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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

I feel like this one should get more love than Alice in Wonderland

A picture of the book "The Princess and the Goblin"

Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 25/11/2025

Maybe it wasn't a good idea to bring this bag of leftover Halloween candy to my office for a class that doesn't meet until 2:30. My trash can is already a wrapper crime scene.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 16/11/2025

My fav romance: the hero is neurodivergent and when he and the heroine have *the* fight (the one all romances have) instead of running away to the country, or trying to make someone jealous, or swearing off love, he goes for a walk, comes back, concedes she made logical points, and happy ever after.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

Day 99/99 Days of Monsters: The Headless Horseman from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow! Irving's headless horseman character in the story is a Hessian soldier who lost his head from a canon shot during the American Revolutionary War. The scaredy cat teacher, Ichabod Crane--1/2

A picture of the historical marker for Sleepy Hollow with a statue of the headless horseman on his horse.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 30/10/2025

Day 98/99 Days of Monsters: the Grim Reaper! While humans have always personified death, this is a relatively recent assortment of death symbols rolled into one. The scythe was a symbol of death (mowing down souls like a farmer mows wheat), a skeletal figure was common in the middle ages, and-- 1/2

A picture of the Grim Reaper from the Bill and Ted sequel.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 28/10/2025

Day 96 and 97 of 99 Days of Monsters: Scylla and Charybdis! Another twofer since I'll be busy tomorrow. In Homer's Odyssey, Odysseus has to sail a dangerous channel. On one side is a "gaping maw," the whirlpool creature named Charybdis. On the other side is a ravenous--1/2

A painting of a many headed dog monster eating sailors while a gruesome face on the bottom sucks in water near the ship.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 27/10/2025

Day 95/99 Days of Monsters: The Spirit in the Well! I grew up thinking pennies were lucky, and that's why you toss them in a well for a wish--but the tradition goes back way further. The idea of water as holy is ancient, and people tossed coins as thanks/offerings to--1/2

A photo of the Trevi Foubtain with its marble statues and blue water.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 26/10/2025

Day 94/99 Days of Monsters: Pixies! These are British legends of small, magical forest creatures that cause mischief and scamper out of sight the minute you come close. Our modern idea of fairies (small sprite creatures that flit around the forest) probably came from pixie legends.

Photo is from "More English Fairy Tales," 1894. A black and white illustration of some little pixies in pointy hats playing on a cow skeleton.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 25/10/2025

Day 93/99 Days of Monsters: Androids and Cyborgs! I couldn't choose! Androids are human-like robots made of materials that resemble flesh and blood people. Cyborgs are enhanced or augmented humans, who have tech/robotics integrated into their--1/2

A picture of the cover of Martha Wells's book All Systems Red, featuring a masked robot on a grayscale tech background.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 24/10/2025

Day 92/99 Days of Monsters: Ophiocordyceps! This fungus has a superpower--it can turn ants into zombies and control them like a puppet master. The fungus "takes control of the insect’s mind," and takes "complete control of the ants’ muscle fibers, forcing them--1/2

A clip art illustration of a black ant with brown eyes.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 24/10/2025

Day 91/99 Days of Monsters: Medusa! The only mortal Gorgon, she was once beautiful but cursed by Athena to be hideous (usually blamed on Poseidon taking advantage of her). Her cursed appearance was a winged woman with claws and snakes for hair. Anyone who looked on--1/2

A bust of Medusa with her usual snake hair depicted.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 22/10/2025

Day 90/99 Days of Monsters: Storm Birds! These are legendary birds that control the weather. These birds appear in many cultures--I like the mischievous Anzu from Sumerian legends (he stole the Tablet of Destiny and wreaked hurricane-level havoc at the *idea* someone messed with his baby) and--1/2

This is an image of Hilda and David flying on the Thunderbird through a storm.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 21/10/2025

Day 89/99 Days of Monsters: Jack-o'-lanterns! These grinning vegetables (are gourds vegetables?) have a long history and began as carved turnips. An origin story says a scoundrel named Jack tricked the devil into promising to never let him into hell. Then he lived a party-hearty kind of life and-1/2

A picture of my grinning husband holding a grinning Jackolantern.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 20/10/2025

Day 88/99 Days of Monsters: Krampus! This is a hairy, goatish, man-creature with a demonic face that is supposed to punish naughty children around Christmas time (kind of the opposite of Santa). With probably pagan roots, Krampus was assimilated into Christian folklore through the Alpine region 1/2

An illustration of the dark, hairy Krampus, long tongue lolling out, as he hunts some nearby children with one already in his pack.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 19/10/2025

Day 87/99 Days of Monsters: Normie! This is an enormous aquatic *something* that has been spotted repeatedly in Lake Norman, NC. Lake Norman is a man made lake with an abandoned town still at the bottom. With a whole demolished town to hide in--1/2

A cover of a story book featuring a green aquatic monster smiling and waving.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 18/10/2025

Day 86/99 Days of Monsters: The Jersey Devil! The legend says a mother in the 1700s cursed her 13th child to "be a devil" while in labor, and the creature born from her flew away screaming. The sightings since then in Jersey and Philadelphia claim the creature is long, thin-- 1/2

A black and white illustration of a thin, winged creature with a horses face, standing on two legs.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 17/10/2025

Day 85/99 Days of Monsters: The Niland Geyser! This is a moving mud puddle in California that is UNSTOPPABLE. It moves around 10ft per day, swallowing anything in its path. It's already taken out railroad tracks and a highway despite super thick and deep moisture breaks built around it--1/3

A picture of the mud pot beside the highway it already destroyed and the new highway that had to be built around it.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 16/10/2025

Day 84/99 Days of Monsters: the Skunk Ape! Firmly in the Big Foot category, this large, hairy, hominid-ish creature is said to be smelled more than seen. For more info, check out the Skunk Ape Research Center (real place but not real serious) in Ochopee, Florida.

A picture of a statue of the Skunk Ape (brown big foot type figure) in front of the Skunk Ape Research Center, courtesy of Google Maps.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 15/10/2025

Day 83/99 Days of Monsters: The Not-Deer! These are creatures that look like deer but are just a bit "off." They stare too straight, their necks are too thick, legs too long, sometimes standing and twitching in strange ways. It's an Appalachian cryptid, and when-- 1/2

A picture of a doe at night, eyes glowing and looking towards the camera.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 15/10/2025

Had to slink into the school library to check out some books while I still have some very overdue ones, and the librarian gave me a bookmark--then threw in an extra one for my overdue books still at home. I feel forgiven.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 14/10/2025

Day 82/99 Days of Monsters: The Mongolian Death Worm! This mysterious creature is said to inhabit the Gobi dessert. Locals a few hundred years ago traded stories about the worm that was a few feet long and deadly poisonous to the touch. Though the legend lives on--1/2

(An interpretation of the Mongolian death worm by Belgian painter Pieter Dirkx, 2006).

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 14/10/2025

Day 81/99 Days of Monsters: Harpies! These ancient Greek and Roman myths, about half bird and half woman creatures born from wind, were very busy: serving the furies, stealing food and people, and, in the most recent stories, guarding the underworld. Medieval art of a harpy, circa 1350.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 12/10/2025

Day 80/99 Days of Monsters: Hellhounds! Cerberus is the most famous, but there's a huge variety of hellhound stories across many cultures. The Black Dog in British tradition is a giant, evil canine (usually black with red eyes) that was supposed to represent--1/2

An image of the Hound of Baskervilles book cover, Penguin edition, showing a black dog with red eyes looking menacing on a cliff. Below, a carriage rolls by on a moonlit road.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 10/10/2025

Day 78 and 79 of Monsters: Typhon and Echidna! I'm taking tomorrow off, so today we get a twofer--and a monstrous love story. Typhon was a legendary villainous monster who tormented both the gods and humans. He's the son of Gaia alone on some accounts, the son of Kronos by others--1/3

A picture of ancient pottery with a winged man with multiple snake legs.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 08/10/2025

Day 76/99 Days of Monsters: Djinn! These creatures from Pre-Islamic tradition are considered spirits of fire and air (different from fire-based demons) who weren't automatically good or bad. A lot of the mainstream stories in modern culture (like Aladdin) come from 1001 Tales--1/2

A black and white image of a lamp with a magical whisp emerging from it.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 07/10/2025

Day 75/99 Days of Monsters: Hraesvelgr! This is the Old Norse legend of a giant eagle who perches at the edge of the world and creates our wind by beating his wings. As long as he doesn't eat the Midgard serpent, that holds the world together by biting its tail, we should be good.

A picture of a giant eagle displaying its wings mid-flap.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 06/10/2025

Day 74/99 Days of Monsters: Jack Frost! Now, maybe I shouldn't say monster. In some of the stories (Nordic and Russian folklore) he's more like a deity of ice, comparable to "old man winter." However, he's also sometimes shown as a little sprite/elven character that carries a paintbrush-- 1/2

A picture of Jack Frost (animated male character, silver hair).

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 06/10/2025

Day 73/99 Days of Monsters: Will-o'-the-wisps! These "fairy lights" go by a million different names, and so many cultures/countries have their own names for the mysterious lights that are said to either lead you to the path you need or trick you into--1/2

A picture of a green swamp with a tiny little point of flame.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 04/10/2025

Day 72/99 Days of Monsters: skin-walkers! This is a Navajo legend of an evil persona who is nefarious and can shapeshift into an animal (the skin of which they wear when in their human form). The legend is--1/2

A picture of the book "Hunt for the Skin Walker" featuring a spotlight on what appears to be a rural farm.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 03/10/2025

Day 71/99 Days of Monsters: El Cucuy! This is a Mexican American legend of a hairy monster that hides under beds and snatches up disobedient children (like ones who don't--1/2

A picture of the book "El Cucuy" by Hayes and Robledo. The illustrated cover shows the monster carrying children over his shoulder through a land riddled with baying coyotes.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 02/10/2025

Day 70/99 Days of Monsters: Santa's Elves! These diminuitive, magical creatures help Santa in his workshop by making toys and taking care of the reindeer. In English speaking countries, elves are a newer, imported idea. The Christmas elf is first put into literature by-- 1/2

A black and white illustration of Santa's workshop with several elves busy making toys.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 01/10/2025

Day 69/99 Days of Monsters: Trolls! These are both Norse and Scandinavian legends (with their own variations) about creatures that live in caves, rocks, mountains, and are usually unfriendly to people. In many of the stories they could talk and would harass and threaten harm-- 1/2

An image of a large granite troll emerging from the ground and grabbing a granite car under a bridge.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 30/09/2025

Day 68/99 Days of Monsters: Max from Where the Wild Things Are! This beloved story about a wild little boy in a costume who is sent to bed without supper and makes wild friends in his imagination was once a contentious title and was banned with some frequency in the south. 1/2

A picture of the book's illustration, featuring Max in a wolf costume and 2 wild things monsters swinging from trees together.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 29/09/2025

Day 67/99 Days of Monsters: The Chimera! This monster, brother to Cerberus and the Hydra, was originally depicted as a lion with a goat head coming out of its back and a snake head for a tail. Over time, the heads part sometimes translated to a creature that was simply "part" lion, goat,-- 1/2

A bronze statue of a chimera in fighting stance.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 28/09/2025

Day 66/99 Days of Monsters: Pegasus! This winged stallion is the lightning bearer for Zeus and has the status of horse-god (he's the son of Poseidon and Medusa, born when Medusa was decapitated). A horse with wings: the stuff of tweenaged Lisa Frank dreams.

A picture of Pegas engraved and painted on a plate, currently in the British Museum.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 27/09/2025

Day 65/99 Days of Monsters: Baba Yaga! This is a Slavic name that stands for both a particular witchy being as well as her 2 sisters. *The* Baba Yaga is usually a villain that captures and fries children, flying around in a mortar with a pestle (and sometimes with/on a broom) and returning--1/2

An illustration of a creepy witchy figure in black shadow, riding in a mortar through the woods.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

Day 64/99 Days of Monsters: Mr. Potato Head! Invented by George Lerner in 1949 (with a model titled "Funny Face Man" that used real potatoes or other produce) and manufactured in plastic by Hasbro from 1952, this toy is iconic. Some may argue--1/2

The original Mr. Potato Head toy with packaging from 1952.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

Day 63/99 Days of Monsters: Nine tailed foxes! East Asia has tons of these legends, second only to dragons. The foxes can transform into beautiful people, and (depending on the country's legends) be noble or sneaky/lethal. For example, the regal legends in Japan are--1/2

An illustration of a white fox with nine tales and red eyes.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 24/09/2025

Day 62/99 Days of Monsters: The Succubus! These are female demons who seduce men in their sleep/dreams. They're depicted as beautiful but with some sneaky monsterish characteristics, like wings, claws, or a tail. Prolonged exposure to a succubus's seduction could result in madness, illness, and--1/2

A picture of a white stick figure slumped over on a blue background. The caption reads "Feeling Drained" followed by a low battery symbol.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 23/09/2025

Day 61/99 Days of Monsters: The Frog Prince! The main version of the story we have now was collected by the Grimms Brothers, but there are older stories that may have influenced it. The original has a princess who is helped by a frog (he retrieved her toy), and in exchange--1/2

A picture of an illustration of a frog with a royal crown.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 22/09/2025

Day 60/99 Days of Monsters: The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse! I couldn't help myself lol. In the Book of Revelations, the Four Horsemen are brought forth when 4 of the 7 sealed scrolls in God's right hand are opened. Their symbolism varies by translation, but the wording--1/3

The painting is "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse," print, Albrecht Dürer (MET, 40.139.6(5)) A black and white painting depicting the Four Horsemen chasing down and trampling innocent people.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 21/09/2025

Day 59/99 Days of Monsters: The Phoenix! It’s an eagle-sized red and gold bird that dies (usually in a blaze) and rises from the ashes. This one is capital “O” Old. The first records are from Ancient Egypt, but it’s assumed that the legend was already old back then, dating--1/2

An illustration of a red and gold Phoenix, wings outstretched.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 20/09/2025

Day 58/99 Days of Monsters: The Big Bad Wolf! This archetypal character shows up again and again in folklore and cautionary tales, like Little Red Riding Hood, The Three Pigs, and The Boy who Cried Wolf. While the wolf has commonly been seen as a metaphor for different dangers-- 1/2

A vintage copy of the Richardson Little Red Riding Hood, red cover with an illustration of Little Red in her hood with the big, bad wolf peeking over her shoulder.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 19/09/2025

Day 57/99 Days of Monsters: Mothman! The book and movie The Mothman Prophecies describe witness-corroborated sightings of a large humanoid creature with impressive wings and red eyes in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. The sightings were reported in 1966 and 1967, around the same time as (1/3)

A drawing of a tall creature with large wings and no facial features besides large eyes.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 18/09/2025

Day 56/99 Days of Monsters: Familiars! The idea of the black cat that keeps a witch company has old roots in Medieval Europe. Thought of as a spirit that assisted a magical being (either a witch or one of the “little people” legends like fae or elves), they could turn into an animal or a human- 1/2

A picture of a black cat laying on a rough gray carpet and staring back at the camera.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 17/09/2025

Day 55/99 Days of Monsters: Dragons! These are mythical creatures that... (sigh). Y'all. I can't define dragons. They're a little bit of everything. Myths say they were bird-like, serpent-like, winged, of the sea, breathed fire, chose kings, killed kings, guarded princesses, lived in ice, lived--1/2

Here's a still from the movie Sleeping Beauty where Maleficent has transformed into a black and purple, fire-breathing dragon and faces Prince Phillip outside the fence of thorns.

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 16/09/2025

Day 53/99 Days of Monsters: The Cockatrice! If you get toads or snakes in your chicken coop, and they sit on the eggs, you might accidentally create this half-dragon/half-rooster monster. It’s ferocity has been legend for centuries, and could kill a person with just a-- 1/2

A cockatrice overdoor at Belvedere Castle (1869) in New York's Central Park.
By The original uploader was Leonard G. at English Wikipedia. - Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons., CC SA 1.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3868078

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 15/09/2025

Day 53/99 Days of Monsters: Gargoyles! Sculptures of mythical creatures, animals, and biblical scenes affixed to buildings are called "grotesques." When they're designed with an open mouth to drain water from the building, we call them "gargoyles." Some rare instances described gargoyles and-- 1/2

A picture of gargoyles from Notre Dame cathedral in Paris--a pelican and a panther

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Suspiciously Nice Prof @niceprof.bsky.social · 15/09/2025

Day 52/99 Days of Monsters: Selkies! This is a Celtic myth about seals who can remove their skin and turn human. Some of the legends are reminiscent of mermaids/sirens, where they lure humans. Other stories depict them as innocent and taken advantage of--especially in stories where a man steals- 1/2

A picture of a book cover called "The Selkie Girl" by Susan Cooper. The illustration shows two seals and a half-seal maiden in the water.

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