There are a huge number of myths in the world in which various creatures play an important role. They do not have scientific confirmation, but new reports regularly appear that entities that do not look like ordinary animals and people have been spotted in different parts of the world.
Mythical creatures of the peoples of the world
There are a huge number of legends that tell about mythical monsters, animals and mysterious entities. Some of them have common features with real animals and even people, while others embody the fears of people living in different times. Every continent has legends that involve unique mythical animals and creatures associated with local folklore.
Slavic mythical creatures
Legends that arose during the times of the ancient Slavs are familiar to many, since they formed the basis of various fairy tales. The creatures of Slavic mythology hide important signs of that time. Many of them were held in high esteem by our ancestors.
Mythical creatures of ancient Greece
The most famous and interesting are the myths of Ancient Greece, which are filled with gods, various heroes and entities, both good and bad. Many Greek mythical creatures have become characters in various modern stories.
Mythical animals in Scandinavian mythology
The mythology of the ancient Scandinavians is part of ancient Germanic history. Many entities stand out for their enormous size and bloodthirstiness. The most famous mythical animals:
English mythical creatures
Various entities that, according to legends, lived in England in ancient times are among the most famous in the modern world. They became heroes of various cartoons and films.
Mythical creatures of Japan
Asian countries are unique, even if we consider their mythology. This is due to the geographical location, unpredictable elements and national color. The ancient mythical creatures of Japan are unique.
Mythical creatures of South America
This territory is a mixture of ancient Indian traditions, Spanish and Portuguese culture. Over the years, various people have lived here, praying to their gods and telling stories. The most famous creatures from myths and legends in South America:
Mythical creatures of Africa
Considering the presence of a large number of nationalities living on the territory of this continent, it is understandable that the legends telling about the entities can be listed for a long time. Good mythical creatures are little known in Africa.
Mythical creatures from the Bible
While reading the main holy book, one may encounter different entities that are unknown. Some of them are similar to dinosaurs and mammoths.
Almost each of us has heard about one or another magical and mythical creatures that inhabit our world. However, there are many more such creatures, the existence of which we know little or do not remember. Many magical entities are mentioned in mythology and folklore, some described in more detail, others less so.
A homunculus, according to the ideas of medieval alchemists, is a creature similar to a small person that can be obtained artificially (in a test tube). To create such a man, the use of a mandrake was required. The root had to be picked at dawn, then it had to be washed and “soaked” with milk and honey. Some instructions stated that blood should be used instead of milk. After which this root will fully develop into a miniature man who will be able to guard and protect its owner.
Domovoy is a home spirit among the Slavic peoples, the mythological owner and patron of the house, ensuring the normal life of the family, fertility, and the health of people and animals. They try to feed the brownie, leaving him a separate saucer on the kitchen floor with treats and water (or milk). If the brownie loves the owner or mistress, he not only does not harm them, but also protects the well-being of the home. Otherwise (which happens more often), he begins to do mischief, breaks and hides things, attacks light bulbs in the bathroom, and creates incomprehensible noise. It can “strangle” the owner at night by sitting on the owner’s chest and paralyzing him. A brownie can change appearance and chase its owner when moving.
Babai in Slavic folklore is a night spirit, a creature mentioned by parents to intimidate naughty children. Babai does not have a specific description, but most often he was represented as a lame old man with a sack on his shoulders, into which he takes naughty children. Parents usually remembered Babai when their child did not want to fall asleep.
The Nephilim (watchers - "sons of God") are described in the book of Enoch. They are fallen angels. The Niphilim were physical beings, they taught people forbidden arts and, taking human wives as wives, gave birth to a new generation of people. In the Torah and several non-canonical Jewish and early Christian writings, nephilim means "who cause others to fall." The Nephilim were gigantic in stature, their strength was enormous, as was their appetite. They began to eat up all human resources, and when they ran out, they could attack people. The Nephilim began to fight and oppress people, which caused enormous destruction on earth.
Abaasy - in the folklore of the Yakut peoples, a huge stone monster with iron teeth. Lives in the thicket of the forest away from human eyes or underground. It is born from a black stone, similar to a child. The older he gets, the more the stone looks like a child. At first, the stone child eats everything that people eat, but when he grows up, he begins to eat the people themselves. Sometimes referred to as anthropomorphic, one-eyed, one-armed, tree-sized, one-legged monsters. Abaas feed on the souls of people and animals, tempt people, send misfortunes and illnesses, and can deprive people of their minds. Often the relatives of the sick or deceased sacrificed an animal to Abaasy, as if exchanging its soul for the soul of the person they were threatening.
Abraxas - Abraxas is the name of a cosmological being in the ideas of the Gnostics. In the early era of Christianity, in the 1st-2nd centuries, many heretical sects arose, trying to combine the new religion with paganism and Judaism. According to the teachings of one of them, everything that exists originates in a certain higher Kingdom of light, from which 365 categories of spirits emanate. At the head of the spirits is Abraxas. His name and image are often found on gems and amulets: a creature with a human body and a rooster’s head, and two snakes instead of legs. Abraxas holds a sword and shield in his hands.
Baavan shi - in Scottish folklore, evil, bloodthirsty fairies. If a raven flew up to a person and suddenly turned into a golden-haired beauty in a long green dress, it means that in front of him is a baavan shi. It is not for nothing that they wear long dresses, hiding under them the deer hooves that the baavan shi has instead of feet. These fairies lure men into their homes and drink their blood.
Baku - “Dream Eater” in Japanese mythology is a good spirit that eats bad dreams. You can call him by writing his name on a piece of paper and putting it under your pillow. At one time, images of Baku hung in Japanese homes, and his name was written on pillows. They believed that if Baku was forced to eat a bad dream, then he had the power to turn the dream into a good one.
There are stories where Baku does not look very kind. By eating all dreams and dreams, it deprived the sleeping people of beneficial effects, or even completely deprived them of sleep.
Kikimora is a character in Slavic-Ugric mythology, as well as one of the types of brownies, causing harm, damage and minor troubles to households and people. Kikimoras, as a rule, settle indoors if a child has died in the house. Kikimoras can appear in the form of an abandoned one on the way a running away child. The swamp or forest kikimora was accused of kidnapping children, leaving behind an enchanted log in their place. Her presence in the house could be easily determined by her wet footprints. A caught kikimora could be turned into a human.
The basilisk is a monster with the head of a rooster, the eyes of a toad, the wings of a bat and the body of a dragon that exists in the mythologies of many peoples. His gaze turns all living things to stone. According to legend, if the Basilisk sees its reflection in the mirror, it will die. The Basilisk's habitat is caves, which are also its source of food, since the Basilisk only eats stones. He can only leave his shelter at night because he cannot stand the crowing of a rooster. And he is also afraid of unicorns because they are too “pure” animals.
Baggain is a malicious werewolf in the folklore of the Isle of Man. He hates people and harasses them in every possible way. Baggain can grow to gigantic sizes and take on any form. It can pretend to be human, but if you look closely, you will notice pointed ears and horse hooves, which will still give away the baggain.
Alkonost (alkonst) - in Russian art and legends, a bird of paradise with the head of a maiden. Often mentioned and depicted together with another bird of paradise, Sirin. The image of Alkonost goes back to the Greek myth about the girl Alcyone, who was transformed by the gods into a kingfisher. The earliest image of Alkonost is found in a book miniature of the 12th century. Alkonst is a safe and rare creature living closer to the sea. According to folk legend, in the morning on Apple Savior the bird Sirin flies into the apple orchard, which is sad and cries. And in the afternoon the bird Alkonost flies into the apple orchard, rejoicing and laughing. The bird brushes the living dew from its wings and the fruits are transformed, an amazing power appears in them - all the fruits on the apple trees from that moment become healing
Vodyanoy is the master of waters in Slavic mythology. Mermen graze their cows - catfish, carp, bream and other fish - at the bottom of rivers and lakes. Commands mermaids, undines, drowned people, and aquatic inhabitants. Most often he is kind, but sometimes he drags some unwary person to the bottom so that he entertains him. It often lives in pools and likes to settle under a water mill.
Abnauayu - in Abkhazian mythology (“forest man”). A gigantic, ferocious creature distinguished by extraordinary physical strength and rage. Abnauayu's entire body is covered with long hair, similar to bristles, and he has huge claws; eyes and nose - like people's. Lives in dense forests (there was a belief that in every forest gorge there lives one Abnauayu). A meeting with Abnauayu is dangerous; an adult Abnauayu has an axe-shaped steel protrusion on his chest: pressing the victim to his chest, he cuts it in half. Abnauayu knows in advance the name of the hunter or shepherd he will meet.
Cerberus (Spirit of the Underworld) - in Greek mythology, a huge dog of the Underworld, guarding the entrance to the afterlife. In order for the souls of the dead to enter the underworld, they must bring gifts to Cerberus - honey and barley biscuits. Cerberus' task is to prevent living people from entering the kingdom of the dead who want to rescue their loved ones from there. One of the few living people who managed to penetrate the underworld and emerge unharmed was Orpheus, who played beautiful music on the lyre. One of the labors of Hercules that the gods ordered him to perform was to lead Cerberus to the city of Tiryns.
Griffins are winged monsters with a lion's body and an eagle's head, guardians of gold in various mythologies. Griffins, vultures, in Greek mythology, monstrous birds with an eagle's beak and the body of a lion; They. - “the dogs of Zeus” - guard gold in the country of the Hyperboreans, protecting it from the one-eyed Arimaspians (Aeschyl. Prom. 803 next). Among the fabulous inhabitants of the north - the Issedons, Arimaspians, Hyperboreans, Herodotus also mentions the Griffins (Herodot. IV 13).
Slavic mythology also has its own griffins. In particular, it is known that they guard the treasures of the Riphean Mountains.
Gaki. in Japanese mythology - eternally hungry demons. Those who, while living on Earth, overeat or threw away completely edible food are reborn into them. The gaki's hunger is insatiable, but they cannot die from it. They eat anything, even their children, but they cannot get enough. Sometimes they end up in the Human World, and then they become cannibals.
Vouivre, Vouivra. France. King or queen of snakes; in the forehead there is a sparkling stone, a bright red ruby; the appearance of a fiery serpent; keeper of underground treasures; can be seen flying across the sky on summer nights; dwellings - abandoned castles, fortresses, donjons, etc.; his images are in the sculptural compositions of Romanesque monuments; when swimming, he leaves the stone on the shore, and whoever manages to take possession of the ruby will become fabulously rich - he will receive part of the underground treasures that the snake guards.
Ubor is a Bulgarian vampire who eats dung and carrion because he is too much of a coward to attack people. He has a bad character, which is not surprising given such a diet.
Ayami, in Tungus-Manchu mythology (among the Nanais), spirits are the ancestors of shamans. Each shaman has his own Ayami, he instructed, indicated what costume the shaman (shaman) should have, how to heal. Ayami appeared to the shaman in a dream in the form of a woman (to the shaman - in the form of a man), as well as a wolf, tiger and other animals, and inhabited the shamans during prayers. Ayami could also be possessed by spirits - the owners of various animals, and they sent Ayami to steal the souls of people and cause them illnesses.
Oak trees are, in Celtic mythology, evil magical creatures that live in the crowns and trunks of oak trees.
They offer delicious food and gifts to every person passing by their home.
Under no circumstances should you take food from them, much less taste it, since food prepared by oak trees is very poisonous. At night, oaks often go in search of prey.
You should know that walking past a recently felled oak tree is especially dangerous: the oak trees that lived in it are angry and can cause a lot of trouble.
The devil (in the old spelling "demon") is an evil, playful and lustful spirit in Slavic mythology. In the book tradition, according to the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, the word devil is a synonym for the concept of demon. The devil is social and most often goes hunting with groups of devils. The devil is attracted to people who drink. When the devil finds such a person, he tries to do everything to make the person drink even more, leading him to a state of complete madness. The very process of their materialization, popularly known as “getting drunk as hell,” is described colorfully and in detail in one of Vladimir Nabokov’s stories. “Through long, persistent, lonely drunkenness,” the famous prose writer reported, “I brought myself to the most vulgar visions, namely: I began to see devils.” If a person stops drinking, the devil begins to waste away without receiving the expected nourishment.
Vampal, in the mythology of the Ingush and Chechens, is a huge shaggy monster with supernatural strength: sometimes Vampal has several heads. Vampalas come in both male and female genders. In fairy tales, Vampal is a positive character, distinguished by his nobility and helping heroes in their battles.
Gianas are mainly female spirits in Italian folklore. Tall and beautiful, they lived in forests and did handicrafts. They could also predict the future and knew where treasures were hidden. Despite their beauty, the Gianas, the majority of whom were women, had difficulty finding a mate. There were very few Gyan men; dwarfs were not suitable for husbands, and giants were real rude people. Therefore, the Gyans could only do their work and sing sad songs.
Yrka in Slavic mythology is an evil night spirit with eyes on a dark face, glowing like a cat’s, especially dangerous on the night of Ivan Kupala and only in the field, because goblins do not let him into the forest. He becomes a suicide. It attacks lonely travelers and drinks their blood. Ukrut, his assistant, brings him naughty creatures in a bag, from whom Yrka drank the life. He is very afraid of fire and does not go near fire. To save yourself from it, you cannot look around, even if they call you in a familiar voice, do not answer anything, say “mind me” three times or read the “Our Father” prayer.
Div - Demonic character of East Slavic mythology. Mentioned in medieval teachings against pagans. There are echoes of the latter meaning in the episodes of “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign,” where the expression “the marvels fell upon the earth” is perceived as a harbinger of misfortune. Div turned people away from dangerous deeds by appearing in the form of something unseen. Seeing him and being surprised, people forgot about the unrighteous deed they wanted to commit. The Poles called him esiznik (“There is a znik”, there is and is gone), that is, a god-vision.
Ayustal, in Abkhaz mythology the devil; harms people and animals. According to beliefs, if Ayustal inhabits a person, he gets sick and sometimes dies in agony. When a person suffers greatly before death, they say that Ayustal has taken possession of him, but often a person defeats Ayustal by cunning.
Sulde “vital force”, in the mythology of the Mongolian peoples, one of the souls of a person, with which his vital and spiritual force is connected. The ruler's sulde is the guardian spirit of the people; its material embodiment is the ruler’s banner, which in itself becomes an object of cult and is protected by the ruler’s subjects. During wars, human sacrifices were made to the Sulda Banners to raise the morale of the army. The Suldi banners of Genghis Khan and some other khans were especially revered. The character of the shamanic pantheon of the Mongols, Sulde Tengri, the patron saint of people, is apparently related genetically to Genghis Khan’s Sulde.
The Shikome in Japanese mythology are a warlike race of creatures vaguely similar to European goblins. Bloodthirsty sadists, slightly taller than humans and much stronger, with developed muscles. Sharp teeth and burning eyes. They do nothing else but wars. They often set up ambushes in the mountains.
Beech is a scarecrow. A small evil creature that lives in the closet of a child's room or under the bed. Only children see him, and children suffer from him, since Buka loves to attack them at night - grab them by the legs and drag them under the bed or into the closet (his lair). He is afraid of the light, from which even the faith of adults can perish. He is afraid that adults will believe in him.
Beregini in Slavic mythology are spirits in the guise of women with tails, living along the banks of rivers. Mentioned in ancient Russian historical and literary monuments. They protect people from evil spirits, predict the future, and also save small children left unattended and falling into the water.
Anzud is a divine bird in Sumerian-Akkadian mythology, an eagle with a lion's head. Anzud is a mediator between gods and people, simultaneously embodying good and evil principles. When the god Enlil took off his insignia while washing himself, Anzud stole the tablets of fate and flew off to the mountains with them. Anzud wanted to become more powerful than all the gods, but by his action he violated the course of things and divine laws. The god of war Ninurta set off after the bird. He shot Anzud with a bow, but Enlil's tablets healed the wound. Ninurta managed to hit the bird only on the second attempt or even on the third attempt (in different versions of the myth it differs).
Bug is a spirit in English mythology. According to legends, the bug is a “children’s” monster; even in our time, English women scare their children with it.
Usually these creatures have the appearance of shaggy monsters with tangled, patchy fur. Many English children believe that bugs can enter rooms using open chimneys. However, despite their rather terrifying appearance, these creatures are not at all aggressive and are practically harmless, since they have neither sharp teeth nor long claws. They can scare in only one way - by making a terrible ugly face, spreading their paws and raising the hair on the back of the neck.
Alrauns - in the folklore of European peoples, tiny creatures that live in the roots of the mandrake, the outlines of which resemble human figures. Alrauns are friendly to people, but they are not averse to playing tricks, sometimes quite cruelly. These are werewolves that can transform into cats, worms and even small children. Later, the Alrauns changed their way of life: they liked the warmth and comfort of people’s homes so much that they began to move there. Before moving to a new place, alrauns, as a rule, test people: they scatter all kinds of garbage on the floor, throw clods of earth or pieces of cow dung into milk. If people don’t sweep up trash and drink milk, Alraun understands that it’s quite possible to settle here. It is almost impossible to drive him away. Even if the house burns down and people move somewhere, alraun follows them. Alraun had to be treated with great care due to its magical properties. It was necessary to wrap or dress him in white clothes with a golden belt, bathe him every Friday, and keep him in a box, otherwise Alraun would start screaming for attention. Alrauns were used in magical rituals. It was assumed that they brought great luck, like the quatrefoil talisman. But their possession carried the risk of prosecution for witchcraft, and in 1630 three women were executed in Hamburg on this charge. Due to the high demand for Alrauns, they were often carved from Bryonia roots, as genuine mandrakes were difficult to find. They were exported from Germany to various countries, including England, during the reign of Henry VIII.
Authorities are angelic beings in Christian mythology. Authorities can be both good forces and minions of evil. Among the nine angelic ranks, the authorities close the second triad, which in addition to them also includes dominions and powers. As Pseudo-Dionysius said, “the name of the holy Powers signifies an order equal to the Divine Dominions and Powers, harmonious and capable of receiving Divine insights, and a structure of premium spiritual dominion, which does not autocratically use the granted sovereign powers for evil, but freely and decently to the Divine as itself ascending , so holyly leading others to Him and, as far as possible, becoming like the Source and Giver of all power and depicting Him... in the completely true use of His sovereign power.”
Gargoyle is a product of medieval mythology. The word "gargoyle" comes from the Old French gargouille - throat, and its sound imitates the gurgling sound that occurs when gargling. Gargoyles sitting on the facades of Catholic cathedrals were presented in two ways. On the one hand, they were like ancient sphinxes, guarding statues, capable of coming to life in moments of danger and protecting a temple or mansion, on the other hand, when they were placed on temples, it showed that all evil spirits were fleeing from this holy place, since they could not endure the temple cleanliness.
Grims - according to medieval European beliefs, lived throughout Europe. Most often they can be seen in old cemeteries located near churches. Therefore, scary creatures are also called church makeups.
These monsters can take many forms, but most often they transform into huge dogs with jet-black fur and glow-in-the-dark eyes. You can see monsters only in rainy or cloudy weather; they usually appear in the cemetery in the late afternoon, as well as during the day during funerals. They often howl under the windows of sick people, foreshadowing their imminent death. Often, some grim, who is not afraid of heights, climbs into the church bell tower at night and begins to ring all the bells, which is popularly considered a very bad omen.
Good afternoon, dear movie lovers and readers who just happened to be here. Every blogger knows that it is necessary to keep the blog active as often as possible. But bad luck - today is the most boring day in the world of cinema. On July 13, 2013, nothing happens in the world of cinema. Due to such a boring and also rainy day, I will move a little away from the topic. If you noticed, my blog has articles about mystical films. As part of the "" section, today we will remember mythology and list the top female mythical creatures.
The most interesting thing is that the word " Banshee“The translator translated it for me as “a spirit whose groans foretell death.” In principle, Google translation has already revealed the intrigue of this creature. It is better not to anger such a lady, otherwise her cry promises you a short life.
Banshees are cool because they belong to Irish myths, and Irish women have cool accents. If there were real banshees, they would have a louder cry than Nuki from the Slot group (if anyone is in the know).
Dryads are the souls of trees. This leads to two pieces of news. First, trees have souls. I just remember I said something like this to my teacher in the 3rd grade, and she said that trees don’t have souls and gave me two points. I hope the dryads will take revenge on my mythologically ignorant teacher, or the Banshee will scream in her ear.
Oh yes, second news. Dryads are only women - does that mean all trees are women? In a bit of a rush of information, I found the answer to this question. Dryads take the form of hot chicks, and the souls themselves are genderless.
The disadvantage of relations with Dryads is that they are rooted to the ground and you don’t see them in the movies. But they are immortal as long as their tree is alive.
8. Mystical creature: centaur
I would like to note right away that female centaurs are practically not mentioned in movies or books - what kind of sexism is there towards these creatures? The ancient Greeks did not say that Centaurs were only men - and how would they reproduce then?
Centaurs are famous enough to talk about, but anyone can read this post, so: Centaurs are half-human/half-horse. It would be difficult for centaurs to live in our time. There are cars all around, and people smoke here and there. And a drop of nicotine...
Gargona is a very ancient creature. According to the description, she looks like a woman, except for snakes instead of hair...
The most famous Gargon was Medusa-Gargon, well, the one who fell at the hands of the hero Perseus. I previously thought that Gargona was the name of a jellyfish, but no - take a bite, this is the name of the creature.
The Gargons became extinct a long time ago, probably due to the fact that they turned everything into stone. Or because of the popularization of mirrors, because Gargona can turn herself into stone if she sees a reflection. One more thing about snake hair, what is going on with these creatures in the bikini area? o.O
A very interesting character closes the top five of female mystical creatures. Harpies are winged beauties who love to steal children like witches. I don't know why in so many movies the Harpies are shown as monsters with sharp teeth when the Greeks imagined them as graceful girls?
Harpies usually had long, luxurious hair. The harpy, in principle, might not have stolen the young boy, since he himself could happily wish to go to visit such a lady.. The most negative thing about a relationship with a harpy is its sharp bird claws. Your back will be scratched, be healthy.
If we analyze the proportions of their wings and body, we can conclude that the harpy's wings are not capable of lifting a woman's body. In fact, harpies turned out to be more like chickens, which is probably why they became extinct.
Snake? This is what my mother-in-law looked like when she was young! Just kidding, how can she care about the grace of this mystical snake...
All Lamia are female, and they are all demonic creatures with a snake tail instead of legs. These evil creatures are able to take the form of an ordinary woman. If you have ever met real bitches in your life, maybe they were Lamia?
Like the harpies, these cold girls are greedy for young guys. But they’re not interested in sex (remind me of the snake’s tail?), they prefer to literally devour a young guy.
These creatures usually attract the male population, seducing them. So, if you are seduced by a girl, think twice, maybe she will turn out to be that snake. (Damn, how vital - the Greeks are great.)
We continue the snake theme. They are often confused with the creatures described above, but although both species have a snake tail, Naga Not demonic creatures. Another difference: Nagas can also be men - this is a full-fledged biological species, and it also reproduces biologically, therefore there are both males and females. To be honest, I don’t know exactly how snakes reproduce... I’m a lousy biologist.
Nagas, unlike Lamia, also have 4 arms. Although the Nagas were always friendly to people, people probably exterminated them because they mistook them for Lamia.
Sirens seem to have an unrealistically wide range of voices, as they lure sailors from far away. An interesting fact is that you can easily confuse a female siren from a male siren (oh yes, my dears, there are such ones). It turns out that sirens look like Korean prostitutes...
So the attempt to present boring mythology in a fun, entertaining style has come to an end. The first place in the top goes to Succubus.
Succubi are a typical type of girl who gets anything for sex. These demonesses completely immorally and shamelessly seduce men and make them slaves in hell. According to legend, the slaves of the Succubus mine hellish gold by working in hellish mines (Well, at least they don’t cook in a cauldron, as Catholicism promises us...).
Succubi love to have fun and are only female. Temptress demonesses usually have small horns, hooves and wings. The wings do not allow them to fly, but rather cushion their fall as the Succubi jump from rock to rock in Hell.
Don’t look for logic in the distribution of places - there is none, it’s just a psychological technique to attract attention. Let's look at more posts.
10 Mythical Creatures, Did They Really Exist? As they say, there is truth in every joke. The same can be said about myths, which are considered fiction, because they also contain a particle of reality. It is only at first glance that it seems that all mythical creatures, such as cyclops, unicorns and others, were invented in ancient times. Taking a closer look at these mysterious animals, you can understand that people only slightly embellished the creatures that existed in the past and created myths about them. Let's figure it out 10 mythical creatures, and let's see where these legends came from.
1. Unicorns (Elasmotherium)
You probably won’t meet a person who doesn’t imagine what a unicorn looks like. Even small children know very well that unicorns are horses with one horn sticking out of their foreheads. These animals have always been associated with chastity and spiritual purity. In almost all world cultures, unicorns have been described in legends and myths.
The first images of these unusual creatures were found in India more than 4 thousand years ago. Following the Indian people, unicorns began to be described in legends in western Asia, and then in Greece and Rome. In the fifth century BC, unicorns began to be described in the West. What is most surprising is that in ancient times these animals were considered quite real, and myths were passed off as stories that happened to people.
The most similar animal in the world to unicorns is Elasmotherium. These animals lived in the steppes of Eurasia and resembled our rhinoceroses. Their habitat was slightly further south than that of woolly rhinoceroses. This happened during the Ice Age, at the same time the first rock paintings of Elasmotherium were recorded.
These animals resembled our horses, only Elasmotherium had a long horn on its forehead. They disappeared during the same period of time as the rest of the megafauna of Eurasia. However, some scientists still believe that Elasmotherium managed to survive and exist for a long time. It was in their image that the Evenki created legends about bulls with a black color and a large horn on the forehead.
2. Dragons (Magalanya)
In folk art there are many stories about dragons and their varieties. Depending on the culture of the people, the image of these mythical animals also changed. Thus, in Europe, dragons were described as large creatures that lived in the mountains and breathed fire. This description is classic for most people. However, in China these animals were described completely differently, and looked more like huge snakes. In most cases, in legends, dragons denoted a serious obstacle that had to be overcome in order to receive a generous reward. It was also believed that by defeating a dragon and invading its body, one could gain eternal life. That is, the dragon signified both rebirth and temporary death.
In mythological stories, references to dragons most likely arose from the discovery of dinosaur remains that were mistaken for the bones of mythical animals. Of course, legends about dragons did not appear without basis, and in reality there were animals that gave rise to myths.
The largest land lizards known in the scientific field were called Magalanians. They lived in the Pleistocene era in Australia. It has been proven that they existed from 1.6 million to 40,000 years ago. Magalanians fed exclusively on mammals, and the size of the prey did not matter. Their habitat was sparse forests and grassy savannas.
It is believed that some varieties of magalania managed to survive until the time when ancient people appeared. From there, images of huge lizards appeared, the length of which could reach up to 9 meters and weight up to 2200 kilograms.
3. Krakens (Huge squids)
Since ancient times, Icelandic sailors have described terrible monsters that resembled cephalopods. It was from the sailors of those times that stories came about about a monster called the kraken. The first mention of this animal was recorded by a naturalist from Denmark. According to his descriptions, this animal was the size of a floating island, and had such strength that it could pull the most cumbersome warship to the bottom with its tentacles. Also, the conquerors of the seas were afraid of the whirlpools that arose when the kraken suddenly plunged under water.
Many scientists these days are convinced that krakens still exist. They just call them big squids and don’t find anything mythical in them. There is also evidence of the life activity of these animals from a large number of fishermen. The debate is only about the size of the mollusk. So, quite recently, in the southern seas, scientists managed to discover a huge squid, the size of which was approximately 14 meters. They also claim that this mollusk, in addition to the usual suckers, had pointed claws at the ends of the tentacles. Meeting such a monster, even a person of our time could feel frightened. What can we say about medieval fishermen, who in any case would have considered the huge squid to be a mythical creature.
4. Basilisks (Poisonous snakes)
There are many legends and stories about basilisks. In them, these monsters were most often described as snakes of unimaginable size. Basilisk venom was fatal to any living creature. There were stories about this animal back in the first century BC. However, at that time, a basilisk was a small, thirty-centimeter snake with a white spot on its head. A little later, in the 3rd century, the basilisk acquired a new image and was described as a fifteen-centimeter snake. Half a century later, numerous authors of legends began to add more and more details to the basilisks, making a monster out of an ordinary snake. So, he had black scales that were located all over his body, large wings, claws like tigers, an eagle beak, emerald eyes and a lizard tail. In some cases, basilisks were even “dressed” with a red crown. It was about such a creature that legends were made in Europe in the thirteenth century.
Modern scientists put forward a logical version that the basilisk is a prototype of some type of snake. For example, it could be a well-known cobra. The rather ferocious behavior of this snake, as well as the ability to inflate its hood and spit venom, could well have aroused wild imagination in the minds of ancient writers.
In ancient Egypt, the basilisk was considered a viper with horns. This is exactly how he was depicted in hieroglyphs. Many believe that this was the reason for talking about the crown on the head of the snake.
5. Centaurs (Riders on Horses)
Talk about centaurs has come to us from ancient Greece. They were described as beings with the body of a horse, but with a human torso and head. It was also mentioned that centaurs were mortals, just like ordinary people. It was possible to meet them only in the thicket of the forest or high in the mountains. Ordinary people feared these creatures, as it was believed that centaurs were violent and unrestrained. In mythology, centaurs were described in various ways, claiming that some of them shared their wisdom and experience with people, teaching and instructing them. Other centaurs were hostile and constantly fought with ordinary people.
It is believed that these creatures were invented by people from nomadic tribes living in the north. Despite the fact that civilization already existed at that time, and people learned to ride horses, in some places they were not aware of this. Thus, the first mentions of centaurs are attributed to the Scythians, Taurians and Kassites. These tribes lived off cattle breeding; in particular, they raised fierce and huge bulls, from which the centaur’s character was taken.
6. Griffins (Protoceratops)
Griffins were described as creatures with the bodies of lions and heads like those of eagles. In addition, these creatures had huge and sweeping wings, large claws, and lion-like tails. In some cases, the wings of griffins were golden in color, while in other stories they were snow-white. The character of griffins was described ambiguously: sometimes they were the embodiment of evil, which could not be restrained by anything, and they could also be wise and kind patrons responsible for justice.
The first mentions of these mythical animals also appeared in ancient Greece. It is believed that the inhabitants of this country were told about the strange animals by the Scythians from Altai, who were looking for gold in the Gobi Desert. Wandering through the sandy expanses, these people accidentally found the remains of a protoceratops and mistook it for an unprecedented creature.
Nowadays, scientists have found that the description of the griffin is almost identical to the dinosaurs of this species. For example, the size of the fossil and the presence of a beak coincided. In addition, protoceratops had a horny growth on the back of the head, which could eventually disintegrate and become similar to ears and wings. This was the reason for the appearance of griffins in all kinds of myths and legends.
7. Bigfoot (Gigantopithecus)
Bigfoot has a huge number of different names. In some places he is known as Yeti, in others Bigfoot or Sascotch. However, according to the descriptions, Bigfoot is almost the same everywhere. He is represented as a creature similar to a person, but large in size. It is completely covered with wool and lives only in the mountains or thickets of forests. There is no scientific proof of the existence of this creature, although legends that it roams the forests still exist today.
People who talk about their encounters with Yeti claim that these monsters have a muscular body, a pointed skull, disproportionately long arms, a short neck and a weighty, protruding lower jaw. Everyone describes the color of the coat differently, some thought it was red, others thought it was white or black. There were even individuals with gray hair.
There is still debate among scientists about what species Bigfoot can be classified as. Among the plausible assumptions is that this creature is a mammal, which is related to humans and primates. It was born in the prehistoric period and somehow managed to survive. There is also an opinion that Bigfoot is from another planet, that is, an extraterrestrial life form.
Today, most opinions agree that the Yeti is nothing other than a species of Gigantopithecus. These animals were anthropoid apes whose height could reach up to 4 meters.
8. Sea Serpent (Herring King)
Mentions of encounters with the sea serpent are found all over the world. According to eyewitnesses, this mythical creature resembled a snake and was large in size. The serpent's head looked like a dragon's mouth, but in other sources it resembled a horse's.
The image of a sea serpent could have arisen among people not only of the ancient, but also of the modern world, after meetings with the herring king or the belt fish. Due to its belonging to the strap-bodied fish, the herring king has a ribbon-like shape. However, only the length of the body is striking; it can reach up to 4 meters. The height of the body usually does not exceed 30 cm. Of course, there are also larger individuals whose weight reaches 250 kilograms, but this is very rare.
9. Korean dragons (Titanoboa)
Even by the name of the dragon you can understand that it was invented in Korea. At the same time, the creature was endowed with features that are characteristic of this country. The Korean dragon was a serpentine creature without wings, but with a large and long beard. Despite the fact that in most countries of the world these animals were described as fire-breathing creatures that destroy everything in their path, the Korean dragon was a peace-loving creature. They were protectors of rice fields and ponds. Also in Korea they believed that their mythical dragon could cause rain.
The appearance of such an amazing creature is confirmed by science. In the not so distant past, scientists were able to discover the remains of a huge snake. It was this creature that lived on earth from 61.7 to 58.7 million years BC that was given the name Titanoboa. The size of this snake was simply colossal - an adult was about 13 meters long and weighed more than 1 ton.
10. Cyclops (Dwarf elephants)
Beliefs about Cyclops come from ancient Greece. There they were described as humanoid creatures, large in stature and with only one eye. Cyclops were mentioned in many myths, where they were described as aggressive creatures with superhuman powers. In those days, the Cyclopes were considered an entire people living separately from all of humanity.
From a scientific point of view, the legends of the Cyclops originated from dwarf elephants. Finding the remains of these animals, people could mistake the central hole on the elephant's head for the eye socket of a Cyclops.
Now we know the fundamental principle and understand what mythical creatures were meant when talking about unicorns, dragons and cyclops. Perhaps for other myths you can find a very real justification?
He even provided comprehensive evidence in the form of photographs in this article. Why did I talk about mermaids, yes because mermaid is a mythical creature found in many stories and fairy tales. And this time I want to talk about mythical creatures that existed at one time according to legends: Grants, Dryads, Kraken, Griffins, Mandrake, Hippogriff, Pegasus, Lernaean Hydra, Sphinx, Chimera, Cerberus, Phoenix, Basilisk, Unicorn, Wyvern. Let's get to know these creatures better.
Video from the channel "Interesting Facts"
1. Wyvern
Wyvern-This creature is considered a "relative" of the dragon, but it only has two legs. instead of the front one there are bat wings. It is characterized by a long snake-like neck and a very long, movable tail, ending with a sting in the form of a heart-shaped arrow or spear tip. With this sting, the wyvern manages to cut or stab the victim, and under the right conditions, even pierce it right through. In addition, the sting is poisonous.
The wyvern is often found in alchemical iconography, in which (like most dragons) it personifies primordial, raw, unprocessed matter or metal. In religious iconography, it can be seen in paintings depicting the struggle of Saints Michael or George. The wyvern can also be found on heraldic coats of arms, for example, on the Polish coat of arms of the Latskys, the coat of arms of the Drake family or the Enmity of Kunvald.
2. Asp
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Aspid- In the ancient Alphabet Books there is a mention of the asp - this is a serpent (or snake, asp) “winged, with a bird’s nose and two trunks, and in the land in which it is committed, that land will be devastated.” That is, everything around will be destroyed and devastated. The famous scientist M. Zabylin says that the adder, according to popular belief, can be found in the gloomy northern mountains and that it never lands on the ground, but only on a stone. The only way to speak and exterminate the destroyer serpent is with a “trumpet voice” that makes the mountains shake. Then the sorcerer or healer grabbed the stunned asp with red-hot pincers and held it “until the snake died.”
3. Unicorn
Unicorn- Symbolizes chastity, and also serves as an emblem of the sword. Tradition usually represents him as a white horse with one horn protruding from his forehead; however, according to esoteric beliefs, it has a white body, a red head and blue eyes. In early traditions, the unicorn was depicted with the body of a bull, in later traditions with the body of a goat, and only in later legends with the body of a horse. Legend claims that he is insatiable when pursued, but obediently lies down on the ground if a virgin approaches him. In general, it is impossible to catch a unicorn, but if you do, you can only hold it with a golden bridle.
"His back was curved and his ruby eyes glowed; at the withers he reached 2 meters. Just above his eyes, almost parallel to the ground, his horn grew; straight and thin. His manes and tail were scattered in small curls, and drooping and unnaturally for albinos were black eyelashes cast fluffy shadows on pink nostrils." (S. Drugal "Basilisk")
They feed on flowers, especially rosehip flowers, and honey, and drink morning dew. They also look for small lakes in the depths of the forest in which they swim and drink from there, and the water in these lakes usually becomes very clean and has the properties of living water. In Russian "alphabet books" of the 16th -17th centuries. The unicorn is described as a terrible and invincible beast, like a horse, all the strength of which lies in the horn. Healing properties were attributed to the unicorn's horn (according to folklore, the unicorn uses its horn to purify water poisoned by a snake). The unicorn is a creature of another world and most often foreshadows happiness.
4. Basilisk
Basilisk- a monster with the head of a rooster, the eyes of a toad, the wings of a bat and the body of a dragon (according to some sources, a huge lizard) that exists in the mythologies of many peoples. His gaze turns all living things to stone. Basilisk - is born from an egg laid by a seven-year-old black rooster (in some sources from an egg hatched by a toad) into a warm dung heap. According to legend, if the Basilisk sees its reflection in the mirror, it will die. The Basilisk's habitat is caves, which are also its source of food, since the Basilisk only eats stones. He can only leave his shelter at night because he cannot stand the crowing of a rooster. And he is also afraid of unicorns because they are too “pure” animals.
“He moved his horns, his eyes were so green with a purple tint, his warty hood was swelling. And he himself was purple-black with a spiky tail. The triangular head with a black-pink mouth opened wide...
Its saliva is extremely poisonous and if it gets on living matter, it will immediately replace carbon with silicon. Simply put, all living things turn into stone and die, although there are disputes that the Basilisk’s gaze also petrifies, but those who wanted to check this did not return...” (“S. Drugal “Basilisk”).
5. Manticore
Manticore- The story about this creepy creature can be found in Aristotle (IV century BC) and Pliny the Elder (1st century AD). The manticore is the size of a horse, has a human face, three rows of teeth, a lion's body and a scorpion's tail, and red, bloodshot eyes. The manticore runs so fast that it covers any distance in the blink of an eye. This makes it extremely dangerous - after all, it is almost impossible to escape from it, and the monster feeds only on fresh human meat. Therefore, in medieval miniatures you can often see an image of a manticore with a human hand or foot in its teeth. In medieval works on natural history, the manticore was considered to be real, but living in deserted places.
6. Valkyries
Valkyries- beautiful warrior maidens who fulfill the will of Odin and are his companions. They invisibly take part in every battle, granting victory to those to whom the gods award it, and then take the dead warriors to Valhala, the castle of the extra-celestial Asgard, and serve them at the table there. Legends also call heavenly Valkyries, who determine the fate of each person.
7. Anka
Anka- In Muslim mythology, wonderful birds created by Allah and hostile to people. It is believed that anka exist to this day: there are simply so few of them that they are extremely rare. Anka is in many ways similar in its properties to the phoenix bird that lived in the Arabian desert (one can assume that anka is a phoenix).
8. Phoenix
Phoenix- In monumental sculptures, stone pyramids and buried mummies, the Egyptians sought to find eternity; It is quite natural that it was in their country that the myth of a cyclically reborn, immortal bird should have arisen, although the subsequent development of the myth was carried out by the Greeks and Romans. Adolv Erman writes that in the mythology of Heliopolis, the Phoenix is the patron of anniversaries, or large time cycles. Herodotus, in a famous passage, expounds with marked skepticism the original version of the legend:
“There is another sacred bird there, its name is Phoenix. I myself have never seen it, except as a drawing, for in Egypt it appears rarely, once every 500 years, as the inhabitants of Heliopolis say. According to them, it flies when it dies father (that is, she herself) If the images correctly show her size and size and appearance, her plumage is partly golden, partly red. Her appearance and size resemble an eagle."
9. Echidna
Echidna- half-woman, half-snake, daughter of Tartarus and Rhea, gave birth to Typhon and many monsters (Lernaean Hydra, Cerberus, Chimera, Nemean Lion, Sphinx)
10. Sinister
Sinister- pagan evil spirits of the ancient Slavs. They are also called krixes or khmyri - swamp spirits, which are dangerous because they can stick to a person, even move into him, especially in old age, if the person has never loved anyone in his life and has not had children. Sinister has an indefinite appearance (speaks, but is invisible). She can turn into a little man, a small child, or an old beggar. In the Christmas game, the evil one personifies poverty, misery, and winter darkness. In the house, evil spirits most often settle behind the stove, but they also love to suddenly jump on a person’s back or shoulders and “ride” him. There may be several more evil ones. However, with some ingenuity, you can catch them by locking them in some kind of container.
11. Cerberus
Cerberus- one of Echidna's children. A three-headed dog, on whose neck snakes move with a menacing hiss, and instead of a tail he has a poisonous snake... Serves Hades (the god of the Kingdom of the Dead) stands on the threshold of Hell and guards its entrance. He made sure that no one left the underground kingdom of the dead, because there is no return from the kingdom of the dead. When Cerberus was on earth (This happened because of Hercules, who, on the instructions of King Eurystheus, brought him from Hades) the monstrous dog dropped drops of bloody foam from his mouth; from which the poisonous grass aconite grew.
12. Chimera
Chimera- in Greek mythology, a monster that spewed fire with the head and neck of a lion, the body of a goat and the tail of a dragon (according to another version, the Chimera had three heads - a lion, a goat and a dragon). Apparently, the Chimera is the personification of a fire-breathing volcano. In a figurative sense, a chimera is a fantasy, an unfulfilled desire or action. In sculpture, chimeras are images of fantastic monsters (for example, chimeras of Notre Dame Cathedral), but it is believed that stone chimeras can come to life to terrify people.
13. Sphinx
Sphinx s or Sphinga in ancient Greek mythology, a winged monster with the face and breasts of a woman and the body of a lion. She is the offspring of the hundred-headed dragon Typhon and Echidna. The name of the Sphinx is associated with the verb "sphingo" - "to squeeze, suffocate." Sent by Hero to Thebes as punishment. The Sphinx was located on a mountain near Thebes (or in the city square) and asked everyone who passed a riddle (“Which living creature walks on four legs in the morning, on two in the afternoon, and on three in the evening?”). The Sphinx killed the one who was unable to give a solution and thus killed many noble Thebans, including the son of King Creon. The king, overcome with grief, announced that he would give the kingdom and the hand of his sister Jocasta to the one who would deliver Thebes from the Sphinx. Oedipus solved the riddle, the Sphinx in despair threw herself into the abyss and fell to her death, and Oedipus became the Theban king.
14. Lernaean Hydra
Lernaean Hydra- a monster with the body of a snake and nine heads of a dragon. The hydra lived in a swamp near the city of Lerna. She crawled out of her lair and destroyed entire herds. The victory over the hydra was one of the labors of Hercules.
15. Naiads
Naiads- Every river, every source or stream in Greek mythology had its own leader - a naiad. This cheerful tribe of water patrons, prophetesses and healers was not covered by any statistics; every Greek with a poetic streak heard the carefree chatter of the naiads in the murmur of the waters. They belong to the descendants of Oceanus and Tethys; there are up to three thousand of them.
“No one can name all their names. Only those who live nearby know the name of the stream.”
16. Rukhh
Rukhh- In the East, people have long been talking about the giant bird Rukh (or Ruk, Fear-rah, Nogoi, Nagai). Some people even met her. For example, the hero of Arabian fairy tales, Sinbad the Sailor. One day he found himself on a desert island. Looking around, he saw a huge white dome without windows or doors, so large that he could not climb onto it.
“And I,” Sinbad narrates, “walked around the dome, measuring its circumference, and counted fifty full steps. Suddenly the sun disappeared, and the air darkened, and the light was blocked from me. And I thought that a cloud had come over the sun (and it was summer time), and I was surprised, and raised my head, and saw a bird with a huge body and wide wings flying through the air - and it was she who covered the sun and blocked it over the island . And I remembered one story that was told long ago by people wandering and traveling, namely: on some islands there is a bird called Rukh, which feeds its children with elephants. And I became convinced that the dome I walked around was the Rukh egg. And I began to marvel at what the great Allah has created. And at this time the bird suddenly landed on the dome, and hugged it with its wings, and stretched out its legs on the ground behind it, and fell asleep on it, may Allah be praised, who never sleeps! And then I, untying my turban, tied myself to the feet of this bird, saying to myself: “Perhaps she will take me to countries with cities and populations. It will be better than sitting here on this island." And when the dawn rose and the day rose, the bird took off from the egg and soared into the air with me. And then it began to descend and landed on some ground, and, having reached the ground, I I quickly got rid of her legs, afraid of the bird, but the bird didn’t know about me and didn’t feel me.”
Not only the fabulous Sinbad the Sailor, but also the very real Florentine traveler Marco Polo, who visited Persia, India and China in the 13th century, heard about this bird. He said that the Mongol Khan Kublai Khan once sent loyal people to catch a bird. The messengers found her homeland: the African island of Madagascar. They did not see the bird itself, but they brought its feather: it was twelve steps long, and the diameter of the feather shaft was equal to two palm trunks. They said that the wind produced by the wings of Rukh knocks a person down, her claws are like bull horns, and her meat restores youth. But try to catch this Rukh if she can carry off a unicorn along with three elephants impaled on her horn! author of the encyclopedia Alexandrova Anastasia They knew this monstrous bird in Rus', they called it Fear, Nog or Noga, and gave it even new fabulous features.
“The leg-bird is so strong that it can lift an ox, flies through the air and walks on the ground with four legs,” says the ancient Russian “Azbukovnik” of the 16th century.
The famous traveler Marco Polo tried to explain the mystery of the winged giant: “They call this bird on the islands Ruk, but they don’t call it in our language, but it’s a vulture!” Only... greatly grown in the human imagination.
17. Khukhlik
Khukhlik in Russian superstitions there is a water devil; mummer. The name hukhlyak, hukhlik, apparently comes from the Karelian huhlakka - “to weird”, tus - “ghost, ghost”, “strangely dressed” (Cherepanova 1983). The appearance of the hukhlyak is unclear, but they say that it is similar to the shilikun. This unclean spirit most often appears from water and becomes especially active during Christmas time. Likes to make fun of people.
18. Pegasus
Pegasus- V Greek mythology winged horse. Son of Poseidon and the gorgon Medusa. He was born from the body of the gorgon killed by Perseus. He received the name Pegasus because he was born at the source of the Ocean (Greek “source”). Pegasus ascended to Olympus, where he delivered thunder and lightning to Zeus. Pegasus is also called the horse of the muses, since he knocked Hippocrene out of the ground with his hoof - the source of the muses, which has the property of inspiring poets. Pegasus, like a unicorn, can only be caught with a golden bridle. According to another myth, the gods gave Pegasus. Bellerophon, and he, taking off on it, killed the winged monster chimera, which was devastating the country.
19 Hippogriff
Hippogriff- in the mythology of the European Middle Ages, wanting to indicate the impossibility or incongruity, Virgil speaks of an attempt to cross a horse and a vulture. Four centuries later, his commentator Servius claims that vultures or griffins are animals whose front part is eagle-like and the back part is lion-like. To support his statement, he adds that they hate horses. Over time, the expression “Jungentur jam grypes eguis” (“crossing vultures with horses”) became a proverb; at the beginning of the sixteenth century, Ludovico Ariosto remembered him and invented the hippogriff. Pietro Michelli notes that the hippogriff is a more harmonious creature, even than the winged Pegasus. In "Roland the Furious" a detailed description of the hippogriff is given, as if intended for a textbook of fantastic zoology:
Not a ghostly horse under the magician - a mare
Born into the world, his father was a vulture;
Like his father, he was a wide-winged bird, -
He was in front of his father: like that one, zealous;
Everything else was like the uterus,
And that horse was called a hippogriff.
The borders of the Riphean mountains are glorious for them,
Far beyond the icy seas
20 Mandrake
Mandrake. The role of Mandrake in mythopoetic ideas is explained by the presence of certain hypnotic and aphrodisiac properties in this plant, as well as the similarity of its root to the lower part of the human body (Pythagoras called Mandrake a “human-like plant”, and Columella - a “semi-human grass”). In some folk traditions, based on the type of Mandrake root, male and female plants are distinguished and even given appropriate names. In old herbalists, Mandrake roots are depicted as male or female forms, with a tuft of leaves growing from the head, sometimes with a dog on a chain or an agonizing dog. According to legends, anyone who hears the groan made by the Mandrake as it is dug out of the ground must die; to avoid the death of a person and at the same time satisfy the thirst for blood supposedly inherent in Mandrake. When digging Mandrake, they tied a dog, which was believed to die in agony.
21. Griffins
Griffin- winged monsters with a lion's body and an eagle's head, guardians of gold. In particular, it is known that the treasures of the Riphean Mountains are protected. From his scream the flowers wither and the grass withers, and if there is anyone alive, then everyone falls dead. The griffin's eyes have a golden tint. The head was the size of a wolf's with a huge, terrifying-looking beak a foot long. Wings with a strange second joint to make them easier to fold. In Slavic mythology, all approaches to the Irian Garden, Alatyr Mountain and an apple tree with golden apples are guarded by griffins and basilisks. Whoever tries these golden apples will receive eternal youth and power over the Universe. And the apple tree itself with golden apples is guarded by the dragon Ladon. There is no passage here for either foot or horse.
22. Kraken
Kraken is the Scandinavian version of Saratan and the Arabian dragon, or sea serpent. The Kraken's back is one and a half miles wide, and its tentacles are capable of enveloping the largest ship. This huge back protrudes from the sea, like a huge island. The Kraken has a habit of darkening the sea water by spewing some liquid. This statement gave rise to the hypothesis that the Kraken is an octopus, only enlarged. Among Tenison's youthful works one can find a poem dedicated to this remarkable creature:
From time immemorial in the depths of the ocean
The giant Kraken sleeps soundly
He is blind and deaf, over the carcass of a giant
Only from time to time a pale ray glides.
Giant sponges sway above him,
And from deep, dark holes
Polyps innumerable choir
Extends tentacles like hands.
The Kraken will rest there for thousands of years,
So it was and so it will be in the future,
Until the last fire burns through the abyss
And the heat will scorch the living firmament.
Then he will wake up from sleep,
Will appear before angels and people
And, emerging with a howl, he will meet death.
23. Golden dog
golden dog.- This is a dog made of gold that guarded Zeus when he was pursued by Kronos. The fact that Tantalus did not want to give up this dog was his first strong offense before the gods, which the gods later took into account when choosing his punishment.
“...In Crete, the homeland of the Thunderer, there was a golden dog. She once guarded the newborn Zeus and the wonderful goat Amalthea who fed him. When Zeus grew up and took away the power over the world from Cronus, he left this dog in Crete to guard his sanctuary. The king of Ephesus, Pandareus, seduced by the beauty and strength of this dog, secretly came to Crete and took it away on his ship from Crete. But where to hide this wonderful animal? Pandarey thought about this for a long time during his journey across the sea and finally decided to give the golden dog to Tantalus for safekeeping. King Sipila hid the wonderful animal from the gods. Zeus was angry. He called his son, the messenger of the gods Hermes, and sent him to Tantalus to demand the return of the golden dog. In the blink of an eye, fast Hermes rushed from Olympus to Sipylus, appeared before Tantalus and said to him:
- The king of Ephesus, Pandareus, stole a golden dog from the sanctuary of Zeus in Crete and gave it to you for safekeeping. The gods of Olympus know everything, mortals cannot hide anything from them! Return the dog to Zeus. Beware of incurring the wrath of the Thunderer!
Tantalus answered the messenger of the gods this way:
- It is in vain that you threaten me with the wrath of Zeus. I have not seen a golden dog. The gods are wrong, I don’t have it.
Tantalus swore a terrible oath that he was telling the truth. With this oath he angered Zeus even more. This was the first insult inflicted by tantalum on the gods...
24. Dryads
Dryads- in Greek mythology, female tree spirits (nymphs). they live in a tree which they protect and often die along with this tree. Dryads are the only nymphs who are mortal. Tree nymphs are inseparable from the tree in which they live. It was believed that those who plant and care for trees enjoy the special protection of dryads.
25. Grants
Grant- In English folklore, a werewolf, who most often appears as a mortal in the guise of a horse. At the same time, he walks on his hind legs, and his eyes glow with fire. Grant is a city fairy, he can often be seen on the street, at noon or towards sunset. Meeting with a grant portends misfortune - a fire or something else in the same spirit.