Boogeymen Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Tikbalang
Tikbalang
Background
Purpose To convince against abortion
Country Philippines

The Tikbalang is a supernatural hybrid of a horse and a human from the Philippines.

Characteristics[]

Tikbalangs are said to scare travelers and lead them astray. Tikbalangs play tricks on travelers such that they keep on returning to an arbitrary path no matter how far he goes or where he turns. Supposedly this is counteracted by wearing one's shirt inside out. Another countermeasure is to ask permission out loud to pass by or, not to produce too much noise while in the woods in order not to offend or disturb the Tikbalang. The Tikbalang is also easily angered and is known to trample people to death when slighted.

Physical appearance[]

It is generally described as a tall, bony humanoid creature with disproportionately long limbs, to the point that its knees reach above its head when it squats down. It has the head and hooves of a horse.

Legend[]

A common saying has it that rain from a clear sky means "may kinakasal na tikbalang."(Filipino, "a Tikbalang is getting married".) This was potentially connected with a similar Spanish proverb that claimed a witch was getting married when there was rain on a sunny day, although many cultures have such sayings in which a trickster figure gets married (cp. fox's wedding, bear's wedding, monkey's birthday).

According to traditional folklore, the Tikbalang can also transform itself into human form or turn invisible to humans. They like to lead travelers astray.

Tikbalangs are generally associated with dark, sparsely populated, foliage-overgrown areas, with legends variously identifying their abode as being beneath bridges, in Bamboo or Banana groves, and atop Kalumpang (Sterculia foetida) or Balite (Ficus indica) trees.

The Tikbalang, like the Tiyanak, is a transformation of an aborted fetus sent to earth from limbo.

By one account a Tikbalang has a mane of sharp spines, with the three thickest of these being of particular importance. A person who obtains one of these spines can use them as an anting-anting (talisman) to keep the Tikbalang as his or her servant. The Tikbalang must first be subdued, however, by leaping onto it and tying it with a specially-prepared cord. The would-be-tamer must then hang on while the creature flies through the air, fighting madly to dislodge its unwelcome rider until it is exhausted and acknowledges its defeat. Or you can look on his mane and you will see 3 golden hairs and if you pluck 3 of them before he/she eats you, they will serve you until you die.

Advertisement