Hebrew Mythology

Hey everybody and welcome back to Raisa's Mythological Creature Blog. Today I will be introducing 10 Mythological Creatures from Hebrew Mythology. 



We start off today with Ziz. This is a mythological griffin like bird that is believed to be able to block the sun out. A myth about the bird tells that Ziz was created to protect the birds that lived in Israel and it was a good hearted creature, but if he didn't protect them, the small birds will die because they made an easy prey to hunters.

A golem is an animated creature created from clay or mud. It can be a man or a woman, but in Hebrew Myths, it is mostly both genders. A myth about the mud man says that over the years, he was used to represent war, community, isolation, hope and despair. One way to bring it to life is walk or dance around it saying a combination of letters from the alphabet.

Broxa is another famous Israeli creature. It is believed to drink the milk of goats, which left nothing for them to feed their babies. According to many superstitions, Broxa was able to shape shift and was unable to be killed by a bullet.

Dybbuk is an evil Hebrew demonic spirit. It is able to enter a living human, cause mental illnesses, talk through his/her mouth and represent a seperate personality. A myth about Dybbuk says that his name came from the fact that he can go inside of people, and it means 'a separation of an evil spirit'.

In Hebrew, there are many demons everywhere. Another one of them is Mazikeen. He is an invisible demon that causes trouble around Israel. A myth about Mazikeen tells that he is the one disturbing everyone with minor annoyances. When they are in danger, he also causes more danger.

Lilith is a spirit who is very dangerous during the night. She can be showing sexual behaviour around men and steals and strangles babies in the darkness. A myth about her says that that she was created from the same dirt as Adam, another Hebrew character. Lilith and another spirit, Naamah, are very similar and have alike features.

Re'em is a giant creature, one is male and one is female. They live opposite one another, one in the east, the other in the west. A myth about Re'em tells that no one knows exactly how they look like, and some people describe them as fierce, fast and impossible to defeat.

Bar Juchne is a massive bird which, like Ziz, is able to block the sun out with its wings. He was mentioned in the Talmud. The story is about a Bar Juchne egg that fell out of its nest, it flooded 60 villages and it said that the egg will be roasted and eaten.

Leviathan is a sea monster. It can accept the fact that it caused tsunamis. A myth about it tells that it can blow flames so hot that the ocean boils when Leviathan swims on top of it.

Shedim is the Hebrew name for spirits and demons. It deals with child and animal sacrifices to faux gods. A myth about this creature says that they are descendants of serpents or demons in the form of serpents.

That's it for today! See you tomorrow! Bye!

African Mythology

Hey everybody and welcome back to Raisa's Mythological Creature Blog. Today I will be introducing 10 Mythological Creatures from African Mythology.

Today's first two creatures will be Bakulu and Bankita, two African demons. The ancestors usually help their relatives and stay with them, taking on the incorporeal, spiritual form. In the Congo it is called Bakulu. If the ancestor died a tragic, sudden death, then his spirit is called Bankita.

Impundulu is a mythological bird that brings lightning to its world using its talons. It has origins in many different African Mythologies. Some people describe it has having black and white feathers and being as tall as a human. A myth about this creature tells that a village girl claimed to say that it looked like a rooster. Impundulu scratched the girl with her own hoe and flew off.

Jengu is an African water spirit that the people of Cameroon believe exist. The people describe the creature as a beautiful mermaid like character, and they live in rivers and seas to bring good luck to the people of Cameroon. A myth about Jengu says that it also cures diseases.

Ninki Nanka is an African dragon like creature that lives in swamps. It is said to be very dangerous and giant. A tale about Ninki Nanka is that sometimes children disobey their parents' instructions and go into the swamp. The Ninki Nanka will then kidnap the child and the parents will be very worried.

Aziza are African fairies. They live in the forest and they make good wishes to hunters nearby. They are said to live in trees with silk cotton and anthills. A myth about them tells that they have very good spiritual knowledge and they provide some of that to humans.

Tikoloshe is a water sprite that lives in West Africa. Some people call them over to cause trouble for others. It can be used to scare children, but sometimes things go a little too far and he causes illnesses and even kills people! A myth about Tikoloshe tells that the mischievous and evil spirit can become invisible, just by drinking water. 

A werehyena is a creature that is a human, but underneath it is a hyena. The people of Africa believe that some one or two villages were entirely populated by these creatures. A myth about them tells that they were witches they could turn into hyenas, which were cleverly disguised as humans.

Eloko are creatures that are like dwarves, and they live in the forest. I found two interesting myths about them: One of them is that they were the ancestral spirits of the people that live there. The other is that they are vicious and they haunt them because they sometimes quarrel about were to settle. 

Lastly, Nyami Nyami is a very important god to the Tonga people. He is described as having snake's body and the body of a fish. The Tongas believe that Nyami Nyami protects them from danger, he is the god of the Zambezi Valley, where Zambia and Zimbabwe meet, which is where the Tongas live. A myth about the creature tells that it lives in the water and controls the living things in and on it.

Thank you for reading today's blog! See you tomorrow! Bye!

Mongolian Mythology 

Hey everybody and welcome back to Raisa's Mythological Creature Blog! Today I will introduce 10 Mythological Creatures from Mongolian Mythology.

Today's first critter is Avraga Dhagas. The name Avraga was also used by other space animals, such as the Avraga Dhagas fish. They would be like Greek mythical titanic characters, just as they have disappeared from the world. Some of them have been killed, others have been stuck underground, others have been smuggled.

Serpent creatures in many cultures of the world are rewritten with demonic qualities and bad deeds. This scheme is no stranger to the Mongols as well. After all, everyone in Mongolia knows the Great Serpent, who in the dawn of history challenged the most powerful beings living in the world.

In Chinese mythology, Lung, a dragon, water ruler, god of rain and storm takes an important place. In the Tibetan tradition its counterpart is Luu. One of them, or perhaps both, was cursed to the Mongol myths, giving them many offspring.

The worst thing that can happen to a Mongolian man is dropping his horse. Sometimes, a spirited soul sneaks into a house and frightens the children, sometimes going to a wedding at a wedding or an evening. The ghost of the dead is invisible to the earth, only shamans and dogs can see him. To get rid of him, you shoot, poke around the corners with a sharp object, and even better to attack the intruder. Such bourgeois spirits are called booholdojami.

The next three creatures are all black demons. They are Rahu, Arah and Arhan. Not all ancient Mongolian myths and legends are gone. The three demons are older than the cruel giants of manga, yet still exists. After all, eclipses of the sun and the moon happen.

Almas. Some believe that it's a hairy and huge demon living in the mountains; some thinks it's a witch, who has only one leg, one hand and one eye also with one breast which put on her back. Believers scare their children with this creature. He (or she) probably belongs to Turkish mythology, not really a bad demon. There is a theory that he/she could be both these avatars in one creature, meaning ambiguity, nature and divinity.

And the last is the most terrifying creature in Mongolian mythology Szulmas, he is evil. The prototype of Szulmas was probably Szimnu - the god of darkness. He is a bad ghost, the enemy of gods and all people. But Szulmas doesn't live underground in hell like devils from other mythologies, he lives on earth with humans - which is even more scary. In folklore he is related with giant monster Mangas.

Thank you for reading today's blog! Please join me tomorrow! Bye!

Balkan Mythology

Hey everybody and welcome back to Raisa's Mythological Creature Blog. Today I will be telling you 10 Mythological Creatures from Balkan Mythology.

First we have Aquarius. Aquarius is a star sign, and it means water bearer. It does appear a few times in Balkan myths and Babylonian myths, and there is a story behind it: the god of rain became a constellation called, you guessed it, Aquarius. 

Sambaris is the Balkan fertility god personifying the ritual folding the grain after the harvest, perhaps the name of the ritual itself. People offered Sambaris the leftovers of the feast organised on the eve of his celebration.

Werewolves are people with the ability to transform into a wolf or people that with the power of magic, transformed into a wolf. For some time, lycanthropes were discovered only after its death. In wolf form, werewolves killed domestic animals and people to stay alive. 

Wizunas was a dragon in Balkan Myths that devours the dead people who are  trying to climb to the top of an inaccessible mountain of heaven, mourners help them by throwing claws from lynxes and bears at a funeral pyre to redirect Wizunas.

Aitvaras is a flying ghost demonic creature manifesting itself as a rooster (it was believed that Aitvaras came to the world from a rooster egg), raven or crow, fiery snake or cat. Riches gave him sour milk or scrambled eggs , for example, cereals, hay, money, honey and milk.

Moroi are very creepy Balkan creatures. They are believed to be the souls of children that have been murdered. If its mother has killed it to hide her shame, 7 years later, her child will haunt her forever. A myth about Moroi tells that they will spread plagues not only to her, but to the entire city.

Lesovik are creatures that live in the forest and protect it and its animals. They are men with green beards, shaggy hair and boots that are worn on the wrong feet. A myth about Lesovik are that they, like bears, skunks and bats, hibernate in winter, but in spring they come back out to protect their forest and animal friends.

Muma Padurii is a creature that also lives in the Balkan forest, and her name means 'mother of the forest'. She is described as being an evil, ugly, old woman. A myth about her tells that she is a shape shifter and can change into many people and animals.

Zmeu is a man that is sometimes described as a dragon, but usually he is a creature with a man's body, a backside with scales, a tail and the ability to spit fire. A myth about him tells that he kidnaps women and tries to persuade them into marrying him. He can also change into a man but he normally stays in his natural form.

Today's final creatures are Iele. They are beautiful fairies that live in the Carpathian Mountains. A myth about Iele tells that Midsummer's Eve is when they are strongest, so people have to try and not make them angry, otherwise they can be very dangerous.

That's it for today's creatures! Join me tomorrow for more mythical critters! Bye!

Iran (Persian) Mythology

Hey everybody and welcome back to Raisa's Mythological Creature Blog. Today I will be telling you 10 Mythological Creatures from Iran (The country on the territory of modern-day Iran used to be known as Persia) Mythology.

Firstly is Aeshma, a Persian demon which is part of the great triad of evil. It was known as 'the demon of wrath, rage and fury'. A myth about the creature tells that he is responsible for causing aggression in ancient Iran.

Bahamut is a gigantic whale. He keeps the Earth intact underwater to stop it from moving. A myth about Bahamut says that an angel holds up the Earth, a bull holds up the gem that the angel is standing on and the whale carries the bull on his back. 

A shahbaz is a bird that appears in many Persian fables, and it is like an eagle. It lives in the Ghafghaz Mountains in Iran (formerly Persia). According to ancient Persian mythology, the shahbaz was also a god who helped Iranians with their problems.

Fulad-Zereh is the name of a giant horned demon that kidnapped women an asylum to consider killing them. A myth about this demon tells that Fulad-Zereh was appointed chief general to the fairy king of Zahriah, Malek Khazah.

Karkadann is a creature that is said to live in the grassy plains of Persia and India. The animal was a rhino, in Arabic, Karkadann means rhinoceros. A myth about Karkadann tells that the rhino had a tradition that is still used in modern-day Iraq: Iraq people collect beads, which apparently are the 'tears of the Karkadann'.

The Manticore is a creature similar to the Egyptian sphynx. It has a human head, the body of a lion and a scorpion's tail. The tail has very poisonous spines that when they shoot a person, they kill them. It was believed to have its first origins somewhere in the 15th Century.

Shabrang was the horse of the famous Persian hero Siyavash. Its name means 'night coloured purebred'. It was believed that in Zoroastrian mythology, Shabrang was immortal and will always be by his master's side to bring him justice. A myth about Shabrang tells that in Persian mythology, Siyavash got his horse killed by a fire, and shortly after, his son Kai Khosrow became the ruler of Persia.

Chamrosh is a creature with the body of a dog and an eagle's head and wings. It is believed to live at the very top of Mount Alborz. A myth about Chamrosh tells that when the Semurv tree descended, the eagle-headed winged dog collected the seeds that fell from it.

Zahhak is today's last creature. In Persia, it is sometimes called 'he who has 10,000 horses'. It is an evil snake creature known in many stories as Aži Dahaka. One of these stories tells that he was the son of Angra Mainyu, the enemy of Ahura Mazda.

That's it for today's creatures! See you tomorrow for more amazing critters! Bye!

Korean Mythology

Hi everybody and welcome back to Raisa's Mythological Creature Blog! Today I will be introducing 10 Mythological Creatures from Korean Myths. 

Firstly is Dokkaebi. These creatures are Korean goblins that have magical abilities that they use to interact with humans. A myth about Dokkaebi tells that the earliest known authentications of the goblins were in the Silla era and the Goryeo period.

Kjon Hwon is a historical character that people assumed came into the world in the year 847, in the city of Sangdzu in the Li family. Among his ancestors mentioned between others, King Dzinhing is very important. This creature was imagined to be a very vicious snow leopard.

Kungje is one of the most important creatures in the whole history of Korea. He originated in the state of Silla. From myths, we know that Kungje was born with teeth, and his father was the lord of Silla.

There was an amazing animal in Korean myths - Kirin (also called qilin). This creature was a symbol of good luck and it was a Korean unicorn. A myth on Kirin tells that his name originates from the Korean words for male and female, because it is believed that the creature was half male, half female.

Kidza belong to semi-legendary characters in Korean Mythology. He was presented as an aristocrat from China. Historical sources mention that Kidza was the uncle of the last Chinese Emperor of the Shang dynasty.

The tiger is one of the most important animals in Korean Myths. It has become one of the symbols that protects people from evil and his character appears in many legends. A lot of sayings and proverbs about him also exist. It appears  not only the Korean foundation mythology but also in folklore, as well as a favourite subject of Korean art such as painting and sculpture.

Another very important creature in Korean Mythology is the dragon. It has very similar symbolism and features to the Chinese Mythology. It belongs to three mythical animals symbolising good fortune, strength and power. Like in the Middle Kingdom, the dragon here was an attribute of power.

 The phoenix is one of a group of mysterious fantastic animals, also known in European and Mediterranean culture, in which he was associated with a bird with the ability to regenerate from the ashes. He was believed to be a bird that symbolises good luck. 

Under the Korean name Sasin hides a group of mythical critters, which, according to local beliefs, are considered to be the guards of the four corners of the world. As with many other fantastic animals, these creatures also have the ability to claim Chinese origin.

Lastly, Tokkebi is today's final creature. Koreans believe that demons and ghosts existed. They were thought to be particularly dangerous after dark. However, it was not always possible to avoid moving the night. To avoid being confronted with a demon, one must be very careful, but sometimes it does not help. Like in the case of the demon Tokkebi, which were very scary Korean devils.

That's it for today's creatures! Join me tomorrow for more! Bye!

Celtic Mythology

Hey everybody and welcome back to Raisa's Mythological Creature Blog! Today I'll introduce some creatures from Celtic Mythology.

Firstly is Donn Cualinge, a blackish-brown coloured bull that comes from the ancient Celtic town of Cualinge. A myth about Donn Cualinge tells that he could transform into various animal and human forms.

Badb is another Celtic creature. She is one of the three Morrigans and her name occasionally in myths appears as Nemain or Maha. A myth about Badb says that she had a pet wolf that helped her look around for dead people during battles. She can also transform into a raven.

Cat Sith is a cat fairy critter from Celtic myths. Celtics imagine them as Kellas cats, hybrids of Scottish wild cats and house cats. A myth about Cat Sith tells that this creature might not be a fairy, but a witch who could transform into a black cat with a white spot on its chest nine times.

A banshee is a spirit that haunts people if one of their family members passes away. She does that usually by wailing or screaming. A myth about banshees says that once when a banshee haunted someone, it was revealed that that spirit was the war goddess, Morrigan.

The wolf had a very important role in Celtic Mythology. Very often in mythology, men transform into wolf, for example, Gvidion and Gilvaethvy, were punished for their acts and were changed into wolves, or Cormac Macairt was raised by a she-wolf, the same like Saint Ailbe.

The companion birds of the Earth Mothers, for example, Rhiannon, Cliodna or Eponie, symbolised harmony, life and health, but the opposite for the war goddess birds, who were demonic and destructive. In mythology, birds sit on their masters' shoulders and whisper in their ear. 

The eagle was very important for Celts. The transformation (metamorphosis) from people to birds was very common, for example, Fintan lived many years as a bird. And the ladies from the other world transformed into birds when they visited their loved ones on Earth. Gods in bird form come to Earth to create heroes. The god of the sun was related to an eagle.

In Celtic Mythology, a particular wise animal was the fish. The Trout of Inspiration and the Salmon of Wisdom collected fruit that fell from a magical tree in the underworld. It was enough to eat a magic fish (which Fionn mac Cumhail did do), by having amazing knowledge. 

Not many animals were so important to the Celts than the boar. He was a holy, supernatural and magical creature, it symbolised a warrior, war, hunting, care, hospitality and fertility. The boar (along with the bear) represent spiritual power. In Celtic sagas, you will find the magical pig of the god of the dead, Manannan. Twrth Trwytha, a boar attacked by a prince, was chased by King Arthur and his knights across Ireland, Wales and Cornwall, where the boar disappeared into the Sea Abyss. Druids call themselves wild boars, perhaps because, they live alone in the forest.

Lastly is the dogs. Dogs were also very important to Celts. Mythical demons were sometimes very attractive shapes. Their companions were pretend dogs with red ears. These dogs from Lancashire galloped in the air, led by the ghost Gwynn ap Nudd. 

That's it for today! See you tomorrow for more amazing creatures! Bye!