• DragonTypeWyvern
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      8 months ago

      There’s a difference between mythological creatures and modern cryptids, but I also don’t know what has the French bothered these days.

      Something about fairies in Ireland and Iceland and that’s it.

      • Holyhandgrenade@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        Icelandic folklore doesn’t have fairies, we have elves.
        Also there’s some very disturbing Icelandic cryptids, like Jólakötturinn, a giant cat that eats children on Christmas, and Nykur, a backward-hoofed horse that hypnotizes you to ride it and then it walks you into the sea.

          • Holyhandgrenade@lemmy.world
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            8 months ago

            Those “elf houses” is actually a more recent thing we do for tourists. But according to folk belief, the elves live inside certain rocks and cliffs. Some road constructions have been derailed because an elf rock was in the way and the people were having none of that.

            • DragonTypeWyvern
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              8 months ago

              Well, obviously those aren’t their real houses, they’re above the hills, not under them.

      • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        I’m pretty sure “mythological creatures” is a subcategory of cryptids, or the other way around.

        Either way, the meme didn’t say “modern” and I’m pretty sure the rich tradition of terrifying east- and central European cryptids extends well into modernity lol

      • Evil_Shrubbery@lemm.ee
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        8 months ago

        Like every European village has it’s own weirdly specific cryptid of sorts, they go extinct all the time.

        Some are weirdly eldritch horrory, but most are just things that kill people, usually attracted by specific (positive or negative) actions or events.

        I think one is just a floating bloody (unspecific) tigh. No additional explanation. Poor thing prob popped into existence and promptly got captured by SCP foundation before even doing anything.

      • Aqarius@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        Is the difference that Europe’s population density is so high it’s obvious centaurs aren’t real, because we’d have found them by now?