Birth of the Jersey Devil
A New Jersey Legend
retold by S.E. Schlosser
A storm was raging that night in 1735, when Mother Leeds was brought to bed in childbirth. The room was full of woman folk gathered to help her, more out of curiosity than good will. They had all heard the rumors that Mother Leeds was involved in witchcraft, and had sworn she would give birth to a devil.
Tension mounted when at last the baby arrived. It was a relief (and to some a disappointment), when the baby was born completely normal. But a few moments later, before their terrified eyes, the child began to change. The room erupted with screams as the child grew at an enormous rate, becoming taller than a man and changing into a beast which resembled a dragon, with a head like a horse, a snake-like body and bat's wings.
As soon as it was full-grown, the monster began beating all the woman (including his mother) with its thick, forked tail. With a harsh cry, it flew through the chimney and vanished into the storm.
The Monster of Leeds, or the Jersey Devil as he was later called, still haunts the pines of New Jersey, wrecking havoc upon farmer's crops and livestock, poisoning pools and creeks, and appearing on the New Jersey shore just before a ship wreck.
Read more New Jersey folktales in Spooky New Jersey by S.E. Schlosser.
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Comments
what's the story of a sailor who left the sea and walked in land with a pair of rowing oars on his sholder intent in seatling down where and when someone asked him what he was on his sholder?
Posted by: mike fonte | July 23, 2010 09:46 AM
i read it before good story!?!?
Posted by: mornin | July 24, 2010 10:11 AM
and now stars in a reality show
Posted by: Anonymous | August 2, 2010 11:03 PM
Good God! what a story mostly about how this women gave birth then to have turn into an evil thing and beat the CRAP out of her! Did she die? Did it die? GRRR
Posted by: Noami S. | August 25, 2010 11:19 AM
cool story
Posted by: lunatrix | August 30, 2010 06:43 PM
jersy devil is comming 4 u
Posted by: nanna | August 31, 2010 09:56 AM
nanna thats a good one!
Posted by: roxanne | September 5, 2010 09:16 AM
thats really scary! :[
Posted by: anominis | September 8, 2010 05:06 PM
cool
Posted by: liam | September 14, 2010 04:52 PM
That one was really good.
Posted by: Mr.E | September 22, 2010 09:05 AM
haha! they wrote a story about Snooky!!! xD
Posted by: anna | September 23, 2010 09:57 AM
That an episode on my favorite show,Lost Tapes. Its on on Tuesdays On Animal Planet.Its real scary.You should watch it!
Posted by: Person Who comments | September 25, 2010 02:23 PM
That's so wird
Posted by: Stephanie | September 26, 2010 09:49 AM
creepy........
Posted by: Dlyan | September 30, 2010 10:38 AM
When I was younger a group of us went into the Pines overnite camping to look for It,we went as much as we could,many times.I wish I could say one of us seen it,but none of us ever did.
Posted by: .Philly Dude | October 6, 2010 11:50 PM
I love that story. I am thrilled with the Jersey Devil!
Posted by: Qumpers | October 11, 2010 04:28 PM
i wacthed it on lost tapes it's really scary and i couldn't go to bed when i had to!
Posted by: 454567 | October 12, 2010 01:10 PM
that was really good!
Posted by: 44556 | October 12, 2010 01:11 PM
MAN I HAVE ALWAYS WONDERED
HOW THE JERSEY DEVIL WAS HERE.AFTER THAT IT WAS REALLY SCARY. IT FELT LIKE SOMETHING WAS WATCHING ME.
Posted by: Kirsten | October 13, 2010 08:27 AM
it scared the crap out of me
Posted by: Anonymous | October 13, 2010 01:15 PM
ive seen it with my own eyes!!!
Posted by: goo crew | October 14, 2010 12:54 PM
thought he ate them........
Posted by: Anonymous | October 20, 2010 12:50 PM
Saw an episode of Paranormal State that talked about this. Interesting.
Posted by: mrswinchester248920 | October 21, 2010 01:50 AM
that sucks for the mom
Posted by: beefyjerk4u | October 21, 2010 01:59 PM
AWESOME STORY!!!!!!!!!!!! :)
Posted by: Meg | October 21, 2010 02:00 PM
the was so cool and creepy :)
Posted by: Thomas | October 23, 2010 01:48 AM
so awsome
Posted by: Anonymous | October 28, 2010 01:24 PM
I saw the show of the Jersey Devil on paranormal state, i think it was like a dragon. I might be confused
Posted by: Erika | October 28, 2010 03:55 PM
that was a goood story
Posted by: Anonymous | October 29, 2010 09:35 AM
this is ok but it could have been longer
Posted by: alayo | October 31, 2010 08:36 PM
I remember the first time I heard the Jersey Devil story. I lived in the Pine Barrens at the time, and I was afraid to go near the windows for fear of him seeing me.
But it's not scary anymore.
However, I still find the entire story interesting.
Posted by: kimmi | October 31, 2010 10:16 PM
that would b soo cool if this ACTUALLY hapend lol
Posted by: Anonymous | November 1, 2010 07:57 PM
ive seen him
Posted by: kale stringer | November 3, 2010 11:30 AM
the storm is asome.
Posted by: Anonymous | November 3, 2010 04:19 PM
Its coming for snooki.
Posted by: FlippyMcfly | November 10, 2010 11:21 AM
i have read this story a 1000 times though it never fails to amaze
Posted by: brend | November 14, 2010 10:28 AM
awesome story!!! but kinda wierd how a baby just turned into a devil! as soon it was born and brought to the room!
Posted by: Julianna | November 30, 2010 10:54 AM
it exsist and is harmless
Posted by: ??? | December 2, 2010 05:19 PM
cool
Posted by: william | December 6, 2010 11:22 AM
its alright:)
Posted by: Anonymous | December 6, 2010 01:17 PM
that folk tale was cool l love it.
Posted by: Anonymous | December 14, 2010 03:49 PM
Wow. Very weird story. O.O
Posted by: Jessica | December 14, 2010 11:44 PM
love it/
Posted by: bianca | December 20, 2010 10:51 AM
AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! I think I changed my mind about going to Jeresy!
Posted by: Spunky | December 25, 2010 08:59 PM
wow this is a story
Posted by: marmar234 | January 6, 2011 03:13 PM
that waz cool:)
Posted by: savannah norris | January 10, 2011 09:29 AM
cool story
Posted by: vanesa | January 10, 2011 09:29 AM
cool
Posted by: dallas | January 25, 2011 09:08 PM
i love that show too
Posted by: Anonymous | January 26, 2011 02:26 PM
did his mother died the mother of the hairy twit
Posted by: val | January 29, 2011 02:01 AM
whoa scary how he killed his own mom.. ._.
Posted by: cry-n-dye | February 1, 2011 05:38 PM
omg i loved that story it was sorta scary but i think ill be fine write me back soon i would hate to be mother of that child it would be scary.ill write back but i gotta fix my little sis make up.
Posted by: fayth gutknecht | February 5, 2011 02:44 PM
Hmmm...Good story, but not completely accurate...You see, I am a 26 year old "monster spotter." I travel the globe searching for ledendary monsters and creatures. So far, the Jersey Devil is my most recent research project. I have gone on several expeditions and I actually have come back with some proof. Turns out, the Jersey Devil transformed into a devil only a few minutes after it's birth. It's mother locked it in the cellar out of fright, and it escaped through a broken window. It has been around ever since. I hope this cleared things up a bit. :)
Posted by: Katrina | February 7, 2011 03:45 PM
I saw that story on Tv one time. what a crazy woman.
Posted by: Anonymous | February 9, 2011 11:29 AM
Really good story.
Posted by: reema | February 10, 2011 05:31 PM
i waant to movee to jerseey but im a little freeakeed out noow hahaa:)
Posted by: Anonymous | February 20, 2011 03:59 PM
why would the mother do that
Posted by: Anonymous | February 22, 2011 04:21 PM
I live in NJ and I really think that's real.
Posted by: dono | February 27, 2011 07:29 PM
great story but awfully short
Posted by: emily | March 4, 2011 12:53 PM
omg
Posted by: Anonymous | March 4, 2011 01:59 PM
AS IF JERSEY DIDNT ALLREADY HAVE A BAD RAP!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: PHILLIP | March 14, 2011 01:36 AM
i know a different version
Posted by: flippy | March 15, 2011 07:20 PM
We went on a trip in 6th grade to a camp in the pine barrens. On the first night our activity was watching a movie about the devil. The movie ended and the TV went black and at that moment my teacher screams a deep scream and the entire room was black and we all screamed in fear. After the movie was a hay ride dirt road with thick dark trees on both sides. Ill tell you that was scary. Dark as anything it was so scary.
Posted by: Kevin | March 19, 2011 02:30 PM
I have always believed in mythacal creatures and The Jersey evil is the 3rd coolest yet! I wish I could see it in real life!
Posted by: Luis Amorim | March 23, 2011 08:12 AM
that would freak me out and i cant beleive that he killed his own mother!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Clair pridgen | March 23, 2011 08:13 AM
woah!! I wonder if he has ever appeared in highlands
Posted by: Anonymous | March 24, 2011 12:14 PM
pretty good
Posted by: adrian | April 3, 2011 03:24 PM
very good story:)
Posted by: chancer88 | May 19, 2011 10:29 AM
i thought it was a pretty good myth. i like myths with so called evidence that the character is real.
Posted by: Anonymous | May 25, 2011 02:06 PM
Also, the Jersey Devil, according to the original story, was going to be Mother Leeds' 13th child. During Labor, she said "Let it be the devil."
Posted by: stagesiren | June 11, 2011 01:57 PM
AHHHHH!! I LIVE IN NEW JERSEY!!!
Posted by: Ahmed | June 20, 2011 05:12 PM
hmm....its really a good story but i think it is not complete....but its a good story.....luv it:)
Posted by: mano | July 5, 2011 05:45 AM
wait i've heard a different version of this story and it said that the mom already had a bunch of children and she didn't want another one so she wished that it would be the devil but then regretted it but it was born like that
Posted by: lol | July 5, 2011 04:57 PM
i tottaly belivin this i mean i belive it like i belive bloody mary one night me and my frind were do the bloody mary thing and all of the sudden the room started to shake an a picture of her dog fell to the bathroom floor and we hered a high pitch nois and then we couldnt open the door
Posted by: lily | July 9, 2011 05:44 PM
woah/////////omg
Posted by: shital | July 24, 2011 08:48 AM
it's good.I like it
Posted by: Amrutha | August 8, 2011 11:15 PM
cool story.
Posted by: Marleys Momma! | August 12, 2011 07:49 PM
cool
Posted by: Anonymous | August 19, 2011 12:08 PM