The Alu was often described in Babylonian legends as a black dog.

Introduction

An alu is an interesting combination between Armenian lore and Christianity. It is described as being a half-human, half-animal hybrid. The al is also seen in Babylonian lore, as a spirit that causes diseases, and takes the shape of a black dog. It has one fierce eye, iron teeth, tusks like a wild boar, long hair resembling serpents, and brass fingernails. It is also said that it sometimes wears a pointed hat covered with bells, which can make the alu invisible. They like to dwell in dirty, sandy, damp places, so they are often seen in stables, along the road, and sometimes they arefound in abandoned houses.

Christian Origins

In Christian lore, it is said that after God created Adam from dust he created an the al from fire. The two did not get along, as a result, God created Eve for Adam to substitute the incompatibility. This spun the Alu into a horrible rage. From then on he hated women, especially those who are pregnant, as it symbolized man’s love of women over him. He would strangle the mothers-to-be and pull out their liver, along with the unborn child’s liver. It also can cause miscarriages. Also, besides the unborn, the alu can steal and kill newborns as old as seven months. It is believed that St. Peter came across the creature by the roadside, and asked it to identify itself. It then proceeded to tell him his name and told him what he did to women and babies, making itself known to Christians.

Protection

If you want to protect yourself against the al, it is best to keep a lot of iron around, as it is thought to hurt or repel it. Prayers and charms are said to work as well. It is best to put these objects around the bed of a pregnant woman and to keep an iron knife under the pillow just in case.