Muldjewangk
A Muldjewangk comes from Australian Aboriginal lore and joins a host of other strange creatures that are said to inhabit that strange continent. Like many creatures that are said to lurk in Australia, it is large, intimidating...and has a thirst for vengeance.
The Muldjewangk inhabit the waters of Australia, in particular the Murray River in South Australia. It is a kind of giant half-man, half-fish creature whose enormous hands are said to be strong and large enough to disrupt ships.
It is unclear if the Muldjewangk is a singular creature, or if there are multiple Muldjewangks making them their own species.
It isn’t uncommon for a Muldjewangk story to be told to children. It might sound cruel to tell children that such a terrifying monster is real. But, water beasts have been used for generations to warn children off of lingering too close to the water or peeking over the sides of a boat.
One of the most infamous stories features a steamboat carrying largely European passengers. However, on this particular day there were a few Aboriginal elders on board the ship. While on the Murray River, the creature’s scaly, clawed hands rose from the water and began to take hold of the ship. The captain, terrified, took hold of his gun and began to shoot. The Aboriginal elders begged him to stop but the captain continued to fire. Eventually, the Muldjewangk released the boat and slunk off towards the depths.
But that wasn’t the last the captain would suffer of the Muldjewangk. It was said that several days later the captain fell inexplicably ill. Terrible blisters began to bloom through his skin, leaving his body raw. He died in complete agony without a cure or explanation of the disease six months later. It appears that brute strength and a terrifying appearance aren’t the only things Muldjewangk posses.
Thanks to Kat S for this Blogstonishing suggestion!
The above image is of the Murray River taken by NJMolloy and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.