Skatene

(Skay-TEEN)

Variations: STIKINI

There is a monstrous, vampiric humanoid thatis part of the mythology of the Choctaw Indians in the southeastern United States, called the skatene. It pretends to be a good person and gains the trust of a family with small children. Once the skatene has been taken into their confidence, it will sneak into their home one night and behead the father, taking its prize with it as it escapes off into the night. The skatene has the ability to shape-shift into a huge owl. It is only vulnerable to the attack of the wildcat, as that is the only animal that is not afraid of it. The skatene was most likely never based on any real animal or lore but rather developed strictly as a nursery bogey, a tale told to young children to teach them that it can be dangerous to talk to and trust a stranger.

Source: Gill, Dictionary of Native American Mythology, 129, 228; Krech, Spirits of the Air, 135; Rose, Giants, Monsters, and Dragons, 339, 382