| Jersey Devil |
| The Jersey Devil is a legendary creature said to inhabit the Pine Barrens in southern New Jersey. It is often described as a bipedal, flying creature with hooves, but there are many variations. The legend inspired the name of New Jersey's NHL ice hockey team, the New Jersey Devils, and many other pop culture tributes. According to one version of the tale, the Jersey Devil was the thirteenth child born to a Mrs. Leeds, a resident of the Pine Barrens during the mid-17th century. Mrs. Leeds was so upset at yet another pregnancy that after giving birth she exclaimed, "I am tired of children! Let the devil take this one!" What was once a human child immediately transformed into a winged monstrosity; he ate all the other children and flew out through the chimney. There are many versions of this legend, differing in date of the birth and the degree of the Devil's disfigurement. In some stories, the Devil is merely a human child which Mrs. Leeds confined to her cellar or attic, only to have it escape into the woods. A fork on this theory may explain how the legend ties in with an actual monster; some people believe that around the time that the hidden deformed child was discovered people began sightings of a beast and put the stories together. Another legend attributes the Devil's birth to a Gypsy curse placed upon a selfish young woman who refused to give the Gypsy food and shelter. There are other tales that suggest Leeds herself was a witch or that she was cursed by locals for having an affair with a British soldier. The Shrouds House, a log cabin within the Pine Barrens, was reputed to be the birthplace of the Devil. Only ruins of the foundation of the house and a few other parts still exist today. There is another description on the New Jersey devil that is well-known by local people in South Jersey. A woman in South Jersey was having her first baby and she wanted him to be perfect. When the baby was born, it was the most ugly looking baby that anyone had ever seen at that time. The mother was so upset that she said "This isn't my son. This is the devil's son. May God give the thing back to him!" After saying this, she threw her son into the river. The son died. Now that river is said to be haunted by the devil. Many people have died there. It is said that there is an unknown source which sucks air to it from under a rock. When people swim near there, they are sucked under the rock; they are then held there until they die. Once they are dead, the body is let go so that it floats to the top for everyone to see. Then, of course, there is the thought that the Jersey Devil is actually just a creature of flesh and blood. Perhaps it represents the end of an unknown species, which at one time were abundant in that region, but, are now no longer. This could account for the amount of Devil sightings over a century ago, especially in 1909, and why they have decreased more so in recent times. If that be the case, one could safely presume that there were, or are, more than just one of these creatures. |
The Jersey Devil's stomping grounds...The Pine Barrens
The Jersey Devil in pop culture
1998 Sony Playstation game
| 1981 album by The Rolling Stones |
| There are those, even today, that doubt it's existence... |
| The New Jersey Devils NHL hockey team |
The Jersey Devil was even the main subject in an episode of the hit Fox T.V. show
| Episode 1X04 "The Jersey Devil" |
SCULLY: He was perfectly in his rights. The FBI has no overriding jurisdiction in a murder case. Anyway,
you'd feel the same way if someone was horning in on your work.
MULDER: Yeah, chances are he's without a clue. He'll probably be scratching his head when they bring
the next body in.
SCULLY: You missed your opening Mulder, you could've really humiliated him and er, told him who the
perpetrator was, The Jersey Devil.
MULDER: Hey whatta you say, we grab a hotel, take in a floor show, drop a few quarters in the slots, do a
little digging on this case.
SCULLY: You're kidding, right?
MULDER: Ok, we can skip the floor show.
you'd feel the same way if someone was horning in on your work.
MULDER: Yeah, chances are he's without a clue. He'll probably be scratching his head when they bring
the next body in.
SCULLY: You missed your opening Mulder, you could've really humiliated him and er, told him who the
perpetrator was, The Jersey Devil.
MULDER: Hey whatta you say, we grab a hotel, take in a floor show, drop a few quarters in the slots, do a
little digging on this case.
SCULLY: You're kidding, right?
MULDER: Ok, we can skip the floor show.
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