Nashoba-Hostina on DeviantArthttps://www.deviantart.com/nashoba-hostina/art/Billdad-193245290Nashoba-Hostina

Deviation Actions

Nashoba-Hostina's avatar

Billdad

Published:
4.8K Views

Description

The Billdad is a remarkable little creature, and has managed to avoid the detection of most modern cryptozoologists for quite some time now. Weighing between forty to seventy pounds, these strange creatures possess a broad, flat tail similar to a beaver’s, as well as a beaver’s webbed toes. However, it then has long, kangaroo like hind legs, and, in contrast, remarkably short front legs. Though, the most remarkable feature of this little creature is its hooked, hawk-like beak. This creature hunts at night by waiting on the grassy banks of the pond, listening for the sounds of fish with its long, pointed ears and keeping a lookout with the large eyes that are characteristic of nocturnal animals. Then, when it hears or sees a fish rise too close to the surface, it will leap, assuming a position close to what swimmers might call a “cannonball” with its broad, flat tail still sticking out. It will then slap the surfaced fish silly with its paddle-like tail, and, once in the water, turn around and gut the fish with its fearsome beak. Old reports of these creatures state that it could jump sixty yards, but this may have been an exhaggeration, seeing as I have only seen one jump around thirty-five feet, myself.

You see, a hundred years ago, lumberjacks came across a population of the creature that lacked some of the characteristic shyness that most cryptids and eldritch creatures have, and thus, were able to observe them. Located in Boundary Pond, a body of water located in Northwest Maine, these creatures were seen often enough that one fellow managed to catch one, and then cook it up to eat. It is reported that he said the meat itself was delicious, however, soon after, the gentleman fell ill. His eyes glazed over, his body soon becoming rigid, hands gripping the table. Then, he became delusional, calling out with “wild yells” before his strange paralysis wore off, and he fled, running to the nearby pond and leaping in with the same cannonball position a Billdad usually does. It is rumored that he did, in fact, think he actually was a Billdad. He was reported to sink like a stone, however, there are no reports of his body ever being recovered, which is strange, as one would think the body would have eventually floated to the surface… that is, unless, Billdad meat has transformative properties on other mammals… After all, they do say that you are what you eat.


As you all know, I love creatures from myth and folklore, and I admit I have a little soft spot for the American ones. I'd totally intended to draw a Cactus cat, but instead somehow drew a Billdad. The Billdad is a creature from North American Lumberjack lore. Of course, I can’t do anything without sticking my fingers in it, so, while I’ve obeyed the restrictions of the folklore, I’ve added my own two cents. If you’re interested in reading the real folklore, the Billdad can be found in several books, such as:

Fearsome Creatures of the Lumberjack Woods By William Cox
Giants, monsters, and dragons: an encyclopedia of folklore, legend, and myth By Carol Rose
The American people: stories, legends, tales, traditions, and songs By Benjamin Botkin
Monster Spotter's Guide to North America by Scott Francis
A Wizard's bestiary by Zell-Ravenheart and Dekirk
Image size
1684x1626px 988.84 KB
© 2011 - 2024 Nashoba-Hostina
Comments48
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
KookyCoco's avatar

AAAAAAHH IT'S ADORABLE