Questions tagged [myth-identification]
For questions about identifying a particular myth based on certain known facts or a basic description of its context, characters and events.
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Snakes shape shifting to human form after they turn 100
There is this myth in some parts of the world (mostly south Asia and middle east ) that once a snake turns 100 they can transform into a human. I wonder where this myth started from. If this could be ...
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A rock on a beach
I've heard of a story in greek mythology, but I am missing a lot of details. Can you help me recover the place where, supposedly, everything happened ?
A guy goes alone to a village to steal wine and ...
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What do you call a human who can take energy from other living objects?
I'm not exactly sure what to think but after doing it so often I was just curious if there is a name? I've noticed that when I'm tired while say I'm at work I can place my palm to a tree and it begins ...
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What scripture describes humans as being morally superior to angels?
At the climax of Fate/stay night's Heaven's Feel route, the main antagonist, Kirei Kotomine makes reference to a religious scripture that says humans are morally superior to angels because humans can ...
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Looking for a character's name
I recently heard a reference to a character the gods sentenced to live long enough to see the results of his bad advice. I am looking for a reference for this story, specifically the name of the ...
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Which ancient hero is most associated with confronting the unknown?
I came across this quote from Jordan Peterson:
Well what would you want to be king? You could say king of the world or king of your own soul: What do you wanna subordinate yourself to. How 'bout ...
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Why is Atabey specifically the goddess/spirit of horizontal water?
Atabey, goddess, is one of two supreme (major) gods in Taino Mythology (Caribbean islands). She was worshiped as the goddess of fresh water, though her representation as an Earth Spirit connects her ...
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Who wrote about gorgon's blood?
I came across a portion of Myth a while back. It said something like gorgon's blood taken from one side of the body can heal any malady but the other side can kill instantly. Who is this writing (for ...
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What is the Myth that had Shakespeare inspired to write Romeo and Juliet?
In my last question, I mentioned a love story that Shakespeare based his Romeo and Juliet story on. I said I tried and failed to find their names. The following is what I know of this story.
They ...
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Why does Digenes kill Maximo?
In trying to answer this question, I found this. On page two, it says that Digenes kills Maximo after sparring her life twice. Before he kills Maximo, they experienced adulterated copulation. What is ...
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Why is Chhinnamasta called The self-decapitated Goddess?
She is a Mahavidya, a list of Sakta and Buddhist goddesses, and the sixth listed on the Wikipedia page. (I don't know if that's important.) Here, she is described as the 'self-decapitated Goddess.' ...
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Who said Hermes helped Hades?
Retrieved from here.
This is a mosaic depicting Hades abducting Persephone. Helping him, is Hermes. I do not recall a version of the myth in which Hermes helps Hades. Is there a version, or is this ...
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Are dragons intelligent?
Intelligent can mean a number of things, so to simplify, lets limit it to capable of human speech. It is a common quality in movies and books to give dragons the power of human speech, but are such ...
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A battle between Maximo and Digenis in Greek Folklore
While working on an essay, I came across a book called the "The study of Russian folklore" which mentions encounters between an Amazon Maximo and Digenis Akritas and also between Siegfried and a ...
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How did Homer describe Mycenae?
Did he link his description with myth of Perseus? Could we imagine how it looks like ?
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Poseidon has two wives when/why/how?
Poseidon's wife is Amphitrite. Some say she is a Nereid, others say an Oceanid. When Poseidon first pursued her for marriage, she fled. Later the dolphin god, Delphin, persuaded her to marry the sea ...
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What is the mythological status of the 'goethia' demons?
The 'goethia' is a list of numbered (Christian, as in rulers of hell) demons of which their benefits are documented (this one only speaks the truth in a magical circle, this one provides great riches, ...
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Why is easter called 'easter'?
The Christian feast of 'easter' is based on the ancient Yewish religious feast (their main one), is widely spread and was linked to remember the 'Passion of Christ'. Recall that 'Christianity' started ...
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Who had a Nekyia vs a Katabasis?
A Nekyia (νέκυια) is a ritual to summon the dead. An example of this is Odysseus in the Odyssey. A Katabasis (κατάβασις) is a journey into the Underworld while still living. Heracles is one hero who ...
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Who says Abraxas is a prince of hell?
I asked a previous question about Abraxas here, briefly talking about what he is and asking how the number 365 relates to him in so many ways.
A few days later, I was talking to someone who happened ...
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Pre-Tolkien Orcs in myths or folklore?
So what I'm trying to understand is what exactly pre-Tolkien orcs were like in regards to folklore. I understand that Tolkien has had a massive influence on how we conceptualize many creatures from ...
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When and why did necromancy became a bad thing?
Talking about Europe and cultures that influenced it...
Why and since when was the revival of the dead considered evil?
In Greek mythology bringing back a loved one is hard or comes at a price, but ...
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What is the earliest story of summoning the dead we know of?
This is a followup to: What is the earliest ghost story we know of?
In this question, I am looking for stories involving mortals summoning the spirits of the dead from the underworld. The spirits ...
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What is the earliest ghost story we know of?
I am looking for early stories that follow the popular theme of the ghost story: A spirit of the dead appearing amongst the living. Bonus points if there's a haunting involved.
I'm only interested in ...
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What is the source of the story of Hades trapping Pirithous and Theseus in the Chairs of Forgetfulness?
Apparently, there is a version of the Pirithous and Theseus story that has Hades trapping the pair in the Underworld by having them sit on the Chairs of Forgetfulness:
This happened, some think, ...
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What are the 365 virtues?
I was researching and I came across Abraxas, a daemon(inferior god), an archon, an aeon, the "Supreme" god, an angel...
He has a place in many mythologies, and the number 365 keeps coming up. 365 ...
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What are some iconic legends of human depravity and spiritual pollution?
My purposes are non-salacious, I promise. There's an undercurrent in mythology and folklore that I didn't get a lot of in school, but which I've noticed more and more of as I've read on my own.
...
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Is there a myth that dolphins were humans who chose to return to the sea?
In the Fantasy Island (1998) episode "Dreams", Michael Allen is a stockbroker who finds a mysterious woman (played by Jennifer Garner) who says this to him when they first meet.
Sally: You know, ...
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Benevolent king gives greatest gift: yourself/himself
Story of a benevolent king (or queen?) who disguises himself among peasants and then reveals himself or is revealed as king and then one of the peasants with whom he interacts thanks the king for the ...
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Japanese Trickster Demons
Are there any trickster demons in Japanese mythology, I am aware of the somewhat tricksy Japanese god Susanoo-no-Mikoto, but are there any demons known for tricking people in Japanese mythology?
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What is the Norse equivalent to the Great Flood?
I have constantly heard that every mythology has its own version to explain why the ocean rose after the last ice age ended(roughly 10,000 years ago). But, I have only heard the christian version with ...
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Are there any ancient myths about human body parts said to be benefical or detrimental when eaten?
Additionally, do we know why they were said to be beneficial/detrimental? I think I remember a myth in some culture believing that eating your enemy's heart would give you their strength, but I'm not ...
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Are there any monkey gods in Africa?
The Mayans had Hun Batz, the Chinese have the Monkey King, and the Hindus have Hanuman. Monkeys are also indigenous to Africa, so I'm assuming there are also simian gods from that region.
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Why is Aether shown battling a lion-headed giant?
In this picture, the primordial god of the upper air, Aether, is depicted wrestling a lion-headed giant.
Is there a myth/story for this anywhere?
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Who did Zeus punish by having poison/acid dripped on them?
I am not sure if this is a real myth, as I learned about it from a tumbling post:
But if it is, share all you know.
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Tales of bats as witches' familiars?
One of the superstitions in the article 13 Halloween Superstitions & Traditions Explained is about bats:
Medieval folklore also described bats as witches' familiars, and seeing a bat on ...
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Is there a Maori legend about a demon's heart at the bottom of a lake?
In the second episode of the first season of the television series Top of the Lake, a beautiful Maori legend is mentioned:
You know there's a,
Maori legend about this lake
That says there's a ...
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Is there a tale of Zeus having sex with a deer?
I heard about a myth saying Zeus had sex with a deer, but after hours of research, I hold nothing. Can anyone tell me of this myth?
I am especially interested in acquiring any information about a ...
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Are there any deities or mythological beasts inspired by snow leopards?
I don't know a lot about the mythology of central Asian cultures (where the snow leopard comes from). I'm trying to find more information on the cultural impact the animal could have.
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How common is a vertical many-layered cosmos in world mythology? Do any mythologies particularly emphasize this structure?
Background: A very common motif in mythology and folklore is for worlds to be layered one on top of each other. The most obvious example is of the three world system of hell, earth, and heaven. The ...
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Stories of living people that journeyed into the underworld and back?
This is inspired from: What items are necessary for a mortal to travel safely in the underworld?
Which living people made it into the underworld and back? What are their stories, and what ...
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Who was the swift woman from from Irish Mythology described as having backward knees?
This question got me thinking about the Irish depiction of legs in mythology.
I remember one woman, in particular, from (I believe) the Ulster Cycle, described as having backward legs, similar to a ...
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Cows adapted to life on a steep hillside
I'm trying to remember the details of a legend I read years ago - and I don't even remember which body of folklore it came from - about a hero with a herd of cows, all of whom had legs on one side ...
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Hittite story similar to the story of Jason and Medea?
The BBC History article Ancient History in depth: Jason and the Golden Fleece. BBC - History mentions a Hittite story similar to the story of Jason and Medea:
Thus the classic triangle of hero, ...
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Is there a Sami legend of a Shaman using human body parts to ward off demons?
The second season of the television series Fortitude revolves around a presumably Sami1 legend of a murderous Shaman. The legend is described in episode 6:
There's a legend among the people here ...
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Is there a real myth behind Michael Moorcock story about these Kwll and Rhynn?
The story describes the two gods, brothers, with highly different abilities (one able to see anything, another to do anything). Most of the time they live friendly life, co-operating with each other, ...
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Are there any other mythology with female warriors like Durga from the Hindu Mythology?
In Hindu Mythology, Durga takes on an entire army of Demons, and slays them all singlehandedly at the last moment. She also takes on Mahishashur (Buffalo Demon) and slays him as well, earning her ...
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Objects, substances or entities that compel or discern truth in traditional mythological canons?
In modern mythologies I'm noticing increasing reference to objects/substances that can tell or discern truth. Most famously, the use of truth serum as a trope in the spy genre in particular, and ...
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What mythology is the story of Alduin The World Eater and The Dragonborn (as seen in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim) based on?
I'm a big fan of both the Elder Scrolls and Mythology, Skyrim has its own in-game mythology. But I have no clue what myths the story of the Dragonborn and the World Eater is based on.
Key Points:
...
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Have any dragons in mythology been able to breathe fire underwater?
Are there any dragons in any mythological canons that have been able to breathe fire while underwater?
