The Pukwudgies of Freetown
In Wampanoag tradition, small, grey, troublesome beings called pukwudgies play tricks on people in the forest, and some say they still do.
What was reported
In the traditions of the Wampanoag and other peoples of New England, pukwudgies are small beings, knee-high, with grey skin, large ears and noses, who live in the woods. They were once friendly, but grew mischievous and dangerous after people turned against them, leading travellers astray and playing tricks.
In modern times, the Freetown-Fall River State Forest in southern Massachusetts has become known for reports of them, and of other strange happenings.
Explanations offered
Pukwudgies come from Indigenous traditions that deserve respect as stories, not as monster entertainment. The modern sightings are mostly part of the forest's reputation for the uncanny. No physical evidence has ever been reported.
- When
- Told for generations; sightings since the 1980s
- Where
- Freetown-Fall River State Forest, Massachusetts, USA
- Witnesses
- Wampanoag tradition and modern visitors
- Status
- Legend
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
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