THE CLOYNE

An ancient and merciless horned demon from Nordic mythology, the Cloyne is said to hole up in Norway's mountain caves. He appears in the snow, offering shivering children the promise of food and warmth in his cave - only for the children to realise that the joke is on them. The Cloyne is recognisable by its blistered red nose, which bleeds from its exposure to sub-zero cold, and its deathly pale complexion. It’s not a great leap of imagination to see how this Nordic demon could have inspired the outlandish appearance that we associate with clowns. In 2014, the Cloyne received a contemporary makeover courtesy of the horror film Clown, directed by Jon Watts. In the film, a a man finds an old clown suit which he decided to put on to perform at his son's sixth birthday party – only to find himself trapped within the accursed skin of a child-devouring demon. Needless to say, the film does not have a happy ending!