Abaia

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The Abaia is described as a giant eel that lived in the bottom of the fresh water lakes of Solomon, Fiji, and Vanuatu Islands. This supposedly magic eel was very protective of the fish and the other defenseless critters it lived with. Some say this is because it saw the fish as its children and any creatures that dared to harm or disturb them was immediately overwhelmed with a large wave caused by the Abaia's powerful tail, thrashing underwater. In the case of humans, this was usually fatal because it sank the ship they would fish from. Though perhaps the eel was protective of habitat or its food source rather than the fish. It could be wary of itself also. Superstition goes father to claim storms caused by this creature. In another form of that story, the Abaia causes a great rain to flood the lake and kill anyone who harms or disturbs its children or itself. An example of this is in the following Melanesian story:

One day, a man discovered a lake in which were many fish, at the bottom of the lake lived a magic eel, but the man knew it not. He caught many fish and returned the next day with the people whom he had told of his discovery, and they also were successful, while one woman even laid hold of the great eel, Abaia, who dwelt in the depths of the lake. Though he escaped her, Abaia was now angry at the village people, for his fish had been caught and he, himself had been seized, so he caused a great rain to fall that night, and the waters of the lake rose, and all the people were drowned except an old woman who had not eaten the fish and saved herself by climbing a tree.

 Though he escaped her, Abaia was now angry at the village people, for his fish had been caught and he, himself had been seized, so he caused a great rain to fall that night, and the waters of the lake rose, and all the people were drowned except ...

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Information from fantasy-bestiary.wikia.com

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