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Global Mythologies

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Mereven:
So, after learning what a Tural and a táltos horse was from a rather divergent conversation on one of the comic's comment sections, it seemed a good idea to create a thread for all things mythological: stories, characters or creatures, traditions. 

Apparently, I am not alone in loving cultural legends and myths :P

So, feel free to share your culture's stories here :).  Even if it is really well-known locally.... chances are good that the rest of us have never heard of it and are very interested to learn :P.

Mereven:
I'll start it ;)

A few years ago in England I mentioned the Bunyip to a group of people, and was really surprised that no one there had heard of it.  This creature is basically our (Australian) version of the bogieman: this thing lives in waterholes (or billabongs), creeks and in mud, and if you go outside, especially after dark and very especially anywhere near the bush (wilderness/scrub land; all native trees and undergrowth), the Bunyip will catch you, carry you off to his billabong and eat you.  In some versions the Bunyip will eat your body but not your soul: so your soul will hang around the bunyip's lair for the rest of eternity.  It's appearance depends on who you talk to, but growing up I was told that it was very tall, covered in a dark, slimy mess of dead leaves, sticks and mud, and it had pointed teeth that were as long as my arm each. 

There is only one Bunyip in the world, but it can really materialize anywhere where there is moisture and darkness, and it never ages or dies.

This is something we told to children to keep them at home after dark ;).

Hedge14:
I love, love Finnish Mythology. Once a while I think about turning pagan, because of that. All those poems are so beautiful! But I also like different beliefs and habits that people had in old times.
For example:

Did you know that Finnish families had "house snake" to which they would sacrifice milk and other things? In return the snake would protect house and cattle.

The snake thing is part of Finnish believes "haltijausko". Haltija was supernatural creature that helped, guarded or protects people or something else. For example, a forest haltija (metsänhaltija) would protect woods and all that lived in the forest. Haltija were not always helpful. Haltija of iron could harm people by blades. Haltija of fire could burn things and people. All haltija should be respected, because when they are mad they can be quite dangerous...

My love for Finnish Mythology is reason I read aRTD and now SSSS. I don't usually read comics at all.

OrigamiOwl:

--- Quote from: Mereven on September 09, 2014, 08:08:54 AM ---
A few years ago in England I mentioned the Bunyip to a group of people, and was really surprised that no one there had heard of it.
--- End quote ---

You beat me to the Bunyip!

The Bunyip I was told about (from my mum, who grew up around the Kununurra area) differs from yours slightly, and it probably isn't sticking to the Proper Story, hers was a 'story' to stop kids venturing too close to dams, billabongs and creeks and drowning...
The appearance is roughly the same, and it's apparent immortality too.
My childhood Bunyip could apparently get you in the daytime too (probably linked to the drowning worries) by jumping out of the water or behind a shrub, snatching you and dragging you into or under the water, or into an underground creek hole and into the earth ;__; and there were multiple Bunyips- one for each waterway or dam.

Kept me terrified for about seven years until I convinced myself the animal skeleton on the roadside was the local Bunyip. But every now and then I do still get a bit nervous around our bush-block dam O___O

The Dreamtime has some really interesting- and scary!- stories!  :)

Unlos:
The Bunyip seems a bit of an australian version of the norwegian nøkken, who lives in fresh water. He tries to lure people to him and drown them. Sometimes, he will leave the water disguised as a white horse, seek out his victims and carry them back to the water with him. These two representations are pretty well known in Norway, done by Theodor Kittelsen.

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