Fairy-tale creatures. Mythical creatures: list, pictures. Mythical creatures of Ancient Greece. Movies about mythical creatures

Throughout history, people have created countless tales of mythical creatures, legendary monsters, and supernatural monsters. Despite their unclear origins, these mythical creatures are described in the folklore of various peoples and in many cases are part of the culture. It's amazing that there are people all over the world who are still convinced that these monsters exist, despite the lack of any meaningful evidence. So today we will look at a list of 25 legendary and mythical creatures that never existed.

Budak is present in many Czech fairy tales and legends. This monster is usually described as a creepy creature, reminiscent of a scarecrow. It can cry like an innocent child, thus luring its victims. On the night of the full moon, Budak allegedly weaves fabric from the souls of those people whom he killed. Budak is sometimes described as an evil version of Father Christmas who travels on Christmas Day in a cart pulled by black cats.

24. Ghoul

The ghoul is one of the most famous creatures in Arabian folklore and appears in the collection of tales One Thousand and One Nights. The ghoul is described as an undead creature that can also take the form of an immaterial spirit. He often visits cemeteries to eat the flesh of recently deceased people. This is perhaps the main reason why the word ghoul in Arab countries is often used when referring to gravediggers or representatives of any profession directly related to death.

23. Yorogumo.

Loosely translated from Japanese, Yorogumo means “seductress spider,” and in our humble opinion, the name perfectly describes this monster. According to Japanese folklore, Yorogumo was a bloodthirsty monster. But in most fairy tales he is described as huge spider, which takes the form of a very attractive and sexy woman who seduces her male victims, captures them in a web, and then happily devours them.

22. Cerberus.

In Greek mythology, Cerberus is the guardian of Hades and is usually described as a bizarre-looking monster that looks like a dog with three heads and a tail whose end is the head of a dragon. Cerberus was born from the union of two monsters, the giant Typhon and Echidna, and is himself the brother of the Lernaean Hydra. Cerberus is often described in myth as one of the most loyal guards in history and is often mentioned in Homer's epic.

21. Kraken

The legend of the Kraken came from the Northern Seas and its presence was initially limited to the shores of Norway and Iceland. Over time, however, its fame grew, thanks to the wild imagination of storytellers, which led subsequent generations to believe that it also lives in all the seas of the world.

Norwegian fishermen initially described the sea monster as a gigantic animal that was as large as an island and posed a danger to passing ships not from direct attack, but from giant waves and tsunamis caused by the movements of its body. However, later people began to spread stories about the monster's violent attacks on ships. Modern historians believe that the Kraken was nothing more than a giant squid and the rest of the stories are nothing more than the wild imagination of sailors.

20. Minotaur

The Minotaur is one of the first epic creatures we meet in human history, and takes us back to the heyday of the Minoan civilization. The Minotaur had the head of a bull on the body of a very large, muscular man and settled in the center of the Cretan labyrinth, which was built by Daedalus and his son Icarus at the request of King Minos. Anyone who entered the labyrinth became a victim of the Minotaur. The exception was the Athenian king Theseus, who killed the beast and emerged from the labyrinth alive with the help of the thread of Ariadne, the daughter of Minos.

If Theseus were hunting the Minotaur these days, then a rifle with a collimator sight would be very useful to him, a huge and high-quality selection of which is on the portal http://www.meteomaster.com.ua/meteoitems_R473/.

19. Wendigo

Those familiar with psychology have probably heard the term “Wendigo psychopathy,” which describes the psychosis that compels a person to eat human flesh. The medical term takes its name from a mythical creature called the Wendigo, which, according to the myths of the Algonquin Indians. The Wendigo was an evil creature that looked like a cross between a human and a monster, something similar to a zombie. According to legend, only people who ate human flesh were able to become Wendigos themselves.

Of course, this creature never existed and was invented by Algonquin elders who were trying to stop people from engaging in cannibalism.

In ancient Japanese folklore, Kappa is a water demon who lives in rivers and lakes and devours naughty children. Kappa means "child of the river" in Japanese and has the body of a turtle, the limbs of a frog, and a head with a beak. In addition, there is a cavity with water on the top of the head. According to legend, Kappa's head must always be kept moist, otherwise he will lose his strength. Oddly enough, many Japanese consider the existence of Kappa to be a reality. Some lakes in Japan have posted posters and signs warning visitors that there is a serious risk of being attacked by this creature.

Greek mythology gave the world some of its most epic heroes, gods, and creatures, and Talos is one of them. A huge bronze giant supposedly lived in Crete, where he protected a woman named Europa (from whom the European continent took its name) from pirates and invaders. For this reason, Talos patrolled the shores of the island three times a day.

16. Menehune.

According to legend, the Menehune were an ancient race of gnomes who lived in the forests of Hawaii before the arrival of the Polynesians. Many scientists explain the existence of ancient statues on the Hawaiian Islands due to the presence of Menehune here. Others argue that the legends of the Menehune began with the arrival of Europeans in these areas and were created by human imagination. The myth goes back to the roots of Polynesian history. When the first Polynesians arrived in Hawaii, they found dams, roads, and even temples that had been built by the Menehune.

However, no one found the skeletons. Therefore, it still remains a big mystery what kind of race built all these amazing ancient structures in Hawaii before the arrival of the Polynesians.

15. Griffin.

The griffin was a legendary creature with the head and wings of an eagle and the body and tail of a lion. The griffin is the king of the animal kingdom, a symbol of power and dominance. Griffins can be found in many depictions of Minoan Crete and later in art and mythology Ancient Greece. However, some believe that the creature symbolizes the fight against evil and witchcraft.

14. Medusa

According to one version, Medusa was a beautiful maiden destined for the goddess Athena, who was raped by Poseidon. Athena, furious that she could not confront Poseidon directly, turned Medusa into an unsightly, evil monster with a head full of snakes for hair. Medusa's ugliness was so disgusting that anyone who looked at her face turned to stone. Perseus eventually killed Medusa with the help of Athena.

Pihiu is another legendary monster hybrid native to China. Even though no part of its body resembled human organs, the mythological creature is often described as having the body of a lion with the wings, long legs and head of a Chinese dragon. Pihiu is considered the guardian and protector of those who practice Feng Shui. Another version of the pihiu, the Tian Lu, is also sometimes considered a sacred being that attracts and protects wealth. This is the reason why small statues of Tian Lu are often seen in Chinese homes or offices, as it is believed that this creature can help accumulate wealth.

12. Sukuyant

The soucouillant, according to Caribbean legends (especially in the Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Guadeloupe), is an exotic black version of the European vampire. By word of mouth, from generation to generation, Sukuyant has become part of local folklore. He is described as a hideous-looking old woman by day, who at night transforms into a magnificent-looking young black woman resembling a goddess. She seduces her victims in order to later suck their blood or make them her eternal slaves. She was also believed to practice black magic and voodoo, and could transform herself into ball lightning or enter the homes of her victims through any opening in the house, including cracks and keyholes.

11. Lamassu.

According to the mythology and legends of Mesopotamia, Lamassu was a protective deity, depicted with the body and wings of a bull, or with the body of a lion, the wings of an eagle and the head of a man. Some described him as a menacing-looking man, while others described him as a female deity with good intentions.

10. Tarasca

The tale of the Tarasca is reported in the history of Martha, which is included in Jacob's biography of the Christian saints. Tarasca was a dragon with a very scary appearance and bad intentions. According to legend, it had the head of a lion, six short legs like a bear, the body of a bull, was covered with the shell of a turtle and a scaly tail that ended with a scorpion sting. Tarasca terrorized the Nerluc region of France.

It all ended when a young devoted Christian named Martha arrived in the city to spread the gospel of Jesus and discovered that the people had been afraid of a fierce dragon for years. Then he found the dragon in the forest and sprinkled it with holy water. This action has tamed wildlife dragon. After this, Martha led the dragon back to the city of Nerluk, where the angry local residents Tarasque was stoned to death.

On November 25, 2005, UNESCO included Tarascan in the list of masterpieces of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity.

9. Draugr.

The draugr, according to Scandinavian folklore and mythology, is a zombie that emits a surprisingly powerful putrid odor of the dead. It was believed that the Draugr eats people, drinks blood, and has power over the minds of people, driving them crazy at will. A typical Draugr was somewhat similar to Freddy Krueger, who, apparently, was created under the influence of fairy tales about the Scandinavian monster.

8. Lernaean Hydra.

The Lernaean Hydra was a mythical water monster with many heads that resembled large snakes. A ferocious monster lived in Lerna, a small village near Argos. According to legend, Hercules decided to kill the Hydra and when he cut off one head, two appeared. For this reason, Hercules' nephew Iolaus burned each head as soon as his uncle cut it off, only then did they stop reproducing.

7. Broxa.

According to Jewish legend, the Broxa is an aggressive monster, like a giant bird, that would attack goats or, in rare cases, drink human blood at night. The legend of Broxa spread in the Middle Ages in Europe, where it was believed that witches took the form of Broxa.

6. Baba Yaga

Baba Yaga is perhaps one of the most popular paranormal creatures in the folklore of the Eastern Slavs and, according to legend, had the appearance of a fierce and scary old woman. However, Baba Yaga is a multifaceted figure capable of inspiring researchers, capable of turning into a cloud, snake, bird, black cat and symbolizing the Moon, death, winter or the Goddess of Mother Earth, the totemic ancestor of matriarchy.

Antaeus was a giant with enormous strength, which he inherited from his father, Poseidon (god of the sea), and mother Gaia (Earth). He was a hooligan who lived in the Libyan Desert and challenged any traveler in his lands to a fight. After defeating the stranger in a deadly wrestling match, he killed him. He collected the skulls of the people he defeated in order to one day build a temple dedicated to Poseidon from these “trophies.”

But one day one of the passersby turned out to be Hercules, who was making his way to the Garden of the Hesperides to complete his eleventh labor. Antaeus made a fatal mistake by challenging Hercules. The hero lifted Antaeus off the ground and crushed him in a bear hug.

4. Dullahan.

The fierce and powerful Dullahan is a headless horseman in Irish folklore and mythology. For centuries, the Irish described him as a harbinger of doom who traveled on a black, terrifying-looking horse.

According to Japanese legend, Kodama is a peaceful spirit that lives inside certain types of trees. Kodama is described as a small, white and peaceful ghost that is perfectly in sync with nature. However, according to legend, when someone tries to cut down the tree where Kodama lives, bad things and a series of misfortunes begin to happen to him.

2. Corrigan

The strange creatures called Corrigan come from Brittany, a cultural region in northwestern France with a very rich literary tradition and folklore. Some say Corrigan was a beautiful, kind fairy, while other sources describe him as an evil spirit who looked like a dwarf and danced around fountains. He seduced people with his charm to kill them or steal their children.

1. Fish-man Lyrgans.

The fish-man Lyrgans existed in the mythology of Cantabria, an autonomous community located in northern Spain.

According to legend, this is an amphibious creature that looks like a sullen man who was lost at sea. Many people believe that the fish-man was one of the four sons of Francisco de la Vega and Maria del Casar, a couple who lived in the area. It was believed that they drowned in the waters of the sea while swimming with their friends at the mouth of Bilbao.

Vampires

Witches

Dragons

Demons

Almost all the mythical creatures about which we know anything are collected here.

It's no secret that in ancient times, to explain this or that natural phenomenon people referred to the will of the Gods. Thus, thunder and lightning were an indicator of Odin's rage. While the storm and the death of the sailors was an expression of Poseidon's wrath. The Egyptians believed that the sun was controlled by God Ra. In addition to explaining certain phenomena associated with the favor of the pantheon of Gods of a certain nationality, people often described their assistants as mythical creatures.

Myths and legends

Many epics, tales, legends and myths have survived to this day, which describe amazing creatures. They can be good and evil, help and harm people. The only common feature of each of the mythical characters is magical abilities.

Regardless of their size or habitat of mythical creatures, in various legends a person could turn to them for help. On the other hand, there are many stories about how people fight “creatures” that intimidate residents of villages, cities and even countries. Interestingly, the presence of mythical creatures is described in the treatises of almost all nationalities inhabiting planet Earth.

Fact or fiction?

Each of us in childhood heard fairy tales about Baba Yaga, the Serpent Gorynych or Koshchei the Immortal. These characters are typical of the legends that arose in Rus'. At the same time, stories about gnomes, trolls, elves and mermaids will be closer to Europeans. However, almost anywhere globe Have you heard at least once the legends about vampires, werewolves and witches?

Is it possible to say that all these fables are a figment of human imagination or reliable confirmation that mythical creatures previously lived on our planet? It is impossible to reliably answer this question. However, many legends or events described in them are confirmed by the facts that scientists discover.

What is this section about?

The mysteries of the existence of fairies, unicorns, griffins, and harpies have been attracting people for many centuries. In this section of the site you can familiarize yourself with information that will lift the curtain on the mystery of the origin of magic and answer the most popular questions about mythical creatures.

Presented here historical facts and various versions of the legends are described. After reading the articles, for yourself, everyone will be able to answer the question of whether these races actually existed or whether they are a figment of the imagination of people who were afraid of every rustle.

It is known that before the advent of Christianity, our ancestors were pagans. We'll talk about the gods they worshiped another time. But, besides the gods, in the beliefs of the Slavs there were a lot of creatures inhabiting almost everything that surrounded a person. The Slavs considered some to be kind, because they coexisted peacefully with people, helped them and protected them in every possible way. Others were considered evil because they harmed people and were capable of murder. However, there was a third group of creatures that could not be classified as either good or evil. All known creatures, although they are representatives of small species, are still represented by more than one individual.

Mythological creatures differ from each other in appearance, abilities, habitat and way of life. Thus, some creatures outwardly resemble animals, others resemble people, and others do not resemble anyone else. Some of them live in forests and seas, others live directly next to people, sometimes even in their homes. In Slavic mythology there is no classification of creatures, but their appearance, way of life, ways of appeasing certain creatures or how to survive encounters with representatives of species dangerous to humans are described in some detail.

It is impossible to describe all the creatures from fairy tales and myths, but we are familiar with some from childhood, from fairy tales and stories. Here are some of these creatures.

Alkonost

Alkonost is half-bird, half-man. The alconost has a bird's body, with beautiful iridescent plumage. His head is human, often wearing a crown or wreath; he also has an alconost human hands. By its nature, the alconost is not aggressive and does not pose a direct danger to humans, but, nevertheless, it can accidentally harm him if he comes too close to the nesting site, or is nearby when the bird sings its song. Protecting herself or her chicks, the half-bird, half-human is capable of plunging everyone around her into unconsciousness.

Anchutka

Anchutka is a little evil spirit. The height of the anchutki is only a few centimeters, their bodies are covered with hair and are black in color, and the heads of these evil spirits are bald. A characteristic feature of the anchutka is the absence of heels. It is believed that one should not say the name of this evil spirit out loud, since the anchutka will immediately respond to it and end up right in front of the one who said it.
Anchutka can live almost anywhere: most often the spirit can be found in a field, in a bathhouse or on a pond; it also prefers to settle closer to people, but avoids meeting with stronger creatures. However, different habitats impose characteristics on the appearance and behavior of evil spirits, so three main subspecies of anchutki can be distinguished: bathhouse, field, water or swamp. Field anchutki are the most peaceful, they do not appear to people unless they themselves call them. The bathhouse and swamp anchutka love to play pranks, but their jokes are evil and dangerous, often leading to the death of a person, so the swamp anchutka can grab a swimmer by the leg and drag him to the bottom. Bath anchoots often scare people with their moans, appear to them in various forms, and can simply make a person fall asleep or lose consciousness.
Anchutka is capable of becoming invisible. In addition, this evil spirit can take any form and, for example, turn into both an animal and a man. Another ability of the spirit is the ability to instantly move in space.
Anchutki are afraid of iron and salt; if an evil spirit has grabbed you, then you need to poke it with something iron and then it will immediately release you. But it is very difficult to completely get rid of anchutki, so if they have chosen a place or building, then you can drive them out of there only by destroying the building in fire and covering the ashes with salt.

Babai

Yes, yes, the same Babai that scared many in childhood. The name “babai” apparently comes from the Turkic “baba”, babai is an old man, grandfather. This word (perhaps as a reminder of the Tatar-Mongol yoke) denotes something mysterious, not quite definite in appearance, unwanted and dangerous. In the beliefs of the northern regions of Russia, a babai is a terrible lopsided old man. He wanders the streets with a stick. Meeting him is dangerous, especially for children. Babayka is a fairly universal children's monster, which is still popular today. Even modern mothers and grandmothers can sometimes tell a naughty child that if he doesn’t eat well, the old woman will take him away. After all, he walks under the windows, as in ancient times.

Baba Yaga

A fairy-tale Russian character who lives in a dense forest; witch. The image of Baba Yaga is considered to be a transformation of the image of an archaic deity, which once dominated the rites of initiation and dedication (initially, perhaps, such a deity had the appearance of a female animal)
Let's answer the question: who is the fabulous Baba Yaga? This is an old evil witch who lives in a deep forest in a hut on chicken legs, flies in a mortar, chasing it with a pestle and covering her tracks with a broom. He loves to feast on human flesh - small children and good fellows. However, in some fairy tales, Baba Yaga is not evil at all: she helps a good young man by giving him something magical or showing him the way to him.
According to one version, Baba Yaga is a guide to the other world - the world of ancestors. She lives on the border of the worlds of the living and the dead, somewhere in the “far away kingdom.” And the famous hut on chicken legs is like a passage into this world; That’s why you can’t enter it until it turns its back to the forest. And Baba Yaga herself is a living dead. The following details support this hypothesis. Firstly, her home is a hut on chicken legs. Why exactly on legs, and even “chicken” ones? It is believed that “kuryi” is a modification of “kurnye” over time, that is, fumigated with smoke. The ancient Slavs had the following custom of burying the dead: they erected a “death hut” on smoke-fuelled pillars, into which the ashes of the deceased were placed. Such a funeral rite existed among the ancient Slavs in the 6th-9th centuries. Perhaps the hut on chicken legs points to another custom of the ancients - burying the dead in domovinas - special houses placed on high stumps. Such stumps have roots that come out and really look a bit like chicken legs.

Bannik

Bannik is a spirit that lives in a bathhouse. The bannik looks like a small, skinny old man with a long beard. He has no clothes on, but his whole body is covered with broom leaves. Despite its size, the old spirit is very strong; it can easily knock down a person and drag him around the bathhouse. Bannik is a rather cruel spirit: he loves to scare those who come to the bathhouse with terrible screams, and can also throw hot stones from the stove or scald them with boiling water. If the bannik is angered, the spirit is even capable of killing a person by strangling his enemy in the bathhouse or flaying him alive. An angry bannik can also kidnap or replace a child.

Bannik is a very “social” spirit: he often invites other evil spirits to visit him to “take a steam bath”; he arranges such meetings at night after 3-6 shifts of bathers; it is dangerous to enter the bathhouse on such days. Bannik generally doesn’t like it when people disturb him at night.

Most of all, the spirit loves to scare women, which is why they should not go to the bathhouse alone. But what angers the bannik the most is when a pregnant woman enters the bathhouse; under no circumstances should such expectant mothers be left in the bathhouse unattended by men.
Bannik is capable of becoming invisible and instantly moving in space within his bathhouse. Women Banniki - Obderikhi are able to change their appearance, turning into a cat or even a person.
In addition, the bannik is capable of revealing to people their future.
If you follow the basic rules, the bannik will never attack a person. But if the bannik is angry, then you can appease him: leaving the spirit a piece of rye bread generously sprinkled with coarse salt, in some cases it is necessary to sacrifice a black chicken, burying it under the threshold of the bathhouse. If, nevertheless, the bathhouse man attacked you, then you need to run out of the bathhouse with your back forward and call the brownie for help: “Father, help me out!..”. This spirit is also afraid of iron.

Berendey

Berendeys - in Slavic mythology - people who turn into bears. As a rule, these were quite powerful sorcerers, or people bewitched by them. Such a werewolf could be disenchanted either by the sorcerer himself, who cast the werewolf curse, or by the death of this sorcerer.

Beregini

Beregini - in Slavic mythology, good water spirits, in the guise of women. They live along the banks of rivers, predict the future, and also save small children left unattended and fallen into the water. Belief in beregins (“those who live on the shore”, “protectors”) was, apparently, quite widespread in Ancient Rus'.
It is difficult to judge what the bereginians were like based on rather fragmentary evidence. Some researchers see them as “predecessors” of mermaids or identify them with mermaids. Indeed, bereginii are definitely associated with water; They, apparently, also control some significant aspects of people’s lives. Therefore, the assumption of a connection between beregins and mermaids is not unfounded.

Water

The merman cannot be called either evil or good - he is a willful spirit guarding his pond, which, however, does not mind playing tricks on those who come there. The merman looks like an old man with a large beard and a fish tail instead of legs, the old man's hair has a green tint, and his eyes look like fish. During the day, the merman prefers to remain at the bottom of the reservoir, and with the rising of the moon it rises to the surface. The spirit prefers to move around the pond on horseback, mostly swimming on catfish.
The spirit lives in large freshwater bodies of water: rivers, lakes, swamps. However, sometimes it comes onto land and appears in nearby villages. On reservoirs for housing, the merman prefers to choose the deepest places or places with a strong circular current (whirlpools, places near water mills).
The vodyanoy jealously guards his pond and does not forgive those who treat him disrespectfully: the guilty spirit is capable of drowning or severely injuring. However, the merman can also reward people: it is believed that the merman can give a good catch, but he is also capable of leaving the fisherman without a single fish at all. The spirit also loves to play pranks: he scares people at night with strange screams, he can pretend to be a drowned man or a baby, and when he is pulled into a boat or pulled ashore, he will open his eyes, laugh and flop back into the water.
Mermen live in families; usually a merman has many wives - mermaids. Dragged to the bottom by spirit, people remain in the service of the waterman, entertaining the owner of the reservoir in every possible way and carrying out various assignments, however, you can buy him off, but the price will be commensurate - you will have to give up your first-born.
It is almost impossible to fight a merman in his native element, but you can scare him away from you with iron or copper, which in the end will only anger him more. Therefore, in ancient times they preferred not to anger the merman, and if he got angry, they tried to appease the spirit by throwing bread into the water, or sacrificing a black animal

Werewolf

A werewolf is a person who can transform into a wolf (bear). You can become a werewolf voluntarily or against your will. Sorcerers often transform themselves into werewolves to gain the power of the beast. They are able to transform into a wolf and back into a human at will. To do this, the sorcerer just needs to somersault over a stump, or 12 knives stuck into the ground with the tip, and if during the time the magician was in the guise of a beast, someone takes out at least one knife from the ground, then the sorcerer will no longer be able to return back to human form.
A person can turn into a werewolf even after being cursed, then the cursed person is not able to regain his human appearance. However, he can be helped: in order to remove the curse from a person, he must be fed with consecrated food and covered with a robe woven from nettles, while the werewolf will resist this ritual in every possible way.
Werewolves do not have supernatural durability and can be killed with ordinary weapons, but upon death, werewolves turn into ghouls and rise again to take revenge on their killer. To prevent such treatment from happening, the werewolf needs to stuff three silver coins into his mouth at the moment when he is dying, or pierce his heart with a hawthorn stake when the werewolf is in human form.

Volot

Volots - a small race of mighty giants that inhabited the territory ancient Rus'. The Volots were once one of the most widespread races, but by the beginning of the historical era they had practically died out, forced out by people. Giants are considered the ancestors of the Slavs, which is confirmed by the appearance of heroes in the human race. Volots try not to contact or interfere with people, settling in hard-to-reach places, preferring to choose high mountain areas or hard-to-reach forest thickets for housing; they settle much less often in steppe areas.
Outwardly, a volot is no different from a human, if you do not take into account its gigantic size.

Gorynych

Another well-known fairy tale character. Serpent-Gorynych is the general name for dragon-like creatures. Although he does not belong to dragons, and according to the classification he belongs to snakes, Gorynych’s appearance has many draconic features. Outwardly, the Serpent-Gorynych looks like a dragon, but has many heads. Different sources indicate a different number of heads, but most often three heads are found. However, large quantity The heads rather indicate the fact that this serpent had already repeatedly participated in battles and lost heads, in the place of which more new ones grew. Gorynych’s body is covered with red or black scales, the serpent’s paws have large copper-colored claws with a metallic sheen, and he himself is large in size and has an impressive wingspan. The Serpent-Gorynych is capable of flying and spewing fire. Gorynych's scales cannot be pierced by any weapon. His blood can burn, and blood spilled on the ground burns it out so that nothing grows in that place for a long time. Zmey-Gorynych is able to regrow lost limbs, he is able to regrow even a lost head. He also has intelligence and is able to imitate the voices of various animals, including the ability to reproduce human speech, which distinguishes him from serpents and makes him closer to dragons.

Gamayun

Gamayun is half-bird, half-man. The hamayun has a bird's body, with bright motley plumage, and the head and chest are human. Gamayun is a messenger of the gods, so she spends almost her entire life traveling, predicting people’s fate and conveying the words of the gods.
By its nature, the hamayun is not aggressive and does not pose a direct danger to humans, but it has a difficult character and therefore behaves somewhat arrogantly, treating people as beings of a lower order.

Brownie

The brownie is a kind spirit, the keeper of the house and everything that is in it. The brownie looks like a small old man (20-30 centimeters tall) with a large beard. It is believed that the older the brownie, the younger he looks, since they are born old men and die babies. The god Veles patronizes the brownies, from whom the spirits inherited several abilities, for example, the ability to predict the future, but the main thing, of course, is wisdom and the ability to heal people and animals.
The brownie lives in almost every home, choosing secluded places to live: behind the stove, under the threshold, in the attic, behind a chest, in a corner, or even in a chimney.
The brownie takes every possible care of his home and the family that lives in it, protecting them from evil spirits and misfortunes. If a family keeps animals, then the brownie will look after them; the kind spirit especially loves horses.
The brownie loves cleanliness and order in the house, and does not like it when the inhabitants of the house are lazy. But the spirit dislikes it much more when the inhabitants of the house begin to quarrel with each other or treat it with disrespect. An angry brownie begins to let him know that the person is wrong: he knocks on doors and windows; interferes with sleep at night, making terrible sounds or screams, sometimes even wakes a person up, pinching him painfully, after which large and painful bruises remain on the body, which hurt more, the more angry the brownie is; and in extreme cases, the spirit is capable of throwing dishes, writing bad messages on the walls and starting small fires. However, the brownie will not cause serious harm to a person, and sometimes the spirit living in the house plays pranks without any particular reason.

Firebird

The Firebird is a bird the size of a peacock, and in appearance it most closely resembles a peacock, only it has bright golden plumage with a tint of red. It is impossible to pick up the firebird with bare hands, since its plumage burns, and the firebird is not surrounded by fire. These birds spend most of their lives locked up, either in Iria or in private hands, they are kept mainly in golden cages, where they sing songs all day long, and at night these amazing birds are released to feed. The firebirds' favorite food is fruit; they love apples, especially golden ones.

Sinister

Sinister is an evil spirit that brings poverty to the house in which it has settled. These spirits are subordinate to Navya. Sinister is invisible, but he can be heard, sometimes he even talks to the people in whose house he has settled. It is difficult for an evil spirit to get into the house, since the brownie does not let him in, but if he has managed to slip into the home, it is very difficult to get rid of him. If the evil spirit has made its way into the house, then it shows great activity; in addition to conversations, the spirit can climb on the inhabitants of the house and ride them. Often evil spirits live in groups, so that in one house there can be up to 12 creatures.

Indrik Beast

Indrik - the beast - In Russian legends, Indrik acts as “the father of all animals.” It can have one or two horns. In Russian fairy tales, Indrik is portrayed as an opponent of the serpent who prevents him from taking water from the well. In fairy tales, the image of an indrik represents a fantastic animal that the main character hunts. In some fairy tales, he appears in the royal garden instead of the firebird and steals golden apples.

Kikimora

Kikimora is an evil spirit that sends nightmares to people. In appearance, the kikimora is very thin and small: her head is the size of a thimble, and her body is thin as a reed; she wears neither shoes nor clothes and remains invisible most of the time. During the day, kikimoras are inactive, but at night they begin to play pranks. For the most part, they do not cause serious harm to humans, mostly they just play small pranks: they sometimes knock on something at night, or they begin to creak. But if the kikimora dislikes one of the family members, then the pranks will become much more serious: the spirit will begin to break furniture, break dishes, and harass livestock. The kikimora's favorite pastime is spinning yarn: sometimes she sits in the corner at night and starts working, and so on until the morning, but there is no sense in this work, she only tangles the threads and breaks the yarn.
Kikimoras prefer human houses as a habitat, choosing secluded places to live: behind the stove, under the threshold, in the attic, behind a chest, in the corner. Often kikimors are taken as wives by brownies.
Sometimes kikimoras appear before people's eyes, foreshadowing imminent misfortunes: if she cries, then trouble will soon happen, and if she spins, it means that soon one of the inhabitants of the house will die. The prediction can be clarified by asking the kikimora, then she will definitely answer, but only by knocking.

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 constitute an important source of 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, and frescoes by Raphael.
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 in the 19th and 20th centuries in fine arts and sculpture, themes from Germanic, Celtic, Indian and Slavic myths became popular.
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
Ancient man's fear of the powerful forces of nature 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

Amazons, 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

Vanitas still lifes emerged as an independent genre around 1550.

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. “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 known history 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 sea prophetic 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 a 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 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



BEYOND

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 objective 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, as 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 considered complete list 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.

 

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