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For all New Jersey residents (What is your Jersey Devil?)


sterling

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Bruce Springsteen has posted a free download of a new song "A Night With the Jersey Devil" on his web site. Springsteen writes, "if you grew up in central or south Jersey you grew up with the Jersey Devil". Then there is a video of Bruce shown as the Jersey devil.

Ok we have many Jersey residents who regularly post here. Bernie, Dar, Lobster Dave, Ira and the list goes on....What the heck is this all about? Are we poor Midwesterners missing out on a cultural event that is missing in our lives? Please enlighten us!!!

Phil

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I believe it is a folklore creature "found" from central Jersey south. It's a mixed breed monster with wings, a tail, a dog's face, etc.....This particular devil doesn't play hockey...nor would it be found near the Meadowlands. LOL

We have a similar creature in SWFL folklore.....the "Swamp-Ape".

Sorry that's all I know about the Jeresy Devil...of course I only lived in Jersey 10 years.

John

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I don't know much about it, but there's a myth that a Mrs. Leeds (possibly from Leeds Point, NJ in the Pinelands) had 12 children and upon finding out she was pregnant with a 13th, said she wished the child would be a devil, and it was born with wings and a tail, etc.

Burlington, NJ also claims some credit for the story. Mrs. Leeds or "Mother Leeds" seems to be a common thread in all these tales, which are many and varied. The creature was supposedly responsible for closing schools and factories and scaring people out of their wits.

Pine Barrens folklore...

smile --D

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It's said to live in the New Jersey Pine Barrens.

Both "Jersey Devil" and "Pine Barrens" always sounded creepy to me.

That's pretty much where legend has it that the creature exsists. The Pine Barrens is a pretty creepy area. I've been down there quite a few times and the first thing you think of is The Jersey Devil. Some people swear that it exists....I'm from northeast N.J. and we have quite a few devils up here too.....those of the two legged, gun toting variety. lol
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You GOT it Marv! That was the FUNNIEST episode of the whole series! That's what being stuck in the Pine Barrens will do to you! It almost happened to me and a buddy of mine. When night falls....you Feel that primal instinct of fear. I'm not kidding!

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The Star-Ledger(largest paper in NJ) did a series on the Pine Barrens about 7 or 8 years ago.It focused on an entire population that has existed there for well over 150 years without contact with the "outside" world.They are a very unorthodox group with some suggestion of inbreeding.They claimed to confirm the existence of the so-called Jersey Devil.The articles are probably available online.

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