ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Snallygaster

The snallygaster is a make-believe monster that comes from old stories and legends in the United States. It looks like a big, scary bird with sharp claws and a long beak. Some people say it has wings like a bat and others say it has feathers like an eagle.

Many years ago, people who lived in Maryland and nearby places believed that the snallygaster would come out of hiding and snatch children and animals that were wandering around outside. They were afraid of it and would try to protect themselves by making loud noises or carrying things that scared the creature away.

Even though the snallygaster isn’t real, it’s still fun to imagine what it might look like and how it might act. Some people even make up their own stories or drawings of the monster. So, the snallygaster is just a scary creature that people made up a long time ago to scare others, but it’s not something you have to be afraid of in real life.
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