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Results tagged with mythical-creatures
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user 57
For questions about animals or non-human beings described in folklore and legends, which may or may not be based on actual creatures.
7
votes
What are some examples of "Mothers of Monsters"?
A prime example of a mother of monsters from Greek mythology is Echidna:
Men say that Typhaon the terrible, outrageous and lawless, was joined in love to her, the maid with glancing eyes. So she conc …
- 17.1k
6
votes
1
answer
796
views
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 …
- 17.1k
4
votes
0
answers
1k
views
What do we know of the Willauk, the Tebwem and the Pioial?
Wikipedia lists the three creatures as originating in Tasmanian mythology, but other than a very short description it provides no details or references:
Tasmania
Willauk, giant demon that …
- 17.1k
17
votes
Accepted
What happened to Medusa's sisters?
In pseudo-Apollodorus' version, Medusa's sisters sought revenge on Perseus, who escaped them by using the Cap of Hades (which rendered its wearer invisible):
So Perseus put the head of Medusa in the …
- 17.1k
15
votes
Accepted
How and why was Talos killed?
When the Argonauts reached Crete, Talos - the bronze guardian of Europa - managed to push them back to the sea with ease. The Argonauts were desperate for food and water, and Medea decided to use her …
- 17.1k
5
votes
0
answers
165
views
Why does the Yara-ma-yha-who live on fig trees?
The Yara-ma-yha-who is the indigenous Australian version of the vampire. It's a "little red man with a very big head, a large mouth with no teeth and suckers on the ends of its hands and feet" that li …
- 17.1k
12
votes
Accepted
What kind of snakes were the Gorgons' hair made of?
Most sources I know of simply use some form of "ὄφις" (snake) when describing Medusa or her sisters. That's not particularly helpful in identifying the species of the snakes.
One source that uses a d …
- 17.1k
4
votes
2
answers
1k
views
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.
O …
- 17.1k
45
votes
Accepted
Why does looking at Medusa with a mirror work?
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 fell upon Perseus, it would be at …
- 17.1k
5
votes
Accepted
The Origin of Werewolf: Deities Cursing People into Animals?
A possible candidate for the story you have in mind is the legend of Lycaon:
In Greek mythology, Lycaon (/laɪˈkeɪɒn/; Greek: Λυκάων) was a king of Arcadia, son of Pelasgus and Meliboea, who, in the m …
- 17.1k
4
votes
2
answers
578
views
Is there an ancient basis for the Cretan bull-headed sea serpent god in Mika Waltari's The E...
Mika Waltari's excellent historical novel The Egyptian, set in Ancient Egypt during the reign of Pharaoh Akhenaten1, features a bull-headed sea serpent Cretan god.
Here's a quick summary of the time …
- 17.1k
17
votes
1
answer
820
views
What is the story of the Chimera?
The Neo-Hittite Chimera (850–750 BC) from Karkemish is housed in the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara, Turkey:
"Museum of Anatolian Civilizations080" by Georges Jansoone (JoJan) - Self- …
- 17.1k