A FIELD GUIDE TO DEMONS, FAIRIES, FALLEN ANGELS, AND OTHER SUBVERSIVE SPIRITS A F I E LD G U I DE TO D E M O N S, F A I R I E S, F A L L EN A N G E L S, AND O T H ER S U B V E R S I VE S P I R I TS CAROL K. MACK AND DINAH MACK AN OWL BOOK HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY NEW YORK Owl Books Henry Holt and Company, LLC Publishers since 1866 175 Fifth Avenue New York, New York 10010 www.henryholt.com An Owl Book® and ® are registered trademarks of Henry Holt and Company, LLC. Copyright © 1998 by Carol K. Mack and Dinah Mack All rights reserved. Distributed in Canada by H. B. Fenn and Company Ltd. Library of Congress-in-Publication Data Mack, Carol K. A field guide to demons, fairies, fallen angels, and other subversive spirits / Carol K. Mack and Dinah Mack—1st Owl books ed. p. cm. "An Owl book." Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN-13: 978-0-8050-6270-0 ISBN-10: 0-8050-6270-X 1. Demonology. 2. Fairies. I. Mack, Dinah. II. Title. BF1531.M26 1998 99-20481 133.4'2—dc21 CIP Henry Holt books are available for special promotions and premiums. For details contact: Director, Special Markets. First published in hardcover in 1998 by Arcade Publishing, Inc., New York First Owl Books Edition 1999 Designed by Sean McDonald Printed in the United States of America 13 15 17 18 16 14 This book is dedicated to Eliza, may she always be surrounded by love, joy and compassion, the demon vanquishers. Willingly I too say, Hail! to the unknown awful powers which transcend the ken of the understanding. And the attraction which this topic has had for me and which induces me to unfold its parts before you is precisely because I think the numberless forms in which this superstition has reappeared in every time and in every people indicates the inextinguish- ableness of wonder in man; betrays his conviction that behind all your explanations is a vast and potent and living Nature, inexhaustible and sublime, which you cannot explain. He is sure no book, no man has told him all. He is sure the great Instinct, the circumambient soul which flows into him as into all, and is his life, has not been searched. He is sure the inti- mate relations subsist between his character and his fortunes, between him and the world: and until he can adequately tell them he will tell them wildly and fabulously. Demonology is the shadow of Theology. RALPH WALDO EMERSON, "ESSAY ON DEMONOLOGY," 1875 C O N T E N TS Introduction / xi How to Use the Guide / xix How to Identify a Basic Demon / xxi How to Identify a Common Fairy / xxiii Approaches to the Field / xxvii Origin of the Species / xxxi WATER / 1 Tiamat, Mesopotamia • Mermaid, Global Merman, Global • Kappa, Japan • Rusalka, Russia Munuane, South America • Wahwee, Australia Madame White, China • Kelpie, Scotland Nixie, Teutonic • Tikoloshe, South Africa Nuckelavee, Scotland • Bunyip, Australia Vodyanoi, Russia • Mbulu, South Africa Merrow, Ireland • Ponaturi, New Zealand MOUNTAIN / 49 Huwawa, Mesopotamia • Tengu, Japan Huldrefolk, Norway • Abatwa, South Africa Yuki-Onna, Japan • Patupairehe, New Zealand Tommy-Knockers, North America • Kishi, Angola Gwyllion, Great Britain/Wales • Mahisha-Asura, India Yunwi Djunsti, North America • Duergar, Great Britain Mountain Fairies, China • Akvan, Ancient Persia Yaksas, Nepal • White Monkey, China FOREST / 89 Pan, Greece • Windigo, Canada Kuru-Pira, Brazil • Bori, West Africa Wood- Wives and Skoggra, Germany and Sweden Rakshasas, India • Ravana, India • Leshii, Russia Eloko, Zaire • Oni, Japan • Kumbhakarna, India Kayeri, South America • Dodo, Ghana Shedim (Judaism) • Kitsune, Japan • Khabanda, India