The Old Hag

David Hufford, in 1971, while conduction research in Newfoundland, came across a strange phenomenon in local folklore named the Old Hag. According to local accounts, this Hag was some unknown creature that attacked its sleeping victims while they lie in their beds.

These strange accounts recorded instances of waking up suddenly, but being unable to move as some entity seemed to press down or "sit" on their chest.

Hufford soon discovered the commonality of this event not only in Newfoundland, but across North America as well.

The Old Hag phenomenon, however, is not exclusive to North American experience. In the small East Asian country of Laos, there is an old account of a creature known as Dab Tsog that fits the same profile as the North American Hag. Dab Tsog is referred to as one of many kinds of Dab - creatures who live in caves and holes underground by day, but venture forth at night to terrorize their victims.

The Old Hag phenomenon is rampant among Western folklore, though the stories surrounding the origin of this nightime paralysis are as varied as any folk tale can be. Speculations abound about this "Old Hag" being everything from a demon or malevolent spirit, to, in fact, extraterrestials.

Science itself has been unable to track down the exact cause of this disorder, and though studies of sleep paralysis have been completed in depth, the vast reports of hallucinatory occurrences are still unaccountable. It is extremely common for individuals experiencing this phenomenon to see otherworldly entities, experience the feeling of a presence, and hear chattering voices while they lie there unable to move.

What follows is a detailed first hand account of the Old Hag experience that was relayed to me through an email correspondence. It presents many of the common scenarios that engulf the individual suffering from this phenomenon.

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Asleep in my second floor bedroom (side-split ranch style bungalow) with a view overlooking the short drive-way and having a street light / hydro transformer combo located at the end of the drive. The street light would shine with sufficient intensity - into my room - to allow me to read large print without having to turn on the main bedroom light - proper.

So as indicated I was asleep, peacefully snoozing away when suddenly my restful sleep was torn asunder by a merciless kick to the ribs (at the midway point between elbow and shoulder - a little closer to the elbow...) This was a potentially life threatening blow that hurt for weeks afterwards - it was as if I had received a thrust from a cosmic sword! Of course I [awoke from] this and stared around the room only to immediately realize that I was paralyzed - encased in "psychic cement." I could move my head [from] side to side and up and down but no movement below the neck line. I thought [to myself]: "Huh? What am I dying?"

I had just went to sleep a few hours ago and now what - heinous pain in the ribs and no movement below the neckline? What have I done to myself? I looked to my immediate left and viewed my red LED digital clock: it read 3:15 a.m. but there was something sinister about that readout!

Very profound in its own way - this digital clock connection has been reported by others in a similar vein. Perhaps an entropic issue with the division and display of time or numbers - I really don't know, but it keeps coming up in the literature. Next, I noticed that my plants on the window ledge were power-wilting and conforming to the edge of the window ledge... and shivering! Yes, shivering!

I'm was thinking that [the plant episode] was not a very encouraging sign... and what about me?

I took a quick account of my condition and realized that not only [was] I unable to move, but I wasn't breathing, nor was I able to yell for help. Rest assured, I tried but not a peep was to be heard.

What I did hear was a strange gurgling sound (a cacophony of backwards talking sentient voices). I also heard my first name being repeated, and, most disturbingly, I heard a rhythmic mechanical one-way breathing - very much the Darth Vader scuba regulator sound; one way only, however - exhale...

I was in a very confused state of affairs. I thought "I must be dying, better keep moving," and so I did - I violently began moving my head side to side and up and down, trying to shake whatever accursed thing had beset me. No progress. I noticed my bedroom walls were somehow appearing distorted, and, similarily, I noticed an unusual stripe on my bedroom door - a downward opening crescent-shaped swath, having a grey stucco-like texture or quality, and was pretty much centered on the door, perhaps two-thirds of the distance up from the floor to the top of the door proper.

I realized in my rather debilitated condition "Hey! That wasn't there last night!" So I sharpened my focus ostensibly to examine this item better, and perhaps shed some light on my predicament. I was in a rather desperate state of affairs at this particular juncture (which incidentally did not improve for some period of time forthwith). No sooner had I sharpened my focus on this unusual swath that a miniature psychic explosion occurred, and "whamo!" there was somebody (something) standing, or more accurately hovering, around the left side of my bed - just past the foot[...].

This unit appeared at first to adjust itself as would a bird that had just landed to roost. It presented a rather disturbing site. A hazy layer with a hump in the [center] (I have to use the sunny side up egg analogy); and under the central hump I could see a scene of great depth reminiscent of a picture postcard of a sunset with clouds and seagulls.

This serene view was quickly replaced as it drew the edges down and assumed it's more familiar terrestrial character - the character I unaffectionatly term the "Bunker Man", or "Parka Man", or the "Quantum Creature." It is my understanding that it is also referred to as Le Horla, or Beelzebub, or Luu Painaja (Bone Binder from Estonian folklore). It was pretty much my misfortune to have made it's acquaintance.

"Questions! Questions!", it barked at me! "I want you to realize I am here!" I thought "Gee! I'm fresh out of questions Mister!" "Not good enough." it responded. "e;Questions! Questions!" came the none too uncertain telepathic response. I was at a loss! [It continued] "Questions! Questions! And I want you to realize I'm here!" over and over - perhaps 15 to 20 times.

I was mortified at this point. I thought "Hey this is telepathy!" It picked up on that thought right away and responded with "So? So what?" as it moved closer and suddenly plunked down on my left hand, [...] reading my palm. It positioned itself so rapidly on my palm that I didn't realize initially that it was engaging in [a] palm reading. I thought that it might have moved right passed me, but then, upon raising my head, I was able to make out the dark shoulders and hood [over] my left hand!

Nothing really happened. I didn't feel a thing - couldn't move, but also felt no pain. This lasted for perhaps a minute or so. "Help!" I silently scream! Suddenly it removed itself and stood straight up again, hovering off to my left, oscillating up and down - very rythmically - an inch or so.

"Questions! Questions! And I Want You To Realize I'm Here" I thought "Gee, I need to breath Mister!" "You do not breath in my presence." it responded. [...] "If my Dad catches you in here..." I thought "...you are toast Mister."

In response to this thought of mine it turned and moved to the right hand corner of my room (with it's back to me), and peered through the walls. [It seemed to] sprinkle some [...] powder behind my Dad's ear. [It then] turned swiftly, as though it was only capable of executing 90 degree rotations and direct translations. It turns back and suggested "e;that's is not happening!"

I was now in abject horror mode. I tried to spin free with no particular progress. I tried screaming real loud "e;I'm a kid" - kids are known for their screaming abilities. My vocal chords were completely off line [though]. [It was] very disconcerting - going through the motions of yelling and ending up with a big zero; a big fat donut; not a peep to be heard.

"Questions! Questions! And I Want You...!" I thought to myself: "Gee Mister, You must be in a rush - I'm sure you have more important people to ghoul." "Time! Time!" it responded. "What do you know about time?" (clock connection?) Probably not a whole helluva lot I gather! The impression was one of 'do not rush me I repeat, do not push me around.' "Hmmm..." I thought. "What to do?"

I thought to myself "This is one dead dude." Immediately it barked "Why would you ever think I was alive? Why? Why would you ever think I was alive?" [The thought was a] big mistake on my part. [Apparently] it held living things as exceptionally low on the cosmic ladder. In fact, we are firmly planted under the ladder with the leg of the ladder down our collective collars.

So far I was not doing particularly well with my clever conversation. Suddenly hazy metaphysical cables appeared on me across my chest and around my shoulders - typical wrestler's lines of application. They were not painful but they were basically unbreakable [...]. These restraints, it has been suggested, also appear around the wrists and ankles and a broad band across the midriff replete with metaphysical locks securing the band to the bed!

[A friend of mine had a similar experience:] "Rise and shine Sunshine - it's me! - I'm here!" it barked at my friend as it entered his room through the [closed] door. He remembers the conversation only too well. His interloper wore a trench coat and a wide brimmed hat - a deer stalker hat I believe they are referred to as - hat and coat, but no face! My friend was not initially paralyzed. In fact, he jumped up and swung a punch at this intruder. Immediately he received a push against the upper chest that flung him backwards back onto the bed and he found himself bound with hazy cufflets at the ankles and wrists and the broad band across the midriff. "Tough guy eh! Well I happen to have some important business right now. Just remember I was here or I'll be back!" [it said] as it walked back through the door.

[So] I stared at these weird restraints wondering how to break these bonds (I believe them to be internal to us - it just knows how to activate them. Ultimately it acts as the server and we humans are as mere work stations!). I was keeping one eye on buddy standing there when I noticed a projection of sorts. It was pointing at me!

I brought my head up. I wondered what that was? Well no sooner had I thought this when the digit on it's right side projected outwards and across the room... and got me right in the nose!

Now it was absolute darkness! No pain; perhaps a slight punch in the nose sensation, but otherwise absolute and complete darkness!

I began repeating: "Out! Out! Out!" over and over! Nothing! "Out! Out!" Still nothing. I was very much concerned regarding my uneviable predicament. I remember desperately thinking what to do. "Out dude! Out!" Nothing - nothing but darkness!

Suddenly, like a trap door revealing itself, I found myself pretty much inside my mind, opening doors, and running down corridors, trying to locate this interloper. I didn't really have the luxury to admire, or wonder, over my new found portal. I was just very much concerned with extricating whatever, or whomever, it was that had so brazenly lodged itself within me.

Upon reflection, I was amazed at the speed with which I canvassed the various recesses within myself. All [was] for naught though. Suddenly, it spoke out "You are right! I am in here! Not so fast though!" (pretty much exact word selection). Next thing I know my life began to flash before my eyes. It had triggered a download. I felt like a fireworks demonstration was occurring inside my brain. Specifically, it was interested in those memories that have an adrenaline flag associated with them.

Boom! Boom! Boom! - scene after scene. Of course, I was petitioning it to cease and desist as I became acutely aware that my built-in battery level indicator was beginning to bottom out. (Amazingly there exists a tangible level indicator of some description that one can refer to in such a situation.). These scenes were being flashed at a very high rate - so high that [no] specific [memories were] discernible.

People in near-death situations report seeing their life flash before their eyes - evidently this is an externally triggered (and monitered) occurrence. This, of course, implies some form of cosmic accountability. [...] Memories may also serve as some type of entropic cosmic fuel and are not allowed to go to waste.

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Many scientists and skeptics surmise that visions and voices during this strange sleep paralysis are nothing more than a lucid dream or "waking dream" brought on by the paralyzed sleeper being engaged in hypnogogic imagery while standing on the edge between sleeping and waking. Of course, this would also mean that documented deaths attributed to SUNDS (Sudden Unexplained Nocturnal Death Syndrome) that occurred within the immigrant Laos communities, and were successfully linked to the Dab Tsong folk tale, were just a matter of psychosomatic coincidence, or synchronicity. Somehow, I think that there is something more at play here.