Ghouls

 A ghoul is a creature or demon known to roam cemeteries and burial mounds with the express purpose of eating the flesh of the dead. 


However, in some cases ghouls will lure a living person to an isolated location in order to kill and eat them. Ghouls are described as shapeshifters, their most common form being that of the last person they devoured, or that of a jackal. For that reason, many people connect ghouls to Anubis, the ancient Egyptian god of the dead. Only when starvation sets in, according to folklore, is a ghoul’s true form revealed, a pale, hairless, humanoid creature smelling of rotted meat. Many accounts of ghouls note that they hunt in packs ranging from three to twelve. The best known way to kill a ghoul is decapitation, followed by burning to the point of ashes.

Ghouls are said to possess many abilities such as shapeshifting and enhanced strength and speed. They are also depicted with large talon-like claws and sharp, curved teeth. There is a strong connection between ghouls and disease, which many people attribute to their filthy living conditions. Some reports say the mere touch of a ghoul may be enough to spread sickness and could potentially start a plague.

The earliest known documentation of ghouls is found in the book A Thousandand One Nights.  It is said that the saliva of a ghoul is poisonous and can be absorbed through skin contact. This was especially terrifying to those in Middle Eastern countries due to the fact that travelers often went barefoot. Many travelers told terrifying tales of being lured away from their camp by a beautiful woman or an injured old man, only to find that they where actually following a ghoul.    

In 2010 a photo surfaced, taken in Berwick, Louisiana. The photo was sent into an NBC news station. The man who sent it, asking that his name not be mentioned, claimed that he and his family came upon one of their hunting camps and found it had been completely wrecked. However, on the sim card of one of their trail cams, the above image was found. Many people have noted that it bears great resemblance to a ghoul.

What is a ghoul? Is it a superstition started by frightened travelers? Or is it something more? Is it a physical entity, or is it a genre of demon? Was the ancient Egyptian god Anubis a ghoul? You decide, and if you ever see a ghoul, tell us all about it.

After you’re done decapitating…and burning it….