Tatzelwurm drawn by Johann Jakob Scheuchzer (1672-1733) in 1723 ()

Most people have read tales about dragons, werewolves or bigfoot. But have you ever heard of these mythical creatures from stories across Europe? Some may even be from your area!

Tatzelwurm

This amazing creature has the front legs and head of a cat and a snake body. They are related to dragons. The Tatzelwurm lives in the Alps mountains. They dig holes and underground tunnels for a den. Farmers don’t like Tatzelwurms because they eat farm animals like pigs and cows. They may even spit venom! Tatzelwurm stories are very popular near the town of Bolzano in Italy, so look out if you go hiking in the Dolomite mountains.

Tatzelwurm drawn by Johann Jakob Scheuchzer (1672-1733) in 1723 ()

Elwetritsch 

In the Pfalz region of Germany, a funny little bird called the Elwetritsch (elv-uh-trish) lives under willow trees. These small creatures are half-chicken and half-elf. Sometimes they have antlers. They are shy forest creatures that people sometimes try to catch at night. You can try to spot them along the Elwetritsche trail in Dahn. There are even a couple (of statues) at the Kaiserslautern Zoo.

Elwedritsche statue in Neustadt (Frank C. Müller, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)

Firebird

In eastern Europe, the firebird is a beautiful bird with long golden feathers and jewel-colored eyes. The firebird will often drop riches for peasants. It may gift someone a magical feather, too. But it is also a temptation. In many stories, a greedy prince will go on a quest to catch the firebird.

Firebird (© Anastasia - stock.adobe.com)

Leshy

Deep in the forests of Poland, the Leshy helps protect the woods. It looks like a big hairy man covered in leaves and moss. Sometimes it is tricky and leads hunters in circles. Other times, it helps lost hikers find their way home. Leshy can also change its size. Deep in the woods it is huge, but it gets tiny and hides under leaves at the forest edge.

Leshy, drawn by Viktor Vasnetsov in 1885 ()

Trasno

If you visit Spain or Portugal, look out for the sneaky Trasno. These tiny creatures look like gnomes with red pointy hats. Usually they play tricks at night. Trasno might steal your salt or move your furniture so you trip. Some people have been able to make friends with the Trasno in their homes. When friendly, they will help with chores.

Trasno from Spain or Portugal (Marcio Mauro Psrybeovicz - DM7)