Two Girls One Ghost – Episode 341

The Nuckelavee & the Green Clawed Beast of the Ohio River

Hosts: Corinne Vien & Sabrina Deana-Roga
Release Date: September 28, 2025

Episode Overview

Corinne and Sabrina dive into two chilling monster legends: the gruesome Scottish Nuckelavee and the enigmatic Green Clawed Beast of the Ohio River. Broadcasting from deep in the woods, they layer atmosphere, folklore, and personal banter to create an immersive exploration of how local horrors become enduring supernatural myths.

Main Themes

• The manifestation of monsters from cultural fears and historical trauma
• The blend of natural phenomena, folklore, and the paranormal
• The psychological impact of storytelling and horror myths

Key Discussion Points

1. Setting the Mood in the Woods

Begins ~01:16

• The duo records outside at night, surrounded by woods, "close to civilization" but on edge from recent true crime research (01:47).
• Jokes, references to being creeped out, and anxiety about spiders and the noises in the forest:

  “I was very on edge because the woods are behind us. There were a lot of creeks, there were a lot of cracks.” – Sabrina (01:46)

2. Monster Meditation: Laying the Foundation for Fear

06:30–08:49

• Sabrina guides a “monster meditation,” blending relaxation with apprehension as she describes darkness pressing in, inviting listeners to imagine being stalked by monsters:

  “This is not one of those meditations. This is a Two Girls One Ghost monster meditation.” – Sabrina (07:19)
  “It waits at the end of your bed, outside of your tent, maybe in the backseat of your car or at the bottom of a lake, reaching for your ankles.” – Sabrina (07:34)

3. The Nuckelavee: Scotland’s Skinless Sea Demon

12:00–34:10

Physical Description & Origins

• Sabrina introduces the Nuckelavee:

  • Horse-like, skinless, throbbing with exposed veins, with a human-like torso fused to its back and grotesquely long, dragging arms.
  • Its breath is foul and toxic, spreading blight and death.

  “A body absent of skin. Huge veins and muscle fiber exposed and raw, throbbing and pulsing... The worst of all is its breath.” – Sabrina (12:03, 13:07)

• Legend hails from Orkney Islands, Scotland; the name translates as “devil of the sea” (15:19).

Origin Story

Tomas and the Night on the Moors

• Earliest written account by Thomas Trail Denison in the 16th century, recounted in the 19th century (18:32).
• Tomas, walking home at night, encounters the Nuckelavee—“horse-shaped, but without skin”—is chased, flees over a freshwater stream, and is spared, as the demon cannot cross freshwater (19:14–23:21).
• Quote:

  “As it approached nearer and nearer, Tomas was struck by the smell he could only later describe as the smell of death. It reeked of rot and disease, like swallowing the plague.” – Sabrina (21:55)

Cultural & Historical Context

• The creature is blamed for plagues, dead crops, and famine—literalizes the fear of environmental disasters; “it must be supernatural” (24:32).
• Historical kelp-burning industry produced toxic arsenic, which was likely the real cause of blights and deaths attributed to the Nuckelavee (31:31).

  “Whenever they burned seaweed… people would die, death and decay would follow. Crops would die, cattle... would die. And they truly thought Nuckelavee was punishing them...” – Sabrina (31:38)

Powers & Weaknesses

• The Nuckelavee can leave the sea and roam land in the cold months.
• Only fresh water or iron can stop it; rain, streams, and ponds are protection (28:57).
• Its presence is always paired with a sickening, “plague-bringing” odor.

Modern Resonance

• Today, the Nuckelavee is more myth than real fear but remains one of the most terrifying European monsters for its symbolic potency and wild appearance (32:52–33:38).

4. The Green Clawed Beast of the Ohio River

35:34–57:16

The 1955 Encounter

• In August 1955, Naomi Johnson, swimming with her children and friend Louise Lambolt in the Ohio River near Evansville, Indiana, is pulled underwater by a powerful, hairy, clawed hand (39:14–42:18).
• Naomi emerges with green-stained handprints and deep scratch marks, which baffle doctors by vanishing within 24 hours (43:10).
• Local authorities investigate but find no explanation; the press spreads the “Green Clawed Beast” story rapidly, fueling local lore (44:10–45:24).
• U.S. Air Force involvement: A colonel warns Naomi not to speak about her encounter, deepening the mystery (45:43).

  “A colonel from the Air Force… warned them to never speak to anyone about this encounter ever again.” – Corinne (45:53)

UFO Connection & Regional Folklore

• Occurs the same week as the famous 1955 Kelly-Hopkinsville Goblins** UFO encounter in Kentucky (50:22–51:06).
• Sightings and stories of other large mysterious creatures and glowing underwater discs begin to abound in the region (47:48, 54:45).

  “People are starting to see strange glowing lights hovering over the river late at night…. Could this be aliens?” – Corinne (54:45)

Theories

• Theories range from unknown cryptids/dinosaurs to mutated creatures from chemical spills.
• Some compare it to other regional monsters, like the Loveland Frogman (49:58).

Notable Quotes & Banter

• “If something touches you, get out right now.” – Corinne (41:28)
• “None of these animals have hairy paws. None leave strange green stained handprints that disappear under 24 hours”—Corinne (53:33)

Ongoing Mysteries

• No further verified sightings, but the legend lives on—locals continue to report odd sensations and sightings in the Ohio River (57:15).

5. Reflection & Discussion: What Lurks Beneath

• Banter about monster preferences—would you rather face the Nuckelavee or the Green Claw? (57:52)

  “It feels easier to escape, whereas if you’re in the river, you don’t know what’s beneath you unless you’re right next to the shore…” – Sabrina (58:24)

• Deeper themes about how monsters embody the social anxieties of the times—famine, winter, disease, or pollution—and the folk stories that emerge to explain them (33:47–34:19).

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• [06:43] “Embrace the night. Listen to the whispers. Pay close attention to the creeks, the clicks and the clacks in the world around you.” – Sabrina
• [13:07] “Worst of all is its breath. It is so foul, so toxic. It wreaks havoc and spreads like the plague.” – Sabrina
• [21:55] “As it approached nearer and nearer, Tomas was struck by the smell he could only later describe as the smell of death…” – Sabrina
• [41:28] “If something touches you, get out right now.” – Corinne
• [45:53] “A colonel from the Air Force… warned them to never speak to anyone about this encounter ever again.” – Corinne
• [54:45] “People are starting to see strange glowing lights hovering over the river late at night… Could this be aliens?” – Corinne

Notable Segment Timestamps

• 01:16–03:46: Introduction, mood-setting, Crime podcast mention
• 06:30–08:49: Monster Meditation (Sabrina leads spooky guided reflection)
• 12:00–34:10: Sabrina’s deep-dive: Nuckelavee folklore and history
• 35:34–57:16: Corinne’s tale: Green Clawed Beast and Ohio River encounter
• 57:52–59:31: Monster showdowns and cultural reflection

Final Thoughts

The episode blends research and atmosphere, taking listeners from the desolate moors and violent winds of Orkney to the murky, haunted waterways of the American Midwest. Through their playful banter and well-researched stories, Sabrina and Corinne remind us that monsters—however bizarre—often represent humanity’s deep anxieties about the uncontrollable forces of nature, illness, and the unknown.

Would you rather face the Nuckelavee or risk your luck with the Green Clawed Beast? The woods—and the rivers—might just be listening.

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