Mythlok - The Home of Mythology

The Strix and the other variants known as the striges was a demon that was believed to have attacked infants and drain their blood. It was also known as strega or strigoi in various European countries. They differed from other vampire creatures in that they were thought of as living members of the community rather than the returning dead. The Strix was a bird of ill omen that fed on humans. It was...

In Roman mythology, the twin brothers Romulus and Remus created the city of Rome. The killing of Remus by his twin, along with other tales from their story, have inspired artists throughout the ages. Since ancient times, the image of a she-wolf suckling the twins has been a symbol of the city of Rome and the ancient Romans. The story of the twin brothers is believed to have been told before the fo...

A kumiho is a creature that appears in folktales and legends of Korea which is similar to the Chinese Huli Jing and the Japanese Kitsune. It can transform into a pretty woman who is set out to seduce boys and eat their liver or heart. There are numerous tales in which the kumiho appears, several of which can be found in the encyclopaedic Compendium of Korean Oral Literature. This animal's true for...

The Morrigan was an Irish-Celtic goddess of war and was known to incite violence, rage, frenzy and was also regarded as the bringer of death. The goddess could take any form of creature she wanted, and she was able to bring about the downfall of a hero-warrior named Cu Chulainn after he rejected her numerous attempts to seduce him. Her coupling with the Dagda, another major warrior-god, was an imp...

The Ky Lan is an animal-like creature that has various animal characteristics. At first, it was believed that it was a wolf, but in reality it has features of various other animals such as a dragon, a lion, deer, dragon, giraffe and a hyena. It is seen as a symbol of luck, prestige and intelligence by the local Vietnamese people and believed to appear on special occasions. The Ky Lan is quite simi...

The term nagual, also spelled nahual, refers to the guardian spirit of some Mesoamerican Indians. In some areas the nagual is the animal into which certain powerful men can transform themselves to do evil; thus, the word derives from the Nahuatl word nahualli (“disguise”), applied to the animal forms magically assumed by sorcerers. The person who receives his nagual typically goes to an isolated s...

In ancient Tagalog, the Supreme Being known as Bathala Maykapal, commonly known as Bathala, is regarded as the creator and ruler of the universe. This term was also used for lesser beings such as personal spirits, omen birds, comets, and other heavenly bodies. It was after the Spanish missionaries came to the Philippines that Bathala Maykapal became known as a Christian God. Before the 19th centur...

Anbay was a pre-Islamic god who was worshipped in Qataban, Yemen. He was regarded as a god of justice and an oracle and was believed to be in the service of the moon god Amm. He was responsible for taking decisions on many of the legal matters and paperwork and is often mentioned with another god of justice, Haukim. Scholars have also claimed that Anbay could also be a real life figure who served...

Bumba is the creator god of the Kuba people of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Also known as Mbombo, he was a massive white being who was responsible for the universe's creation. According to the story of Mbombo's creation, he was alone and had no help from anyone else. During this time he felt an intense pain in his stomach and he vomited up the moon, sun, and stars. The heat from the sun melte...

The kucedra or kulshedra is a mythological creature in Albanian mythology that is usually depicted as a large, multi-headed dragon with 7 heads. In Albanian mythology, she is usually attacked and defeated by a drangue, a divine being who is regarded as the protector of mankind. In the northern cultures, the kucedra is believed to have the ability to take possession of the Moon and the Sun. In the...

Nang Kwak is a household deity in Thai folklore and it is believed that she can bring good fortune and attract business. This deity is commonly seen wearing a red-coloured dress and carrying a rice dish. Nang Kwak is an incarnation of Mae Po Sop, the Thai rice goddess and is also believed to be a version of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi. Where money and business are concerned, a certain charm that is...

Balachko is 3-headed giant from European mythology especially in the Serbian region. The character is said to be mainly influenced by the folklore and stories from Russian traditions although Slavic legends also talk about a three headed monster who frequently created trouble for the humans. He was under the rule of Mihailo, the king of Leđane. He was killed by the Serbian hero Miloš Vojinović whe...

The Huma Bird is a mythical bird of Iranian folklore and Sufi and Diwan poetry. Although it is believed to live in the sky, it never alights on the ground. According to some legends, the bird never comes to rest. It lives its life high in the clouds and never steps foot on the earth. The bird is often referred to as a "bird of paradise" in Ottoman poetry. Early descriptions of the Paradisaeidae gr...

The Banded-eye God or God VI is one of the even more obscure of the main deities of the Olmec civilization and its mythology. While most historians agree that the he/she is a god in its own right, there is a school of thought that believes that he/she is a manifestation of the Maize Deity. Although it's only known about in a few regions from the Valley of Mexico, the Banded-eye God is featured in...

Introduction Baiame is the ancient sky god of the Kamilaroi peoples of New South Wales. He is known for inventing the stone fish trap and for answering prayers for rain. He is also considered to be the creator god for several Aboriginal tribes of south eastern Australia like the Wonnarua, Kamilaroi, Eora, Darkinjung, and Wiradjuri. Physical Traits Baiame is often depicted as wearing a large head-d...

Krishna is a major deity in Hindu mythology. He is worshipped as the 8th avatar of Vishnu and is considered to be a supreme God in His own right. He is known for being a god of protection, compassion, and tenderness and his birthday is celebrated once a year by Hindus on the occasion of Krishna Janmashtami. Krishna's life is typically described as a series of anecdotes and narratives. Various Hind...

Zhurong is the God of fire and the south in Chinese mythology and folk religion. Some sources associate him with some of the most important myths of China, such as the Nuwa, Gongggong and the Great Flood. He's believed to live in the Bright Place of Kunlun Mountain. It is said that he sent the kindling from heaven, and taught human beings how to use fire. It has been believed that Chinese mytholog...

Introduction The Nunnehi were supernatural human beings whose spirits were distinct from those of gods and ghosts according to the Cherokee tribe of Native Americans and general Native American mythology. They are considered to be the equivalent of fairies in European mythology. The legend states that the Nunnehi lived in underground caverns throughout the Appalachian Mountains. They were known to...

The Inkanyamba is a legend in South African mythology, where it is believed that a large serpent with a horse head lives in a lake near Pietermaritzburg. The local tribes believe it to be a terrifying creature which is particularly active in the summer months. The legend of the Inkanyamba originated from cave paintings that were found in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. These animals have been refer...

Tawa is the Sun god according to Hopi mythology and most Hopi creation stories are centred around him. He is the creator of the First World, and it is believed that he created it out of the endless space known as Tokpella. Hopi mythology also says that the current earth where we all live is the Fourth World which was created by Tawa. Legends told in the Orabi tongue also state that the Third World...

Thanh Giong is a folk hero in Vietnamese mythology and is one of the Four Immortals along with Lieu Hanh. Legend has it that he rode an iron horse and defeated the enemy Chinese army. He is regarded as the first anti-invasion hero in the country and a Vietnamese version of the Buddhist god Vaisravana. As a child, Thanh Giong did not speak, smile or stand till the age of three. After he received th...

Axomamma is considered to be the Goddess of potatoes in Incan mythology. She is a neutral god whose whole responsibility is considered to be to help the Incan people with the cultivation of potatoes that had slowly begun to replace maize as the primary source of nutrition. She came into prominence after the Inca learned how to cultivate potatoes on their own without having to rely on the wild pota...

Inti is the Incan sun god, and he is considered as the patron deity of the Inca Empire. Although most consider him to be a cluster of solar aspects, he is actually more of a deity than that. It was also believed that he was born of Viracocha. Inti was not often represented in Inca art but when he was it was usually as a gold statue, a sun disk or a golden mask. Gold was particularly associated wit...

Introduction Dokkaebi are creatures from folklore and mythology and have supernatural powers and abilities that allow them to interact with humans. They are one of the most prevalent supernatural beings in South Korean folklore. They are known to have both positive and negative characteristics. Contrary to popular belief, these creatures are not monsters with supernatural powers. They are creature...

Introduction Momotaro is a popular hero in Japanese folklore. He is often translated as “Peach Boy”. He is also the main character in many modern TV shows, cartoons, anime and comics. There has been a popular notion that he is a local hero in Okayama Prefecture, but this is not accepted by scholarly circles. Physical Traits Momotaro is never depicted as being older than his late 20s. The physical...