Baku

This week, we’re traveling to Asia to visit the baku, a Japanese chimera who feasts on nightmares. Legend has it that baku were created from leftover parts when the gods were finished making all the other animals. As you might suspect, this means baku are quite a sight to behold. A mishmash of species, baku are said to have a bear’s body, an elephant’s trunk, a tiger’s paws, an ox’s tail, and the eyes of a rhinoceros. But despite their freakish appearance, baku are not inherently ill-willed. In fact, because they subsist on bad dreams, they’re often summoned by children who’ve been woken by nightmares. This week’s episode features an original story by Lindsey Morse & Niall Cooper called “Midnight Snack.” Find a transcript of this episode here.