, and in recent centuries there are dreadful tales of
the Pontianak of Java, the Ohyn of Poland, Pret of India, and the Bajang of
Malaysia. The Bajang, however, does not just rise from the corpse of a stillborn
baby, but is deliberately invoked and consigned to the form of a polecat or
other hunting feline. In that beast-shape it becomes the eternal familiar of the
witch or warlock who invoked it. |
The Bajang has two methods of attack. When left to feed on its own, the
creature will feed on flesh and blood; but when it is directed by its master to a
specific target, it will infect its master’s enemies with a terrible wasting illness

that, if not diagnosed and treated correctly, is fatal.

After the Bajang has been called forth into flesh it is kept in a bamboo
vessel called a tabong; and is protected by various spells and charms and closed
by a stopper made from special leaves grown and carefully harvested and pre-
pared by the witch. The creature is then kept as both a protector and as a
weapon to be used against rivals and enemies. The creature is immortal and
is handed down from one generation to the next. While the Bajang is impris-
oned in its tabong its unholy appetite is controlled by regular feedings of
eggs; but if its master does not keep it well-fed its growing hunger can give
the Bajang increased strength and there are plenty of tales of these mon-
sters shattering their bamboo cages and feeding on the flesh of their careless
masters.
 “4 VAMPIRE UNIVERSE & 31

“4 FAMILIARS =
Familiars are creatures, either natural or supernatural,
with whom a sorcerer or witch has created a psychic bond.
Familiars are servants who are used for a variety of tasks
ranging from attack to espionage, though most often
they are used to carry out spells and bewitchments.
There are two basic kinds of familiars in folklore: an-
imals and imps.
Animal familiars are the most common, especially in
European folklore, and may be a cat, toad, owl, mouse,

dog, hen, or other creature including insects. In Euro-

pean witchcraft trials if even so much as a housefly en-
tered the court while someone was being tried as a witch
it was suspected of being that person’s familiar and often
sealed the fate of the accused right there.
Imps are supernatural creatures, either demonic or a
sub-species of faerie, that have been forced into servitude
by the wizard. These creatures must serve their master
and often possess potent magic themselves. If the sor-
cerer makes the mistake of weakening his control over
his imp, then the tables are quickly and tragically turned.
Imps are not particularly forgiving.
Some vampire species such as the Nelapsi, Bajang, and
Talamaur have also been known to use familiars.

Baka Shape-shifters are plentiful throughout the world, be they vampires

changing into black hens or jaguars, humans becoming wolves, or in the case
of the Baka of Benin, a spirit-creature that assumes the shape of any animal it
Random documents with unrelated
content Scribd suggests to you:
clock belongs to Irving Bigelow, Esq., of Worcester. Both date to the
first quarter of the nineteenth century.
The most famous name among American
clock-makers is Willard. There were three
Willard brothers,—Benjamin, Simon, and
Aaron,—clock-makers in Grafton,
Massachusetts, in 1765. Benjamin and
Simon established a business in Roxbury,
and in December, 1771, Benjamin
advertised in the Boston Evening Post his
“removal from Lexington to Roxbury. He will
sell house clocks neatly made, cheaper than
imported.” February 22, 1773, he advertised
that he “at his shop in Roxbury Street,
pursues the different branches of clock and
watch work, and has for sale musical clocks,
playing different tunes, a new tune each
day, and on Sunday a Psalm tune. These
Illus. 351.—Wall Clocks, tunes perform every hour.... All the branches
1800-1825. of the business likewise carried on in
Grafton.” The third brother, Aaron, may have
remained in Grafton, for he went from there later to Roxbury, as fifer
of a company of minute-men, in the first days of the War of the
Revolution. Simon Willard remained in the same shop in Roxbury for
over seventy years, dying in 1848 at the great age of ninety-six
years. Aaron Willard built a shop in Boston and made a specialty of
tall striking clocks.
Illustration 352 shows a clock owned by Dr. G. Faulkner of
Jamaica Plain. Inside the clock is written in a quaint hand, “The first
short time-piece made in America, 1784.” Dr. Faulkner’s father was
married at about that date, and the clock was made for him. It has
always stood upon a bracket upon the wall, and has been running
constantly for one hundred and seventeen years. Upon the scroll
under the dial is the inscription “Aaron Willard, Roxbury.” The case is
of mahogany, and stands twenty-six inches high. Upon the lower
part are very beautiful scroll feet,
turning back. The upper part
stands upon ogee feet, and can be
lifted off. The glass door is painted
so that it forms a frame for the
dial.
Mr. Howard, the founder of the
Howard Watch Company, has told
me that the Willards invented this
style of clock as well as the style
known as the banjo clock. Mr.
Howard was born in 1813 and
when he was sixteen he started to
learn his trade in Boston, in the
shop of Aaron Willard, Jr. I have
not been able to find that clocks of
this style were made in England at
all, and they seem to be purely
American, but in Britten’s “Old Illus. 352.—Willard Clock, 1784.
Clocks and Watches and their
Makers” is an illustration of an astronomical clock made by Henry
Jenkins, 1760 to 1780, with a case very similar in shape to these
clocks, and with a top like the centre one of the three in Illustration
353. Aaron Willard may have obtained his idea from such a clock.
The clock in Illustration 352 is the earliest one that I have heard of.
Illustration 353 shows three clocks made some years later,
probably about 1800 to 1815. The clock with the ogee feet is a
Willard clock, and belongs to W. S. G. Kennedy, Esq. The clock with
the door of bird’s-eye maple and the inlaid fan-shaped top is owned
by Mrs. E. A. Morse. The third clock is owned by the writer.
Illus. 353.—Willard Clocks, 1800-1815.

Another New England clock-maker of long

and picturesque life was Stephen Hassam,
sometimes called Hasham. He was born in 1761,
and is said to have lived to be over one hundred
years old. He was a witness, when a boy, of the
battle of Bunker Hill from the steeple of a
church in Boston, and he lived until after the
beginning of the Civil War. He moved from
Boston to Grafton and then to Worcester, where
he learned the clock-maker’s trade, perhaps with
the Willards who lived in those towns at about
that time. He established himself finally in
Charlestown, New Hampshire, where he lived
and made clocks, which are highly valued for
their excellent qualities, as well as for the
associations with the name of the centenarian
clock-maker.
Illus. 354.—Hassam A clock similar in size, and also in design, to
Clock, 1800. the last four illustrated is shown in Illustration
354. It was made by Stephen Hassam and bears his name. It is
owned by Charles H. Morse, Esq., and has always stood since it was
made, about 1800, upon a mahogany bracket in the corner. The case
is of very finely grained mahogany.
Simon Willard patented in 1802 an improved time-piece, which
Mr. Howard says is the clock now known as the “banjo” clock.
Illustration 355 shows a clock bought by the writer in a country town
from an old man who called it a time-piece, which is the name given
it in the country, “banjo” being suggested to the modern mind by the
shape of the upper part. The sides of the clock are of mahogany.
The glass door to the face is convex and is framed in brass, and the
ornaments at the sides of the clock are also of brass.
 Illus. 355—“Banjo” Clock, 1802-1820.

The long glass in the middle of the case is framed like the door of
painted glass in wood gilt. The turned ornament on the top of the
clock and the bracket below it are of wood gilt. Plainer clock-cases of
this shape were of mahogany without the bracket below.
Aaron Willard, Jr., entered his father’s employ in his shop in
Boston in 1823, and continued the business for forty years. When
one considers that members of this family manufactured clocks for
over one hundred years, it does not seem singular that so many
clocks are found with the name of Willard upon them.
 Occasionally one finds a banjo clock
with striking attachment, but they are not
common.
Illustration 356
shows a clock called a
presentation or
marriage clock. It is
owned by Dwight M.
Prouty, Esq., of
Boston, and it was
made for an ancestor
of Mr. Prouty, when he
was married, as a
wedding gift. The
decorations are in
light colors, pink and
blue with gold, very
delicate and suitable
for a bride. Upon the
square glass door,
painted above the
centre is “S. Willard”
Illus. 356.—Presentation and below it “Patent.”
Clock.
The bracket is gilt.
Illustration 357 shows another Willard time-
piece, with a mahogany case and gilt Illus. 357.—Willard
Timepiece.
mouldings and bracket. Upon the door is
painted the battle between the Constitution and Guerrière. The name
A. Willard is painted upon the long glass. This clock belongs to
Francis H. Bigelow, Esq.
The clock in Illustration 358 has the name Willard upon the face.
The case is mahogany, and the mouldings which frame the glass and
the bracket beneath the clock are japanned in colors. It belongs to
Charles A. Moffett, Esq., of Worcester.
 The clock in
Illustration 359 is of an
entirely different style,
and the case, the lower
part of which is lyre
shaped, is very
beautifully carved with
scrolls, which are
finished in gilt. There is
no maker’s name upon
this clock, which belongs
to Frank C. Turner, Esq.,
of Norwich.
The clock in
Illustration 360 is in the
lyre shape usually seen,
which was made as a
Illus. 359.—Lyre
variation from the banjo. Clock, 1810-1820.
Such clocks are found of
wood finished in gilt, or like this clock, in the
natural wood, which is mahogany in most
cases. The carving is generally in the same
Illus. 358.—Willard
Timepiece, 1802-1810. design, but some have the lyre strings, made
of wood or brass.
Eli Terry was the first of another famous family of American clock-
makers. He started in business in 1793, in Plymouth, near
Waterbury, Connecticut, a town well known ever since for its clocks
and watches. His first clock was made a year earlier, a wooden clock
in a long case with a brass dial, silver washed. He manufactured the
works for tall clocks, selling them to pedlers, who took them into the
country to dispose of. In 1810 Seth Thomas with Silas Hoadly bought
the Terry factory, and continued the manufacture of clocks for long
cases. Eli Terry in 1814 invented a wooden shelf-clock, called “The
Pillar Scroll Top Case, with pillars 21 inches long resting on a square
base, dial 11 inches square, table below dial 7 inches by 11.” This
 clock sold for fifteen dollars, and was made
in enormous quantities. Illustration 361
shows two clocks, one an Eli Terry “Pillar
Scroll Top” clock, with carved pillars similar
to the ones upon pieces of furniture of that
period. The other clock was made by Terry
at about the same time. Inside each of
these clocks is pasted a paper upon which is
printed the following: “Patent Clocks,
invented by Eli Terry, Plymouth,
Connecticut.”

Illus. 360.—Lyre-shaped
Clock, 1810-1820.

Illus. 361.—Eli Terry Shelf Clocks, 1824.

 “Warranted if well used. N.B. The public may be assured that this
kind of Clock will run as long without repairs and be as durable and
accurate for keeping time as any kind of Clock whatever.” These
clocks are owned by D. Thomas Moore, Esq., of Westbury, Long
Island.

Illus. 362.—French Clock, about 1800.

 From the time when such mantel clocks were manufactured in
great numbers, the fact that they were cheap and good time-keepers
put the tall clock out of the market, and its manufacture practically
died out soon after, so that but few tall clocks were made later than
1815-1820.
Illustration 362 shows a French clock with onyx pillars, and
elaborate Empire brasses. The large ornaments at the side of the dial
are of wood gilt. The middle of the dial is occupied by a beautifully
wrought design in brass, of an anvil and grindstone, each with a little
Cupid. Upon the quarter-hour one Cupid sharpens his arrow at the
grindstone, running the grindstone with his foot upon a treadle, and
at every hour the other Cupid strikes the anvil with his hammer the
necessary number of strokes. A brass figure of a youth with a bow
stands below the dial, in front of the mirror in the back of the clock.
The base is of black marble. I have seen several clocks similar with
the onyx pillars, but none with such beautiful, hand-wrought brass in
the face and upon the case.
 CHAPTER XII

LOOKING-GLASSES

A
STRONG distinction was made in
America during the seventeenth and
eighteenth centuries between mirrors
and looking-glasses; the name
“mirror” was applied to a particular kind of
glass, either convex or concave, and one old
authority states that “a mirror is a circular
convex glass in a gilt frame.”
Looking-glasses appear in inventories in
this country as early as 1650, and in 1658
William Bartlett of Hartford left no less than
ten, the dearest valued at one pound.
In 1670 the Duke of Buckingham
brought Venetian workmen to England, and
established glass works in Lambeth; but up
to that date the looking-glasses occasionally
mentioned in inventories must have been
made in Venice. Some of the records are “a great looking
glass,”—“looking glass with brasses,”—“great looking glass of
ebony,”—“an olive wood diamond cut looking glass,”—and “a looking
glass with a walnut tree frame.” The glass usually had the edge
finished with a slight bevelling about an inch wide, made by hand, of
course, which followed the outline of the inside of the frame.
Hungerford Pollen, in
“Furniture and Woodwork,” says:
“The looking-glasses made in the
seventeenth and eighteenth
centuries ... had the plates
finished by an edge gently
bevelled, of an inch in width,
following the form of the frame,
whether square or shaped in
curves. It is of great difficulty in
execution, the plate being held by
the workman over his head, and
the edges cut by grinding.... The
angle of the” (modern) “bevel is
generally too acute, whereby the
prismatic light produced by this
portion of the mirror is in too
violent and showy contrast to the
remainder.”
One can always distinguish an
Illus. 363.—Looking-glass, 1690.
old bevel, by rubbing the finger
upon it. The bevel is so slight that it can hardly be felt, where the
modern bevel is sharp and distinct.
Looking-glasses of large size were
made in two sections, the lower piece
with the edge bevelled and lapped over
the plain upper piece. This was to avoid
the tax upon glass beyond a certain size.
The fashion for japanning or
lacquering which obtained vogue at the
close of the seventeenth century was
followed in looking-glass frames. A
Illus. 364.—Looking-glass, London newspaper of 1689 thus
1690. advertised: “Several sorts of Screwtores,
Tables, Stands and Looking-glasses of Japan and other work.”
Illustration 363 shows a looking-glass in a japanned frame,
owned by Dwight M. Prouty, Esq., of Boston. The wood of the frame
is walnut, and it is covered with lacquer in gold and colors. The
shape of the frame around the glass is followed by the bevel, and
the lower piece of glass laps over the upper.
Illustration 364 shows the top section of a looking-glass with a
lacquered frame. In this case the frame was made in sections, the
lower section being lost. The curves in the frame are followed in the
glass by the old shallow bevelling over an inch in width, and a star is
cut in the middle of the glass. The frame is elaborately japanned
with gold and bright colors, and is twenty-six inches in height,
showing that the looking-glass, when whole, was of generous size.
The design of the sawed edge is of a very early style. The glass is
owned by the American Antiquarian Society, of Worcester.
The looking-glass at the head of this chapter is owned by E. R.
Lemon, Esq., of the Wayside Inn. It is of walnut veneer, and the old
bevelled glass is in two sections, the upper one cut in a design, and
with the lower edge lapped over the other piece of glass. Another
glass of the same period, the first quarter of the eighteenth century,
owned by Mr. Lemon, heads Chapter XI. This frame has a top
ornament of a piece of walnut sawed in curves which suggest those
upon later frames.
Such a looking-glass as this was probably what Judge Sewall
meant when he sent for “A True Looking Glass of Black Walnut
Frame of the Newest Fashion (if the Fashion be good) as good as
can be bought for five or six pounds.” This was for wedding furniture
for the judge’s daughter Judith, married in 1720.
A looking-glass of the same date, with a carved wood frame,
silvered, heads Chapter VI. It was originally owned by an ancestor of
the late Major Ben: Perley Poore, and was probably made in Europe.
It has always, within the memory of the family, been silvered, and it
is safe to say that it was so originally. The carving is rather crudely
 done, the ornament at the top containing
a bird which is sitting upon a cherub’s
head. This glass is now at Indian Hill,
Newburyport.
In nothing is the charm of association
more potent than in an old looking-glass,
when one considers the faces and scenes
that have been reflected in it. Illustration
365 shows a looking-glass which hung in
the Schuyler mansion at Stillwater, New
York, in which Washington stopped over
night; and although the quicksilver is
somewhat worn off the back of the glass,
the thought that it must have mirrored
the face of Washington preserves it from
being restored. The shape is extremely
graceful, and the outline of the inside of
the frame is followed by little scrolls cut in
the glass. The frame is carved in wood,
Illus. 365.—Looking-glass,
and gilt, and was probably made in Italy
about 1730.
about 1730. It is now owned by the
writer. The low-boy in the illustration is described upon page 39.
Rococo and Chinese designs were rampantly fashionable in
frames for looking-glasses from 1750 to 1780. They present an
astonishing combination of Chinese pagodas, shells, flowers,
branches, animals, and birds, with occasionally a figure of a man or
woman considerably smaller than the flowers and birds upon the
same frame.
Some of the famous designers of frames were Matthias Lock,
who published “A Book New of Pier Frames, Oval Girandoles, Tables,
etc.,” in 1765; Edwards and Darley; and Thomas Johnson; besides
the better-known cabinet-makers Ince and Mayhew and
Chippendale. Lock and Johnson devoted much space to frames for
girandoles, pier glasses, ovals, and chimney-pieces, all elaborately
carved with scrolls and shells with dripping water, birds, and animals
of every sort from a monkey to a cow, the latter unromantic and
heavy creature figuring upon a dripping scroll in one of Johnson’s
frames.

Illus. 366.—Pier Glass in “Chinese Taste,” 1760.

Illustration 366 shows a looking-glass of the size which was

called a “pier” glass, which must have been made about 1760. It is
carved in walnut, and the natural wood has never been stained or
gilt. It presents many of the characteristic designs fashionable at
that time, of scrolls and dripping water, while no less than seven
pagoda roofs form a part of the frame. The figure, probably a
Chinese lady with a parasol, is missing from the pagoda at the top.
Below the frame is carved a little monkey sitting in the lower scroll.
The frame is rather unusual in having side branches for candles. This
looking-glass and the one in the following illustration are owned by
Mrs. Charles Barrell of Barrell’s Grove, York Corner, Maine, and are in
the old Barrell house, which stands with its original furniture, as it
stood one hundred and fifty years ago. These looking-glasses were
bought by a Barrell ancestor at an auction in London, about 1795.
The articles sold at this auction were the furnishings of one of the
households of the Prince of Wales, which was, temporarily at least,
given up by him upon his marriage, and these glasses have reflected
many a gay scene in which the “First gentleman in Europe” figured,
while Beau Brummel may have used them to arrange the wonderful
toilettes which won him his name. What a change to the little Maine
village!
Another looking-glass of carved wood, with the same history, is
shown in Illustration 367. This frame is gilded, and possesses none
of the Chinese designs of the other frame, but is purely rococo. It
has the old glass with bevelled edges. Both of these looking-glasses
must have been made at least twenty-five years before the time
when they were sold at auction by the royal bridegroom.
 Illus. 367.—Looking-glass, about 1760.

At the head of Chapter V is shown a looking-glass with a frame

of white with gilt ornaments. It formerly belonged to Governor
Wentworth, and is now in the Poore collection at Indian Hill. It is
similar in design and decoration to the looking-glasses seen in
French palaces, and was probably made in France about 1760.
A charming oval looking-glass which might be of the present
latest fashion forms the heading to Chapter III. It has the flowing
ribbon bow-knot which Chippendale employed, and which has been
fashionable ever since. This
looking-glass was made
about 1770, and was
inherited by Miss H. P. F.
Burnside of Worcester from
her great-grandmother.
Illustration 368 shows a
fine looking-glass with a
frame of carved wood. There
is a small oval medallion
below the frame with
emblems of Freemasonry in
gilt upon a black ground. A
large medallion is above the
glass, with Cupids painted
upon a black ground, and
the frame is surmounted by
an eagle. This looking-glass
is owned by Mrs. Charles R.
Waters of Salem. Illus. 368.—Looking-glass, 1770-1780.
Another of the same period, with a
carved wood frame, is shown at the
beginning of Chapter IV. This frame has a
classical design of garlands of laurel with
an urn at the top. The small oval
medallion at the base of both of these
frames seems to be a feature of such
looking-glasses, together with the
garlands of carved wood. This looking-
glass is owned by the writer. Upon its
back is an oak board which must have
been prized highly, for it has been
carefully repaired with two patches of
wood set into it.
Illus. 369.—Looking-glass, Illustration 369 shows a looking-glass
1725-1750. made in the first half of the eighteenth
century, of walnut. The gilt mouldings are carved in wood, as are the
gilt leaves and flowers at the side. The waving line of the inside of
the frame is followed in the bevelling of the glass. Glasses of this
period were usually made in two pieces, to lessen the expense, the
edge of one piece of glass being simply lapped over the other. This
looking-glass is unusually large, seven and one-half feet high and
three feet wide. It is now owned by the Philadelphia Library
Association, and was used in 1778 at the famous Mischianza fête,
where probably the lovely Peggy Shippen and the beautiful Jewess,
Rebecca Frank, and perhaps the ill-fated André, used the glass to
put the finishing touches to their toilettes, or to repair the damages
wrought during the gay dances of that historic ball.
A looking-glass showing the development from the one in
Illustration 369 may be seen in Illustration 26 upon page 39. The
frame is more elaborate than the older one in its curves and in the
pediment with the broken arch, and its date is about 1770. The
original glass is gone, so we cannot tell if it was bevelled, but it
probably was. This very fine frame came from the Chase mansion in
Annapolis, and is now owned by Harry Harkness Flagler, Esq., of
Millbrook, New York.
Another looking-glass owned by Mr. Flagler is shown in
Illustration 370. The frame is of walnut veneer, and the shape of the
glass without any curves at the top, and the garlands at the side
more finely modelled and strung upon a wire, determine it to have
been made some years later than the frame in Illustration 369.
A looking-glass with a mahogany and gilt frame, owned by the
writer, is shown in the heading to Chapter IX. This looking-glass
dates between the last two described; the curved form of the upper
edge of the glass in Illustration 26 leaving a slight reminder in the
cut-off, upper corners of this glass, which vanishes in the square
corners of the one in Illustration 370. The garlands at each side are
carved from wood, without wire. These looking-glasses are now
reproduced in large numbers and are sometimes called Washington
 glasses, from the fact that one
hangs upon the wall in a room
at Mount Vernon.
A very unusual looking-
glass is shown in Illustration
371, a long mantel looking-
glass of very early date,
probably not later than 1750.

Illus. 370.—Looking-glass, 1770-1780.

Illus. 371.—Mantel Glass, 1725-1750.

The glass is made in three sections, the two end sections being
lapped over the middle one. The glasses are not bevelled. Short
garlands carved in wood are upon the sides, and the moulding
around the glass is made in curves, while the upper and lower edges
of the frame are perfectly straight.
A glimpse may be caught above the frame of the two pieces of
metal fastened to the back, which are found upon such frames, with
a hole for a screw to fasten the heavy frame to the wall. This
looking-glass belongs to Dwight M. Prouty, Esq.
 Illus. 373.—Looking-glass, 1770.
The looking-glasses in
Illustrations 372 and 373 also
Illus. 372.—Looking-glass, 1770. belong to Mr. Prouty.
Glasses of this style are not uncommon. They are never large,
and as they are always about the same size, they must have been
made for a certain purpose, or to follow a certain fashion.
The decorations vary, but are always applied in gilt upon the high
top above the frame, and upon the piece below, while the sides are
straight and plain.
 Illus. 374.—Looking-glass, 1776.

Illustration 374 shows a beautiful looking-glass in the Chase

mansion in Annapolis. It is carved in wood and gilt, and four pieces
of glass are set in the frame, which is surmounted by the eagle
holding a shield with stars and stripes.
Illustration 375 shows a very large looking-glass, from the Ogle
house in Annapolis. It is finished in white and gold and has the
 original bevelled glass.
The looking-glass which heads
Chapter XIII is in the Metropolitan
Museum of Art and is of the same
period as the glass in Illustration
371.
A looking-glass is shown in the
heading to Chapter VIII in which
the decoration is produced by both
carving and sawing, as well as by
gilt ornaments. The sawing of
ornamental outlines appears upon
the earliest frames, such as
Illustration 364, and is found upon
Illus. 375.—Looking-glass, 1780.
frames made during the eighteenth
century until its close.
During the last quarter of the eighteenth century frames which
are apparently a cheaper form of the mahogany and gilt looking-
glasses described, were most popular, and are commonly found.
These frames are veneered with mahogany or walnut, and are
sawed in outlines similar to those of the richer frames of walnut or
mahogany and gilt. The inside of the frame next the glass has a
narrow hand-carved gilt moulding, and there is sometimes a gilt bird
flying through the opening sawed in the upper part of the frame,
while in other frames the opening is partially filled by three feathers,
a conventional shell, or a flower in gilt. Occasionally a line of inlaying
follows the gilt moulding next the glass. In smaller looking-glasses a
gilded plaster eagle was glued upon the frame above the glass. Such
frames may be found, or rather might have been found, in almost
any old house.
Illustration 376 shows two of these looking-glasses. The larger
glass is owned by the writer, the smaller by W. S. G. Kennedy, Esq.,
of Worcester.
A looking-glass with some variations from those previously shown
forms the heading to Chapter X. The lower part of the frame has the
sawed outlines which appear upon so many, while the upper part
has a broken arch cornice of a high and slender design, showing the
influence of the lighter Hepplewhite styles. A colored shell is inlaid in
the top of this frame, and there are two rows of fine inlaying around
the glass. The frame is surmounted by an urn or vase with flowers
and stalks of wheat, upon wires, like the slender garlands at the
sides. This looking-glass belongs to H. H. Kohn, Esq., of Albany.

Illus. 376.—Looking-glasses, 1750-1790.

Illustration 377 shows another looking-glass of the same style,

with the wheat and flowers upon wires springing from an urn at the
top, and leaves of plaster strung upon wires at the sides.
Illustration 378 shows a looking-glass carved and sawed in
fantastic outlines, with ribbons at the sides. These two looking-
glasses are in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
 Illus. 377.—Looking-glass, 1790. Illus. 378.—Looking-glass, 1780.

Wooden frames with sawed outlines continued fashionable until

the close of the century.
It was customary for these mahogany-framed glasses to rest
upon two mirror knobs, which fitted into the lower curves of the
frame and were screwed into the wall.
These knobs were sometimes made of brass, but the most
fashionable mirror knobs were those with a medallion, round or oval,
of Battersea enamel upon copper, framed in brass. The design of the
medallions varied, heads of historical personages being very popular,
while flowers, landscapes, fancy heads, the eagle and thirteen stars,
and the ever-favorite design of the monument and weeping willow
appear in the bright tints of the enamel. Dwight Blaney, Esq., of
Boston, has a collection of over one hundred knobs. Washington,
Lafayette, Franklin, Lord Nelson are some of the heads found upon
 mirror knobs. Four pairs of enamelled
knobs, owned by the writer, appear in
Illustration 379. The head of Lord Nelson
figures upon one pair.
“A
circula
r
conve
x
glass
in a
gilt
frame”
Illus. 379.—Enamelled
Mirror Knobs, 1770-1790. is
shown
in Illustration 380. Such glasses Illus. 380.—Girandole, 1770-1780.
were advertised as “mirrors,” in
distinction from the looking-glasses which were in ordinary use, and
they were sold in pairs, for sconces, the convex or occasionally
concave glass precluding the possibility of its use for a literal
looking-glass, as any person will agree who has caught in one a
glimpse of a distorted reflection of face or figure.
These mirrors were fashionable during the last quarter of the
eighteenth century, and were made in various sizes, from twelve
inches in diameter to three feet. The eagle formed the most popular
ornament for the top, but many were made with a winged horse, or
a sort of dragon, instead of the eagle. These mirrors were called
girandoles, like others with branches for candles. The girandole in
Illustration 380 is owned by the Albany Historical Society.
 Illus. 381.—Looking-glass, 1780.

The looking-glass in Illustration 381 belongs to the writer, and is

in the same style as the glass at the head of Chapter IV, which is
described upon page 384.
The garlands upon this frame are carved in fruit, grapes and
plums with leaves, instead of the laurel which is generally the
design, and the medallion above the frame has a classic head in
profile, and is surmounted by a ribbon bow-knot of three loops. The
glass is of quite a large size.
 Illustration 382 shows a looking-
glass owned by Mrs. William Preston of
Richmond, Virginia. The upper section of
the glass is divided from the lower by a
gilt moulding, and is delicately painted,
in black and gold upon a white ground,
with three panels, the middle one
having a classical design. The pyramid-
shaped pieces at the top are of painted
glass and from them go chains, held by
an eagle above.
Illustration 383 shows a large and
handsome looking-glass made in the
fashion of Hepplewhite’s designs, the
fan-shaped ornament below the glass
being quite characteristic of
Hepplewhite’s frames. The eagle at the
top holds in his beak chains which
extend to the urns upon the upper
corners of the frame.
Illus. 382.—Looking-glass,
This looking-glass was made about 1790.
1790, and is owned by Mrs. Thomas H.
Gage of Worcester.
A looking-glass made to fit the panel over the mantel is shown in
Illustration 384. This mantel with the looking-glass is in the Nichols
house, in Salem, in a room built in 1783 for a young bride. The
upper part of the frame has the lattice and ornaments in gilt upon a
white ground, and the overhanging cornice has a row of gilt balls
beneath it. The pillars framing the three sections of glass are fluted
and bound with garlands.
Another large looking-glass of a similar design, but of a few
years’ later date, is shown in Illustration 385. It is owned by Dwight
Blaney, Esq., and was probably made to fit some space, as it is of
unusual shape and very large.
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