Jenny Greenteeth, or Jinny Greenteeth, is a sinister water spirit from Northern English folklore, a monstrous hag with green skin, long hair, and sharp teeth, who lurks in ponds and rivers to drag unsuspecting children and the elderly into the water to drown them, acting as a classic cautionary tale against playing near dangerous waters, often linked to the deceptive duckweed (also called Jenny Greenteeth) covering stagnant surfaces.
Key Characteristics
- Appearance: Green skin, sharp teeth, long lank hair, gnarled arms.
- Habitat: Murky, weed-covered ponds, slow rivers, and watery ditches.
- Method: Reaches out with long arms to snatch victims, pulling them under.
- Purpose: A "Nursery Bogie" used to frighten children away from hazardous water.
Folklore & Origins
- Regional Variations: Known as Ginny, Jeanie, or Grin Teeth in Cheshire and Shropshire.
- Deeper Roots: Shares origins with similar "drowners" worldwide (like Kappa, Bunyip, Grindylow) and likely stems from parental warnings about drowning accidents.
- Name Connection: The name also refers to duckweed, the floating plant that can hide deep water, making it a literal "green teeth" trap.