 |
Reply
| |
All Critters of Myth beginning with G-H-I will be placed here when found. |
|
 First
Previous
2-9 of 9
Next
Last
|
|
Reply
| |
Griffin  The Griffin (Greek gryphos, Persian شیردال�?shirdal "lion-eagle") (also very often spelled gryphon and, less commonly, gryphen, griffon, griffen, or gryphin) is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. As the lion was considered the "King of the Beasts" and the eagle the "King of the Air", the griffin was thought to be an especially powerful and majestic creature. The griffin is generally represented with four legs, wings and a beak, with eagle-like talons in place of a lion's forelegs and feathered, equine-like ears jutting from its skull. Some traditions say that only female griffins have wings. Some writers describe the tail as a serpent. See the entry Saint George and the Dragon for a 19th century painting of St George and the dragon, showing a dragon very like a classically-conceived griffin. Classical and heraldic griffins are male and female. A "male" griffin, called a keythong in a single 15th century English heraldic manuscript, is an anomaly that belongs strictly to a late phase of English heraldry. | | |
|
Reply
| |
Garuda, known as "Khrut" in Thai, is the sunbird of ancient India myth, and the most important animals of the Himapan forest. In Thai representations, he has the head, beak, legs and talons of an eagle, while he has human torso and arms with wings attached. He is a symbol of the sky and sun god. Although Garuda's origin was in ancient India, he has many influences on Thai culture for hundreds of years.
Garuda myths and stories in Thailand come from two sources, the Sanskrit literature of Hinduism and Buddhist texts in Pali. The Sanskrit literature of Hinduism explains Garuda’s origin and his role in the Hinduism. Buddhist texts in Pali describe flocks of garudas living in the mythical Himaphan forest.
An ancient Indian myth from Sanskrit literature explains the story of Garuda’s birth. His father was the powerful sage Kasyapa. He was married to two sisters, Vinata (the Heavens), and Kadru (the Earth). Kadru laid a lot of eggs which hatched into "Nagas", the mythical serpents. Vinata laid only three eggs which were very slow to hatch. She began to be impatient and broke two of her own eggs with the jealousy of her rival’s success. As a result, she was condemned to be a slave for Kadru. The third egg was allowed to hatch naturally, then Garuda was born. He found that his mother was a slave for the Kadru and her naga offspring so he tried to rescue her. The nagas agreed to free her if he brought the elixir of immortality to them. This quest made Garuda to fight with the gods. Even Vishnu was not able to defeat him. So the two had an agreement that gave Garuda immortality and a seat above Vishnu, but he had to be the vehicle of Vishnu.
After many adventures, Garuda succeeded in obtaining the elixir of immortallity and was able to free his mother. However, he continues to be enemy of the nagas and the nagas are also his natural food. In Thai art, we can always see Garuda holding two nagas by the tails while stepping on their heads.
In Buddhism, Garudas appear as characters in the "Jataka" of the Pali canon, moral tales about the stories of the Buddha’s 550 lives before achieving enlightenment. Several tales in the "Jataka" tell of garudas preying upon nagas, who tried to save themselves by coiling around trees or swallowing heavy rocks. Another story in the "Jataka" demonstrates Garuda's respect for the Buddha by making peace with the naga, his old enemy.
Although Garuda is a divine being in Hindu mythology, we can also find him in Buddhism. In Thailand, we often see his image on the gables of Buddhist temples under royal patronage as the vehicle of the Vishnu, or Phra Narai in Thai. We can also see flocks of garudas holding up a temple building or in mural paintings.
Thai kings are traditionally regarded as incarnations of Rama, who is an incarnation of Vishnu. So the Garuda, who always accompany the god, has become Thailand’s royal emblem. So Garuda’s image may be found on objects associated with the king, on royal and government buildings and documents.
In Thailand, we can also see garuda images everywhere such as on currency, on official documents, on commercial buildings and religious structures. Garuda images can even be seen on highway signs. These show us that Garuda still has many influences on Thai culture today as he had in the ancient time. Garuda
by Sumanta Sanyal
Garuda is one of the three principal animal deities in the Hindu Mythology that has evolved after the Vedic Period in Indian history. The other two are Ganesha, the elephant-headed son of the goddess Durgha, and Hanuman, the monkey god. It is after Garuda that the Indonesian National Airlines is named. Even today, Garuda is much revered by devout Hindus for his ethics and his strength in applying his ethics to correct evil-doers.
Garuda is the king of the birds. He mocks the wind with the speed of his flight. As the appointed charger of Vishnu he is venerated by all, including humans. Garuda is the son of Kashyap, a great sage, and Vinata, a daughter of Daksha, a famous king. He was hatched from an egg Vinata laid. He has the head, wings, talons, and beak of an eagle and the body and limbs of a man. He has a white face, red wings and golden body. When he was born he was so brilliant that he was mistaken for Agni, the god of fire, and worshipped.
Garuda was born with a great hatred for the evil and he is supposed to roam about the universe devouring the bad, though he spares Brahmins as his parents had forbidden him to eat them. Garuda is also well-known for his aversion to snakes, a dislike he had acquired from his mother, Vinata. There is a story behind this hatred of Garuda's mother. As it is quite interesting it is told hereafter.
Kashyap, Garuda's father, had two wives: Kadru, the elder, and Vinata, Garuda's mother, the younger. There was great rivalry between the two wives. They could not stand each other. Once, they had an argument over the color of the horse Uchchaisravas, produced during the Churning of the Ocean just after the time of creation. Each chose a color and laid a wager on her own choice. The one who lost would become the other's slave. Kadru proved to be right and, as part of the agreement, imprisoned Vinata in the nether regions, Patala, where she was guarded by serpents. The serpents are, according to another myth, the sons of Kadru herself.
Garuda, on hearing of his mother's imprisonment, descended to Patala and asked the serpents to release Vinata. They agreed to do so and demanded as ransom a cup of amrita (ambrosia). So Garuda set off for the celestial mountain where the amrita was kept. Before he could get to the amrita he had to overcome three hazards set up by the gods to guard the celestial drink. First, Garuda came upon a ring of flames fanned by high winds. They roared and leapt up to the sky but Garuda drank up several rivers and extinguished the flames. Next, Garuda came upon a circular doorway. A very rapidly spinning wheel with sharp spikes on the spokes guarded it. Garuda made himself very small and slipped through the turning spokes. Lastly, Garuda had to defeat two fire-spitting serpents guarding the amrita. He flapped his wings rapidly and blew dust into the eyes of the monsters and blinded them. Then he cut them to pieces with his sharp beak. So Garuda finally reached the amrita and started to fly back with it to the nether regions but the gods anticipated his purpose and gave chase. Indra, king of the gods, struck him with his thunderbolt but Garuda proved a superior warrior and defeated the gods and continued unscathed on his journey to Patala.
When the serpents got the amrita they were overjoyed and released Vinata. Garuda got his mother back but he became an inveterate enemy of the serpents, the sons of his mother's rival Kadru. Also the serpents, the Nagas, symbolized evil and that automatically invoked Garuda's hatred.
As end-piece to this myth it must be told that, as the Nagas were about to consume the amrita Garuda had just brought them, the chasing gods entered Patala and Indra seized and took away the cup of amrita. Anyway, the serpents had just had time enough to lick a few drops of amrita and this was enough to make them immortal. Also, since the celestial drink was very strong, their tongues were split and that is why, to this day, serpents have forked tongues. |
|
Reply
| |
Galatea, One of the Most Famous Nymphs in Mythology
This is a different Galatea from the myth about a statue that comes to life. The sea nymphs in mythology were usually referred to as a group, with only a couple being named individually. They were the daughters of Nereus (a sea god) and Doris (herself a nymph), and there were 50 of them! As a group they were called the Nereids. In any case, on with our story:
Polyphemus was a Cyclops, a giant with one eye in the middle of his forehead. He was a rough character, dirty, messy hair, very bad disposition and ugly, too. On his island he kept sheep and ate any men who happened to land there. Or at least he did, until one day he fell in love with Galatea, one of the most beautiful nymphs in mythology. From then on he was a changed man, or tried to be. He cleaned up his appearance as well as he could, and was considerably less blood-thirsty than before. He was even helpful, at times. But this didn't do him any good because Galatea was in love with Acis, a Naiad.
One day while Galatea and Acis were together they heard Polyphemus singing. He was over a mile away but Galatea heard him plainly. He was singing about his love for her, how beautiful she was and how cruel to reject him. He spent some time singing about what he would do to Acis if he caught him, and how Galatea would fall in love with him afterwards. In this dejected mood, Polyphemus wandered around his island until, by luck, he happened to see Galatea and Acis together. Frightened, Galatea jumped into the sea and was safe, but Acis could not enter the salt water and began to run. Polyphemus chased him, and grabbed up the top of a mountain and threw it at him. For the most part he missed, but enough still landed on Acis to crush him to death.
Galatea saw all this, and did the only thing she could to help Acis. Nymphs in mythology were minor gods, and Galatea used her magic to call on Acis' grandfather, the river god, to send Acis his powers. Soon the blood that came from under the mound of dirt changed from red to clear. It began to gush and became a river, and a new Acis rose from it. True to his heritage, he was now a river god, and the river still bears his name.
This was the end of the romance between Galatea and Acis, because he was a fresh water river and she a sea nymph. All the Nereids were salt-water nymphs in mythology. The Naiads were fresh water, usually associated with ponds, rivers, lakes and fountains. |
|
Reply
| |
The Gorgona
A common decorative motif on Greek fabrics. It almost always appears as a mermaid with two tails that curve upward on either side of her body. Her hands are out-stretched and she holds a tail in each one. The same image appears in heraldic designs from the Middle Ages. |
|
Reply
| |
Gorgons
by Micha F. Lindemans
In Greek mythology a Gorgon is a monstrous feminine creature whose appearance would turn anyone who laid eyes upon it to stone. Later there were three of them: Euryale ("far-roaming"), Sthenno ("forceful"), and Medusa ("ruler"), the only one of them who was mortal. They are the three daughters of Phorcys and Ceto.
The Gorgons are monstrous creatures covered with impenetrable scales, with hair of living snakes, hands made of brass, sharp fangs and a beard. They live in the ultimate west, near the ocean, and guard the entrance to the underworld.
A stone head or picture of a Gorgon was often placed or drawn on temples and graves to avert the dark forces of evil, but also on the shields of soldiers. Such a head (called a gorgoneion) could also be found on the older coins of Athens. Artists portrayed a Gorgon head with snake hair, and occasionally with a protruding tongue and wings. |
|
Reply
| |
HALIA: A SEA NYMPH IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY
Halia means "of the sea" and she is a sea nymph in Greek mythology. She represents the saltiness of the sea. She was the lover of Poseidon, and may also have been his childhood nurse. She had seven children by him, 6 boys and a girl named Rhode. The island of Rhodes was named after her.
When Aphrodite wanted to stop at Rhodes for a brief rest the male offspring of Halia refused to allow her to set foot on the island. They are described as arrogant and insolent men. In retaliation, Aphrodite cursed them with madness and they attacked and raped their mother. For their crime Poseidon imprisoned them beneath the earth. They are now called the daimones preseoous, sea demons who haunt the caves of Rhodes. Halia, meanwhile, was filled with shame and threw herself into the sea. The gods took pity on her, however, and she was changed into the goddess Leucothea (which means "the white goddess"). The people of Rhodes worshiped her in this form.
Leucothea appears briefly in the Odyssey as a sea gull that delivers to Odysseus a magic veil that saves him from drowning. |
|
Reply
| |
Hippogriff
A Hippogriff (also spelled Hippogryph and Hippogryphe) is a legendary creature, supposedly the offspring of a griffin and a mare. Ludovico Ariosto's poem, Orlando furioso (1516) contains an early description (canto IV):
XVIII
No empty fiction wrought by magic lore,
But natural was the steed the wizard pressed;
For him a filly to griffin bore;
Hight hippogryph. In wings and beak and crest,
Formed like his sire, as in the feet before;
But like the mare, his dam, in all the rest.
Such on Riphaean hills, though rarely found,
Are bred, beyond the frozen ocean's bound.
XIX
Drawn by enchantment from his distant lair,
The wizard thought but how to tame the foal;
And, in a month, instructed him to bear
Saddle and bit, and gallop to the goal;
And execute on earth or in mid air,
All shifts of manege, course and caracole;
He with such labour wrought. This only real,
Where all the rest was hollow and ideal.
According to Thomas Bulfinch's Legends of Charlemagne:
�?Like a griffin, it has the head of an eagle, claws armed with talons, and wings covered with feathers, the rest of its body being that of a horse. This strange animal is called a Hippogriff. �?BR>
The reason for its great rarity is that griffins regard horses as prey. It has been suggested this idea was strong enough in medieval times to produce an expression, "to mate griffins with horses", which meant about the same as the modern expression, "When pigs fly". The hippogriff was therefore a symbol of impossibility and love. This was supposedly inspired by Virgil's Ecologues: ... mate Gryphons with mares, and in the coming age shy deer and hounds together come to drink.., which would also be the source for the reputed medieval expression, if indeed it was one.
Among the animal combat themes in Scythian gold adornments may be found griffins attacking horses.
Hippogriff, illustration by Gustave Doré for Orlando furioso.
Hippogriff, illustration by Gustave Doré for Orlando furioso.
The hippogriff seemed easier to tame than a griffin. In the few medieval legends when this fantastic creature makes an appearance, it is usually the pet of either a knight or a sorcerer. It makes an excellent steed, being able to fly as fast as lightning. The hippogriff is said to be an omnivore, eating either plants or meat.
Another description of the Hippogriff can be found in Arnold Sundgaard's poem, The Hippogriff:
When Mare and Griffin meet and mate
Their offspring share a curious fate.
One half is Horse with hooves and tail,
The rest is Eagle, claws and nail.
As a Horse it likes to graze
In summer meadows doused in haze,
Yet as an Eagle it can fly
Above the clouds where dreams drift by.
With such a Beast I am enthralled,
The Hippogriff this beast is called. |
|
Reply
| |
INVUNCHE
He is a child stolen at birth to become doorman in a witch's secret cavern. He is raised naked and fed upon human flesh. He is transformed into a deformed and hairy monster with one leg behind his back that makes it impossible for him ever to flee the cavern. Upon reaching adulthood he feeds upon goats flesh.
Invunche utters ugly grunts in place of speech. When he goes in search of food it is on three feet, getting along in leaps and letting out bloodcurdling yells scaring anyone who hears them. If anyone sees him they are frozen to the spot forever. The only beings who can look at him without risk are witches. When he has to leave the cavern for some foul purpose he is carried in the air between the witches. |
|
|
First
Previous
2-9 of 9
Next
Last
|
|
Free Forum Hosting
Important Announcement
Return to Critters of Myth