Legendary Catfish: Difference between revisions

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== [[Film]] ==
== [[Film]] ==
* At the beginning of ''[[Big Fish]]'', Edward Bloom tells a story about how, when his son was being born, he was busy being dragged around a lake after having been foolish enough to try to catch one of these legendary catfish. After having used his wedding ring as bait.
* At the beginning of ''[[Big Fish]]'', Edward Bloom tells a story about how, when his son was being born, he was busy being dragged around a lake after having been foolish enough to try to catch one of these legendary catfish. After having used his wedding ring as bait.

== Folklore ==
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* The association of catfishes with earthquakes seems rather common in Japanese works. This goes back to a Japanese legend that earthquakes are caused by a giant catfish wriggling in the mud underneath the earth.
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* This [http://www.snopes.com/critters/lurkers/catfish.asp Urban Legend] about a giant catfish.
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* '''Every Single Lake''' in America has its own Legendary Fish. Or at least some other awesome Folkie Tale or Legendary Legend, sometimes with cool gory bits. Make sure to ask around every time you visit one.
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** OK, OK, every single ''large'', natural lake, and only the ones that don't have prehistoric monsters in them.
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* Russian folklore features the sentient "Miraclous Whale Fish", whose body was turned into a [[Genius Loci|floating town]] as a [[Laser-Guided Karma|divine punishment]] for swallowing thirty ships ages ago. [[The Protagonist]] tells The Catfish about the punishment's reason, after which it spits out all of the ships ''unharmed together with the crew''. As soon as it's free from its curse, it starts helping the protagonist.


== [[Literature]] ==
== [[Literature]] ==
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* In ''December Boys'', an old fisherman named Shellback spends his days trying to catch a huge fish called Henry, {{spoiler|and was visibly upset when one of the orphans beat him in catching Henry}}.
* In ''December Boys'', an old fisherman named Shellback spends his days trying to catch a huge fish called Henry, {{spoiler|and was visibly upset when one of the orphans beat him in catching Henry}}.


== [[Live Action TV]] ==
== [[Live-Action TV]] ==
* The show ''[[River Monsters]]'' and variants, are all about this.
* The show ''[[River Monsters]]'' and variants, are all about this.
** They did a show about giant catfish in Germany, where tradition going back hundreds of years says, they eat people. It turns out they [[I'm a Humanitarian|only nip at them a little]]. Overlaps with [[Legendary Carp]].
** They did a show about giant catfish in Germany, where tradition going back hundreds of years says, they eat people. It turns out they [[I'm a Humanitarian|only nip at them a little]]. Overlaps with [[Legendary Carp]].
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== [[Newspaper Comics]] ==
== [[Newspaper Comics]] ==
* Khan, the giant catfish, is Julius' nemesis in ''[[Liberty Meadows]]''. Julius reacts to sightings of Khan the same way that Captain Ahab reacts to reports of [[Moby Dick]].
* Khan, the giant catfish, is Julius' nemesis in ''[[Liberty Meadows]]''. Julius reacts to sightings of Khan the same way that Captain Ahab reacts to reports of [[Moby Dick]].

== [[Oral Tradition]], [[Folklore]], Myths and Legends ==
⚫
* The association of catfishes with earthquakes seems rather common in Japanese works. This goes back to a Japanese legend that earthquakes are caused by a giant catfish wriggling in the mud underneath the earth.
⚫
* This [http://www.snopes.com/critters/lurkers/catfish.asp Urban Legend] about a giant catfish.
⚫
* '''Every Single Lake''' in America has its own Legendary Fish. Or at least some other awesome Folkie Tale or Legendary Legend, sometimes with cool gory bits. Make sure to ask around every time you visit one.
⚫
** OK, OK, every single ''large'', natural lake, and only the ones that don't have prehistoric monsters in them.
⚫
* Russian folklore features the sentient "Miraculous Whale Fish", whose body was turned into a [[Genius Loci|floating town]] as a [[Laser-Guided Karma|divine punishment]] for swallowing thirty ships ages ago. [[The Protagonist]] tells the Whale Fish about the punishment's reason, after which it spits out all of the ships ''unharmed together with the crew''. As soon as it's free from its curse, it starts helping the protagonist.


== [[Real Life]] ==
== [[Real Life]] ==
* Arguable example: [http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=vf34hkPXHHw This] [[Real Life]] example.
* Arguable example: [http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=vf34hkPXHHw This] [[Real Life]] example.
** Even Bigger ones [https://web.archive.org/web/20090404050634/http://www.devilsden.com/default.php here:]
** Even Bigger ones [https://web.archive.org/web/20090404050634/http://www.devilsden.com/default.php here:]
* In 2006 there was a rumour that a sea monster had been seen in the moats of Varbergs fästning in Sweden. A woman who was out walking her dog had seen something huge shoot up from the water and swallow a gull in midflight. The monster turned out to be a large catfish.
* In 2006 there was a rumour that a sea monster had been seen in the moats of [[w:Varberg Fortress|Varberg Fortress]] in Sweden. A woman who was out walking her dog had seen something huge shoot up from the water and swallow a gull in midflight. The monster turned out to be a large catfish.
* Reggie: a feral Gator swimming in Machado Lake in Harbor City, California. After over a year, he was caught in May 2007 and currently resides in the LA Zoo. The late Steve Irwin would've had a go...if not for his unfortunate accident.
* Reggie: a feral Gator swimming in Machado Lake in Harbor City, California. After over a year, he was caught in May 2007 and currently{{when}} resides in the LA Zoo. The late Steve Irwin would've had a go...if not for his unfortunate accident.
* [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124991924916619783.html?mod=yhoofront Benson the giant carp], formerly of Bluebell Lakes, England.
* [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124991924916619783.html?mod=yhoofront Benson the giant carp], formerly of Bluebell Lakes, England.
*** The Watts bar catfish in TN. I've heard stories that divers will only go down there once or they won't go down without A FRIKKIN CAGE!
*** The Watts bar catfish in TN. I've heard stories that divers will only go down there once or they won't go down without A FRIKKIN CAGE!
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