Man-Eater was a mythological monster of the Southeastern tribes,
a huge carnivorous creature that preyed on humans. Its
appearance varied greatly from tribe to tribe-- in some tribes
Man-Eater was described as being bearlike, similar to Naked Bear
monsters of the northern tribes. In others, such as the Creek
and Seminole tribes, Man-Eater was described as a feline monster
similar to a giant mountain lion. In the Alabama and Koasati
tribes, many modern people associate Big Man-Eater with
elephants. Some folklorists believe the legend of Man-Eater may
have been inspired by mammoths or mastodon fossils. You can
visit our stiff-legged bear site to read some opinions about
that. In any case, although the monster's name is translated as
"Cannibal" or "Big Cannibal" in some texts, that is a slight
error in translation. The Native American names for this monster
literally mean simply "man-eater." This creature is not human or
humanoid in any story that we know of, but is always a giant
four-legged animal.