WELCOME BACK to another thrilling season of The Legend Queens! This time, we're delving into the realm of American folklore, focusing on the cryptozoology of the East Coast and Appalachia (and in case you're unfamiliar, cryptozoology involves the search for and study of creatures that may or may not exist).
For those tuned into the eerie side of TikTok, you might have come across the cautionary phrase "Don't look in the trees," frequently associated with the Appalachian mountains. "But why?" you might wonder. Well, it's because things that want to eat you dwell in the trees. Cryptids that stalk you on the trail and hunt you for sport are concealed in the trees. Spooky beings that mimic babies crying to lure you deeper into the woods are also in the trees (and no, we're not talking about bobcats).
Of course, all of this hinges on your belief in such phenomena. Interestingly, many residents of Appalachia do believe in these entities, and the aforementioned descriptions merely scratch the surface.
Throughout this season, Austin and Amber are thrilled to share various folklores, exploring their origins and providing any recent updates. We want to make it clear that we are not historians, nor do we reside in this region. Several of these creatures have roots in Indigenous stories, and our intention is to respectfully convey information about these aspects of Native American history. If we fall short of this goal and misrepresent these entities in any way, please do let us know!
In today's installment, Amber delves into West Virginia's alien-touched past to discuss the ever-famous Flatwoods Monster. Following that, Austin will tell us the gory details about the Raven Mocker, an embodiment of death found in Cherokee folklore.
And with that... Shall we begin?
The Mystery of the Flatwoods Monster: A Journey into West Virginia's Alien-Touched Past
Written By: Amber Brevig
In the picturesque hills of West Virginia, where the whispers of the forests mingle with the rustling leaves, lies a tale that has captured the imagination of generations. It's a story that speaks of eerie autumn nights in 1952 when a sleepy town in rural Braxton County became the epicenter of an alleged extraterrestrial encounter, forever etching the legend of the Flatwoods Monster into the history of American folklore.
Local Sightings in 1952
On a fateful evening in September 1952, the Braxton County skies became suddenly ablaze with a bright light that seemed to crash somewhere in the nearby countryside. A gaggle of children who had seen this phenomenon, led by tweens Ed and Freddie May, were spurred by a sense of curiosity and set out to investigate the mysterious lights.
Before heading out, they stopped at home to tell their mother, Kathleen, what they had seen. She joined the group and recruited both the family dog and a local National Guardsman, Eugene Lemon (17) to accompany them. As the group ventured into the dark woods, their excitement soon turned to terror when they stumbled upon a ghastly sight.
A towering figure emerged from the shadows of the trees, illuminated by a pulsating red light. Its spade-shaped head, elongated claw-like hands, and body engulfed in a green metallic sheen struck fear into the children’s hearts. Terrified, they ran home and called the local police. When the police investigated the scene, however, all that remained were two skid marks on the ground and a sulfurous stench. This was the group’s only encounter with the mysterious Flatwoods Monster, an entity that would haunt the May family’s memories even to this day. (The History Channel)
Somehow resembling both a Dalek and the Hot Tamales mascot, this creature loomed over the witnesses at a reported 7 ft, 10ft, and 13ft tall (they never could reach an agreement).
Unbeknownst to the group at the time, there had been a similar sighting recently in a nearby town 5 miles up the road, this time by Mrs. Harper, who had been on her way to the local shop when she saw a ball of fire on her trek in the forest. When she turned to look at it again, in its place stood a tall, dark figure (incredibly descriptive, I know). This figure scared her so badly that she sprinted home and never took that path to the store again. (BraxtonWV)
Reptilians enter the scene a day after the May gaggle sighting. 20 miles up the road, another family shared a similar incident when their car mysteriously broke down on Route 4 in the middle of the night. The Braxton community page states, “The description is similar to that of the original sighting, except the Monster was not wearing, what is presumed to be, its spade-shaped hood. Instead, its head was reportedly reptilian and bony." Allegedly, the creature ran a lizard-like hand across the hood of the car before floating off into the distance.
The Legacy Lives On
As the years have passed, the legend of the Flatwoods Monster has taken root, not just in the soil of Braxton County, but in the broader cultural landscape. Today, the small town of Flatwoods has embraced its otherworldly visitor, with the Flatwoods Monster Museum standing as a testament to the enduring allure of this extraterrestrial enigma. Tourists from far and wide make the pilgrimage to explore the artifacts, hear the stories, and delve into the mysteries that continue to captivate the imaginations of those curious about the unknown.
But how did the world react to this larger-than-life Christmas tin-man lizard (say that ten times fast)? You guessed it, skepticism. Back in 1952, as news of the sightings hit the airwaves, the world collectively raised an eyebrow. Cold War tensions, maybe? Lead-paint-infused overactive imaginations, surely? Perhaps even a secret military machine that was prematurely discovered?
Regardless of whether people who heard about this West Virginian tale believed in it or not, the event played a key role in increasingly popular conversations about UFO and extraterrestrial sightings. Today, festivals dedicated to the monster's legacy are the stage for locals and enthusiasts to swap stories, share theories, and revel in the strange. It's an extravaganza where the entity that once struck fear into the hearts of children becomes a source of pride—a quirky emblem that binds the community together.
For more information on this Flatwoods phenomena, you can hear directly from Ed and Freddie May in a recent indie documentary “The Flatwoods Monster: A Legacy of Fear” available for free on Tubi (unfortunately, the documentary was taken off of Youtube). You can also take a dive into Project Blue Book which includes more of the FBI’s discoveries when sifting through these early extraterrestrial claims.
What do you think? Was the May family hallucinating or maybe just mistaking a tree or odd light for this creature? Let us know your thoughts in a comment below!
References:
Braxton County, West Virginia. (n.d.). The Flatwoods Monster. Retrieved November 2, 2023, from https://braxtonwv.org/the-flatwoods-monster/
History.com. (n.d.). Flatwoods Monster: West Virginia. Retrieved November 2, 2023, from https://www.history.com/news/flatwoods-monster-west-virginia
West Virginia Archives and History. (2002). The Legend of the Flatwoods Monster. Goldenseal, Fall. Retrieved November 2, 2023, from https://archive.wvculture.org/goldenseal/fall02/legend.html
West Virginia Encyclopedia. (n.d.). Flatwoods Monster. Retrieved November 2, 2023, from https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/articles/2192
WV Public. (n.d.). The W. Va. Monster That Crept Into International Pop Culture. Retrieved November 2, 2023, from https://wvpublic.org/the-w-va-monster-that-crept-into-international-pop-culture/
The Raven Mocker
by Austin Charles Bolkcom
Within the rich tapestry of supernatural entities woven into Cherokee folklore, one figure stands out as particularly feared and malevolent—the witch known as The Raven Mocker. Even amid the darker realms of Cherokee mythology, The Raven Mocker occupies a uniquely dreaded position, believed to be immortal unless directly observed by the naked human eye and having to consume its victims in order to increase it’s life span.
Such was the anxiety surrounding this creature that the mere call of a raven in the dead of night could instill terror in even the bravest warriors of the Cherokee Nation. The Raven Mocker crying and swooping from the trees, signaling to all those around it that a prey has been chosen and for the injured or sick to take heed that the witch might be prowling in their home in the shadows. Some Cherokee sources even suggest that The Raven Mocker itself isn’t even a being from this world entirely but rather a creature that fell from the sky arriving on Earth to sow torment and pain..
Known as Kâ'lanû Ahkyeli'skï or the Woman of the Woods, The Raven Mocker was considered a harbinger of misfortune for households grappling with illness or injury. Operating under the cloak of invisibility or taking on the image of an old woman, this nefarious entity would infiltrate homes and subject the ailing individual to various torments at the whims of the witch. Unaware of the true nature of the affliction, friends and family would witness their loved ones thrashing and crying out, attributing it to the injuries or illnesses they were already battling, when, in reality, they were under assault by Kâ'lanû Ahkyeli'skï.
Due to its invisibility, humans found themselves powerless against this malevolent spirit, which would often consume the hearts of its victims to absorb their vitality and reclaim the years lost to the creature. Extending its life to a near immortal status due to claiming the life of its victims over and over. Some of the material even suggests that the witch would take limbs of it’s victims once theirs became too old or damaged to be of use anymore.
In the aftermath of a victim's demise, the discovery of a body without a heart became an ominous sign. In Cherokee culture, the heart holds profound symbolic significance, representing courage and vitality. Thus, finding a body without a heart served as a clear indication that the deceased had fallen prey to The Raven Mocker, their life stolen, and their years of vitality added to the malevolent witch's own existence. The deceased person and family would be treated wearily around the tribe as word started to spread that the deceased was missing their heart. Almost shameful as the family has to admit they couldn’t protect their loved one from the witch and are paranoid that anyone of them might fall prey to it next.
Combatting an unseen force intent on pilfering someone's organs poses a formidable challenge, prompting families with ailing or injured members to often seek the assistance of the local medicine man. According to Cherokee folklore, certain medicine men were believed to possess the extraordinary ability to perceive spirits and the ethereal realm, ordinarily imperceptible to the average human eye. The medicine man would vigilantly oversee both the afflicted individual and their dwelling during the recovery period, maintaining a vigilant watch. The significance lies in the belief that if the medicine man were to catch sight of the Raven Mocker, a malevolent witch, the latter would meet its demise within seven days. Sometimes the Medicine Man would even oversee a grave of a recently passed person to see if a Raven Mocker would come and collect the body parts to replace old or damaged limbs and appendages.
The Raven Mocker, dreaded and vilified within supernatural circles, was so feared that folklore suggests rival creatures of the night would unearth its body and rend it asunder out of envy for its immortality and formidable power. The Woman of the Woods, revered for her strength, held the others at bay during her lifetime, yet upon her demise, her adversaries would exult and cavort upon her grave. The Raven Mocker's potency was the source of its enemies' dread, yet upon its demise, they reveled in expressing their animosity, spitting upon and dishonoring its final resting place. Countless depictions in folklore repeatedly portray this scene to underscore the depth of loathing directed towards this witch.
Throughout different cultures and historical periods, a consistent motif of death emerges, portraying a spectral entity gathering souls or bodies, whether in a tranquil or sinister manner. The Raven Mocker seamlessly fits into this archetype, as evidenced by Cherokee Folklore. Similarly, parallels can be drawn to the Grim Reaper, a ubiquitous figure in European Folklore, adapting its appearance to match specific cultural backgrounds. Another archetype worthy of comparison is the Banshee from Irish mythology, known for their eerie wails and shrieks foretelling imminent death mirroring that of the Kâ'lanû Ahkyeli'skï before claiming its victim.
In a society valuing health, vitality, and strength, it's not difficult to surmise why The Raven Mocker struck terror, as even a minor injury or ailment could imperil the entire tribe. With limited resources, diverting them to care for someone unable to contribute to the community heightened the stakes. The Raven Mocker became a chilling symbol, an embodiment of imminent death for those unable to contribute to the collective well-being.