Matching 50 mythical creatures with each of the 50 states

Iowa: Tengu

In Japanese folklore, there is a “birdlike creature” known as the Tengu. Beyond its birdlike countenance, this creature is also known for being powerful beings willing to do good and bad deeds alike. They have been known to play tricks on others, especially the Buddhist priests of the time.

And while that might not seem like something that would represent the state of Iowa, if you know anything about the legends and folklore from the state, then you would know that in the early 1900s there were stories of a mythical creature terrorizing the small town of Van Meter. According to the reports from people who witnessed this creature, it was a flying monster that was able to release a strange odor into the air. It was also said to glow at times, or at least “shine a light”.

It seems that this monster was seen by multiple people and multiple times. And while it seems to have been mostly terrorizing the town, it doesn’t seem to have done much beyond haunting the people of the town.

In many ways, this feels like a possible Tengu sighting. And if this was a Tengu, then it just makes sense that this would be the creature/monster that represents the state of Iowa. Since they already have a winged creature of legend, it makes sense to give them a mischievous, birdlike creature with a penchant for fire (maybe the light people saw was actually fire).

Whether or not the Tengu is the monster the people of Van Meter saw, he feels like the perfect fit as monster representative for the state of Iowa.