The Monster (The Big Toe)

The monster from the classic "Big Toe" story is a mysterious and unerving creature. It apparantly lived in gardens.

One day; it was in a garden, with it's toe sticking out of the ground. The only child of the couple who lived there saw the toe, and for some reason he grabbed it and yanked it out of the ground! The poor monster gronned and went deeper underground. The child took the big toe into the house, and he and his barbaric family ate it for dinner! So, naturaly, the monster came back in the night and kille the little cannibal (what happened to the parents is unknown).

(Not counting the alternate ending)  The story does not provide much description for the creature. Since it was underground (however) it might have been some sort of mole-like creature. It was also sentient, as it had the abilaty to inquire; "Wheres my toe?!!".

Alternate Ending
There is an alternate ending to the "Big Toe". In this version; the boy finds the creature inside the chimeny. He asks it; "W-w-w-what you got such big eyes for?" (sound familiar?). The creature then replies; "To look you thro-o-o-ugh and thro-o-o-ugh!" (This sentenc indicates; 1 The creature's probably not to good at English.  2 He is an underground creature with high quality vision.  3 He might have X ray vision.). The boy then asks; "W-w-w-what you got such big claws for?" (aparently he's not to good at English either). The creature then replies; "To scra-a-atch up your gra-a-ave!" (this again suggests underground features). The boy then asks; W-w-w-what you got such a big moouth for?" (this guy's doing a good job of scratching up his grave by himself if you ask me).  The creature then replies; "To swallow you who-o-ole!" (at this, we have to assume that it was a very large creature).  The boy then asks; "W-w-w-what you got such sharp teeth for?" (Is that a trick question?).  The creature then replies; "TO CHOMP YOUR BONES!"  (Now this doesn't help us much; 1 Almost anything can have sharp teeth.  2 It counteracts the creatures threat of swallowing the boy whole.).

This version provides ample description for the creature, by pointing out several of it's attributes. However; it doesn't provide a complete description of it. However, by taking what we have to work with (including the fact that this ending is based on a scene in "Little Red Riding Hood), we get these possibilites; 1 It is a giant sentient mole (who may or may not have Xray vision.  2 It is a giant mole man (who may or may not have Xray vision).  3 It is a giant sentient mole wolf (who may or may not have Xray vision).  4 It is a giant mole-man-wolf (who may or may not have Xray vision).  5 It is a giant subterenial humanoid (who may or may not have Xray vision).  6 It is a giant subterenial man wolf (who may or may not have Xray vision).  7 It is a giant sentient subterenial wolf-like beast (who may or may not have Xray vision).  8 It looks like it does in "Mouse Soup".

It is unknown what the monster did to the boy's parents. However; wether the monster wanted revenge, or to get it's toe back, or both, their chances of survival are slim.

Mouse Soup
In the story "Mouse Soup"; the mouse read an alternate version of the "Big Toe". In this version, there are three pictures of the creature (also; the boy and his parents were mice). The creature is a tall, distorted humanoid covered with green hair. Also; it's gender was confirmed as male.

The creature doesn't eat the cannibalistic mouse boy, however, as he had a bag full of toes to spare (flexible guy).