amerk626

"Do something Lou!"

I'm a realist, not a pessimist, NY • United States • 23 Years Old • Male

The Legend of the Jersey Devil

As we try to cope with yet another early off season, different people find different ways to occupy themselves to pass the time. As someone on a CBS Sports forum said, this is one of the worst times of year. You don't hear any rumors about your team, and for fans of 26 other teams, the only NHL hockey on is the conference finals. Still, fans prowl hockeybuzz, hoping to salvage even the slightest indication of the latest rumors, gossip, and news about their favorite team, or a team of particular interest. Well, I came across something that was of interest to me that I thought was worth reading and writing about.

The New Jersey Devils did not get their name by chance. Part of the credit should go to a legend that has been passed from generation to generation in New Jersey for nearly 300 years, the legend of the Jersey Devil.

The legend says in 1735, there was a woman called Mrs. Leeds. She was the wife of a drunk and inconsiderate husband, and was the mother of twelve children. The family lived in a small house in the Pine Barrens of Southern New Jersey in poverty. When Mrs. Leeds found out she was pregnant with a thirteenth child, she cursed the unborn baby, saying "Let this one be a Devil!". There are three versions that describe the events, which transpired on the alleged night of the baby's birth. The first version states the baby was born a devil, the second legend states the baby was born human, but transformed into a devil moments afterwards, and the third version states the baby was hideously deformed. In either case, the devilish newborn fled the house by crawling up the chimney and disappeared into the night.

Since then, there have been thousands of documented sightings of the Jersey Devil throughout South and Central New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The Jersey Devil is commonly depicted as a creature with giant bat-like wings, a horse's head and body with a long serpentine tail that stands on two legs. It has also been described as more "traditionally demonic", while other descriptions depict it as a typical devil.



To this day, you still hear the occasional rumblings about an alleged Jersey Devil sighting in the Pine Barrens and sometimes in not too far off Pennsylvania. One of the most notarized sightings of the Jersey Devil occurred in 1803 by American naval Hero Stephen Decatur, who claimed he fired a cannon at the Jersey Devil while it flew. The cannon ball allegedly went right through the Jersey Devil, who flew away unharmed. The Jersey Devil was supposedly seen by Joseph Bonaparte, brother of Napoleon, who allegedly encountered the beast, while hunting in the Pine Barrens. In 1909, a cluster of sightings between January 16th-23rd caused mass hysteria throughout the Delaware River Valley and put the community in a state of virtual lock down. There were even instances in 1925 and 1957, when unidentified animal carcasses were found, believed to be remains of the Jersey Devil.

So what do you think? Is it real, or just a tall tale? Do you believe in the Jersey Devil....? Have you ever seen the Jersey Devil? Hope you enjoyed this read, I know I found it interesting and hoped you felt the same way. If you want to see more on the Jersey Devil, here are a couple of good sites.

http://www.castleofspirit...com/stories03/jersey.html

http://www.weirdnj.com/in...uemart&Itemid=26

http://www.theshadowlands.net/jd.htm

I'm a 19-year old college kid that just got back from school. With little to do around here (Westchester County, NY) until the summer, me and my friends (who are avid hockey players and fans mind you, we all are), are trying to occupy ourselves to cope with the long trial that is the off season. Pretty soon, we're going to check out Crybaby Bridge, which I believe is in Woodbridge, New Jersey. Legend says some time ago, a baby and its mother died on the bridge, with many versions describing many different ways on how it happened. Supposedly if you go to the bridge around 1am, you can hear the baby crying, and if you turn off your car and try to turn it on, it won't start! I also heard something about baby powder and footprints and if you throw a coin off the bridge, it either gets thrown back at you or it will be on the bridge if you return later.

Personally, I'm one of those people who want to believe, but need to experience it for myself or need legit physical evidence. This summer when I go to Wildwood, I also want to try and hit up a place called Indian Cabin Road that is supposed to have some creepy stuff on it.

Well, hope you enjoyed. In the conference finals, I say Hurricanes in 6 and Red Wings in 5, although it would not surprise me if we see a rematch of last year's Stanley Cup Finals...had to end it with some hockey.

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