Happy Friday the 13th, Missians!
Boy do we have a treat for you today! Not only are you getting today's Featured Creature, but tonight at 7pm Central, you're also getting a very special Friday the 13th October Pet Spooktacular episode, entitled, "Creepy Destinations: The Most Haunted Places Around the World." No bad luck here. For us, Friday the 13th is the awesome kick-off of our October Pet Spooktacular celebrations, (since Hurricane Nate foiled our original schedule).
Now without further delay, let's get into today's Featured Creature, The Ghoul. Actually, in my research, I couldn't find a whole lot of information about ghouls. Whereas last week's creature, (the vampire), had too much information out there on it, this week's doesn't have very much to go on. I'd heard the term "ghoul" since I was a child, but was never really sure what exactly a ghoul was, other than some kind of monster.
The closest I came to actually having an idea of what a ghoul really was, was when I saw some featured on an episode of Supernatural, entitled, "Jump the Shark." In this episode it was alleged that ghouls normally hang around cemeteries, and feed on corpses; but we also learned they can feed on the living, too, (especially when they're out for revenge), and take the shape and memories of those they've just eaten.
Okay, so how "correct" did Supernatural get it? Here's info from some of the sources that I was able to find:
A ghoul is a monster or evil spirit in Arabic mythology, associated with graveyards and consuming human flesh.[1] The term was first used in English literature in 1786, in William Beckford's Orientalist novel Vathek,[2] which describes the ghūl of Arabic folklore. In modern fiction, the term has often been used for a certain kind of undead monster. By extension, the word ghoul is also used in a derogatory sense to refer to a person who delights in the macabre, or whose profession is linked directly to death, such as a gravedigger or graverobber.
In ancient Arabian folklore, the ghūl dwells in burial grounds and other uninhabited places. The ghul is a fiendish type of jinn believed to be sired by Iblis.[6]
A ghoul is also a desert-dwelling, shapeshifting demon that can assume the guise of an animal, especially a hyena. It lures unwary people into the desert wastes or abandoned places to slay and devour them. The creature also preys on young children, drinks blood, steals coins, and eats the dead,[7] then taking the form of the person most recently eaten.
In the Arabic language, the female form is given as ghoulah[8] and the plural is ghilan.[citation needed] In colloquial Arabic, the term is sometimes used to describe a greedy or gluttonous individual.
A similar figure with the same name (Persian: غول) has entered into Persian folklore.
Boy do we have a treat for you today! Not only are you getting today's Featured Creature, but tonight at 7pm Central, you're also getting a very special Friday the 13th October Pet Spooktacular episode, entitled, "Creepy Destinations: The Most Haunted Places Around the World." No bad luck here. For us, Friday the 13th is the awesome kick-off of our October Pet Spooktacular celebrations, (since Hurricane Nate foiled our original schedule).
Now without further delay, let's get into today's Featured Creature, The Ghoul. Actually, in my research, I couldn't find a whole lot of information about ghouls. Whereas last week's creature, (the vampire), had too much information out there on it, this week's doesn't have very much to go on. I'd heard the term "ghoul" since I was a child, but was never really sure what exactly a ghoul was, other than some kind of monster.
The closest I came to actually having an idea of what a ghoul really was, was when I saw some featured on an episode of Supernatural, entitled, "Jump the Shark." In this episode it was alleged that ghouls normally hang around cemeteries, and feed on corpses; but we also learned they can feed on the living, too, (especially when they're out for revenge), and take the shape and memories of those they've just eaten.
Okay, so how "correct" did Supernatural get it? Here's info from some of the sources that I was able to find:
Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GhoulA ghoul is a monster or evil spirit in Arabic mythology, associated with graveyards and consuming human flesh.[1] The term was first used in English literature in 1786, in William Beckford's Orientalist novel Vathek,[2] which describes the ghūl of Arabic folklore. In modern fiction, the term has often been used for a certain kind of undead monster. By extension, the word ghoul is also used in a derogatory sense to refer to a person who delights in the macabre, or whose profession is linked directly to death, such as a gravedigger or graverobber.
Middle Eastern folklore
A ghoul is also a desert-dwelling, shapeshifting demon that can assume the guise of an animal, especially a hyena. It lures unwary people into the desert wastes or abandoned places to slay and devour them. The creature also preys on young children, drinks blood, steals coins, and eats the dead,[7] then taking the form of the person most recently eaten.
In the Arabic language, the female form is given as ghoulah[8] and the plural is ghilan.[citation needed] In colloquial Arabic, the term is sometimes used to describe a greedy or gluttonous individual.
A similar figure with the same name (Persian: غول) has entered into Persian folklore.
The Free Dictionary.Com (Definition of a Ghoul)
1. An evil spirit or demon in Muslim folklore believed to plunder graves and feed on corpses.
Even though the information was limited, I hope you guys were able to get a better idea of just what a ghoul is. Thank goodness such things don't exist, (let's hope), but if they do, here's to hoping they stick to chomping on the non-living!
See you guys later tonight for our October Pet Spooktacular episode at 7pm!
2. In popular folklore, an undead or subhuman being, especially one that eats human flesh.
3. A grave robber.
4. One who delights in the revolting, morbid, or loathsome.
And in case Ghouls sounded a little too similar to Zombies, here's some key differences, courtesy of http://www.differencebetween.net/science/nature/difference-between-ghoul-and-zombie/:
Ghoul vs Zombie
Ghoul and zombie are just folkloric creatures that are seen in literature and, more recently, in films.
Ghouls are creatures related to graveyards and consume human flesh. Ghouls were first seen in the famous book “One Thousand and One Nights.” In English, ghouls were first seen in William Beckford’s novel “Vathek” which has a description of a ghoul of the Arabian folklore.
Zombie is a fictional, undead creature or a person with an entranced state. Zombies are more popular in modern fiction and horror films. Zombies became so famous after George A. Romero’s film “Night of the Living Dead” (1968).
Zombies are considered to be dead people who had come back to life or have a resemblance to it with no intelligence. They are considered creatures who only want to feed or attack unless they are controlled. These are foul creatures created by voodoo or through the bite of another zombie. These creatures are attracted more to human beings.
Ghouls are not humans or were humans but are only transformed ones. They have animal-like or child-like intelligence. These creatures feed on carcasses and dead things and, as such, they generally thrive in cemeteries or graves digging for the dead. Ghouls are created by black magic or possessed by some demon. Ghouls are attracted to the dead, but they may attack living beings. While zombies are considered to be creatures that have no thoughts, ghouls are considered to have thinking power and can make decisions.
Even though the information was limited, I hope you guys were able to get a better idea of just what a ghoul is. Thank goodness such things don't exist, (let's hope), but if they do, here's to hoping they stick to chomping on the non-living!
See you guys later tonight for our October Pet Spooktacular episode at 7pm!
Until then, this is your host J,
signing off....
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