The most dangerous mythical animals. Mythical creatures. Demons and Demons
Myths and legends, any oral or written traditions tend to disappear over time and be erased from human memory.
This fate befell many characters, both good and bad. Some images were modified under the influence of religion or the peculiarities of the folklore of nations that gradually assimilated the indigenous people who gave rise to such a fantasy.
Others remained in the memory of mankind and even became a kind of “trademark”, a hot topic for books, films and computer games.
A mythical creature does not necessarily have features exaggerated by human imagination. Monsters can be of a completely natural appearance, be it an animal, a demigod, or an evil spirit taking the form of a human.
All of them have one thing in common - the attempt of ancient man to explain natural phenomena, disasters and misfortunes by the intervention of an extraterrestrial force, cruel and indifferent.
However, sometimes mythical animals, characters and images begin to live on their own. Once told, a legend is passed on from person to person, acquiring details and new facts.
What they all have in common is a terrible disposition, fear of losing accumulated wealth and an extremely long life span.
The character of such a creature is peculiar. Most of the dragons are wise, but hot-tempered, cruel and proud.
The hero often speculates on the lizard's attitude towards himself in order to later kill him through deception and cunning and take possession of the dragon's untold riches.
Later, many variations of the original image appeared. Thanks to John Tolkien, Robert Salvatore and many other authors of the fantasy genre, dragons were divided by color and even acquired a direct “kinship” with the original forces.
Terrors in the night, a reflection on the fangs of a vampire
A monster capable of drinking the blood of a person or subjugating him to his will. This evil spirits should be considered as an extremely harmful and cruel creature.
The villagers mercilessly drive an aspen stake into the next corpse, the carpenter famously chops off a cervical vertebra with an ax, and the next “vampire” goes to the Underworld.
Before Bram Stoker's novel was published, vampires were not given anthropomorphic features. So, for example, a blood-sucking creature from South America looks like a mixture of a hellhound with various kinds of monsters.
In the Philippines, a vampire is even depicted as a winged torso with a proboscis similar to that of a mosquito.
Thus, the monster “drinks” a person, taking away his youth, beauty and strength.
Ancient people were not so scrupulous and believed that it was enough for a creature to cut off its head, or cut out its heart.
Personal transport for every virgin
Not every mythical creature is terrible in nature, because darkness cannot exist without light, however, just like vice versa.
Mythical animals quite often act as guides for the protagonist, helping him with both advice and deeds.
The messenger of the primordial light, at least according to most legends, is. This creature is pure by nature, aggression and violence are alien to it, so these animals do not remain in the modern world.
The most remarkable fact is that the unicorn has a strange “connection” with the virgin, feels her and always comes to the call.
An interesting fact: the harsh northern peoples of Rus' have their own unicorn, huge and “callous”.
Does it sound satirical? And yet they describe it exactly like that. Unlike the shiny and light creature, Indrik belongs to the spirits of mother earth, and therefore looks the part.
The huge “earth mouse” is not attracted to virgins, but it can also come to the aid of a soul lost in the mountains.
We don’t know what - chimeras
The last chords of life - siren
Despite the fact that a siren and a mermaid are different concepts, they have a lot in common, which ultimately led to a conditional juggling of names and a little confusion.
However, this is acceptable. In Greek mythology, the Sirens are the nymphs of Persephone, who lost the will to live with their mistress when she went to Hades.
With their singing, they lured sailors to the island, where they devoured their bodies, out of longing for their patroness.
Odysseus almost fell into their net, and he even ordered his comrades to tie themselves up so as not to become prey to carnivorous fish women.
Later, the image migrated to the mythology of Europe and even became a kind of common noun personifying the temptation of the deep sea for a sailor.
There have been theories that mermaids are actually manatees, which may resemble fish with anthropomorphic features, but the image itself remains relevant to this day.
Witnesses of the past - Bigfoot, Yeti and Bigfoot
Unlike other characters, these creatures are still found throughout the world.
Regardless of their veracity, the very fact of such finds is living proof that the images not only still exist, but also remain relevant.
What they have in common is their similarity with various stages of the evolutionary cycle of human development.
They are huge, have a thick coat of wool, are fast and strong. Despite their meager intelligence, the creatures continue to stubbornly avoid all the ingenious traps created by various kinds of hunters for mystical secrets.
Mythical animals remain an extremely relevant topic, in demand not only by art workers, but also by historians.
The epic had a huge influence on the development of humanity and the skepticism with which a modern resident of a metropolis treats such mysteries is dictated precisely by mythology and its “domestication” of the forces of nature.
Unicorns and mermaids - fact or fiction? We present a list of mythical creatures, evidence of whose existence people continue to search for over the centuries.
Water creatures
Loch Ness monster
The monster, according to legend, living in Loch Ness, is affectionately called Nessie by the Scots. The first mention of this creature is found in the chronicle of the Aion Monastery, dated to the 5th century BC.The next mention of a “water beast” occurs in 1880 - due to a sailboat that drowned in Loch Ness. The circumstances of the crash were very unusual: according to eyewitnesses’ descriptions, as soon as the ship reached the middle of the reservoir, it was suddenly broken in half by something that resembled tentacles or a tail.
Rumors about the existence of the monster began to spread widely after 1933, when the Evening Couriers newspaper published a detailed account of an “eyewitness” who noticed an unknown creature in the lake.
In September 2016, amateur photographer Ian Bremner managed to take a photo of a 2-meter snake-like creature cutting through the surface of Loch Ness. The photograph is quite convincing, but in the press Bremner was accused of a hoax, and someone decided that the photo depicted three frolicking seals.
Mermaids
It is widely believed that mermaids are girls who live at the bottom of a river or sea and have a fish tail instead of legs. However, in the myths of different peoples, mermaids are the guardians of forests, fields and reservoirs, and they walk on two legs. In Western cultures, mermaids are called Nymphs, Naiads or Ondines. 
In Slavic folklore, the souls of drowned women turned into mermaids. Some ancient Slavic peoples also believed that the mermaid was the spirit of a deceased child who died during the Rusal (preceding the Trinity) week. It was believed that during these 7 days mermaids walked the Earth, emerging from the water after the Ascension of the Lord.
Mermaids are considered evil spirits that can harm a person, for example, drown him. It was customary to depict these creatures naked and without a headdress, less often in a torn sundress.
Sirens
According to legend, sirens are winged maidens with enchanting voices. They received their wings from the gods when they instructed them to find the fertility goddess Persephone, who had been kidnapped by Hades. 
According to another version, they became winged because they could not fulfill the orders of the gods. As punishment, the thunderer Zeus left them a beautiful girl's body, but turned his arms into wings, which is why they could no longer remain in the human world.
The meeting of people with sirens is described in Homer's poem "Odyssey". Mythical maidens enchanted sailors with their singing, and their ships crashed on the reefs. Captain Odysseus ordered his crew to plug their ears with beeswax to resist the sweet-voiced half-women, half-birds, and his ship escaped destruction.
Kraken
The Kraken is a Scandinavian monster that sinks ships. A half-dragon with huge octopus tentacles terrified Icelandic sailors in the 18th century. In the 1710s, Danish naturalist Eric Pontoppidan first described the kraken in his journals. According to legends, an animal the size of a floating island darkened the surface of the sea and pulled ships to the bottom with huge tentacles. 
200 years later, in 1897, researchers discovered the giant squid Architeutis, reaching 16.5 meters in length, in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. It has been suggested that this creature was mistaken for a kraken two centuries earlier.
It is not so easy to spot a kraken in the vastness of the ocean: when its body protrudes above the water, it is easy to mistake it for a small island, of which there are thousands in the ocean.
Flying creatures
Phoenix
Phoenix is an immortal bird with flaming wings, capable of burning itself and being reborn. When the phoenix senses the approach of death, it burns, and in its place a chick appears in the nest. Phoenix life cycle: about 500 years. 
Mentions of the phoenix are found in the myths of Ancient Greece in the mythology of the ancient Egyptian Heliopolis, in which the phoenix is described as the patron of large time cycles.
This fabulous bird with bright red plumage personifies renewal and immortality in modern culture. Thus, a phoenix rising from a flame, accompanied by the inscription “One Phoenix of the whole world,” is depicted on the medals of Queen Elizabeth II of England.
Pegasus
The snow-white horse with eagle wings is named Pegasus. This fabulous creature is the fruit of the love of Medusa the Gorgon and Poseidon. According to legend, Pegasus emerged from Medusa's neck when Poseidon cut off her head. There is another legend that says that Pegasus appeared from drops of the Gorgon’s blood. 
The constellation Pegasus, which is located southwest near Andromeda and consists of 166 stars, is named after this fictional winged horse.
Dragon
Serpent Gorynych is an evil character in Slavic fairy tales and epics. Its characteristic feature is three fire-breathing heads. The body, covered with shiny scales, ends in an arrow-shaped tail, and its paws have sharp claws. He guards the gate separating the world of the dead and the world of the living. This place is located on the Kalinov Bridge, which is over the Smorodina River, or the river of fire. 
The first mentions of the Snake date back to the 11th century. On the harp made by the settlers of the Novgorod lands, you can find images of a three-headed lizard, which was originally considered the king of the underwater world.
In some legends, Gorynych lives in the mountains (therefore it is believed that his name comes from the word “mountain”). In others, he sleeps on a stone in the sea and combines the ability to control two elements at once - fire and water.
Wyvern
A wyvern is a mythical dragon-like creature with one pair of legs and wings. It is not capable of spitting fire, but its fangs are saturated with deadly poison. In other myths, the poison was contained at the end of the sting, with which the lizard pierced its victim. Some legends say that it was the poison of wyverns that caused the first plague. 
It is known that the first legends about wyverns appeared in the Stone Age: this creature personified ferocity. Subsequently, his image was used by the leaders of the troops to instill fear in the enemy.
A wyvern-like creature can be found on Orthodox icons depicting the fight of St. Michael (or George) with a dragon.
Land creatures
Unicorns
Unicorns are stately, noble creatures symbolizing chastity. According to legend, they live in forest thickets and only innocent maidens can catch them. 
The earliest evidence of unicorns dates back to the 5th century BC. The ancient Greek historian Ctesias was the first to describe “Indian wild asses with one horn on their forehead, blue eyes and a red head,” and whoever drinks wine or water from the horn of this donkey will be cured of all diseases and will never get sick again.
No one except Ctesias saw this animal, but his story became widespread thanks to Aristotle, who included a description of the unicorn in his History of Animals.
Bigfoot/Yeti
The Bigfoot, or Yeti, is a huge humanoid creature that has similar features to a monkey and lives in deserted high mountain areas. 
The first mentions of Bigfoot were recorded from the words of Chinese peasants: in 1820, they met a tall, shaggy monster with large paws. In the 1880s, European countries began organizing expeditions to search for traces of Bigfoot.
The possible existence of this humanoid beast is evidenced by the found half-meter footprints of human-like feet. Also, in the monastery of the village of Kumjung in Nepal, an object passed off as the scalp of a bigfoot is kept.
Valkyries
Valkyries are called warrior maidens from the Scandinavian pantheon of gods who watch the battlefield unnoticed by people. After the battle, they pick up the fallen brave men on a winged horse and carry them to Valhalla, the castle in the abode of the gods, where feasts are held for them, praising their courage. 
On rare occasions, the maidens are allowed to decide the outcome of a battle, but most often they carry out the will of their father Odin, who decides who will be the victor in a bloody battle.
Valkyries are most often depicted wearing armor and helmets with horns, and a shining light emanates from their swords. The story goes that the god Odin endowed his daughters with the ability of compassion so that they would accompany those killed in battle to the “hall of the slain.”
Sphinx
The name of the mythical creature Sphinx comes from the ancient Greek word "sphingo", which means "to choke". The earliest images of this creature were created 10 thousand years BC in the territory of modern Turkey. However, the image of the sphinx with the body of a lion and the head of a woman is known to us from the myths of Ancient Greece. 
Legend has it that a female sphinx guarded the entrance to the city of Thebes. Everyone who met her on their way had to guess the riddle: “Who walks in the morning on four legs, in the afternoon on two, and in the evening on three?” People who did not guess right died from the clawed paws, and only Oedipus was able to name the correct answer: man.
The essence of the solution is that when a person is born, he crawls on all fours, in adulthood he walks on two legs, and in old age he is forced to rely on a cane. Then the monster threw itself from the top of the mountain into the abyss, and entry into Thebes became free.
The editors of the site invite you to learn about the most unusual non-fictional creatures.
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The Nephilim (watchers - "sons of God") are described in the book of Enoch. They are fallen angels. The Niphilim were physical beings, they taught people forbidden arts and, taking human wives as wives, gave birth to a new generation of people. In the Torah and several non-canonical Jewish and early Christian writings, nephilim means "who cause others to fall." The Nephilim were gigantic in stature, their strength was enormous, as was their appetite. They began to eat up all human resources, and when they ran out, they could attack people. The Nephilim began to fight and oppress people, which caused enormous destruction on earth.
Abaasy - in the folklore of the Yakut peoples, a huge stone monster with iron teeth. Lives in the thicket of the forest away from human eyes or underground. It is born from a black stone, similar to a child. The older he gets, the more the stone looks like a child. At first, the stone child eats everything that people eat, but when he grows up, he begins to eat the people themselves. Sometimes referred to as anthropomorphic, one-eyed, one-armed, tree-sized, one-legged monsters. Abaas feed on the souls of people and animals, tempt people, send misfortunes and illnesses, and can deprive people of their minds. Often the relatives of the sick or deceased sacrificed an animal to Abaasy, as if exchanging its soul for the soul of the person they were threatening.
Abraxas - Abraxas is the name of a cosmological being in the ideas of the Gnostics. In the early era of Christianity, in the 1st-2nd centuries, many heretical sects arose, trying to combine the new religion with paganism and Judaism. According to the teachings of one of them, everything that exists originates in a certain higher Kingdom of light, from which 365 categories of spirits emanate. At the head of the spirits is Abraxas. His name and image are often found on gems and amulets: a creature with a human body and a rooster’s head, and two snakes instead of legs. Abraxas holds a sword and shield in his hands.
Baku - “Dream Eater” in Japanese mythology is a good spirit that eats bad dreams. You can call him by writing his name on a piece of paper and putting it under your pillow. At one time, images of Baku hung in Japanese homes, and his name was written on pillows. They believed that if Baku was forced to eat a bad dream, then he had the power to turn the dream into a good one.
There are stories where Baku does not look very kind. By eating all dreams and dreams, it deprived the sleeping people of beneficial effects, or even completely deprived them of sleep.
Alkonost (alkonst) - in Russian art and legends, a bird of paradise with the head of a maiden. Often mentioned and depicted together with another bird of paradise, Sirin. The image of Alkonost goes back to the Greek myth about the girl Alcyone, who was transformed by the gods into a kingfisher. The earliest image of Alkonost is found in a book miniature of the 12th century. Alkonst is a safe and rare creature living closer to the sea. According to folk legend, in the morning on Apple Savior the bird Sirin flies into the apple orchard, which is sad and cries. And in the afternoon the bird Alkonost flies into the apple orchard, rejoicing and laughing. The bird brushes the living dew from its wings and the fruits are transformed, an amazing power appears in them - all the fruits on the apple trees from that moment become healing
Abnauayu - in Abkhazian mythology (“forest man”). A gigantic, ferocious creature distinguished by extraordinary physical strength and rage. Abnauayu's entire body is covered with long hair, similar to bristles, and he has huge claws; eyes and nose - like people's. Lives in dense forests (there was a belief that in every forest gorge there lives one Abnauayu). A meeting with Abnauayu is dangerous; an adult Abnauayu has an axe-shaped steel protrusion on his chest: pressing the victim to his chest, he cuts it in half. Abnauayu knows in advance the name of the hunter or shepherd he will meet.
Cerberus (Spirit of the Underworld) - in Greek mythology, a huge dog of the Underworld, guarding the entrance to the afterlife. In order for the souls of the dead to enter the underworld, they must bring gifts to Cerberus - honey and barley biscuits. Cerberus' task is to prevent living people from entering the kingdom of the dead who want to rescue their loved ones from there. One of the few living people who managed to penetrate the underworld and emerge unharmed was Orpheus, who played beautiful music on the lyre. One of the labors of Hercules that the gods ordered him to perform was to lead Cerberus to the city of Tiryns.
Griffins are winged monsters with a lion's body and an eagle's head, guardians of gold in various mythologies. Griffins, vultures, in Greek mythology, monstrous birds with an eagle's beak and the body of a lion; They. - “the dogs of Zeus” - guard gold in the country of the Hyperboreans, protecting it from the one-eyed Arimaspians (Aeschyl. Prom. 803 next). Among the fabulous inhabitants of the north - the Issedons, Arimaspians, Hyperboreans, Herodotus also mentions the Griffins (Herodot. IV 13).
Slavic mythology also has its own griffins. In particular, they are known to guard the treasures of the Riphean Mountains.
Vouivre, Vouivra. France. King or queen of snakes; in the forehead there is a sparkling stone, a bright red ruby; the appearance of a fiery serpent; keeper of underground treasures; can be seen flying across the sky on summer nights; dwellings - abandoned castles, fortresses, donjons, etc.; his images are in the sculptural compositions of Romanesque monuments; when swimming, he leaves the stone on the shore, and whoever manages to take possession of the ruby will become fabulously rich - he will receive part of the underground treasures that the snake guards.
Oak trees are, in Celtic mythology, evil magical creatures that live in the crowns and trunks of oak trees.
They offer delicious food and gifts to every person passing by their home.
Under no circumstances should you take food from them, much less taste it, since food prepared by oak trees is very poisonous. At night, oaks often go in search of prey.
You should know that walking past a recently felled oak tree is especially dangerous: the oak trees that lived in it are angry and can cause a lot of trouble.
The devil (in the old spelling "demon") is an evil, playful and lustful spirit in Slavic mythology. In the book tradition, according to the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, the word devil is a synonym for the concept of demon. The devil is social and most often goes hunting with groups of devils. The devil is attracted to people who drink. When the devil finds such a person, he tries to do everything to make the person drink even more, leading him to a state of complete madness. The very process of their materialization, popularly known as “getting drunk as hell,” is described colorfully and in detail in one of Vladimir Nabokov’s stories. “Through long, persistent, lonely drunkenness,” the famous prose writer reported, “I brought myself to the most vulgar visions, namely: I began to see devils.” If a person stops drinking, the devil begins to waste away without receiving the expected nourishment.
Yrka in Slavic mythology is an evil night spirit with eyes on a dark face, glowing like a cat’s, especially dangerous on the night of Ivan Kupala and only in the field, because goblins do not let him into the forest. He becomes a suicide. It attacks lonely travelers and drinks their blood. Ukrut, his assistant, brings him naughty creatures in a bag, from whom Yrka drank the life. He is very afraid of fire and does not go near fire. To save yourself from it, you cannot look around, even if they call you in a familiar voice, do not answer anything, say “mind me” three times or read the “Our Father” prayer.
Sulde “vital force”, in the mythology of the Mongolian peoples, one of the souls of a person, with which his vital and spiritual force is connected. The ruler's sulde is the guardian spirit of the people; its material embodiment is the ruler’s banner, which in itself becomes an object of cult and is protected by the ruler’s subjects. During wars, human sacrifices were made to the Sulda Banners to raise the morale of the army. The Suldi banners of Genghis Khan and some other khans were especially revered. The character of the shamanic pantheon of the Mongols, Sulde Tengri, the patron saint of people, is apparently related genetically to Genghis Khan’s Sulde.
Anzud is a divine bird in Sumerian-Akkadian mythology, an eagle with a lion's head. Anzud is a mediator between gods and people, simultaneously embodying good and evil principles. When the god Enlil took off his insignia while washing himself, Anzud stole the tablets of fate and flew off to the mountains with them. Anzud wanted to become more powerful than all the gods, but by his action he violated the course of things and divine laws. The god of war Ninurta set off after the bird. He shot Anzud with a bow, but Enlil's tablets healed the wound. Ninurta managed to hit the bird only on the second attempt or even on the third attempt (in different versions of the myth it differs).
Bug is a spirit in English mythology. According to legends, the bug is a “children’s” monster; even in our time, English women scare their children with it.
Usually these creatures have the appearance of shaggy monsters with tangled, patchy fur. Many English children believe that bugs can enter rooms using open chimneys. However, despite their rather terrifying appearance, these creatures are not at all aggressive and are practically harmless, since they have neither sharp teeth nor long claws. They can scare in only one way - by making a terrible ugly face, spreading their paws and raising the hair on the back of the neck.
Alrauns - in the folklore of European peoples, tiny creatures that live in the roots of the mandrake, the outlines of which resemble human figures. Alrauns are friendly to people, but they are not averse to playing tricks, sometimes quite cruelly. These are werewolves that can transform into cats, worms and even small children. Later, the Alrauns changed their way of life: they liked the warmth and comfort of people’s homes so much that they began to move there. Before moving to a new place, alrauns, as a rule, test people: they scatter all kinds of garbage on the floor, throw clods of earth or pieces of cow dung into milk. If people don’t sweep up trash and drink milk, Alraun understands that it’s quite possible to settle here. It is almost impossible to drive him away. Even if the house burns down and people move somewhere, alraun follows them. Alraun had to be treated with great care due to its magical properties. It was necessary to wrap or dress him in white clothes with a golden belt, bathe him every Friday, and keep him in a box, otherwise Alraun would start screaming for attention. Alrauns were used in magical rituals. It was assumed that they brought great luck, like the quatrefoil talisman. But their possession carried the risk of prosecution for witchcraft, and in 1630 three women were executed in Hamburg on this charge. Due to the high demand for Alrauns, they were often carved from Bryonia roots, as genuine mandrakes were difficult to find. They were exported from Germany to various countries, including England, during the reign of Henry VIII.
Authorities are angelic beings in Christian mythology. Authorities can be both good forces and minions of evil. Among the nine angelic ranks, the authorities close the second triad, which in addition to them also includes dominions and powers. As Pseudo-Dionysius said, “the name of the holy Powers signifies a Order equal to the Divine Dominions and Powers, harmonious and capable of receiving Divine insights, and a structure of premium spiritual dominion, which does not autocratically use the granted sovereign powers for evil, but freely and decently to the Divine as itself ascending , so holyly leading others to Him and, as far as possible, becoming like the Source and Giver of all power and depicting Him... in the completely true use of His sovereign power.”
Gargoyle is a product of medieval mythology. The word "gargoyle" comes from the Old French gargouille - throat, and its sound imitates the gurgling sound that occurs when gargling. Gargoyles sitting on the facades of Catholic cathedrals were presented in two ways. On the one hand, they were like ancient sphinxes, guarding statues, capable of coming to life in moments of danger and protecting a temple or mansion, on the other hand, when they were placed on temples, it showed that all evil spirits were fleeing from this holy place, since they could not endure the temple cleanliness.
Grims - according to medieval European beliefs, lived throughout Europe. Most often they can be seen in old cemeteries located near churches. Therefore, scary creatures are also called church makeups.
These monsters can take many forms, but most often they transform into huge dogs with jet-black fur and glow-in-the-dark eyes. You can see monsters only in rainy or cloudy weather; they usually appear in the cemetery in the late afternoon, as well as during the day during funerals. They often howl under the windows of sick people, foreshadowing their imminent death. Often, some grim, who is not afraid of heights, climbs into the church bell tower at night and begins to ring all the bells, which is popularly considered a very bad omen.
Shoggoths are creatures mentioned in the famous mystical book "Al Azif", better known as the "Necronomicon", written by the mad poet Abdul Alhazred. About a third of the book is devoted to controlling shoggoths, which are presented as shapeless "eels" made of bubbles of protoplasm. The ancient gods created them as servants, but the shoggoths, possessing intelligence, quickly emerged from submission and have since acted of their own free will and for the sake of their strange, incomprehensible goals. They say that these beings often appear in narcotic visions, but there they are not subject to human control.
Yuvkha, in the mythology of the Turkmen and Uzbeks of Khorezm, Bashkirs and Kazan Tatars (Yukha) is a demonic character associated with the water element. Yuvkha is a beautiful girl, whom she turns into after living for many (for the Tatars - 100 or 1000) years. According to the myths of the Turkmens and Uzbeks of Khorezm, Yuvkha marries a man, having previously set him a number of conditions, for example, not to watch her comb her hair, not stroke the back, perform ablution after intimacy. Having violated the conditions, the husband discovers snake scales on her back and sees how, while combing her hair, she removes her head. If you do not destroy Yuvha, she will eat her husband.
Ghouls - (Russian; Ukrainian upir, Belarusian ynip, other Russian upir), in Slavic mythology a dead person who attacks people and animals. At night, the Ghoul rises from the grave and, in the guise of a bloodshot corpse or zoomorphic creature, kills people and animals, sucks the blood, after which the victim either dies or can become a Ghoul herself. According to popular beliefs, people who died an “unnatural death” - violently killed, drunkards, suicides and also sorcerers - became ghouls. It was believed that the earth does not accept such dead people and therefore they are forced to wander the world and cause harm to the living. Such dead people were buried outside the cemetery and away from housing.
Sharkan, in Hungarian mythology, a dragon with a serpentine body and wings. It is possible to distinguish between two layers of ideas about Shuffling. One of them, associated with the European tradition, is presented mainly in fairy tales, where Sharkan is a ferocious monster with a large number (three, seven, nine, twelve) heads, the hero’s opponent in battle, often an inhabitant of a magic castle. On the other hand, there are known beliefs about the one-headed Shuffler as one of the assistants of the sorcerer (shaman) taltosh.
Phoenix is an immortal bird personifying the cyclical nature of the world. Phoenix is the patron of anniversaries, or large time cycles. Herodotus presents the original version of the legend with marked skepticism:
“There is another sacred bird there, its name is Phoenix. I myself have never seen it, except as a drawing, for in Egypt it appears rarely, once every 500 years, as the inhabitants of Heliopolis say. According to them, it flies when it dies father (that is, she herself) If the images correctly show her size and size and appearance, her plumage is partly golden, partly red. Her appearance and size resemble an eagle. This bird does not reproduce, but is reborn after death from its own ashes.
Werewolf - a monster that exists in many mythological systems. This refers to a person who can transform into animals or vice versa. An animal that can turn into people. Demons, deities, and spirits often possess this ability. The classic werewolf is the wolf. It is with him 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.
Wendigo is a man-eating spirit in the myths of the Ojibwe and some other Algonquian tribes. Served as a warning against any excesses of human behavior. The Inuit tribe calls this creature by various names, including Windigo, Vitigo, Witiko. Wendigos enjoy hunting and love to attack hunters. A lonely traveler who finds himself in the forest begins to hear strange sounds. He looks around for the source, but sees nothing except the flicker of something that moves too fast for the human eye to detect. When the traveler begins to run away in fear, the Wendigo attacks. He is powerful and strong like no other. Can imitate people's voices. In addition, the Wendigo never stops hunting when it is full.
Incubi are male demons in medieval European mythology who seek female love. The word incubus comes from the Latin “incubare”, which means “to recline”. According to ancient books, incubus are fallen angels, demons who are carried away by sleeping women. Incubi showed such enviable energy in intimate affairs that entire nations were born. For example, the Huns, who, according to medieval beliefs, were the descendants of “outcast women” of the Goths and evil spirits.
Leshy is the owner of the forest, the forest spirit, in the mythology of the Eastern Slavs. This is the main owner of the forest, he makes sure that no one harms anyone on his farm. He treats good people well, helps them get out of the forest, but he treats not-so-good people badly: he confuses them, makes them walk in circles. He sings in a voice without words, claps his hands, whistles, hoots, laughs, cries. The goblin can appear in various plant, animal, human and mixed images, and can be invisible. Most often it appears as a solitary creature. For the winter it leaves the forest, falling underground.
Baba Yaga is a character in Slavic mythology and folklore, mistress of the forest, mistress of animals and birds, guardian of the borders of the kingdom of Death. In a number of fairy tales she is likened to a witch or sorceress. Most often she is a negative character, but sometimes acts as an assistant to the hero. Baba Yaga has several stable attributes: she can cast magic, fly in a mortar, and lives on the border of the forest, in a hut on chicken legs surrounded by a fence made of human bones with skulls. She lures good fellows and small children to her, supposedly in order to eat them.
He even provided comprehensive evidence in the form of photographs in this article. Why did I talk about mermaids, yes because mermaid is a mythical creature found in many stories and fairy tales. And this time I want to talk about mythical creatures that existed at one time according to legends: Grants, Dryads, Kraken, Griffins, Mandrake, Hippogriff, Pegasus, Lernaean Hydra, Sphinx, Chimera, Cerberus, Phoenix, Basilisk, Unicorn, Wyvern. Let's get to know these creatures better.
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1. Wyvern
Wyvern-This creature is considered a "relative" of the dragon, but it only has two legs. instead of the front one there are bat wings. It is characterized by a long snake-like neck and a very long, movable tail, ending with a sting in the form of a heart-shaped arrow or spear tip. With this sting, the wyvern manages to cut or stab the victim, and under the right conditions, even pierce it right through. In addition, the sting is poisonous.
The wyvern is often found in alchemical iconography, in which (like most dragons) it personifies primordial, raw, unprocessed matter or metal. In religious iconography, it can be seen in paintings depicting the struggle of Saints Michael or George. The wyvern can also be found on heraldic coats of arms, for example, on the Polish coat of arms of the Latskys, the coat of arms of the Drake family or the Enmity of Kunvald.
2. Asp
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Aspid- In the ancient Alphabet Books there is a mention of the asp - this is a serpent (or snake, asp) “winged, with a bird’s nose and two trunks, and in the land in which it is committed, that land will be devastated.” That is, everything around will be destroyed and devastated. The famous scientist M. Zabylin says that the adder, according to popular belief, can be found in the gloomy northern mountains and that it never sits on the ground, but only on a stone. The only way to speak and exterminate the destroyer serpent is with a “trumpet voice” that makes the mountains shake. Then the sorcerer or healer grabbed the stunned asp with red-hot pincers and held it “until the snake died.”
3. Unicorn
Unicorn- Symbolizes chastity, and also serves as an emblem of the sword. Tradition usually represents him as a white horse with one horn protruding from his forehead; however, according to esoteric beliefs, it has a white body, a red head and blue eyes. In early traditions, the unicorn was depicted with the body of a bull, in later traditions with the body of a goat, and only in later legends with the body of a horse. Legend claims that he is insatiable when pursued, but obediently lies down on the ground if a virgin approaches him. In general, it is impossible to catch a unicorn, but if you do, you can only hold it with a golden bridle.
"His back was curved and his ruby eyes glowed; at the withers he reached 2 meters. Just above his eyes, almost parallel to the ground, his horn grew; straight and thin. His manes and tail were scattered in small curls, and drooping and unnaturally for albinos were black eyelashes cast fluffy shadows on pink nostrils." (S. Drugal "Basilisk")
They feed on flowers, especially rosehip flowers, and honey, and drink morning dew. They also look for small lakes in the depths of the forest in which they swim and drink from there, and the water in these lakes usually becomes very clean and has the properties of living water. In Russian "alphabet books" of the 16th -17th centuries. The unicorn is described as a terrible and invincible beast, like a horse, all the strength of which lies in the horn. Healing properties were attributed to the unicorn's horn (according to folklore, the unicorn uses its horn to purify water poisoned by a snake). The unicorn is a creature of another world and most often foreshadows happiness.
4. Basilisk
Basilisk- a monster with the head of a rooster, the eyes of a toad, the wings of a bat and the body of a dragon (according to some sources, a huge lizard) that exists in the mythologies of many peoples. His gaze turns all living things to stone. Basilisk - is born from an egg laid by a seven-year-old black rooster (in some sources from an egg hatched by a toad) into a warm dung heap. According to legend, if the Basilisk sees its reflection in the mirror, it will die. The Basilisk's habitat is caves, which are also its source of food, since the Basilisk only eats stones. He can only leave his shelter at night because he cannot stand the crowing of a rooster. And he is also afraid of unicorns because they are too “pure” animals.
“He moved his horns, his eyes were so green with a purple tint, his warty hood was swelling. And he himself was purple-black with a spiky tail. The triangular head with a black-pink mouth opened wide...
Its saliva is extremely poisonous and if it gets on living matter, it will immediately replace carbon with silicon. Simply put, all living things turn into stone and die, although there are disputes that the Basilisk’s gaze also petrifies, but those who wanted to check this did not return...” (“S. Drugal “Basilisk”).
5. Manticore
Manticore- The story about this creepy creature can be found in Aristotle (IV century BC) and Pliny the Elder (1st century AD). The manticore is the size of a horse, has a human face, three rows of teeth, a lion's body and a scorpion's tail, and red, bloodshot eyes. The manticore runs so fast that it covers any distance in the blink of an eye. This makes it extremely dangerous - after all, it is almost impossible to escape from it, and the monster feeds only on fresh human meat. Therefore, in medieval miniatures you can often see an image of a manticore with a human hand or foot in its teeth. In medieval works on natural history, the manticore was considered to be real, but living in deserted places.
6. Valkyries
Valkyries- beautiful warrior maidens who fulfill the will of Odin and are his companions. They invisibly take part in every battle, granting victory to those to whom the gods award it, and then take the dead warriors to Valhala, the castle of the extra-celestial Asgard, and serve them at the table there. Legends also call heavenly Valkyries, who determine the fate of every person.
7. Anka
Anka- In Muslim mythology, wonderful birds created by Allah and hostile to people. It is believed that anka exist to this day: there are simply so few of them that they are extremely rare. Anka is in many ways similar in its properties to the phoenix bird that lived in the Arabian desert (one can assume that anka is a phoenix).
8. Phoenix
Phoenix- In monumental sculptures, stone pyramids and buried mummies, the Egyptians sought to find eternity; It is quite natural that it was in their country that the myth of a cyclically reborn, immortal bird should have arisen, although the subsequent development of the myth was carried out by the Greeks and Romans. Adolv Erman writes that in the mythology of Heliopolis, the Phoenix is the patron of anniversaries, or large time cycles. Herodotus, in a famous passage, expounds with marked skepticism the original version of the legend:
“There is another sacred bird there, its name is Phoenix. I myself have never seen it, except as a drawing, for in Egypt it appears rarely, once every 500 years, as the inhabitants of Heliopolis say. According to them, it flies when it dies father (that is, she herself) If the images correctly show her size and size and appearance, her plumage is partly golden, partly red. Her appearance and size resemble an eagle.
9. Echidna
Echidna- half-woman, half-snake, daughter of Tartarus and Rhea, gave birth to Typhon and many monsters (Lernaean Hydra, Cerberus, Chimera, Nemean Lion, Sphinx)
10. Sinister
Sinister- pagan evil spirits of the ancient Slavs. They are also called krixes or khmyri - swamp spirits, which are dangerous because they can stick to a person, even move into him, especially in old age, if the person has never loved anyone in his life and has had no children. Sinister has an indefinite appearance (speaks, but is invisible). She can turn into a little man, a small child, or an old beggar. In the Christmas game, the evil one personifies poverty, misery, and winter darkness. In the house, evil spirits most often settle behind the stove, but they also love to suddenly jump on a person’s back or shoulders and “ride” him. There may be several more evil ones. However, with some ingenuity, you can catch them by locking them in some kind of container.
11. Cerberus
Cerberus- one of Echidna's children. A three-headed dog, on whose neck snakes move with a menacing hiss, and instead of a tail he has a poisonous snake... Serves Hades (the god of the Kingdom of the Dead) stands on the threshold of Hell and guards its entrance. He made sure that no one left the underground kingdom of the dead, because there is no return from the kingdom of the dead. When Cerberus was on earth (This happened because of Hercules, who, on the instructions of King Eurystheus, brought him from Hades) the monstrous dog dropped drops of bloody foam from his mouth; from which the poisonous grass aconite grew.
12. Chimera
Chimera- in Greek mythology, a monster that spewed fire with the head and neck of a lion, the body of a goat and the tail of a dragon (according to another version, the Chimera had three heads - a lion, a goat and a dragon). Apparently, the Chimera is the personification of a fire-breathing volcano. In a figurative sense, a chimera is a fantasy, an unfulfilled desire or action. In sculpture, chimeras are images of fantastic monsters (for example, chimeras of Notre Dame Cathedral), but it is believed that stone chimeras can come to life to terrify people.
13. Sphinx
Sphinx s or Sphinga in ancient Greek mythology, a winged monster with the face and breasts of a woman and the body of a lion. She is the offspring of the hundred-headed dragon Typhon and Echidna. The name of the Sphinx is associated with the verb "sphingo" - "to squeeze, suffocate." Sent by Hero to Thebes as punishment. The Sphinx was located on a mountain near Thebes (or in the city square) and asked everyone who passed a riddle (“Which living creature walks on four legs in the morning, on two in the afternoon, and on three in the evening?”). The Sphinx killed the one who was unable to give a solution and thus killed many noble Thebans, including the son of King Creon. The king, overcome with grief, announced that he would give the kingdom and the hand of his sister Jocasta to the one who would deliver Thebes from the Sphinx. Oedipus solved the riddle, the Sphinx in despair threw herself into the abyss and fell to her death, and Oedipus became the Theban king.
14. Lernaean Hydra
Lernaean Hydra- a monster with the body of a snake and nine heads of a dragon. The hydra lived in a swamp near the city of Lerna. She crawled out of her lair and destroyed entire herds. The victory over the hydra was one of the labors of Hercules.
15. Naiads
Naiads- Every river, every source or stream in Greek mythology had its own leader - a naiad. This cheerful tribe of water patrons, prophetesses and healers was not covered by any statistics; every Greek with a poetic streak heard the carefree chatter of the naiads in the murmur of the waters. They belong to the descendants of Oceanus and Tethys; there are up to three thousand of them.
“No one can name all their names. Only those who live nearby know the name of the stream.”
16. Rukhh
Rukhh- In the East, people have long been talking about the giant bird Rukh (or Ruk, Fear-rah, Nogoi, Nagai). Some people even met her. For example, the hero of Arabian fairy tales, Sinbad the Sailor. One day he found himself on a desert island. Looking around, he saw a huge white dome without windows or doors, so large that he could not climb onto it.
“And I,” Sinbad narrates, “walked around the dome, measuring its circumference, and counted fifty full steps. Suddenly the sun disappeared, and the air darkened, and the light was blocked from me. And I thought that a cloud had come over the sun (and it was summer time), and I was surprised, and raised my head, and saw a bird with a huge body and wide wings flying through the air - and it was she who covered the sun and blocked it over the island . And I remembered one story that was told long ago by people wandering and traveling, namely: on some islands there is a bird called Rukh, which feeds its children with elephants. And I was convinced that the dome that I walked around was the Rukhh egg. And I began to marvel at what the great Allah has created. And at this time the bird suddenly landed on the dome, and hugged it with its wings, and stretched out its legs on the ground behind it, and fell asleep on it, may Allah be praised, who never sleeps! And then I, untying my turban, tied myself to the feet of this bird, saying to myself: “Perhaps she will take me to countries with cities and populations. It will be better than sitting here on this island." And when the dawn rose and the day rose, the bird took off from the egg and soared into the air with me. And then it began to descend and landed on some ground, and, having reached the ground, I I quickly got rid of her legs, afraid of the bird, but the bird didn’t know about me and didn’t feel me.”
Not only the fabulous Sinbad the Sailor, but also the very real Florentine traveler Marco Polo, who visited Persia, India and China in the 13th century, heard about this bird. He said that the Mongol Khan Kublai Khan once sent loyal people to catch a bird. The messengers found her homeland: the African island of Madagascar. They did not see the bird itself, but they brought its feather: it was twelve steps long, and the diameter of the feather shaft was equal to two palm trunks. They said that the wind produced by the wings of Rukh knocks a person down, her claws are like bull horns, and her meat restores youth. But try to catch this Rukh if she can carry off a unicorn along with three elephants impaled on her horn! author of the encyclopedia Alexandrova Anastasia They knew this monstrous bird in Rus', they called it Fear, Nog or Noga, and gave it even new fabulous features.
“The leg-bird is so strong that it can lift an ox, flies through the air and walks on the ground with four legs,” says the ancient Russian “Azbukovnik” of the 16th century.
The famous traveler Marco Polo tried to explain the mystery of the winged giant: “They call this bird on the islands Ruk, but they don’t call it in our language, but it’s a vulture!” Only... greatly grown in the human imagination.
17. Khukhlik
Khukhlik in Russian superstitions there is a water devil; mummer. The name hukhlyak, hukhlik, apparently comes from the Karelian huhlakka - “to weird”, tus - “ghost, ghost”, “strangely dressed” (Cherepanova 1983). The appearance of the hukhlyak is unclear, but they say that it is similar to the shilikun. This unclean spirit most often appears from water and becomes especially active during Christmas time. Likes to make fun of people.
18. Pegasus
Pegasus- V Greek mythology winged horse. Son of Poseidon and the gorgon Medusa. He was born from the body of the gorgon killed by Perseus. He received the name Pegasus because he was born at the source of the Ocean (Greek “source”). Pegasus ascended to Olympus, where he delivered thunder and lightning to Zeus. Pegasus is also called the horse of the muses, since he knocked Hippocrene out of the ground with his hoof - the source of the muses, which has the property of inspiring poets. Pegasus, like a unicorn, can only be caught with a golden bridle. According to another myth, the gods gave Pegasus. Bellerophon, and he, taking off on it, killed the winged monster chimera, which was devastating the country.
19 Hippogriff
Hippogriff- in the mythology of the European Middle Ages, wanting to indicate the impossibility or incongruity, Virgil speaks of an attempt to cross a horse and a vulture. Four centuries later, his commentator Servius claims that vultures or griffins are animals whose front part is eagle-like and the back part lion-like. To support his statement, he adds that they hate horses. Over time, the expression “Jungentur jam grypes eguis” (“crossing vultures with horses”) became a proverb; at the beginning of the sixteenth century, Ludovico Ariosto remembered him and invented the hippogriff. Pietro Michelli notes that the hippogriff is a more harmonious creature, even than the winged Pegasus. In "Roland the Furious" a detailed description of the hippogriff is given, as if intended for a textbook of fantastic zoology:
Not a ghostly horse under the magician - a mare
Born into the world, his father was a vulture;
Like his father, he was a wide-winged bird, -
He was in front of his father: like that one, zealous;
Everything else was like the uterus,
And that horse was called a hippogriff.
The borders of the Riphean mountains are glorious for them,
Far beyond the icy seas
20 Mandrake
Mandrake. The role of Mandrake in mythopoetic ideas is explained by the presence of certain hypnotic and aphrodisiac properties in this plant, as well as the similarity of its root to the lower part of the human body (Pythagoras called Mandrake a “human-like plant”, and Columella - a “semi-human grass”). In some folk traditions, based on the type of Mandrake root, male and female plants are distinguished and even given appropriate names. In old herbalists, Mandrake roots are depicted as male or female forms, with a tuft of leaves growing from the head, sometimes with a dog on a chain or an agonizing dog. According to legends, anyone who hears the groan made by the Mandrake as it is dug out of the ground must die; to avoid the death of a person and at the same time satisfy the thirst for blood supposedly inherent in Mandrake. When digging Mandrake, they tied a dog, which was believed to die in agony.
21. Griffins
Griffin- winged monsters with a lion's body and an eagle's head, guardians of gold. In particular, it is known that the treasures of the Riphean Mountains are protected. From his scream, the flowers wither and the grass withers, and if there is anyone alive, then everyone falls dead. The griffin's eyes have a golden tint. The head was the size of a wolf's with a huge, terrifying-looking beak a foot long. Wings with a strange second joint to make them easier to fold. In Slavic mythology, all approaches to the Irian Garden, Alatyr Mountain and an apple tree with golden apples are guarded by griffins and basilisks. Whoever tries these golden apples will receive eternal youth and power over the Universe. And the apple tree itself with golden apples is guarded by the dragon Ladon. There is no passage here for either foot or horse.
22. Kraken
Kraken is the Scandinavian version of Saratan and the Arabian dragon, or sea serpent. The Kraken's back is one and a half miles wide, and its tentacles are capable of enveloping the largest ship. This huge back protrudes from the sea, like a huge island. The Kraken has a habit of darkening the sea water by spewing some liquid. This statement gave rise to the hypothesis that the Kraken is an octopus, only enlarged. Among Tenison's youthful works one can find a poem dedicated to this remarkable creature:
From time immemorial in the depths of the ocean
The giant Kraken sleeps soundly
He is blind and deaf, over the carcass of a giant
Only from time to time a pale ray glides.
Giant sponges sway above him,
And from deep, dark holes
Polyps innumerable choir
Extends tentacles like hands.
The Kraken will rest there for thousands of years,
So it was and so it will be in the future,
Until the last fire burns through the abyss
And the heat will scorch the living firmament.
Then he will wake up from sleep,
Will appear before angels and people
And, emerging with a howl, he will meet death.
23. Golden dog
golden dog.- This is a dog made of gold that guarded Zeus when he was pursued by Kronos. The fact that Tantalus did not want to give up this dog was his first strong offense before the gods, which the gods later took into account when choosing his punishment.
“...In Crete, the homeland of the Thunderer, there was a golden dog. She once guarded the newborn Zeus and the wonderful goat Amalthea who fed him. When Zeus grew up and took away power over the world from Cronus, he left this dog in Crete to guard his sanctuary. The king of Ephesus, Pandareus, seduced by the beauty and strength of this dog, secretly came to Crete and took it away on his ship from Crete. But where to hide this wonderful animal? Pandarey thought about this for a long time during his journey across the sea and finally decided to give the golden dog to Tantalus for safekeeping. King Sipila hid the wonderful animal from the gods. Zeus was angry. He called his son, the messenger of the gods Hermes, and sent him to Tantalus to demand the return of the golden dog. In the blink of an eye, fast Hermes rushed from Olympus to Sipylus, appeared before Tantalus and said to him:
- The king of Ephesus, Pandareus, stole a golden dog from the sanctuary of Zeus in Crete and gave it to you for safekeeping. The gods of Olympus know everything, mortals cannot hide anything from them! Return the dog to Zeus. Beware of incurring the wrath of the Thunderer!
Tantalus answered the messenger of the gods this way:
- It is in vain that you threaten me with the wrath of Zeus. I have not seen a golden dog. The gods are wrong, I don’t have it.
Tantalus swore a terrible oath that he was telling the truth. With this oath he angered Zeus even more. This was the first insult inflicted by tantalum on the gods...
24. Dryads
Dryads- in Greek mythology, female tree spirits (nymphs). they live in a tree which they protect and often die along with this tree. Dryads are the only nymphs who are mortal. Tree nymphs are inseparable from the tree in which they live. It was believed that those who plant and care for trees enjoy the special protection of dryads.
25. Grants
Grant- In English folklore, a werewolf, who most often appears as a mortal in the guise of a horse. At the same time, he walks on his hind legs, and his eyes glow with fire. Grant is a city fairy, he can often be seen on the street, at noon or towards sunset. Meeting with a grant portends misfortune - a fire or something else in the same vein.
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 being 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
- Norns. These are spinning women who determine the birth, life and death of people.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Phoenix. Today many will say that this is a 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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, as this monster spewed fire. Some people believe that modern stone chimeras can come to life and do things.
- 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.
- 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 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.
- 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.
- Lamia is a demon with a female appearance that kills babies.
- Echidna. An immortal and ageless woman with the body of a snake who lured travelers and devoured them.
- Grai - three goddesses of old age.
- 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:
- “Jason and the Agronauts”, 1963.
- "The Lord of the Rings", several films that were released from 2001 to 2003.
- Cartoon "How to Train Your Dragon", 2010 release.
- "Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters", 2013 release.
- 2001 film "Horror from the Abyss".
- "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.
