The Tokoloshe
In southern African folklore, a small, mischievous being called the tokoloshe comes at night, and some people still raise their beds on bricks to stay out of reach.
What was reported
The tokoloshe is a figure of Zulu, Xhosa and other southern African folklore: a small, hairy, dwarf-like being that is said to cause mischief and illness, and can become invisible by drinking water or holding a pebble in its mouth.
Because the tokoloshe is said to be short, a custom grew of raising beds on bricks so it can't reach the sleeper. The practice is still seen in parts of South Africa.
Explanations offered
The tokoloshe is a folklore figure, and stories about it often explain misfortune, bad dreams or illness. Some researchers link the bed-raising custom to sleep paralysis, the frightening sense of a presence in the room while waking, which is common around the world.
- When
- Told for generations
- Where
- Eastern Cape and across southern Africa
- Witnesses
- Zulu, Xhosa and other communities
- 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.