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All Critters of Myth beginning with S-T-U will be placed here when found. |
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Simurgh
The Simurgh is an immortal Persian bird similar to the Phoenix. He is very wise, and it is said that he as knowledge of everything. The Simurgh lives at the top of a mountain that is impossible to get to unless you have already been there. As such, no one searching for an answer to their question has ever reached him before they found their answer hidden within them self.
The Simurgh is also called the Senmurv. Simurgh: Phoenix's Cousin....Lost in Obscurity
Manuscript of a Forgotten King
By Stephanie Small
The Simurgh, Truth's last flawless jewel, the light
In which you will be lost to mortal sight,
Dispersed to nothingness until once more
You find in Me the selves you were before.'"
-Mantiq al-Tayr, or the Parliament of Birds
The rebirth of popular fantasy has stimulated a resurrection of many mythological beings, renewing the moral and ethical value of those creatures. One creature that held a powerful mythological position that has since fallen into obscurity was the Persian bird the Simurgh. The creature is also called the Sna-Mr, Senmurv (S?nmurw and older S?nmuru), Sirng and Simorgh, but I will refer to it as the Simurgh for simplicity's sake for the rest of this investigation. The name is derived from Avestan m?r? Sa?n? which can be deciphered into "the bird Sana". This bird was most likely a raptor, such as an eagle, falcon or sparrowhawk, and the word looks related to the Sanskrit word yena, a elysian being. Sana is also believed to be a personal name derived from the bird name. The etymological origins of the Simurgh give a rather unique description of this powerful beast.
The physical appearance of this bird varies from region to region, yet some features remain unchanged throughout accounts. The most common description of this animal is as a bird with the tail of a peacock, dog's head, claws of a three-toed lion and four wings. Some accounts say the birds feathers were copper and others say the bird's feathers were comprised of thirty different colors. The creature often is said to have the head of a man or bird instead of a dog. It was rumored to be a very large bird that could carry an elephant or a camel. Some stories say the simurgh had thirty holes in its beak and blew air through the holes to attract prey with the enchanting music it produced. The features of the Simurgh symbolize the metaphysical and fundamental fertile nature of the bird that has contributed to many religions.
The mythology of the Simurgh is rich and varied, colored with regional stories and beliefs, but it all comes down to a general symbol of fertility and enlightenment. This long-lived bird was said to be over 1,700-2,000 years old and ancient enough to have seen the world destroyed three times. The touch of its wings was purported to cure illnesses and heal the wounded. The bird was an attendant to the Queen of Sheba, the wealthy queen of what many believe is located in present-day Ethiopia or Yemen. She has been compared to Lilith, a feminine sexual being, later demonized to promote masculine power. The Simurgh is also a fertility being and it's presence with the Queen of Sheba may be a symbolic way of representing the fertility connection.
The mythology of the Simurgh is similar to the mythology attributed to the bat, Phoenix and the Roc. Some say that the Simurgh is related to the bat because the bat flies like a bird, has the head and teeth of a dog yet lives in a cave like a muscat. The Simurgh is said to suckle its young, as it is part mammal (lion, dog or human) and has teeth, making it similar to a bat. Some stories call the Simurgh a bat but it is usually referred to as a bird. The bat and the Simurgh have otherwise been different creatures in mythology and do not seem to be the same being due to its connections to other creatures. One Iranian account noted that the Simurgh would destroy itself after 1,700 years in a conflagration, comparing itself to the Phoenix mythology. In the Shahname, it was known that should you burn the one of the feathers it would summon the bird, relating it to the fiery Phoenix. The large size of the creature can be found akin to that of the Roc, another gigantic bird. Despite its influence by and on other beings, the Simurgh stands alone as a rather unique being in most traditions.
The bird was one of the attendants to the conference of birds and was later crowned the king of birds. In the Mantiq al-Tayr, or the Parliament of Birds, the quest for the Simurgh is undertaken by thousands of birds so they have a king. The birds travel through the seven valleys of the quest, love, understanding, independence and detachment, unity, astonishment, and finally poverty and nothingness but only thirty birds finish the quest. These thirty birds then discover that together they are the Simurgh, which literally means thirty birds. They then sacrifice their individuality and merge to become the Simurgh. Through this, they discover immortality, secrets and wisdom. This means that through their lack of ego (displayed by their self sacrifice into a single consciousness), they can attain enlightenment. It is this symbolism of completion, healing and joy that permeates the Simurgh mythology and may also be related to the Persian fertility beliefs.
There are many stories of the Simurgh's benevolence and magic, although I will only detail one at this time that supports the fertility symbolism. The Simurgh was first popularized in Ferdowsi's Shahname (Book of Kings), where Prince Zal, the albino son of Saam was believed to be a devil and was abandoned as an infant on the mountain Alborz. The tenderhearted Simurgh heard the babies cries and saved the baby, raising it as her own. She taught it wisdom and when he grew she selflessly gifted him with a single golden feather to burn if he ever needed her assistance. Zal returned to his kingdom where he married Rudaba. When their son was being born the birth was excruciating and prolonged. Zal, knowing Rudaba would die in childbirth summoned the Simurgh who appeared and taught him how to perform a cesarean section. This saved the babe and Rudaba. The baby grew into Rostam, one of Persia's great heroes. This power over life and death through ancient secrets, wisdom and magic support the fundamental religion of the region.
Persian mythology believed that since the Simurgh loved to nest in water-rich areas, it would bring blessings and fertility to the land through its innate magic and wisdom. Persians say the bird lived in Gaokerena, the tree of life and sometimes call the bird Homa. Some stories say that the Simurgh nested in the Tree of Knowledge, and when it took flight, the leaves shook seeds to the ground creating all the plants of the earth and healing all the illnesses. Said to be related to the Aquila and Sirius constellations, the celestial bird has a place in astronomy as both bird and dog and has its roots in Babylonian mythology. The movement of these constellations can be used to measure the seasons, particularly the influence of the rainy season. This correlation may lend support to the Simurgh's preference for wetlands. The enemy of the Simurgh is the Kamak, an avian bringer of drought. The bird would savagely eat humans and animals, slaughtering hundreds. This evil bird was killed by Karshsp, a hero, who had to shower it with thousands of arrows until the bird perished. It was this kinship to water and the opposition to drought that reiterated the Iranian and Persian duality of light and darkness.
This fundamental belief as a dual king-being is a basis for Persian mythology that continues to support the validity of ancient symbols like the Simurgh. These symbols can be used today to relate complex moral and mythological ideals. As the quote "The Simurgh, Truth's last flawless jewel" implies, the symbolism still holds true as an excellent symbol for enlightenment. This also implies that you will be lost to "unenlightened" people in your quest until you loose yourself into a divine wholeness and become a leader or king for those people. The duality of the creature in its need for the "unenlightened" to define it from the "enlightened" implies the need to define the good from evil. The ancient stories of creatures such as the Simurgh begin to dissipate, yet as our current moral ethics begin to change, we cannot forget the old wisdom that can still teach us lost lessons. |
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Spain’s mythical creatures: Unique and instructive
Date: NOV/30/2007
Mythical creatures exist in Spanish folklore, are different from those found in tales elsewhere in Europe and their adventures offer important lessons for the modern man, according to Manuel Berrocal, author of “Spanish Mythical Beings in Popular Legend.�?The book, recently published by Imágica Ediciones, compiles and analyzes close to 40 legends from different parts of the Iberian Peninsula.
Although goblins and other fantastical beings are normally associated with central European and Anglo-Saxon myths and legends, Berrocal said that Spain also boasts a rich heritage of stories of this type.
However, many of them were lost or radically transformed due to the powerful cultural influence exercised by Christianity and, to a lesser degree, by Islam throughout the centuries.
In his opinion, the origin of these stories can be found in the most primitive family environments, where human beings needed guidance in the face of life’s problems and this was provided through fantastical adventures. The main purpose of the stories, therefore, was to impart lessons, Berrocal said, adding that most of them continue to be valid and even necessary today for this same didactic purpose.
“A child’s formation doesn’t begin at school, where we can only give him the knowledge he’ll need to be prepared for life, but rather in the interaction with those who surround him: basically, his family,�?Berrocal said.
The fantastical characters most characteristic of Spain, according to Berrocal are the Encantadas, “woman who remain, generally out of love, attached to one specific place where they wait forever.�?They are figures that are “one hundred percent Spanish�?and do not exist in Africa nor on the other side of the Pyrenees.
Spanish mythical characters generally differ from those found in the rest of Europe �?and especially those associated with Germany and England �?because many of them bear the influence of Arab as opposed to Celtic culture and because of their ability to interact constantly with human beings.
America Reads Spanish © 2006 |
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Snow Lions
Snow lions are mythical inhabitants of the mountains of Tibet. They are bigger than the lions found in warmer places and have big, shaggy manes and bushy tails, like yaks. They're white, naturally, so they can blend in with the wintery landscape of the Land of Snows. They are valiant, as you might expect, and they are certainly not lazy opportunists like normal lions. They represent boundless energy and a fearlessness based on purity of spirit, perfect wisdom and compassion, which is better and longer lasting, as everyone knows, than the sort based simply on being powerful. Tibetan legend has it that Snow Lions protected the Buddha. They normally took the form of two dogs next to him, but when danger appeared they grew long manes and turned into lions to protect the Buddha and keep him safe from harm. They are the proud symbol of Tibet and two of them can be seen on the Tibetan flag. |
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Sigbin or Zegben
Another familiar is the sigbin or Zegben . Some say that this is another form that the aswang transforms into and yet some say it is the companion of the tik-tik. It appears to be similar to the chupacabra and Tasmanian devil in appearance with the exception of spotty fur. It supposedly has a wide mouth with large fangs. |
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THE SINGING APE OF THAILAND: CULTURAL VS. BIOLOGICAL
EXPLANATIONS FOR THE SONG OF THE LAR GIBBON
By L. Hasadsri
In traditional Thai folklore, gibbons are thought to be the reincarnation of disappointed lovers. The source of their mournful songs is believed to be the spirit of a grieving princess calling out to her lost husband in a hopeless yet never-ending search for him. What originally fueled this famous belief is the fact that lar gibbons (Hylobates lar), inhabitants of the rain forests found throughout Thailand, can often be heard singing, from the treetops, "Pua, pua, pua," or a similar sounding series of whoops and wails. Pua is the Thai word (albeit somewhat vulgar) for husband.
Thai legend has it that this is how the gibbon came to be. Long ago when the stars were young and the gods shared their magic with mortal men, a young prince named Chantakorop was sent to study under a hermit in the jungle. Only hermits knew the magic of the gods. Life would have been tiresome and boring for the prince had it not been for the hermit’s daughter, Mora,1 who entertained him with her graceful dancing and brought him bananas, phutsa1 (a type of fruit), and slices of durian melon.
When Chantakorop’s studies were complete, he left to return to his palace and claim the throne. Before he set out on his journey, the hermit presented him with a clay urn. "Within this urn is a gift I hope you will treasure forever. It contains your heart’s greatest desire," said the hermit, "However, you may not open the urn until you reach your father’s palace. If you open it before you have reached the safety of your own kingdom, great misfortune will befall upon you." The prince vowed to obey the hermit’s words, and gratefully took the gift and held his high while the hermit bowed (according to Thai tradition, a prince’s head never bends lower than that of a common man). "Sawasdee (goodbye)," said the hermit, "Do not forget what I have told you; you have been forewarned."
Chantakorop bid his instructor farewell, and embarked on his voyage through the jungle. With each passing day the urn inexplicably grew heavier, and with each step the prince’s curiosity grew as well. Finally, he could wait no longer. He impatiently removed the lid from the urn, and, much to his surprise, Mora, the hermit’s lovely daughter, magically appeared before him.
Chantakorop and Mora were hastily married in the nearest village. Eager to present his bride to his father, the prince anxiously continued his journey toward the royal palace with his new wife. When they were near the outskirts of the kingdom, Chantakorop suddenly remembered the warning the hermit had given him when they had parted, and he realized he had broken his promise to the man. At that moment, a bandit appeared from the shadows and challenged the prince to a fight. Whoever emerged victorious would have Mora as his prize. They fought valiantly, but the prince soon grew weary. The bandit then immediately swung a powerful blow that sent the prince staggering to the ground. Chantakorop’s sword fell beyond his reach. "Mora!" he called, "Quickly, if you cherish my life, bring me my sword!"
Mora reached for the sword, but was momentarily distracted by the sight of the bold bandit and left the sword where it lay. The bandit then seized the weapon for himself and killed the prince in an instant. Shocked by the result of her inaction, Mora bent over the body of her beloved prince and cried, "Pua, pua, pua (husband, husband, husband)."
The bandit took the heartbroken woman away. Mora went willingly, but all she could do the entire time was sadly call out, "puma, pua, pua." As sunset approached, the gods looked down from the heavens, and the hermit suddenly appeared before his daughter and the bandit. Ashamed at her betrayal, he turned her into a gibbon. From that day on, she has roamed the forest in search of her fallen husband, and the melancholy sound of the gibbon crying, "Pua, pua, pua" is her eternal song of remorse.
In reality, the song of the gibbon is described by scientific rather than colorful cultural explanations. A gibbon’s voice can be heard from up to a mile away, even against the panorama of background noises of the rain forest. According to Jeremy and Patricia Raemakers, the gibbons�?songs are "similar in character and purpose to those of birds."2 Many birds share the same monogamous social system, which consists of a "male-female pair and their dependent young." Songbirds sing to attract a mate, to reinforce the pair-bond if already mated, and to warn of other birds of the same sex. Gibbon songs seem to fit a similar pattern. |
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Tengu Tales
Tengu are born from giant eggs and live in the mountains. Bird tengu congregate in high trees. In their last incarnation as humans, tengu were arrogant samurai or priests-that is why they have beaks or long noses. The expression tengu ni naru is thus an admonition to avoid being arrogant. If they do good deeds, however, tengu can be reborn as humans.
Tengu, unlike obake (ghosts), are always shown with feet. Yamabushi tengu usually have extremely wrinkled feet to show their old age.
The wings of bird tengu are usually shown with ordinary feathers. However, some authorities describe the wings as shimmering, like those of a hummingbird. This would be in keeping with their heavenly origin.
As mentioned earlier, tengu can take human form, usually to trick people. Tanuki (badgers) and kitsune (foxes) have the same power but their true forms are revealed by their shadows or reflections. Thus, a kitsune which has taken the form of a beautiful woman will often be depicted casting the long nosed shadow of a fox. I suspect that the true forms of tengu would be similarly revealed. If a tengu is struck down by magic or a powerful martial artist, it will often transform into a wounded blackbird.
Tengu speak without moving their mouths, as if by telepathy. They can also possess and speak directly through people as well as appear to them in dreams.
Tengu apparently have a hierarchy. Long nosed tengu are generally in charge of bird tengu. The king of all tengu is Sojobo, an elderly, white-haired yamabushi tengu. Sojobo is famous for teaching martial arts and strategy to Minamoto Yoshitsune on Mt. Kurama, north of Kyoto. |
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Titans
The Titans were a race of gods who were the parents and precursors of the Olympians. They were defeated by this younger generation of deities, who were led by Zeus. The ancient Greek poet Hesiod, in his Theogony, claims that the goddess Gaia first gave birth to Ouranos, then mated with him to produce these offspring. Later, Ouranos was to name his children Titans, which translates into overreachers.
Atlas | Atlas led the struggle between the Titans and Olympians, and for this he was punished...
Epimetheus | this Titan was the brother of Prometheus; his name means "afterthought"
Gaia (Tellus) | Gaia was an Earth goddess; she is also the mother of the Titans
Hyperion | god who was the father of Helios, Eos, and Selene
Iapetos | god who fathered Atlas, Prometheus, and Epimetheus
Koios | god who mated with Phoebe and together they produced Leto and Asteria
Kreios | god who sired Astraios, Pallas, and Perses
Kronos (Cronus) | it was Kronos, son of Gaia and Ouranos, who castrated his father; in turn, Kronos was the sire of many of the Olympians
Leto (Latona) | the goddess Leto bore the Olympian deities Artemis and Apollo to Zeus
Mnemosyne | the name Mnemosyne means "memory"; she and Zeus together produced the Muses
Okeanos (Oceanus) | god of the Ocean and water; father of the Oceanids ("three thousand slender-ankled daughters")
Ouranos (Uranus) | Ouranos was both the son and the consort of Gaia; he was also the father of the Titans
Phoebe | goddess who conceived Leto and Asteria by the Titan Koios
More Titans (Prometheus - Themis)
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Troll
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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This article is about the mythical race. For computing, see Troll (Internet), for other uses, see Troll (disambiguation)
Close Up Of A Troll (John Bauer, 1915).
Close Up Of A Troll (John Bauer, 1915).
A troll is a fearsome member of a mythical anthropomorph race from Norse mythology. Originally more or less the Nordic equivalents of giants, although often smaller in size, the different depictions have come to range from the fiendish giants �?similar to the ogres of England (also called Trolls at times, see Troller's Gill) �?to a devious, more human-like folk of the wilderness, living underground in hills, caves or mounds. In the Faroe islands, Orkney and Shetland tales, trolls are called trows, adopted from the Norse language when these islands were settled by Vikings.
Nordic literature, art and music from the romantic era and onwards has adapted trolls in various manners �?often in the form of an aboriginal race, endowed with oversized ears and noses. From here, as well as from Scandinavian fairy tales such as Three Billy Goats Gruff, trolls have achieved international recognition, and in modern fantasy literature and role-playing games, trolls are featured to the extent of being stock characters. History
A troll woman meets a man in the forest. She looks like a young farmer woman, but her tail is peeking out under her skirt. From Svenska folksägner (1882).
Stones with roughly man-like features could be explained by folklore as trolls petrified by sunlight or curses. This one can be seen on Hamarøy, Norway.
The meaning of the word troll is unknown. It might have had the original meaning of supernatural or magical with an overlay of malignant and perilous. Another likely suggestion is that it means "someone who behaves violently". In old Swedish law, trolleri was a particular kind of magic intended to do harm. It should also be noted that North Germanic terms such as trolldom (witchcraft) and trolla/trylle (perform magic tricks) in modern Scandinavian languages does not imply any connection with the mythical beings. Moreover, in the sources for Norse mythology, troll can signify any uncanny being, including but not restricted to the Norse giants (jötnar).
In Skáldskaparmál, the poet Bragi Boddason encounters a troll-woman who hails him with this verse (in Old Norse):
Troll kalla mik
sjötrungn tungl is,
auðsug jötuns,
élsólar böl,
vilsinn völu,
vörð náfjarðar,
hvélsvelg himins �?BR>hvat's troll nema þat?
They call me Troll;
Gnawer of the Moon,
Giant of the Gale-blasts,
Curse of the rain-hall,
Companion of the Sibyl,
Nightroaming hag,
Swallower of the loaf of heaven.
What is a Troll but that? [2]
The ambiguous original sense of the word troll appears to have lived on for some time after the Old Norse literature was documented. This can be seen in terms such as sjötrollet (the sea troll) as a synonym for havsmannen (the sea man) �?a protective spirit of the sea and a sort of male counterpart to the female sjörå (see huldra).
There are many places in Scandinavia that are named after trolls, such as the Swedish town Trollhättan (Troll's bonnet) and the legendary mountain Trollkyrka (Troll church). The most famous in Norway are Trollfjorden, Trollheimen, Trollhetta, Trollstigen, Trolltindan and Trollveggen.
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Trolls in America
"The Troll." A statue under the north end of the Aurora Bridge in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, USA.
Scandinavian folk-tales involving trolls such as "Three Billy Goats Gruff" are familiar to other European and European-derived cultures. In the US and Canada, the old belief in trolls is paralleled by a modern belief in Bigfoot and Sasquatch.[citation needed]
Many statues of trolls adorn the downtown business district of Mount Horeb, Wisconsin, leading to the town being dubbed The Troll Capital. There is also a neighborhood on the northeast side of Fargo, North Dakota which is named Trollwood.
Residents of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, known as Yoopers, refer to their lower-peninsula counterparts as "trolls," because they live "Under the Bridge" (Referring to the Mackinac Bridge.)
Northern Central California (Sacramento, Stockton, Lodi, Modesto, Yuba City and Marysville) hispanic residents tell their children tales of the "Colupe" (KOH-LOOPIE) the little man that lives in the walls which comes out at night stealing away the breath of its sleeping victims. This story was made famous in Stephen King's movie "Cat's Eye".
The Bitterbynde trilogy by Cecilia Dart-Thornton features brief appearances trolls/trows and other fae creatures of European folklore. The main character, Imrhien, dances with a troll woman.
A character from the television program Mr. Rogers Neighborhood was known as Bob or Robert Troll in the Neighborhood of Make Believe, evidently a play on the actor's name, Robert Trow.
Troll Moving Pictures, an American Film studio, was so named because of its founder's love of trolls.
In the film, Willow, the trolls appear as black, human sized, monky-like creature that peels your skin off your body.
In the trilogy film, The Lord of the Rings, several trolls appear. |
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Taniwha
In Aotearoa there are taniwha who are shrouded in mystery and, although not ever 'scientifically' accounted for, are regarded as being very powerful - both in myth/legend and law! According to Maori legend, taniwha are water monsters or spirits responsible for guarding certain tribes and upholding laws, particularly when the lawbreakers are from other tribes. They live in deep pools, rivers, dark caves or the sea, especially in places with dangerous currents or deceptive breakers. There are several tales about how particularly large taniwha were responsible for creating certain land masses or bodies of water that exist today. Less romantically, some people now believe that taniwha may be distorted folk memories of the crocodiles of the western Pacific or Asia. |
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TRAUCO
A deformed and ugly dwarf with course and swollen features, roughly dressed with a conical cap. His feet are mere stumps, his voice only grunts, he carries a stone axe or wooden club called "Pahueldún". He lives in the forest and possesses superhuman strength. With his little stone axe he can fell any tree, no matter how large or hard, in only three strokes. He walks with the aid of "Pahueldún". He is usually found seated between the trees weaving his clothes of bark.
He likes to chase and attack women with the intention of stealing their virginity. Despite his repugnant appearance, he engenders an irresistible attraction in the hearts of young girls and inspires erotic dreams. Once aroused, the girls arise and leave home, searching for him in the woods. With one look he seduces them, they fall to the ground whereupon he ravishes them.
If anyone tries to bother him he throws them into the air turning them rigid with deformed hands, arms and legs, killing them with his glance or leaving them to die within the year. |
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| The "Shaver Mystery"
One of the most controversial tales of inner Earth dwellers is the so-called "Shaver Mystery." In 1945, Amazing Stories magazine under the editorship of Ray Palmer ran a story told by Richard Shaver, who claimed he had recently been the guest of what remained of an underground civilization. Although few really believed the story, any many suspect that Shaver may actually have been psychotic, Shaver always averred that his story was true. He contended that the Elder Race, or Titans, came to this planet from another solar system in our prehistoric past. After a while of living on the surface, they realized our sun was causing them to age prematurely, so they escaped underground, building huge subterranean complexes in which to live. Eventually, they decided to seek a new home on a new planet, evacuating the Earth and leaving behind their underground cities populated by mutated beings: the evil Dero - detrimental robots - and the good Tero - integrated robots. It was these beings that Shaver claimed to have met.
Despite the enormous popularity of the Shaver Mystery in Amazing Stories - Palmer milked it for all it was worth, and then some - the location of the entrance to this underground world was never divulged.
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Typhon
by Ryan Tuccinardi
Typhon is the offspring of Gaia and Tartarus. His mate is Echidna and both were so fearful that when the gods saw them they changed into animals and fled in terror. Typhon's hundred, horrible heads touched the stars, venom dripped from his evil eyes, and lava and red-hot stones poured from his gaping mouths. Hissing like a hundred snakes and roaring like a hundred lions, he tore up whole mountains and threw them at the gods.
Zeus soon regained his courage and turned, and when the other gods saw him taking his stand, they came back to help him fight the monster. A terrible battle raged, and hardly a living creature was left on Earth. But Zeus was fated to win, and as Typhon tore up huge Mount Aetna to hurl at the gods, Zeus struck it with a hundred well-aimed thunderbolts and the mountain fell back, pinning Typhon underneath. There the monster lies to this very day, belching fire, lava and smoke through the top of the mountain.
Echidna, his hideous mate, escaped destruction. She cowered in a cave, protecting Typhon's offspring, and Zeus let them live as a challenge to future heroes. Echidna and Typhon's children are the Nemean Lion, Cerberus, Ladon, the Chimera, the Sphinx, and the Hydra. |
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Inuit Mythology: Sedna
All Eskimos speak the same language and Inuit mythology changes little from place to place. The word Inuit means "people" and is the name the Eskimo use for themselves. They have a myth about a seagoddess called the Mistress of the Animals. The story begins with a beautiful Inuit girl named Sedna who was old enough to be married. She was very haughty, however, and none of the men of the tribe were good enough for her. One day a very handsome man appeared and Sedna lost her heart to him. They were soon married and left for the man's home across the sea.
As soon as they arrived, Sedna discovered that her husband was not a man at all but a bird. His "home" was a cold and damp nest. He gave Sedna nothing to eat but raw fish. She was very disappointed and awaited the day when her father would come to visit her. She was sure he would not allow his daughter to remain with this strange being. (The theme of the disappointed bride is common in Eskimo myths.)
A year later, her father arrived. Sedna told him about her husband and her new "home". Her father was very angry. He agreed to take her back to their tribe. Sedna's bird husband was not happy about this. When they set off in her father's canoe, he flapped his wings and created a great storm. The strong winds threatened to swamp the canoe and Sedna's father was terrified. Trying to save himself, he threw his daughter overboard. She grabbed the side of the boat and held on tightly. Her father cut off her finger tips, but still she held on. He cut off her fingers to the second joint, and still she clung to the boat. Finally, he cut them off altogether and Sedna sank into the ocean. This story aside, personal relationships are important in Inuit mythology.
The cut finger joints became seals and walruses. Sedna, when she came to the bottom of the sea, was transformed into the Mistress of the Animals. She controls the number of animals that are available to the Inuit to hunt. When the people break taboos she decreases the number of animals. When there have been enough transgressions, the Inuit must atone to bring the animals back, or starve.
Coarse, bloody and full of violent emotions, this is a primitive myth. The Inuit are a primitive people and these features are common in Inuit mythology. |
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Talking about Garuda, Kinara, Naga, Singha, and Yaksa, many of you would probably recognize them, because these creatures can be seen in many parts of temples such as on gallerise, stair rails, roofs, doors and mural paintings. These mythical beings have great influences in Thai art, architecture, tradition and culture.We can also see these creatures in many famous Thai literature such as Kaki, Manohra, or even Ramayana (an epic poetry of India that is well-known in many countries). Most mythical beings seen in Thailand or in Thai literature live in the mythical Himapan Forest located below the Buddhist heavens. We call these fascinating creatures "the Mythical Beings."
Eventhough much of Thai mythology is originally derived from ancient Indian Brahminism, the precedent of today's Hinduism, these creatures appeared in Thai temples have a different characteristic. By telling and re-telling of their stories for hundreds of years in Thailand, they were adapted to Thai culture and claimed its own identity.
These mythical beings in Thai Mythology, Garuda, Kinara, Naga, Singha, and Yaksa may have caught your eyes many times, but you may not know about their interesting backgrounds. This website is being created to provide the information about these creatures. We hope that you will gain some knowledge after surfing through our website, and we certainly hope that you the reader will enjoy it. |
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