My family (for these intents and purposes) comes from the mountains of Appalachian southern Virginia.
The older folks told tales of three specific monsters as warning against wayward children misbehaving (like many legends begin, I assume).
The Welcome Stretcher
A hairy loping figure with a seemingly normal torso, but its limbs are grotesquely doubled in length, each ending in a grasping, clawed, "hand". If you're found out in the night while it prowls the mountains, it will grab a hold of you by the wrists and ankles. The remainder of your existence is brief and excruciating as your legs and arms are ripped from your center.
Maul Tail
A giant muskrat creature (like deer-sized) with a spike-ball tail. It is unsure whether it harbors any ill will or is just a creature in the night. If you find yourself on the tail-end of this thing, however, you won't get a chance to contemplate one way or the other.
Bloody Bones
A horrifying visage that lurks for those who misbehave. No matter which direction you view this creature from, you see fresh bone protruding from peeled back, gory, flesh. The skull is always watching, waiting for you to come closer. If it catches a wayward soul out in the dark, then it would rip the bones from your body. Some say that he wears them until he finds another victim.