Mythical creatures that protect. mythological creatures

10 mythical creatures, did they really exist? As the saying goes, there is truth in every joke. The same can be said about myths, which are considered fiction, because there is a particle of reality in them. It only at first glance seems that all mythical creatures, such as cyclops, unicorns and others, were invented in ancient times. Looking more closely at these mysterious animals, one can understand that people only slightly embellished the creatures that existed in the past, and composed myths about them. Here we will understand 10 mythical creatures, and see where these legends come from.

1. Unicorns (Elasmotheria)

You probably will not meet a person who does not imagine what a unicorn looks like. Even small children are well aware that unicorns are horses with one horn sticking out of their foreheads. These animals have always been associated with chastity and spiritual purity. In almost all world cultures, unicorns were described in legends and myths.

The first images of these unusual creatures were found in India more than 4 thousand years ago. Following the Indian people, unicorns began to be described in legends in the west of Asia, and then in Greece and Rome. In the fifth century BC, unicorns began to be described in the West. What is most surprising, in ancient times, these animals were considered quite real, and myths were passed off as stories that happened to people.

Most of the animals that existed in the world are similar to unicorns elasmotheria. These animals lived in the steppes of Eurasia and resembled our rhinos. Their habitat was a little further south than that of the woolly rhinoceros. This happened during the ice age, at the same time the first rock carvings of elasmotheriums were recorded.

These animals reminded us of our horses, only the Elasmotherium had a long horn on its forehead. They disappeared in the same period of time as the rest of the inhabitants of the megafauna of Eurasia. However, some scientists still believe that the Elasmotherium managed to survive and exist for a long time. It was in their image that the Evenks formed legends about bulls with a black color and a large horn on their foreheads.

2. Dragons (Magalania)

There are many stories about dragons and their varieties in folk art. Depending on the culture of the people, the image of these mythical animals also changed. So, in Europe, dragons were described as large creatures living in the mountains and exhaling fire. This description is classic for most people. However, in China, these animals were described in a completely different way, and more like huge snakes. In most of the legends, dragons signified a serious obstacle that needed to be overcome in order to receive a generous reward. It was also believed that by defeating the dragon and invading its torso, one could gain eternal life. That is, the dragon meant both rebirth and temporary death.

In mythological stories, references to dragons most likely appeared due to the remains of dinosaurs found, which were mistaken for the bones of mythical animals. Of course, legends about dragons did not appear without foundation, and in reality there were animals that served as a pretext for the emergence of myths.

The largest terrestrial lizards known in the scientific field were called magalanias. They lived in the Pleistocene era in Australia. It is proved that they existed from 1.6 million to 40,000 years ago. Magalania fed exclusively on mammals, and the size of the prey did not matter. Their habitat was sparse forests and grassy savannahs.

It is believed that some varieties of magalania managed to survive until the time when ancient people appeared. From there, images of huge lizards appeared, the length of which could reach up to 9 meters, and weight up to 2200 kilograms.

3. Krakens (Huge squids)

Icelandic sailors from ancient times described terrible monsters that resembled cephalopods. It was from the sailors of those times that stories began about a monster called the kraken. The first mention of this animal was recorded by a naturalist from Denmark. According to his descriptions, this animal was the size of a floating island, and possessed such strength that it could pull the most bulky warship to the bottom with its tentacles. Also, the conquerors of the seas were afraid of the whirlpools that arose when the kraken abruptly sank under water.

Many scientists today are convinced that krakens still exist. They only call them big squids and do not find anything mythical in them. There is also evidence of the vital activity of these animals, from a large number of fishermen. Disputes are only about the size of the mollusk. So, quite recently, in the southern seas, scientists managed to find a huge squid, the size of which was about 14 meters. It is also claimed that this mollusk, in addition to the usual suckers, had pointed claws at the ends of the tentacles. Faced with such a monster, even a man of our time would be frightened. What can we say about medieval fishermen, who in any case would have considered a huge squid for a mythical creature.

4. Basilisks (Poisonous snakes)

There are many legends and stories about basilisks. In them, these monsters were most often described as snakes of unimaginable size. Basilisk venom was deadly to any living creature. There were stories about this animal as early as the first century BC. However, at that time, a small, thirty-centimeter snake was called a basilisk, on the head of which there was a white spot. A little later, in the III century, the basilisk acquired a new image and was described as a fifteen-centimeter snake. Half a century later, numerous authors of legends began to add more and more new details to the basilisks, making a monster out of an ordinary snake. So, he got black scales, which were located all over his body, large wings, claws, like those of tigers, an eagle beak, emerald eyes and a lizard tail. In some cases, the basilisks were even "dressed" with a red crown. It was about such a creature that legends were made in Europe of the thirteenth century.

Modern scientists put forward a logical version that the basilisk is a prototype of some types of snakes. For example, it could be the well-known cobra. The rather ferocious behavior of this snake, as well as the ability to inflate the hood and spit poison, could well have caused a violent fantasy in the minds of ancient writers.

In ancient Egypt, the basilisk was considered a viper with horns. This is how he was depicted in hieroglyphs. Many believe that this was the reason for talking about the crown on the head of the snake.

5. Centaurs (Riders on horseback)

Talk about centaurs has come down to us from ancient Greece. They were described as beings with a horse's body, but with a human torso and head. It was also mentioned that centaurs were mortal, just like ordinary people. It was possible to meet them only in the thicket of the forest or high in the mountains. Ordinary people feared these creatures, as it was believed that the centaurs were violent and unrestrained. In mythology, centaurs have been described in different ways, claiming that some of them shared their wisdom and experience with people, teaching and instructing them. Other centaurs were hostile and constantly fought with the common people.

It is believed that these creatures were invented by people from nomadic tribes who lived in the north. Despite the fact that civilization already existed at that time, and people learned to ride horses, in some places this was not suspected. So, the first mention of centaurs is attributed to the Scythians, Taurians and Kassites. These tribes lived at the expense of cattle breeding, in particular they raised fierce and huge bulls, from which the temper for the centaur was taken.

6. Griffins (Protoceratops)

Griffins were described as creatures with the bodies of lions and the head of an eagle. In addition, these creatures had huge and sweeping wings, large claws, and lion tails. In some cases, the wings of the griffins were golden in color, while in other stories they were snow-white. The character of the griffins was described ambiguously: sometimes they were the embodiment of evil, which could not be restrained by anything, and they could also be wise and kind patrons responsible for justice.

The first mention of these mythical animals also appeared in ancient Greece. It is believed that the Scythians from Altai, who were looking for gold in the Gobi desert, told about outlandish animals about the inhabitants of this country. Wandering through the sandy expanses, these people accidentally found the remains of a protoceratops and mistook it for an unprecedented creature.

Nowadays, scientists have established that the description of the griffin is almost identical to the dinosaurs of this species. For example, the size of the fossil and the presence of a beak matched. In addition, Protoceratops had a horny growth on the back of the head, which could eventually disintegrate and become like ears and wings. This was the reason for the appearance of griffins in all sorts of myths and legends.

7. Bigfoot (Gigantopithecus)

Bigfoot has a huge number of different names. In some places he is known as a yeti, in others bigfoot or sascoche. However, according to the descriptions, Bigfoot is almost the same everywhere. He is represented as a creature similar to a man, but of a large size. It is completely covered with wool and lives only in the mountains or thickets of forests. There is no scientific evidence for the existence of this creature, although legends that it roams the forests still exist in our time.

People who talk about their encounters with the yeti claim that these monsters have a muscular body, a pointed skull, disproportionately long arms, a short neck and a heavy, protruding lower jaw. Everyone describes the color of the coat in different ways, to some it seemed red, to others white or black. There were even individuals with a gray cover.

Until now, scientists have been debating about what kind of Bigfoot can be attributed to. Among the plausible assumptions is that this creature is a mammal that is related to humans and primates. It was born in the prehistoric period and somehow managed to survive. There is also an opinion that Bigfoot comes from another planet, that is, an extraterrestrial life form.

To date, most opinions agree that the Yeti is none other than a variety of Gigantopithecus. These animals were humanoid apes, whose growth could reach up to 4 meters.

8. Sea serpent (Selyanoy king)

Mentions of encounters with the sea serpent are found all over the world. According to eyewitnesses, this mythical creature resembled a snake and was large. The snake's head was like a dragon's mouth, while in other sources it resembled a horse's.

The image of a sea serpent could have arisen among people not only of the ancient, but also of the modern world after meetings with a herring king or with a belt-fish. Due to its belonging to the belt-bodied fish, the herring king has a ribbon-like shape. However, only the length of the body is striking, it can reach up to 4 meters. The height of the body usually does not exceed 30 cm. Of course, there are also larger individuals, whose weight reaches 250 kilograms, but this is very rare.

9 Korean Dragons (Titanoboa)

Even by the name of the dragon, one can understand that it was invented in Korea. At the same time, the creature was endowed with such features that are characteristic of this particular country. The Korean dragon was a serpentine creature without wings, but with a large and long beard. Despite the fact that in most countries of the world these animals were described as fire-breathing creatures that destroy everything in their path, the Korean dragon was a peaceful creature. They were protectors of rice fields and reservoirs. Also in Korea, they believed that their mythical dragon was capable of causing rain.

The appearance of such an amazing creature is confirmed by science. In the not so distant past, scientists managed to discover the remains of a huge snake. It was this creature that lived on earth in the period from 61.7 to 58.7 million years BC that was given the name Titanoboa. The dimensions of this snake were simply colossal - an adult had a length of about 13 meters and weighed more than 1 ton.

10. Cyclopes (Pygmy Elephants)

Beliefs about the Cyclopes came from ancient Greece. There they were described as humanoid creatures, having a large stature and only one eye. Cyclopes were mentioned in many myths, where they were described as aggressive creatures with inhuman powers. In those days, the Cyclopes were considered a whole people living separately from all mankind.

From a scientific point of view, the legends of the cyclops originated from pygmy elephants. Finding the remains of these animals, people could take the central hole on the elephant's head for the eye socket of a cyclops.

Now we know the fundamental principle and understand what mythical creatures were meant when talking about unicorns, dragons and cyclops. Perhaps for other myths you can find a very real justification?

The world is not as simple as it might seem at first glance. And many scientists today repeat that there are parallel worlds in which various entities live, previously unseen. And fairy tales and myths are not fiction at all, but rather, even epics. That is why this article will present a list of mythical creatures that may have once lived, or maybe they live somewhere else at the moment.

Unicorn

In this list, both positive and negative representatives will be studied. If a good list is considered, the unicorn should definitely open. What is it? So, most often it is a beautiful white horse, in the forehead of which there is a sharp horn. It is a symbol of chastity and the struggle for justice. However, according to the esotericists, the unicorn must be a creature with a red head and a white body. Previously, he could be depicted with the body of a bull or a goat, and only later - a horse. Legends also say that unicorns by nature have an inexhaustible supply of energy. It is very difficult to tame them, but they obediently lie down on the ground if a virgin approaches them. If you want to ride a unicorn, you will have to stock up on a golden bridle.

The life of unicorns is also very difficult. They feed exclusively on flowers, drink only morning dew, and bathe in the cleanest forest lakes (in which the water becomes healing after that). Moreover, all the power of these creatures is contained in a single horn (healing powers are also attributed to him). Today they say: to meet a unicorn - to great happiness.

Pegasus

The list of mythical creatures similar to horses can also be replenished by a winged horse, the son of the Medusa Gorgon and Poseidon. His main function is to be on Olympus and give lightning and thunder to his father. However, being on earth, Pegasus knocked out Hippocrene with his hoof - the source of the muses, which should inspire all creative people to useful deeds.

Valkyries

Separately, you can also consider female mythical creatures. The list will be supplemented without fail by the Valkyries. These are warrior maidens who are companions and executors of the will of Odin (the supreme god in These are some symbols of an honorable death in hostilities. After the warrior has fallen, the Valkyries on their winged horses take him to the heavenly castle of Valhalla, where they serve him at the table. In addition, Valkyries can predict the future.

Other mythical female creatures

1. Norns. These are spinning women who determine the birth, life and death of people.
2. Parks, or moira. These are the three sisters, daughters of the night. They also predetermined the life of each person. Clota (first daughter) spins the thread of life, Lachesis (second daughter) keeps it, Atropos (third daughter) cuts it.
3. Erinyes. These are the goddesses of revenge, who are depicted with torches and whips in their hands. They push a person to avenge insults.
4. We continue to consider the female names of mythical creatures. Dryads can add to the list. These are the women guardians of the trees. They live in them and die with them. And those who planted and helped the tree grow were the wards of the dryads. They tried their best to help them.
5. Graces. These are mythical creatures that personify youthful charm and beauty. Their main goal was to arouse in the young hearts of girls such a feeling as love. In addition, they brought joy to everyone who met on their way.

Birds

The list of mythical creatures must be replenished with various birds. After all, they also occupied leading places in folk beliefs.

1. Phoenix. Today, many will say that this is a bird of happiness. However, earlier she personified the immortality of the soul and the cyclical nature of the world, as she could give rebirth and she herself was reborn, burning herself. The phoenix appears in the form of an eagle with golden and red plumage.
2. Anka. This is a bird from Muslim mythology, very similar in function and presentation to the phoenix. It was created by Allah, and is inaccessible to people.
3. Ruhh. This is a gigantic bird, which in its claws (huge and strong, like bull horns) can lift three elephants at once. It was believed that the meat of this bird returns lost youth. It was called Nog or Fear.

Griffins and similar creatures

The list of mythical creatures can be continued by monsters, which are the result of crossing two or more powerful animals.

1. First of all, these are griffins. These are winged creatures that have the head of an eagle and the body of a lion. They are guardians of the gold and treasures of the Riphean mountains. The cry of these monsters is very dangerous: every living thing in the area, even a person, dies from it.
2. Hippogriffs. This is the result of crossing a vulture bird (the front of the creature) and a horse (the body). This creature also had wings.
3. Manticore. This is a creature that has a human face crowned with three rows of teeth, the body of a lion and the tail of a scorpion. His eyes are filled with blood. It moves very quickly, and feeds on human bodies.
4. Sphinx. This is a creature that has the head and chest of a woman, and the body of a lion. It was called to protect Thebes. The Sphinx gave a riddle to every passer-by. Who could not guess it, he was killed by this creature.

dragons

What other mythical creatures are there? The list can be replenished with monsters, outwardly something similar to dragons.

1. Basilisk. This creature has the eyes of a toad, the head of a rooster, the wings of a bat, and the body of a dragon. In other legends, this is a huge lizard. From the gaze of this creature, all living things turn to stone (if the basilisk looks at itself in the mirror, it will die). Its saliva is also poisonous, it can also petrify. Lives in a cave, eats stones, comes out only at night. The main goal of his life: the protection of unicorns, as they are "pure" creatures.
2. Chimera. It is a creature with the head and neck of a lion, the tail of a dragon, and the body of a goat. This is a symbol of a breathing volcano, as this monster spewed fire. Some people believe that modern stone chimeras can come to life and do things.
3. We continue to consider mythical creatures. The list can be replenished with a monster with a body of a snake and nine heads of a dragon. She lived in a swamp near the city of Lerna and ate entire herds. Saved the city from the hydra Hercules.
4. Kraken. This is a kind of sea serpent, an Arabian dragon. He could capture an entire ship with his tentacles, and his back stood out in the middle of the ocean like a huge island.

Russian mythical creatures

Separately, consider the mythical creatures of Russia. This list can be opened by villains. They were also called Khmyri, or Crixes. They live in swamps, pester people. They can even move into a person if he is old and has no children. They represent darkness, poverty, poverty. In the house, the villains settle behind the stove, and then jump on the shoulders of a person and ride on him. Another mythical creature is Khukhlik. This is a mummer, water devil. This is an unclean spirit that comes out of the water and loves to play tricks on people, arranging various dirty tricks for them. Especially active during Christmas time.

Greek mythical creatures

Separately, I would also like to present a list of the mythical creatures of Greece, the cradle of human civilization.

1. Typhon. This is a monster that has about 100 dragon heads with long black tongues on the back of its head. It can scream with the voices of a variety of animals. This is a special personification of the destructive forces of nature.
2. Lamia is a demon with a female appearance who kills babies.
3. Echidna. An immortal and ageless woman with the body of a snake who lured travelers and devoured them.
4. Grai - three goddesses of old age.
5. Geryon. This is a giant, a monster, on the belt of which three bodies have grown together. He owned beautiful cows that lived on the island of Erifia.

Movies about mythical creatures

Fans of everything unusual can watch films about mythical creatures. This list can be replenished by the following films:

1. "Jason and the agronauts", 1963 release.
2. "The Lord of the Rings", several films that were released from 2001 to 2003.
3. Cartoon "How to Train Your Dragon", 2010 release.
4. Percy Jackson and the Sea of ​​Monsters, 2013.
5. The 2001 film Horror from the Abyss.
6. "My pet dinosaur" 2007 release.

Having considered the complete list of mythical creatures and demons, I would like to say that all these monsters are fictional. And so it is necessary to consider as long as there are no facts that testify to the contrary.

Fictional stories and universes created by science fiction are famous for their details. Races of mythical creatures have their own history, place where they live, and unique traditions. These are distinct cultures with precise rationales and habits that are unique to characters created within one or more stories.

Origin of mythical creatures

Mythology is a separate art form. It describes the life of the characters to the smallest detail: they exist within the same social group. Peoples wander, settle in one place, fight and create their own history. Their origin and behavior may differ. Depending on the variety of the legend, they grow and develop. Mythological races exist in one or more eras. Their uniqueness is due to the fact that the world around them is created in their likeness. Characters from the popular fantasy genre can interact with people. Their contacts generate new stories and create mutants.

Features of the life of peoples are taken into account in the narrative. Races of mythical creatures must exist, provide for themselves, settle down and continue the race. Collectively, all the details are collected in a single story. Not all stories are made up for the sake of a literary genre.

Ancient legends are based on human fears: people were afraid of what they did not understand. And fictional monsters saved from the fear of the unknown. They explained the horrors of the era. The description of monsters was passed on from one generation to another, so there were entire mythical races.

The division of magical creatures into nations

Peoples exist separately from other creatures or interact with other social groups. The more characters involved, the stronger the love lines, confrontations, and issues of inequality. The differences between these groups explains the behavior and motives of the main characters or antagonists.

What is the difference between an individual character and a fictional cohesive group:

• in a group, the characters must interact - on this contact, the features of everyday life, moral principles and habits are built;
• a single character cannot connect many stories - his life path can be interesting, but not develop into something larger;
• characters are better revealed when they have support or an opposing side;
• with the help of a description of peoples, the history of individual heroes, their sufferings and motives are easier to explain.

The list of groups is expanding in the modern world. In cinema and literature, old heroes get a new life: they undergo rebirth, gain skills and lose their old skills that do not fit into the era set by history. The most popular peoples are used in folklore or new sayings.

Werewolves

This race has many nicknames. Creatures are called werewolves or werewolves. A well-known belief, when at different times terrible monsters were operating in settlements near the forest. They attacked people, ate livestock and harmed everyone who got in their way.

A distinctive feature of werewolves is their attachment to the lunar cycle. Only at night, when the full moon appears in the sky, does the terrible beast go hunting.

Wolfdogs look like a big dog or a wolf with a huge mouth. They are covered with dark hair, and large and sharp claws are noticeable on their paws. In the mouths of the werewolves are fangs, with which the monsters tear their prey. Their eyes are red, filled with anger and hatred. Werewolves are very cruel. They spare no one, and as soon as they see the victim, she has no mercy.

According to legend, the face of the beast reflects the true nature of man. During the day and on ordinary nights, when the moon is waxing or waning, werewolves hide among people. They have a casual, casual look. Wolfdogs themselves do not remember everything that happens to them after reincarnation. They know about the curse, but they hear the details of the murders from other people.

They cannot control the animal part of themselves. Werewolves are both female and male. The curse passes by kind - the child is doomed to constant reincarnations. The first experience occurs during adolescence. Then the young werewolf becomes more aggressive: the closer the full moon, the stronger the inner anxiety.

At the head of the clan are the first werewolves. They are almost immortal, and live for at least 200 years.

Magic shifters

Known races of changelings can not only transform, but also get along well in the role of other people. From birth, creatures have their own appearance, but the older the child becomes, the more he tries to imitate others. Gradually, he learns to change his physical shell and thinking. Changelings do not depict other living flesh, but play the image to the smallest detail.

What are they doing:

• transform into any creature of flesh and blood - the stories describe shapeshifters who can transform into magical creatures and acquire their powers;
• change appearances as needed - if they smell danger, the changes do not bring any pain and occur in a few hours;
• for plausibility, the shapeshifter can kill his victim and take his place.

Calculating the creature is very difficult. He becomes an exact copy of a person. Adopts his habits, character and even temperament. Mythical creatures can stay in one shell for years: they get along in a role in which they are safe. Changelings live no more than 300 years.

Hobbits

The race of mythical shorties is known for incredible stories. Creatures owe their birth to John Tolkien, who described an enterprising people in his books The Lord of the Rings. They are also called halflings - their distinguishing feature is short stature and thick legs. Thin hobbits are rare. The more successful and richer they are, the thicker their body. Halflings have curly hair and round faces.

The people are very attached to the area, they honor their culture and have a well-developed family connection. Hobbit homes are passed down from generation to generation. It is born to halflings of 4-5 children. By nature, they are calm and too cautious. They are never drawn to adventure. The best thing that can happen to a hobbit is a calm and measured life. The main occupation is agriculture. Halflings make delicious cheese and various pickles.

They are very thrifty: every self-respecting hobbit has a pantry full of food just in case. Creatures are not endowed with dexterity or cunning, but they can be relied upon in a difficult moment. If they make a promise, they will do everything possible to keep it.

Orcs

Among the magical creatures there are mutants who frighten with their appearance. Orcs are described in the same story as hobbits. They are a product of evil, pure black power. The orcs of Middle-earth are born not from their mother, but appear from the foot of the mountains. They are born as adults and ready to fight. Mutants have no emotional attachments. They are ready to kill and always fight to the death. Sauron commands the horde - with their help, he tries to suppress the peoples that oppose him.

Another type of orc is found in games and modern films. This is a different social group. Unlike their relatives, such mutants live in tribes - they have children, build families and obey a just leader. These orcs are born and bred, so they are distinguished by their individuality. The tribal inhabitants feed on magical power. It gives them the power to crush any enemy. Barbarians attack only according to a well-thought-out plan: no one commands them, they follow their leader.

Gnomes

The list of magical races always includes gnomes. They are also called Carls or Underground People. They are distinguished by great industriousness and rarely get out: they live in mines and specially created underground passages under the mountains, they extract metal or diamonds. They are greedy, which explains their diligence.

Description of the appearance of the gnome:

• undersized;
• overweight;
• strong;
• outwardly resembling a human.

The inhabitants of the underground passages are distinguished by a bad character. The gnome always has a beard - by this feature he can always be distinguished from a dwarf or other creature. Karls are very proud of their facial hair. By the beard, you can determine the status and age of the gnome.

There are legends about the women of the people. They are rarely mentioned, but their appearance is almost always intimidating. According to popular beliefs, women of the underground people are similar to men. They are hairy, masculine and rough. According to other stories, women are cheerful and very peaceful. They hide, and even when the enemy attacks, only males are engaged in protecting the home.

trolls

Creatures of great stature have a special role in mythology - they serve to intimidate. Therefore, giants, as trolls are also called, live in the forest and remote areas. Terrible cannibals have a massive body, and when they walk on the ground, the roar disperses for several kilometers. Trolls are good at tracking down their prey. They have a good sense of smell and great physical strength. Giants love fresh meat with blood. In this case, people are the fastest and most delicious prey for them. The skin color is green and darkens with age.

Creatures do not shine with mental abilities. But they are distinguished by some cunning: if necessary, they can deceive the enemy or pretend to be dead. Giants survive due to good physical data.

Their character is difficult: trolls can get angry in a few minutes. When they are furious, they destroy everything around and spare no one.

The people are wild or socialized. Trolls live in a group in which it is easier to hunt, or alone - such creatures are less dangerous, they kill only in extreme cases.

elves

Alva, they are elves, are famous for their sophisticated appearance. They don't have a single flaw. They are pure, like the brightest energy. The elves have their own kingdom. They live near the forest or in its very thick. Beautiful and noble, they always lead a peaceful life. Nothing can anger mystical beings. They have good manners and impeccable taste. According to popular beliefs, no man can compare with an elf in beauty. Alf hair comes in only two colors - white and black. The eyes in most cases are light, sky blue.

Elves have pale skin that never tans. Males are feminine, distinguished by refined features and delicate skin. From a distance, it is impossible to distinguish a male from a female. If necessary, elves can fight, but they do it only as a last resort. Almost immortal creatures do not harbor malice, this explains their peaceful and measured life.

fairies

Fairies known to every child have magical powers. These are small creatures that can fly and conjure. Sometimes they are called pixies or fairies. They move quickly and can go unnoticed.

Fairies live in the forest or near the mountains. They are beautiful, but very harmful. The older the creature, the more disgusting it is in character. They love to play pranks and do a lot of dirty tricks. Fairy wings are multi-colored, and at night they glow.

Fairies have a lot in common with fairies. Creatures live long and do not age. They are always young and in full bloom. Grow up to the height of a ten-year-old child. Such fairies are cunning and very strong. Adults do not have wings, but they appear when necessary. The favorite color of creatures is green. Faeries can be powerful sorcerers: they separate themselves from the rest of the inhabitants of the forest. They can be dangerous, harm a person or an enemy. Wizards with wings live in underground halls, far from everyone.

Dryads

The spirits are the guardians of the forest. They see to it that all creatures live in peace and do not oppose each other. According to beliefs, they appeared from the earth: in this regard, dryads have the purest and most divine nature.

They have a special mind. According to the legends, the spirit of trees lives in dryads. If the forest is harmed, the creatures become dangerous and vicious. Outwardly, they look like plants. They can be a tree or a bush, and, if necessary, move around their possessions. The creatures have thick bark for protection and green branches that wither as the spirit baboon dies. He cannot die completely. The spirit is reborn and reincarnated, like everything else in nature.

Small individuals become people - they are guides for those who are lost or in trouble. Dukhobab children appear in order to convey a certain idea to other peoples. They warn or even threaten. By nature, the defenders of the forest are peaceful, but they can also fight.

Undines

Sea peoples are no less popular in mythology. They are patrons of all bodies of water around mountains, forests and settlements. The sea people are also called mermaids. They are half people, half fish. They can swim, but move on land if necessary.

In some beliefs, mermaids are beautiful and cute creatures, they swim on the seabed and enjoy life. According to other legends, they are insidious seductresses, luring strangers to them. They feed on their life force.

If you meet such a mermaid under water, you will not be able to escape. They are very fast, and if they drag someone under water, they can hide it at the very bottom. Mermaids come out only when necessary or when they need food. In other cases, they live under water and build their own dwelling there. Male specimens of the marine world are rarely on the surface. They guard their possessions.

Undines rarely make contact, they are closed and closed. The more attention people show to them, the further they hide. Undines do not like to live in groups: they choose a lonely life at the bottom.

Vampires

One of the most popular images - the vampire - is often used in modern fiction. Beautiful seductive bloodsuckers can live for centuries and hide among people. According to legend, they are not much different from ordinary women and men. In the past, they were humans bitten by other vampires. Immediately after the bite, a person dies and gradually turns into a bloodsucker.

What is the peculiarity of the life of night creatures:

• according to legend, they do not tolerate daylight - as soon as a ray of sun hits the skin, they begin to burn;
• they bite a person and can drink all his blood;
• to turn into this creature, you need to drink the blood of a vampire or be bitten;
• Vampires do not eat ordinary food - it makes them feel very bad;
• in different sources, creatures do not tolerate garlic, holy water, and they can be killed with the help of an aspen stake.

Vampires live among people. They sleep during the day and go hunting at night. The fangs with which they drink blood are not always visible. Monsters have an attractive appearance to lure new victims. Vampires don't age. Eternal youth is their gift and curse at the same time. You can kill a creature with a stake or by burning the whole body. Previously, the vampire's head is coarsened.

World folklore is inhabited by a huge number of amazing fantastic animals. In different cultures, they were credited with incredible properties or skills. Despite the diversity and dissimilarity, all mythical creatures have an undeniable commonality - there is no scientific confirmation of their existence in real life.

This did not stop the writers of treatises telling about the animal world of the planet, where real facts were intertwined with fiction, fables and legends. Most of them are described in the collection of articles on zoology, it is also called "The Bestiary of Mythical Creatures".

Causes

The surrounding nature with its cataclysms, often not always clear phenomena, inspired horror. Unable to find an explanation or somehow logically understand the chain of events, the person interpreted this or that incident in a peculiar way. Mythical creatures were called to help, guilty, according to people, of what was happening.

In the old days, the forces of nature stood on the highest pedestal. Their faith was unconditional. Ancient mythical creatures served as gods. They were worshiped, sacrificed in gratitude for a rich harvest, successful hunting, and a successful outcome of any business. To anger and offend mythical creatures were afraid.

But there is another theory of their appearance. The probability of the coexistence of several parallel worlds is recognized by some scientists, based on Einstein's theory of probability. There is an assumption that all these amazing individuals actually exist, but not in our reality.

What were they

The "Bestiary of Mythical Creatures" was among the main sources of information. There were not many publications systematizing the animal world of the planet. It is difficult to speak about its reliability. There were entered and described in great detail, including completely mythical creatures. The illustrations made with a pencil amazed the imagination, the smallest details of the monsters were drawn so carefully and in detail.

Usually these individuals combined the features of several, sometimes logically incompatible representatives of the animal world. These, basically, were the mythical creatures of Ancient Greece. But they could also combine human traits.

Many skills of mythical creatures are borrowed from the environment. The ability to grow new heads echoes the ability of lizards to regenerate a severed tail. The ability to spew flames can be compared to how some snakes can spit poison at a distance of up to 3 meters.

Serpentine and dragon-like monsters stand out as a separate group. Perhaps ancient people lived at the same time as the last extinct dinosaurs. The remains of huge animals could also provide food and freedom for the imagination to imagine what mythical creatures look like. Different nationalities have pictures with their images.

demihumans

In fictional images, there were also human features. They were used in different versions: an animal with parts of a human body, or vice versa - a person with the characteristics of an animal. A separate group in many cultures is represented by demi-humans (mythical creatures). The list is headed by perhaps the most famous character - the centaur. The human torso on the body of a horse - this is how the ancient Greeks depicted it. Strong individuals were distinguished by a very violent disposition. They lived in the mountains and forest thickets.

In all likelihood, his close relatives are an onocentaur, half-human, half-donkey. He had a petty character and was considered a rare hypocrite, often compared with Satan.

The famous minotaur is directly related to the "mythical creatures" order. Pictures with his image are found on household items from the times of Ancient Greece. A terrible creature with a bull's head, according to myth, kept Athens at bay, demanding an annual sacrifice in the form of seven young men and women. The monster devoured the unfortunate in its labyrinth on the island of Crete.

An individual of great strength with the torso of a man, with powerful horns and the body of a bull, was called a bucentaur (bull-man). He had the ability to cause hatred between members of different sexes on the basis of jealousy.

Harpies were considered spirits of the wind. Colorful half-woman half-birds, wild, predatory, with a disgusting unbearable smell. The gods sent them to punish the guilty people. It consisted in the fact that these swift creatures took away food from a person, dooming him to starvation. They were accused of stealing children and human souls.

Half-maiden-half-snake echidna, attractive in appearance, but terrible in its serpentine essence. Specialized in kidnapping travelers. She was the mother of a number of monsters.

Sirens appeared before travelers in the form of predatory beauties, with the head and torso of an elegant woman. Instead of hands, they had terrible bird paws with huge claws. A beautiful melodious voice, inherited from their mother, served as a bait for people. Sailing to the bewitching singing, the ships crashed against the stones, and the sailors died, torn to pieces by the sirens.

The Sphinx was a rare monster - the chest and face of a woman, the body of a lion with sweeping wings. His craving for riddles caused the death of a mass of people. He killed everyone who could not give the correct answer to his question. According to the Greeks, the Sphinx was the personification of wisdom.

water creatures

Mythical creatures of Greece lived in the waters of the oceans, seas, rivers, swamps. They were inhabited by naiads. The springs in which they lived were almost always healing. For a disrespectful attitude towards nature, for example, pollution of a source, a person could be punished with madness.

Scylla and Charybdis were once attractive nymphs. The wrath of the gods made them terrible monsters. Charybdis knew how to create a powerful whirlpool that occurs three times a day. It sucked in all the ships passing by. Scylla lay in wait for sailors near a cave in the rock of the Strait of Sicily. The trouble was on both sides of a narrow strip of water. And today the expression "fall between Charybdis and Scylla" means a threat from two sides.

Another colorful representative of the deep sea is the hippocamus, or water horse. According to the description, he really looked like a horse, but his body ended in a fish tail. He served as a means of transportation for the sea gods - nereids and newts.

flying creatures

Some mythical creatures could fly. Only a person with a rich imagination could dream of a griffin. It is described as a bird with the body of a lion, the front legs replace the paws of a bird with huge claws, and the head resembles an eagle. All living things perished from his cry. People believed that the griffins guarded the treasures of the Scythians. They were also used by the goddess Nemesis as draft animals for her wagon, which symbolized the inevitability and speed of punishment for committed sins.

Phoenix was a kind of mixture of different types of birds. In his appearance one could detect the features of a crane, a peacock, an eagle. The ancient Greeks considered him immortal. And the ability of the phoenix to be reborn symbolized the human desire for self-improvement.

There is no more noble creature in mythology capable of self-sacrifice. Once every five hundred years in the temple of the Sun, the phoenix voluntarily throws itself into the flames. His death returns harmony and happiness to the world of people. Three days later, a renewed bird is reborn from the ashes, ready to repeat its fate for the well-being of the human race.

Stymphalian birds, covered with bronze feathers, with copper claws and beaks, inspired fear in all who saw them. Their rapid reproduction did not give a chance for the survival of the surrounding area. Like locusts, they ate everything they came across, turning flowering valleys into deserts. Their feathers were formidable weapons. Birds hit them like arrows.

The winged horse Pegasus, although born from the head of a dying gorgon, has become a symbol of a reliable friend, talent and boundless intelligence. He combined the power of an independent creature from gravity, a horse and vitality. Graceful, impetuous, free, beautiful winged horse still serves for people of art.

Female mythical creatures

In Slavic culture, female mythical creatures served to kill people. A whole army of kikimors, mermaids, witches, at the first opportunity, tried to exterminate a person from the world.

No less terrible and evil female mythical creatures of Ancient Greece. Not everyone was originally born as monsters. Many became such by the will of the gods, taking on a terrible image as a punishment for any misdeeds. They differ in "place of residence" and way of life. They are united by the desire to destroy a person, and this is how evil mythical creatures live. The list is long:

• chimera;
• Gorgon;
• siren;
• salamander;
• puma;
• nymph;
• harpy;
• Valkyrie and other "pleasant" ladies.

Slavic mythology

Unlike other cultures, Slavic mythical creatures carry the experience and wisdom of all generations of ancestors. Traditions and legends were transmitted orally. The lack of writing did not affect the description of the unusual creatures that, according to the ancient Slavs, inhabited their world.

Mostly Slavic mythical creatures have a human appearance. All of them are endowed with supernatural powers and are clearly divided into habitats.

A semi-mythical creature - a werewolf (werewolf) - lived among people. He was credited with the ability to turn into a wolf. Moreover, unlike the legends of other peoples, this did not necessarily happen on a full moon. It was believed that the Cossack army was invincible precisely because the Cossack warriors could take the form of a wolf at any moment and attack enemies.

"Home" creatures

Brownie - the spirit of a human dwelling, protected the house from all sorts of troubles and troubles, including thieves and fires. He had the ability of invisibility, but the cats noticed him. When the family moved to another place, the brownie was always called with them, conducting the appropriate rituals. The custom of letting the first cat into the house has a simple explanation - a brownie enters on it.

He always treats the household well, but he does not tolerate lazy and grumpy people. Broken dishes or spilled cereal clearly makes it clear about his discontent. If the family does not listen to him and does not correct himself, the brownie may leave. Then the house is doomed to death, a fire or other misfortune will not keep you waiting.

In direct submission to the brownie serves as a yard. His duties include looking after the household outside the house: the barn, barns, yard. He is rather indifferent to people, but it is not recommended to make him angry.

Another spirit - anchutka - is subdivided according to the place of residence: field, water and home. A small dirty trick, not recommended for communication. The anchutka does not have any useful information, hypocrisy and the ability to deceive are inherent in it at the genetic level. His main entertainment is to make various sounds, a person with a weak psyche can be driven to madness. It is impossible to drive the spirit out of the house, but to a balanced person it is completely harmless.

Kikimora lives in the right corner from the entrance, where, according to custom, all the garbage was swept away. This is an energy creature, devoid of flesh, but having the ability to influence the physical world. It is believed that she can see very far, run fast and become invisible. The versions of the appearance of kikimor are also curious, there are several of them and all are considered correct:

• a dead baby can become a kikimora, this group includes all stillborn, premature babies or miscarriages;
• children born from the sinful connection of a fiery serpent and an ordinary woman;
• children cursed by their parents, the reason can be very different.

Kikimoras use nightmares for children as their weapon, and terrible hallucinations evoke adults. Thus, they can deprive a person of reason or lead to suicide. But there are special conspiracies against them, which were used by witches and sorcerers. An easier way is also suitable: a buried silver object under the threshold will not let the kikimora into the house.

It should be noted that, despite the widely used expression "bog kikimora", this does not apply to real representatives of this kind of entities. Apparently, we are talking about mermaids or dashing, just living in the swamps.

Mythical creatures of nature

One of the most famous mythical creatures living in the forest in Slavic mythology is the goblin. He, as the owner, owns everything - from a blade of grass with berries and mushrooms to trees and animals.

As a rule, the goblin is friendly towards a person. But such an attitude will only be towards people with a pure and bright soul. He will point out mushroom, berry places, and lead you to a short road. And if the traveler shows respect for the goblin and pampers him with a treat, an egg or a piece of cheese, he can count on protection from fierce animals or dark forces.

By the appearance of the forest itself, it was possible to determine whether the light goblin was in charge, or whether he had spread to the side of Chernobog. In this case, the possessions are unkempt, overgrown, dense and impassable. Such negligent "owners" are punished by the god Veles himself. He drives them out of the forest and transfers ownership to another goblin.

Famously, oddly enough, lives in a swamp. In fact, it is a complex allegory of an unfavorable set of circumstances associated with specific human actions. From this we can conclude that everyone provokes the appearance of dashing. It never attacks first, its appearance is an adequate reaction to human actions.

As they describe, this is a strong, vindictive and ferocious creature in various forms - either in the form of a giant, or as a tall, stooping undead woman. They are similar in one thing - the dasher has only one eye, but despite this, no one managed to escape from him.

Meeting with dashing is dangerous. His curses and ability to send people into trouble can eventually lead to death.

A whole group of water mythical creatures are represented by mermaids. There are:

• Vodyanitsy. They live only in the water, they never go to the ground, they serve the waterman, they are absolutely harmless, they can only scare with their tickling. They look like ordinary naked girls, they can briefly turn into fish or swans.
• Patchwork. A special kind of mermaid. Their time is at night, they can go to the banks of rivers and lakes. Naked beauties lure careless travelers and drown them. For their own amusement, they can tickle a person to death. Through their transparent backs, you can see the internal organs.
• Mavki. This type of mermaid is the most common and has a specific reason for its appearance. Legend has it that Kostroma found out that her husband Kupala was her brother. Realizing that they could not be together, the girl rushed off the cliff into the river and drowned. Since then, wandering along the river, looking for her husband. Every handsome guy is drawn into the pool. There, looking closer and realizing that she had pulled the wrong one into the pool, she lets go. True, this no longer helps the young man, by that time he manages to drown. This is the only type of mermaid that "specializes" exclusively in young men.
• Lobasta. The scariest type of mermaid. They sell their soul to Chernobog. They look creepy, like monsters with some parts of the female body. Strong and vicious creatures, they can attack singly and in groups. The best means of escape is to run from them.

Despite this diversity, all mermaids are related to the female sex. It is generally accepted that girls turn to them, whose death is somehow connected with water.

All bodies of water, whether it be a river or a lake, needed their own caretaker. This was the water one. He was responsible for the order on the shore and the purity of the water. He led all the mermaids, and if necessary, he could assemble a fairly powerful army from them. This was required to protect the reservoir from swamping (this is how the onset of dark forces manifested itself).

The water man was revered as a wise keeper of knowledge. He was often approached for advice. The power of the water one is great - he could both give life (water is its main source), and take it away, sending terrible natural disasters: floods and floods. But for no reason, the merman did not show his anger and always treated people kindly.

Mythical creatures and cinema

Modern computer graphics make it possible to shoot films on the theme of mythical creatures without any restrictions. The fertile inexhaustible theme inspires a whole army of filmmakers.

Scenarios are written based on well-known epics, myths, legends with an admixture of mysticism and superstition. Films about mythical creatures are also shot in the genre of fantasy, horror, and mysticism.

But not only feature films attract viewers. Scientists have not abandoned attempts to unravel the nature of entities so far. There are documentaries about mythical creatures that are very interesting in terms of content, assumptions, and scientific conclusions.

Mythical creatures in the modern world

Digging a person in himself, trying to find out as much as possible about his personality led to the creation of a mass of various tests. The test “What mythical creature are you?” has been developed and is widely popular. After answering a number of questions, the test-taker receives his own characteristics. It also indicates the mythical creature to which he most corresponds.

Attempts to explain the incredible phenomena associated with brownies, barabashkas and other "neighbors" are pushing researchers to desperate attempts to take photos of mythical creatures. Modern sensitive technology gives hope to researchers to capture the desired objects. Sometimes some light spots or blackouts appear in the photographs. Nothing can be said for certain by any expert. It is difficult to say with certainty that the photo of mythical creatures is clearly visible, and confirms their undeniable presence.

Almost every one of us has heard about certain magical and mythical creatures that inhabit our world. However, there are many more such creatures, the existence of which we know little or do not remember. In mythology and folklore, many magical entities are mentioned, some are described in more detail, others less.

Homunculus, according to the ideas of medieval alchemists, a creature similar to a small person, which can be obtained artificially (in a test tube). To create such a little man, the use of a mandrake was required. The root had to be plucked at dawn, then it had to be washed and "saturated" with milk and honey. Some prescriptions said that blood should be used instead of milk. After that, this root will fully develop into a miniature person who will be able to guard and protect its owner.

Brownie- Slavic peoples have a home spirit, a mythological master and patron of the house, ensuring the normal life of the family, fertility, health of people and animals. They try to feed the brownie, leave a separate saucer with treats and water (or milk) for him in the kitchen on the floor. The brownie, if he loves the owner or hostess, not only does not harm them, but also protects household well-being. Otherwise (which happens more often), he starts to dirty things, breaks and hides things, encroaches on the light bulbs in the bathroom, creates an incomprehensible noise. It can "strangle" the owner at night by sitting on the owner's chest and paralyzing him. Brownie can change shape and pursue his master when moving.

Babai in Slavic folklore, a night spirit, a creature mentioned by parents to intimidate naughty children. Babai does not have a specific description, but most often he was represented as a lame old man with a bag over his shoulders, into which he takes naughty children. Usually parents remembered Babai when their child did not want to fall asleep.

Nephilim (watchers - "sons of God") described in the book of Enoch. They are fallen angels. The Niphilim were physical beings, they taught people the forbidden arts and, taking human wives as wives, gave birth to a new generation of people. In the Torah and several non-canonical Jewish and early Christian writings, nephilim - nephilim means "who cause others to fall." The Nephilim were of gigantic stature, their strength was enormous, as was their appetite. They began to eat up all human resources, and when they ran out, they could attack people. The Nephilim began to fight and oppress people, which was a huge destruction on earth.

Abaasy- in the folklore of the Yakut peoples, a huge stone monster with iron teeth. Lives in a forest thicket away from people's eyes or underground. It is born from a black stone, similar to a child. The older he gets, the more the stone looks like a child. At first, the stone child eats everything that people eat, but when he grows up, he begins to eat the people themselves. Sometimes referred to as anthropomorphic one-eyed, one-armed, one-legged monsters as tall as a tree. Abaasy feed on the souls of people and animals, tempt people, send misfortunes and illnesses, and can deprive them of their minds. Often the relatives of the sick or deceased sacrificed an animal to Abaasy, as if exchanging his soul for the soul of the person they threaten.

Abraxas- Abrasax is the name of a cosmological being in the ideas of the Gnostics. In the early era of Christianity, in the 1st-2nd centuries, many heretical sects arose, trying to combine the new religion with paganism and Judaism. According to the teachings of one of them, everything that exists is born in a certain higher Kingdom of light, from which 365 categories of spirits come. At the head of the spirits is Abraxas. His name and image are often found on gems and amulets: a creature with a human body and a cock's head, instead of legs - two snakes. Abraxas holds a sword and shield in his hands.

Baavan shi- in Scottish folklore, evil, bloodthirsty fairies. If a raven flew up to a person and suddenly turned into a golden-haired beauty in a long green dress, it means that a baavan shi is in front of him. They wear long dresses for good reason, hiding under them deer hooves, which the baavan shi have instead of feet. These fairies lure men into their dwellings and drink their blood.

Baku- "Dream Eater" in Japanese mythology, a good spirit that eats bad dreams. You can summon him by writing his name on a piece of paper and placing it under your pillow. At one time, images of Baku hung in Japanese homes, and his name was written on pillows. They believed that if Baku was forced to eat a bad dream, then he had the power to turn the dream into a good one.
There are stories where Baku does not look very kind. Eating all the dreams and dreams, he deprived the sleeping of beneficial effects, and even completely deprived them of sleep.

kikimora- a character of Slavic-Ugric mythology, as well as one of the types of brownie, causing harm, damage and minor troubles to the household and people. Kikimors, as a rule, settle indoors if a child has died in the house. child. Swamp or forest kikimora was accused of kidnapping children, instead of whom she left an enchanted log. Her presence in the house could be easily identified by wet footprints. A caught kikimora could be turned into a human.

Basilisk- a monster with the head of a rooster, the eyes of a toad, the wings of a bat and the body of a dragon that exists in the mythologies of many peoples. From his gaze, all living things turn to stone. According to legend, if the Basilisk sees his reflection in the mirror, he will die. Caves are the habitat of the Basilisk, they are also its source of food, since the Basilisk only eats stones. He can leave his shelter only at night, because he cannot stand the cock crow. And he is also afraid of unicorns because they are too "clean" animals.

Baggain- in the folklore of the inhabitants of the Isle of Man, the insidious werewolf. He hates people and harasses in every possible way. Baggain is able to grow to gigantic sizes and take on any appearance. He can pretend to be human, but if you look closely, you can see pointed ears and horse hooves, which will still give out baggain.

Alkonost (alkonst)- in Russian art and legends, a bird of paradise with a maiden's head. Often mentioned and depicted along with Sirin, another bird of paradise. The image of Alkonost goes back to the Greek myth about the girl Alcyone, who was turned by the gods into a kingfisher. The earliest depiction of Alkonost is found in a book miniature of the 12th century. Alkonst is a safe and rare creature living closer to the sea. According to folk legend, in the morning on the Apple Savior, the Sirin bird flies into the apple orchard, which is sad and crying. And in the afternoon, the Alkonost bird flies to the apple orchard, which rejoices and laughs. The bird brushes off the live dew from its wings and the fruits are transformed, an amazing power appears in them - all the fruits on the apple trees from that moment on become healing

Water- the owner of the waters in Slavic mythology. Water graze at the bottom of rivers and lakes their cows - catfish, carp, bream and other fish. Commands mermaids, undines, drowned men, aquatic inhabitants. More often he is kind, but sometimes he drags some gaping person to the bottom to entertain him. It lives more often in whirlpools, likes to settle under a water mill.

Abnahuayu- in Abkhazian mythology ("forest man"). A giant ferocious creature, characterized by extraordinary physical strength and rage. The whole body of Abnahuayu is covered with long hair, similar to bristles, he has huge claws; eyes and nose are human. It lives in dense forests (there was a belief that one Abnauayu lives in every forest gorge). Meeting with Abnauayu is dangerous, the adult Abnauayu has an ax-shaped steel protrusion on his chest: pressing the victim to his chest, he cuts it in half. Abnahuayu knows in advance the name of the hunter or shepherd he will meet.

Cerberus (Spirit of the Underworld)- in Greek mythology, a huge dog of the Underworld, guarding the entrance to the afterlife. In order for the souls of the dead to enter the underworld, they must bring gifts to Cerberus - honey and barley biscuits. The task of Cerberus is to prevent dead living people from entering the kingdom who want to rescue their loved ones from there. One of the few living people who managed to penetrate into the underworld and emerge from it unharmed was Orpheus, who played beautiful music on the lyre. One of the feats of Hercules, which he was ordered to perform by the gods, was to bring Cerberus to the city of Tiryns.

Griffin- winged monsters with a lion's body and the head of an eagle, guardians of gold in different mythologies. Griffins, vultures, in Greek mythology, monstrous birds with an eagle's beak and the body of a lion; they. - “dogs of Zeus” - guard gold in the country of the Hyperboreans, guarding it from the one-eyed Arimaspians (Aeschyl. Prom. 803 following). Among the fabulous inhabitants of the north - the Issedons, Arimaspians, Hyperboreans, Herodotus also mentions Griffins (Herodot. IV 13).
There are also griffins in Slavic mythology. In particular, it is known that they guard the treasures of the Riphean mountains.

gaki. in Japanese mythology - ever-hungry demons. They are reborn those who, while living on Earth, overeat or throw away completely edible food. Gaki's hunger is insatiable, but they cannot die from it. They eat anything, even their children, but they cannot get enough. Sometimes they get into the Human World, and then they become cannibals.

Vuivre, Vuivre. France. King, or queen of snakes; in the forehead - a sparkling stone, a bright red ruby; the form of a fiery serpent; keeper of underground treasures; can be seen flying across the sky on summer nights; dwellings - abandoned castles, fortresses, donjons, etc.; his images are in the sculptural compositions of Romanesque monuments; when he bathes, he leaves the stone on the shore, and whoever manages to take possession of the ruby ​​will become fabulously rich - he will receive part of the underground treasures guarded by the snake.

headdress- A Bulgarian vampire who eats dung and carrion because he is too much of a coward to attack people. It has a bad character, which is not surprising with such a diet.

Ayami, in the Tungus-Manchu mythology (among the Nanais) the spirits-ancestors of shamans. Each shaman has his own Ayami, he instructed, indicated what kind of costume a shaman (shaman) should have, how to treat. Ayami appeared to the shaman in a dream in the form of a woman (to a shaman - in the form of a man), as well as a wolf, a tiger and other animals, moved into shamans during prayers. Ayami could also have spirits - the owners of various animals, it was they who sent Ayami to steal the souls of people and cause them illness.

Duboviki- in Celtic mythology, evil magical creatures living in the crowns and trunks of oaks.
To every person passing by their dwelling, they offer delicious food and gifts.
In no case should you take food from them, and even more so taste it, since food cooked by oak trees is very poisonous. At night, oaks often go in search of prey.
You should know that it is especially dangerous to pass by a recently felled oak tree: the oak trees that lived in it are angry and can do a lot of trouble.

Damn (in the old spelling "devil")- an evil, playful and lustful spirit in Slavic mythology. In the book tradition, according to the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, the word devil is a synonym for the concept of demon. The devil is social and most often goes hunting with groups of devils. The devil is attracted to people who drink. When the devil finds such a person, he tries to do everything so that the person drinks even more, bringing him to a state of complete madness. The very process of their materialization, popularly known as “get drunk to hell”, is colorfully and in detail described in one of the stories of Vladimir Nabokov. “By prolonged, stubborn, lonely drunkenness,” the famous prose writer reported, “I brought myself to the most vulgar visions, namely: I began to see devils.” If a person stops drinking, the devil begins to wither without receiving the expected replenishment.

Vampal, in the mythology of the Ingush and Chechens, a huge shaggy monster with supernatural powers: sometimes Vampala has several heads. Wampals are both male and female. In fairy tales, Vampal is a positive character, distinguished by nobility and helping the heroes in their battles.

hyanas- in Italian folklore, mostly female perfumes. Tall and beautiful, they lived in the forests, were engaged in needlework. They could also predict the future and knew where the treasures were hidden. Despite their beauty, hyanas, among which the majority were women, had difficulty finding a mate. There were extremely few male hyanas; dwarfs were no good for husbands, and giants were real brutes. Therefore, the hyanas could only do work and sing sad songs.

Yrka in Slavic mythology- an evil night spirit with eyes on a dark face, glowing like a cat, is especially dangerous on the night of Ivan Kupala and only in the field, because the goblin do not let him into the forest. They become suicidal. Attacks lonely travelers, drinks their blood. Ukrut, his assistant, brings him a sack of scoundrels, from whom Yrka drank life. He is very afraid of the fire, he does not approach the fire. To save yourself from it, you can’t look around, even if they call out in a familiar voice, don’t answer anything, say “stay away from me” three times, or read the prayer “Our Father”.

Div- The demonic character of East Slavic mythology. Mentioned in medieval teachings against the pagans. There are echoes of the latter meaning in the episodes of The Tale of Igor's Campaign, where the expression "spreading divas to the ground" is perceived as a harbinger of misfortune. Div turned people away from dangerous deeds, appearing in the form of unseen. Seeing him and being surprised, people forgot about the unrighteous deed that they wanted to commit. The Poles called him esiznik (“There is a sign”, there is and disappeared), that is, a god-vision.

Ayustal, in Abkhazian mythology, hell; harms people and animals. According to beliefs, if Ayustal moves into a person, he falls ill, and sometimes dies in agony. When a person suffers greatly before death, they say that Ayustal took possession of him, but often a person defeats Ayustal by cunning.

Sulde "life force", in the mythology of the Mongolian peoples, one of the souls of a person, with which his vital and spiritual strength is associated. Sulde ruler is the spirit - the guardian of the people; its material embodiment is the banner of the ruler, which in itself becomes an object of worship, guarded by the subjects of the ruler. During the wars, human sacrifices were made to the Sulde-banners to raise the morale of the army. The Suldi banners of Genghis Khan and some other khans were especially revered. The character of the shamanic pantheon of the Mongols Sulde-Tengri, the patron of people, apparently, is genetically connected with Sulde of Genghis Khan.

shikome in Japanese mythology, a warlike race of creatures vaguely similar to European goblins. Bloodthirsty sadists, slightly taller than people and much stronger than them, with well-developed muscles. Sharp teeth and burning eyes. They do nothing but war. They often set up ambushes in the mountains.

Buka - scarecrow. A small, vicious creature that lives in a child's closet or under a bed. Only children see it, and children suffer from it, since Buka loves to attack them at night - grab them by the legs and drag them under the bed or into the closet (his lair). He is afraid of the light, from which the faith of adults can die. He is afraid that adults will believe in him.

Beregini in Slavic mythology, spirits in the guise of women with tails, living along the banks of rivers. Mentioned in ancient Russian historical and literary monuments. They protect people from evil spirits, predict the future, and also save small children left unattended and fallen into the water.

Anzud- in Sumerian-Akkadian mythology, a divine bird, an eagle with a lion's head. Anzud is a mediator between gods and people, at the same time embodying good and evil principles. When the god Enlil took off his insignia while washing, Anzud stole the tablets of fate and flew with them to the mountains. Anzud wanted to become more powerful than all the gods, but by his act he violated the course of things and divine laws. In pursuit of the bird, the god of war, Ninurta, set off. He shot Anzud with his bow, but Enlil's tablets healed the wound. Ninurta managed to hit the bird only on the second attempt, or even on the third attempt (in different versions of the myth in different ways).

Bug- spirits in English mythology. According to legends, the bug is a "children's" monster, even in our time, English women scare their children with it.
Usually these creatures have the appearance of shaggy monsters with matted, tufted hair. Many English children believe that bugs can enter rooms by using open chimneys. However, despite their rather intimidating appearance, these creatures are completely non-aggressive and practically harmless, since they have neither sharp teeth nor long claws. They can scare in only one way - by making a terrible ugly face, spreading their paws and raising the hair on the scruff of the neck.

Alraunes- in the folklore of European peoples, a tiny creature that lives in the roots of a mandrake, the outlines of which resemble human figures. Alraunes are friendly to people, but they are not averse to making fun, sometimes quite cruelly. These are werewolves capable of transforming into cats, worms, and even small children. Later, the Alrauns changed their way of life: they liked the warmth and comfort in people's homes so much that they began to move there. Before moving to a new place, alrauns, as a rule, test people: they scatter all kinds of garbage on the floor, throw clods of earth or pieces of cow dung into milk. If people don't sweep the trash and drink milk, Alraun understands that it is quite possible to settle here. It's almost impossible to drive him away. Even if the house is burned down and people move somewhere, alraun follows them. Alraun had to be treated with great care due to its magical properties. You had to wrap or dress him in white robes with a gold belt, bathe him every Friday, and keep him in a box, otherwise Alraun would start yelling for attention. Alraunes were used in magical rituals. It was assumed that they bring great luck, in the likeness of a talisman - a quatrefoil. But possession of them carried the risk of being prosecuted for witchcraft, and in 1630 three women were executed in Hamburg on this charge. Due to the high demand for Alraunes, they were often cut from bryony roots, as genuine mandrakes were hard to come by. They were exported from Germany to various countries, including England, during the reign of Henry VIII.

Authorities- in Christian mythological representations, angelic creatures. The authorities can be both good forces and minions of evil. Among the nine angelic ranks, the authorities close the second triad, which, in addition to them, also includes dominions and powers. As Pseudo-Dionysius says, “the name of the holy Authorities signifies equal to the Divine Dominions and Forces, slender and capable of receiving Divine illuminations, the Chin and the device of a worldly spiritual dominion, which does not autocratically use the granted domineering powers for evil, but freely and decently to the Divine as itself ascending who brings others holy to Him and, as much as possible, becomes like the Source and Giver of all power and portrays Him ... in a completely true use of his sovereign power.

gargoyle- the fruit of medieval mythology. The word "gargoyle" comes from the Old French gargouille - throat, and with its sound imitates the gurgling sound that occurs when gargling. The gargoyles seated on the facades of Catholic cathedrals were ambivalent. On the one hand, they were like ancient sphinxes as guard statues, capable of coming to life and protecting a temple or a mansion in a moment of danger, on the other hand, when they were placed on temples, it showed that all evil spirits were fleeing from this holy place, since it could not bear the temple purity.

Grima- according to medieval European beliefs, they lived throughout Europe. Most often they can be seen in old cemeteries located near churches. Therefore, scary creatures are also called church makeup.
These monsters can take on a variety of forms, but most often they turn into huge dogs with jet-black hair and glow-in-the-dark eyes. You can see the monsters only in rainy or cloudy weather, they usually appear in the cemetery in the late afternoon, and also during the day during the funeral. They often howl under the windows of sick people, foreshadowing their imminent death. Often, some kind of makeup, not afraid of heights, climbs the church bell tower at night and starts ringing all the bells, which is considered by the people to be a very bad omen.

Ahti- a water demon among the peoples of the north. Neither evil nor good. Although he likes to joke and with jokes he can go too far so that a person will die. Of course, if you piss him off, he can kill you.

Atsys“Without a name”, in the mythology of the West Siberian Tatars, an evil demon that unexpectedly appears in front of travelers at night in the form of a shock, cart, tree, fiery clod and strangles them. Attsys was also called various evil spirits (Myatskai, Oryak, Ubyr, etc.), whose names were afraid to pronounce out loud, being afraid to attract a demon.

Shoggoths- creatures mentioned in the famous mystical book "Al Azif", better known as the "Necronomicon", written by the crazy poet Abdul Alhazred. Approximately one third of the book is devoted to the control of shoggoths, which are presented as shapeless "eels" from bubbles of protoplasm. The ancient gods created them as servants, but the shoggoths, possessing intelligence, quickly got out of submission and have since acted of their own free will and for their strange incomprehensible goals. It is said that these beings often appear in narcotic visions, but there they are not subject to human control.

Yuvha, in the mythology of the Turkmens and Uzbeks of Khorezm, Bashkirs and Kazan Tatars (Yukha) is a demonic character associated with the water element. Yuvkha is a beautiful girl whom she turns into after living for many years (among the Tatars - 100 or 1000) years. According to the myths of the Turkmens and Uzbeks of Khorezm, Yuvkha marries a man, setting him a number of conditions in advance, for example, do not watch how she combs her hair, does not pat on the back, perform ablution after intimacy. Violating the conditions, the husband discovers snake scales on her back, sees how, combing her hair, she removes her head. If Yuvha is not killed, she will eat her husband.

Ghouls - (Russian; Ukrainian upir, Belarusian ynip, other Russian Upir), in Slavic mythology, a dead man attacking people and animals. At night, the Ghoul rises from the grave and, in the guise of a bloodshot dead man or a zoomorphic creature, kills people and animals, sucks out blood, after which the victim either dies or can become a Ghoul herself. According to popular beliefs, people who died an "unnatural death" became ghouls - violently murdered, drunkards, suicides and also sorcerers. It was believed that the earth does not accept such dead people and therefore they are forced to wander around the world and harm the living. Such dead people were buried outside the cemetery and away from housing.

Chusrym in Mongolian mythology - the King of fish. He freely swallows ships, and when he sticks out of the water, he looks like a huge mountain.

Sharkan, in Hungarian mythology, a dragon with a serpentine body and wings. It is possible to distinguish between two layers of ideas about Shambling. One of them, associated with the European tradition, is presented mainly in fairy tales, where Sharkan is a ferocious monster with a large number (three, seven, nine, twelve) of heads, the hero’s opponent in battle, often an inhabitant of a magic castle. On the other hand, there are beliefs about the one-headed Shuffling as one of the assistants of the sorcerer (shaman) taltosh.

Shilikun, Shilikhan- in Slavic mythology - hooligan small spirits that appear on Christmas Eve and before Epiphany run through the streets with burning coals in pans. Drunk people can be pushed into the hole. At night they will make noise and roam, and turning into black cats, they will crawl under their feet.
They are as tall as a sparrow, their legs are like those of a horse - with hooves, fire breathes from their mouths. At Baptism they go to the underworld.

Faun (Pan)- spirit or deity of forests and groves, god of shepherds and fishermen in Greek mythology. This is a cheerful god and companion of Dionysus, always surrounded by forest nymphs, dancing with them and playing the flute for them. It is believed that Pan had a prophetic gift and endowed Apollo with this gift. The faun was considered a crafty spirit that stole children.

Kumo- in Japanese mythology - spiders that can turn into people. Very rare creatures. In their normal form, they look like huge spiders, the size of a man, with burning red eyes and sharp stingers on their paws. In human form, beautiful women with a cold beauty, trapping men and devouring them.

Phoenix- an immortal bird personifying the cyclical nature of the world. Phoenix is ​​the patron of anniversaries, or great time cycles. Herodotus recounts the original version of the legend with marked skepticism:
“There is another sacred bird there, its name is Phoenix. I myself have never seen her, except as painted, because in Egypt she rarely appears, once in 500 years, as the inhabitants of Heliopolis say. According to them, she arrives when her father (that is, she herself) dies. If the images correctly show her size and size and appearance, her plumage is partly golden, partly red. Its appearance and dimensions resemble an eagle. This bird does not breed, but is reborn after death from its own ashes.

Werewolf- Werewolf - a monster that exists in many mythological systems. It means a person who can turn into animals or vice versa. An animal that can turn into people. This skill is often possessed by demons, deities and spirits. The classic werewolf is the wolf. It is with him that all the associations born by the word werewolf are associated. This change can occur either at the will of the werewolf, or involuntarily, caused, for example, by certain lunar cycles.

Viryava- the mistress and spirit of the grove among the peoples of the north. Appeared as a beautiful girl. Birds and animals obeyed her. She helped lost travelers.

wendigo- spirit-eater in the myths of the Ojibwe and some other Algonquian tribes. Served as a warning against any excesses of human behavior. The Inuit tribe calls this creature by various names, including Windigo, Vitigo, Vitiko. Wendigo enjoy hunting and love to attack hunters. A lone traveler who finds himself in the forest begins to hear strange sounds. He looks around for the source, but sees nothing but a flicker of something moving too fast for the human eye to see. When the traveler starts to run away in fear, the Wendigo attacks. He is powerful and strong like no other. Can imitate people's voices. In addition, the Wendigo never stops hunting after eating.

Shikigami. in Japanese mythology Spirits summoned by a magician, an expert on Onmyo-do. They usually look like small oni, but can take the form of birds and beasts. Many shikigami can possess and control the bodies of animals, and the shikigami of the most powerful magicians can possess humans. Controlling shikigami is very difficult and dangerous, as they can break out of the magician's control and attack him. An expert on Onmyo-do can direct the power of other people's shikigami against their master.

hydra monster, described by the ancient Greek poet Hesiod (VIII-VII centuries BC) in his legend of Hercules ("Theogony"): a many-headed snake (Lernean Hydra), in which two new ones grew instead of each severed head. And it was impossible to kill her. Hydra's lair was near Lake Lerna near Argolis. Under water was the entrance to the underground kingdom of Hades, which was guarded by a hydra. Hydra hid in a rocky cave on the shore near the spring of Amimona, from where it came out only to attack the surrounding settlements.

Fighting- in English folklore, water fairies that lure mortal women, appearing to them in the form of wooden dishes floating on the water. As soon as any woman grabs onto such a dish, the fight immediately takes on its true, ugly appearance and drags the unfortunate woman to the bottom so that she can look after his children there.

Sinister- pagan evil spirits of the ancient Slavs, the personification of Nedol, Navi servants. They are also called kriks or hmyrs - swamp spirits, which are so dangerous that they can stick to a person, even move into him, especially in old age, if a person did not love anyone in life and he had no children. Sinister can turn into a poor old man. In the Christmas game, the villain personifies poverty, poverty, winter darkness.

incubi- in medieval European mythology, male demons seeking female love. The word incubus comes from the Latin "incubare", which means "to lie down" in translation. According to old books, incubus are fallen angels, demons who are addicted to sleeping women. Incubuses showed such enviable energy in intimate matters that entire nations were born. For example, the Huns, who, according to medieval beliefs, were the descendants of "outcast women" Goths and evil spirits.

Goblin- the owner of the forest, the forest spirit, in the mythology of the Eastern Slavs. This is the main owner of the forest, he makes sure that no one in his household does any harm. He treats good people well, helps to get out of the forest, to not very good - bad: he confuses, makes him walk in circles. He sings in a voice without words, beats his hands, whistles, hoots, laughs, cries. Leshy can appear in various plant, animal, human and mixed forms, can be invisible. Most often appears as a lonely creature. Leaves the forest for the winter, sinking underground.

baba yaga- a character of Slavic mythology and folklore, the mistress of the forest, the mistress of animals and birds, the guardian of the borders of the kingdom of Death. In a number of fairy tales it is likened to a witch, a sorceress. Most often - a negative character, but sometimes acts as an assistant to the hero. Baba Yaga has several stable attributes: she knows how to conjure, fly in a mortar, lives on the edge of the forest, in a hut on chicken legs surrounded by a fence of human bones with skulls. She lures good fellows and small children to her, ostensibly in order to eat them.

Shishiga, an unclean spirit, in Slavic mythology. If he lives in the forest, then he attacks randomly wandering people, so that later he can gnaw their bones. At night, they like to make noise and gossip. According to another belief, shishimora or shishigs are mischievous restless house spirits that mock a person who does things without praying. We can say that these are very instructive spirits, correct, accustoming to the pious routine of life.