Goofang – [Fearsome Critter]

Description

Goofang. – [Fearsome critter]

• About this critter: A large river fish that evolved to swim backwards in a futile attempt to keep the water out of its eyes, usually described as “about the size of a sunfish, only larger.” Very Rarely caught because it only comes out around April 1st.

•History & Early appearances:

Earliest published account of the Goofang (that I can find) was a Description based on earlier oral accounts in Paul Bunyans Natural History (1935): “This curious fish always swam backward instead of forward. This was to keep the water out of its eyes. It was described simply as “about the size of a sunfish, only larger.” – It also gets a mention, with the same description in Book of Imaginary Beings by Jorge Luis Borges (1957.)

The Dictionary of Fabulous Beasts (1971) by Barber, Richard W – Makes the point that the lore is quite similar to the “Acipenser” a fish with backwards scales from Medieval European mythology. (not to be confused with an ordinary sturgeon) – so, this tale seems to go back quite a bit further than lumberjack yarns!

The Anglers Bedside Bankside and Barside Yearbook (1987) lists it as one of the “Fearsome Fish” caught only on and around April 1st. – the book also makes note that American freshwater sunfish do exist, so it’s probably not as big as people may picture.

[An american freshwater sunfish.] – (i decided to keep the mola mola look for mine because its a lot funnier to imagine a mola mola swimming backwards in a river)

• Notable Pop-Culture appearances:

The Gillygoofang is a children’s book published in 1968 by George Mendoza and illustrated by Mercer Mayer. – In that story: it even bewilders itself. – it also swims backwards and shares traits with, but should not be mistaken for the “Gillygaloo.” – a bird which lays square eggs.

Note: it should also not be confused with “Gilli-Galoo” (aka the whiffenpoof.) the “Giddyfish” or “Goofus bird” for that matter.

it also appears in Scoobydoo’s “Velmas monsters of the world – fearsome critters”

Sticker art by @samkalensky (yo, thats me!) part of my Fearsome Critters/Cryptids collection of stickers, check my shop for many more!