Showing posts with label myths. Show all posts
Showing posts with label myths. Show all posts

Saturday, January 7, 2017

Here are 8 of the most horrific Mythological creatures of folklore around the world

Grotesques from Reims, France, photographed by Joseph Trompette (ca. 1870-90) (via Cornell University Library)
Mermaids, unicorns, and fairies have been romanticized through the ages, but what about the Pennsylvanian Squonk? Here is a motley assortment of mythical beasts and beings found in folklore from around the world. From soul-sucking cats to child-thieving shape-shifters, these are the oddballs found in the magical bestiary that haven’t gotten much love. 


The Squonk 

This sad, mythical creature hails from the legends of northern Pennsylvania. The Squonk was said to be a hideous forest animal with grotesquely loose, scaly skin entirely covered in warts and blemishes.

The Teary Squonk - Indrachapa J - Medium


The squonk as illustrated by Coert Du Bois from Fearsome Creatures of the Lumberwoods. photo: wikipedia



The animal was so miserable over its own gruesome appearance and lack of companionship that it almost constantly wept. Local legend had it that the Squonk was quite easy to track; you could pretty much just follow the sound of the animal’s sobs and salty, tear-strewn trail through the woods. Capturing one proved much harder: when greatly distressed the Squonk was said to literally dissolve into a puddle of its own tears.


The Tiyanak

The Tiyanak takes various forms in Philippine mythology. In one version it is an evil dwarf-like creature posing as a human baby, in another it is an actual demon child. 


The Demon Child Vampire Tiyanak photo: bookroar
The Christian take on this mythical monster turns Tiyanaks into the restless ghosts of children who have died unbaptized. In any case, the Tiyanak is said to mimic the cries of a human baby to lure its victims in. Once picked up, out come the fangs and things get gory.

T is for Tiyanak - Supposedly the "true" form of the tiyanak

The Tiyanak also enjoys confusing travelers into losing their way, leading them deeper and deeper into the Philippine jungle with its cries. If you ever find yourself being lured astray by this monster baby, the traditional trick for escape is to turn your clothes inside out. According to Philippine lore, this amuses the Tiyanak to no end, and he may just think that you’re funny enough to let you live.



The Cat Sìth or Cat Sidhe


The Cat Sìth is a fairy creature from Celtic mythology, said to resemble a large black cat with a white spot on its chest. Legend has it that the spectral cat haunts the Scottish Highlands. The legends surrounding this creature are more common in Scottish folklore, but a few occur in Irish. Some common folklore suggested that the Cat Sìth was not a fairy, but a witch that could transform into a cat nine times


An Illustration from More English Fairy Tales from the story The King of the Cats photo: wikipedia
Fairy Myths: The Cat Sidhe The Paranormal


A large, dog-sized breed of black and white cat said to roam the Scottish Highlands, the Cat Sìth was believed to steal the souls from newly deceased bodies awaiting burial. In a wake called the Feill Fadalach (aka the “Lake Wake”), unburied bodies were watched over night and day to ensure that the Cat Sìth would not gain access to the corpse. Kitty distractions such as catnip and music were sometimes employed, as were games of leaping, wrestling, and riddles, all of which were thought to offer additional protection to unburied bodies.


The Cat Sìth or Cat Sidhe photo: pinterest

While some believed the Cat Sìth was a type of feline fairy, a common Celtic legend proclaimed that Cat Sìths were in fact witches who were capable of morphing into a magical cat eight times. Those attempting the transformation a ninth time would be permanently trapped in kitty form, hence initiating the myth that cats have nine lives.



The Yara-ma-yha-who 

A cross between a vampire and the bogeyman in Australian Aboriginal folklore, the Yara-ma-yha-who is a strange, red-skinned humanoid that dwells in the branches of fig trees, waiting to drop on unsuspecting victims. 


Yara-ma-yha-who A Book of Creatures

Yara-ma-yha-who photo: villains.wikia.com

The creature was said to have suckers attached to its hands and feet that it would use to drain its prey of blood, much like a giant leech. Once its victim was sufficiently weak, the Yara-ma-yha-who would ingest them whole, resting for awhile before regurgitating the person (still alive) and beginning the whole process again. With each regurgitation, the victim would return slightly shorter and a little bit redder in tone, finally becoming another Yara-ma-yha-who.



The Ijiraq

Things That Go Bump — Ijiraq - A shapeshifter from Inuit mythology Tumblr

An elusive Arctic shapeshifter found in Inuit mythology, the Ijiraq is said to live between the world of the living and that of the dead. The Ijiraq could take many forms, including that of a half-man, half-caribou monster called Tariaksuq, generally only seen when looked at from the corner of one’s eye. The shadowy form would vanish when looked upon directly.



The Ijiraq photo: Pinterest

In Inuit lore, the Ijiraq was a kidnapper of children, accused of stealing little ones to hide and then abandon in the Arctic cold. When a hunter stepped into the cursed Ijiraq’s territory he would become hopelessly lost and unable to find his way home.

Librum Prodigiosum — The ijiraq is a shapeshifting creature

Oddly enough, certain areas traditionally associated with Ijiraq activity are also home to large deposits of toxic sour gas, sulphur smoke, and geothermal activity. It’s possible that rising vapors sometimes created mirages; pockets of gas may even have been responsible for disorientation and hallucinations.



The Liderc

There are several types of Liderc in Hungarian folklore, all of which are said to hatch from the first egg of a black hen that has been kept warm in a human’s armpit or a heap of manure. 

The egg eventually hatches to reveal a magic chicken, a small imp-like creature, or a full-grown woman or man, sometimes even taking the form of a deceased lover or family member. In addition to behaving as an incubus or sucubus and performing its owner’s every wish, the Liderc immensely enjoys hoarding riches.


The Liderc photo: Pinterest

Over time, the owner of a Liderc will accumulate great wealth, but the arrangement is a deal with the devil. Periodically, the Liderc crawls atop its owner’s chest, drinking his or her blood, and gradually leaves them more and more weak. The Hungarian word for nightmare is lidercnyomas, which literally means “Liderc pressure” from the feeling of having the creature’s weight upon one’s chest. The only way to be completely rid of a Liderc is to command it to perform an impossible task. After trying its hardest to comply, the Liderc will grow so consumed with frustration that it will essentially implode.



The Impundulu

Found in the folklore of several South African tribes, the Impundulu, or “Lightning bird,” is a human-sized vampiric bird said to cause lightning by setting its own fat on fire. It is heavily associated with tribal witchcraft, and is believed to be immortal, allowing it to be passed down as a familiar through generations of female witches


The hammerkop, one believed manifestation of the lightning bird photo: wikipedia

The Impundulu was believed capable of morphing into human form to make love to his witch owner and to feed on the blood of her enemies, causing bad luck, sickness, and death.  

Impundulu the Lightning Bird – Southern Africa Travel

Traditionally, when a man became ill it was not uncommon for his wife to be accused of secretly harboring an Impundulu.



Puckwudgies

The forest fairy of North America, Puckwudgies are found in the folklore of several American Indian tribes. Oddly similar to their Celtic counterparts, Puckwudgies are small, magical woodland beings with poison arrows and the ability to appear and disappear at will. Legend has it that the Puckwudgies were once a friend of humans, but an accumulation of grievances and jealousies caused the little guys to turn against us. They’ve been known to attack people, kidnap children, burn down homes, and lead travelers astray, and are sometimes even blamed for staging suicides by pushing their victims off cliffs.


The Pukwudgies photo: Pinterest
Paranormal Encounters What Exactly Is A Puckwudgie?

Certain forested parks and pockets of wilderness in New England are still said to be rampant with Puckwudgies.



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The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Atlasobscura . Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Sunday, December 11, 2016

A brief history of Witches ( Generally persecuted by the Church following Exodus 22.18, “You shall not allow a asorceress to live.“ )

A witch being tortured. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Updated Today: 04/06/2021

Between 1482 and 1782, thousands of people across Europe were accused of witchcraft and subsequently executed. But why were so many innocent people suspected of such a crime, and what would they have experienced?


Witches are everywhere. In fairytales, fantasy and satire, they appear time and again as a versatile synonym for evil and transgression. But, in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, men and women of both high and low status believed in witches ubiquity in a far more disturbing way. Lord chief justice Anderson noted in 1602: “The land is full of witches… they abound in all places” – not as a symbol or figure of fun, but as a deadly threat to life, livelihood and divine order.


Sir Edmund Anderson (Photo: Wikimedia.org)

The large-scale persecution, prosecution and execution of witches in these centuries was an extraordinary phenomenon. It is also an episode of European history that has spawned many myths and much inaccuracy. Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code is one of the purveyors of such erroneous hype, stating: “The church burned at the stake an astounding 5 million women”, which would be astounding if true. 

The history of witch hunts in America and Europe - The Washington Post


The actual numbers are far lower, but still striking: between 1482 and 1782, around 100,000 people across Europe were accused of witchcraft, and some 40–50,000 were executed.

Photo: brh.org.uk

Neither were witches (with the exception of some targeted by the Spanish Inquisition) generally persecuted by the church. Although belief in witches was orthodox doctrine, following Exodus 22.18, “You shall not allow a asorceress to live.“ the 16th and 17th-century witch trials were the result of witchcraft becoming a crime under law, and witches were prosecuted by the state. In England, witchcraft became a crime in 1542, a statute renewed in 1562 and 1604. As such, most witches across Europe received the usual penalty for murder – hanging (though in Scotland and under the Spanish Inquisition witches were burned).

The history of witch hunts in America and Europe - The Washington Post


(Photo: theodysseyonline.com)

Nor were all witches women – men could be witches too. Across Europe, 70–80 per cent of people accused of witchcraft were female – though the proportions of female witches were higher in certain areas: the bishopric of Basel; the county of Namur (modern Belgium); Hungary; Poland; and Essex, England. But one in five witches were male across Europe, and in some places, males predominated – in Moscow, male witches outnumbered women 7:3; in Normandy 3:1.


(Photo: pinterest.com)

Nevertheless, because women were believed to be morally and spiritually weaker than men, they were thought to be particularly vulnerable to diabolic persuasion. Most of those accused were also poor and elderly; many were widows, and menopausal and post-menopausal women are disproportionally represented among them.

North Berwick witch trials - Wikipedia

Although witchcraft trials happened in every county in the country, the best evidence survives from three major witch crazes in the British Isles – in 1590s Edinburgh; 1612 Lancashire; and 1640s Essex and East Anglia, and we focus on those.

Diabolical Act Of Persuasion Art Print By Jon Macnair (Photo: keyword-suggestions.com

Above all, we have tried to consider the perspective of the victims – that is, those who were accused of witchcraft. We consider the circumstances in which alleged witches were accused, and the power of both neighbourhood accusation and elite sanction (James VI and I’s book on the subject of witchcraft, Daemonologie, published in 1597, is a case in point)

Daemonologie: A Critical Edition. Expanded. In Modern English with Notes (9781532968914): King James, Warren, Brett R: Books

James (right) depicted beside his mother Mary (left). In reality, they were separated when he was still a baby. (Photo: Wikimedia.org)









It is a sad, sorry and often harrowing tale – but it is one that needs to be heard.

Daemonologie — in full Daemonologie, In Forme of a Dialogue, Divided into three Books: By the High and Mighty Prince, James. Was written and published in 1597 by King James VI of Scotland (later also James I of England) as a philosophical dissertation on contemporary necromancy and the historical relationships between the various methods of divination used from ancient Black magic



The title page from James VI and I, Daemonologie (London, 1603). (Photo: english.cam.ac.uk)
It included a study on demonology and the methods demons used to trouble men while touching on topics such as werewolves and vampires. It was a political yet theological statement to educate a misinformed populace on the history, practices and implications of sorcery and the reasons for persecuting a witch in a Christian society under the rule of canonical law. This book is believed to be one of the primary sources used by William Shakespeare in the production of Macbeth. 



Title page Rare Books Keywords: Witchcraft (Photo: Wikimedia.org)
We examine the way that torture – though illegal in England – was employed in late 16th-century Scotland and during the upheaval of the Civil War. We explore the role of the witchfinder, but also the willing collaboration of ordinary people in ridding the land of witches. And we look at what someone accused of witchcraft experienced as their fate.

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Story source:  The above post is reprinted from materials provided by HistoryExtra . Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

The legend of Sarah Helen Roberts the Vampire from Blackburn, Lancashire

(Image: ink)
A cemetery in a small city in Peru might not seem like the most likely place to find the grave of a woman from Blackburn, Lancashire. But according to local legend, this may not be the northern English woman’s final resting place, after all. It was long believed by some that Sarah Helen Roberts was actually a vampire, and that her undead body would rise from the grave 80 years after her demise.

This, of course, didn’t happen, but as the fateful day – June 1, 1993 – approached, residents of Pisco, in the Ica Region of Peru, were prepared. The Independent reported soon after that vampire kits of garlic and crucifixes had been made and sold. Meanwhile, pregnant women had left town on the off chance that the dead woman’s spirit was on the lookout for a child to be reborn into.

The legend that grew up around Sarah Helen Roberts is a wild one that began on June 9, 1913 when she was convicted of witchcraft and imprisoned in a lead coffin. Although her trial was held in England, the story goes that no-one would offer to bury the witch-vampire in consecrated ground.


Nosferatu (Image: F.W. Murnau)
Roberts’ husband was condemned to wander the world in search of a place where he could lay his dead wife to rest. That place turned out to be half the world away, in Pisco, Peru. Legend also claimed that the Blackburn woman was one of the three brides of Dracula. Presumably, burying her alive wasn’t going to kill her. It would merely make the ill-fated vampire extremely angry.

The Lancashire Telegraph looked into the real-life Sarah Helen Roberts, and found that she had married a weaver in 1892 and had two children. When her husband’s brother moved to Peru to take a job in a cotton mill, the young family visited him there, where Sarah tragically died. The cause of death wasn’t specified, but we do know that her husband returned to England to open a grocery store.

Quite how Sarah’s story went from tragic tale to vampire legend isn’t clear, but the Telegraph also noted the ominous date of her obituary: Friday the 13th. Perhaps that’s all it took for superstition to take a hold, elevating an ordinary northern woman to the status of bride to one of folklore’s most terrifying celebrities


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Thursday, July 28, 2016

Babylonian Mythology Gods list and myths date from 700 B.C


Most records of Babylonian myths date from 700 B.C., when they were transcribed in cuneiform on clay tablets and stored in the library of the Assyrian King Ashurbanipal at Nineveh. However, the two major Babylonian epics probably originated around 2000 B.C. The Epic of Creation justifies Marduk's rule over gods and men; and it reflects the political supremacy of Babylon in Mesopotamia, since Marduk was the chief god of that city. The Gilgamesh Epic shows the failure of man's quest to overcome death.

Generally Babylonian mythology lacks the transcendental quality of the myth of Osiris. It is more earth-bound and more materialistic. Death puts an end to the sensual pleasures of life, and the underworld of the dead is the most dismal place imaginable. The Babylonian gods themselves indulge in eroticism, feasting, and fighting. But if the values are coarser and more masculine, the Babylonians produced a literary triumph in the Gilgamesh Epic.

Major Babylonian Gods

Anu, the head of the gods, reigned in the uppermost part of heaven and had an army of stars to destroy evildoers.

Anu-God of the sky - Mesopotamian Gods and Goddesses Google Sites


Enlil, god of the hurricane and deluge, was also the source of royal power and dealt out good and evil to men.




Ea, a god of the waters, was a benefactor to nature and men by virtue of his all-encompassing wisdom.



Marduk was a fertility god and the principal deity of Babylon. He established lordship over all the other gods by killing the malevolent and chaotic Tiamat and by creating the world out of Tiamat's body.
              




Sin, the moon god, was an enemy to the wicked, shining his nightly light upon their deeds. His children were Shamash, the sun, and Ishtar, the planet Venus.



Shamash was the sun god, a dispenser of light and justice to the world, but also the god of prophecy.

Shamash Definition, Symbol, & Facts photo: Britannica

Ishtar or Inanna, one of the most popular Babylonian deities, was the goddess of sexuality, a potent force among beasts and men. She sanctified temple prostitution. Lustful herself, Ishtar had numerous lovers, most of whom had dreadful fates.

Animation Color Drawing: Magical Winged Lioness. Ishtar, Astarta, Inanna. Stock Vector - Illustration of akkad photo: Dreamstime.com

                      Isthar

One of Ishtar's lovers was the harvest god Tammuz. When he died of her love Ishtar wailed bitterly. Thinking to retrieve Tammuz from the kingdom of death, Ishtar entered the seven portals to the underworld. At each portal she left one of her garments or pieces of jewelry until at last she stood naked before Ereshkigal, the queen of the dead. Ereshkigal had Ishtar imprisoned and assaulted her with sixty illnesses. During this incarceration the earth withered and became desolate, and the gods of heaven mourned.

Marduk (Sumerian spelling in Akkadian AMAR.UTU "solar calf"; Biblical Merodach) was the name of a late generation god from ancient Mesopotamia






















Finally Ea, the god of wisdom, took matters in hand and through his magical intervention Ishtar was released. Allowed to leave, she gathered up her garments and jewelry, accompanied by Tammuz, who was allowed to stand guard at the gates of heaven. Upon Ishtar's return the earth changed from winter to spring.


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Wednesday, July 27, 2016

5 Myths About Christianity and Modern Life

bible












Christianity is the world's largest religion by a landslide. At over 2 billion adherents there is no religion or belief system even close. But the big guy is always an easy target. Write a book calling Jesus a zealot, point out an example of hypocrisy or just declare some biblical value as narrow-minded and you will have loads of mostly unchallenged media attention.

The half-truths, lies and myths about Christianity seem to increase at the rate of social media growth. There are falsehoods about science and Christianity, the divinity of Christ and the veracity of the Bible. There are so many half-truths it would take volumes to dispel them. And there are the myths. These are five that warrant examination.

Jesus Was Only A Teacher & Zealot

Jesus claimed to be God. He claimed to forgive people's sins, humanity would be accountable to him and he was the way, truth and life. He was much more than just a teacher. He was certainly not a revolutionary, in fact, large numbers of people stopped following him when he did not preach an overthrow of the Roman occupation.

All in One: the Gentle and Fierce Nature of God and Jesus - Bible


Jesus has never been accused of being a liar nor did his followers lie about him since the gospels were not written in a mythic style. He did not have a messiah complex, which involves incredible egotism, inability to love and no compassion for others, none of which remotely resembles Jesus.

Maybe what really bothers some is Jesus' claim as the only way to God. The religion of secular culture is "equality" and Jesus message sounds scandalous. He preached equality amongst people but for himself he made it clear he was the savior of the world.

People Become Christians Through Social Conditioning

Myths can mix a little truth with a lot of error. It is true that many people become Christ followers when they are young influenced by their family and upbringing. But the greatest social conditioning of any person happens when they attend a college or university. No one can honestly deny the significant changes that take place while a person is in the college environment. 



This social conditioning can change a person's morality, politics and faith. Lenin said, "Give me four years to teach the children and the seed I have sown will never be uprooted." Far from Christianity conditioning people to faith, the academy does everything it can to condition them away from faith.


Christianity Is A Crutch For The Weak

A crutch presupposes a need and some type of aid. Those who dismiss Christianity as a crutch are denying their own weaknesses. What mentally healthy person says they have no needs? It is emotionally weak to deny your innate neediness. What relationship has any hope of longevity when one person denies they have needs? A person who has fears of vulnerability or dependency might not acknowledge her needs. Someone who has pride and wants to be self-sufficient (as if anyone really can be) might not state his needs. But healthy people know they have needs and Christ meets those needs. Jesus is not a crutch he is a cure for the sin disease that plagues every one of us.

Christianity Stifles Personal Freedom

Researchers at Harvard, Duke and other universities have found that Christian faith and church attendance are associated with less social isolation, lower risk of substance abuse, lower rates of suicide, greater happiness and life satisfaction. 

Redhawk500's Blog


This does not sound like people who are not free. Jesus' truth sets us free from self-deception. False freedom can actually lead a person into behaviors that result in life controlling issues.

Those who say their freedom is stifled really mean they don't want standards that place absolute claim on them. They want freedom to do whatever they want without being accountable to God. Jesus gives us freedom not to do whatever we want but to become all we were meant to be.

Christianity Is Irrelevant to Modern Life
Christian-world-map
Christianity speaks to real life – work, finances, relationships, health, success, sex and more. The
Bible provides principles which help with life issues any person may face. Beyond church services the ways to access this information is more abundant than ever including podcasts, blogs, videos, apps and more.

No group, institution or government does more for the social needs of people than the Church. Poverty alleviation, educating children, disaster relief are all being addressed by Christ followers in a stunning number of ways.

Of course universal spiritual issues like the meaning of life, what happens when we die and purpose for living are all questions for which Christianity uniquely provides answers. Millions of transformed lives prove all these myths to be untrue.



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Source; christianpost