Mythical creatures are testimony to how our ancestors saw the world, how they translated it, and what they feared. There are many creatures in particular mythologies and folklore of different cultures. Here I present 29 mythical creatures from Greek mythology, Slavic beliefs, Scandinavian folklore, and more. I chose those creatures whose names at least should sound familiar.
1. Unicorn
A mythical creature, something like a white horse, but with a single large, pointed, spiral horn growing from its forehead. The unicorn appeared in early Mesopotamian works, on the seals of the Indus Valley Civilization, as well as in the ancient myths of India and China. The oldest description of a unicorn in Greek literature of a unicorn was written by the historian Ctesias in 400 B.C. Later historians such as Strabo, Pliny the Younger, and Claudius Aelianus also mentioned him, suggesting that they did not think of him as a myth but as a real animal. In the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, the unicorn was the most important unreal animal. People considered him a symbol of purity and grace, and his horn has magical powers. It can purify poisoned water and has healing properties, and those who drink from it are protected against stomach problems, epilepsy, and poison. Unfortunately, it was not easy to catch a unicorn, only a virgin could do it.
2. Minotaur
In Greek mythology, the Minotaur is a mythical creature with a human body with a bull's head and tail. The beast was the child of Minos Pazyfae's wife and a white bull who was sent to Minos to sacrifice. Minos decided to keep the animal, which drew Poseidon's wrath on him. As a punishment, Poseidon made Minos' wife fall in love with the bull. From this union was born the Minotaur, which was locked in a labyrinth designed by Daedalus and his son Icarus at the behest of King Crete Minos. Every year, 7 young men and 7 virgins of Athens were sacrificed to the Minotaur. The third time, the Athenian hero Theseus volunteered and with the help of Ariadne, the daughter of Minos, he killed the monster and then escaped with Ariadne (I wonder what martial art he used, probably Kunimitsu).
3. Kraken
The seawater is full of tales of cruel sea serpents and mermaids, but few of the deep creatures were as feared as the mighty Kraken. Kraken is, in Scandinavian folklore, a legendary sea monster similar in appearance to cephalopods. The monster lives off the coast of Norway and Greenland and terrorizes nearby sailors. For centuries, Kraken has been part of superstition and myth, the monster reportedly used tentacles to grab a ship and pull it into the depths, but it could also create a deadly vortex by simply plunging underwater. The tales of the Kraken's wrath are embellished, but the creature itself isn't entirely fancy. It is suspected that the legend may have come from the observations of giant squid that can grow up to 20 meters in length.
4. Centaur
The centaur is a mythological creature from Greek mythology with the upper body of a human, lower body, and legs of a horse. Centaurs are considered wild and untamed in many Greek myths. They are said to have inhabited the Magnesia region and Mount Pelion in Thessaly, the Foloi oak forest in Elis, and the Male Peninsula in southern Laconia. Centaurs were then introduced in Roman mythology and were also famous characters in the medieval bestiary.
The most likely theory is that the centaur idea was born out of the first reaction to nomads who rode on horses. For people who have not ridden horses and have never seen anyone ride a horse before, the first time riders seen could look like half horses, half people. Bernal Díaz del Castillo reported that the Aztecs also had such a misunderstanding about Spanish cavalrymen. One of the most famous centaurs is Chiron, the wise centaur. Although most centaurs were portrayed as lascivious and wild, Chiron was a notable exception; modest and civilized, he was known for his healing skills and teaching skills.
5. Phoenix
In Greek mythology, the phoenix is a long-lived legendary bird that regenerates periodically or is otherwise reborn. The phoenix associated with the sun gains new life by rising from the ashes. There are different traditions about the lifespan of a phoenix, but most accounts show that the phoenix lived 500 years before being born again. Herodotus, Lucan, Pliny the Elder, Pope Clement I, Lactantius, Ovid, and Isidore of Seville are among those who contributed to the transmission of the phoenix theme. The phoenix symbolizes renewal, sun, time, empire, consecration, resurrection, life in heaven, Christ, Mary, virginity, and a unique human being. Scientists have observed analogies to the phoenix in various cultures. These analogies include Hindu garuda and bherunda, Slavic censer-bird, Persian Simurgh, Georgian paskunji, Arabic Anka, Turkish konrul, Jewish Ziz, Tibetan Me byi Karmo, Chinese Fenghuang, and zhu que, and Japanese hō-ō.
6. Pegasus
Pegasus is a mythical white-winged horse and one of the most recognizable creatures in Greek mythology. He was born of a mixture of seafoam (Poseidon) and the blood of Medusa after her head was cut off by Perseus. Pegasus presented as a good-natured, gentle creature, a bit naive but always willing to help, e.g. he allowed Bellerophon to ride him to defeat the Chimera. For his service and loyalty, Zeus honored him with special immortality, turning Pegasus into a constellation on the last day of his life. Pegasus is a mythical animal that symbolizes divine inspiration, a journey to heaven, and wisdom. In the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, he was known as a symbol of fame, he became one of the symbols of poetry and the creator of sources from which poets draw inspiration.
7. Siren
In Greek mythology, Mermaids were dangerous creatures that lured sailors with their enchanting music and singing. They did it to wreck a ship on the rocky coast of the island. Contrary to what each of us imagines when we think of a mermaid, initially it was not half woman, half fish. The fish image of mermaids comes from later times. In early Greek art, mermaids are depicted as birds with large female heads, bird feathers, and scaly feet. Later, they are depicted as female figures with bird legs, with or without wings. Playing a variety of musical instruments, especially harps and lyres. It was said that the Sirens would die if any mortal hears them sing and live to tell the story. The most famous appearance of mermaids in classical mythology is in the "Odyssey" of Homer, who just came out of a meeting with them unscathed, and the mermaids rushed to the sea and that's what they saw.
8. A werewolf
In folklore, a werewolf is a human who has the ability to transform into a wolf. It becomes one after being cursed or by being bitten or scratched by another werewolf, especially during a full moon. The werewolf is a widespread concept of European folklore, occurring in many variants that are related to the common development of a Christian interpretation of folklore developed during the Middle Ages. Belief in mythical creatures - werewolves developed in parallel with belief in witches in the late Middle Ages and early modern times.
The persecution of werewolves and the folklore associated with them are an integral part of the witch hunt. Although this is a marginal phenomenon, accusations of lycanthropy were much rarer than accusations of witchcraft. In Europe, where the werewolf legend became most popular, it was thought that there were three ways to treat werewolf transformation: with a werewolf, surgery, or exorcism. Unfortunately, many purported medicines supported by the first European doctors killed most of the patients. It is now believed that the werewolf figure was a way to explain the violent and cannibalistic behavior of serial killers of the Middle Ages.
9. Vampire
Vampires are mythological creatures that lurk at night, are afraid of garlic, and drink human blood. Most people associate vampires with Count Dracula, a legendary character from Bram Stoker's novel "Dracula". But the vampire story began long before Stoker was born.
10. Dragon
The dragon is a legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures around the world. Beliefs about dragons vary drastically depending on the region. Dragons in Western cultures beginning in the Middle Ages are often depicted as winged, horned, four-legged, and fire-breathing. In eastern cultures, they are usually depicted as wingless, four-legged, serpentine creatures of above-average intelligence.
Dragons were first described in ancient Near Eastern mythologies and appeared in ancient Mesopotamian art and literature. In Western cultures, dragons are portrayed as monsters to be tamed or defeated, usually by saints or heroes, as in the popular legend of St. George and the dragon. They are presented as hungry, living in caves and collecting treasures. Other myths about dragons say that if someone dips a sword or knife in a dragon's blood and stabs someone with it, their wound will never heal. Besides, it is also believed that the blood of the dragon gives man the possibility of looking into the future.
11. Bigfoot
In North American folklore, the Bigfoot or Sasquatch is a hairy, erect, ape-men that lives in the wild and leave prints on their feet. They are often presented as the missing link between hominids and human prehistoric ancestors. People who claim to have seen the bigfoot describe it as a muscular, two-legged ape-like creature. A creature about 1.8-2.7 m tall, covered with hair described as black, dark brown, or dark red. However, most scientists do not recognize the existence of bigfoot, considering it to be a combination of folklore, misidentification, and hoax, and not live animals. The Yeti is a similar essence to the Sasquatch, except that it is part of the mythology and legends of the Himalayan inhabitants. Like the Bigfoot is considered a legend has given the lack of evidence of its existence.
12. Baba Yaga
Baba Yaga is one of the most famous characters we can find in Slavic mythology. An old woman with a crooked nose, sharp teeth, and long, dirty nails, lives in the forest in a crow's feet house. Her name comes from a Slavic word meaning grandmother "Baba". And the word "Yaga" is uncertain, but some believe it means "wicked." Although old, she was very powerful. It was said to have the power to control people and animals. She could cast spells to paralyze people, she could control the weather, and her favorite meal was human flesh. Unfortunate passersby or lost travelers who stumbled upon her amazing cabin in the deep woods would often end up in the oven as their next meal.
13. Behemoth
Despite the curiosity of mankind surrounding Behemoth, little is known about his existence other than in the book of Job. There has been speculation about what the Behemoth was and where it might have come from. Since the 17th century AD, there have been many attempts to identify this mythical creature. Some scholars saw him as a real creature, usually a hippopotamus or elephant, sometimes a rhino or an ox. The Behemoth is said to be a primordial land creature, created by God when he created the world. The behemoth is a powerful land animal that no one can defeat except God. Similarly, God created Leviathan, the ruler of the sea, and Ziza, the king of heaven. However, soon after Leviathan was created, the creature was corrupted by Chaos.
14. Basilisk
Basilisk has appeared in various forms throughout its history. It started with a small snake that could kill with deadly poison and an evil gaze. Later descriptions portray him as a combination of a dragon, a snake, and a rooster. The basilisk had a screaming feathered rooster head, propped on two spindly crow's feet. Dragon wings grow from his shoulders and a long serpentine tail gives him awe. Basilisk is one of the most terrible beasts in all folklore for a reason. It can kill or seriously injure a person in five different ways: through gaze, rotten breath, venom, monstrous, and touch. It is possible that the basilisk legend was inspired by accounts of some Asian snake species, such as the king cobra. Cobras can keep their posture upright. King cobra on the head with a symbol similar to a crown, and some cobras can incapacitate the victim from a distance by spitting venom
15. Cerberus
In Greek mythology, Cerberus is a multi-headed dog that guards the gates of the underworld to prevent the dead from leaving Hades. Cerberus was a descendant of Echidna and Typhon. He is usually described as having three heads, a tail that becomes a snake, and snakes protruding from many parts of his body. Its three heads are believed to represent the past, present, and future. Other sources suggest that they symbolized birth, youth, and old age. His appearance was so frightening that people who met him turned to stone at the very sight. Moreover, he had razor-sharp teeth and venom in his tail and teeth. Cerberus was not invincible, however. Captured by Heracles during his 12 works, Orpheus pacified him by singing and playing the lyre, and Sibylle lulled Cerberus with poppy seed and honey cookies.
16. Drowner
The Drowner is an evil and insidious water demon from Slavic beliefs. Drowners were born out of the souls of drowned people and miscarried fetuses. They inhabited all water reservoirs, including drainage wells and ditches, and drowned bathers and animals crossing the river. Here and there they were also responsible for flooding rivers and flooding fields and meadows. The drowners took the form of tall, very thin people with slimy green skin, a large head, and dark hair. During the new moon, the drowners went ashore. At that time, they often lured people to each other, playing with them in riddles. The person trying to cheat in the riddles was immediately drowned.
17. Leszy
Leszy in the mythology of the Slavs is the guardian deity of forests. Although Leszy is male and shaped to resemble a human figure, she can take many shapes. It can vary in size and height. He is sometimes depicted with antlers and surrounded by a pack of wolves and bears. In some accounts, Leszek is described as having a wife and children. He has a tendency to lead travelers astray and kidnap children, which does not mean that he is an evil mythological creature. It is known that he has a more neutral attitude towards people, depending on the attitudes and behavior of individual people or the local population towards the forest. He is rarely seen, but his voice is heard in the woods - laughing, whistling, or singing.
18. Sphinx
The Sphinx is a mythical creature with a lion's body and a human head, and sometimes with wings. The creature was an Egyptian invention and had a male head, but in ancient Greek culture, the creature had a female head. The Greek Sphinx is treacherous and ruthless. Those who cannot answer his riddles face a typical fate like in myths. So the monster kills them and then devours them. Moreover, the Egyptian sphinx was seen as benevolent, but also possessing a cruel strength similar to the sinister Greek version. Both were considered guards and often flank the entrances to temples.
In European decorative arts, the sphinx experienced a significant revival during the Renaissance. Later, the image of the sphinx, initially very similar to the original concept of Ancient Egypt, was exported to many other cultures. Although it was often interpreted completely differently due to the translations of the descriptions of the originals and the evolution of this concept in relation to other cultural traditions. Sphinx representations are generally associated with architectural structures such as royal tombs or religious temples. The oldest known sphinx was found in Turkey, and it was dated 9500 BC.
19. Harpies
Harpies were mythical monsters in Greek and Roman mythology. They were in the form of a bird with a female face and were the personification of stormy winds. Their name signifies the kidnappers who were associated with the so-called justice. The gods used Harpies as tools to punish the guilty. For this reason, they were called the hounds of Zeus, for which the Harpies kidnapped and tortured people on their way to Hades. No wonder they were often credited with sudden and mysterious disappearances. Their home is either in the islands called Strofades, the place at the entrance to Orcus, or in a cave in Crete.
20. Hydra
Hydra is an immortal multi-headed water monster in Greek and Roman mythology similar to a serpent. She had poisonous breath and blood so that even the smell was deadly. Each time someone chopped off one head of a hydra, two more heads would sprout from the stump. Her lair is at Lake Lerna in Argolid, which was thought to be the entrance to the Underworld. Archaeologists considered it a sacred site older than the Mycenaean Argos. In the canonical Hydra myth, the monster is killed by Heracles (Hercules) as the second of his Twelve Labors.
21. Cyclops
Cyclopes were gigantic, one-eyed creatures of enormous strength. There were originally three of them: Arges, Steropes, and Brontes, they were the sons of Uranus and Gaia. The Cyclopes were skillful blacksmiths imprisoned by Kronos. They were freed by Zeus, who was thanked by his famous lightning bolt. Later poets spoke of a different type of cyclops. A race of ridiculous and aggressive one-eyed shepherds living in caves in Sicily, who, in addition to pastoralism, were involved in building walls. The most famous of them was Polyphemus, Cyclops who fell in love with Galatea and was eventually blinded by Odysseus. Aside from their naturally rugged appearance, these creatures made no effort to appear civilized. They let their hair and beards grow into tangled masses, they wear coarse clothes made of animal skins, and they hardly ever take a bath.
22. Satyr
In Greek mythology, the satyr is a wild creature, part man and part beast, who in classical times were closely associated with the god Dionysus. The satyr has a male body with a horse's or donkey's tail, ears, and most horse hooves. Hilariously hideous, they have maned hair, animal faces, and disdainful noses, and they are always naked with a prominent erection. Satires were distinguished by gold and were known as lovers of wine, music, dance, and women. They were companions of the god Dionysus and were believed to inhabit remote places such as forests, mountains, and pastures. They often tried to seduce or rape nymphs and fatal women, usually to no avail. Sometimes they are shown to be masturbating or engaging in zoophilic acts. Satyrs are known for their animal behavior and their appearance goes hand in hand with their personality.
23. Jellyfish
In Greek mythology, Medusa was a monster, one of the 3 gorgons, generally described as a winged human female with live, venomous snakes instead of hair. Those who look at her face turn to stone. However, Medusa was not always a monster, she was the only sister, the only one who was mortal, and moreover, she was a beautiful and charming woman, and had many men's uppers to her. Nevertheless, she was a priestess in the temple of Athena, and like all priestesses, she was bound by an eternal oath of chastity. Medusa, according to the Greek myth, the god Poseidon was charmed by its beauty and wanted to Bunga-Bunga with it. He transformed into a horse and merged with her at the Temple of Athena. this act of sacrilege brought Athena's wrath upon Medusa, and Medusa was transformed into a cruel monster with snakes instead of hair. She was killed by Perseus, who later used her head as a weapon before giving it to Athena.
24. Griffin
The legendary griffin is a half eagle, half-lion. It has the body, tail, and hind legs of a lion, and the head, wings, and front legs of an eagle. Thanks to his incredible strength, reliable protective instincts, and a zero-tolerance policy towards evil, he is a superhero of mythological creatures. No villain can mess with the griffin! In antiquity, Griffins were known to protect treasures and priceless goods, and in the Middle Ages, the griffin was considered a particularly powerful and majestic creature, which was evident in heraldry where the griffin became a Christian symbol of divine power and the guardian of divinity.
25. Troll
Trolls are primitive humanoid creatures of Scandinavian mythology. They isolate themselves from human civilization, preferring to live in caves or dark forests beyond the reach of human noise. Scandinavian folklore introduces two types of trolls: giants (often called jontar) and little trolls (huldrefolk). The greatest skills trolls possess are those they were born with: brute strength and a strong relationship with nature. They can uproot trees to use as clubs and throw boulders as projectiles. The Little Trolls are more advanced than their powerful cousins, for example, the Huldras women have beautiful voices that mimic the wind and falling water.
With their sweet songs, they can lure people to the desert. Others have little magical abilities that can make people fall asleep, lose track of time, see visions of treasures, etc. Some trolls make a living by hunting or breeding, but many more of them are plunderers. They kill travelers, rob their valuables, and maybe even eat. The bravest of them can even start a trip to the village, destroying buildings, plundering treasure, and kidnapping children or beautiful women. Their appearances range from monstrous to eccentric to cute, but they are almost all hostile, no matter how cute they may appear. Unless you are fast, the meeting with the Troll ends up miserably.
26. Leprechaun
A leprechaun is a kind of mischievous leprechaun from Irish folklore. Usually depicted as little bearded men in coats and hats. They are lonely creatures that spend their time making and fixing shoes and have a hidden pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. If a human captures such an elf, Leprechauns often grant three wishes in return for their freedom. In most Irish folk tales, the Leprechaun presents himself as a rogue who will deceive you whenever he can.
27. Licho
Likho is a creature known from Slavic mythology and is believed to be the personification of evil and misfortune. There are all sorts of stories about this terrifying creature, usually ending up with something bad happening to the person who meets the foul. This creature is often described as an elderly woman dressed entirely in black or as a male goblin-like creature. The most characteristic feature of the devil is that he has one eye and, as you know, "he is awake at night". Licho traditionally appears in fairy tales.
28. Chupacabra
Chupacabra is a legendary creature present in the folklore of South America and the South of North America. The first alleged sightings were reported in Puerto Rico in the 1990s. The name comes from the Spanish word chupar meaning to suck/suck which is related to the reported habit of chupacabra to attack and drink the blood of farm animals. The physical descriptions of the creature vary. It is allegedly a heavy creature the size of a small bear, with a row of spines extending from the neck to the base of the tail. Another common description of the chupacabra is the strange breed of wild dog, this form is mostly hairless and has a pronounced spine, unusually pronounced eye sockets, fangs, and claws. Eyewitness sightings have been reported in the Americas and even seen outside of America in countries like Russia and the Philippines, but many of these reports have been disregarded as unconfirmed or devoid of evidence. According to biologists and wildlife management officials, the chupacabra is an urban legend.
29. Golem
In Jewish folklore, the Golem is an anthropomorphic being brought to life that is magically made entirely of inanimate matter, usually clay or mud. The golem is a crude, clay figure, usually shaped like a human. Since they are often used for manual labor or battle, they are of considerable size. Their arms, legs, and bodies are thick and powerful, and their heads are small and close to their bodies. Sometimes their heads don't have a face, but they have eyes and a mouth. They can also have spells engraved on their forehead. Golems are slaves of their creators and they obey mindlessly. There are many different stories about how the golem was brought to life and then controlled.
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