Wildmen around the Globe

Wild men are often found in myths, legends and folklore. Some live in snowy or mountain areas, such as the Yeti in the Himalayas, Bigfoot in North America and the Sasquatch in Canada. Other wild men live in the forests, such as the Russian Leshiy, Silenus of Greek mythology and Grendel in the Anglo-Saxon epic, Beowulf. In many old myths, wild men are violent and frightening. They steal away children and attack humans. However, in other tales, from the late 15th century onwards, the wild men are often gentle beings who look after nature. The wild man of Orford was not violent, just strange and different to the people that captured him.



Some people think that, because there are many wild men in folklore, it means that they must once have lived and were the last few of an ancient human species. Others believe that wild men may still live in remote areas of the earth today.