At the beginning of the 21st Century monsters still roam the remote, and sometimes not so remote, corners of our planet. It is our job to search for them. The Centre for Fortean Zoology [CFZ] is - we believe - the largest professional, scientific and full-time organisation in the world dedicated to cryptozoology - the study of unknown animals. Since 1992 the CFZ has carried out an unparalleled programme of research and investigation all over the world. Since 2009 we have been running the increasingly popular CFZ Blog Network, and although there has been an American branch of the CFZ for over ten years now, it is only now that it has a dedicated blog.

Monday 14 December 2015

TWO CREATURES OF FOLKLORE

The Isle of Wight lies off the south coast of England.  There you will find a Booger if folklore is to be believed.  It is called the Gooseberry Wife.  The Gooseberry Wife is no human.  She (or it) is a huge caterpillar, covered in hair.  It swells in the gooseberry bushes.  Should recalcitrant children seek to purloin gooseberries, it is said she will emerge and devour them.  Clearly we are dealing here with a creature invented to deter children from stealing gooseberries.  The thing that puzzles me is why anyone would want to steal gooseberries in the first place.  They taste horrible.

Let us go now to Croatia.  There they tell of the Orko.  This is an ass composed of gas.  By gas I do't mean gas that is gasoline, I mean gas that is gas.  In this gaseous form it will interpose itself between your legs and then turn solid.  Having done so, it will gallop off with you.  Luckily it won't otherwise harm you.

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