A cross between a gremlin and a zombie, the tokoloshe of South African lore is a wild creature that wreaks havoc on humans. Created by magical powder, its shriveled, disfigured body is a horror to look at, and its dangerous, mischievous deeds can not only drive people nuts, but even do serious harm.
Baby Zombie: The removal of this creature's eyes and brain also causes its body to shrivel to the size of a small child. Tokoloshes have to be small so they can squeeze into tight places.
Hole in the Head: When a tokoloshe is being created, its eyes must be gouged out, its tongue ripped out and a hole burned through its brain with a hot poker. This ensures that the monster can't see, talk or think for itself, and will do all that its master wishes.
Made for Trouble[]
Magic potions are used to create a tokoloshe.
According to legend, a tokoloshe isn't born, it's created. Usually an angry person seeks the help of a shaman, or witch doctor, to make the creature and send it to torment a specific person. The witch doctor creates the little monster from a newly dead human body. Once the body is prepared, the shaman blows magical powder into its mouth to bring it to life. From there, the newborn tokoloshe torments its victims like a gremlin, destroying things in their homes, stealing from them and even launching brutal attacks on them.
Crazy Talk: In most cases, only the person a tokoloshe has been sent to torment can see the monster. The creature can turn itself invisible, even to the victim, by swallowing a pebble.
Tokoloshe Go Home![]
After a woman has an argument with one of the leaders of her tribe, she returns home to find that a vicious tokoloshe has been set loose in her house. The woman tries to stop the monster as it runs around her house, smashing everything in sight, but the tokoloshe turns its attacks on her. The woman raises her bed on blocks so she can sit higher than the beast and stay safe, but she's powerless to stop it from destroying her home.
Trading Card[]
Trivia[]
- The tokoloshe is featured on several Monster Mania cards:
- It is first featured in Where In The World? on Monster Mania 36.
- It is later featured in If Looks Could Kill on Monster Mania 56.