The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures: The Ultimate A–Z of Fantastic Beings from Myth and Magic. John Matthews
the 5th century BC. He wrote of the sacred bird of Heliopolis which, every 500 years, carries its dead predecessor from Arabia to the sun god’s temple.
BERCHT/PERCHT
Throughout Germany, Austria and Switzerland, Bercht is the old hag with the distaff who lives in the mountains. She has always been interested in the needs of children. Like Berfana, she leaves gifts for them at Christmas, but she is also the one to whom the souls of miscarried or unbaptized children go. She rides upon the winds of Twelfth Night (6 January), gathering up their souls as she goes. As a young woman, she heralds the growing season, but she also acts as a punisher of those who do not tend their yards, fields or spinning, visiting plagues on those who are disorderly or neglectful. Her appearance as a death omen occurs when she comes as a White Lady. Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo was said to have been presaged by such an appearance.
BERGFOLK
In Norse myth, the Bergfolk were those who fell out of heaven in the wake of the angels led by Lucifer but who never entered hell. Some of these peoples became Fairies, Brownies or Nisse, while the other displaced peoples became Bergfolk, inhabiting mounds and banks. They were largely invisible and could change shape. They rode upon three-legged horses and were auxiliary troops in battle but would only fire their arrows when a Christian had done so first. Bergfolk had long noses with which they stirred their morning porridge. Like Trolls, they could steal corn and ale and borrow clothing.
BES
This dwarf is an Egyptian god whose chief function is to act as a protector during childbirth. He wears a lion’s mane and ears and carries a lion’s tail or wears a panther skin, and wields a sword over his head. Clay tablets bearing his image were placed on the crown of the labouring mother if she encountered difficulties. Bes brought good luck to married people and their families, and his image was commonly incorporated into the household where his flourished sword defended all within from attack or threat of scorpions and snakes. He has a merry nature when he is not on watch.
BETIKHAN
In Indian folklore, the Betikhan is a kind of faun with a human head and arms but the body of a deer. It lives in the woods and hills, hunting animals for its prey.
BHAINSASURA
In Hindu myth, Bhainsasura is a great elephantine creature with the head of a water buffalo. It spends its time destroying crops and terrorizing villages and can only be appeased with the offering of a pig. It makes its appearance during the rice harvest, expecting to be properly propitiated with sacrifice; if it does not receive offerings, it will reappear during the wheat harvest and roll upon the ripening crops, crushing the grain.
BHIMA
In Hindu myth, Bhima was a giant with a great appetite. His given title is Vrikodara (‘Wolf’s Belly’). As the son of the wind god Vayu he was a strong and implacable warrior. Because of an incident in his early youth, he became a champion of victims. His cousin tried to poison him and dispose of his body in the Ganges, but the serpents of the sacred river recognized and rescued him. Subsequently, he himself rescued the Pandava brothers and killed those responsible for the attempted rape of Draupadi. His primary function in Hindu myth is the suppression of demons.
BIAST BHEULACH
According to Scottish Hebridean legend, the Biast Bheulach haunted the Ordail Pass on the Isle of Skye. It could appear as a man with only one leg but its howling cries were like those of a great greyhound. Those who had to travel through the pass hurried through it hoping not to meet the beast. A sign that the Biast Bheulach had been abroad was when a man was found dead at the roadside with two wounds upon his body. Those who examined his body could not account for the nature of the wounds for there was no animal or human upon the island who could have made them.
BIAST NA SROGNIG
This water horse or Each Uisge with ungainly legs haunted the waters around the Hebridean islands of Scotland. It was distinguished by a single horn that rose from its head, which is where its name derives ‘the beast with the single horn’. It is the only form of water-borne Unicorn in Britain.
BICHA
According to Spanish legend, the Bicha was a monster with the head of a man and the body of a bull. (See Minotaur.)
BICORNE
In medieval Europe, the Bicorne or Bulchin was a well-fed panther with a human face and snarling grin which fed upon husbands whose wives nagged them. Bicorne’s mate was the Chichelvache. This chauvinistic pair of creatures were often the subject of medieval misericords (lift-up seats in churches), depicting the lot of husbands and wives.
BIDA
Bida is an African dragon. Among the people of West Africa, in the Epic of the Dausa, the tale is told of a hero called Lagarre (see below).
BIG FISH OF ILIAMNA
In legends of the Tanaina peoples of subarctic Alaska, the Big Fish is a monster that chases fishing boats, taking big bites out of their hulls so that the fishermen fall into the freezing seas and drown.
BIG OWL
Among the Apache of North America, the Big Owl is a cannibalistic monster who, like the Basilisk, petrifies victims with his glance. Among the Lipan Indians, Big Owl is a giant, a son of the Sun, who tries to marry the daughter of a hero into order to kill him. According to the White Mountain Apache,
Lagarre, alone of his brothers, tended his dying father. The old king wished to impart to him the secrets of kingship and bade him seek nine jars of water that would make the one who washed in them into a king who would be rich and obeyed by all. He also told his son to fetch the royal drum, Tabele, from heaven and strike it in the desert. A vulture helped Lagarre fetch the drum and when he struck it, the beautiful city of Wagadoo sprang out of the desert. But he could not reach the city for his way was barred by Bida who encircled the city with his body. Lagarre had to swear to give the dragon a girl every year in exchange for access to the city. Every year of Lagarre’s kingship, a lottery was held to determine which family would have to give its daughter to the dragon. And, in return, after having fed upon her flesh, Bida would fly over Wagadoo and spew gold into its streets. Three successive generations of kings maintained Lagarre’s promise, giving the city prosperity and peace. However, when one girl was left, dressed as a bride, to be devoured by Bida, her lover, Mamadi Sefe Dekote (of the Silent Sword) severed the dragon’s head. Its head flew away to the Gold Coast where, it is said, gold is now plentiful.
Big Owl tried to kill all the created people but was in turn slain by his own brother.
BIGFOOT
Also known as Sasquatch, Bigfoot is the humanoid creature 7–8 ft tall which haunts parts of the forested and mountainous regions of North America. He is known from both Native American legend as well as the folklore of settlers and hunters. Covered with long black or brown hair, with huge hands and feet, he walks at the angled incline of a skier. Intensely shy and very strong, able to snap great trees in two, Bigfoot has received over 3,000 sightings since 1967 when three men filmed a few minutes’ footage of a supposed female Bigfoot. Her arms were about 30 ins long, much longer in