HOME | DD

Description
Alternate Names: N/A
Latin Name: N/A

The Gaglum was a large, 14-foot long animal that lived in Texas. It had the tail of an alligator, was plated like an armadillo from the back of the shoulders down to the end of its tail, and the rest of it covered in thick shaggy hair. Its front limbs were long and ended in bear paws and claws, while its rear legs were short with feet like that of a goose. Its head was mule-like, and it had one eye of pale pink and the other of black. Its oddest feature, however, was its mouth: it didn't open up and down like a normal jaw does, but rather side to side, splitting the face in half all the way up to between its eyeballs. The mouth was filled with teeth and its tongue and other internal areas were 'like sheet iron'. This was so the creature could eat cacti without being harmed by the spines. They also ate other hardy desert plant life, and would even eat barbed wire (probably from confusing it with a cactus).

People tended to consider the Gaglum a dangerous beast that would attack at little provocation, but this was apparently a misconception -- it was benign and more like a very large and placid cow in temperament. It could run fast on land when it needed to, and was even faster in water. There were also rumors it could fly, but these weren't as substantiated.

If you wanted to catch a Gaglum, you had to bait a trap for it with a live Hodag (or a Snow Snake). Whether the Gaglum would feel compelled to help these other fabulous beasts or eat them is entirely unclear.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is another of those truly bizarre beasts. I don't know why a cactus-eater (presumably herbivorous) would need a Hodag to be bait for it... other than the obvious of harassing the guy who made up the Hodag hoaxes. XD As for the Gaglum's powers of flight, I have mostly written them off -- it has no wings! -- but gave it a nod in the form of stretchy skin between its forelegs and body. Like a giant flying squirrel, it can glide over very short distances and not for very long. It's simply too large and heavy for true sustained flight!

What exactly IS a Fearsome Critter?
Interested in seeing more Fearsome Critters?

Source(s):
"A Mate For the Hodag". Eagle River Review. January 22, 1909.
"A Strange Animal". The Wausau Pilot. January 12, 1909.

Design and all art © me.
Please do not copy, alter, trace, or reproduce in any way, shape, or form without written permission from me. Thank you

Description
Alternate Names: N/A
Latin Name: N/A

The Gaglum was a large, 14-foot long animal that lived in Texas. It had the tail of an alligator, was plated like an armadillo from the back of the shoulders down to the end of its tail, and the rest of it covered in thick shaggy hair. Its front limbs were long and ended in bear paws and claws, while its rear legs were short with feet like that of a goose. Its head was mule-like, and it had one eye of pale pink and the other of black. Its oddest feature, however, was its mouth: it didn't open up and down like a normal jaw does, but rather side to side, splitting the face in half all the way up to between its eyeballs. The mouth was filled with teeth and its tongue and other internal areas were 'like sheet iron'. This was so the creature could eat cacti without being harmed by the spines. They also ate other hardy desert plant life, and would even eat barbed wire (probably from confusing it with a cactus).

People tended to consider the Gaglum a dangerous beast that would attack at little provocation, but this was apparently a misconception -- it was benign and more like a very large and placid cow in temperament. It could run fast on land when it needed to, and was even faster in water. There were also rumors it could fly, but these weren't as substantiated.

If you wanted to catch a Gaglum, you had to bait a trap for it with a live Hodag (or a Snow Snake). Whether the Gaglum would feel compelled to help these other fabulous beasts or eat them is entirely unclear.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is another of those truly bizarre beasts. I don't know why a cactus-eater (presumably herbivorous) would need a Hodag to be bait for it... other than the obvious of harassing the guy who made up the Hodag hoaxes. XD As for the Gaglum's powers of flight, I have mostly written them off -- it has no wings! -- but gave it a nod in the form of stretchy skin between its forelegs and body. Like a giant flying squirrel, it can glide over very short distances and not for very long. It's simply too large and heavy for true sustained flight!

What exactly IS a Fearsome Critter?
Interested in seeing more Fearsome Critters?

Source(s):
"A Mate For the Hodag". Eagle River Review. January 22, 1909.
"A Strange Animal". The Wausau Pilot. January 12, 1909.

Design and all art © me.
Please do not copy, alter, trace, or reproduce in any way, shape, or form without written permission from me. Thank you