|
Jersey Devil
According to one local tale, the Devil was the thirteenth child born to a Mrs.
Leeds, a resident of the Pine Barrens during the mid-18th century. Mrs. Leeds
was so upset at yet another pregnancy that after giving birth she exclaimed,
"I am tired of children! Let it be a devil!" What was once a human child
immediately transformed into a winged monstrosity, which flew up 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.
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. The Devil
has also been said to be companion to a headless pirate, a ghostly woman, and
a mermaid. In certain parts of South Jersey, the Devil is rumored to live in
an Agent Orange plant near Chatsworth, a very small town surrounded by forest
and sand.
Source:
Wikipedia.org |
