Ethereal Chronicles

She awoke with a searing pain shooting up from her foot, gasping and shuddering in the darkness and the oppressive heat. The air was thick and sour. Something was wrong. Deeply wrong. As her senses sharpened, and the pain briefly dulled, she began to sense a presence in the room; a presence that was distinctly inhuman.

Whimpering with agony, she propped herself up on her elbows. Before her, at the foot of the bed, stood a foul little creature, its ugly face covered with warts and tufts of hair. A wiry smile stretched across the skin, and protruding from its mouth, staining the uneven teeth red, were three of her toes.

She opened her mouth as though to scream, but no sound emerged. She could do nothing but watch in silent horror as the creature closed its crimson stained lips, the sickening crunch of bones echoing around the room as it chewed and swallowed. Then, with the same malevolent grin, hunger burning in its red eyes, the creature began to crawl onto the bed, edging towards her.

APPEARANCE AND ATTRIBUTES

A Tokoloshe is often described as a gremlin or goblin in appearance. Typically no more than a mere foot tall, these creatures are incredibly hairy and covered with warts, their skin possessing a greenish tinge. Small, red eyes pierce the darkness, making them visible to those unfortunate enough to encounter them. Unlike goblins or gremlins however, a Tokoloshe harbors far more malicious intentions towards its victim.

Tokoloshes are the creations of witch doctors and the object of another’s vengeance, giddy with revenge and eager to inflict pain and suffering. A Tokoloshe’s abilities range from biting people’s toes in their sleep to causing illness, or murdering a person outright. Because the Tokoloshe is a creature connected to water, it possesses the unsettling ability to become invisible at will by drinking freshwater or swallowing a stone. Such a trait makes it even more elusive and difficult to detect.

Attacks by a Tokoloshe are only ever made during the night, while a person is sleeping. If targeted by the monster, the victim might be dragged from his or her bed and killed. In many tribes across South Africa, unexplained deaths in the dead of night are often attributed to the work of a Tokoloshe.

CREATION OF A TOKOLOSHE

If someone seeks the aid of a witch doctor to exact revenge, the witch doctor may create a Tokoloshe. His services are never given for free, therefore in return, the client must offer the promise of a loved one’s soul. The Tokoloshe ensures that this promise is carried out. Once conjured, it selects a soul, claiming it at any given time, whether three days, three months, or three years later.

To create such a creature, the witch doctor begins by locating a dead body. With a hot iron, he pierces the eyes of the corpse, driving the metal deep into the brain to eliminate free will. Next, a special powder is sprinkled over the body, causing it to shrink in size. Once this is done, the Tokoloshe is awakened and set loose to torment its chosen target.

PREVENTION

A Tokoloshe’s appearance is never a good omen, for they are often seen as harbingers of misfortune and impending doom as well as immediate death and/or illness. For this reason, certain preventative measures are used.

Because the Tokoloshe is so small, beds are often built to heights beyond the creature’s reach. In some instances, bricks or other objects may be placed underneath beds to elevate them and deter the creature’s advances.

Alternatively, the presence of spiritual or religious figures could banish the creatures.

A CAUTIONARY TALE

To this day, the legend of the Tokoloshe remains a haunting narrative fervently believed in by many tribes across South Africa. For many, however, it is merely a scary story, one used to instill fear particularly among children. Mothers may use the image of such a grotesque creature to dissuade their sons and daughters from staying up too late or venturing too far from home after dark.