5 Monsters from English Folklore

English Folklore is an umbrella term which contains English myths and Legends. It includes urban legends, folklore tales, superstitions, traditional recipes, mythical creatures and proverbs. But here we’ll be talking about 5 monsters from English Folklore. We have heard and read a lot about mythical characters from Norse, Greek and other mythologies. Now let’s explore some monsters of English Myths from the English Folklore.

Black Dog 

The first on the list is an evil demonic dog. According to English Folklore the Black Dog is an extremely large creature. The dog has red or yellow glowing eyes to haunt the masses. In general these dogs are regarded as sinsters. According to the European Myths these dogs are associated with death. At times these devils were also associated with storms (electrical storms). There are many types of black dogs. Out of which some are very notable in the myths and Folklore like Black Dog of Aylesbury, Black Dog of Bouley, Black Dog of Lyme Regis, Black Dog of Newgate, Black Dog of Northorpe, Black Dog of Preston and Black Dog of Tring.

Herne the Hunter 

According to English Folklore Herne the Hunter is a ghost. The Ghost is believed to be associated with Windsor Forest. It is said that the ghost rides on a horse and antlers grow from Herne the Hunter’s head. The Ghost ‘Herne the Hunter’ was first mentioned in William Shakespeare’s popular play ‘The Merry Wives of Windsor’ in 1957. More details about the ghost came to the spotlight in the 20th century. Where it was stated the ghost ‘Herne the Hunter’ appears shortly before any natural disaster takes place.

Boggart

A Boggart is another mysterious creature from English Folklore. The creature is considered to be a household spirit. Boggarts are known for their mischievous acts. They tend to disappear or steal things like milk, food and even dogs or lame. It is believed that these mysterious monsters were involved in child abduction. These evil creatures were known to follow the families wherever they went. They were serious trouble makers and made one’s daily life miserable. According to superstitions, leaving a pile of salt or hanging shoes outside the door was a solution to get rid of these evil and irritating monsters.

Ogre

Next on the list is Ogre. These were large monsters who looked like humans by appearance. Ogres are considered to be dangerous monsters. These devilish evil monsters used to eat normal humans. So, we can consider them man-eating monsters. The Ogres have been featured in various myths and folklores. These demons have also appeared in various fictions and fairy tales. They were often described and depicted as large headed, messy, super strong and tall demons. In general we can say they were inhuman evil giants. Ogres were mostly associated with tales and stories for children. Various sources suggest that in English culture, these demons have been widely used to scare children in ancient times. 

Jenny Greenteeth 

Jenny Greenteeth is a figure in English Folklore. She is also known as Wicked Jenny or Ginny Greenteeth for her acts. She is believed to be a river ghost or hag who used to pull people into the water (generally old people or children) and drown them to death. According to English Folklore she is often depicted as an old lady, who has green skin, long hairs and sharp teeth. It’s said that she used to rest on the branches of the trees at night. And was always looking for her next prey. Many claim that this figure was imaginary. And it was created by people to prevent children from going near water bodies by scaring them. 

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