Gef the Talking Mongoose

Between 1931 and 1937, the Irving family on the Isle of Man claimed their farmhouse was inhabited by a talking creature who called himself Gef. He claimed to be a mongoose but also described himself as an “extra-clever mongoose” and sometimes as a spirit.

The Appearance

The creature first made itself known through scratching noises in the walls. Soon, a high-pitched voice began speaking. It identified itself as Gef, claimed to have been born in Delhi, India, in 1852, and described itself as an “earthbound spirit in the form of a mongoose.”

The Phenomena

Gef would reportedly speak to visitors, though he was rarely seen. When glimpsed, he appeared as a small animal, yellowish in color. He would throw objects, move things around the house, and demonstrate detailed knowledge of local affairs he should not have known.

Investigation

Harry Price, the famous ghost hunter, investigated and took the case seriously enough to write a book about it. Skeptics suggested the daughter, Voirrey Irving, was responsible, using ventriloquism and hidden movements.

The End

The phenomena faded after 1937. When the family moved away, the new owners reported no unusual activity. Voirrey Irving maintained until her death in 2005 that Gef was real and that the experience had ruined her life.

Assessment

Gef represents one of the strangest cases in paranormal literature, defying easy classification. Whether poltergeist, spirit, hoax, or something else entirely, the talking mongoose remains a peculiar footnote in supernatural history.