Ghosts have always played a role in our mythology and literature. From Brahmadaitya, to Dakini, to Churail or Pichal Pairi we have several examples of evil spirits in our culture. Here are a few select ghosts from international cultures. Good luck sleeping tonight!
Ghoul: The English word ‘ghoul’ is derived from the Middle Eastern Ghul, a demonic spirit from Sumerian and Akkadian mythology. It lives in and around burial grounds and feasts on the dead. It lures desert travellers off their course to kill and eat them. It is believed ghouls steal coins and drink blood. Antoine Galland translated the Arabian Nights and introduced the ghoul to the western world.
The Headless Horseman: The headless horseman is a common recurring character in a variety of Celtic folk tales from the Middle Ages. He is said to ride on a dark horse keeping his head tied to his inner thigh. He only brings out his head and holds it high when he wants to see what lies at a great distance. The headless horseman is considered a bringer of death.
Krasue: Krasue is a ghost popular in South East Asian culture and finds mention in mythology and literature from Thailand, Cambodia and Laos. It has the head of a beautiful woman with internal organs hanging down from her neck. It has no lower body.
Goblin: It is a monster from English, Icelandic, French and Scottish folklore. While there are different attributes of goblins depending on the country, they are always short, a little grotesque and greedy for gold.
Poltergeist: It is a noisy ghost. Poltergeists are said to be malicious spirits. They are mentioned in mythology and cultures from countries like Japan, Brazil and Australia.
Yurei: According to Japanese beliefs, if a person dies a violent death or commits suicide, their spirits become Yurei.
