SKINWALKERS!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! Many people would probably identify this creature as a werewolf. they are pretty close! this is know in Navajo legend as a skinwalker. A skinwalker was a supernatural being that could change into any animal they wanted. bear, lion, wolf, persian cat, goat, bunny rabbit..... anything, as long as they were wearing the pelt of the animal. These creatures were not just known in Navajo belief, but also in other cultures, where they are known as shapeshifters. however, They are best known in the Navajo legends.  In these legends, the skinwalkers were called yee naaldlooshii, which translates to " With it, he goes on all fours".
A  yee naaldlooshii is one of the many Navajo varieties of witch. in a few versions of the legends, men or women ( mostly men) who have reached the highest level of priesthood can become a skinwalker by killing a member of their family, earning the evil powers that go hand in hand with skinwalkers.  Whoa, that's like something out of a movie. Quite awesome, I think. Well, not the kill-a-family member part, but the being able to turn into an animal.
 the skinwalkers horrible and cool transforming abilities are not limited to animals. Legend says that if you lock eyes with a skinwalker they can absorb themselves into your body. Ooooooooooooh, that send chills down my back. Just imagine what would happen if one of them had a audience with the president!
As you might be able to tell from the picture I posted above, skinwalkers were described as naked, except for the animal skin (ick). Their eyes glow like an animal when in human form, yet when in animal form their eyes do not glow like an animals. They try to avoid the light. Ooooooooooooooooooh, spooky.
These terrifying witches are fast, agile, and impossible to catch. If you want to shoot one, you have to dip the bullets in white ash first otherwise shooting is useless. Track 'em down? Not a good plan, seeing as they will lead you to the house of someone you know. That would lead to some false accusations, arguments, fights and  who knows what else. One way to stop them in Navajo legend is this: should you know the person who is behind all this gruesome skin-walking business, then you must pronounce the horribly mean jerk's full name, and then about three days later they will become sick or die as punishment for the crimes they have committed. Skinwalkers, skinwalkers, when will you learn? You cannot hide from the law forever. the law of nature, that is.
Another interesting thing about skinwalkers is that they can read minds. They know exactly what you are thinking word for word. Talk about the perfect psychiatrist!

Skinwalkers were also said to be able to imitate voices and animal noises so that they could lure unsuspecting victims out of their homes. Who wouldn't rush out of the house at the sound of a crying baby outside your door?

There is doubt about it that skinwalkers sound like bad news. And now for the one question I always bring up when I blog about mythological beasts. Are they real? I don't think so. It is not logical for a man to be able transfrom in to another animal by wearing its skin, nor could it be impervious to bullets that were not dipped in white ash. While I have often said to myself " *Avigail, anything is possible", this does not seem the case with skinwalkers, when thinking scientifically and logically. So, dear readers, rest easy tonight and relax. you have nothing to fear. Now, I have to go turn on all the lights in my house, dig out my old stuffed teddy bear from my attic, make sure all the doors, windows, closets, cabinets, refrigerator and anything else that can be opened is locked and enter 911 into my speed dial. Not that writing this blog has scared me or anything. I just feel like, you know, shaking things up a bit.
Your totally-not-freaked-out blog writer,
Avigail