U is for Underwater Panther

Diana Beebe, Mermaids Don't Do Windows, MDDW, Diana Beebe's Blog, science fiction, fantasy, young adult

image of Underwater Panther, from the National Museum of the American Indian, George Gustav Heye Center library
image of Underwater Panther, from the National Museum of the American Indian, George Gustav Heye Center library

Yikes! Life, the Universe, and Everything made me forget to publish this post for the Underwater Panther yesterday!

This creature is like a giant cat, but might be covered in scales and has spikes running along its back and very-long tail.

(I have to admit that my mermaid was a little disappointed that this beast doesn’t have a long fish tail like hers.)

This creature is an important water creature in the mythologies of many Great Lakes and Northeastern Woodlands Native American tribes, particularly among the Anishinaabe peoples.

It’s called the Mishipeshu, which translates as “the Great Lynx” (not panther, interestingly). It is usually the most powerful of the mythological beasts and is always in opposition with the Thunderbirds (the most powerful creature of the air.)

Just don’t mistake the Underwater Panther for an alligator. Just sayin’.

Sources:

  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Underwater_panther
  • http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Underwater_panther_NMAI_GGH.jpg (public domain)

© 2012-2024 Author Diana Beebe - All Rights Reserved
Site Design by Memphis McKay | powered by techsurgeons
Any and all material on this blog, unless otherwise stated, are the work, intellectual material, and property of the sole creator of this blog, namely Diana Beebe.

%d bloggers like this: