Rubberado - [FearsomeCritter]

Rubberado - Latin:(Erethizon neoprenicum) - [Fearsome Critter 1938]

•About this critter: a Bouncy rubber porcupine-like creature native to Wisconsin & the rocky mountains, the forests of New England to the Pacific Northwest. it inflates and bounces away when shot at. As it bounds of into the horizon, it giggles with each bounce. Best tasted boiled into a stew: if you eat it, you’ll end up in hysterics & bounce too. it craves salt, so it eats axe handles and is a pest to lumbermen who encounter it.

• History: The earliest mention which i can find Listed as one of 4 ‘Improbable Quadrupeds’ in The Science News-Letter [Apr. 2, 1938.] Incidentally, 1938 was also the same year the inflatable beach ball was invented. Also notable as it was published nearly a year before Henry H Tryons fearsome critters would be published in 1939.) - it was listed among other widespread yarns such as the “Whirling Wumpus”, “Tripodero”  the “Racabore” [a hog-like variant of the “Side Hill gouger”] - A couple years later the illustration was also included in the journal of American folklore [1941] - "Folklore of Eastern Middle Park." - it was given its latin name in "Mythical creatures of the North County"[1979] by Walker D Wyman - who also passed on a lot of lore & folktales of the creature.

The Rubberado later appears (as a much different) lizard-dragon-like creature in “Kickle Snifters and other Fearsome Critters” [1978] (a bestiary, which was posed as a children’s book.) - Though it looks different, it still kept the “eat me and you’ll bounce too” description.

Sticker Art by @Samkalensky (yo thats me!) - Part of my Night parade of 100 Demons - Yokai & Japanese folklore sticker collection, weather resistant 4" Glossy sticker. Check my shop & follow @samkalensky for many more!