History knows many mythical creatures of the world that live only in the imagination of people. Some of them are absolutely fictional, some resemble real animals. The variety of mythical creatures is difficult to describe - if you collect them in one book only by name, you get a volume of more than 1000 pages. In each country, the creation is different - depending on the territory of residence, legends also differ. Some legends are dominated by benevolent mythical creatures, while others are beautiful but dangerous.

Varieties of mythical creatures

Each creature has such different, and sometimes contradictory characteristics, that it is extremely difficult to attribute it to any kind. But specialists in the field of mythology managed to combine all the variety of creatures into one list, which includes 6 main categories.

The first group includes humanoid creatures, that is, those who look like a person. They have the classic characteristics of people - upright posture, a similar body structure, the ability to do manual labor, the use of intelligence in difficult life situations. Such creatures usually differ from people in strength, growth and magical abilities.

1. Giants are distinguished by their gigantic size. In legends, they are described as huge, formidable, embittered creatures. Relations with people are usually bad - hostile. Intelligence is reduced, temper is quick-tempered. The main types of giants are orcs, cyclops, cavemen.
2. Dwarfs are the opposite of giants. Their height is usually around 1 m or less depending on the species. For example, hobbits reach more than 1 m, and fairies can be quite tiny and fit in the palm of a child. Dwarfs include boggarts and leprechauns.
3. A separate point is to highlight the creatures created by man. These include golems and homunculi. Alchemists have long been working on their creation, and mythology tells of successful attempts that are not officially confirmed.

This is only the first part of all the numerous creatures ever described in mythology. Naturally, there are much more humanoids than listed, here are only the most famous. Creatures most similar to humans are worthy of a separate description.

The subtype of people is the most extensive. It includes various creatures that are most similar in anatomy to humans. Of the large creatures - yeti, orcs and trolls.

1. Yeti, or as it is also called - Bigfoot, appeared in mythology relatively recently. Its height exceeds 2-3 m, and the whole body is covered with thick hair, white or gray. Bigfoot tries not to go out to people, avoids them. There are eyewitnesses who claim they met Bigfoot. But science has not yet confirmed its existence - this automatically makes it mythical. Yeti is very popular in the culture of the peoples of the north - a lot of souvenirs with his image are produced there.
2. Orcs are mythical humanoid creatures native to Europe, bearing little resemblance to trolls and goblins. Orcs are usually depicted as small creatures with ugly features. The body is unevenly covered with hair, arms and legs are disproportionately large in relation to the body. Orcs were mentioned in Tolkien's legendarium, where they are presented as a cruel people who served the dark forces. Their peculiarity was the absolute intolerance of light, since they were created in complete darkness.
3. Trolls are huge creatures that are native to Switzerland. They live on rocks, in forests or in caves. Legends describe trolls as huge, ugly creatures that intimidate people if they enter their territory. Trolls, according to legend, could kidnap human women and children and eat them among the rocks. You can protect yourself from monsters only with the help of Christian symbols - crosses, holy water and bells. At the sight of these things, the trolls turn to flight. So it is said in the encyclopedias of the monks.

Of the famous creatures, it is worth highlighting the gnomes, which are mountainous, ravine and dark. These creatures are similar to humans, but smaller in stature. Dwarves are depicted as earth and rock spirits who work in mines to extract precious stones. The attitude towards people is rather friendly. However, if a person shows aggression, the gnome can fly into a rage and cripple the offender.

Elves are singled out in a separate subgroup and are most similar to people. They are usually fair-haired, tall and intellectually gifted, easily blending in with people in a crowd. In some legends, elves have translucent wings. In Tolkien's books, elves are warriors who skillfully handle bows and swords.

winged creatures

Such creatures have wings of different colors and sizes, capable of flying over long or short distances.

The most famous winged mythical creatures are angels. These are God's messengers, according to legend, they help maintain order in the world. In all cultures, they look like people who have large white wings behind their backs.

Despite the fact that angels are usually depicted as males, they are genderless. Creatures do not have a physical body, are weightless and invisible to the human eye. They materialize only when they need to convey some information to people.

Angels, as the highest winged creatures, close to God, can control the elements, natural phenomena and the fate of people - these are very strong mythical creatures.

There is a belief that each person has his own guardian angel, who is called upon to protect and protect "his" ward.

There are subclasses of angels. Cupid is not a classic angel, but he is. He is the messenger of love and helps lonely souls find a soul mate.

The winged creatures include bat-winged creatures - usually their wings are not behind their backs, like those of the previous subgroup, but, as it were, are connected to their hands by fusion. This group includes harpies. They look like humanoid birds. Their body is female, as is their head, but their arms and legs are replaced by vulture paws with long, sharp claws.

They usually treat people aggressively, kidnap women and children. They tend to rob people, taking their food, clothes and jewelry. Harpies are afraid of only one thing in the world - the sound of wind instruments made of copper. From the melody on the pipes, they scatter in horror and hide.

group of demihumans

These creatures, unlike humanoid ones, combine features of both humans and animals. They are present in the legends of almost all countries and nationalities of the world. Habitat - as far as possible from people, somewhere in hard-to-reach places:

• in the mountains;
• in the centers of the deserts;
• on the seabed.

A group of demihumans can be divided into several smaller subgroups.

1. Creatures with the head of a beast. Many creatures are described in ancient Egyptian mythology, where all deities had both a human and an animal hypostasis. They took the best features from animals, combining with human intelligence - as a result, creatures were obtained an order of magnitude more developed than ordinary people, which is why the Egyptians worshiped them. The Minotaur, which belongs to the group of beastheads, is a creature from ancient Greek mythology. He had a bull's head, large horns, was unusually fast and strong. Lived in a labyrinth named after him. This labyrinth was impossible to pass, because the Minotaur killed and ate anyone who got inside.
2. Werewolves are people who, under special circumstances, could turn into animals. Werewolves are the most famous. These are wolf people whose transformation takes place on the full moon.
3. Having a human and animal body. There are a lot of such creatures, in different cultures there are dozens of similar images. These include mermaids, newts and centaurs. All of them have a body part from an animal, and a part from a person. Their intelligence is higher, and their relationship with people is ambiguous. Depending on the mood, they can either help or harm a person.
4. Furries - creatures that have the body of an animal and the consciousness of a person, there are furries of a dog, wolf and fox. Some legends feature dragonoids.

Group of animals and birds

Beasts in the collections of legends were sometimes endowed with supernatural powers. Many of them had a developed intellect, thanks to which they made contact with a person. Some of these creatures had mystical properties, or the organs of these animals were valued as a medicine. Many generations of ancient people spent years to find such animals. For them, the rulers promised a huge reward.

The largest subgroup is made up of chimeras - ancient mythical creatures.

Horse-like had a structure similar to a horse. They were often depicted with wings. This subgroup includes:

• griffins;
• hippogriffs;
• pegasi.

All of them have the ability to fly. Many people of ancient times dreamed of riding such a horse. Seeing a winged horse was considered a great success. According to legend, they lived high in the mountains, so the brave men went there in order to receive a little happiness as a gift. Many of them did not return.

Sphinxes are often found in Egyptian mythology. They were a symbol of wisdom, were considered guards who guarded the tombs of the pharaohs. Sphinxes look like cats or lions with a human head.

Manticores are fictional, rare creatures that have the body of a lion and the tail of a scorpion. Sometimes their heads were crowned with horns. These creatures are extremely aggressive towards people, like lions, they are poisonous. According to legend, the one who met the manticore died in her teeth.

In addition to chimeras, this group includes unicorns, which are distinguished separately from the rest. The creatures have the body and head of a horse, but their difference is a horn from the middle of the forehead. According to popular beliefs, crushed unicorn horn has magical properties - it was added to various potions to improve health. The blood of the creature gave longevity, up to immortality, if a person took it constantly. However, according to legend, whoever drinks the blood of a unicorn will be damned forever, so there were no people who wanted to do it.

Separately, a subgroup of dragons is distinguished. In ancient times, they were considered the most powerful on the planet. Dinosaurs - majestic lizards - served as their prototype. Dragons are divided into European and Slavic. In ancient Russian folklore, dragons could have up to 12 heads. Slavic dragons were more willing to come into contact with people and had higher social skills. Sometimes they were depicted with many eyes, as a symbol of the fact that all knowledge is available to them, and they observe everything that happens in the world.

Elemental beings and a group of elements

Elementals in the Middle Ages were called those that are directly connected with the forces of nature. Such creatures could influence the elements and control them for the benefit or harm of people.

1. Gargoyles are artificially created mythical creatures. At first, people built gargoyles out of stone and clay to scare away evil spirits and demons, but one day some inexperienced young wizard revived them, thus creating dangerous creatures. Gargoyles can fly and move quickly on land and in water. They are very dangerous for humans, because they like to attack people and tear them into small pieces.
2. Mermaids are sea creatures associated directly with the element of water. They are divided into sea and river mermaids. These creatures have the body of a girl and instead of legs - a powerful scaly tail. In the legends, mermaids look different - from the unimaginable beautiful sirens that lure unlucky fishermen to the bottom, to the unsightly ones from the legends of the Japanese, who usually did not harm people. In many cultures, girls who drowned themselves from unhappy love became mermaids.
3. Nymphs represent the elements of nature and also represent fertility. Nymphs in mythology are a great many. In the legends of the ancient Greeks, there are more than 3000 nymphs. Their habitats are almost any piece of land - these are seas, rivers, and forests. All of them have their own names. For example, cute nymphs of the sea are called nereids, and rivers are called naiads. Nymphs treat a person favorably and, if necessary, are able to provide a little help. However, if a person treated them or nature disrespectfully, he could be punished in the form of insanity.
4. Golems are earth elementals. These creatures were created by ancient magicians with the help of one or more elements. The golem comes from Jewish mythology, where it was believed that they were created for protection and battles. Golems do not have intelligence - they only blindly obey the creator, who gives them his blood to feed their vitality. Defeating the Golem is difficult, it requires great physical strength and the will to live. These creatures can be made from sand, clay, or earth.

forest creatures

Separately, a group of guardians of nature is singled out. They are very common in Slavic mythology - they are water, swamps, kikimors, goblin and mushrooms. All of them live in places hard-to-reach for ordinary people, protecting nature and preserving it. These creatures are neutral towards people as long as they do not violate territorial boundaries.

Goblin lives in the forests. These are creatures from Slavic mythology, which have long been considered the owners of the forest. They are usually depicted as wizened old men with emerald green eyes. They look harmless. But if you offend nature and behave inappropriately in the forest, you can get punished by the forest spirit.

You can distinguish a goblin from an ordinary person by his peculiarity of dressing - he likes to put on all his clothes inside out, even his bast shoes on his feet are mixed up.

Mushrooms live in forests and are guardians of mushrooms. They are usually depicted as short people who live near mushroom sites. Mushrooms are usually friendly with goblin and carry out forestry together.

kikimora

Kikimors live in swamps and in the forest, luring unlucky travelers into the bog. They are depicted as terrible women, with one leg, long and thin, which keeps them over the swampy area. Swamps live next to them - male spirits.

Mermen usually live in rivers and lakes. They are neutral towards people, but they can lure someone who seems dangerous to them into the water.

fiery mythical creatures

These creatures are inextricably linked with the flame. Fire is the element of purification and bright thoughts, therefore all creatures associated with it are revered by people.

1. Phoenixes - they are subject to fire. They are born in flames and die in it. Phoenixes are immortal creatures, after spontaneous combustion, they are reborn again in the form of a small chick. Their feathers are hot to the touch, and their tears have healing properties - they can heal even the most serious wounds and injuries. In Christianity, the phoenix bird means the victory of life over death. These creatures are described in the literature, they are mentioned in the treatises of ancient Greek and Roman philosophers such as Herodotus and Tacitus.
2. Salamanders are small fire spirits that can live in furnaces or fires, feeding on fire. They do this thanks to their icy body, which cannot be warmed by any method. The salamander treats a person neutrally, does not bring either happiness or grief. The appearance of the salamander is different - from a small lizard to a large reptile the size of a house. The salamander is not only a symbol of fire, but also of the philosopher's stone. In alchemical literature, it is described as a lizard and can transform into stone and back.

Group of demons and demons

In different cultures, demons have an ambiguous attitude. In Greek mythology, demons are a bunch of energy endowed with intelligence that can change the fate of a person both for good and for bad.

In the mythology of the ancient Slavs, demons are evil forces that sow chaos and destruction. In translation, the word "demons" means "carrying fear." Demons are hellish creatures, but they used to be angels, as evidenced by the presence of wings. Unlike angels, demons have dark-colored wings and are webbed in appearance rather than feathers. Demons can take on any form and disguise themselves. More often they turn to people, but especially arrogant ones can take the form of angels. It is easy to distinguish them - it is unpleasant to be in their presence, there is an unreasonable longing and sadness, or an attack of uncontrollable hysterical laughter.

Among the demons, there are a kind of lovers - incubi and succubus. They need a constant supply of energy, which they can only get through sexual contact with a person. During an act with a demon lover, the victim is in a zombified state and is unable to resist. She experiences great pleasure at the same time.

An incubus is a male demon who entered the houses of women, virgins and nuns and raped them in their sleep. A succubus, on the other hand, is a female demon whose prey was strong, attractive men. The greatest success for the succubus was to seduce a priest, desirable only recently ordained.

Incubi are able to reproduce by passing their seed to a woman. From such a union, according to popular belief, disgustingly ugly children were born with parts of the body of animals or having extra limbs. They tried to kill such children immediately after birth, because, according to legend, evil forces were hiding in them.

Fighting succubi and incubus is not easy, but possible. They cannot stand the smell of incense, so if a small lamp is left overnight, the demons will not come. Prayers help.

Fauns also belong to the genus of demons. These are deities that are characteristic of the culture of Italy. Considered to be kind to people. Fauns live in forests and mountains. They can warn people from possible danger, appearing to them in dreams. Usually fauns protect herds and cattle from the attack of wild animals, helping the shepherds. Some animals of mythical creatures can only be seen by fauns.

undead

This group includes the so-called living dead. They differ from each other - depending on the type, the undead can be incorporeal or tangible. In the modern world, the image of the undead is actively used in games and films of such a genre as horror.

The bulk of the undead are vampires - creatures with sharp fangs that drink human blood. They can turn into bats or bats at will. They come to people at night, while they are sleeping and suck out all the blood from the victim to the last drop. Sometimes vampires like to torment the victim - then they drink the blood gradually, over several days, watching the torment of the unfortunate with sadistic pleasure. The image of vampires is widely covered in literature. Bram Stoker first did this in his novel Dracula. Since then, the theme of vampires has become popular - books, plays, films are written based on it.

Zombies can also be attributed to the undead - these are dead people who feed on human flesh. Description of zombies in literature: creatures devoid of consciousness and intellect, extremely slow, but deadly. According to legend, zombies make people like themselves through a bite. To kill a zombie, you need to cut off his head and burn his body. Then they won't be able to regenerate.

Mummies are classified as undead. Once they were people, but after death their bodies were embalmed, so they remained in the earthly world. Mummies are in a state of sleep, so they are not dangerous. However, if anyone wakes them up, the ancient power will be reborn and chaos will ensue. Egyptian mummies fall into several categories.

1. Pharaohs are strong and fast, have good physical fitness. They have great fortitude, so they are capable of subjugating ghosts. To neutralize such creatures is not easy, you need to have strength and endurance, possess secret knowledge from ancient Egyptian treatises.
2. Priests are not as strong as pharaohs, but they have magic and are able to influence a person without resorting to physical contact. There are far fewer of them than the pharaohs.
3. Bodyguards - the personal protection of the pharaoh. They are extremely slow, but they have remarkable strength, so it is better to flee from them rather than engage in battle.

Dangerous magical creatures

Mythical creatures are not always neutral towards people, many of them pose a real danger to humans.

1. Furies. In ancient times, people trembled before them, being afraid to even call them out loud, but if they had to do this, they usually added some kind of epithet before the name. Furies look truly terrifying - their heads are dog-like, and their bodies are like those of centennial old women. The hair is unusual: instead of the usual hair, the furies have a hairstyle of long snakes. These creatures attack anyone who, in their opinion, is guilty. As punishment, they beat the unfortunate man to death with metal sticks.
2. Sirens, although they are considered the most beautiful creatures on the planet, do not become less deadly from this. Sirens look like birds with female heads, and their voices can cloud the mind of even the most experienced and stern sailor. They lure travelers to caves and rocks with angelic singing and then kill them. Getting out of their captivity is almost impossible.
3. The Basilisk is a deadly monster from ancient legends. According to legend, the basilisk is a giant snake, up to 50 m long. It is born from a chicken or duck egg, which was incubated by a toad. The head of the basilisk is decorated with huge curved horns, and fangs of different lengths protrude from the mouth. The serpent is so venomous that it can poison rivers if it drinks from them. You can fight against the basilisk only with the help of a mirror - if the creature sees its reflection, it will turn to stone. He is also afraid of roosters - their singing is disastrous for the snake. You can learn about the approach of a basilisk by the behavior of spiders - if they hastily leave their home, you should expect a snake to appear.
4. Will-o'-the-wisps in the swampy area are little obscure spirits that aren't dangerous at all. However, travelers take them for the lights of houses, to which they try to keep their way. These creatures are insidious and lure people either into an impenetrable thicket or into a quagmire. People usually come to their senses too late, when it is no longer possible to get out of the swamp.

Good creatures from legends

Creatures from ancient legends can also be kind to a person or help him. There are especially many of them in Greek and Japanese mythology.

1. The unicorn is a fabulous creature that has a meek disposition and a kind heart. He is very peaceful and never attacks people. Seeing a unicorn is fortunate. If you feed him an apple or a piece of sugar, you can get good luck for the whole year.
2. Pegasus is a real flying horse that appeared from the body of the Gorgon Medusa after her death. Usually depicted as a snow-white horse. Has the ability to save those who are in trouble. Pegasus will help only those who have pure thoughts - he simply ignores the rest.
3. Tanuki is a creature from Japanese mythology, which is depicted as a raccoon or a bear cub. According to legend, a person who saw a tanuki called good luck and wealth into his home. To lure them into the house, the Japanese usually place a small bottle of sake near the figurine of the deity. In almost every Japanese home you can find a small image or figurine of this creature.
4. Centaurs, although considered tough warriors, are usually favorably disposed towards humans. These are creatures with the torso and head of a man and the rump of a horse. All centaurs are educated, they know how to navigate by the stars and cardinal points, they are soothsayers. By the location of the planets, centaurs are able to determine the future.
5. Fairies - look like little girls with translucent wings, living in flower buds. They feed on pollen and drink dew in the morning. Usually fairies help people with minor everyday problems, but they can also regulate the elements and protect pets.
6. Brownies are magical representatives of Slavic mythology. From time immemorial, brownies live side by side with a person and protect him and his home. Brownies help protect the house from the invasion of evil forces, get along well with pets, especially cats. Brownies look like little elderly people. They are dressed in red trousers and a caftan, like characters from ancient Russian fairy tales. In order to always feel comfortable in the house, it is worth appeasing the brownie from time to time by offering him milk on a saucer or candy.

Conclusion

There are thousands of creatures in mythology. It is not known whether these animals exist - we know about them only from legends. However, I want to believe that in this world there is still room for a fairy tale. Different mythical creatures - interesting, good, evil, big or small.

To interact with them, you need to thoroughly study their preferences and habits, but the main thing in communicating with legendary creatures is respect - then they can not only make contact, but also help. You should not deal with potentially dangerous animals, it is better to choose safe creatures in this regard. You can read about the classification of these creatures and their danger in a special alphabetical reference book or atlas dedicated to mythology.

In the mythology of every nation, there are a large number of magical creatures and their list can probably be continued indefinitely. Some of them are completely the product of human imagination, while others existed on our planet according to archaeologists. Also, we have a separate section of the mythical creatures of the Slavs.

Vahana (Skt. वहन, vahana IAST from Skt. वह, "sit, ride something") - in Indian mythology - an object or creature (character) used by the gods as a means of transportation (usually a mount).

Airavata

Surely you have heard of such mystical animals as Miracle Yudo, Phoenix, Centaur, dragons, but do you know who Airavata is?

This magical animal comes from India. It is believed that this is a white elephant, which is the vahana of God Indra. Such an entity has 4 tusks and as many as 7 trunks. They call this entity in different ways - Cloud Elephant, War Elephant, Brother of the Sun.

In India, there are a lot of legends that are associated with this elephant. People believe that the White Elephant was born after Brahma sang the sacred Vedic hymns over the egg shell from which Garuda hatched.

After Airavata emerged from the shell, seven more elephants and eight female elephants were born. Subsequently, Airavata became the king of all elephants.

Mystical animal of Australia - Bunyip

Bunyip

One of the most amazing creatures known from Australian Aboriginal mythology is the Bunyip. It is believed that this is an animal of enormous size that lives in swamps, in various reservoirs.

There are many descriptions of the appearance of the animal. However, they are all very different from each other. But some features always remain similar: a horse's tail, large flippers and fangs. It is believed that the monster devours any animals and people, and its favorite delicacy is women.

In 2001, Robert Holden in his book described at least 20 variations in the appearance of the creature, which he learned from various tribes. Until now, such a magical creature, which is a dangerous enemy of man, remains a mystery. Some believe that it really exists. These people rely on eyewitness accounts.

In the nineteenth-twentieth century, researchers really saw strange aquatic animals, which were about 5 meters long, one and a half meters high, with a small head and a very long neck. However, these data remained unconfirmed, and the legend of a powerful and insidious magical creature still lives on.

Monster from Greece - Hydra

Anyone who has read the myths about Hercules knows who the Hydra is. It is hard to say that this is just an animal, albeit a magical one. This is a mythological entity that has the body of a dog and 9 snake heads. A monster appeared from the womb of Echidna. Such a monster lives in a swamp near the city of Lerna.

Hydra

At one time, such a monster was considered invincible, because if you cut off her head, then two more would immediately grow in her place. However, Hercules managed to defeat the monster, as his nephew cauterized the decapitated neck of the Hydra as soon as the hero chopped off one head.

The peculiarity of this creature was also that its bite was fatal. As you remember, Hercules dipped his arrows into deadly bile so that no one could heal the wounds inflicted by him.

kerinean fallow deer

The Kerinean Doe is the magical animal of the goddess Artemis. The doe differed from others in that it had golden horns and copper hooves.

kerinean fallow deer

The main task of the animal is to devastate the fields. This was the punishment that fell on Arcadia, as the locals angered Artemis.

There is also a myth that in fact there were only five such creatures. They were huge, even larger than a bull. Four of them were caught by Artemis and harnessed to her chariot, but the last one was able to escape thanks to Hera.

Magic unicorn

Probably one of the most famous characters in mythology is the unicorn. Such an entity is described differently by different sources. Someone believes that the animal has the body of a bull, others believe that it has the body of a horse or a goat. The main difference of this creature is the presence of a horn in the forehead.

Unicorn

This image is a symbol of chastity. In modern culture, the unicorn is depicted as a snow-white horse with a red head and blue eyes. It is believed that it is almost impossible to catch this magical animal, since it is insatiable and can run away from its pursuers. However, a noble animal will always bow before a virgin. The only way to hold a unicorn is with a golden bridle.

The image of a one-horned bull first appeared in the third millennium BC on seals and from the cities of the Indus Valley. Various legends associated with this mythical creature are found in Chinese, Muslim, German fairy tales. Even in Russian legends there is a terrible invincible beast that looks like a horse, and all its power lies in the horn.

In the Middle Ages, a wide variety of properties were attributed to the unicorn. It was believed that it cures diseases. According to legend, using the horn, you can purify the water. Unicorns eat flowers, honey, morning dew.

Often, lovers of everything supernatural and magical wonder - are there unicorns? It can be answered that this essence is one of the best creations of human imagination. To date, there is no evidence of the existence of such an animal.

Iku-turso - sea monster

In Karelian-Finnish mythology, Iku-Turso is an animal that lived in the depths of the sea. It was believed that the god of thunder Ukko was the father of this monster.

Iku-Turso

Unfortunately, a detailed description of the appearance of the sea monster does not exist. However, it is known that he was described as a thousand-horned. It is worth noting that very often the northern peoples called the tentacles horns. For example: octopuses or squids. Therefore, it is quite logical to assume that a thousand horns may suggest the presence of a thousand tentacles.

By the way, if we translate the word "turso" from the old Finnish language, we will get the word "walrus". Such a creature has its own special symbol, which is somewhat reminiscent of a swastika and is called the “Heart of Tursas”.

According to legend, the essence is associated not only with the water element, but also with the fire element. There is a legend about how a creature set fire to a haystack, in the ashes of which an acorn was planted and an oak grew out of it.

Some researchers believe that this is an analogue of the Miracle Yud known to many. However, this is just a theory.

Heavenly dog ​​from Asia - Tiangou

Tiangou means "heavenly dog" in Chinese. It is a magical entity in ancient Chinese mythology. The creature is described in different ways. It is believed that this is a white-headed fox, which brings harmony and tranquility to human life. People believed that the creature could protect from any troubles and the attacks of robbers.

Tiangou

There is also a black, evil hypostasis of this creature. They imagined an evil double in the form of a black dog that lives on the Moon and eats the Sun during an eclipse. The myths mention that in order to save the Sun, it is necessary to beat the dogs. Then the animal will spit out the moon and disappear.

Often Tiangou attacked little boys, babies. That is why he conquered the enemy in the person of Zhang-hsien, who is the patron of male babies.

In Japanese folklore, Tiangou was transformed into the spirit of Tengu. Over time, the animal acquired avian and anthropomorphic features. In Scandinavian mythology there is a similar creature - Skol.

There are a large number of different magical animals found in the myths of different countries. Perhaps our ancestors were really surrounded by various amazing entities, which became the heroes of local legends. However, perhaps our ancestors had just a very rich imagination. Therefore, to believe in magical creatures or not is up to you.

Myths and legends, any oral or written traditions tend to disappear over time, to be erased from a person's memory.

Such a fate befell many characters, both good and bad. Some images were modified under the influence of religion or the peculiarities of the folklore of nations, gradually assimilating the indigenous people that gave birth to such a fantasy.

Others remained in the memory of mankind and even became a kind of "trademark", a hot topic for books, films and computer games.

A mythical creature does not necessarily have features exaggerated by human fantasy. Monsters can be quite natural in appearance, be it an animal, a demigod, or an evil spirit that has taken on the guise of a person.

All of them have one thing in common - an attempt by an ancient person to explain natural phenomena, disasters and misfortunes by the intervention of an extraterrestrial force, cruel and indifferent.

However, sometimes mythical animals, characters and images begin to live on their own. Once told, the legend is passed from person to person, acquiring details and new facts.

They all have in common a terrible disposition, fear of losing accumulated wealth and an extremely long lifespan.

The nature of such a creature is peculiar. Most of the dragons are wise, but quick-tempered, cruel and proud.

The hero often speculates on the relationship of the lizard to himself in order to later kill him by deceit and cunning and take possession of the dragon's untold riches.

Later, many variations of the original image appeared. Thanks to John Tolkien, Robert Salvatore and many other authors of the fantasy genre, dragons were divided by color and even acquired a direct "kinship" with the original forces.

Horrors in the night, a gleam on the fangs of a vampire

A monster that can drink human blood or bend it to its will. This evil spirit should be regarded as an exceptionally malicious and cruel creature.

The villagers mercilessly drive an aspen stake into another corpse, the carpenter famously cuts a cervical vertebra with an ax, and another "vampire" goes to the Underworld.

Before Bram Stoker's novel was published, vampires weren't endowed with anthropomorphic traits. So, for example, a blood-sucking creature from South America looks like a mixture of a hellish dog with all sorts of monsters.

In the Philippines, a vampire is generally depicted as a winged torso with a proboscis similar to that of a mosquito.

Thus, the monster “drinks” a person, taking away his youth, beauty and strength.

Ancient people were not so scrupulous and believed that it was enough for a creature to cut off its head, well, or cut out its heart.

Each virgin on a personal transport

Not every mythical creature is terrible in nature, because darkness cannot exist without light, however, as well as vice versa.

Mythical animals quite often act as conductors of the protagonist, help him with both advice and deed.

The messenger of the primordial light, at least according to most legends, is. This creature is pure in nature, aggression and violence are alien to it, therefore these animals are not left in the modern world.

Most notable is the fact that the unicorn has a strange "connection" with the virgin, feels her and always comes to the call.

An interesting fact is that the harsh northern peoples of Rus' have their own unicorn, huge and "stale".

Sounds satirical? And yet they describe it that way. Unlike a brilliant and bright creature, Indrik belongs to the spirits of mother earth, and therefore looks appropriate.

A huge "earth mouse" is not attracted to virgins, but it can also come to the aid of a soul lost in the mountains.

I don't know what - chimeras

The last chords of life - siren

Despite the fact that a siren and a mermaid are different concepts, they have a lot in common, which eventually led to a conditional juggling of names and a little confusion.

However, this is acceptable. In the mythology of the Greeks, the Sirens are the nymphs of Persephone, who lost the will to live with the mistress when she went to Hades.

With their singing, they lured sailors to the island, where they devoured their bodies, not otherwise from longing for the patroness.

Odysseus almost got into their net, who even ordered his comrades-in-arms to tie themselves up so as not to become the prey of carnivorous fish women.

Later, the image migrated to the mythology of Europe and even became a kind of nominal personification of the temptation of the deep sea for a sailor.

There have been theories that mermaids are actually manatees, which may resemble fish with anthropomorphic features, but the image itself remains relevant to this day.

Witnesses of the past - Bigfoot, Yeti and Bigfoot

Unlike other characters, these creatures are still found all over the world.

Regardless of their veracity, the very fact of such finds is living proof that the images not only still exist, but also remain relevant.

One thing unites - similarity with various stages of the evolutionary cycle of human development.

They are huge, have a thick woolly coat, fast and strong. Despite their meager intelligence, the creatures continue to stubbornly avoid all the ingenious traps set up by all sorts of hunters of mystical secrets.

Mythical animals remain an extremely relevant topic, in demand not only by art workers, but also by historians.

The epic had a huge impact on the formation of mankind, and the skepticism with which the modern inhabitant of the metropolis treats such mysteries is dictated precisely by mythology and its “domestication” of the forces of nature.

Mythological creatures of the peoples of the world [Magical properties and interaction] Conway Dinna J.

19. Other magical, mythical creatures

There are so many amazing magical creatures out there that don't fit into any of the previous categories that I've had to make a separate chapter for them.

For centuries, philosophers, adepts of secret knowledge and magicians have known about the existence and recognized elemental beings associated with the elements of Earth, Air, Fire and Water. Ancient Mystery cults and schools of magic taught their students how to communicate with these beings and enlist their help in important endeavors. The only strict warnings were given regarding contact with fire elementals ( cm. the Salamander section highlighted in this chapter).

Initiates were urged not to undermine the elementals' trust or deceive them. Those who violated this requirement brought grief and even possible destruction upon themselves. Mystics claim that using the power of elementals to gain temporary power over those around them leads to the turning of these elemental beings against the magician himself.

Elemental beings regularly meet at certain times of the year in great numbers, enjoying the beauty and harmony of nature. Shakespeare describes one such encounter in A Midsummer Night's Dream. The summer solstice (Midsummer) is still considered an extremely active time for fairies, elves, gnomes, and other elemental beings.

When the Christians came into power, they did not dispute the existence of the elementals known to the pagans. They simply identified all elemental beings with the word "demon," which means something evil, and declared that they were all servants of the Christian devil.

Barbegazy

In the highlands of France and Switzerland lives a creature resembling a dwarf called barbegazy. The name may have come from a Swiss word meaning "frozen beards". Unlike many other nature spirits, during the summer months, barbegazis hibernate and emerge from their burrows only in the winter after the first heavy snowfalls. They are rarely seen at temperatures above freezing and below the upper limit of forest growth. Climbers managed to catch a few barbegasies and bring them to the Alpine villages, but these barbegasies rarely lived more than a few hours. Outwardly, these creatures are very similar to gnomes from other countries of the world, differing only in very large feet, as well as hair and beard that look like icicles. Large feet allow these creatures to move through snowy regions as if they were skiing or snowshoeing. Barbegasi can run fast in the snow or slide down almost vertical slopes. The large feet are also useful for digging: they can hide themselves in seconds or dig themselves out of avalanches with ease. They like to roll down from the tops of mountains on avalanches.

Barbegazy

It is almost impossible to distinguish females from males, it is possible to do this only upon close examination. Both women and men wear white fur to help blend in with the snowy landscape. The usual sounds they make when communicating are similar to the whistle of a marmot, a small mammal that lives in the Swiss Alps. However, for communication at a long distance, barbegazis emit a frightening howl, which can be mistaken for the whistle of the wind or the sound of an alpine horn.

The homes of these gnome-like creatures are located near the tops of high mountains. They dig a complex network of caves and tunnels that can only be entered through tiny openings. These exits to the outside world are hidden by a curtain of icicles. Barbegasi usually appear on the surface only when snow whirlwinds and severe frosts do not allow climbers to climb to great heights. Very little is known about the way of life of barbegazi.

They are usually friendly towards humans, but try to avoid any opportunity to meet them. Some people living in the region claim that the barbegasi help them a lot, but more often credit is given to the St. Bernards. Others believe that these little creatures warn of approaching avalanches by whistling or howling.

: one who willingly helps others and does not require gratitude for help.

magical properties: is of great help, warning of the approach of winter; rescue in dangerous situations.

The name "gods" covers a wide range of insidious creatures who like to live in darkness or semi-darkness. They are also called god-men, bogles, god-a-boo, bogey or animal gods. On the Isle of Man they are known as boggans. Usually they do not pose a danger to humans.

These small, troublesome creatures have a vague appearance and have blank, flashing eyes. They are often confused with dust clouds due to their furry body shape.

The gods make their dwellings in deep chests of drawers, pantries, sheds, attics, tree hollows, abandoned mines, caves, ravines, under sinks, and similar places. They especially like cluttered pantries and other places for storage. Although people believe that the gods simply haunt old houses, they have been known to infiltrate modern buildings as well. However, houses and old barns are not the only places chosen by the gods. They have been known to make their homes in trinket shops, tool sheds, second-hand stores, cluttered law offices, and even school buildings.

Although sometimes by chance you can hear subtle creaks and knocks made by the gods: they come out of their hiding places only at night or when everything is very quiet. They love petty pranks - hiding things, mixing up a stack of work papers, or pulling blankets off sleeping people. One of their favorite jokes is to hang over a person, causing a feeling of unease. In some ways, the gods are very similar to goblins and gremlins, but have a more limited imagination.

In Ireland, a similar kind of creature is known as a bellybog. These creatures are very small, ugly, with long and skinny arms and legs. They are not as smart as the English gods.

Psychological characteristics: a person who rejoices and delights in causing trouble to others.

magical properties: never invite the gods into your house or even into your ritual circle! They are extremely difficult to get rid of.

This solitary creature is part of the mythology of the Northwest American Indians. Bokwus is rarely seen, but its presence can be felt when entering the dense, shady forests of northwestern America. His angry face in war paint can be seen for a second as he peeks out from behind the tree trunks. In the bushes, you can hear the crunch of his steps when he is on the heels of a hunter, tourist or fisherman.

However, bokvus is especially dangerous near fast-flowing rivers. He waits until the fishermen are completely absorbed in the process of catching, silently creeps up to them when they are standing on slippery stones, and pushes them into the water. When the fisherman drowns, the bokvus grabs his soul and takes him to his forest home.

Psychological characteristics: one who enjoys stalking or spying on others.

magical properties: very dangerous; interaction is not recommended.

The country of origin of real brownies is Scotland. When the Scots began to emigrate to other parts of the world, brownies followed and are now found in many countries. However, in other countries there are similar "indigenous" creatures. In North Africa they are known as yumbo, and in China as choa fum phi.

Brownies are small creatures about three feet tall, usually male, with rather flat faces, slightly pointed ears, and hairy bodies. Typical Scottish brownies have black eyes, slightly pointed ears, and long, nimble fingers. Brownies are usually dressed in small brown suits, raincoats and caps, although they may wear green on special occasions.

Brownies prefer to stay awake at night, but some may appear during the day. If they are not attached to a particular family, they live in old hollow trees or the ruins of buildings.

They are energetic and helpful, and if people do not offend them, they prefer to live in harmony with them. They do not like fraud and lies, slovenly people and priests. Their smiles and cheerful dispositions especially attract the attention of young children, who easily see and communicate with brownies. Children are fascinated by stories about brownies and games associated with them, such as weaving garlands. Some brownies may choose a family and stay with it for several generations.

However, brownies with the same desire to help adults. Back in the days when almost every household had a cow and chickens, brownies helped milk the cows and herd the chickens into the coop overnight. Now the brownies have found other things to do, but they don't really like any kind of technique. Nowadays, you can see a brownie entertaining a baby without letting him cry, giving you subtle warnings that your pet or baby is sick or in danger, caring for houseplants, or singing to you with his husky voice while you are doing your hobby.

According to legend, any attempt to give a brownie a gift or thank him for his efforts ends with his leaving home. However, if a gift or gratitude is presented tactfully and secretly, brownies are not offended.

Welsh brownies are called bubahod. They definitely dislike teetotalers and priests. A relative of the Isle of Man brownies are known as fenoderies, but unlike brownies, they are large, very hairy and ugly creatures.

If you have brownies in your home, appreciate them, but don't be too open or generous with gifts or praise, as they take it as an insult. Brownies defend their habitats from invading goblins and many other evil little creatures.

Psychological characteristics: someone who enjoys working with their hands in areas such as gardening, farming, crafts, etc.

magical properties: Get rid of other annoying elemental creatures. Symbolize the desire for friendship; looking for a new home.

Russian and other Slavic legends claim that from the very moment of their construction some small house spirits live in people's houses. A brownie is rarely seen, and his wife is a brownie - never at all. It was believed that meeting with these creatures brings great bad luck, but hearing a brownie can be both a happy and unlucky sign. Seeing a brownie, you can easily confuse him with a cat or a dog, but this is a very small man, covered with silky hair.

Brownie and brownie are considered kind and generous creatures. The brownie lives under the stove or threshold, and his wife lives in the cellar. When a family moves to a new house, it is considered a good idea to put a piece of bread under the oven to attract the brownie and brownie. They are considered very loyal to their chosen family, often providing assistance to them.

The brownie never talks to people, but if at night he barely audibly mutters under his breath, talking to himself, this is considered a sign that everything in the family's life will be fine. If he sighs, the family understands that misfortune is coming. When the brownie cries, this is a sure sign that someone in the family will soon die.

Psychological characteristics: a person whose emotions and sympathy are easy to awaken. A man whose life revolves around his home.

magical properties: Tells the future with tarot cards or runes. Performs all kinds of predictions.

Dwarves originally lived in Scandinavian and Germanic countries, but like many other small creatures, they migrated to other countries. Although dwarves are often confused with gnomes by the uninformed, these creatures are very different in appearance. Dwarves are small creatures with large heads and wrinkled faces. Most often they have earthy skin, hair and eyes.

Dwarves are associated with the North, the position of earthly achievements and powers. The name of their king is Gob or Gom, which indicates his possible relation to the word "goblin".

Humans rarely encounter dwarves, as these creatures live underground and come to the surface only on certain holidays. Sometimes dwarven cities are found in vast caverns or tunnel systems dug deep into the bowels of the Earth. The northern Germanic and Scandinavian peoples called this area the country of the Nibelungs. One of the characters in Wagner's opera of the same name is the Dwarf Alberich or Albrich, the guardian of underwater treasures. These creatures shy away from people, but sometimes during bad weather, some of them come to human homes in order to spend their celebrations in comfortable conditions. If humans are polite to them, dwarves may even invite them to join them. And if the humans are rude or refuse an invitation, the dwarves will get the house in trouble soon.

Since dwarves work closely with the vibrations of the Earth itself, they have a profound effect on rocks as well as the minerals in the bodies of animals and humans. They mainly work with stones, gems and metals and are considered the guardians of hidden treasures. They take great pride in their crystal cutting and mining of ores.

Norse myths describe in great detail the magical abilities of dwarves to work with metals. These creatures are capable of crafting any kind of weapon or piece of jewelry out of metal. On several occasions, the dwarves forged some valuable items for the gods, including Odin's spear and ring, Freya's necklace and wand, and Freyr's boat, which could be folded up and put in a pocket.

Abbe de Villars wrote that there are more dwarves on Earth than we can imagine. They are highly skilled creatures and are usually friendly towards humans. Other authors do not support his view of the friendliness of dwarves, calling them cunning, vicious, and treacherous. However, they are unanimous that it is worth a person to gain the trust of a dwarf, and this creature becomes his true friend.

There are stories in folklore of how miners sometimes stumble upon the underground workshops owned by the dwarves or the ore beds they mine. If the miners greeted the dwarves politely, there was no problem; the dwarves might even point them to another ore deposit.

Although some people believe that dwarves do not have a written language, this is not true. Dwarves use it only when casting protective spells on items they forge or sending rare messages. However, their oral tradition is superbly developed: it is the duty of some dwarves to memorize and, if necessary, reproduce the entire history of their particular community and the major events of dwarven culture in general.

In Gotho-Germanic mythology, there are legends about the Duergar, a small people living in the rocks and hills. They were believed to have short legs and arms that almost reached the ground when they stood upright. Duergar metalworkers worked with gold, silver, iron and any other metal. They were especially skilled at forging weapons and armor. Legends say that their creations, obtained through theft, coercion or cruelty, brought bad luck.

The Finns believed that dwarves were especially friendly to humans if they treated them with respect and kindness.

Icelandic dwarves wear red clothes, while dwarves living in Gudmandstrup, Zeeland dress in long black robes. Dwarves living near Ebeltoft are said to have humped backs and long, hooked noses. They wear gray jackets and red pointed hats.

The people who lived on the island of Rugen in the Baltic Sea believed in the existence of three kinds of dwarves, which they called Black, White, and Brown. Whites were considered very beautiful and kind, they wintered in their hill houses, forging beautiful objects from gold and silver. On summer nights they often went out of their houses and danced around the hills and streams.

Brown dwarves were said to be only eighteen inches tall, but they could grow to any height they desired. These dwarves dressed all in brown and wore little silver bells on their hats and glass slippers on their feet. They had very beautiful bright eyes. They also danced in the moonlight and could turn invisible at will. These good-natured creatures loved children and often protected them.

Black dwarves were considered vicious and hostile towards humans. They were ugly and wore black coats and hats. However, they were skillful in working metals, especially steel. These dwarves tried to stay close to their homes in the hills and only went out to sit under the elder trees. They did not like to sing and dance. They did not gather in large groups, but liked to be mostly in twos or threes.

The Indian deity Kubera also fits the description of the dwarf. This ugly creature, adorned with many jewels, is the guardian of the northern direction. He lives in the Himalayas, where, according to legend, he guards the treasure of the Earth. Kubera is depicted as a small creature with three legs and only eight teeth, carrying a bag on his shoulder, and a box in his right hand. When he has to travel, he does so in his aerial chariot called pushpaka.

Psychological characteristics: a person who enjoys being in nature, loving plants and animals. Someone who likes to wear jewelry and adorn themselves.

magical properties: dwarves symbolize working with crystals and precious stones; prosperity; metal processing; jewelry making. Kubera symbolizes fertility, treasure, abundance of minerals, jewelry, gold, silver, gems, precious stones and pearls. However, he is also considered the patron deity of thieves.

The word "elf" comes from the Scandinavian and North Germanic words aelf/ylf (for a male elf) and aelfen/elfen (for a female elf). Many elves and fairies are associated with the east and the element of Air. Their ruler is known as Paralda. The species known as elves mainly take care of trees and forests. Although most elves are helpful and benevolent towards friendly people, their character depends on the country in which they live. For example, in Germany, elves are treated with great care due to occasional outbursts of their malevolent nature.

Although elves, like fairies, belong to the element of Air, they differ in temperament, appearance, behavior and lifestyle. The most accurate description of elves can be found in the books of Tolkien, it differs significantly from the usual absurd perception of elves.

Elves can be of various sizes, from very small to ordinary human growth. Some of them are able to change their size at will and even take on a human appearance for a while. They are similar to humans in many ways, except that they are much prettier and have slightly pointed ears and slanted eyes. Their skin tone varies from pale to hazel. Their hair can be blond, dark brown, or black, and their eyes are bright shades of green and hazel.

Paracelsus wrote that many elves built their houses out of a material similar to alabaster or marble, but which in fact has no physical counterpart on our level of existence. Even Socrates, whose words Plato immortalized in his dialogue Phaedo, said that they had palaces and sacred places. Elven society, led by a king and queen, is based on ancient traditional principles.

They can live up to a thousand years, and age begins to make itself felt around the middle of life. Typically, elves have a great sense of humor, vast stores of ancient knowledge, and only associate with people they deem worthy of their time and trust.

Long ago, people spoke of elven books given to them, which the elves loved because they could predict the future with their help.

Elven Harper

Elves are endowed with great wisdom, they are able to predict the future and take their position in life very seriously. But they also love to have fun: they often arrange festivities and celebrations during which they dance, sing and feast from dusk to dawn. With the first crowing of a rooster, announcing the arrival of morning, the elves immediately disappear, leaving only footprints on the dewy grass. According to ancient legends, a person should not approach elves dancing in the rays of moonlight, otherwise they will disappear with these creatures at sunrise. These creatures can become invisible at will.

In Danish folktales, the elves are called the Elle people. Elf men always looked old and wore low-crowned hats, and elf women were very beautiful and young, but their inner world was poor. They raised cattle.

However, some elves prefer a more solitary life within or near the trees they work with. It can be assumed that these beings leading a solitary lifestyle acquire some features of appearance corresponding to the tree they have chosen. European lore says that the elves who feed and protect the poisonous hemlock tree resemble tiny human skeletons, sparsely covered with translucent flesh.

There is also a species of elves sometimes referred to as dusk or dark elves. Representatives of this type of creatures are hostile towards people, but rarely harm them. However, the Scandinavian villagers believed that the dark elves could cause illness or injury. When this happened, people called for help klok (healer), specially trained to solve these problems. Dark elves prefer dark, gloomy places and sometimes make their homes in basements and similar structures connected to the earth. They project negative energy onto people, making them feel uncomfortable. Many people think that their house is haunted, but in fact, ominous sensations arise due to the presence of dark elves.

In Germany, you can find wilde frauen (wild women), which have some relation to the elves. They are very beautiful, they have long flowing hair. Initially, they could be found either alone or in the company of other Wild women. According to legend, Wild Women live in the empty halls of Wunderberg (or Underberg), a huge mountain standing in a swamp near Salzburg. Deep inside Wunderberg are palaces, gardens, sacred places to worship the gods and springs.

In Japan, there are such small creatures resembling elves, which are called chin-chin kobakama. They look like small, elderly, but agile men and women, awake only during the daytime. They are benevolent towards people, but can be extremely inconvenient, as they are especially finicky when it comes to cleanliness in the house. As long as they are content, they protect and bless the house and its inhabitants. If they feel that people are not fulfilling their duties, they do not hesitate to harass them, making life unbearable with the help of dozens of little things.

Elves are also mentioned in Indian mythology, where they are called ribhus. These beings were the sons of Indra and Saranyu, the daughter of Tvashtri, and were engaged in crafts. Ribhus are associated with herbs, crops, rivers, creativity and blessings.

In the forests of northern Italy live lonely wood elves called hyanas. They wear old-fashioned dress and pointed hats. In their shoulder bag they keep a small spinning wheel with which they can see into the future. Although these creatures weave spells with their spinning wheels, they will not cast spells at the request of people, but will tell them how to cast the spell themselves.

Psychological characteristics: a person striving for knowledge, especially ancient. One who seeks information on the use of herbs and the forces of the Earth.

magical properties: Symbolize predictions; arts; creation. They take care of herbs, crops, rivers, forests. They help to find an astral lover and can reveal ancient secrets and knowledge.

Fox spirits

In Japanese and Chinese folklore, there are many stories about spirit foxes or faerie foxes. Sometimes the spirit of the fox takes possession of a person, in other cases, after reaching a certain age, the fox itself can take on a human form, usually turning into a beautiful woman. Spirit foxes are masters of the art of illusion and love to play tricks on people. It is also known that they constantly visit the places they have chosen. If they want to steal something, then neither the distance nor the security system will become an obstacle for them. They can live for centuries and even reincarnate if they are killed. According to legend, Fox Spirits have a magical pearl that they carry in their mouths or hide under their tails.

If you believe that you have met the Fox Spirit, there is one sign that will allow you to be convinced of this. A person with supernatural powers will be able to see a small flame above the creature's head. To force the Fox Spirit to take on its true form and break the spell, you should try to force it to look into the calm surface of the water. The fox will be reflected in the water, and the illusion will be destroyed. Another way is to make this insidious creature hear the barking of a dog.

However, if the Spirit Fox is more than a thousand years old, the barking of a dog will not be enough, and the only way to break the Spirit Fox's spell is to lure it into the light of a fire kindled from trees of the same age. The color of the fur of such an ancient spirit will become different from the usual red, and will be white or golden. It may even have nine tails. Even though the magic power of a Spirit Fox of such venerable age has reached its peak, it rarely plays pranks on people anymore.

In China, these amazing spirits are believed to be capable of causing lasting misfortune and misfortune in certain homes or villages. In these cases, it is believed that people have angered or upset the spirits so much that they decided to take revenge. Attempts are sometimes made to exorcise the Fox Spirits, but since they are not all so bad and evil, the more common way is to make them comfortable by building their own little house and filling it with food and incense.

In Japan, Fox Spirits are considered deities, specifically rice spirits. The fox goddess Inari is also called the "spirit of rice". Her main temple is located in Kyoto, but there are many smaller altars throughout the country in temples and private homes.

In ancient Lydia, one of the forms of Dionysus was the fox. When the Greek god appeared in this hypostasis, he was called Bassareus, and his priestesses, dressed in fox skins, were called bassarides.

Psychological characteristics: one who rarely falls for the manipulative attempts of others, but, nevertheless, masterfully owns them himself.

magical properties: it is difficult to interact with him; all rituals in which the Spirit Fox is invoked must be carried out with great care. Symbolizes the harvest, patronizes wild animals.

Gnomes are elemental beings closely associated with the Earth. The word "dwarf" may come from the Greek genomus, meaning "dweller of the Earth," or gnoma, meaning "knowing." The term "dwarf" has come to refer to many types of Earth elementals, in addition to the creatures known by that name.

The inhabitants of Germany call these little creatures erdmanleins, and in the areas of the German Alps they are known as heinzenmannhens. The Swedes call them nissen, a nisse-like name used by the Danes and Norwegians. In the Balkan countries, there are several names for them: gnome, dude and mano.

Gnomes as a species are divided into a huge variety of subspecies and forms. Most of them range in height from four to twelve inches. They take on the physical form of the people of the country and culture in which they live and are found all over the world. Elderly male gnomes wear beards, and married women traditionally wear a scarf.

Most dwarves weave cloth for peasant clothing. Some of them wear clothes made from plants near which they live, while others seem to grow clothes like animal hair. Men usually wear pointed red hats, colorful stockings or tight-fitting trousers, and a doublet or tunic. Women cover their heads with a scarf, wear blouses, long skirts, aprons and colorful stockings.

Gnomes can live for several centuries. They get married and start families. Calm young children often see and interact with gnomes, but for adults who are always questioning everything, this is not easy.

Most gnomes are willing to work diligently to earn their bread. Their usual food is porridge and root vegetables, but on special occasions they brew ale. They are usually good-natured creatures, helpful and kind to people and all other creatures. However, if the humans mindlessly destroy their dwelling, the dwarves have been known to sabotage the projects and cause great destruction. Gnomes prefer to build underground colonies in dark forests at the roots of large trees, but they are highly adaptable and can build homes in rock gardens, empty bird nests, thick brush, or other remote locations. Often they have several hidden places where they can store different things.

Gnomes are not technology buffs, preferring weaving and woodworking or caring for the plants and animals in their area. Since they understand the movement of global energy well, they can influence animate beings and inanimate objects. Gnomes like to accumulate magical energy with the help of dance.

Dwarves have an innate ability to learn from the past and predict the future. They also see the pattern of energy surrounding all things and understand its meaning, allowing them to influence and heal living beings. Gnomes are rarely vicious and troublesome.

In Denmark and Sweden, a very similar creature is called nisse god-dreng (nisse good guy), and in Sweden tomtgubbe (home old man). Nisse is said to be as tall as a one-year-old child, but looks like an old man in a gray robe and a red pointed hat. It is believed that until the nisse settles in a house or on a farm, everything will go topsy-turvy. Norwegian nisses love moonlight, and in winter they often play in the snow at night. They are excellent musicians, play the violin and dance well. Nisse who live in churches are called Kirkegrim.

Psychological characteristics: a happy person who loves to help animals. One who is close to the earth and the Gods of the Old World, especially the Goddess.

magical properties: luck, playing the violin, music, dance, divination, help to accumulate magical energy, take care of plants or animals.

According to folklore, goblins came to France through the Pyrenees. They later spread throughout Europe. Infiltrating Viking ships unnoticed, they ended up in Britain, where they were called robins goblins, and later this name was shortened to hobgoblin. In Germany, this restless creature is called a tapestry, and the Scots call it a brag.

Goblins, like many other Earth spirits, are similar in appearance to humans, but are only distantly related to gnomes, pixies, gremlins, elves, leprechauns, and fairies. Other Earth elementals do not accept goblins into their society due to the goblins' penchant for vicious pranks and cunning. If legend is to be believed, originally goblins were not as much of a nuisance and were not such disgusting creatures as they are now, but were a cruder analogue of brownies. Then they began to associate closely with some more unsuitable people and adopted their dishonorable habits.

Some goblins can change size, becoming either very small or almost human-sized. They can appear to people just like a dark ball, then suddenly materialize with a nasty smirk on their faces. Unlike the charming smiles of dwarves, the wide grins of goblins can make hair stand on end. Goblins come in all shades of brown, and some of them are quite hairy. They have thick ears and eyes that burn with malice. They are very strong and most active at night.

Their malevolent abilities manifest themselves mainly in the area of ​​bringing bad luck and nightmares. But that's not all they can do. They enjoy tipping buckets, hiding things, blowing soot down a chimney or dirt in people's faces, swapping road signs, and blowing out candles in dark, intimidating places. Fortunately, goblins are not interested in machinery and technology.

Folk tales claim that the goblin's smile chills the blood in the veins, and milk coagulates from his laughter and fruits fall from the trees. Even wizards don't let a goblin around because it causes a lot of trouble.

Goblins can easily communicate with harmful insects such as flies, wasps, mosquitoes, and hornets. During the summer, their favorite pastime is to send swarms of these nasty insects at warm-blooded creatures and laugh at the results.

Goblins don't have homes in the usual sense of the word, because they don't tend to stay in one place for long. They find temporary shelter in moss-covered cracks in the rocks and between the intertwined roots of old trees. The screeches and shrill giggles of the goblin mob will serve as a warning to you that they are somewhere nearby.

In Scotland, a vicious and quarrelsome close relative of a goblin is called a boggart. In the northern regions of England, this disgusting creature is called the padfoot or hobgoblin. This short, ugly creature with distorted features lives in solitude. He enters the house only to cause trouble or break something. The Boggart is most active at night. He loves to torment and frighten children, but he does not stop before playing his favorite joke with adults: he wraps sheets around the head of a sleeping person and laughs loudly when a person wakes up from suffocation. If they are expelled from the house, they settle along the road and frighten passers-by.

Psychological characteristics: An evil person who delights in frightening and/or terrorizing others.

magical properties: contact is not recommended. If goblins enter your home or ritual circle, they (like the gods) are hard to get rid of.

gremlins

Although Earth spirit gremlins are distant cousins ​​of the skilled craftsmen gnomes and mischievous goblins, they mostly love to tinker with machinery and technology. Once thought to be friendly to humans, gremlins showed how to make more efficient tools, shared knowledge of new inventions, and inspired greater craftsmanship. The friendship ended when people began to appropriate the work of gremlins. There is an opinion that gremlins appeared on Earth only during the Second World War, when reports from the fronts associated them with problems in the operation of aircraft, but these little men have existed since the very time when people first began to use any tools other than branches or stone.

Now gremlins are doing their best to ruin people's lives. For them, there is nothing more pleasant than making paint flow down your hands, pointing a saw at a knot in the board, or hitting your thumb with a hammer. Pressing the lever of the toaster so that the toast burns, they burst with laughter. Explosions of laughter also cause them to puncture the tire of your car when you are late for work. They are masters of clogging up the lawnmower's fuel supply or playing with cold and hot water when you shower. Gremlins never run out of ideas for the little things that make people's lives miserable. These creatures prefer to live in houses or buildings where there is a lot of different technology. According to legend, every family has at least one gremlin.

Psychological characteristics: a person with an inventive mind or the ability to operate and repair machinery. Pretty unsociable.

magical properties: contact is not recommended. Gremlins usually cause enough trouble without being invited into magical activities.

Knockers are subterranean creatures that have been in contact with miners since the time the Phoenicians first arrived in Cornwall to trade their goods for tin, silver, copper and lead. Once Knokers lived only in Cornwall, but since then they have even reached Australia, where they are called Knakers.

Knokers rarely caught the eye of people, but it is believed that they look like gnomes. Usually, all a miner can see as the knocker rushes past is rivulets of gravel or tiny, rapidly disappearing footprints on the damp ground deep in the mine.

These subterranean creatures help miners by warning them of danger or pointing them to an ore vein. These warnings or clues are always in the form of a mysterious knock, hence the name of these creatures ( knock– English. "knock"). Some miners are especially good at deciphering this knock. When the Cornish miners received warnings with a frantic thud of an impending disaster, such as a collapse of a mine, an explosion or a flood, they refused to return to the quarries. These miners never whistled, cursed or crossed themselves while in the mine, as the knockers did not like this behavior. These elementals would often lead search parties to stranded miners by repeatedly knocking directly over the heads of the searchers until the exact location was found.

In Wales, these underground creatures were called coblinau. They are creatures about a foot and a half tall, dressed like miners. Encountering them is considered a sign of great good fortune, although if ignored or taunted, they will throw stones. In Germany, these creatures are known as wichlein, and in the south of France they are called gomme.

Psychological characteristics: a person who realized that the spiritual treasure should be dug out from the subconscious and superconscious.

magical properties: Assist in mining and exploration work.

Every household should have a kobold. Kobolds are very useful and can provide invaluable assistance in exchange for small, regular offerings. However, you need to be sure that they are of a friendly kind, and not something that causes anxiety and behaves like a poltergeist.

In Finland, the kobold was called para. Although the Finns made an agreement with these creatures, offering them food and shelter in exchange for prosperity, they claim that kobolds often played pranks. If this kind of kobold appeared in the house, it was extremely difficult to get rid of it. Some churches in Finland even had exorcists, whose main occupation was to drive out uninvited kobolds.

"Kobold" is the German word for "goblin". In Germany, silver miners believed that kobolds enjoyed living in the mines, and they often poisoned the ore or made the miners sick, especially if they were offended.

Humans rarely see kobolds. Those who are lucky enough to see this creature describe him as a small old man with a wrinkled face, dressed in brown breeches and a red felt hat, and smoking a pipe. They are ready to work tirelessly in a family that shows them gratitude. They like to create a pleasant atmosphere of good luck and carelessness, making household chores easier and helping the plants in the garden to grow better. If kobolds don't get credit for their efforts, they make you drop cymbals, stumble, or burn your fingers.

Kobolds, less friendly towards humans, are capable of causing a great deal of disturbance. They can make a lot of noise and throw things around the room if they feel ignored or offended, and sometimes just on a whim.

Psychological characteristics: a person who, because of imaginary trifles, becomes very mischievous and noisy.

magical properties: brings good luck; helps to sort things out. Make sure you only summon the helpful kobold and not its fellow poltergeist.

These mysterious little creatures are part of the culture of the Indians of Central America. Odou are tribes that live underground and never come to the surface. American Indians claim that they are very small, but do not have any deformed features and look exactly like representatives of Indian tribes.

Odou possess significant magical powers, which they use for the benefit of animals, humans, and the Earth itself. Their main task is to control giant evil spirits that live deep in the bowels of the planet and are able to devastate the Earth and destroy everything on it. These evil spirits have only one goal: to get to the surface and cause chaos. Odou use their magical powers to keep these spirits imprisoned in underground caves, but from time to time they beat against the walls of the caves with an eerie roar and loud noise. This continues until the odou overpower them and put them back to sleep.

Psychological characteristics: one who is close to the energies of the Earth; a person who can predict natural disasters.

magical properties: protect against earthquakes and other natural disasters.

Elder Mother

In many cultures, there are beliefs that the elder has certain magical powers. These trees strengthen and protect an unusual species of earthly creatures called the Elder Mother. In the Scandinavian countries, this creature is called hildermoder. In the German countryside and parts of Denmark, there is still a tradition that when passing by an elder tree, one should bow one's head.

People rarely see Mother. However, the best time to see it is in spring, when the elderberry trees are full of white flowers, or in autumn, when the berries are ripe. She especially likes to appear on a full moon. The Elder Mother looks like an elderly woman, dressed in a black apron, white cap and shawl. Her elderberry dress helps her move almost imperceptibly in the shade of the trees. She hobbles, leaning on a gnarled crutch made from an elder branch.

According to legend, Mother shares her magical power with the tree, and people can use it for white or black magic. Many balms and potions can be prepared from flowers, berries or elderberry bark. Magic wands, runes and other ritual objects can be made from samui wood, but before sawing off part of it, it is always necessary to ask the consent of the tree and leave a gift in gratitude - milk or honey.

However, using elderberry wood for everyday purposes is unwise. For example, if a cradle is made from this tree, the child, according to legend, will be painful. If you make furniture out of it, it will soon crack and fall apart, but if you put it on the bars for the roof, luck will never visit this house.

Psychological characteristics: one who helps lunar magic to blossom within him; one who seeks to understand and use full moon and new moon magic.

magical properties: gives knowledge about herbs; helps in the manufacture of magic wands and ritual items.

Once upon a time, these little creatures inhabited the far western regions of England, especially Cornwall. Their place of origin is not known. Tradition says that there has always been enmity between pixies and fairies, which sometimes escalated into battles. Squeaks are another name for pixies. From their mischievous behavior came the English word pesky, meaning "annoying", "vile".

Pixies are about the size of a human palm, but are able to grow or shrink at will. Their main distinguishing features are bright red hair, green eyes, pointed ears and upturned noses. Both men and women wear bright green skin-tight suits that help them to remain inconspicuous in the fields and forests. They are often seen wearing hats made from foxglove or toadstool, two plants they adore. They like blooming gardens and flower beds. Like many such creatures, they are active in Beltane when they gather at the Pixie Fairs to sing, dance, play, and make music.

Although pixies do not directly harm people, these evil pranksters cannot live without leading people astray when they travel or go camping. They can so confuse some people that they never recover from the shock and wander aimlessly, singing songs and speaking in unknown languages. In areas of England where pixies live, such people are called "possessed pixies". According to legend, the only way to protect yourself from the spells of these elementals is to wear your jacket inside out.

Pixies, especially male ones, have been known to take on human form and become a source of trouble. If you see a man with slanted green eyes, bright red hair and a mischievous smile, beware of falling for his bait.

English farmers from "pixie country" try to ward off the pranks of these creatures by leaving water outside for pixie mothers to bathe their children in it, and always sweeping the hearth so pixies can dance there.

Psychological characteristics: a person with a sense of humor, sometimes bordering on the unfunny.

magical properties A: Interacting with them is very difficult. Symbolize singing, dancing, music.

Red Hat

Redcap is an evil goblin-like creature that lives along the border between England and Scotland. There he dwells in ruined castles and ancient watchtowers. Sometimes he can even live in ancient piles of stones and on abandoned border roads. Since Redcap can be bound and banished, he often changes his habitat to avoid people with enough power to do so.

Smirnov Terenty Leonidovich

BEINGS See dictionary "mythological".