Talk:Jersey Devil

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This is the best film I've seen on the Jersey Devil http://films.thelot.com/films/25484 8==========================================D23:04, 4 June 2008 (UTC)67.83.101.230 (talk)

From article:

The creature's name was borrowed in the early 1970s by Princeton architecture alumni Jim Adamson, Steve Badanes, and John Ringel, who formed a loose alliance to design and build eccentric, influential houses. They adopted the name "Jersey Devil Design-Build" after an observer, upon seeing one of their houses, remarked, "It looks like the Jersey Devil's been here." -- FriedMilk

Contents

[edit] Thestral

it looks like a harry potter thestral. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Kirby789 (talk • contribs) 19:36, 13 April 2008 (UTC)










[edit] Myth details

In elementary or middle school, we did a lot about New Jersey history, and visited placed like the Pine Barrens. I distinctly remember being told a version of the story that said when the child was born (or perhaps he burst out of th womb, Alien-like), he immediately ripped off his mother's breast and drank the blood, then flew off. Quite a thing to tell a bunch of 12- and 13-year-olds! In any case, has anyone ever heard this particular variant? –dablaze 01:47, Mar 27, 2005 (UTC)

[edit] X Files Jersey Devil

This was one of the X Files episodes. It was human in this one and located in the woods around Atlantic City. Good episode but that is all I have ever heard of it.

[edit] Encounters

This is the best film I've seen on the Jersey Devil http://films.thelot.com/films/25484


I've removed this bit from the 'Encounters' section. Anyone have a source for this? That this so-called "Mr. Johnson" isn't given a first name makes it highly suspect. You can call me Al 17:51, 23 December 2005 (UTC)

In the late 1960's, Mr. Johnson and his newly wedded wife Stella, began to experience what could only be described as harassment from the Jersey Devil. Noises from outside their home in a newly developed area right outside of the Pine Barrens in Southern New Jersey were just the beginning. The distant noises eventually turned into banging across the entire side of their home. As these happenings became more frequent and more threatening, the couple began to investigate. They never found a single soul outside of their home after each alarming attack, but they did find unidentifiable hoof-like prints all around that lead to nowhere; they just disappeared. At one point it was almost predictable to when the attacks would happen. The couple gathered friends and family and waited. On multiple occasions the group was ready and waiting when the thumping noises began and every time, there was nothing to be found but odd, unidentifiable hoof prints all around the home... The most alarming report from the Johnson’s was the brutal termination of their dog Sam. Sam was a German Sheppard and was often kept on a leash in the back yard; that is until it was found mutilated at the edge of the woods directly behind the family home. As Mr. Johnson was telling the stories of his horrifying experiences and close encounters with the legend of the Pine Barrens, his body began to quiver with fear as the memories seemed to haunt his every word. Mr. Johnson never reported any of this to the authorities as the family was afraid of what would be said of them. This is the first "unofficial" report of the sightings as described by Mr. Johnson.
Actually, a great portion of it looks highly suspect. It seems to be written in an overly sensationalist style. Any word on who wrote this?
Hey, my warranty didn't run out after all! 23:31, 23 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Linguistic squible

this line boggles me.

swedish explorers renamed the place in question "drake kill", "drake" being european for "dragon"

this seems a bit vague. there is no such thing as "the european language", so i figure the term "drake" should either be acredited to the swedish language or maybe british english. anybody have anything more specific on this? 213.172.246.112 00:09, 25 December 2005 (UTC)

"Drake" is indeed the Swedish word for dragon, but the word "kill" doesn't make any sense in this context. The entire statement looks a bit fishy to me. Jonas Liljeström 16:45, 22 November 2006 (UTC)
"Drake's Kill" is no longer in the article, but I am fairly sure that it's Dutch, not Swedish. "Kill" means body of water in Dutch (see Kill (body of water)), and the area was visited (and many places named) in the 17th century by Dutch, not Swedish, explorers. --MCB 20:03, 22 November 2006 (UTC)
I wouldn't be quite so sure about that. The word "kil" - though now no longer in use - used to exist in the Swedish language too, with the same meaning (as evidenced in place names such as "Lysekil" and "Fiskebäckskil"). Furthermore, the Pine Barrens weren't far away from New Sweden, a Swedish colony which was founded in 1638 and incorporated into Dutch New Netherland in 1655. Jonas Liljeström (talk) 00:10, 1 January 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Fakery Revealed

Cryptozoologist Loren Coleman has revealed some information about the initial reports [1] and it looks like the whole thing was faked. (Emperor 02:48, 11 April 2006 (UTC))


[edit] Possible Theories

If anyone has any information on what this so called devil could be could they plaese add them>this page is very one sided and does not include any skepticism. (Dermo69)

I've read a pretty convincing explanation somewhere, to the effect that at least some of the sightings could be misidentifications of a sandhill crane. It is a large bird with a wingspan of up to 7 feet, with a general appearance which is reasonably close to that of the alleged devil. I cannot think of any specific sources at the moment, but it shouldn't be too difficult to find one. Jonas Liljeström 15:22, 26 November 2006 (UTC)

That doesn't explain why it would attack a trolley car. A crane couldn't survive gunshots that the creature has supposedly taken in the past, also. But the sandhill crane theory could explain many sightings. —Preceding unsigned comment added by WikiFanatic777 (talk • contribs) 07:36, 16 December 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Citations on Mythical Creatures

I have erased a [citation needed] from this article as it is claiming a citation is needed on rumor. These stories about mythical creatures vary so much because there is no references, thats why its a myth...heyoo Aspensti 14:52, 8 December 2006 (UTC)

I disagree. Wikipedia is not a forum for telling all of our own little stories - there are rules against posting unverifiable or uncited content for just this reason; WP:NOR is one example. Furthermore, I recommend you go take a look at, say, Medusa or Bigfoot for examples of articles on mythical creatures that have absolutely no problem citing their sources. Weird NJ writes on the Jersey Devil frequently, and counts as a citable resource and there are about a dozen books turning up on cursory internet searches about the Jersey Devil - I am sure that many of these contain citable information by scholars of myth and folk creatures. I am reverting your edits to restore the 'citation needed' tag. It is important that wikipedians act like they are editing a real encyclopedia and not some message board built for telling their own ghost stories or spreading rumors. --Ben iarwain 20:57, 8 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] "Legends" section

The "Legends" section, in addition to being written in short, choppy sentences, is written in a manner that makes it unclear as to whether it is suggesting that the claims on which it is based are verified fact. I'll be changing this, just wanted to put this out there in case anyone wanted to take issue with it…

This is the best film I've seen on the Jersey Devil - The Link is

http://films.thelot.com/films/25484

[edit] New sighting?

I've removed this new report. it can go back in when there's some reference for it:

  • " It was big, and birdlike, it flew with an aquatic flow to it, like it was flying under water. it's neck wasn't that long but it had a longish face, kinda duck like" (described and sighted February 28th and submitted March 1st 2007).

Totnesmartin 22:29, 6 March 2007 (UTC)

anyone find it strange in the encounters section that the good comodore would have only been 1 year old at the time of the incident?

[edit] Eating the children vs descendants

The article says 'The horrific newborn proceeded to eat the other Leeds children before escaping through the chimney to begin its reign of terror.[1] [2] This version is contradicted by the fact that Mother Leeds has descendants that, as of 1998, still lived in Atlantic County'. She could still have descendants if she had children after the 'Jersey Devil'. She apparently was constantly pregnant, so it wouldn't be uncommon for her to have more children afterwards.--Jcvamp 04:08, 17 May 2007 (UTC)

Eh. I can't see wanting to have another child after having given birth to a devil who ate all my other children. --DearPrudence (talk) 02:39, 14 February 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Error in the Article

"In 1778, Commodore Stephen Decatur, a naval hero, visited the Hanover Iron Works in the Barrens..."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Decatur

It stated that Stephen Decatur was born in 1779.

Redirected to this site? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Decatur_Sr

[edit] Possible Mix-Up of Two Cryptids?

A part of the "Encounters" section states that "As recently as 1991, a pizza delivery driver in Edison, New Jersey described a night encounter with a white, horselike creature." A second cryptid is thought to reside in the Pine Barrens called "The White Stag". It would seem more senisble of a "white, horselike creature" to be the White Stag. I thought perhaps his sighting was more closely associated with the White Stag rather than the Jersey Devil.