Category: Odd Beings

Cryptids are animals of folklore or myth that may or may not really exist. We’ve told you of some of these animals, like the Dwayyo or the Devil Monkey. Most of the time the story of these beasts is one of fear. Today we’re going to tell you a cryptid tale that is a story of love.

In the Plott Balsam Mountains of Western North Carolina, near Waynesville, one can find Eagle Nest Mountain, once the site of the fine Eagle Nest Hotel. The proprietor of the hotel, Mr. S.C. Sattertwait, was a man who loved to tell tales to his guests. And the story he most loved to tell was the story of the Boojum

Now the name “Boojum” was conjured up by none other than Lewis Carroll in his poem “The Hunting of the Snark,” but we don’t know if there is any connection between Lewis Carroll and Mr. Sattertwait’s stories. His Boojum was an eight foot tall, shaggy kind of ape-man that roamed the North Carolina mountains in search of shiny gemstones, like ruby or emerald. And hunt the Boojum did, because there was nothing more that Boojum loved than a brand new gem for his hidden collection. It’s said that he would bag up his precious’s and hide them in the mountains, under rocks, in tree stumps and in other hidden spots. And gem hunting was how the Boojum spent his days. Until he met Annie.

During those days most folks in this part of Appalachia didn’t have running water in the house or an indoor toilet or any other finery such as that. When you had to clean yourself up you either took a bucket down to the river and hauled your water back to the cabin, or you hauled yourself to the river and cleaned up there. Most folks did the latter in these parts, including the young ladies, who would find the most secluded spots along the river they could find to bathe themselves, away from view. And that usually worked, at least for human eyes.

One day the Boojum was out, as usual, looking for his shiny rocks when he came upon a waterfall on the river. There he spotted a beautiful young lady taking her bath. To Boojum, this vision of loveliness was as beautiful as the most perfect gemstone shining in the moonlight. Boojum fell in love.

What of the woman? Well, she spotted Boojum gazing at her and she felt strangely drawn to this tall, furry beast. And this woman, whose name was Annie, fell in love with Boojum.

They started seeing each other and before you know it Boojum took Annie for his wife. Boojum loved her with every fiber of his being, as much as he loved his gems. He took care of her, worked and played beside her, and treated her as well as or, some say, even better than a human husband would have. There was only one problem.

While Boojum truly loved Annie, he loved his gems just as much, and kept on looking for more of them to hide away. And Annie was okay with that, for she loved Boojum and wanted him to be happy, and hunting for gems certainly made him happy. Even so, Annie would grow mighty lonely on those nights Boojum was away. Before long she had decided that she could stand it no longer, so she began to look for Boojum, hollering after him with an odd yell that sounded like a combination of a hoot-owl and a monkey. Boojum, hearing Annie calling him, would respond with the same holler back. The two would keep moving closer and closer, the hollers getting closer, too, until they at last found each other’s arms. And all was right with the world again.

Now folks say that the word “hootenanny” comes from this tale. As most of you know a hootenanny is a wild party or a lively gathering of folk musicians. But it does make sense; after all, “Hootin’ Annie” is pretty darn close to “hootenanny.”