Alright guys - you know that we enjoy the terrifying intricacies of folklore and mythology
here at Top 5 Scary Videos, and throughout history, the deep - dark minds of our ancestors
have managed to conjure some pretty horrifying manifestations of their shared fears and the
things that go bump in the night.
Most mythological creatures have served as an allegory for very real stigmas and taboos
that have plagued our societies - marked as a warning sign never to wander too close to
a raging river - or venture to close to a cliff edge, or to, I don’t know - eat your
neighbour.
Well, I guess we better take a look at some of the scariest.
Hello horror fans - what’s going on, and welcome back to the scariest channel on YouTube
- Top 5 Scary Videos.
As per usual, I’ll be your horror host Jack Finch - as today, we curiously take a look
at the Top 5 Scariest Creatures From Mythology.
Roll the clip.
For the curious amongst you, that clip was from the incredible mythological fantasy horror,
Pan’s Labyrinth - of course it is guys, this is a Mythological Creatures list - and
Guillermo del Toro was just like - yo, I’m gonna make my own - and I’m gonna make him
the Pale Man, and he’s horrifying.
Yeah, anyway.
Kicking off at Number 5 - The Strigoi
Vampires, vampires, vampires.
We love them.
They love us, probably - or, well, they love our blood anyway.
But whatever the incarnation throughout culture and folklore, vampirism has managed to strike
a chord in the horror hearts of humanity.
But - in one of their first depictions - the Strigoi of Romanian mythology are far, far
more terrifying than anything else.
Their name - which originates from the Latin terms - strix and striga - are often correlated
to European colloquial terms for witches and warlocks - and a particular type of ill-omened
nocturnal flying creature.
In Romanian though, the term strigoi - literally means to scream.
Spooky.
Well - one of the very first historical mentions of the strigoi, was with the infamous Jure
Grando - who we’ve covered several times on this channel - a man that just wouldn’t
die, despite being dead for 16 years and who had a particular thirst for human blood.
As their legend began to pass - the strigoi became much more correlated towards the conventional
vampire we know now, beautiful - dangerous - pale skinned creatures - but the real horrifying
face of the strigoi was a twisted, contorted undead beast that ate children.
Coming in next at Number 4 - The Draugr
If you’ve ever played the Elder Scrolls series, then you’ll be very familiar with
these guys - but in actual fact, the origin of the mythological draugr is much more terrifying
than stumbling in to one after greedily looting a Barrow.
In fact, the Draugr could even be considered as the archetypal form of the zombie, just
- they have a thing for treasure and remembering their past lives.
From Old Norse - the term draugr literally means - again walker - but can be traced back
to the Proto-Indo European drowgos - which means phantom - or drewg - to deceive.
In Nordic mythology, these guys are revenant’s that often lurk in graveyards and cemeteries
- unsure what to do with themselves after wistfully being reanimated from the dead.
But while they mean be decayed sacks of flesh and bones - they’re nothing like the modern
interpretations of the living dead.
They possess superhuman strength - can increase their size at will - and carry the revolting,
unmistakable stench of death and decay.
I mean, they can’t exactly sneak up on you - but if you’re ever in the sight of a draugr,
or if you wronged them in their mortal life - you’re pretty much done for.
In fact, the majority of Norse mythologies bravest warriors couldn’t ever defeat a
draugr - and even the most legendary heroes had a tough time in doing so.
Not only that though - but a draugr can also be created at sea - and often have a habit
of washing up on shores, only to wreak havoc on unsuspecting villages - as a terrifying
briny zombie, slightly chewed on by a fish.
Swinging in at Number 3 - The Fae
You might be thinking, fairies?
What the hell, Jack?
How are Fairies scary?
But - well, let me tell you a little thing or two about the Fae - because you’re pretty
much done for once these guys hold a grudge against you.
The Fae of Celtic folklore - otherwise known as the Tuatha De Danann, particularly center
around that of Scottish and Irish mythology - and represent a race of mystical entities
that reign over an ethereal kingdom in the wild places of the world.
In many oral traditions, the Fae have a structural system that resembles a regal aristocracy,
often having a King and Queen as well as many underlings.
Despite their often charming and arcane appearance though - their shtick is to use honeyed words
and falses promises to lure unsuspecting humans to their domain, where their intention is
to either torture you as their plaything, straight up kill you - or enslave you to an
eternity of psychological discordance.
In the mythos of the Fae, there often tends to be two opposing orders - the Seelie, or
the Light Fae - and the Unseelie, the Dark Fae.
But, don’t be fooled - because they’re both hellbent on stealing children and leaving
behind a Changeling - which is a whole other horror story.
If you’re ever out, lost in the forests of Britain - beware the will-o-the-wisps.
Next up at Number 2 - The Nuckelavee
And we’re sticking in the British isles for a moment - because the Scottish Orcadian
mythology of the Northern Orkney Isles has one particularly terrifying mythological creature
hiding up its sleeve - The Nuckelavee.
And this guy was so ingrained in Orkney culture, that for hundreds of years Islanders wouldn’t
even speak its name without immediately saying a prayer.
Picture this, it’s the 16th century - you’re walking along the shoreline of Stronsay - and
in front of you, you see a rider on horseback.
But as you get closer - you realise that this rider isn’t as he seems - and in fact, it’s
a skinless, man’s torso attached to a horse’s back - who’s arms reach the ground.
It’s horse legs have fins and gills like a fish - and it has a single, giant eye like
a burning flame.
Also, it emits a miasma of toxic vapours - and wreaks of death and decay.
It was said that the Nuckelavee could wilt an entire field of crops with the demonic
stench of its breath - and whenever it approached a lonely traveller, it would let out a terrifying,
high pitched scream that signalled the end of their life.
It’s not all bad though, because according to Orcadian mythology - this horrifying creature
was kept at bay during the summer months by the Mither o’ the Sea - the great maternal
protector spirit of the Islands, where she banished the demonic Nuckelavee to the ocean
bed.
In the winter though?
Yeah, you were pretty screwed.
And finally - coming in at our Number 1 spot - The Wendigo
Because when you boil it down, it’s hard to find anything more terrifying - both conceptually
and physically - than the mythical man-eating Wendigo.
Explicitly tied to native Algonquian folklore - the wendigo has historically been associated
with murder, insatiable greed - and the cultural taboo of cannibalism.
This horrifying, enormous - humanoid creature, is tied to the cultural belief system of a
number of Algonquian-speaking peoples - including the Ojibwe, the Cree - and the Innu people.
It is described as being gaunt to the point of emaciation, with desiccated skin pulled
tightly over its bones.
It’s complexion is the same ash-gray of death - and it’s eyes are pushed back deep
into their sockets - almost resembling a gaunt skeleton exhumed from beyond the grave.
In some folklore though, the wendigo are often described as giants - many, many times larger
than human beings - and it would only grow larger with the more human beings that it
had consumed.
It’s eternal craving for human flesh could never be sated though - and no matter how
much it ate, it was always starving.
Wherever famine and the cold are - the wendigo follow.
Yeah, I don’t really need to tell you guys how horrifying the Wendigo are - I mean, just
take a look at it.
Well - there we have it horror fans - our list for the Top 5 Scariest Creatures from
Mythology - what do you think?
Why don’t you let us know your thoughts in the comment section down below - as well
as your own choice picks for anything you thought we’ve missed.
Before we depart though, let’s take a look at some of your more entertaining edifications
from over the past few days.
First up - Almost Evil says -- Can someone buy jack more than 5 shirts please?
--- Hahaha.
I mean, feel free guys - I’m a men’s large.
I like black but I’m open to anything.
I do have more than five though.
Promise.
Next up, Wood Tracy says -- Please put me out of my misery, make the damned intros shorter.
-- ……. ……… But what about the outros, Wood Tracy?
And finally - L.D.C Films says --- You’re not Jack Finch.
-- … ah.
Damnit.
What gave it away?
Johnny: You got me guys!
-- Come on buddy, move out of the way.
Well - on that note, that’s all we’ve got time for in today’s video folks - we’ve
gotta get Johnny to his next casting call.
Cheers for sticking around all the way until the end.
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As per usual, I’ve been your horror host Jack Finch - you’ve been watching Top 5
Scary Videos - and until next time, you take it easy.