Anaskelades

Anaskelades is a semi-supernatural creature from the ancient folklore of Crete, the Mediterranean island steeped in myth and legend. In older tellings of the tale, the Anaskelades would appear as an ordinary donkey wandering along remote roads, seemingly offering weary travelers a convenient ride. However, any unfortunate soul who climbed onto its back would trigger a terrifying transformation. The beast would swell to enormous proportions, growing as massive as the surrounding mountains themselves, before violently hurling its rider to the ground far below.

As the centuries passed, the legend evolved. In more contemporary versions of the story, the Anaskelades no longer appears as a donkey at first. Instead, it manifests as an innocent-looking bobbin lying abandoned in the road. When a curious traveler stops to examine or retrieve it, the bobbin suddenly transforms into a gigantic donkey-like monster, presumably maintaining its original malevolent intent to terrorize those who encounter it.