Questions tagged [mythical-creatures]
For questions about animals or non-human beings described in folklore and legends, which may or may not be based on actual creatures.
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Why is the helhest three-legged?
I recently stumbled upon a reference to the helhest, a "three-legged horse associated with Hel". Unfortunately, searching for more information on about this fascinating legend didn't turn up much.
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How did Christianity come to equate the place of punishment and the place of demons?
In Hinduism, the cosmology works roughly like this: there's Earth; there are worlds above the Earth called Swargas where you go as a reward for good deeds; there are worlds under the Earth called ...
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Can succubus be loyal to her lover?
Like in the title can a succubus be loyal to her lover or it has to have sexual intercourse men?
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Where does it says that snakes can kill birds by looking at their shadow?
I have seen several early Jewish sources (e.g. Midrash Tanhuma, Beshalah 18) refer to the idea that a snake can kill a bird by just looking at its shadow. Has this ancient belief been documented ...
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A mythical/legendary/demonic creature that steals talents or abilities
I swear I heard about this a long time ago but I can't remember it for the life of me (to the point that I am beginning to doubt if it exists). I faintly remember some type of monster that was able to ...
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Are there any stories which are about a species that is neither human nor divine?
I am aware that some mythologies/religions include species apart from humans and gods (e.g. Islam and Norse mythology). However, are there any stories which are written about them? My definition for "...
user1385
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The repertoire of the Sphinx
In ancient Greek tradition, what riddles did have the Sphinx in her "repertoire", besides the famous:
Which creature goes on four feet in the morning, two feet at noon, and
three feet in the ...
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What deities/creatures personify the universe in the aspect that it manifests as varied duplexity (that serve the same symbolic function as Yin/Yang)?
I'm looking for deities or mythological creatures that symbolize the universe in the aspect that it manifests as a duality (which is for example symbolized by the Yin/Yang), but as a fictional ...
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Are there any myths of little girls with the head of a wolf?
I keep seeing a girl with the head of a wolf, with red eyes, and long hair.
As I'm a very impressionable person I probably saw an image in a mythology book, or a movie, and I can't get this girl out ...
user3198
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The Origin of Werewolf: Deities Cursing People into Animals?
I read some years back, about some ancient mythology where people believed the gods would rather commonly curse mortals into animal forms. There may've even been terms specific to this process. I ...
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How can a melusine manage to disguise their true appearance?
I wanted to know how could a melusine manage to hide their true appearance. How is this portrayed in the folklore? Is there a magic spell cast upon them that prevents them from exposing their true ...
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How and why are Idunn and Tyr gods?
In the eddic poem Hrafnagaldur Óðins, stanza 6, Idunn is identified as an "elf" (alfar) and the "youngest of the elder children of Ivaldi." This implies that Ivaldi had two sets of children, probably ...
user1385
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Is there a story on a goddess marrying a monster?
I am looking for a story on a goddess who married a monster.I remember reading the story a few years ago but I can't seem to remember it.In the story,a goddess marries a monster in order to stop him ...
user1385
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What kind of snakes were the Gorgons' hair made of?
So, the Gorgons had hairs of the snakes. Was it ever recorded what kind of snakes they were?
I have a couple of quotes
The spattered desert gave them life as snakes, smooth snakes of many kinds, and ...
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Griffin, Griffon, or Gryphon?
According to Wikipedia, three spellings can be found for the Griffin, and the source of the word is uncertain. Is it simply a case of different sources choosing their favorite spelling that led to ...
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Do Muses govern the arts?
I thought Muses were patrons of all arts. I knew modern arts like photography or cinema would be attributed by extension to a "visual arts" muse. I thought there were "classical arts" painting and ...
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Are there any mythical creatures in Islam?
Islam is arguably one of the most important religions in the world. However, I have not found any other mythical creatures in Islam, save the jinn, which is a type of fire spirit. Are there any other ...
user1385
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How are the internal organs of centaurs arranged?
My question is about the internal organs of this creature. How are these organs arranged? It is confusing, because it is basically a horse with its head replaced by a human upper body.
For example, ...
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Is there a specific bird that a harpie had under her human part?
So there is a mythical creature called a harpy, who was a half woman, half bird.
Anything on what type of bird it was?
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Are there any gods who are in a different species than humans?
As we probably know, most gods look like humans e.g. Zeus, Osiris. I am interested to find out if there are any gods that are a different species than humans. The only god that I found so far is ...
user1385
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What is the origin of the myth that witches burn in water?
As per most of the stories I know, witches usually burn when they come into contact with water.
Why is this so and what is the origin of this myth? Also,why do witches burn? What about wizards?
user1385
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Wolf and snake chimera
Is there any mythical creature that is a chimera between a wolf and a snake?
Cerberus could be considered one but he was definitely a dog, not a wolf.
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Mythical Creatures associated with Bells
Pretty much what it says on the can. I was wondering if there where any mythical creatures or "folk" (little people, Huldufolk, etc) associated with bells, or the sound of bells.
Thank-you in advance ...
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How are wendigos/similar defeated?
Or shall I say, what are some beliefs on how wendigos/ witigos/ chenoos (any cannibal ice giant type being from Native American folklore) are defeated?
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Could you look at Medusa's head through a distorted surface?
So in Yannis' Awesome Answer
It was looking directly into Medusa's eyes that would turn a mortal to stone, not the whole of her face. Using the shield as a mirror meant that even if Medusa's gaze ...
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How many heads did the Hydra originally have?
When Hercules fought the Hydra, it had 9 heads I think.
But the way of the Hydra is that when one is cut down 2 grow up.
So obviously some foolish fighters went in and cut some heads before, to ...
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Are there any surviving depictions/descriptions of Geryon?
One of the stranger monsters mentioned in the twelve tasks of Hercules, Geryon is described, in all the source material I've seen as having three bodies. I've always had a little trouble picturing ...
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Trolls in Norway
I learned that people put a big stone on their chimney in Norway to prevent from trolls and I am wondering about the myth behind this story.
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Were Argus's eyes gradual or all at once?
Argus has 100 eyes, 50 awake and 5 sleeping all the time. That way, he would be able to keep guard constantly.
But would Argus's eyes have a set time to fall asleep, like 50 immediately going to ...
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Marine Human Hybrids
One of the most popular types of creatures in mythology are marine humanoids. We have the mers--part human, part fish--the cecaeliae--part human, part cephalopod--and the selkies, part human, part ...
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Is there a connection between the use of the metaphor "black dog" for depression and the black dog of British folklore?
"The black dog" has been used as a metaphor for depression or sulking since at least 1790. Today it is used to denote depression and sometimes a broader range of mental illnesses. For example, in ...
user1637
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Were the furies/erinyes of one accord?
There were 3 furies/erinyes. They were to ensure punishment in Hades.
Did each of them serve a different purpose? Or did they do the same thing?
For example- 1 fury would punish a person for eating ...
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Was Cerberus supposed to have only one "mind" (despite having three brains)?
Cerberus is a three headed dog, so normally you could think that he has three minds, one for each head/brain.
However, Ancient Greek medicine placed the rational soul in the heart, rather than the ...
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Are there any mythologic Gods, creatures or equipment that have "exponential" characteristics?
The hydra is classically described as growing two heads back for every one cut down. Mjolnir, theoretically, became exponentially heavier to the unworthy.
What other Gods, creatures or equipment have ...
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Can anyone identify what Chinese mythology creature this is?
I got this as a gift and I originally thought it was a foo dog but it has both paws on turtles, not on a cub or ball as foo dogs do. It may be a Pi Yao or Pixiu but I'm not so sure.
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Is there a mythological basis for the idea of a unicorn princess?
I'm starting a roleplaying game soon where all of the players play as princesses from various myths, stories, fables, etc. I had the idea of trying to play as a unicorn princess, but I can't find a ...
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Why does Indian mythology not have humongous beasts like that of Chinese dragon?
This is a question out of curiosity. I noticed that Indian culture and Chinese culture very near by proximity, but there has been no sign of any dragon in the Indian culture.
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What does this ear stud show in Chinese Mythology?
Does someone know what this ear stud shows?
Because of the Yin/Yang symbol it should be chinese - so no Yōkai.
Could it be a Yaoguai? A Huli jing?
I have absolutely no idea but I just want to know ...
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What was the earliest werewolf myth?
So, the earliest werewolf I can find is in Greek times.
But, was there ever an earlier werewolf myth?
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What are the differences between fauns and satyrs?
From what I've gathered fauns and satyrs are pretty much the same thing; they're all male, hircine from the waist down. They like wine, women, and song. They walk around naked all the time and have an ...
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Was Charybdis always a monster?
Charybdis, and its counterpart Scylla were two monsters in the Odyssey. However, according to Ovid's Metamorphoses, Scylla was once a nymph.
"... had she not been transformed before they came into ...
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Who are the little people who clean in exchange for a saucer of milk?
Terry Pratchett has referenced them in several works. I think other authors have too. I've googled, to no real avail.
They first have to "steal" the instructions from manuals, the back of packets, ...
LikeATiger
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Which creatures from Grimms' tales come directly from German myth?
Trying to determine which creatures in the stories are based on German myth (i.e. things people actually believed in), and which were characters in cautionary tales or stories made up for ...
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Are there any universal creatures in all of the myth systems?
When reading the Egyptian myths I was struck by their similarity to Greek myths.
This lead me to wonder whether any non human creature (so no ghosts, giants or dwarfs) appears universally or nearly ...
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Are there any ancient unicorn myths that originated from Tibet or its bordering regions?
I remember reading some years back how missionaries in Tibet were told stories of how prevalent in the 1800's the belief that there were unicorns living in the mountains of Tibet!
Do any ancient ...
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What are the origins of thestrals?
In Harry Potter, there are magical creatures thestrals
A Thestral is a breed of winged horses with a skeletal body, face with reptilian features, and wide, leathery wings that resemble a bat's. . . ...
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Is there a myth of someone living in the sun?
Is there a Greek myth of some sort of a god, human, or other creature living in the sun?
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Who is the she-demon pasittu?
I was researching the question What demons/fabulous creatures did the Sumerians mention? when I stumbled upon the she-demon pasittu:
Mankind Punished
[iii.45] Enki made ready to speak,
and ...
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Onokentauroi and Centaur- origin of both?
Theoi has an interesting mythical creature here
THE ONOKENTAUROS (or Onocentaur) was an African animal with the hybrid form of a man and an ass.
The Greeks and Romans later applied the name to a type ...
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What is the difference between a cockatrice and a basilisk?
What is the difference between a cockatrice and a basilisk?
I have heard both described as a chicken's egg hatched under a toad, and that both are snake-like animals, and that both will turn you to ...
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