Accordianteater - [Fearsome critter]

Accordianteater - [Fearsome critter]

• About this critter: a nocturnal woodland creature with a long body, it makes a strange wailing sound as it moves & is heard far more often than seen. It makes “A strange noise, like sort of sighing that grows into a wail and dies away." - Nocturnal, it hides away during the day time and only comes out at dusk on particularly windy nights. – (no word on its diet so its unclear if it actually eats those pesky "Accord-I-Ants" or not though.) 

• History: Another auditory critter from "Yarns of the Big Woods" illustrated and written by Game Warden Art Childs in the early-mid 1920's – included was a simple campfire story, its an example of one of the more gag/joke types of critters used to trick young campers. The bio goes as follows:

[source newspapers.com]

"A strange noise through the tall pines in the Big Woods! A sort of sighing that grows into a wail and dies away. If it is dusk the new-comer to the woods draws a little closer to the cheerful fire. All about him is a wall of shadowy trees.
    “Funny noise the wind makes through the trees,” he says.
    “Wind nothing!” snorts the Old-timer, “That just shows you don’t know a thing about these woods. Why, everybody around here knows that’s the noise made by the accordianteater.”
    “The accordianteater!”
    “Sure. It isn’t likely you’ll get sight of him while you’re up here, as he keeps himself hidden in the dark, shady places. Sometimes you can hear him in the daytime, but mostly he’s out at night. He makes that queer, wailing noise with his body, which is built just like an accordion, and he just pulls himself out and squeezes himself up. Listen! There he goes again!” "

 – it seems to be implied that it is a creature which would be used to jokingly explain the strange wailing noises that the wind makes through the trees come nightfall. In concept it is quite similar to another critter known as the "Tree Squeak" which mimics nature sounds. - The story itself is very similar to the "Caliopode" & “tree hopper.” (Almost a mix of the two) if you wanted to also count the "Duck footed DumDum" in this group, (on percussion) we almost have an entire band! :-D

see also: caliopode, treesqueak, audio phenomena

art sticker by @samkalensky, part of my fearsome critters sticker collection, check my shop for many more!