All fairy-tale creatures. Mythical creatures: list, pictures. Mythical creatures of ancient Greece

The world is not as simple as it might seem at first glance. And many scientists today insist that there are parallel worlds in which various entities live, previously unseen. And fairy tales and myths are not fiction at all, but rather even epics. That is why this article will present a list of mythical creatures that may have once lived, or may still live somewhere else at the moment.

Unicorn

This list will examine both positive and negative representatives. If a good list is considered, a unicorn must be opened. What is it? So, most often it is a beautiful white horse with a sharp horn in its forehead. This is a symbol of chastity and the fight for justice. However, if you believe the esotericists, the unicorn should be a creature with a red head and a white body. Previously, he could be depicted with the body of a bull or goat, and only later - with a horse. Legends also say that unicorns, by their nature, have an inexhaustible supply of energy. It is very difficult to tame them, but they obediently lie down on the ground if a virgin approaches them. If you want to ride a unicorn, you will have to stock up on a golden bridle.

The life of unicorns is also very difficult. They feed exclusively on flowers, drink only morning dew, and swim in the cleanest forest lakes (in which the water then becomes healing). Moreover, all the power of these creatures is contained in a single horn (healing powers are also attributed to it). Today they say: meeting a unicorn means great happiness.

Pegasus

The list of mythical creatures similar to horses can be supplemented by the winged horse, the son of Medusa Gorgon and Poseidon. His main function is to be on Olympus and give his father lightning and thunder. However, while on earth, Pegasus with his hoof knocked out Hippocrene - the source of muses, which should inspire all creative people to useful deeds.

Valkyries

Separately, you can also consider mythical female creatures. The list will definitely be replenished with Valkyries. These are warrior maidens who are companions and executors of the will of Odin (the supreme god in These are some symbols of honorable death in combat. After a warrior has fallen, the Valkyries on their winged horses take him to the heavenly castle of Valgala, where they serve him at the table. In addition, Valkyries can predict the future.

Other female mythical creatures

1. Norns. These are spinning women who determine the birth, life and death of people.
2. Parks, or moiras. These are three sisters, daughters of the night. They also predetermined the life of every person. Clota (first daughter) spins the thread of life, Lachesis (second daughter) guards it, Atropos (third daughter) cuts it.
3. Erinyes. These are goddesses of revenge, who are depicted with torches and whips in their hands. They push a person to take revenge for grievances.
4. We continue to consider female names of mythical creatures. Dryads can join the list. These are women tree guardians. They live in them and die with them. And those who planted and helped the tree to grow were the wards of the dryads. They tried their best to help them.
5. Graces. These are mythical creatures that personify youthful charm and beauty. Their main goal was to excite such a feeling as love in the young hearts of girls. In addition, they brought joy to everyone who met on their way.

Birds

The list of mythical creatures must be supplemented by various birds. After all, they also occupied leading places in popular beliefs.

1. Phoenix. Today many will say that this is the bird of happiness. However, previously she personified the immortality of the soul and the cyclical nature of the world, since she could give rebirth and was reborn herself, burning herself. The phoenix appears in the form of an eagle with golden and red plumage.
2. Anka. This is a bird from Muslim mythology, very similar in its functions and presentation to the phoenix. It was created by Allah and is inaccessible to people.
3. Ruhh. This is a giant bird, which in its claws (huge and strong, like the horns of a bull) can lift three elephants at once. It was believed that the meat of this bird restores lost youth. They called it Nog or Fear-rah.

Griffins and similar creatures

The list of mythical creatures can be continued by monsters, which are the result of crossing two or more powerful animals.

1. First of all, these are griffins. These are winged creatures that have the head of an eagle and the body of a lion. They are the guardians of the gold and treasures of the Riphean Mountains. The scream of these monsters is very dangerous: every living thing in the area dies from it, even humans.
2. Hippogriffs. It is the result of crossing a vulture bird (the front part of the creature) and a horse (the body). This creature also had wings.
3. Manticore. This is a creature that has a human face topped with three rows of teeth, the body of a lion and the tail of a scorpion. His eyes are bloodshot. It moves very quickly and feeds on human bodies.
4. Sphinx. This is a creature that has the head and chest of a woman, and the body of a lion. It was called upon to protect Thebes. The sphinx asked a riddle to each person passing by. Anyone who could not guess it was killed by this creature.

Dragons

What other mythical creatures are there? The list can be supplemented by monsters that are somewhat similar in appearance to dragons.

1. Basilisk. This creature has the eyes of a toad, the head of a rooster, the wings of a bat and the body of a dragon. In other legends it is a huge lizard. From the gaze of this creature, all living things turn to stone (if the basilisk looks at itself in the mirror, it will die). His saliva is also poisonous, and it can also turn you to stone. Lives in a cave, eats stones, comes out only at night. The main goal of his life: protecting unicorns, since they are “pure” creatures.
2. Chimera. This is a creature with the head and neck of a lion, the tail of a dragon and the body of a goat. This is a symbol of a breathing volcano, since this monster spewed fire. Some people believe that modern stone chimeras can come to life and do things.
3. We continue to look at mythical creatures. A monster with the body of a snake and nine heads of a dragon can be added to the list. She lived in a swamp near the city of Lerna and ate entire herds. Hercules saved the city from the hydra.
4. Kraken. This is a kind of sea serpent, an Arabian dragon. He could capture an entire ship with his tentacles, and his back protruded in the middle of the ocean like a huge island.

Russian mythical creatures

Let's look separately at the mythical creatures of Russia. This list can be opened by evildoers. They were also called Khmyri, or Kriks. They live in swamps and pester people. They can even inhabit a person if he is old and has no children. They personify darkness, poverty, poverty. In the house, the evil spirits settle behind the stove, and then jump on a person’s shoulders and ride him. Another mythical creature is the hukhlik. This is a mummer, a water devil. This is an unclean spirit that comes out of the water and loves to play tricks on people, playing various dirty tricks on them. Particularly active during Christmas time.

Greek mythical creatures

Separately, I would also like to present a list of mythical creatures of Greece, the cradle of human civilization.

1. Typhon. This is a monster that has about 100 dragon heads with long black tongues on the back of its head. Can scream with the voices of a variety of animals. This is a special personification of the destructive forces of nature.
2. Lamia is a demon with a female appearance that kills babies.
3. Echidna. An immortal and non-aging woman with the body of a snake who lured travelers and devoured them.
4. Grai - three goddesses of old age.
5. Geryon. This is a giant, a monster, on whose belt three bodies are fused. He owned beautiful cows that lived on the island of Erithia.

Movies about mythical creatures

Fans of everything unusual can watch films about mythical creatures. The following films can be added to this list:

1. “Jason and the Agronauts”, 1963.
2. "The Lord of the Rings", several films that were released from 2001 to 2003.
3. Cartoon "How to Train Your Dragon", 2010 release.
4. "Percy Jackson and the Sea of ​​Monsters", 2013 release.
5. 2001 film "Horror from the Abyss".
6. "My Pet Dinosaur" 2007 release.

Having examined the complete list of mythical creatures and demons, I would like to say that all these monsters are fictitious. And so it must be assumed until facts are presented indicating the opposite.

Every person is familiar with the concept of “mythical creatures”. In childhood, everyone dreams of a miracle; children sincerely believe in beautiful and kind elves, honest and skillful fairy godmothers, smart and powerful wizards. It is sometimes useful for adults to detach themselves from the outside world and be carried away into the world of incredible legends, where magic and magical creatures live.

Typologies of magical creatures

The encyclopedia and reference books give approximately the same explanation for the term “magical creatures” - these are characters of non-human origin, a certain magical power that they use for both good and evil deeds.

Different civilizations had their own characteristic characters. These magical animals belonged to a specific species and genus, which were determined based on who their parents were.

People tried to classify mystical characters. Most often they are divided into:

• good and evil;
• flying, sea and living on earth;
• half-humans and half-gods;
• animals and humanoids, etc.

Ancient mythical creatures are classified not only by description, but also by alphabetical order. But this is impractical, because the collection does not take into account their type, lifestyle and impact on humans. Most convenient option classifications - by civilizations.

Images of ancient Greek mythology

Greece is the cradle of European civilization. Ancient Greek myths open the door to a world of unimaginable fantasies.

To understand the uniqueness of the Hellenic culture, you need to get acquainted with the magical creatures from their legends.

1. Drakaines are female reptiles or snakes that have been given human characteristics. The most famous dragons are Echidna and Lamia.
2. Echidna is the daughter of Forkys and Keto. She was depicted as a humanoid creature. She has a beautiful face and body of a snake, captivating with girlish beauty. She combined meanness and beauty. Together with Typhon, she gave birth to many different monsters. An interesting fact is that a mammal completely covered with spines and a poisonous snake were named after Echidna. They live on an island in the ocean located near Australia. The myth of Echidna is one of the explanations for the appearance of dragons on Earth.
3. Lamia is the queen of Libya, daughter of the Lord of the Sea. According to myth, she was one of Zeus’s lovers, for which Hera hated her. The goddess turned Lamia into a monster that kidnaps children. IN Ancient Greece Lamia was the name given to ghouls and bloodsuckers who hypnotized young girls and boys, killed them or drank their blood. Lamia was depicted as a woman with a snake body.
4. Grai - goddesses of old age, sisters of the Gorgons. Their names are Terror (Enyo), Anxiety (Pefredo) and Trembling (Deino). From birth they were gray-haired, they had only one eye between the three of them, so they took turns using it. According to the myth of Perseus, the Graians knew the location of the Gorgon. To obtain this information, as well as to find out where to get the invisibility helmet, winged sandals and bag, Perseus took the eye from them.
5. Pegasus is a fairy-tale winged horse. Translated from ancient Greek, his name meant “stormy current.” According to myth, no one before Bellerophon could ride this wonderful white horse, which, at the slightest danger, flapped its huge wings and flew beyond the clouds. Pegasus is a favorite of poets, artists and sculptors. A weapon, a constellation, and ray-finned fish are named in his honor.
6. The Gorgons are the daughters of Keto and her brother Phokis. Mythology suggests that there were three gorgons: the most famous is Medusa the Gorgon and her two sisters Stheno and Euryale. They caused indescribable fear. They had female bodies covered with scales, snakes instead of hair, huge fangs, a body. Everyone who looked into their eyes turned to stone. In a figurative sense, the word “gorgon” means a grumpy and angry woman.
7. The Chimera is a monster whose anatomy was terrifying and amazing at the same time. It had three heads: one was a goat's, the other was a lion's, and instead of a tail there was a snake's head. The beast breathed, destroying with fire everything that came in its way. The chimera was the personification of a volcano: there are many green pastures on its slopes, a lion’s den at the top, and snake coblas at the base. In honor of this magical creature, orders of fish were named. Chimera is a prototype of gargoyles.
8. The Siren is a demonic female folkloric character who was born from Melpomene or Terpsichore and the god Achelous. The Siren was depicted as half-fish, half-woman or half-bird, half-maiden. From their mother they inherited a beautiful appearance and a unique voluptuous voice, and from their father - a wild disposition. The demigoddesses attacked the sailors, starting to sing, the men lost their minds, sent their ships to the rocks and died. The merciless maidens fed on the bodies of sailors. Sirens are muses of the other world, so their images were often painted on tombstones and monuments. These mythical creatures became the prototype for a whole group of mythical sea creatures.
9. Phoenix - popular mythical character, is presented in the form of a magical bird with golden-scarlet feathers. Phoenix is ​​a collective image of various birds: peacock, heron, crane, etc. Most often it is depicted as an eagle. The distinctive quality of this fabulous winged character was self-immolation and rebirth from the ashes. The Phoenix has become an indicator of man's desire for immortality. He is a favorite poetic symbol of light. A plant and one of the brightest celestial constellations were named in his honor.
10. Hecatoncheires (Cyclopes) are little-known but interesting magical giants that look like men. A distinctive characteristic of Hecatonchires was that they had many eyes. And one body could hold fifty heads. They lived in dungeons, because immediately after their birth, Uranus imprisoned them in the ground for its own safety. After the complete defeat of the titans, the hecotoncheires volunteered to guard the entrance to the place where the titans were imprisoned.
11. Hydra is another female creation, which, according to myths, was produced by Echidna and Typhon. This is a dangerous and terrible creature that was amazing in its description. She had nine dragon heads and the body of a snake. One of these heads was unkillable, that is, immortal. Therefore, she was considered invincible, because when her head was cut off, two more grew in its place. The monster was constantly hungry, so she devastated the local surroundings, burning crops, killing and eating animals that got in her way. It was of enormous size: as soon as the mythical creature rose on its tail, it was visible far beyond the forest. The constellation, satellite of the planet Pluto and the genus Coelenterata are named after Hydra.
12. Harpies are pre-Olympic creatures who are the daughters of Electra and Thaumant. Harpies were depicted as girls with beautiful faces, long hair and wings. They were constantly hungry and, thanks to their origin, invulnerable. While hunting, harpies descended from the mountains into forest thickets or fields near settlements, attacked livestock with piercing screams and devoured the animals. The gods sent them as punishment. Mythical monsters did not allow people to eat normally, this happened until the moment the person became exhausted and died. The name “harpy” is inherent in extremely greedy, insatiable, evil women.
13. Empusa is a little-known mythical demoness who lives in an otherworldly realm. She was a ghost - a vampire with the head and body of a woman, and her lower limbs were that of a donkey. Her peculiarity is that she could take on different forms - sweet and innocent maidens, dogs or horses. Ancient people believed that she stole small children, attacked lonely travelers and sucked their blood. To drive away Empusa, you need to have a special amulet with you.
14. Griffins are good mythical creatures, because in mythology they personified vigilant power and unique insight. This is an animal with the body of a lion, huge and powerful wings and the head of an eagle. The griffin's eyes had a golden hue. The griffin had a simple functional purpose - to protect. The ancient Hellenes believed that these creatures were the guardians of the gold reserves of Asia. The image of a griffin was depicted on weapons, coins and other objects.

North American magical creatures

America was colonized quite late. For this, Europeans often called the continent the New World. But if we return to historical origins, then North America is also rich in ancient civilizations that have sunk into oblivion.

Many of them have disappeared forever, but various mythical creatures are still known today. Here is a partial list of those:

• Lechuza (Lechusa) - the ancient inhabitants of Texas called a werewolf witch with the head of a woman and the body of an owl. Lechuzas are girls who sold their souls to the devil in exchange for magical powers. At night they turned into monsters, so they were often seen flying around in search of profit. There is another version of the appearance of lechuza - it is the spirit of a murdered woman who returned for revenge. Lechusa was compared to such representatives of the ancient world as harpies and banshees.
• Tooth fairies are small and very kind fairy-tale characters, whose image is actively used in modern Western culture. According to legend, they got their name because they put money or gifts under a child’s pillow in exchange for a lost tooth. The main benefit of this character with wings is that they encourage the child to take care of his appearance and compensate for the loss of a tooth. It was possible to give a gift to the fairy on any day except December 25, because on Christmas such a gift would entail the death of the fairy.
• La Llorona is the name given to a ghostly woman mourning her children. Her image is very common in Mexico and the surrounding North American states. La Llorona is depicted as a pale woman in white, wandering near bodies of water and along deserted streets with a bundle in her hands. A meeting with her is dangerous, because after this the person begins to have problems. This image was popular among parents, who intimidated their naughty children by threatening that La Llorona might take them away.
• Bloody Mary - if you open the atlas, this mystical image is associated with the state of Pennsylvania. Here a legend appeared about a small and evil old woman who lived in the thicket of the forest and practiced witchcraft. In nearby villages and hamlets, children began to disappear. One day, a miller tracked his daughter to Bloody Mary’s home. For this, her fellow villagers burned her at the stake. Burning, she shouted a curse. After her death, children's bodies were found buried around the house. The image of Bloody Mary was used for fortune telling on Halloween night. A cocktail is named in her honor.
• Chihuateteo - this word in Aztec mythology refers to rare creatures, unusual women who died during childbirth and subsequently became vampires. Childbirth is a form of battle for life. According to legend, Chihuateos accompanied male warriors at sunset. And at night, like succubi, they seduced representatives of the stronger half, sucking energy out of them, and also kidnapped children to quench their thirst. To charm and subjugate, the Chihuateteo could practice magic and witchcraft.
• Wendigo - evil spirits. IN ancient world, people meant by this word “all-consuming evil.” The Wendigo is a tall creature with sharp fangs, a lipless mouth, it is insatiable and its silhouette features are similar to those of a human. They split into small groups and pursue their victims. People who find themselves in the forest initially hear strange sounds, while looking for the source of these sounds, they could only see a flashing silhouette. It is impossible to hit a Windigo with conventional weapons. Only silver items can take it, and it can also be destroyed by fire.
• A goatman is a humanoid that is similar to a satyr or faun. He is described as having a human body and the head of a goat. According to some reports, he is depicted with horns. Height up to 3.5 m, he attacks animals and people.
• Hodag is a powerful monster of an indeterminate kind. It is described as a large animal, reminiscent of a rhinoceros, but instead of a horn, the hodag has a diamond-shaped appendage, thanks to which the fairy-tale character can only see straight ahead. According to legend, he ate white bulldogs. According to another description, he has bone growths in the area of ​​his back and head.
• The Great Serpent is the central religious and social symbol of the Mayan tribe. The serpent is associated with the celestial bodies; according to legend, it helps to cross the space of the heavens. Shedding old skin is a symbol of renewal and full rebirth. He was depicted as having two heads. With horns, the spirits of previous generations emerged from its jaws.
• Baycock is a prominent representative of the mythology of the Cherokee Indians. He was presented as an emaciated man with scarlet fiery eyes. He was dressed in rags or ordinary hunting clothes. Every Indian could become a beycock if he died shamefully, or committed a bad deed: lying, killing relatives, etc. They hunted only warriors, were fast and merciless. To stop the chaos, you need to collect the baycock bones and arrange a normal funeral. Then the monster will calmly go to rest in the afterlife.

European mythical characters

Europe is a huge continent that contains many different states and nationalities.

European mythology has collected many fairy-tale characters that are associated with ancient Greek civilization and the Middle Ages.

Creation	Description
Unicorn	A magical creature in the form of a horse with a horn protruding from its forehead. The unicorn is a symbol of search and spiritual purity. He played a huge role in many medieval tales and legends. One of them says that when Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden for sin, God gave the unicorn a choice - to leave with the people or stay in Paradise. He preferred the former, and was especially blessed for his sympathy. Alchemists compared swift unicorns with one of the elements - mercury.
Undine	In Western European folklore, undines are the spirits of young maidens who committed suicide because of unrequited love. Their real names were hidden. They are like sirens. Ondines were distinguished by their beautiful appearance, luxurious, long hair, which they often combed on the coastal stones. In some legends, undines were like mermaids, they had a fish tail instead of legs. The Scandinavians believed that those who got to the Undines did not find their way back.
Valkyries	Famous representatives of Scandinavian mythology, assistants of Odin. At first they were considered angels of death and spirits of battles. Later they were depicted as Odin's shield-bearer, maidens with golden curls and fair skin. They served the heroes by serving drinks and food in Valhalla.
Banshee	Mythological creatures from Ireland. Mourners dressed in gray cloaks, with bright red eyes and white hair from tears. Their language is incomprehensible to humans. Her cry is the sobs of a child mixed with the howling of a wolf and the cry of geese. She can change her appearance from a pale-skinned girl to an ugly old woman. Banshees protect representatives of ancient families. But the meeting with the creature foreshadowed imminent death.
Huldra	A young girl from a clan of trolls, fair-haired, of extraordinary beauty. The name "huldra" means "hiding". According to tradition, she is considered an evil spirit. What distinguished the huldra from ordinary women was the tail of a cow. If a baptism ceremony was performed on her, she lost her tail. Huldra dreamed of becoming related to a person, so she lured men. After meeting her, the man became lost to the world. Male representatives taught them various crafts, including playing musical instruments. Some managed to give birth to a child from a man, then they gained immortality.

At all times, people have tried to explain what they could not control and what they could not interfere with. This is how many legends and mythological characters appeared. Different peoples had approximately the same idea of ​​magical creatures. Therefore, the little mermaid and the undine, the banshee and La Llorona, are identical.

Mythological genre(from the Greek word mythos - legend) is a genre of art dedicated to events and heroes about which the myths of ancient peoples tell. All peoples of the world have myths, legends and traditions, they make up important source artistic creativity.

The mythological genre was formed during the Renaissance, when ancient legends provided rich subjects for the paintings of S. Botticelli, A. Mantegna, Giorgione,
In the 17th - early 19th centuries, the idea of ​​paintings in the mythological genre expanded significantly. They serve to embody a high artistic ideal (N. Poussin, P. Rubens), bring closer to life (D. Velazquez, Rembrandt, N. Poussin, P. Batoni), create a festive spectacle (F. Boucher, G. B. Tiepolo) .

In the 19th century, the mythological genre served as the norm for high, ideal art. Along with the themes of ancient mythology, themes from Germanic, Celtic, Indian and Slavic myths became popular in the visual arts and sculpture in the 19th and 20th centuries.
At the turn of the 20th century, symbolism and Art Nouveau style revived interest in the mythological genre (G. Moreau, M. Denis, V. Vasnetsov, M. Vrubel). It received a modern rethinking in the graphics of P. Picasso. See historical genre for more details.

Mythical creatures, monsters and fairy-tale animals
Fear ancient man before the powerful forces of nature, he was embodied in mythological images of gigantic or vile monsters.

Created by the fertile imagination of the ancients, they combined body parts of familiar animals, such as the head of a lion or the tail of a snake. The body, made up of different parts, only emphasized the monstrousness of these disgusting creatures. Many of them were considered inhabitants of the depths of the sea, personifying the hostile power of the water element.

In ancient mythology, monsters are represented by a rare wealth of shapes, colors and sizes; more often they are ugly, sometimes they are magically beautiful; Often these are half-humans, half-beasts, and sometimes completely fantastic creatures.

Amazons

Amazon, in Greek mythology a tribe of female warriors descended from the god of war Ares and the naiad Harmony. They lived in Asia Minor or in the foothills of the Caucasus. It is believed that their name comes from the name of the custom of burning out the left breast of girls to make it more convenient to wield a combat bow.

The ancient Greeks believed that these fierce beauties would marry men from other tribes at certain times of the year. They gave the born boys to their fathers or killed them, and raised the girls in a warlike spirit. During the Trojan War, the Amazons fought on the side of the Trojans, so the brave Greek Achilles, having defeated their queen Penthisileia in battle, zealously denied rumors of a love affair with her.

Stately female warriors attracted more than one Achilles. Hercules and Theseus took part in the battles with the Amazons, who kidnapped the Amazon queen Antiope, married her and with her help repelled the invasion of warrior maidens into Attica.

One of the twelve famous labors of Hercules consisted of stealing the magic belt of the queen of the Amazons, the beautiful Hippolyta, which required considerable self-control from the hero.

Magi and Mages

Magi (wizards, magicians, sorcerers, sorcerers) are a special class of people (“wise men”) who enjoyed great influence in ancient times. The wisdom and power of the Magi lay in their knowledge of secrets inaccessible to ordinary people. Depending on the degree of cultural development of the people, their magicians or sages could represent different degrees of “wisdom” - from simple ignorant witchcraft to truly scientific knowledge.

Kedrigern and other magicians Dean Morrissey

In the history of the Magi, mention is made of the history of prophecy, of the Gospel indication that at the time of the birth of Christ, “the Magi came from the east to Jerusalem and asked where the king of the Jews had been born” (Matthew, II, 1 and 2). What kind of people they were, from what country and what religion - the evangelist does not give any indication of this.
But the further statement of these magi that they came to Jerusalem because they saw in the East the star of the born king of the Jews, whom they came to worship, shows that they belonged to the category of those eastern magi who were engaged in astronomical observations.
Upon returning to their country, they devoted themselves to contemplative life and prayer, and when the apostles scattered to preach the Gospel throughout the world, the Apostle Thomas met them in Parthia, where they were baptized by him and themselves became preachers of the new faith. Legend says that their relics were subsequently found by Queen Helena; they were first placed in Constantinople, but from there they were transferred to Mediolan (Milan), and then to Cologne, where their skulls, like a shrine, are kept to this day. In their honor, a holiday was established in the West, known as the holiday of the three kings (January 6), and they generally became patrons of travelers.

Harpies

Harpies, in Greek mythology, the daughter of the sea deity Thaumantas and the oceanid Electra, the number of which ranges from two to five. They are usually depicted as disgusting half-birds, half-women.

Harpies Bruce Pennington

Myths speak of harpies as evil kidnappers of children and human souls. From the harpy Podarga and the god of the west wind Zephyr, the divine fleet-footed horses of Achilles were born. According to legend, harpies once lived in the caves of Crete, and later in the kingdom of the dead.

Dwarves in the mythology of the peoples of Western Europe are small people who live underground, in the mountains or in the forest. They were the size of a child or a finger, but they possessed supernatural strength; they have long beards and sometimes goat legs or crow's feet.

Dwarves lived much longer than people. In the depths of the earth, little men kept their treasures - precious stones and metals. Dwarves are skilled blacksmiths and could forge magic rings, swords, etc. They often acted as benevolent advisers to people, although black gnomes sometimes kidnapped beautiful girls.

Goblins

In the mythology of Western Europe, goblins are called mischievous ugly creatures that live underground, in caves that do not tolerate sunlight, and lead an active night life. The origin of the word goblin seems to be connected with the spirit Gobelinus, which lived in the lands of Evreux and is mentioned in manuscripts of the 13th century.

Having adapted to life underground, representatives of this people became very hardy creatures. They could go without food for a whole week and still not lose strength. They also managed to significantly develop their knowledge and skills, became cunning and inventive and learned to create things that no mortal had the opportunity to do.

It is believed that goblins love to cause minor mischief to people - sending nightmares, making people nervous with noise, breaking dishes with milk, crushing chicken eggs, blowing soot from the stove into a clean house, sending flies, mosquitoes and wasps on people, blowing out candles and spoiling milk.

Gorgons

Gorgons, in Greek mythology, monsters, daughters of the sea deities Phorcys and Keto, granddaughters of the earth goddess Gaia and the sea Pontus. Their three sisters are Stheno, Euryale and Medusa; the latter, unlike the elders, is a mortal being.

The sisters lived in the far west, off the banks of the world river Ocean, near the Garden of the Hesperides. Their appearance was terrifying: winged creatures covered with scales, with snakes instead of hair, fanged mouths, with a gaze that turned all living things to stone.

Perseus, the liberator of the beautiful Andromeda, beheaded the sleeping Medusa, looking at her reflection in the shiny copper shield given to him by Athena. From the blood of Medusa appeared the winged horse Pegasus, the fruit of her relationship with the ruler of the sea, Poseidon, who, with a blow of his hoof on Mount Helicon, knocked out a source that gives inspiration to poets.

Gorgons (V. Bogure)

Demons and Demons

A demon, in Greek religion and mythology, is the embodiment of a generalized idea of ​​​​an indefinite formless divine force, evil or benign, determining the fate of a person.

In Orthodox Christianity, “demons” are usually denounced as “demons.”
Demons, in ancient Slavic mythology, are evil spirits. The word “Demons” is common Slavic and goes back to the Indo-European bhoi-dho-s - “causing fear.” Traces of ancient meaning survive in archaic folklore texts, especially spells. In Christian ideas, demons are the servants and spies of the devil, they are warriors of his unclean army, they oppose the Holy Trinity and the heavenly army led by the Archangel Michael. They are the enemies of the human race

In the mythology of the Eastern Slavs - Belarusians, Russians, Ukrainians - the general name for all lower demonological creatures and spirits, such as evil spirits, devils, demons etc. - evil spirits, evil spirits.

According to popular beliefs, evil spirits are created by God or Satan, and according to popular beliefs, they appear from unbaptized children or children born from intercourse with evil spirits, as well as suicides. It was believed that the devil and the devil could hatch from a cock's egg carried under the left armpit. Evil spirits are omnipresent, but their favorite places were wastelands, thickets, and swamps; intersections, bridges, holes, whirlpools, whirlpools; “unclean” trees - willow, walnut, pear; underground and attics, space under the stove, baths; The representatives of evil spirits are named accordingly: goblin, field worker, waterman, swamper, brownie, barnnik, bannik, underground etc.

DEMONS OF HELL

Fear of evil spirits forced people not to go into the forest and field during Rusal Week, not to leave the house at midnight, not to leave dishes with water and food open, to close the cradle, to cover the mirror, etc. However, people sometimes entered into an alliance with evil spirits , for example, he told fortunes by removing the cross, healed with the help of spells, and sent damage. This was done by witches, sorcerers, healers, etc..

Vanity of vanities - Everything is vanity

Dragons

The first mention of dragons dates back to the ancient Sumerian culture. In ancient legends there are descriptions of the dragon as an amazing creature, unlike any other animal and at the same time resembling many of them.

The image of the Dragon appears in almost all creation myths. The sacred texts of ancient peoples identify it with the primordial power of the earth, the primordial Chaos, which enters into battle with the Creator.

The dragon symbol is the emblem of warriors on Parthian and Roman standards, the national emblem of Wales, and the guardian depicted on the prows of ancient Viking ships. Among the Romans, the dragon was the badge of a cohort, hence the modern dragon, dragoon.

The dragon symbol is a symbol of supreme power among the Celts, a symbol of the Chinese emperor: his face was called the Face of the Dragon, and his throne was called the Dragon Throne.

In medieval alchemy, primordial matter (or otherwise the world substance) was designated by the most ancient alchemical symbol - a snake-dragon biting its own tail and called ouroboros ("tail eater"). The image of the ouroboros was accompanied by the caption “All in One or One in All.” And Creation was called circular (circulare) or wheel (rota). In the Middle Ages, when depicting a dragon, different parts of the body were “borrowed” from various animals, and, like the sphinx, the dragon was a symbol of the unity of the four elements.

One of the most common mythological plots is the battle with the dragon.

The battle with the dragon symbolizes the difficulties that a person must overcome in order to master the treasures of inner knowledge, defeat his base, dark nature and achieve self-control.

Centaurs

Centaurs, in Greek mythology, wild creatures, half-human, half-horse, inhabitants of mountains and forest thickets. They were born from Ixion, the son of Ares, and the cloud, which, by the will of Zeus, took the form of Hera, on whom Ixion attempted. They lived in Thessaly, ate meat, drank and were famous for their violent temper. The centaurs fought tirelessly with their neighbors the Lapiths, trying to kidnap the wives from this tribe for themselves. Defeated by Hercules, they settled throughout Greece. Centaurs are mortal, only Chiron was immortal

Chiron, unlike all centaurs, he was skilled in music, medicine, hunting and the art of war, and was also famous for his kindness. He was friends with Apollo and raised a number of Greek heroes, including Achilles, Hercules, Theseus and Jason, and taught healing to Asclepius himself. Chiron was accidentally wounded by Hercules with an arrow poisoned by the poison of the Lernaean hydra. Suffering from an incurable sore, the centaur longed for death and renounced immortality in exchange for Zeus freeing Prometheus. Zeus placed Chiron in the sky in the form of the constellation Centaur.

The most popular of the legends where centaurs appear is the legend of the “centauromachy” - the battle of the centaurs with the Lapiths who invited them to the wedding. Wine was new to the guests. At the feast, the drunken centaur Eurytion insulted the king of the Lapiths, Pirithous, trying to kidnap his bride Hippodamia. The “Centauromachy” was depicted by Phidias or his student in the Parthenon, Ovid sang it in book XII of “Metamorphoses”, it inspired Rubens, Piero di Cosimo, Sebastiano Ricci, Jacobo Bassano, Charles Lebrun and other artists.

Painter Giordano, Luca depicted the plot of the famous story of the battle of the Lapiths with the centaurs, who decided to kidnap the daughter of King Lapith

RENI GUIDO Dejanira, kidnapped

Nymphs and Mermaids

Nymphs, in Greek mythology, are the deities of nature, its life-giving and fruitful powers in the form of beautiful girls. The most ancient ones, the meliads, were born from drops of the blood of castrated Uranus. There are nymphs of water (oceanids, nereids, naiads), lakes and swamps (limnads), mountains (restiads), groves (alseids), trees (dryads, hamadryads), etc.

Nereid J.W. Waterhouse 1901

Nymphs, owners of ancient wisdom, the secrets of life and death, healers and prophetesses, from marriages with gods gave birth to heroes and soothsayers, for example Achille, Aeacus, Tiresias. Beauties, who usually lived far from Olympus, at the behest of Zeus were summoned to the palace of the father of gods and people.

GHEYN Jacob de II - Neptune And Amphitrite

Of the myths associated with nymphs and Nereids, the most famous is the myth of Poseidon and Amphitrite. One day, Poseidon saw, off the coast of the island of Naxos, the Nereid sisters, daughters of the prophetic sea elder Nereus, dancing in a circle. Poseidon was captivated by the beauty of one of the sisters, the beautiful Amphitrite, and wanted to take her away in his chariot. But Amphitrite took refuge with the titan Atlas, who holds the vault of heaven on his mighty shoulders. For a long time Poseidon could not find the beautiful Amphitrite, daughter of Nereus. Finally, a dolphin opened her hiding place to him. For this service, Poseidon placed the dolphin among the celestial constellations. Poseidon stole the beautiful daughter Nereus from Atlas and married her.

Herbert James Draper. Sea melodies, 1904

Satires

Satyr in Exile Bruce Pennington

Satyrs, in Greek mythology, spirits of the forests, demons of fertility, together with the Silenians, were part of the retinue of Dionysus, in whose cult they played a decisive role. These wine-loving creatures are bearded, covered with fur, long-haired, with protruding horns or horse ears, tails and hooves; however, their torso and head are human.

Cunning, cocky and lustful, satyrs frolicked in the forests, chased nymphs and maenads, and played evil tricks on people. There is a well-known myth about the satyr Marcia, who, having picked up a flute thrown by the goddess Athena, challenged Apollo himself to a musical competition. The rivalry between them ended with God not only defeating Marsyas, but also skinning the unfortunate man alive.

Trolls

Jotuns, thurs, giants in Scandinavian mythology, trolls in the later Scandinavian tradition. On the one hand, these are the ancient giants, the first inhabitants of the world, preceding the gods and people in time.

On the other hand, the Jotuns are the inhabitants of a cold, rocky country on the northern and eastern outskirts of the earth (Jotunheim, Utgard), representatives of elemental demonic natural forces

T Rollie, in German-Scandinavian mythology, evil giants who lived in the depths of the mountains, where they kept their countless treasures. It was believed that these unusually ugly creatures had enormous strength, but were very stupid. Trolls, as a rule, tried to harm people, stole their livestock, destroyed forests, trampled fields, destroyed roads and bridges, and engaged in cannibalism. Later tradition likens trolls to various demonic creatures, including gnomes.

Fairies

Fairies, according to the beliefs of the Celtic and Roman peoples, are fantastic female creatures, sorceresses. Fairies, in European mythology, are women with magical knowledge and power. Fairies are usually good sorceresses, but there are also “dark” fairies.

There are many legends, fairy tales and great works of art in which fairies do good deeds, become patrons of princes and princesses, and sometimes themselves act as wives of kings or heroes.

According to Welsh legends, fairies existed in the form ordinary people, sometimes beautiful, but sometimes terrible. At will, when performing magic, they could take the form of a noble animal, flower, light, or could become invisible to people.

The origin of the word fairy remains unknown, but in the mythologies of European countries it is very similar. The words for fairy in Spain and Italy are “fada” and “fata”. Obviously, they are derived from the Latin word “fatum”, that is, fate, fate, which was recognition of the ability to predict and even control human destiny. In France, the word "fee" comes from the Old French "feer", which apparently appeared on the basis of the Latin "fatare", meaning "to enchant, to bewitch". This word speaks of the ability of fairies to change the ordinary world of people. From the same word comes English word"faerie" - "magic kingdom", which includes the art of witchcraft and the entire world of fairies.

Elves

Elves, in the mythology of the Germanic and Scandinavian peoples, are spirits, ideas about which go back to the lower natural spirits. Like elves, elves are sometimes divided into light and dark. Light elves in medieval demonology are good spirits of the air, atmosphere, beautiful little men (about an inch tall) in hats made of flowers, inhabitants of trees, which, in this case, cannot be cut down.

They loved to dance in circles in the moonlight; the music of these fabulous creatures enchanted listeners. The world of the light elves was Apfheim. The light elves were engaged in spinning and weaving, their threads were flying webs; they had their own kings, fought wars, etc.Dark elves are gnomes, underground blacksmiths who store treasures in the depths of the mountains. In medieval demonology, elves were sometimes called lower spirits of natural elements: salamanders (spirits of fire), sylphs (spirits of air), undines (spirits of water), gnomes (spirits of earth)

The myths that have survived to this day are full of dramatic stories about gods and heroes who fought dragons, giant snakes and evil demons.

In Slavic mythology, there are many myths about animals and birds, as well as creatures endowed with a bizarre appearance - half-bird, half-woman, human-horse - and extraordinary properties. First of all, this is a werewolf, a werewolf. The Slavs believed that sorcerers could turn any person into a beast with a spell. This is the frisky half-man, half-horse Polkan, reminiscent of a centaur; wonderful half-birds, half-maidens Sirin and Alkonost, Gamayun and Stratim.

An interesting belief among the southern Slavs is that at the dawn of time all animals were people, but those who committed a crime were turned into animals. In return for the gift of speech, they received the gift of foresight and understanding of what a person feels.

ON THIS TOPIC

The world is not as simple as it seems at first glance. Scientists have already said many times that parallel worlds exist somewhere, from which come various mythical creatures previously unknown to man. It turns out that fairy tales, legends and myths are not fiction; they, most likely, can be called epics.

There is a certain bestiary - a medieval collection that provides a detailed description of various fictional mythical creatures. Below in the article a description of mythical creatures will be presented - a list with pictures and names.

Unicorns

If we talk about “good” mythical creatures, then we cannot fail to mention such like a unicorn. But what are they, unicorns? Most often, photos and pictures of unicorns depict beautiful white horses with one sharp horn in their forehead. Unicorns have always been considered a symbol of chastity and the fight for justice. Esotericists also claim that they should have blue eyes, a red head and a white body. Previously, unicorns were depicted with the body of a bull or goat, and only recently their body took on the appearance of a horse.

If you believe the myths, these creatures have an incredible amount of energy. It is very difficult to tame them, but they can obediently lie down on the ground if a virgin approaches them. In order to ride a unicorn, you need to acquire a golden bridle.

As for the life of such a mythical creature, then it is also very complex. Unicorns eat only flowers and drink only morning dew. They bathe only in clean forest reservoirs, in which the water then becomes healing properties. The main power of unicorns is concentrated in their horn, which is also credited with healing powers. Esotericists claim that a person who meets a unicorn will become incredibly happy.

Pegasus

Pegasus is another mythical creature, which is similar to a horse. Many encyclopedias write that this winged horse is the son of the Gargona Medusa and Poseidon, the God of the Seas, who lived in Ancient Greece. The main function of Pegasus was to be on Olympus, where he transmitted lightning and thunder to his father. When Pegasus descended to the ground, he knocked out Hippocrene with his hoof. Hippocrene is the source of the muses, which served as inspiration for all creative individuals to take useful actions.

Valkyries

Special attention is paid to the mythical female creatures, among which the Valkyries are definitely worth mentioning. They are called Valkyries some warrior maidens who also serve as companions and executors of the will of Odin, the Supreme God in German-Scandinavian mythology. Valkyries can be called symbols of honorable death in battle. When a warrior died during hostilities, Valkyries flew to him on winged horses and took the deceased to the sky castle of Valhalla, where they began to serve him at table. These creatures have another distinctive ability - they can predict the future.

Names of other female mythical creatures:

• Norns are spinning women who can determine the birth, life and death of a person;
• The Parks are three sisters and daughters of the night, who also have the ability to predetermine the life of any person. The first daughter's name is Clota. She spins the thread of life. The second daughter, Lachesis, is the guardian of life. Atropos is the third daughter who cuts the thread of life;
• Erinny - goddess of vengeance. As a rule, in photographs and pictures they are always depicted with torches in their hands. Such creatures push a person to commit vengeful actions for any grievances;
• Dryads are women who guard trees. They spend their entire lives in trees and also die with them. The dryads have their own wards who help them plant and grow trees;
• Graces are mythical creatures that are the personification of youthful charm and beauty. The main goal of the graces is to excite love in young girls’ hearts. In addition, the Graces always brought joy to those who came across their path.

Mythical birds

Speaking of mythical creatures, birds must be mentioned, since they also occupied leading places in various tales and legends.

Griffins and the like

The list of mythical creatures and monsters continues, resulting from the crossing of two or more powerful animals.

• Griffins are winged creatures that have the head of an eagle and the body of a lion. Griffins guarded the gold and treasures of the Riphean mountains. Their cry is very dangerous for all living things. The sound that griffins make kills everything in the area, even people;
• Hippogriffs are the result of crossing a vulture and a horse. Hippogriffs also had wings;
• A manticore is a creature with a human face. The manticore has three rows of teeth, the body of a lion, and the tail of a scorpion. Her eyes are bloodshot. Manticores move with lightning speed. Only human bodies are eaten;
• The Sphinx has woman's head, chest and lion's body. His main task was to guard Thebes. He asked a riddle to everyone who passed by the sphinx. If a person could not guess it, then the sphinx would kill him.

Dragons

The list of mythical creatures also includes monsters, which look very much like dragons.

Russian mythical creatures

Now it’s worth considering the mythical creatures that lived in Russia.

• Sinister people lived in swamps and pestered people. They had the ability to inhabit an old man who has no children. Sinisters were the personification of darkness, misery and poverty. In the house, these creatures settled behind the stove, jumped on a person’s back and rode him;
• Khukhlik is a disguised water devil. This unclean spirit lives in bodies of water and loves to joke with people and play various tricks on them. The hukhlik is most active during Christmas time.

The cradle of human civilization.

Having considered such a list of mythical creatures, it should be noted that they are all fictional. And this will be considered this way until some facts are provided indicating their actual existence.

Every person has faith in a miracle, in a magical unknown world, in the good and not so good creatures that live around us. While we are children, we sincerely believe in fair fairies, beautiful elves, hardworking gnomes and wise wizards. Our review will help you, detached from everything earthly, be carried away into this fantastic world of wonderful fairy tales, into the endless universe of dreams and illusions where magical creatures live. Perhaps some of them are somewhat reminiscent of mythical creatures from or, while some are characteristic of a certain region of Europe.

1) Dragon

The dragon is the most common mythological creature, most closely resembling reptiles, sometimes in combination with body parts of other animals. The word “dragon”, which entered the Russian language and was borrowed from the Greek language in the 16th century, became synonymous with the devil, which is confirmed by the negative position of Christianity towards this image.

Almost all European countries have tales of dragons. The mythological motif of the battle of the hero-serpent fighter with the dragon later became widespread in folklore, and then penetrated into literature in the form of the myth of St. George, who defeated the dragon and freed the girl captive by him. Literary treatments of this legend and the corresponding images are characteristic of medieval European art.

According to the hypothesis of some scientists, the image of a dragon in the form combining the features of birds and snakes dates back to approximately the same period when mythological symbols of animals as such gave way to gods combining the features of humans and animals. This image of a dragon was one of the ways to combine opposing symbols - the symbol of the upper world (birds) and the symbol of the lower world (snakes). Nevertheless, the dragon can be considered a further development of the image mythological snake- the main features and mythological motifs associated with the dragon largely coincide with those that characterized the snake.

The word "dragon" is used in zoology as the name of some real species of vertebrates, mainly reptiles and fish, and in botany. The image of the dragon is widespread in literature, heraldry, art and astrology. The dragon is very popular as a tattoo and symbolizes power, wisdom and strength.

2) Unicorn

A creature in the form of a horse with one horn coming out of its forehead, symbolizing chastity, spiritual purity and quest. The unicorn played an important role in medieval legends and fairy tales; wizards and sorceresses rode it. When Adam and Eve were expelled from Paradise, God gave the unicorn a choice: stay in Eden or leave with people. The unicorn chose the latter and was blessed for his compassion for people.

There are scattered evidence of encounters with unicorns from ancient times to the Middle Ages. In his Notes on the Gallic War, Julius Caesar talks about a deer with a long horn that lives in the Hercynian Forest in Germany. The earliest mention of a unicorn in Western literature is by Ctesias of Cnidus, in the 5th century BC. in his memoirs described an animal the size of a horse, which he and many others called the Indian wild ass. “They have a white body, a brown head and blue eyes. These animals are extremely fast and strong, so that not a single creature, be it a horse or anyone else, can cope with them. They have one horn on their head, and the powder obtained from it is used as a remedy against deadly potions. Those who drink from vessels made from these horns are not subject to convulsions and epilepsy, and even become resistant to poisons.” Ctesias describes an animal similar in appearance to the unicorn as it would be depicted in European tapestries a good two thousand years later, but with a variety of colors.

The unicorn has always been of particular interest to German-speaking peoples. The Harz mountain range in central Germany has long been considered the habitat of unicorns, and to this day there is a cave called Einhornhole, where a large skeleton of a unicorn was discovered in 1663, which created a great sensation. Unlike the skeleton, the skull was miraculously preserved unharmed, and on it was found a firmly seated, straight, cone-shaped horn more than two meters long. A century later, another skeleton was discovered at the Einhornhol site near Scharzfeld. However, this is not surprising, because it is located very close.

In the Middle Ages, the unicorn was the emblem of the Virgin Mary, as well as the saints Justin of Antioch and Justina of Padua. The image of the unicorn is widely represented in the art and heraldry of many countries around the world. For alchemists, the swift unicorn symbolized mercury.

3) Angel and demon

An angel is a spiritual, ethereal being with supernatural powers and created by God before the creation of the material world, over which they have significant power. There are significantly more of them than all people. The purpose of angels: glorifying God, embodying His glory, fulfilling His instructions and will. Angels are eternal and immortal, and their minds are much more perfect than humans. In Orthodoxy, there is an idea of ​​God sending each person immediately after his baptism.

Most often, angels are depicted as beardless young men in light deacon vestments, with wings behind their backs (a symbol of speed) and with a halo above their heads. However, in visions, angels appeared to people as six-winged, and in the form of wheels dotted with eyes, and in the form of creatures with four faces on their heads, and as rotating fiery swords, and even in the form of animals. Almost always, God does not personally appear to people, but trusts his angels to convey His will. This order was established by God so that larger number individuals were involved and thereby sanctified into the providence of God and so as not to violate the freedom of people who were unable to withstand the personal appearance of God in all His glory.

Every person is hunted by demons - fallen angels who have lost God's mercy and grace and want to destroy human souls with the help of instilled fears, temptations and seductions. There is a constant battle in the heart of every person between God and the devil. Christian tradition considers demons to be evil servants of Satan, living in hell, but capable of roaming the world, looking for souls ready to fall. Demons, according to the teachings of the Christian Church, are powerful and selfish creatures. In their world, it is customary to trample the inferior into the dirt and grovel before the stronger. In the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, demons, as agents of Satan, began to be associated with sorcerers and witches. Demons are depicted as extremely ugly creatures, often combining the appearance of a human with several animals, or as angels dark color in tongues of fire and with black wings.

Both demons and angels play important roles in European magical traditions. Numerous grimoires (witchcraft books) are permeated with occult demonology and angelology, which have their roots in Gnosticism and Kabbalah. Magic books contain the names, seals and signatures of spirits, their duties and abilities, as well as methods for summoning them and subordinating them to the will of the magician.

Each angel and demon have different abilities: some “specialize” in the virtue of non-covetousness, others strengthen faith in people, and still others help in something else. Likewise, demons - some incite prodigal passions, others - anger, others - vanity, etc. In addition to the personal guardian angels assigned to each person, there are patron angels of cities and entire states. But they never quarrel, even if these states fight among themselves, but pray to God to admonish people and grant peace on earth.

4) Incubus and succubus

An incubus is a lecherous demon who seeks sexual relations with women. The corresponding demon that appears before men is called a succubus. Incubi and succubi are considered demons enough high level. Contacts with mysterious and strangers who appear to people at night are quite rare. The appearance of these demons is always accompanied by a preliminary deep sleep of all household members and animals in the room and adjacent areas. If a partner sleeps next to the intended victim, then he falls into such deep dream that it is impossible to wake him up.

The woman chosen for the visit is introduced into a special state, on the border of sleep and wakefulness, something like a hypnotic trance. At the same time, she sees, hears and feels everything, but is unable to move or call for help. Communication with a stranger occurs silently, through the exchange of thoughts, telepathically. The sensations of the presence of a demon can be both frightening and, on the contrary, peaceful and desirable. An incubus usually appears in the guise of a handsome man, and a succubus, accordingly, as a beautiful woman, but in reality their appearance is ugly, and sometimes victims feel disgust and horror from contemplating the real appearance of the creature that visited them, and then the demon is fueled not only by sensual energy, but and fear and despair.

5) Ondine

In the folklore of the peoples of Western Europe, as well as in the alchemical tradition, water spirits of young women who committed suicide because of unhappy love. The fantasy of medieval alchemists and cabalists borrowed their main features partly from folk German ideas about water maidens, partly from Greek myths about naiads, sirens and tritons. In the writings of these scientists, undines played the role of elemental spirits who lived in water and controlled the water element in all its manifestations, just as salamanders were spirits of fire, gnomes controlled the underworld, and elves controlled the air.

Creatures that corresponded in popular beliefs to undines, if they were female, were distinguished by a beautiful appearance, had luxurious hair (sometimes greenish in color), which they combed when going ashore or swaying on sea ​​waves. Sometimes folk fantasy ascribed to them, which ended with the torso instead of the legs. Charming travelers with their beauty and singing, the undines carried them into the underwater depths, where they gave their love, and where years and centuries passed like moments.

According to Scandinavian legends, a person who once found himself among the undines never returned back to earth, exhausted by their caresses. Sometimes undines married people on earth, since they received an immortal human soul, especially if they had children. Legends about undines were popular both in the Middle Ages and among writers of the romantic school.

6) Salamander

Spirits and fire keepers of the medieval period, inhabiting any open fire and often appearing in the form of a small lizard. The appearance of a salamander in the hearth usually does not bode well, but it does not bring much luck either. From the point of view of its impact on human destiny, this creature can safely be called neutral. In some ancient recipes for obtaining the philosopher's stone, the salamander is mentioned as the living embodiment of this magical substance. However, other sources clarify that the non-burning salamander only ensured that the required temperature was maintained in the crucible where the transformation of lead into gold took place.

In some ancient books, the appearance of the salamander is described as follows. She has the body of a young cat, rather large membranous wings on her back (like some dragons), and a tail reminiscent of a snake. The head of this creature is similar to the head of an ordinary lizard. The skin of a salamander is covered with small scales of a fibrous substance reminiscent of asbestos. The breath of this creature has poisonous properties and can kill any animal not large sizes.

Quite often, a salamander can be found on the slope of a volcano during an eruption. She also appears in the flame of a fire if she herself wishes to do so. It is believed that without this amazing creature, the appearance of heat on earth would be impossible, because without his command even the most ordinary match cannot light up.

Spirits of the earth and mountains, fabulous dwarfs from Western European, primarily German-Scandinavian, folklore, frequent heroes of fairy tales and legends. The first mention of gnomes is found in Paracelsus. Their website images correlate with the doctrine of the primary elements. When lightning struck a rock and destroyed it, it was regarded as an attack by the salamanders on the gnomes.

The gnomes did not live in the earth itself, but in the earthly ether. From the labile etheric body, many varieties of gnomes were created - house spirits, forest spirits, water spirits. Dwarves are experts and keepers of treasures, having power over stones and plants, as well as over the mineral elements in humans and animals. Some of the gnomes specialize in mining ore deposits. Ancient healers believed that without the help of gnomes it was impossible to restore broken bones.

Dwarves were usually depicted as old, fat dwarfs with long white beards and brown or green clothes. Their habitats, depending on the species, were caves, tree stumps, or closets in castles. They often build their homes from a substance resembling marble. Hamadryad gnomes live and die together with the plant of which they themselves are a part. The gnomes of poisonous plants have an ugly appearance; the spirit of poisonous hemlock resembles a human skeleton covered in dried skin. Dwarves can, at will, as the personification of the earthly ether, change their size. There are good-natured gnomes and evil gnomes. Magicians warn against deceiving elemental spirits, who can take revenge on a person and even destroy him. It is easiest for children to come into contact with gnomes, since their natural consciousness is still pure and open to contacts with invisible worlds.

Dwarves wear clothing woven from the elements that make up their environment. They are characterized by stinginess and gluttony. Dwarves do not like field work that harms their underground economy. But they are skilled artisans, making weapons, armor, and jewelry.

8) Fairies and elves (alvas)

Magic people in German-Scandinavian and Celtic folklore. There is a popular belief on the site that elves and fairies are the same thing, however they can be either the same or different creatures. Despite the frequent similarity of description, traditional Celtic elves could be depicted as winged, unlike the Scandinavian ones, who in the sagas were not much different from ordinary people.

According to German-Scandinavian legends, at the dawn of history, fairies and elves lived freely among people, despite the fact that they and people are creatures of different worlds. As they are conquered by the last wildlife, which was the shelter and home of elves and fairies, they began to avoid people and settled in a parallel world, invisible to mortals. According to Welsh and Irish legends, elves and fairies appeared before people in the form of a magical, beautiful procession that suddenly appeared before the traveler and just as suddenly disappeared.

The attitude of elves and fairies towards people is rather ambivalent. On the one hand, they are a wonderful “little people” living in flowers, singing magical songs, fluttering on the light wings of butterflies and dragonflies and enchanting with their unearthly beauty. On the other hand, elves and fairies were quite hostile towards people; crossing the borders of their magical world was mortally dangerous. Moreover, elves and fairies were distinguished by extreme ruthlessness and insensitivity and were as cruel as they were beautiful. The latter, by the way, is not necessary: ​​elves and fairies could, if desired, change their appearance and take on the guise of birds and animals, as well as ugly old women and even monsters.

If a mortal happened to see the world of elves and fairies, he could no longer live peacefully in his real world and eventually died from inescapable melancholy. Sometimes a mortal fell into eternal captivity in the land of the elves and never returned to his world. There was a belief that if on a summer night in a meadow you see a ring of magical lights of dancing elves and step into this ring, then a mortal would forever become a prisoner of the world of elves and fairies. In addition, elves and fairies often stole babies from people and replaced them with their own ugly and capricious offspring. To protect their child from being kidnapped by elves, mothers hung open scissors resembling a cross, as well as garlic and rowan brushes over the cradles.

9) Valkyries

In Scandinavian mythology, warlike maidens, involved in the distribution of victories and deaths in battles, are assistants to Odin. Their name comes from the Old Icelandic “chooser of the slain.” Valkyries were originally sinister spirits of battle, angels of death who took pleasure in the sight of bloody wounds. In horse formation they rushed over the battlefield like vultures, and in the name of Odin decided the fate of the warriors. The chosen Valkyrie heroes were taken to Valhalla - the site of the “hall of the slain,” the heavenly camp of Odin’s warriors, where they perfected their military art. The Scandinavians believed that by influencing victory, warrior maidens held the fate of humanity in their hands.

In later Norse myth, the Valkyries were romanticized into the Shieldmaidens of Odin, virgins with golden hair and snow-white skin who served food and drink to favored heroes in the banquet hall of Valhalla. They circled over the battlefield in the guise of lovely swan maidens or horsewomen, riding on magnificent pearl cloud horses, whose rainy manes watered the earth with fertile frost and dew. According to Anglo-Saxon legends, some of the Valkyries were descended from elves, but most of them were princely daughters who became the chosen Valkyries of the gods during their lifetime, and could turn into swans.

Valkyries became known to modern man thanks to the great monument of ancient literature, which remained in history under the name “Elder Edda”. The images of Icelandic mythical warrior maidens served as the basis for the creation of the popular German epic “The Song of the Nibelungs.” One of the parts of the poem tells about the punishment received by the Valkyrie Sigrdriva, who dared to disobey the god Odin. Having given victory in the battle to King Agnar, and not to the courageous Hjalm Gunnar, the Valkyrie lost the right to take part in battles. By order of Odin, she fell into a long sleep, after which former warrior maiden became an ordinary earthly woman. Another Valkyrie, Brünnhilde, after her marriage to a mortal, lost her superhuman strength, her descendants mixed with the Norns, the goddesses of fate, spinning the thread of life at the well.

Judging by later myths, the idealized Valkyries were gentler and more sensitive creatures than their fierce predecessors, and often fell in love with mortal heroes. The tendency to deprive the Valkyries of sacred enchantments was clearly visible in the tales of the beginning of the 2nd millennium, in which the authors often endowed Odin’s warlike assistants with the appearance and fate of real inhabitants of Scandinavia at that time. The harsh image of the Valkyries was used by the German composer Richard Wagner, who created the famous opera “Walkyrie”.

10) Troll

Creatures from German-Scandinavian mythology, appearing in many fairy tales. Trolls are mountain spirits associated with stone, usually hostile to humans. According to legends, they frightened local residents with their size and witchcraft. According to other beliefs, trolls lived in castles and underground palaces. In the north of Britain there are several large rocks about which there are legends that they are trolls caught in sunlight. In mythology, trolls are not only huge giants, but also small, gnome-like creatures that usually live in caves; such trolls were usually called forest trolls. The details of the image of trolls in folklore depend greatly on the country. Sometimes they are described differently even in the same legend.

Most often, trolls are ugly creatures from three to eight meters tall, sometimes they can change their size. Almost always, an attribute of a troll's appearance in images is a very large nose. They have the nature of stone, as they are born from rocks and turn to stone in the sun. They feed on meat and often eat people. They live alone in caves, forests or under bridges. Trolls under bridges are somewhat different from ordinary ones. In particular, they can appear in the sun, do not eat people, respect money, are greedy for human women, there are legends about the children of trolls and earthly women.

Dead people who rise from their graves at night or appear in the guise of bats, sucking blood from sleeping people, sending nightmares. It is believed that “unclean” dead people became vampires - criminals, suicides, those who died a premature death and those who died from vampire bites. The image is extremely popular in cinema and fiction, although vampires from works of fiction usually have some differences from mythological vampires.

In folklore, the term is usually used to refer to a blood-sucking creature from Eastern European legends, but vampires are often used to refer to similar creatures from other countries and cultures. The characteristics of a vampire vary greatly in different legends. During the day, it is very difficult to distinguish experienced vampires - they perfectly imitate living people. Their main sign: they do not eat or drink anything. A more attentive observer may notice that they do not cast shadows either in sunlight or in moonlight. In addition, vampires are great enemies of mirrors. They always try to destroy them, because the reflection of the vampire is not visible in the mirror, and this gives him away.

12) Ghost

The soul or spirit of a deceased person who has not completely departed from the material world and is in his so-called etheric body. Deliberate attempts to contact the spirit of a deceased person are called séances or, more narrowly, necromancy. There are ghosts that are firmly attached to a specific place. Sometimes they have been its inhabitants for hundreds of years. This is explained by the fact that human consciousness cannot recognize the fact of its own death and tries to continue its usual existence. That is why ghosts and specters usually mean the souls of dead people who, for some reason, have not found peace for themselves.

Sometimes it happens that ghosts or apparitions appear because the person was not buried according to established custom after death. Because of this, they cannot leave the earth and rush around in search of peace. There have been cases where ghosts pointed people to the place of their death. If the remains were buried according to all the rules of church rites, the ghost disappeared. The difference between ghosts and ghosts is that, as a rule, a ghost appears at most once. If a ghost appears constantly in the same place, then it can be classified as a ghost.

We can talk about the phenomenon of a ghost or ghost when the following signs are observed: the image of a deceased person can pass through various obstacles, suddenly appear out of nowhere and just as unexpectedly disappear without a trace. The places where ghosts and apparitions are most likely to be found are in cemeteries, abandoned houses, or ruins. In addition, very often these representatives of the other world appear at road intersections, on bridges and near water mills. It is believed that ghosts and ghosts are always hostile towards people. They try to scare a person, lure him into the impassable thicket of the forest, and even deprive him of his memory and reason.

Not every mortal can see. Usually it appears to someone who is destined to experience something terrible in the near future. There is an opinion that ghosts and ghosts have the ability to talk to a person or convey certain information to him in some other way, for example, through telepathy.

Numerous beliefs and legends telling about encounters with ghosts and apparitions strictly prohibit talking to them. The best protection a pectoral cross, holy water, prayers and a sprig of mistletoe have always been considered ghosts and apparitions. According to people who encountered ghosts, they heard unusual sounds and experienced strange sensations. Scientists studying the site of such phenomena have discovered that the ghost is preceded by a sharp drop in temperature, and a person nearby at that moment experiences severe chills, which many eyewitnesses call nothing more than grave cold. In many countries around the world, legends about ghosts, apparitions and spirits are passed down from mouth to mouth.

A monstrous chimera with the ability to kill not only with poison, but also with a glance, a breath that dried the grass and cracked the rocks. In the Middle Ages, it was believed that the basilisk came from an egg laid by a rooster and hatched by a toad, so in medieval images it has the head of a rooster, the body and eyes of a toad, and the tail of a snake. He had a crest in the form of a diadem, hence his name - “king of snakes”. One could save oneself from the deadly gaze by showing it a mirror: the snake died from its own reflection.

Unlike, for example, the werewolf and the dragon, which the human imagination invariably gave birth to on all continents, the basilisk is a creation of minds that existed exclusively in Europe. This fiend of the Libyan desert embodied the very specific fear of the inhabitants of the green valleys and fields of the unpredictable dangers of the sandy expanses. All the fears of warriors and travelers combined into one general fear meeting with a certain mysterious ruler of the desert. Scientists call the source material of fantasy either the Egyptian cobra, or the horned viper, or the helmet-bearing chameleon. There is every reason for this: the cobra of this species moves semi-upright - with its head and front part of the body raised above the ground, and in the horned viper and chameleon the growths on the head look like a crown. The traveler could protect himself only in two ways: to have a weasel with him - the only animal that is not afraid of the basilisk and fearlessly enters into battle with it or a rooster, because, for an inexplicable reason, the desert king cannot stand the crowing of a rooster.

Starting from the 12th century, the myth of the basilisk began to spread throughout the cities and villages of Europe, appearing in the form of a winged serpent with the head of a rooster. The mirror became the main weapon in the fight against basilisks, which in the Middle Ages allegedly rampaged around homes, poisoning wells and mines with their presence. Weasels were still considered the natural enemies of basilisks, but they could only defeat the monster by chewing rue leaves. Images of weasels with leaves in their mouths decorated wells, buildings, and church pews. In the church, carved figurines of weasels had a symbolic meaning: for a person, the Holy Scriptures were the same as leaves of rue for a weasel - tasting the wisdom of biblical texts helped to defeat the basilisk devil.

Basilisk is very ancient and very common in medieval art symbol, but it can rarely be found in Italian Renaissance painting. In heraldry, the basilisk is a symbol of power, threat and royalty. The phrases “the look of a basilisk”, “eyes like the site of a basilisk” mean a look full of malice and murderous hatred.

In German-Scandinavian mythology, a huge wolf, the youngest of the children of the god of lies Loki. Initially, the gods considered him not dangerous enough and allowed him to live in Asgard, their heavenly abode. The wolf grew up among the Aesir and became so large and terrible that only Tyr, the god of military courage, dared to feed him. To protect themselves, the aces decided to chain Fenrir, but the mighty wolf easily broke the strongest chains. In the end, the Aesir, by cunning, still managed to bind Fenrir with the magic chain Gleipnir, which the dwarves made from the noise of cat steps, a woman’s beard, mountain roots, bear sinews, fish breath and bird saliva. All this is no longer in the world. Gleipnir was thin and soft, like silk. But in order for the wolf to allow this chain to be put on him, Tyr had to put his hand in his mouth as a sign of the absence of evil intentions. When Fenrir could not free himself, he bit off Tyr's hand. The Aesir chained Fenrir to a rock deep underground and stuck a sword between his jaws. According to the prophecy, on the day of Ragnarok (the End of Times) Fenrir will break his bonds, kill Odin and will himself be killed by Vidar, Odin's son. Despite this prophecy, the Aesir did not kill Fenrir, because “the gods so honored their sanctuary and their shelter that they did not want to desecrate them with the blood of the Wolf.”

15) Werewolf

A person who can turn into animals, or vice versa, an animal who can turn into people. Demons, deities, and spirits often possess this ability. The forms of the word "werewolf" - the Germanic "werwolf" and the French "loup-garou" - are ultimately derived from the Greek word for "lycanthrope" (lykanthropos - wolf-man). It is with the wolf that all the associations generated by the word werewolf are connected. This change can occur either at the request of the werewolf or involuntarily, caused, for example, by certain lunar cycles or sounds - howling.

Legends about exist in the beliefs of almost all peoples and cultures. Phobias associated with belief in werewolves reached their apogee at the end of the Middle Ages, when werewolfism was directly identified with heresy, Satanism and witchcraft, and the figure of the wolf man was the main theme of various “Witches’ Hammers” and other theological instructions of the Inquisition.

There are two types of werewolves: those who turn into animals at will (with the help of witchcraft spells or other magical rituals), and those who are sick with lycanthropy - the disease of turning into animals (from a scientific point of view, lycanthropy is a mental illness). They differ from each other in that the first can turn into animals at any time of the day or night, without losing the ability to think humanly rationally, while others only at night, mostly during the full moon, against their will, while human the essence is driven deep inside, releasing the bestial nature. At the same time, the person does not remember what he did while in animal form. But not all werewolves show their abilities during the full moon; some can become werewolves at any time of the day.

Initially, it was believed that a werewolf could be killed by inflicting a mortal wound on him, for example by striking him in the heart or cutting off his head. Wounds inflicted on a werewolf in animal form remain on his human body. In this way, you can expose a werewolf in a living person: if a wound inflicted on an animal later appears in a person, then this person is that werewolf. IN modern tradition You can kill a werewolf, like many other evil spirits, with a silver bullet or a silver weapon. At the same time, traditional anti-vampire remedies in the form of garlic, holy water and aspen stake are not effective against werewolves. After death occurs, the beast turns into a human for the last time.

16) Goblin

Supernatural humanoid creatures that live in underground caves and rarely go out onto the surface of the earth. The term itself comes from the Old French "gobelin", which is probably related to the German "kobold", kobolds - a special type of elf, roughly corresponding to Russian brownies; sometimes the same name is applied to mountain spirits. Historically, the concept of “goblin” is close to the Russian concept of “demon” - these are the lower spirits of nature, due to the expansion of man, forced to live in his environment.

Nowadays, a classic goblin is considered an anthropomorphic ugly creature from half a meter to two meters tall, with long ears, scary cat-like eyes, and long claws on its hands, usually with greenish skin. When transforming or masquerading as people, goblins hide their ears under a hat and their claws in gloves. But they cannot hide their eyes in any way, so, according to legend, you can recognize them by their eyes. Like gnomes, goblins are also sometimes credited with a passion for the complex machinery and technology of the steam era.

17) Lingbakr

Lingbakr is a monstrous whale mentioned in ancient Icelandic legends. The floating lingbakr is island-like and the name comes from the Icelandic words for "heather" and "back". According to legends, sea travelers, mistaking the whale for a harsh northern island overgrown with heather, camped on its back. The sleeping lingbakr was awakened by the heat of the fire lit by the sailors and dived into the depths of the ocean, dragging people along with it into the abyss.

Modern scientists suggest that the myth about such an animal arose due to repeated observations by sailors of islands of volcanic origin that periodically appear and disappear in the open sea.

18) Banshee

The banshee is a mourning creature from Irish folklore. They have long flowing hair, which they comb with a silver comb, gray cloaks over green dresses, and eyes red from tears. website Banshees take care of ancient human families, emitting heartbreaking screams when mourning the death of one of the family members. When several banshees gather together, it foretells the death of a great man.

Seeing a banshee means imminent death. The banshee cries in a language that no one understands. Her cries are screams wild geese, the sobs of an abandoned child and the howl of a wolf. A banshee can take the form of an ugly old woman with matted black hair, prominent teeth, and a single nostril. Or - pale beautiful girl in a gray cloak or shroud. She either sneaks among the trees, or flies around the house, filling the air with piercing screams.

19) Anku

In the folklore of the inhabitants of the Brittany peninsula, it is a harbinger of death. Usually the person who died in a particular settlement in the year becomes anku; there is also a version that this is the first person buried in a particular cemetery.

Anku appears in the guise of a tall, emaciated man with long white hair and empty eye sockets. He wears a black cloak and a black wide-brimmed hat, and sometimes takes the form of a skeleton. Anku drives a funeral cart drawn by skeletal horses. According to another version, a yellow skinny mare. In its functions, the anku is similar to another Kelian harbinger of death - the banshee. Mainly because, like the Irish harbinger of death, it warns of death and gives a person the opportunity to prepare for it. According to legend, whoever meets Anka will die in two years. A person who meets an Anka at midnight will die within a month. The creaking of Anku's cart also foreshadows death. Anku is sometimes believed to live in cemeteries.

There are quite a few stories about Anka in Brittany. In some, people help him repair his cart or scythe. In gratitude, he warns them about his imminent death, and thus they manage to prepare for their death by settling the last affairs on earth.

20) Water Jumper

An evil spirit from the tales of Welsh fishermen, something like a water demon who tore nets, devoured sheep that had fallen into rivers and often uttered a terrible cry that frightened the fishermen so much that the water jumper could drag his victim into the water, where the unfortunate one shared the fate of the sheep. According to some sources, the water jumper has no legs at all. According to other versions, the wings replace only the front paws.

If the tail of this strange creature is the remnant of the tail of a tadpole, which was not reduced during metamorphosis, then the jumper can be considered a double chimera, consisting of a toad and a bat.

21) Selkies

In the folklore of the British Isles there are entire populations of magical creatures who can be very different from everyone else. Selkies (shelkies, roans), seal people, are one such people. Legends about selkies are found throughout the British Isles, although they are most often told about in Scotland, Ireland, the Farrer and Orkney Islands. The name of these magical creatures comes from the Old Scots selich - “seal”. Outwardly, selkies resemble humanoid seals with gentle brown eyes. When they shed their seal skins and appear on the shore, they appear as beautiful young men and women. Seal skins allow them to live in the sea, but they must come up for air from time to time.

They are considered angels who were kicked out of heaven for minor offenses, but these offenses were not enough for the underworld. According to another explanation, they were once people exiled to the sea for their sins, but they were allowed to take on human form on land. Some believed that salvation was available to their souls.

Selkies sometimes come ashore for their celebrations, shedding seal skins. If the skin is stolen, the sea fairy will not be able to return to the ocean site and will be forced to remain on land. Selkies can bestow riches from sunken ships, but can also tear fishermen's nets, send storms, or steal fish. If you go to the sea and shed seven tears into the water, then the selkie will know that someone is looking for a meeting with him. Both in Orkney and Shetland they believed that if the blood of a seal was spilled into the sea, a storm would arise that could be fatal to people.

Dogs have always been associated with the underworld, the moon and deities, especially goddesses of death and divination. For centuries in Scotland and Ireland, many people have seen a terrifying figure with huge glowing eyes. Due to the widespread migration of Celtic peoples, the Black Dog began to appear in many parts of the world. This supernatural creature was almost always considered an omen of danger.

Sometimes the Black Dog appears to carry out divine justice, pursuing the culprit until justice is served one way or another. Descriptions of the Black Dog are often unclear, largely due to the long years of fear it instills and is deeply ingrained in people's minds. The appearance of this creepy creature fills those who see it with chilling despair and a feeling of hopelessness, followed by a loss of vitality.

This terrifying apparition does not usually attack or chase its prey. It moves absolutely silently, spreading an aura of mortal fear.

23) Brownie

Scottish with disheveled hair and brown skin, hence the name (English: “brown” - “brown, brown”). Brownies belong to a class of creatures different in habits and character from the fickle and mischievous elves. He spends the day in solitude, far from the old houses which he loves to visit, and at night he diligently performs whatever difficult work the site deems desirable for the family to whose service he has dedicated himself. But Brownie does not work in the hope of reward. He is grateful for milk, sour cream, porridge or pastries left for him, but Brownie perceives excessive amounts of food left as a personal insult and leaves the home forever, so it is advisable to observe moderation.

One of the main characteristics of a brownie is his concern for the moral principles of the household of the family he serves. This spirit usually pricks up its ears at the first sign of negligence in the behavior of servants. He immediately reports the slightest offense that he notices in a barn, cowshed or storeroom to the owner, whose interests he considers supreme in comparison with all other things in the world. No bribe can keep him silent, and woe to anyone who decides to criticize or laugh at his efforts: the revenge of a brownie offended to the core will be terrible.

24) Kraken

In the legends of the Scandinavian peoples, there is a giant sea monster. The Kraken was credited with incredibly large sizes: its huge back, more than a kilometer wide, protrudes from the sea like an island, and its tentacles are capable of engulfing the largest ship. There are numerous testimonies from medieval sailors and travelers about alleged encounters with this fantastic animal. According to descriptions, the kraken is similar to a squid (octopus) or octopus, only its size is much larger. There are often stories from sailors about how they themselves or their comrades landed on the “island”, and it suddenly plunged into the abyss, sometimes dragging along the ship, which ended up in the resulting whirlpool. In different countries, the kraken was also called polypus, pulp, krabben, crux.

The ancient Roman scientist and writer Pliny described how a huge polypus raided the coast, where he loved to feast on fish. Attempts to bait the monster with dogs failed: it swallowed all the dogs. But one day the watchmen managed to find it and, admired by its enormous size (the tentacles were 9 meters long and as thick as a man’s torso), they sent the giant mollusk to be eaten by the proconsul of Rome, Lucullus, famous for his feasts and gourmet food.

The existence of giant octopuses was later proven, but the mythical kraken of the northern peoples, due to the incredibly large size attributed to it, is most likely the fruit of the wild imagination of sailors in trouble.

25) Avank

In Welsh folklore, a ferocious water creature, similar, according to some sources, to a huge crocodile, according to others - to a gigantic beaver, a dragon from Breton legends, allegedly found in the territory of what is now Wales.

The Lin-yr-Avanc Pool in North Wales is a kind of whirlpool: an object thrown into it will spin until it is sucked to the bottom. It was believed that this avank attracts people and animals caught in the pool.

26) Wild Hunt

It is a group site of ghostly horsemen with a pack of dogs. In Scandinavia, it was believed that the wild hunt was led by the god Odin, who with his retinue rushed across the earth and collected the souls of people. If anyone meets them, he will end up in another country, and if he speaks, he will die.

In Germany they said that the ghostly hunters were led by the queen of winter, Frau Holda, known to us from the fairy tale “Mistress Blizzard.” In the Middle Ages, the main role in wild hunting most often began to be assigned to the Devil or his peculiar female reflection - Hecate. But in the British Isles, the main thing could be the king or queen of the elves. They kidnapped children and young people they met, who became servants of the elves.

27) Draugr

In Scandinavian mythology, a living dead, close to vampires. According to one version, these are the souls of berserkers who did not die in battle and were not burned in a funeral pyre.

The draugr's body can swell to enormous size, sometimes remaining impervious to decay for many years. Unbridled appetite, reaching the point of cannibalism, brings draugr closer to the folklore image of vampires. Sometimes the soul is preserved. The appearance of the draugr depends on the type of their death: water constantly flows from the drowned man, and bleeding wounds gape on the body of the fallen soldier. The skin can vary from deathly white to corpse blue. Draugr are credited with supernatural powers and magical abilities: predicting the future, weather. Anyone who knows a special spell can subjugate them to himself. They are able to transform into various animals, but at the same time they retain human eyes and the mind that they had in “human” form.

Draugr can attack animals and travelers staying overnight in a stable, but they can also directly attack housing. In connection with this belief, the custom arose in Iceland of knocking three times at night: it was believed that the ghost site was limited to one.

28) Dullahan

According to Irish legends, a dullahan is a headless evil spirit, usually on a black horse, carrying his head under his arm. The Dullahan uses a human spine as a whip. Sometimes his horse is harnessed to a covered wagon, hung with all sorts of attributes of death: skulls with glowing eye sockets hang outside to light his way, the wheel spokes are made of thigh bones, and the cart's skin is made of a worm-eaten burial shroud or dried human skin. When a dullahan stops his horse, it means that someone is about to die: the spirit shouts out a name loudly, after which the person immediately dies.

According to Irish beliefs, one cannot protect oneself from a dullahan by any obstacles. Any gate and door opens in front of him. The Dullahan also cannot stand being watched: he can pour a bowl of blood on the person spying on him, which means that this person will soon die, or even whip the curious person in the eyes. However, the Dullahan is afraid of gold, and even touching him a little with this metal is enough to drive him away.

29) Kelpie

In Scottish lower mythology, a water spirit, hostile to humans and living in many rivers and lakes. The Kelpie appears in the guise of one grazing near the water, presenting its back to the traveler and then dragging him into the water. According to Scottish beliefs, a kelpie is a werewolf capable of transforming into animals and humans.

Before a storm, many people hear the kelpie howling. Much more often than humans, the kelpie takes the form of a horse, most often black. Sometimes they say that his eyes glow or are full of tears, and his gaze causes chills or attracts like a magnet. With all its appearance, the kelpie seems to invite the passerby to sit on itself, and when he succumbs to the site’s trick, he jumps with the rider into the waters of the lake. The man instantly gets wet to the skin, and the kelpie disappears, and his disappearance is accompanied by a roar and a blinding flash. But sometimes, when a kelpie is angry about something, it tears its victim into pieces and devours it.

The ancient Scots called these creatures water kelpies, horses, bulls, or simply spirits, and mothers from time immemorial forbade their children to play close to the banks of a river or lake. The monster can take the form of a galloping horse, grab the baby, sit it on its back and then plunge into the abyss with the helpless little rider. Kelpie tracks are easy to recognize: its hooves are placed backwards. Kelpie is able to stretch as long as he likes, and a person seems to stick to his body.

He is often associated with the Loch Ness Monster. Allegedly, the kelpie turns into a sea lizard, or this is its true appearance. Also, the kelpie can appear on the site as a beautiful girl in a green dress inside out, sitting on the shore and luring travelers. He can appear in the guise of a handsome young man and seduce girls. You can recognize him by his wet hair with shells or algae.

30) Huldra

In Scandinavian folklore, a huldra is a girl from the forest people or from a clan of trolls, but at the same time beautiful and young, with long hair. blond hair. Traditionally classified as an “evil spirit.” The name “Huldra” means “he (she) who hides, hides.” This is a mysterious creature that constantly lives next to people and sometimes leaves traces by which one can guess its existence. However, the huldra still showed itself to people. The only thing that distinguished a huldra from an earthly woman was a long cow’s tail, which, however, was not immediately detectable. If the rite of baptism was performed over the huldra, then the tail disappeared. Apparently, it was a site and served as an external sign of her “unclean” origin, connecting her with the wild animal world, hostile to the Christian Church. In some areas, other “animal” attributes were also attributed to the huldra: horns, hooves and a wrinkled back, but these are deviations from the classical image.

Genetically, the belief in huldra and natural spirits can be traced back to ancestor worship. The peasants believed that after the death of a person, his spirit continued to live in the natural world, and certain places - groves, mountains, where he found a posthumous refuge - were often considered sacred. Gradually, popular imagination populated these places with diverse and bizarre creatures, who were similar to the souls of their ancestors in that they guarded these places and maintained order there.

The Huldras always wanted to become related to the human race. Numerous legends tell how peasants married huldras or entered into relationships with them. Often a person, bewitched by its beauty, became a site lost to the human world. The Huldras could take not only boys but also girls to their villages. In the mountains, the Huldra taught people many arts - from household crafts to playing musical instruments and poetry.

It happened that lazy rural people ran to the huldras so as not to work during the harvest season. For such a person, a return to normal life was ordered: communication with evil spirits was considered a sinful weakness, and the church cursed such people. Sometimes, however, relatives or friends saved the bewitched by asking the priest to ring the bells or by going to the mountains themselves with the bells. The ringing of bells removed the shackles of magic from a person, and he could return to people. If earthly people rejected the attention of the huldra, they could severely pay for it for the rest of their days with the loss of financial well-being, health and good luck.

31) Yule cat

The site scares Icelandic children with the Yule cat, one of the symbols of Icelandic Christmas. In the northern countries, the ancient holiday of Yule was celebrated many centuries before the emergence of the Christian religion. The Yule holiday also mentions abundant food on the tables and the giving of gifts, which is reminiscent of Christian Christmas traditions. It is the Yule cat who at night takes with him or eats those children who have been mischievous and lazy during the year. And the cat brings gifts to obedient children. The Yule cat is huge, very fluffy and unusually voracious. The cat confidently distinguishes slackers and loafers from all other people. After all, lazy people always celebrate a holiday in old clothes.

The belief about the dangerous and terrible was first recorded in the 19th century. According to folklore stories, the Yule Cat lives in a mountain cave with the terrible cannibal Gríla, who kidnaps naughty and capricious children, with her lazy husband Leppaludi, their sons Jolasweinar, aka Icelandic Santa Clauses. According to a later, more humane version of the tale, the Yule Cat takes only holiday treats.

The origin of the Yule cat is connected with the traditions of Icelandic life. The production of cloth from sheep's wool was a family trade: after the autumn sheep shearing, all family members begin processing the wool. According to custom, socks and mittens were woven for each family member. And it turned out that those who worked well and diligently received a new thing, while the idle ones found themselves without a gift. To motivate children to work, parents frightened them by visiting the scary Yule Cat.

32) Double (doppelganger)

In the works of the Romantic era, a person’s double is the dark side of the personality or the antithesis of the guardian angel. In the works of some authors, the character does not cast a shadow and is not reflected in the mirror. His appearance often foreshadows the death of the hero. embodies shadow unconscious desires and instincts, repressed by the subject due to incompatibility with the conscious image of himself under the influence of morality or society, with his own ideas about himself. Often the double “feeds” at the expense of the protagonist, becoming more and more self-confident as he fades and, as it were, taking his place in the world.

Another version of the doppelganger is a werewolf, capable of highly accurately reproducing the appearance, behavior, and sometimes even the psyche of the one he copies. In its natural form, a doppelganger looks like a humanoid figure sculpted from clay with blurred features. However, he is rarely seen in this state: the doppleganger always prefers to disguise himself as someone else.

A huge creature with a snake's head and neck that lives in Scotland's Loch Ness and is affectionately called Nessie. There was always a warning among the locals about the giant monster, but the general public did not hear about it until 1933, when the first witnesses from travelers appeared. If we go back to the very depths of Celtic legends, this animal was first noticed by the Roman conquerors. And the very first mentions of the Loch Ness monster date back to the 5th century AD, where one of the chronicles mentions the water beast of the Ness River. Then all mentions of Nessie disappear until 1880, when, in complete calm, a sailing ship with people sank to the bottom. The northern Scots immediately remembered the monster and began to spread all sorts of rumors and legends.

One of the most common and plausible assumptions is the theory that the Loch Ness Monster may be a living plesiosaur. It is one of the marine reptiles that existed during the era of dinosaurs, which ended about 63 million years ago. Plesiosaurs were very similar to dolphins or sharks, and an expedition of scientists to the lake in 1987 could well support this hypothesis. But the fact is that approximately ten thousand years ago on the site of Loch Ness for a long time there was a huge glacier, and it is unlikely that any animals could survive in the subglacial water. According to researchers, the Loch Ness monster does not belong to the younger generation of settlers. The family of the largest marine animals that arrived in Loch Ness several decades or centuries ago is in no way related to the family of whales or dolphins, otherwise their appearance would often be observed on the surface of Loch Ness. Most likely, we are talking about a giant octopus, which rarely appears on the surface. In addition, eyewitnesses could observe different parts of his gigantic body, which can explain the contradictory descriptions of the monster by many witnesses.

Research, including sound scanning of the lake and many other experiments, only further confused the researchers, revealing many inexplicable facts, but no clear evidence of the existence of the Loch Ness monster in the lake was ever found. The most recent evidence comes from a satellite that shows a strange spot that, in the distance, resembles the Loch Ness monster. The main argument of skeptics is a study that has proven that the flora of Loch Ness is very poor, and there simply would not be enough resources here even for one such huge animal.

Spring-Heeled Jack was one of the most famous London characters of the Victorian era, a humanoid creature notable primarily for its ability to leap to amazing heights. Jack wanders the night streets of the British capital, easily walks through puddles, swamps and rivers, and enters houses. He pounces on people, skins them and kills them mercilessly, alarming the police. The earliest reports of it in London date back to 1837. Later, its appearances were recorded in many places in England - especially sites in London itself, its suburbs, Liverpool, Sheffield, the Midlands and even Scotland. Reports peaked between the 1850s and 1880s.

Not a single photograph of Jumping Jack exists, although photography already existed at that time. One can judge his appearance only by the descriptions of victims and eyewitnesses of his appearances and attacks on people, many of which are very similar. Most who saw Jack described him as a humanoid creature of tall stature and athletic build, with a disgusting devilish face, pointed protruding ears, large claws on his fingers and glowing bulging eyes that resemble red fireballs. In one of the descriptions it is noted that Jack was dressed in a black cloak, in another - that he had a kind of helmet on his head, and he was dressed in tight-fitting white clothes, over which a waterproof raincoat was thrown. Sometimes he was described as a devil, sometimes as a tall and thin gentleman. Finally, the site states in many descriptions that Jack could emit clouds of blue and white flames from his mouth, and that the claws on his hands were metal.

There are a large number of theories about the nature and personality of Jumping Jack, but none of them are scientifically proven and do not give affirmative answers to all questions related to him. Thus, his history remains unexplained to this day, science is unaware of a device with which a person could make jumps similar to Jack, and the fact of his real existence is disputed by a significant number of historians. The urban legend of Jumping Jack was incredibly popular in England in the second half of the 19th century - primarily due to his unusual appearance, aggressive eccentric behavior and the aforementioned ability to make incredible jumps - to the point that Jack became the subject of several fictional works. works of European pulp literature website of the 19th-20th centuries.

35) Reaper (Reaper of Souls, Grim Reaper)

Guide of souls to the afterlife. Since initially a person could not explain the cause of death of a living being, there were ideas about death as a real being. In European culture, death is often depicted as a skeleton with a scythe, dressed in a black robe with a hood.

Medieval European legends of the Grim Reaper with a scythe may have originated from the custom of some European peoples of burying people with scythes. Reapers are creatures with power over time and human consciousness. They can change the way a person sees the world around them and themselves, thus easing the transition from life to death. The Reaper's true form is too complex to be replicated, but most people see them as ghostly figures in rags or dressed in funerary robes.