When you're someone who lives in New Jersey, chances are you've been told stories about the Jersey Devil at one time or another. It's presented in numerous places such as in the books "Weird NJ", on labels of local wines, and even a statue stands proud in front of one of South Jersey's well known bars, Sweetwater. Especially when you are someone who has been born and raised in Jersey, the tales never shy away from the residents. The legend goes that the Jersey Devil was born to Mother Leeds from the Pine Barrens, and was in fact her thirteenth child. Apparently he came out with obvious abnormalities such as a head shaped like a horse, and wings. Of course this would come of a shock to any mother, and it led to so many rumors of sightings and that may or may not have been proven true. Just like a lot of other myths and legends, there isn't a whole lot of proof on whether or not the Jersey Devil exists. According to so many people throughout the years, they have claimed to have seen his wings swooping overhead or heard him in the deepest parts of the woods. In my own personal experiences, I've had plenty of family members and friends insisting that he exists. However, because many things are needed to be seen to believe, I think the Jersey Devil falls into that category. I am of course not a professional on this matter, and could be very wrong.
Laci your post here is right along the lines of where I stand with the Jersey Devil. Being born and raised in Jersey if you haven't heard about it chances are someone you know has, and that was the case with me when a few of my friends told me about it for the first time in high school. Yet, these people have no proof other than the belief that it exists. This belief is based off other supposed sightings and folktales, and while I think the possibility of it existing is there, as you said I definitely have to see it to believe it. Great, thought provoking post Laci!
ReplyDelete-Andrew