Kumiho
Foxes are quite an important in Eastern folklore. Often portrayed as cunning tricksters and wary adversaries, the stories about them are quite compelling. In particular, a female being named Kitsune, or Kumiho in Korean, are humanoid-fox creatures that can be tricksters at best...or extremely dangerous at worst.
In Korean lore, Kumiho are created from foxes that manage to live for 1,000 years. The energy of this incredibly long life leads to immortality, power, and even magic. One of their abilities is shape-shifting and although they can choose any form they wish they often present as a young, attractive woman with fox-like features and sometimes a hint of their true form (like their ears, or a tail).
To continue increasing their power and influence, Kumiho must feed on human energy.
One of the main ways the Kumiho can absorb human energy is to eat the heart or liver of their victim. Because of their life-giving ability and size, they are the most prized organs and contribute the most energy. However, the Kumiho is not always reduced to becoming a killer. It is said on dark nights you can see them wandering in the graveyard, searching for recently dug graves to eat the organs of the recently deceased.
Even further removed from actual killing or maiming is to absorb human energy through the ‘fox marble’. This marble is nested in the back of the Kumiho’s throat. It is able to absorb energy through close contact with humans. This is typically accomplished through kissing, which is why the Kumiho so often takes the form of a beautiful young woman.
However, the easiest way to absorb energy and gain power is for the Kumiho to eat a human. Although it is brutal, it is efficient.
But, remember the Kumiho were foxes for centuries before they gained any modicum of power. Some Kumiho desire to be fully human and consider that the ultimate goal. It is no simple task for the Kumiho to become fully human. Though legend differs in how Kumiho can manage this, one of them requires the somewhat vicious creatures to abstain from killing and eating humans for 1,000 days. As mentioned previously, Kumiho receive their energy through humans most efficiently through killing and/or eating them. So, abstaining for them can leave them vulnerable and potentially even permanently harm them.
If you’re worried about falling victim to a Kumiho, check for fox-like features. According to some legends, they are unable to fully shed their tail so be sure to double check. Although, a kiss won’t steal much energy from you...you may be met with a Kumiho with a more vicious appetite. Some legends state that, in addition to killing humans for energy, Kumiho also kill people so they are able to take on their form and continue tricking and manipulating those around them.
Remember that fox marble, though? If you manage to kiss a Kumiho...you might just be privy to the secrets of the universe. It is said that if a human is able to steal the marble from a Kumiho they have access to all the knowledge it has gathered (and stolen) in its centuries of life.
The header image of this blog was taken by flickr user Airwolfhound and is licensed under Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0).