The baital was a half-man, half-bat creature from Hindu folklore that hung by its toes from the branch of a mimosa tree. Like other vampires, the baital had no blood in its body. Rather than drinking the blood of its victims, though, it took over the corpses of people who had died and were buried beneath its tree. The baital is best known as the storyteller who matched wits with the legendary King Vikram.
Skin Game: The baital was very thin, and its skin was stretched tight over its bones. Legend has it that its skin was as strong as iron and could not be damaged.
Brown-Eyes Ghoul: The baital had brown hair and a brown face that looked like a dried-up coconut. It also had greenish-brown eyes that were dead and flat- they never twinkled. In Indian culture, the color brown is associated with witches and fiends.
Story Time[]
The baital escaped from the king 24 times before finally going along with him.
According to legend, a holy man asked King Vikram to fetch a corpse from a nearby tree. When Vikram reached the tree, he found that the body had been taken over by a baital. On the trip back to see the holy man, the baital told the king stories that ended in a riddle. Each time the king answered, the baital returned to its tree. After the 25th story, Vikram wisely remained silent. The baital rewarded him by revealing that the holy man's quest was really a trick. He planned to kill Vikram once he returned with the baital. Since he was forewarned, the king was able to turn the table on the holy man by chopping his head off.
Known for hanging upside down like other bats, the Indian flying fox might have inspired the baital legend.
No Vampires Allowed: The baital and king Vikram agreed that the 25 stories told during their journey would be told throughout history. Legend has it that vampires could not threaten people in areas where the stories were told.
Dead or Alive? King Vikram could tell that the baital had no blood because its skin was cold and clammy, like that of a snake. In fact, if the baital hadn't been swinging its tail, the king would've thought it really was just a corpse.
Trading Card[]
Trivia[]
- The mini-heading "Brown-Eyed Ghoul" is a reference to the 1967 Van Morrison song, "Brown Eyed Girl".