Blood and Beak

The Snallygaster... the mere mention of its name sends the mind on a whirlwind roller coaster of imagination and speculation. When I first learned of this incredible beast, I was drawn to it. I wondered how I had never heard of this amazing monster that lurked in the woods of the great state of Maryland. Was it real, conjecture or superstition? Or was it a mix of all three?
Most importantly, why was it not celebrated on the same level as the Jersey Devil, Mothman and Bigfoot?
Old Snally had been around for ages, longer than both the Jersey Devil and Mothman, yet was not lauded at all.
Theodore Roosevelt was ready to wage war on this tentacled oddity that lurked in the shadows of South Mountain. Yet, the people of Maryland seemed to have almost forgotten him or her (how does one check the gender of a creature of legend?). Some seemed to even be trying to sweep him into the past.
Not I. You see, this creature is part of the tapestry of America. It deserves its day in the sun. It deserves its moment of fame. I believe it deserves far more than a moment, and if you are reading this, I believe you must feel the same.
I have read and searched out some of the most interesting tales of this great beast. Within this book I have chronicled those stories; and as all good storytellers do, I have embellished just a tad, changed a few names to protect the innocent, but I hope that I have done old Snally justice.
I hope you enjoy this collection.
And remember...
If you hear the scream of burning metal in the sky...
Don't run. Don't cry. Just pray...
That the Snallygaster...
Does pass you by...