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The Jersey DevilThe Jersey Devil is a strange creature reported to have inhabited the New Jersey Pinelands - the Barrens - since the mid 18th century. Reports were once common but have gradually died down over the years. The largest single rash of sightings took place in 1909.The legend of the Jersey Devil was the inspiration for the 2002 movie "13th Child". A Dan DeLuca movie "The Jersey Devil" began production in 2004.
What is the Jersey Devil?Eye witness descriptions of the Jersey Devil vary. In general, they describe a flying creature a little like a small dragon. It has two cloven feet, wings and a long neck. It is usually described as being around three foot tall and sometimes emits a weird human-sounding cry.The most common legend around the origin of the Jersey Devil involves a woman with a large family - usually twelve children. The Jersey Devil was her 13th. In some versions the child was born horribly deformed and confined to the cellar but later escaped. In other versions of the story the mother - fed up at discovering she was pregnant yet again - said something along the lines of "Let the Devil take it". The combination of being a 13th child along with this curse resulted in the child being born half-demon. The name "Leeds" is often associated with the creature. Some say that the mother was named Leeds, others that the birth took place at Leeds Point. For this reason the monster is sometimes known as the "Leeds Devil".
The Jersey Devil: Myth or Fact?Some people believe that the Jersey Devil is a true cryptid - an otherwise unknown new species of animal. Others believe that the creature really is a demon.There are also more prosaic theories. One is that there really was a badly deformed child which was hidden by the mother. When the child did go outside and was spotted it gave rise to the legend of a devil creature. Another theory is that many of the sightings can be accounted for by individuals living out in the wild. Such people were often outside of society and if unkempt and mud covered could have made a fearsome sight when glimpsed in the distance. This would also account for the human-like sound the Devil reportedly makes. It's quite possible that both of those theories are true. Perhaps there really was a deformed child in the 18th century that gave rise to the original Jersey Devil folklore. Then, in later years, sightings of solitary Barrens dwellers could have been attributed to the creature. What neither of those theories explain is the Jersey Devil's ability to fly.
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