Krasue: The Floating Head
The Nocturnal Separation
The Krasue (Thailand) or Ap (Cambodia) is the most visceral horror of Southeast Asian folklore. She appears as a normal woman by day, living indistinguishable from her neighbors. But at night, a curse activates. Her head detaches from her neck. It does not float alone. It drags the trachea, heart, lungs, and a mass of intestines out of the neck cavity. This floating biological mass glows with a luminescent green or red light as it hovers through the night air.
The Diet of Filth
The Krasue is a vampire of degradation. She hunts for:
- Blood: Specifically from cattle or wounded humans.
- Placenta: Her preferred prey is pregnant women. She uses a long, tubular tongue to drain the fetus or the afterbirth.
- Filth: If blood is unavailable, she consumes feces and carrion. This diet leaves a foul smell on her breath during the day, which she compulsively tries to mask.
The Vulnerability
The Krasue is terrifying but fragile. While her head hunts, her headless body remains hidden in her home.
- The Trap: If villagers find the body, they can destroy her without fighting the head. They may flip the body over (so the head cannot reattach) or rub chili peppers and salt on the neck stump.
- The Dawn: If she cannot reattach before sunrise, the sun's rays will burn her exposed organs, killing her instantly.
Deterrents
Villagers protect their homes with thorny branches. The Krasue fears thorns because her trailing intestines are easily snagged. If she gets caught, she is trapped until dawn. Thus, houses with pregnant women are often surrounded by piles of thorny acacia.
The Final Warning
The curse of the Krasue is born of filth and hunger. If you see a green light bobbing over the rice fields, do not mistake it for a firefly. It is a floating intestine seeking a host. If your neighbor constantly wipes her mouth and smells of rust, do not invite her in; instead, plant thorns around your windows.
