Qallupilluit

The Qallupilluk or Qallupilluit are marine creatures from Inuit mythology. They are often described as having scaly and bumpy skin, not unlike a sculpin. It is said that these are ugly creatures and that they reek of sulfur.

The Qallupilluk is a child-snatcher. No one really knows why these creatures love to take children. Perhaps they take children because they are lonely and like the company, or maybe they like how children taste? Or is there perhaps an even darker reason for the snatching?

Many stories of the Qallupilluk tell of them wearing either duck clothing with large pouches on their back to carry children in. The Qallupilluk hides in the ocean, waiting for children to play alone on the beach or near the breaking ice

Usually the Qallupilluk jump out of the water and grab children without any warning. Sometimes, however, you can hear them knocking under the ice. Some elders have said that if the ocean begins to become wavy in an area or steam begins to rise from the ocean, a Qallupilluk might be hiding underneath the water.

One thing is certain, whether a Qallupilluk is hiding in the water or not, it is never safe to play alone on the beach or near the broken pans of sea ice.

The Qallupulluit is almost definitely a version of a water dwelling bogeyman.