Buzz
The Cottingley Fairies once enchanted the world before it was revealed they were nothing more than cardboard cut-outs. These charming beings were believed to have been discovered by two young girls who claimed to have photographed them in their natural habitat.
Mythical creatures inspire awe, whether it's their immense size, their magical abilities, or their sheer beauty. These legendary beings are deeply embedded in our culture, from the elves of Iceland to the mysterious Nessie, said to inhabit Loch Ness in Scotland. Not to mention the colossal creature that lurks beneath the oceans…
10. The Sea Serpent of Gaelic Mythology
...No, not that one.
While the fearsome Kraken is well-known to many, fewer have heard of the sea serpent from Scottish Gaelic folklore: Cirein-cròin.
This enormous sea creature coexisted with dinosaurs and had the ability to devour seven whales in a single day. Cirein-cròin was deceptive, often transforming into a small silver fish that fishermen would unwittingly catch. Once aboard their boat, it would revert to its monstrous form and consume everything and everyone in its reach.
Some versions of the story suggest that Cirein-cròin wasn’t a sea serpent but a gigantic land-dwelling dinosaur that hunted both on land and in the ocean, preying on creatures and humans alike.
9. Mortal handmaidens who turned wicked
Mermaids are often portrayed as half-fish, half-human beings of the sea, both beautiful and terrifying, filled with compassion yet capable of murder.
Before mermaids dominated the legends with their beauty and magic, there were the sirens. These creatures were said to be a blend of woman and bird, possessing large human heads, bird feathers, and scaly bird-like feet. They sang alluring songs that enticed sailors and mariners, drawing them closer, only for the sirens to board their boats and kill them.
These bird-women were believed to have lived on a secluded Greek island. According to a popular legend, before they became hybrid creatures, they served as handmaidens to the goddess Persephone. When Persephone was kidnapped by Hades, the maidens were gifted golden wings by Demeter to aid in the search for her. However, their efforts were in vain as Persephone was held in the underworld, and Demeter, enraged by their failure, cursed them and exiled them to the island.
The curse condemned them to remain in their half-bird forms unless someone passed by their island without stopping. They were also doomed to die if a human heard their singing and survived. When Odysseus sailed by without any harm, the sirens, defeated, threw themselves into the ocean.
8. The beast that swallowed humans whole
Persian and Greek mythology describe a creature resembling the Egyptian sphinx, with a human head, a lion's body, and a tail composed of venomous spines. Some versions of the manticore myth depict it with a scorpion's tail. The manticore was said to be invulnerable, able to kill and consume every animal in the jungle, except elephants, using its three rows of sharp teeth. Like the sirens, the manticore had a beautiful voice to lure humans to their doom, paralyzing them with venomous spikes from its tail before swallowing them whole.
In contemporary culture, the manticore can be found in the widely popular game Dungeons & Dragons, where it is depicted with additional dragon or bat wings. This fearsome creature was first introduced in the game in 1974.
7. Gargoyles and grotesques
Gargoyles, the intimidating stone figures perched on the edges of ancient European buildings, were an iconic feature of Gothic architecture between the 12th and 16th centuries. Their primary function was to act as spouts, directing water away from the buildings. Their popularity was so widespread that they were even placed atop cathedral roofs.
However, gargoyles and their ornamental counterparts, grotesques, also have a strong presence in mythology. They were thought to be animated stone creatures capable of coming to life after dark. Some believed that these monstrous figures served as guardians for the buildings they adorned, scaring off malevolent spirits. Others feared that the gargoyles could become possessed by demons, turning them into sinister beings used for darker purposes.
In the 19th century, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania embraced Gothic architecture, and to this day, the city boasts over twenty authentic gargoyles and hundreds of grotesques scattered throughout its structures.
6. Deep water transport
The hippocampus, while being a key structure in the brain's temporal lobe, also refers to the legendary seahorse that was said to pull Poseidon's chariot in Greek mythology. This creature is envisioned as having the upper body of a horse, the lower body of a fish, and wings extending from its sides. It was believed to inhabit both fresh and saltwater, with its fin-like mane and hooves aiding in its swimming abilities.
In myth, hippocamps are known for their horse-like personalities, forming bonds with mermen and sea elves. When attacked, they defend themselves using their teeth and tails, but they typically retreat swiftly to avoid prolonged combat. According to legend, hippocamps return to the ocean's surface only when seaweed, their primary food source, becomes scarce in the deep waters. They do not require air to survive, and their lives depend on staying submerged in water.
5. Wild asses as large as horses
Unicorns, often portrayed in whimsical forms on cakes and memes, are much more than just a mythical white horse with a colorful mane and tail. The first recorded mention of unicorns came from the Greek doctor Ctesias, who traveled through Persia in the 4th century. He described ‘wild asses as large as horses,’ with white bodies, red heads, and blue eyes. These creatures were said to have horns about a foot and a half long on their foreheads, and Ctesias claimed that they were faster and stronger than any other known animal.
The fascination with unicorns has lasted through the ages, with Scotland even adopting this mythical creature as their national symbol. Unicorns are mentioned nine times in the Bible, appearing in the books of Numbers, Deuteronomy, Job, Psalms, and Isaiah. However, many argue against the translation of the Hebrew word 're’em' as 'unicorn,' suggesting it more likely refers to an ox or rhinoceros.
This theory has been somewhat validated by the discovery of a fossilized skull in Kazakhstan in 2016. The skull was identified as belonging to 'Elasmotherium sibiricum,' or the 'real-life unicorn,' which lived about 30,000 years ago and bore a striking resemblance to a rhinoceros. Known as the Siberian unicorn, this creature had longer legs than a typical rhino, a horse-like gait, and a large horn on its nose. Experts suggest that the Siberian unicorn might have coexisted with humans.
4. Monster that causes storms
While Africa is home to mythical creatures like the Popobawa, Mokele-mbembe, and the infamous Tokoloshe, have you ever heard of the Inkanyamba?
Nestled in KwaZulu Natal, near the Umgeni River, lie the magnificent Howick Falls. Legends say that the pool at the base of the waterfall is inhabited by the Inkanyamba, a massive serpent with fins sprouting from its horse-like head. Known for its violent temper, this creature is believed to be the cause of seasonal summer storms. Only the traditional healers, or sangomas, dare approach the falls, offering prayers and sacrifices to the Inkanyamba and the ancestral spirits. The local Xhosa people believe that once a year, the Inkanyamba transforms into a tornado, seeking its mate in the process.
In 1998, the residents of the area blamed the Inkanyamba for a ferocious storm that caused the destruction of thousands of homes, with many grieving the loss.
3. The Creation of the Milky Way
Maori mythology offers many intriguing stories about mythical beings, including Tawhirimatea, the god of weather, who dispatched his children—the four winds and clouds—to cause chaos on Earth. Another tale speaks of the Taniwhas, reptilian creatures that sometimes take the form of sharks or whales and inhabit rivers and other bodies of water.
One more Maori legend tells of Mangaroa, a shark placed high in the sky by the demigod Maui to keep watch over the Maori people from the ‘sea of the sky.’ Additionally, some legends say the Milky Way was formed when the god Kiho-tumu crafted a ship, The Long Shark, and sailed it across the heavens. The ship is believed to protect the Maori tribes, and it is thought that the dark sections of the Milky Way represent The Long Shark's path, while the lighter parts reflect the waves it creates as it journeys through the sky.
2. Ogres that haunt the living
Ogres don’t resemble Shrek in the slightest. In myth, these creatures are typically described as enormous beings with disproportionately large heads, covered in thick hair, and possessing off-putting skin tones. Their hunger is insatiable, particularly for humans, with children being their favorite target. Ogres have long appeared in fairytales, such as in the story of Hansel and Gretel, where the witch is believed to be an ogress due to her cannibalistic nature. Likewise, the wolf from Little Red Riding Hood shares traits with the ogre archetype.
In Japan, ogres are known as oni, depicted with menacing claws and horns emerging from their heads. Some are portrayed with unusual numbers of fingers, toes, or eyes, and their skin can be a variety of colors, though red, blue, black, brown, and white are most common. Oni are believed to be the transformed souls of evil humans who, after dying, end up in one of the Buddhist Hells. There, they are reborn as oni and serve the ruler of Hell, performing tasks such as crushing bones and stripping the flesh from wicked souls. Those humans deemed beyond redemption may also transform into oni and wander the earth, tormenting the living.
1. Gnomes as symbols of good fortune
Gnome figurines are a common sight in gardens, as these mythical creatures are believed to bring good luck, nurturing the soil and ensuring that whatever is planted within it thrives. The tradition of placing gnomes in gardens began in Germany during the early 1800s and quickly spread to England. By the 1870s, the mass production of clay garden gnomes was in full force, but the tradition nearly vanished during the turmoil of the World Wars. In the 1960s, plastic gnomes emerged, though they never gained the same popularity as their clay predecessors.
According to legend, gnomes are mystical creatures that live beneath the earth, guarding hidden treasures of gold. These beings can be found across Europe, in places like Spain, England, Denmark, and Norway, though they are known by different names in each region. Often depicted as small, hunchbacked ‘old men,’ gnomes are sometimes called goblins or dwarves. They are entrusted with the responsibility of protecting the elements of air, fire, water, and earth from human interference. Gnomes are said to be highly sensitive to sunlight, and if exposed to it for too long, they will turn into stone. It is believed that any advice given by a gnome should be followed closely, as it has the power to bring great wealth to those who heed it.
In recent years, the act of gnome-napping has gained some popularity. This involves ‘stealing’ a garden gnome from its owner, taking it on a series of adventures while snapping photos, and then sending the pictures back to the owner as proof of the gnome’s travels.
