Maiti-Warukarukaji (Hopping Corpses)

Maiti-mrukarukaji (Hopping corpse)

Katika hekaya za Kichina, maiti-warukarukaji hujificha mahali penye giza kama vile mapango wakati wa mchana. Wakati wa usiku, wao husonga kwa kurukaruka na mikono yake ikiwa imenyoshwa kila wakati. Inaaminika kuwa maiti-mrukarukaji ni kavu sana, hivi kwamba hawezi kunja viungo vyake na mwili, hivyo inabidi asonge kwa kurukaruka akiwa amenyosha mikono yake yanayomwezesha kusonga. Sifa yake ya kipekee ni ngozi yake ya kijani-nyeupe kutokana na ukungu au kuvu inayomea kwenye maiti na kucha zake ndefu zenye ukali wa wembe. Wao huwa vipofu na wanaweza epukwa kwa kushikilia pumzi, kwa kuwa wafuata viumbe hai kwa kutambua kupumua kwao. Maiti-mrukarukaji anaweza kuwekwa alale kwa kubandika kwenye paji lake kipande cha hati ya kukunja ya manjano, kiitwacho karatasi ya ulinzi au hirizi ya Kichina, iliyo andikiwa laana.

In Chinese legend, hopping-corpses hide in dark places such as caves during the day. At night, they move around by hopping with their arms permanently outstretched. It is believed that the hopping-corpse is so stiff, that it cannot bend its limbs and body, so it has to move around by hopping while keeping its arms extended for mobility. A peculiar feature is its greenish-white skin due to fungus or mold growing on the corpse and its long razor-sharp claws. They are blind, and may be evaded by holding one’s breath, as they track living creatures by detecting their breathing. A hopping-corpse can be put to sleep by pinning on their forehead a piece of a yellow scroll, called a ward-paper or Chinese talisman, with a spell written on it.