The Tokoloshe is a part of the Zulu Mythos, a South African mythology that includes a plethora of deities and creatures. In my quest to find lore on the monster I turned up varied opinions and mythos but have done my best to compile this all properly. Early legends of the Tokoloshe hint at it being a harmless water sprite that could turn invisible by drinking water. It was helpful and fond of children.
However, this creature's story was changed over time. Some say this happened when Christianity entered the picture as the Christians tried to explain the beast from their own perspective as some sort of demon. Legends of the Tokoloshe now describe it as a hairy dwarf-like monster in appearance. Many illustrations show it with the features of an ape as well.
This version of the Tokoloshe is feared and known to assault women and kill their husbands. Some say that it can cause illness as well. The beast could turn invisible by eating a pebble and it is believed that the monster is created by an evil witch and is used as a minion for her own nefarious ends.
It is a common practice (even to this day in some parts of South Africa) to raise one's bed on bricks so that the Tokoloshe cannot reach you. Dusting yourself in salt is also used to keep the beast at bay and some won't even speak the name of the creature for fear of bringing it down upon them.
No comments:
Post a Comment