Will-Am-Alone - [Fearsome Critter]

The Will-Am-Alone. - [Fearsome Critter] - Maine, 1903.

• About this critter: A rarely talked about, quick little varmint, akin to a squirrel with a 'noxious hobby, it rolls poison lichens into balls and then drops the round pellets into the ears and eyelids of sleeping lumbermen. Causing awful dreams, headaches & hallucinations such as seeing unusual objects in the snow. It targets the hardest drinkers in the camp, and the combination with bad home brewed liquor (which was popular in the prohibition era) caused these pellets to always be near fatal to drunken lumbermen...

Interestingly, the effects of the lichen can apparently be 'cured' by ingesting the skin of the Side-Hill-Winder (a rabbit-like variant of the Side-Hill-Gouger that walks in cork-screws up hills sides) -However, eating that creatures flesh is said to cause a hard, & sudden death. -- be careful where you sleep.

• History: The earliest book which mentions the "Will-am-alone" was American myths and legends [1903] by Charles M Skinner.  - Listed under "Maine's Woodland Terrors." - in addition to what I've already said, the book also mentions that doing "Errands around camp" will quiet the hostility of the will-am-alone" (& that it particularly targets those that are inebriated.) -- So, one can assume this critter was used as a sort of boogeyman used to scare newcomers & lazy lumbermen into doing chores and keeping kids in school. (Like the others mentioned in this book, the will-am-alone is rarely seen these days, as its said not to come within 10 miles of a school or learning facility.)

it also gets mentioned in the preface of fearsome critters [1939]

Chris Packard, also mentioned the "Will-am-alone" in his recent book about Main folklore: Mythical creatures of Maine [2022] - He compared it to local native stories of the little people (Mikumwesuk from Wabanaki folklore.) They're both small, hairy & are known to target those sleeping when angered. – Perhaps this creature was the lumberman's name to explain Mikumwesuk? -– It's difficult to say for certain, but its hardly the only "Fearsome critter or Cryptid" which has similarities, is a derivative name, or has its roots originating in Native lore. - (See also: Mapolian, Windyo, etc.) - For certain it would be a logical guess that sleepy-rum-sodden lumbermen would be easier targets than native hunters.

The critter is also noted by Gary Carden to have been a migratory critter in his Appalachian Bestiary. [2012] in otherwords the name was shared orally from camp to camp.

--But why then is it called the "Will-Am-Alone?" well, neither book says anything about that, so I'd suppose that'd be anyone's guess.. My personal guess is that its the last words of William, who died alone at the fungi laced claws of these awful critters, So remember, be careful where you sleep. -interestingly searching will-am-alone on google brings little else up other than the squonks wiki page, i suppose it could be a name used for that critter too!

Art sticker by @samkalensky part of my cryptids & fearsome critters collection of stickers, check my shop, follow and support me on patreon for many more!