Lagahoo
A headless, shapeshifting monster of Trinidadian folklore.
The Lagahoo (also spelled Lugarhou or Ligahoo) is a mythical shapeshifting monster in the folklore of Trinidad and Tobago. It is considered a cousin to the French and Germanic werewolf, and is known for its terrifying nocturnal appearances and ability to alter its size and form.
- Origin
- Trinidad and Tobago folklore
- Type
- Mythical shapeshifting monster
- Also known as
- Lugarhou, Ligahoo
- Related to
- French and Germanic werewolf
- Abilities
- Shapeshifting, size alteration, blood sucking
Lore & Background
By day, the Lagahoo appears as a normal human, but at night it transforms into a headless man carrying a wooden coffin on its neck, topped with three lighted candles. A heavy iron chain noosed around its waist trails behind, and chains around its neck can change size. One of its appendages is said to be turned backwards.
Reader's Guide
The Lagahoo can shapeshift into various animals such as horses, pigs, or goats, and is often seen in a form similar to a centaur. It is also a blood sucker that feeds on animals like cows and goats. To kill a Lagahoo, one must beat it with a stick anointed with holy water and holy oil for nine days; during the beating, the creature changes into a snarling dog, horse, cat, pig, wild bull, and thunderous waves of water before disappearing into a black mist.
Did You Know?
- The Lagahoo is cousin to the French and Germanic werewolf.
- It appears as a headless man with a wooden coffin on its neck, topped with three lighted candles.
- It can alter its size from tiny to gigantic in an instant.
More in Legendary shapeshifters 1-24
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