The story of the serpent of Skorradalsvatn is identical to and older than that of the Lagarfljot serpent; it appears that its account was transposed to Lagarfljot over time. Other accounts speak of it as a basilisk; the poet Rhys Tenganwy mentions a scaly monster with claws and pestiferous breath. A couple you may be interested in are Jiangshi the Chinese version of a Zombie. (1996) Handbook of the Birds of the World vol. Youre doing NaNoWriMo? In appearance the worm is wingless and scaly with no arms or legs, very similar to a gigantic snake but with the added dread of poisonous breath, and the ability to rejoin after being cut into pieces. Aldrovandi, U. Beavis, I. C. (1988)Insects and other Invertebrates in Classical Antiquity. G. P. Putnams Sons, New York. Web3) Lion of Nemea. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Theyre most often depicted as humanoid creatures, and in Western culture, they frequently have horns. Cerberus this is one of the most dangerous or evil Greek mythological creatures: a three-headed dog that guards the door of the Underworld in Greek mythology. Then it runs, heating the water to boiling. African Affairs, 43(173), pp. In medieval England, an incubus can shapeshift to look just like a womans husband or lover. Argus Panoptes was the one to eventually slay Echidna in her sleep. selkies most cultures have shapeshifter stories. can you make a list of animals who are used as symbols and their publishing date? Discovery (Dec): 369-373. del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A.; and Sargatal, J. knockers also called Tommyknockers, these mine spirits live in Cornwall and sometimes in the U.S. (I believe some emigrated). Livingstone, D. (1857) Missionary Travels and Researches in South Africa. Red River Lumber Company, Minneapolis. Thanks for reading my blog! The good fairies are called snziene or simply zne (=fairies in Romanian). Pharaonic crowns show the asp to represent the kings power. The Loch Ness Monster The Loch Ness monster is a mythical sea creature believed to be living in the Scottish Loch (Lake) However, the real identity of the olgoi-khorkhoi is far more prosaic: it is the Tartar sand boa, a desert-dwelling, nonvenomous snake. 117-129. btsan the btsan are fierce sky spirits in Tibet that look like red hunters riding red horses. Cerberus this is one of the most dangerous or evil Greek mythological creatures: a three-headed dog that guards the door of the Underworld in Greek mythology. J. One female asp fell in love with an Egyptian boy, warning him of danger and keeping watch over him. ). kobolds these little German guys might live in mines or in your house. They are Roman in origin, and this article discusses the difference between fauns and satyrs. There are many scary stories told of the chimeras. University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles. Top 10 Most Lethal Mythical creatures Mythical dragons. Dragons are one of the most popular mythical beasts that people never wish to encounter. Nga Humans with the lower halves of snakes. If you have read the books Eragon, Eldest, Brisinger, and Inheritance, you learn about a species called Urgals. Its a huge book, and worth having around as a reference and source of inspiration. (1880) Histoire Gnrale des Choses de la Nouvelle-Espagne. They have similarities to brownies and to dwarves. The original name for this beast is Cerberus, and in most stories, it is a mythical (and monstrous) creature that guards treasures and more. While centaurs are generally not considered evil, they are impulsive, unpredictable and as a result unreliable. In any case the rhox, as described by Nicander, Philumenus, and Pliny, is a sort of spider or phalangion. Many mythical creatures have things in common, and this hybrid may remind you of a few others! Usually people had not seen one themselves, but knew others who had, and every time they went to a play where the olgoi-khorkhoi was said to be abundant, the inhabitants told them the creature could be found a few miles away. I am currently in the process of developing the plot line for my story, and I need a species for a boy character. Theres some discussion of Italian fairies, or fatas, in this article about Italian witchcraft. In some other tales, they hide in the walls or under your bed, accidentally cut off kids toes in attempts to clip their toenails, or just give people nightmares. If looks could kill certainly fits this beast. These are small, retiring birds with a tendency to call at dusk or at night. Chimera A Chimera is a large animal made up of different animal body (1884) Celtic Britain. The Lomie is a beast found within the forests of Bohemia. This may have some relation to ancient religious beliefs and mythic patterns, and esoterically dragons have been linked with the belief in earth energies and chthonic subterranean forces. Similarly vocal snakes are found throughout East Africa. This makes me want to put some creatures in the book Im outlining for NaNoWriMo, though the thought hadnt crossed my mind until right now. According to Apache beliefs, these spirits have healing powers. GU. I love learning the Romanian word for the good fairies, too. ? E. Cotes, London. My road trip book! The primary reference to the asp in Christian symbolism is Psalm 58. Philoumenos specifies three types of asp. two things Ur missing gorgons and Ganesha is not the leader of anyone that is shiv and ganas are a misinterpretation who is the father of Ganesha i follow Indian traditions and i kind of know things like this im just a kid who likes to write though. (See also: Dandos Dogs.). There will always be people who do like it (like me). Shahmaran, should be in there Shes snake king half snake half human, her down actual body is a head of a snake Her beauty will lead you to death. Thank you so much for commenting! The apartment building setting is terrific and the story has real surprises. Sorry, this comment is coming out negative, but this list is really really helpful in my writing (and my overall interest in mythical beings) and thank you so much for making this! sylphs these supernatural creatures are elemental, delicate spirits of the air. Learn how your comment data is processed. They are guardian spirits of rice paddies. But wights are great story fodder, so you make a good point! Heres a pretty comprehensive werewolf site, and you can read about Louisianas loup-garou here. Iceland Review, Reykjavik. Collins, W. B. Its a whole book of this. Mermaid / Merman Women and men with the lower bodies of fish. These serve as the Icelandic equivalent of lindorms, water-horses, and other malignant freshwater monsters. The only mention of it is under basilisk. Kitchell, K. F. (2014)Animals in the Ancient World from A to Z. Routledge, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon. Theyre white with red ears, and gather up souls and drag them to hell. These medieval fantasy creatures have the head, talons, and wings of an eagle and the body of a lion. There are tzinitzcan, small light green feathers, on its neck, red feathers on its breast, and blue feathers on the tail and rings (coils?). Ichneumons also eat asp eggs. As tribes fought for domination and came to be united under a common banner the dragon was adopted as a national icon. Loveridge, A. She does a wonderful job of differentiating the characters voices and perspectives. javerzaharses these Armenian nymphs sometimes have wings. The cloud infects people and brings them bad luck. I dont know if this is true in other countries, but in the United States, we associate these cute fantasy creatures very strongly with Saint Patricks Day. Goblins are considered selfish and greedy always putting themselves first. He died because someone took away the water he would have used to rinse out his mouth. WebHe was the most feared monster in all Greek mythology and no other mythical creature, god or monster was as powerful, dangerous, or deadly. Anyone opening the barrel full of flies brings about not only their own death, but the destruction of the world. The Welsh MSS Society, Llandovery. I needed some unique species for a roleplay and this really helped. The answer may surprise you. Many mythological creatures are considered to be evil, but only one can be deemed as the most evil of them all. Whether they live in a forest or deep underwater, theres no denying that these monsters have been wreaking havoc for centuries and will continue to do so until we find out how to defeat them! 1. Cyclops A creature with its ear stopped up is unquestionably an asp. [1][2] The only difference between poisonous animals and venomous animals is how they deliver the toxins. I made up the example to talk about putting the action before the reaction and making more of dramatic moments. One spook I learned of from a South African friend of min only recently is the Tokoloshe a dwarf water spirit who can vanish if it drinks water. Shircore also attributes to the crowing crested cobra or Inkhomi a diet of maggots, explaining that it kills indiscriminately to create more food for maggots. fauns C.S. emandwa these protective household spirits in Uganda are loyal to families and help women to be fertile. The vampires in Romanian mythology are called the strigoi. It is buff-colored, with a red crest that points forward. They were so big, in fact, that if caught in such a straddle, they could be tied up and used for bridges. Lamia turned into a monster after losing her children due to unfortunate circumstances, and she became an evil creature that would hunt down the children of others and kill them viciously. (1944) Two Notes on the Crowing Crested Cobra. The Brookhorse/ the Neck: Two indifferent waterspirits that lure its victims to drown. Other Icelandic water serpents include the Hvalvatn serpent (striped with a cat-like head), the huge Hvita River serpents (gaudy in Arnessysla, striped in Borgarfjordur), the Kleifarvatn serpent (30-40 meters long and black in color), the large Skafta River serpent (multi-colored), and the mysterious dry-land serpent of Surtshellir. Poisonous Plants Like foxglove, there are several other very poisonous plants that are beautiful and common in gardens but which were once associated strongly with bad witches and their nasty ways. Such was the mysterious creatures power it was regarded as the god of rain, thunder, the rainbow, and the stars.They are among the most powerful creatures on planet Earth, due to their giant size. Mongolian folklore is ambivalent on snakes. Typhon, the father, was an ancient and monstrous giant who was believed to be the most dangerous creature in all of Greece. It doesnt get any cooler than that. 57-73. Their name means Choosers of the Slain, and they show up at battles to decide who will die. From medieval European mythology. Livingstone claimed to have heard one calling from a spot where no kid could have been. The one reported from Nuchis was as big as an oxs head. Thanks for this great article and collection.We have several here in the Caribbean, especially my home country Jamaica. There are many different versions of this Scandinavian mythical creature, but one is described as a naked man who presented a deadly threat to women and children. Thanks so much! Another thing that would work is just comming up with a name that would work with what I want in this character, and this characters species. Thank you so much for this list. dmons (also spelled daimons.) Some can fly, and most are known for having the ability to burn down a whole city with only a few breaths. The lakes of Iceland are home to a wide variety of Vatnaormar, water serpents. And as I was going down the list I came across one that not only is perfect for plot but ties in with my MC and now the story has quite a twist to come. Yeah, an Ogbanje is the same as an Abiku. Regardless of who it was, they were brought in to kill the serpent, but found the creature too powerful to kill. . bakru these little gnome-like people in Suriname are half flesh and half wood. Rather than referring to their size, the name Jotnar means devourers. Oreads are the mountains and naads are from the rivers. They asserted that it was indeed an olgoi-khorkhoi and that they were afraid of it. Antonij Bernie, Bologna. While very venomous, asp bites are sometimes nonlethal. Oooh, never heard of that one. Comments? https://chinesefolktales.blogspot.com/2010/01/ He has some interesting stories. I would love to visit Transylvania someday. Those are great , They make an excellent villain for a Caribbean-based story. Hydra, or the Lernaean Hydra, was an almost impossible monster to kill. This water creature had many heads that would attack its victim simultaneously, and while some tried to chop the heads off one by one they quickly discovered that when one of Hydras heads was cut off, two more would grow out in its place. At times, the bauchan can be kind and helpful, but at others its reputed to have been a roguish and sometimes harmful creature. The rest of it is giving me a lot of grief in this draft, but its worth it. Great list! (1820) A Natural History of all the Most Remarkable Quadrupeds, Birds, Fishes, Serpents, Reptiles, and Insects in the Known World. During sleep, they could leave their bodies to do battle with the evil spirits who caused foul weather. I will have to check out the Bly essay, too. The name Rhox indicates similarity to a grape. Lucan gives the asp pride of place in his catalogue of snakes, but it is not described killing in gruesome detail. They be the souls of women who died as virgins. Thank you. (1640) Serpentum, et Draconum Historiae. They hide in caves and banyan trees, and either eat people or play tricks on them, depending on who you talk to. Loch Ness monster this is one of the more famous mythological creatures: a long-necked water creature said to inhabit Loch Ness in Scotland. It is close to the gray wolf and bears. WebManticore A creature with a man's head, a lion's body, bat wings, and a scorpion tail. thank you so much for this list. Reblogging on my blog The Depths of my Mind because it is such an amazing resource to have for paranormal writers. There are occasionally still REPORTED sightings of Thylacines today in Tasmania in the Western Wilderness- but no proof. Robert Bly has a good essay on the duende and its importance in poetry, in American Poetry: Wildness and Domesticity. John Murray, London. The short legs may be a misinterpretation, as the description and lethality both suggest the malmignatte or Mediterranean black widow. Im going to research a little and see what I can find about them. Sahagun, B.; Jourdanet, D. and Simon, R. trans. saba-leippya this is actually a sub-category of nats (see above), but they are so lovely I had to call them out specifically. werewolves wolves are some of the most common kinds of shapeshifters in folklore. As a young starting out writer trying to start up a fantasy story, this is absolutely fantastic! The name means noise spirit in German. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. The Jotnar are the giants of Norse mythology and are described as having powers that rival that of the gods. The Lambton worm was one such creature as was the dragon of Loschy Hill. Its my main resource for for, at least, non-corporeal creatures. Most of our modern vampire lore comes from early 18th century Eastern Europe, when everyone lost their minds, claimed to see vampires, and tried to stake and kill them. Have a wonderful month! According to myth, they have the faces, wings and front legs of an eagle and the rear, tail and hind legs of a lion. elves this is probably one of the best-known supernatural species, and there are so many different kinds. Simpson, J. Whenever you read about a dragon in storybooks and old tales, you can almost feel the horror of watching that massive animal come flying over the mountain tops knowing it has the capacity to burn down villages and towns. Moles On Different Parts Of Body And Their Meaning As Per Astrology, 2024: 2024 , Rahu Transit In Pisces 2023: Date, Time & Effects On Each Zodiac Sign. Its my favorite scent in the whole world. These calculated hybrids would snatch any human they could get their claws on, and subject the individual to excruciating torture. Great article! Heylyn, P. (1657) Cosmographie in Four Books. at least they work in this series , Excellent! If pursued by hunters, it pauses at a nearby body of water to drink and fill up its neck-bladder. (1840) The Liber Landavensis, Llyfr Teilo. kaches in Armenian tales, these mean spirits hide in rocks and trap and torture humans. It stretches across the Niagara Escarpment from Niagara to Tobermory. 143-322. I love paranormal stuff, so this was right up my alley , Looking back on this post, Im not sure its clear that you can click on the creature names to go to a link with more info? Hi I am in the process of writing a book. He would sit and play his violin in streams, lakes, and rivers, and the sound would bring his victims to walk into the water and drown. I could be wrong, but I think the ogbanje are basically the same thing. John Murray, London. WebThe following is a list of poisonous animals, which are animals that passively deliver toxins (called poison) to their victims upon contact such as through inhalation, absorption William Turner, Oxford. I am doing a 895 km hike on the Bruce Trail, which is the longest foot trail in Canada. Lets see its April 6, youve got lots of time. The answer may surprise you. And I love it that its inspiring your creativity! 29, pp. Theres a difference. hobgoblin like a brownie, but more into playing practical jokes. Hlidberg, J. He is known by many names Need to take the morning and go through this list more in depth . The quetzalcoatl is found in the province of Totonacapan (Guatemala) and is the size of a medium water-snake. I would be surprised if he didnt make some of them up. Id already read and loved Lucy Foleys THE GUEST LIST, and like that one, this is told from several points of view. Gorelov also reported an individual olgoi-khorkhoi preserved in a jar and exhibited in Dalaanzadgad Town during a holiday. A nice list but if you want to update it some here is some suggestions from the Norse folklore: The Myling: Its the spirit of an infant killed by its parents (often the mother) for various reasons. The chersaiai (terrestrial), Egyptian asp, or Egyptian cobra is 3 to 4 cubits long and pale grey, black, or red in color. dwarves most of them come from Norse mythology, but there are also Teutonic dwarves, Slavic dwarves, Welsh dwarves (see the Coraniaid, above), and other kinds. It is a long-lived myth and a monster that has never been proven to exist, even though it has been continuously spotted throughout the years. Reptile-type monsters with certain human features, that present immediate danger to both animals and humans alike. We're all familiar with these famous one-eyed monsters, but what's the real story Dragons can fly, breathe fire, and are extremely powerful, strong, and intelligent creatures. nixies water spirits in Germany, Scandinavia, and Switzerland. Thank you again. Bingley during a road trip break. Once summoned, golems form from sand, rocks, and other objects. King Minos offered it regular sacrifices of young people to feed his hunger. In my writing of these mystical sights, I began searching for creatures in the forest that I could reference to in order to re-tell my adventure in the way that I see it. All three dogs got regular walking breaks and they were very good travelers! Im currently writing the first book in what I hope will be an exciting fantasy series, and this is going to help me more than you know. Leo S. Olschki, Geneva. (1994) Elves and Stories of Trolls and Elemental Beings. poltergeists spirits of the dead or malignant forces that live in some houses and throw things around. Our imagination has always been our greatest ally, and our worst enemy. Would love some ideas for a mystical water character. Arion was endowed with both eternal life and the ability to speak. A beautiful yet dangerous world to explore. Heylyn, P. (1621) Microcosmus: A Little Description of the Great World. I note that some of them are found in other cultures too such as mermaids. Many have heard the name briefly mentioned in movies or literature. Thank you so much for sharing! Questions? Aelian, trans. The poison dart frog. Noga-putsane, the goat snake or serpent of a kid, bleats like a goat to attract its victims. They are small rather cute possum like creature with very bushy long tail and long teeth. If you fail ad give up, it will rip you apart.The myling can also be freed if its breastfeed by its mother, but she will not be spared. In a few variations, the incubus can take a male or a female form. If I may share, I came across a Filipino site: https://www.aswangproject.com/ That site is a database of Philippine folklore creatures which are rich in stories. Dragons Fire-breathing dragons have their place in mythology as strong and dangerous creatures. Only the local priest is spiritually strong enough to ward off a musca macedda. 5. phoenix this long-lived bird stars in the mythologies of several ancient cultures. They are associated with dragons and the water world, and thus are worthy of respect and should not be killed; on the other hand, they are symbols of malice, antagonists to the forces of good, and hostile beings that should be destroyed. The beast now lies bound at the bottom of Lagarfljot for all time; occasionally it arches its back over the water, and that is an ill omen. According to Topsells reference to Aristophanes, the name is derived from an intensive of spizo, to extend. If it shows up in a yurt, the inhabitants move out. Typical symptoms include suffocation, convulsions, and retching. The Limba of Malawi is crested and crows. Its served as a great tool for my world building. Be warned, courage without kindness can take you down a dark path. trolls unlike Internet trolls, these legendary creatures of Scandinavia and England are useful once in a great while. Ooh, I should have put chupacabras on here! Also, in the morning the grass is burned in the place they danced. Hi, Im doing a free write for my 7 grade language arts class. The serpent that grows along with the treasure it guards is a recurring motif, first appearing in the saga of Ragnar Lodbrok where the serpent eventually has to be slain by the titular hero. Do you have any suggestions? We also have had some really frightening ACTUAL animals that existed in the past, such as the Thylacine A Dog/Hyena type creature with Tiger stripes( also known as the Tasmanian Tiger). Sometimes people call them cockatrices. Immediately two people complained that it wasnt good enough and I almost took down this blog post as a result! Im using the Chupacabra myth h in the Sea Purrtector Files Series. gremlins the British Royal Air Force blamed equipment failures and such on magical troublemakers called gremlins, but they were just as likely boggarts or goblins. A crowing crested cobra is a snake similar to a cobra with a crest on its head and capable of making sounds like a rooster. The male has wattles as well. The word cyclops is nowadays being used to describe any frightening creature with only one big eye, but the original cyclopses were called Arges, Steropes, and Brontes. What a wonderful list! kitsune kitsune is Japanese for fox. In some Japanese tales, foxes have magical powers and can shapeshift into women. Scholfield, A. F. (1959) On the Characteristics of Animals, vol. I loved Jesss characterI ALWAYS love a character whos a little scruffy, a little bit of a grifter.
