Fauns

A Faun playing his famous flute. Photo by Miriam Espacio on Unsplash

NY Times has released the following information about a recent discovery by scientists about the mysterious Crooked Forest in Poland. Have we finally discovered why the trees curve in the same direction and why the forest gives visitors an eerie feeling?

NY Times: A mystery of crooked trees prevails in a Northern region of Poland called Krzywy Las, translated to Crooked Forest in English.

There are many theories of why these trees are curved in the same direction, but the true cause has never been discovered. (Photo at bottom of article for reference.) It is rumored that the secret most likely died with the people of World War II since the trees are thought to have been planted in the 1930s. The town near the forest was destroyed during the war.

Some people hypothesize that the curve is due to an environmental phenomenon, perhaps a heavy snowfall, but this theory doesn't entirely hold up scientifically. Others believe that farmers had purposely manipulated the trees in order to easily sculpt furniture or ships. While both sides have valid arguments, neither can be proven. Similar to a previous article in the Hybrid Creature's Spotlight about the real cause for the disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle, scientists have found that a different Hybrid Creature is responsible for this curve.

While it has always been rumored, portrayed, and written that Fauns have the ability to lure people in with their flute songs, we didn't know that these entrancing flutes have the ability to lure nature towards the sounds. Thanks to years of scientists' work, we now know the cause for these curved trees. Scientists camped in the forest, hearing the faun's flute and measuring the curve of the trees toward the sound over 3 years. The trees curve towards a habitat of Fauns in this region of Poland, their trunks leaning towards the sound.

Fauns, derived from the word Faunus, are a mixture of a human and a goat. A pop culture reference of a Faun is Mr. Tumnus from The Chronicles of Narnia played by James McAvoy. Fauns originate from Greek mythology. According to John Hurst, a mythical creature expert at the University of Oklahoma, Fauns were "originally worshipped throughout the countryside as a bestower of fruitfulness on fields and flocks He eventually became primarily a woodland deity, the sounds of the forest being regarded as his voice." Hurst explained that his voice is actually thought to be the sound of his flute. Fauns are known to play the flute. Their songs are said to put people in a trance, whether for good or for evil. The flute sound has the ability to lure humans to dangerous areas of wooded areas, the Fauns' habitat.

This creature definitely has ill intentions sometimes but is also known to be quite kind to those who do not pique their interests. Some of them don't have bad intentions at all and actually enjoy human interaction. Over the 3 years of studies, the scientists found that human visitors often follow the curve of the trees, curious to see what occurs in the middle of them all or what lies at the end of the trees. About halfway through the mass of curved trees, the human too will hear the flute. Instantly entranced, they wander further into the woods. This is where the unfriendly Fauns take the humans, never to be seen in daylight again. We questioned the scientists, asking what the Fauns do to the human after luring them to their home, but they declined to answer. More years of work in the Crooked Forest may eventually reveal the purpose of luring humans in.

We highly caution against following the curve of the trees in the Crooked Forest. Visit at your own risk.

Author's Note:

I wanted to continue with the theme of mysterious places in the world and how Hybrid Creatures contribute to their mystery. Fauns are known to live in wooded areas, so I discovered this unique forest in Poland and explained its mystery with the Fauns' flute songs. Fauns are known to entrance humans with their flutes, as explained in the story. You may also remember Mr. Tumnus entrancing Lucy at one point in The Chronicles of Narnia. Pan, the Greek god from which Fauns are derived, was the creator of the Pan Flute, so this idea dates back to the origin of Fauns.

I wanted to include some aspects of Fauns' personalities. In my research, it is said that travelers often encounter Fauns in very isolated areas, so it makes sense that a Faun may influence a human away from the rest of humanity. I left the ending without saying what the Faun's intentions are when taking the humans. I imagined that possibly they are creating new Fauns, perhaps building a Faun army... who knows! I wanted the reader to create their own conclusion in that aspect. I hope it was interesting to learn more about Fauns and also an interesting place on Earth. I'd be interested to know, do you believe it was caused by snow or by man-made manipulation? Or by a Faun's flute?