r — \ Have You Run Into Any Snallygasters? By a Star-News Staff Writer According to local residents, there is a snallygaster loose in Carroll Countv. Md. Whatever it is, the residents of Sykesville near the Howard County line, are plenty upset about a ertea- ture a number of them have describ ed as between 7 and 10 feet tall, thin of build with long grayish-brown hair and big, big feet. And, the state, police are earnestly seeking the monster, reports Of which began pouring in about a week ago. Trooper Harry Bevard said a woman called to say she had seen “It” as early as two years ago crouching beside an interstate high way in North Carolina, and that it was clearly “working its way north.” WHILE POLICE are loath to laugh or confirm the rumors rippling the county, it probably is certain the whatsit is a homegrown monster. “Snallygaster” is defined by Web ster’s Third New International Dic tionary as a “mythical, nocturnal creature, half-bird and half-reptile, chiefly reported in rural Maryland, which preys on children and poul try.” As a further clue to the monster’s origins, the snallygaster, the diction ary says, is a corruption of the Ger man term “schnelle geeschter,” meaning “quick spirits” — not too surprising for a county boardering on Pennsylvania Dutch country and also settled by Germans. ACCORDING to the Associated Press, the exact origin of the snally- gaster is uncertain, but some reports have it that the creature came into being to scare moonshiners around the Middletown area of mountainous Frederick County next to Carroll. Tales flourished into the middle 1930s, but sightings ceased after a Middletown newspaper published a story saying the winged creature had drowned in a moonshiner’s mash barrel. About eight years ago Frederick once again was the scene of sightings of a monster — this one “about 6 feet tall, with a big bushy tail and black hair.” One explanation had it that the new creature was in fact Son of Snallygas ter, or Dwayyo, hatched from one of its late parent’s eggs. POLICE PRESSED a helicopter and searchlights into service last week after Anthony Norris reported finding footprints in his backyard measuring 13% inches long and near ly 6 inches wide. The mystery may be over soon, however. The state police have summoned an expert from the Baltimore Zoo who is combing the area for evidence. In the meantime, local citizens have begun their own snallygaster hunt, and Sykesville police are a little alarmed the hunters may come to more harm from each other than the hunted. “They don’t know what they’re looking for. They’re jittery,” Police Chief Omer Herbert said. “If one comes over one ridge with a rifle and one come over aonther ridge, well . . .” Herbert said. -TONI HOUSE