Ethereal Chronicles

In the dead of night, the Manananggal lurks above the roof beneath which a pregnant woman sleeps peacefully, extending her spiteful tongue to pierce the womb and suck from it the unborn child.

APPEARANCE AND CHARACTERISTICS

The Manananggal is a malevolent spirit in Filipino folklore, who primarily targets pregnant women and infants. Despite possessing incredible beauty, her initial allure deteriorates and gives way to horror when she detaches her torso from her lower body, morphing into a hideous beast. Bat-like wings sprout from her back, while her once enchanting features contort into a face with sharp teeth and a grotesquely elongated tongue. Below her torn torso, the bloodied entrails dangle below her as she flies in search of a new victim.

Once she splits, the Manananggal will hide her lower half in a place she deems safe, before setting out to hunt for unborn children. She flies above villages, silently sniffing out the homes belonging to pregnant mothers. When the sweet scent of blood reaches her nostrils, signalling the close proximity of a foetus, the Manananggal lands on the roof. There, as she crouches in the darkness, her vile tongue slithers forwards through the tiles, stretching down to pierce the belly of the unsuspecting woman. Once the womb is punctured, the Manananggal ruthlessly sucks the foetus from the mother, who by this time has woken in agony.

But the Manananggal is not only a threat to pregnant women. Newlyweds, newborns and young men are also at risk of meeting their demise. The Manananggal’s tongue serves not only to extract foetuses from the womb but also to drain the blood from her victims.

Her beauty is beguiling enough to tempt men into her grasp, only to devour them alive. So, if you see a beautiful woman beckoning you to follow her alone…don’t.

The Manananggal typically makes her presence known through a strange clicking sound.

HOW TO KILL A MANANANGGAL

Although inherently terrifying, the Manananggal is not invincible. While her body remains separated, the creature is at her weakest, particularly when the night nears its end. If a Manananggal is unable to rejoin the rest of her body before the sunlight touches her skin, then she will die.

It is believed that to prevent a Manananggal from reconnecting with her lower body, the exposed flesh must be smeared with salt, ash or garlic.

CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE MANANANGGAL

The Manananggal is a creature that was used to terrify young women and children into obedience. In communities where the burdens of childbirth were daunting and undesirable, tales of an infant eating monster served as a useful tool to warn new mothers about the costs and dangers a new child might bring.

REFERENCES

The Body Horror of the Manananggal: Your Worst Nightmare – Historic Mysteries

What is Manananggal in Philippine Mythology? | Mythology Planet