Jersey Devil-real or unreal?
- Thread starter Barrens
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I'm with you Bob it is fun to pretend (i didn't vote). I've always found the Jersey or Leeds Devil myth very interesting. I think one of the greatest mysteries of the pine barrens for me is the exact origin of the legend. I do tend to lead toward the deformed child theory. Most of the other theories just don't seem to hold water. The other possibility is that it was just made up for the sheer amusement of it, but it seems unlikely it would have grown as it did. Maybe within a small community (Leeds point perhaps) it was used within the community as a means of controlling/scaring childern in order to keep them out of the woods. Word spread to town to town and so on.
Whatever it is, it is a very unique myth. It was not a natural oddity like bigfoot or Lock Ness, but not a ghost story either. Something inbetween. As for all the sightings, well, there are about a million explainations for that. From pranks and lies, to mistaken identity, to overactive imaginations. The myth itself is such a mystery why do we even need the monster in the flesh. One thing that has always interested me is how the nature of the devil has changed over the years. The earlier stories have it eating childern, ripping off the tops of trees, and causing people to lock themselves in at night. Later stories have it squacking at people and, well, standing there. Based off the early stories, and considering the deformed child theory, that child might have been one scary dude.
As long as scout troops and organizations of that nature keep camping in the pine barrens the legend will live on. I think that is a good thing.
Jeff
Whatever it is, it is a very unique myth. It was not a natural oddity like bigfoot or Lock Ness, but not a ghost story either. Something inbetween. As for all the sightings, well, there are about a million explainations for that. From pranks and lies, to mistaken identity, to overactive imaginations. The myth itself is such a mystery why do we even need the monster in the flesh. One thing that has always interested me is how the nature of the devil has changed over the years. The earlier stories have it eating childern, ripping off the tops of trees, and causing people to lock themselves in at night. Later stories have it squacking at people and, well, standing there. Based off the early stories, and considering the deformed child theory, that child might have been one scary dude.
As long as scout troops and organizations of that nature keep camping in the pine barrens the legend will live on. I think that is a good thing.
Jeff
BobM said:I find it strange that those who voted no actually voted or spoke up to voice their dissent. And to then feel they had to explain why they voted no is baffling to me. Of course its no.
But I voted yes because its fun to pretend.
I have a contract with Mr. J. Devil to disspell all rumors about him.
Actually, the first time I was told about the Jersy Devil was in the 1950's when I was a littlle boy living in North Jersey. I was probably living in Metuchen. I have this vivid memory of lying in bed thinking about it, with lightning flashing out the window. They always brought it up during a lightning storm at night. I had no idea of the pine barrens of course. He was a scary, dangerous thing, half man, half who know's what.
I was camping with Boy Scouts about 18 years ago at Atsion Family Campsite. We were doing a night hike/snipe hunt. My dad turned around and started walking back to the campsite stating "he forgot something."
a few minutes later a hideous beast jumped right onto our path and scared the living crap out of us, then disappeared back into the night. A few minutes later my dad caught up to us and asked what had just happened?
The Leeds Devil spared us that night thank God!!!
a few minutes later a hideous beast jumped right onto our path and scared the living crap out of us, then disappeared back into the night. A few minutes later my dad caught up to us and asked what had just happened?
The Leeds Devil spared us that night thank God!!!
I guess what's funny is, people *really* believe he exists. I believe more in the Eggs in Ongs Hat than that.
Yeah...I have been on the job hunt and working with an agent for the radio show. Ugh. Where you been Ben? I want one of those cool stickers 
gagliarchives said:Yeah...I have been on the job hunt and working with an agent for the radio show. Ugh. Where you been Ben? I want one of those cool stickers
did you order one?
You cannot kill what is already dead. It is very hard to photograph the supernatural, and that is what the Jersey devil is. Depends on what one believes. Do you believe in life after death? Angels and spirits? How about vistors from outer space?
about 10 or 11 years ago my wife (then girlfriend) and I were going canoeing down the wading river. The canoe livery guy was driving us down to our start point and we were making small talk. He was obvisiouly a piney. During a break in the conversation I jokingly said, "so, ever see the Jersey devil?' He looks over at me all serious like, looks me up and down, sees that I was joking and then smiles and says; "yeah, everybody likes to have a little fun with the jersey devil" Then after a moment passes he looks back out at the road and says dead pan, almost under his breath, "some of us know better though".
Whoa, you could have cut the alkward silence after that with a knife. I don't think we said another word the whole rest of the ride there.
Jeff
Whoa, you could have cut the alkward silence after that with a knife. I don't think we said another word the whole rest of the ride there.
Jeff
I remember hearing something yowling in the swamps of Friendship when I was only six. My father was about 35 years old at the time and born in 1933 (an estimate). He was so shook up! He said he had never heard anything like that in his whole life. Forty years later, I heard it once again at the site of Nash's Cabin. Once you hear it, you never forget it. Nor can you explain it.
Did you ever hear two raccoons fighting (or mating - who knows) in the middle of the night. It is truely an unearthly sound. It reminds me of someone rubbing damp fingertips down a window pane but much louder! Scared the *#!@ out of me before I got the lights on and saw what it was.
hmm... I beleive the jersey devil was just a deformed son that everybody beleived was possesed by the devil since he was the 13th child. Most likely if his parents ditched him like that he isn't living now.