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Australia is home to some of the strangest creatures in the world, but one of its legendary beasts is among the oddest and deadliest in all of human myth. The bunyip takes many devilish forms, all of them equally fierce. Legend has it this beast was sent by supernatural spirits to punish bad people.

Mighty Mouth: In nearly all stories told about the bunyip, the beast has a horrifying mouth. Long, dagger-like teeth and razor sharp incisors cut through victims with ease.

A Croc's Tail: Some legends of the bunyip describe the beast as having the hind legs and tail of a giant crocodile. These help the monster close in on victims who venture into the lakes and swamps where it lives.

Multiple Monsters[]

Bunyip Back Image

Some Aboriginal legends tell of bloody battles with bunyips in the Outback.

Bunyips take many forms in the stories told about them. Some say the beast has scaly-skin like a reptile, while others say it's a bearded snake with a colorful body hundreds of feet long. Still other stories describe it as a huge, mammal-like beast. All agree that the bunyip is a huge, water-dwelling monster that devours humans, particularly women and children who stray too near the shores of lakes and swamps.

The Punisher: Natives of Australia (Aborigines) believe that spirits in a realm called "The Dreamtime" created the world. Aborigines believe bunyips are spirits sent to Earth to punish people who do evil.

The Real Thing: When the Aborigines migrated to Australia about 50,000 years ago, giant mammals still roamed the continent. Bunyip legends may stem from their encounters with these now-extinct beasts.

No Swimming[]

  1. After hiking through Australia's vast Outback all afternoon, two outdoorsmen wash up in the clear waters of a large lake before making camp. A bunyip in the water silently swims close, then emerges from the depths near the shore. One of the hikers sees it and yells a warning to his friend.
  2. Before the man can even turn around, the bunyip has him and pierces his chest with sharp claws. The man on the shore can only watch in horror as his friend is devoured by the monster. Despite witnessing such a terrible scene, the man is lucky to have seen a bunyip and escaped alive.

Trading Card[]

Trivia[]

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