The Wendigo

This particular beastie comes from my homeland, Canada, and the Northern States, a creature of Algonquian folklore.

The Wendigo creature appearing in the tales of the Algonquian people. It is a malevolent cannibalistic spirit that humans eventually changed into after having to resort to cannibalism after being stranded in the harsh cold for too long.

They are strongly associated with the Winter, the North, and coldness, as well as with famine and starvation. They are disturbing looking creatures, featuring a skeleton-like body with the bones pushing out on its dried out ash gray skin, much like that of a corpse, sunken eyes, if not glowing hollow sockets, dried bloody lips, sharp yellow fangs and long slimy tongues. Some versions claim the creature is made entirely out of ice, with long, nasty claws that it uses to slice up its prey to more easily devour the entrails.

Wendigos represent gluttony and greed; never satisfied by eating one person, they are constantly hunting for their next meal.

Wendigos are said to be giant, usually fifteen feet tall. Whenever a Wendigo ate someone, it would grow larger, so that it could never sate its hunger. Wendigos are therefore constantly gorging themselves and constantly starving.

Proof that you don't have to go too far from home to be too freaked out to go in the woods!

And as always, if any of you have tales or experiences of your own involving any of these beasties, please post said stories on the monsters' respective pages!!