Friday, October 10, 2014

Mahaha

Demons aren't just a part of the Christian belief system. They are found all over the world in all religions and cultures. One of the most unusual of these demons belongs to Inuit traditions. They know it as the Mahaha, a maniacal creature that has inspired fear and caused terror in parts of the Arctic for centuries. This monster has been described as having ice-blue skin and a thin, sinewy body that is cold to the touch. It has white eyes and long, stringy hair that is dirty and always hangs in the creature's face. The demon is said to always be grinning and giggling, and is unbothered by the intense cold of its arctic home.

According to legend, the Mahaha is possessed of preternatural strength, and always runs around barefoot in the snow. In fact, the demon wears little or no clothing at all, and yet the cold never seems to bother it. But what makes the Mahaha truly unique among demons and monsters is that it loves to tickle its victims to death with the long, vicious talons on its bony fingers. According to Inuit tribal elders, this leaves a telltale expression on the victim's face - a twisted, frozen smile. Such a sign on any corpse is an indication that this monster is on the prowl.

Despite this creature's evil nature, the Mahaha isn't very bright and can be fooled rather easily. Most tales of this demon end with the creature being outsmarted by its would-be victims. In these stories, the Mahaha is tricked into leaning over a pool of water, a stream, or a river to drink, only to be pushed in from behind by its prey. The monster is then swept away by the current, supposedly never to be seen again. If one ever finds themselves cornered by the Mahaha, they should request to share one last drink of ice-cold, refreshing water with the demon before they die. If the demon hasn't learned by now that this is a trick, it probably never will.

Sources

Mahaha (Inuit Myths)

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