Sumatra
Balum Beude
Elemental / Demonic Danger 4 of 5 · Dangerous
- Form
- Invisible water demon (rolled-mat form)
- Origin
- Acehnese water demon (also Balum Bili), invisible in rivers and along the coast, which can appear as a floating red rolled mat — the hantu gulung tikar — and drags victims down in whirlpools; in some accounts it takes organs, and it is said to fear gunshots.
- Behavior
- Creates whirlpools and pulls swimmers under at known stretches.
- Deterrents and vulnerabilities
- Avoiding its waters; gunfire is said to drive it off in local accounts.
- Diet
- Life force / Soul
- Culture
- Acehnese
- Region
- Sumatra
- Sampling
- Added in dataset v3–v5; first placed on a tree here.
Coded characters
◆ New entry coded by folklore synthesis. Sex: Unspecified.
| Human-like | Humanoid, witch, or human spirit |
|---|---|
| Sex | Male, unspecified, or variable |
| Death or birth origin | Not death or birth related |
| Incorporeal | Ghost, spirit, or undead |
| Flight | Grounded |
| Burial | None or weak |
| Children | None |
| Blood and organs | Targets blood, flesh, or organs |
| Theft and mischief | Theft, pranks, or mischief central |
| Hair or fur | None |
| Animal form | Animal form or shapeshifting central |
| Detached head | None |
| Fire or light | None |
| Water | Sea, river, or water |
| Forest | None |
| Settlement | Wild or liminal |
| Black magic | No strong sorcery motif |
| Widespread | Localized |
| Body plan | Aquatic spirit |
| Diet | Life force or offerings |
