Kappa

In ancient Japanese folklore the kappa is a water demon that lives in rivers and lakes and devours naughty children. Kappa means child of the river and has the body of a turtle, frog limbs, and a head with a beak. Also at the top of its head there is a cavity with water. While it is supposedly an aquatic creature, they are active on dry land. According to legend, a kappa s head should always be kept wet otherwise it will lose its strength. Strangely enough, many people consider the existence of a kappa a sure thing and there are signs at some lakes in Japan warning the visitors that there s a serious danger of being attacked by the creature while they enjoy their picnic.