The Kukudh is a
revenant, a
miser's poor soul that haunts his house after his death. For this reason, people feared the house of a miser and would avoid staying overnight out of fear of being killed. Only a brave boy may defeat the creature and bring eternal peace to its damned soul, being appointed heir in reward. In and around
Tomorr, there is a legend that a
lugat who is not burned in due time will become a Kukudh. In some areas, the Kukudh appears as a stocky and short-legged man with a goat's tail. He is invulnerable and may only be strangled with a noose made of
vine. Because he brings mayhem, an evil man is also commonly referred to as a Kukudh. The Kukudh and
Karkanxholl (etymologically related to
Kallikantzaros , also known as the
Karkançoli) are also
undead "
gypsy" corpses, who go around in January, laden with chains and effusing a deadly breath, known notably among
Calabrian Albanians. According to another version, the Karkançoli is vested with iron clothes, which is why
chainmail armor is known as
këmish karkançoli in
Albanian. In Southern Albania the Kukudh is a blind female
demon of sickness, carrying the
plague. "Kukudh" is also the name of a sickness like
cholera, but worse.
Alexander the Great is said to have brought it, after having raped the corpse of an
Epirote princess, who would not return his love during her lifetime. Consequently, there is a derisive
Tosk saying,
As të ha kukudhi!, which translates to: "Not even the plague will devour you!" == References ==