When Vikings sailed the seas, the kraken loomed as one of the most terrifying sea monsters ever. Legends say this beast's body was the size of an island and its tentacles reached for miles. The monster attacked ships and devoured their crews. The really scary part is that the legend of the kraken may have been based on a real animal.
Ship Sinker: Humans were said to be the beast's favorite prey. The monster searched for ships, then used its giant tentacles to reach the top of a mast, wrapped other tentacles around the hull and pulled the entire crew down to the depths.
Well Equipped: In some stories, the kraken has 1,000 tentacles and 10 heads filled with tusk-like fangs. When the monster sank a ship, it grabbed and gobbled down every last crewmember.
The Real Deal[]
When ships disappeared, krakens were often blamed.
Like many mythical monsters (especially sea serpents), the kraken may be based on a real creature. In 1754, the Bishop of Bergen wrote that the beast was real, and had a tentacle the span of 1.5 miles. These measurements were based on the exaggerated stories of sailors, but the kraken may have actually been a giant squid, which has been known to attack small ships it mistakes for prey. Although the giant squid is only 60 ft. long, sailors were known to exaggerate when telling stories of their adventures at sea.
Whirlpooled: Any ships that successfully fought off a kraken faced the beast's secret weapon. When the sea monster submerged, it left a giant whirlpool in its wake that sucked the ship down.
You're Fired! When near the surface, the large body of a resting kraken was often mistaken for an island. Sailors seeking land would make camp on the beast and anger the kraken when they lit campfires on its back.
Krak Up[]
- At sea for weeks or even months at a time, ancient mariners celebrated every time they found a bit of land, even a chain of small islands. What these sailors don't know, however is that these islands are actually the tentacles of a resting kraken.
- The ship wakes the monster when it gets near and the kraken raises one of its massive heads. Seeing an easy meal, the beast cracks the ship to splinters with its strong tentacles and picks the sailors from the water.
Trading Card[]
Trivia[]
- The kraken is mentioned on the knowledge card of the Giant Squid, which continues to break down the likely inspiration discussed in "The Real Deal" above.
- The kraken is featured in the "match up" section of Super Trivia of Monster Mania 16.