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BriefBestiary

@briefbestiary.bsky.social

A slothful young man, currently widely known as a sprite who seems to be fairly effective as a guardian of orchards.

[Top Section] Lazy Laurence; Alternate Name: Lazy Lawrence; Region: The New Forest, England

[Middle Section] A young man with messy black hair, a hat that partially covers his face, red jacket over a white button-up, and green trousers. Accompanied by descriptive text.

A character representing laziness to an extreme degree. According to "The History of Lawrence Lazy" it seems he was simply a slothful lad who obtained a red magic ring that put others to sleep with his gaze.

Under the report of Ruth Tongue, he would become popularly known as an orchard-guarding sprite. In Hampshire, he was said to be able to transform into a galloping colt-pixy. He also seemed to paralyze victims till morning when they met his green-eyed gaze.

Guarded fruit from thieves, his abilities seem to include inflicting his target with laziness and listlessness, although he might also cause indigestion or magically trip them.

[Bottom Section] Some depictions in popular culture: Final Fantasy XIV, Patch 2.0 (2013)

December 16, 2025 at 6:41 PM

snallyryguy.bsky.social

@snallyryguy.bsky.social

The Fearsome Critter Bestiary “We Dare Not Go A Huntin’” is now available to buy on Amazon or Barns and Noble! Hope some of ya will check it out!

#newbook #fearsomecritters #bestiary #folklore #bookillustrations

September 25, 2025 at 7:06 PM

snallyryguy.bsky.social

@snallyryguy.bsky.social

Here’s the latest illustration I’ve been working on for my second critter book. The Whiffen-pooffle of Texas.

#texas #fearsomecritter #fearsomecritters #pecosbill #fish #ink #inkillustration

September 18, 2025 at 8:29 PM

Reposted

SamKalensky

@samkalensky.com

Rattlerabbit - [FearsomeCritter] - A 'mythical hare' with the front end of a rabbit and the back end of a rattlesnakes. If it attacked using its tail or if it bit with sharp teeth is not known, it was only spoken of by silly scholars and imaginative archaeologists. 🐰🐍 samkalensky.com/products/rat...

same rattlerabbit sticker on a buttercup.

[HD version of the bowl in question- image source: Mimbres artifacts on Pinterest - today, the bowl is probably somewhere still in the Morris collection]

[1934 photograph of Ronald L Ives - Img source: Journal of the Southwest 2019.]

June 1, 2025 at 4:45 PM

snallyryguy.bsky.social

@snallyryguy.bsky.social

The Nighttime Dog, a critter that comes to get kids that stay up past their bedtime. Usually only its red eyes can be seen.

#dog #fluffydog #fearsomecritter #fearsoemcrittters #ink

May 22, 2025 at 2:30 PM

snallyryguy.bsky.social

@snallyryguy.bsky.social

The Hylochlorothene, a dragon-like fearsome critter.

#dragon #fearsomecritter #fearsoemcritters #ink #inksketch #folklore

May 12, 2025 at 12:14 PM

snallyryguy.bsky.social

@snallyryguy.bsky.social

Some sketches

May 8, 2025 at 6:38 PM

Reposted

SamKalensky

@samkalensky.com

Bavalorous - [Fearsome Critter] - The proverbial “king of the woods” It had 3 tails, one sharp for battle, a heavy one used for bludgeoning (often sat on like a throne), The vain creature spent all day staring it its own rump, mesmerized by its prismatic tail feathers samkalensky.com/products/bav...

April 11, 2025 at 9:36 PM

Reposted

SamKalensky

@samkalensky.com

Tomcod - [Fearsome Critter] - A small odd fish with the head and disposition of a feline, reportedly lives in the San-Juan islands archipelago off the shore of Washington. Tomcods do not bite hooks and are hardy, a critter with more than one fish-pun to its name! – samkalensky.com/products/tom...

tomcod a cat-cod hybrid - art by samkalensky

original from 1913:

"STAR, IN ITS PISCATORIAL RESEARCH, NOW DISCOVERS THE TOM COD; YOU FISH FOR IT WITH SPONGE SOAKED IN CREAM"

"There’s a very odd kind of fish around the San Juan Islands. These fish are called tom cods because, although they have somewhat the appearance of a codfish, they really have the habits and instincts of a cat—and also a cat's head. Tom cods won’t bite at a fishhook. Some fishermen say the best method is to train dogfish to catch them. Others declare that bullheads make the best catchers. An Irishman, by the name of Ben Swansen, has had better success catching tom cods than any other fisherman on the islands. Swanson uses a ten-penny nail, bent in the middle and tied on the end of a long silk cord, which, in turn is suspended from a bamboo pole. On the nail is fastened a small sponge soaked in cream. When the tom cod begins to suck this sponge, nine bullets must be immediately fired into the fish’s head. Two revolvers are sometimes found necessary for this operation unless a large magazine gun is used. If only eight bullets take effect, the tom cod would still get away with one life left. This is generally a discouraging situation, but patience must be cultivated and marksmanship thoroughly mastered. These fish are highly prized by fashionable New Yorkers and are served at nearly every exclusive luncheon on Fifth av. The largest toms bring about $15 apiece.

– BERNARD OZONE."

April 9, 2025 at 9:06 PM

Reposted

SamKalensky

@samkalensky.com

Fish Hound - [Fearsome Critter] - A loyal hunting dog with hydrophobic fur or scales! it's said that if you throw a silver dollar into the water, the hound will dive in after it and quickly bring you back a large catfish and 15¢ in spare change!! – samkalensky.com/products/fis...

a fat fish-hound has bagged a large catfish (and 15¢!) artsticker by samkalensky

a fat koi fish hunting dog. art by samkalensky

the earliest case of financial fish hound I could find, from 1931

April 9, 2025 at 8:57 PM

snallyryguy.bsky.social

@snallyryguy.bsky.social

Tankapogo toilet dwelling relative to Ogopogo.

#ogopogo #canada #fearsomecritter #fearsomecritters #hidebehind

April 9, 2025 at 5:25 PM

snallyryguy.bsky.social

@snallyryguy.bsky.social

Wumpus, a mysterious cave dwelling fearsome critter.

#fearsomecritter #fearsomecritters #ink #inksketch

April 8, 2025 at 7:06 PM

snallyryguy.bsky.social

@snallyryguy.bsky.social

The rock-rolling whitefish.

#Montana #fish #fishes #fishing #fearsomecritter #fearsomecritters #ink #inkillustration

April 6, 2025 at 10:58 PM

Reposted

SamKalensky

@samkalensky.com

Gazunk - [Fearsome Critter] – A Song bird likely named in frustration for the awful racket which it makes outside of campsites at night. For one reason or another it has holes drilled into its beak just like a flute, they are total amateurs & sound entirely off key! 🎶 samkalensky.com/products/gaz...

its spring Time~ detail shot. art by samkalensky

on the tree, flatter angle art by samkalensky

the original yarn by Art Childs, Yarns of the big woods 1922 -"The Gazunk.
When night steals over the Big Woods, the cry of a prowling bird sounds like a ghostly wail, and the crackling of a small twig resembles the sharp rapport of a revolver. The brush of a fluttering leap across his cheek brings the “greenhorn” to his feet with a startled cry.
;It is then, as they sit about the campfire, the old guides like to spin the yearns that have been handed down by generations of their predecessors; “What is that?” exclaims a tenderfoot hoarsely, as one of the many strange sounds of the night strikes his ear.” “It sounds like some one whistling away off in the distance.”
Why that,” explains the twinkling-eyed old-timer, “must be the Gazunk, or flute-bill bird. When the Gazunk was a young bird, he went to sleep in a tree and a woodpecker, by mistake, drilled some holes in his long bill. Of course, it made him sore, until he found he could play on his bill like a flute, using his claws as stops. It almost tickled him to death. So now he goes around playing like that all night. Listen! Just strain your ears a bit. Yep, sure enough, that's the Gazunk.”

April 4, 2025 at 7:44 PM

snallyryguy.bsky.social

@snallyryguy.bsky.social

Some Orthlock sketches. A very obscure fearsome critter from my neck of the woods.

#waco #wacotexas #brazosriver #fearsomecritter #fearsomecritters #inksketch #taxidermy

March 26, 2025 at 1:18 AM

snallyryguy.bsky.social

@snallyryguy.bsky.social

Some sketches of belled snakes. Large cat eating rattlesnakes with bells in place of rattles.

#fearsomecritter #fearsomecritters #rattlesnake #rattlesnakes #sketch #ink #inksketch

March 21, 2025 at 3:26 AM

snallyryguy.bsky.social

@snallyryguy.bsky.social

The Beast of Busco

#cryptid #cryptids #fearsomecritter #fewrsoemcritters #turtle #alligatorsnappingturtle #inkdrawing #drawing

March 9, 2025 at 2:49 PM

snallyryguy.bsky.social

@snallyryguy.bsky.social

The Southwestern Rattlerrabbit.

#rabbit #bunny #fearsomecritter #fearsomecritters #drawing

March 8, 2025 at 2:52 PM

Reposted

SamKalensky

@samkalensky.com

Wanigan - [fearsome critter] – "A Peculiar animal of the Pinewoods" which 'shuts itself up something like a mud turtle.' – Its rare & shy, so its habits are unclear: Unweary fishermen would mistake it for a lunch box: it'd nip at ya like a snapping turtle & run off! - samkalensky.com/products/wan...

the wanigan, a creature with a box like shell, as drawn by @samkalensky next to a pond.

... "The wannigan,'' he continued, ''is another of those peculiar forest animals. I'm not fully posted as to its habits are but it shuts itself up like a mud turtle. But now I cant spent my time entertainin' you fellers. You ought to get out into the world and  get the scales off your eyes and the moss off your backs, and get so you'd know somethin' your-selves." ... – clipping from deacon whites idees 1905

March 8, 2025 at 1:45 AM

Reposted

SamKalensky

@samkalensky.com

Laly-Gag - [Fearsome Critter] - A seldom seen creature of the Pinewoods which was vaguely described in 1905 as: 'A two footed critter that 'skirks work and sponges its livin'" - it walks about the woods in a clumsy melancholic daze, accomplishing nothing at all.. samkalensky.com/products/lal...