[Description Section]
The Pukwudgie is a creature from the lore of the Wampanoag and other Indigenous peoples of the northeastern United States and parts of Canada. These beings are described as being around 2 to 3 feet tall, with a human-like appearance but with enlarged noses, fingers, and ears. Their skin is described as being smooth, grey, or bluish, and they are often depicted with quills or spines on their backs. Pukwudgies are known for their ability to appear and disappear at will, create fire, and control magical creatures. They are tricksters, sometimes offering help to humans, but more often leading them into harm or mischief.
[Sightings Section]
Pukwudgie sightings have been reported for centuries, with many accounts coming from areas known for strong spiritual significance, such as the Freetown-Fall River State Forest in Massachusetts. Witnesses often describe encounters that begin with benign curiosity but can turn dangerous, as Pukwudgies are known to play tricks that range from the mildly annoying to the potentially lethal.
[Abilities Section]
- Invisibility: Can become invisible to humans at will.
- Illusions: Known to create deceptive images or sounds to lead humans astray.
- Fire Manipulation: Can create fire out of thin air.
- Control over magical creatures: Said to have dominion over certain creatures and spirits.
[Weaknesses Section]
The Pukwudgie’s small size can be a disadvantage in physical confrontations. Additionally, they are bound to the spiritual laws of their realm, which can be used against them by those knowledgeable in such matters.
[Everyday Heroes’ Notes]
Encounters with Pukwudgies should be approached with caution and respect for their capabilities and the natural environment they inhabit. While they may not always pose a direct threat, their tricks can lead to dangerous situations. The use of protective charms and an understanding of local Indigenous spiritual practices can offer some protection against their mischief.
A Pukwudgie, also spelled Puk-Wudjie (another spelling, Puck-wudj-ininee, is translated by Henry Schoolcraft as “little wild man of the woods that vanishes”),[1] is a human-like creature of Wampanoag folklore, found in Delaware, Prince Edward Island, and parts of Indiana and Massachusetts, sometimes said to be 2 to 3 feet (61 to 91 cm) tall.
In mythology
According to legend, Pukwudgies can appear and disappear at will, shapeshift (of which the most common form is a creature that looks like a porcupine from the back and a half-troll, half-human from the front and walks upright), lure people to their deaths, use magic, launch poison arrows, and create fire.[2]
Native Americans believed that Pukwudgies were once friendly to humans, but then turned against them, and are best left alone. According to lore, a person who annoyed a Pukwudgie would be subject to nasty tricks by it, or subject to being followed by the Pukwudgie, who would cause trouble for them. They are known to kidnap people, push them off cliffs, attack their victims with short knives and spears, and to use sand to blind their victims.[3]
Pukwudgies are said to be the enemies of culture heroes, the giant Maushop and his wife, Granny Squannit.[4] One story from Wampanoag folklore explains that they began causing mischief and tormenting the natives out of jealousy of the devotion and affection the natives had for Maushop, who eventually exiled them to different parts of North America. The Pukwudgies have since been hostile to humans, and took revenge by killing Maushop’s five sons. Some variations even suggest that they killed Maushop himself.[3]