Mythical Creatures Explained
The intrigue and possibility of strange mythical creatures has always fascinated us. Whether it is ghosts and spirits, the little people, shape-shifting humans with magical powers or peculiar beasts of myth and legend they all still continue to entertain and bemuse us.
But what are 'mythical' creatures? Who decides what is 'mythical' anyway?
Evolving knowledge:
The origins of many mythical creatures can be found in old accounts of beasts that supposedly roamed our world. Pliny the Elder aimed to document all the known animals in 'Historia Naturalis' (77AD), which included the Manticore, Murex and Skiapod. In the 16th century Ambrose Pare in 'On Monsters and Marvels' (1582) stated that some mythical creatures such as the Incubus and Succubus were completely untrue but he still held onto beliefs of bizarre races of men that did not exist. Over time as our understating of our world increased it became apparent what creatures were real and which were suspicious. Such suspicious creatures like the Unicorn and Griffin became mythical creatures. Although it is strange to believe that people once believed in such beings, we must remember that even today we make recent discoveries about animals. For example, did you know that octopuses come onto land to traverse small terrain or to lay eggs? We do not know which types of beasts described in history were exaggerations, which were species that are now extinct or which are so rare that have not been seen again.
Faith, Superstition and Science:
Mythical creatures are not confined to flesh and bone as many take on invisible or otherworldly forms such as ghosts, spirits and angels. The rise of science and its impressive understanding of the world has caused many beliefs of supernatural creatures to become fantasy as they cannot be scientifically proved. But science cannot prove their non-existence. Science details physical phenomena but not so much the mental phenomena of our world. When we consider this many beings become possible. Buddhist and other eastern philosophies explain the existence of spirits through an understanding of what the mind is and thus what a living being can be. Furthermore the book of biodiversity is not closed, new species are discovered all the time, the ocean has not been fully explored and we cannot know for sure what creatures are extinct and which still remain. This inability to fully prove or disprove creatures based on sightings is what has caused many creatures like ghosts, spirits and Bigfoots to become classed as mythical creatures.
What Mythical Creatures Are Not:
Since we still adore the tales of Giants, Dragons and monsters, we have incorporated these into the arts and entertainment. Shakespeare used mythical creatures like Caliban and Oberon to populate his play 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' (1590) which were based upon mythical creatures. In the 20th century JRR Tolkien revolutionised mythology in his books 'The Hobbit' (1936) and 'The Lord of the Rings' (1955) turning Norse mythical creatures into new fictional versions starting a new genre: fantasy. Since then many mythical creatures have evolved and been elaborated to feature in fantasy books, films and games. The typical Orc, a blob with tusks became the green-tusked warrior now embellished by companies like Games Workshop and Blizzard's 'World of Warcraft'.
Many mythical creatures are beings based on sightings and spiritual connections which neither can be proved. We have not fully completed our encyclopedia of Earth's animals and still have to journey into the spiritual philosophies of the elusive Far East. But either way the old stories and descriptions of fabulous beasts is an increasing resource for popular entertainment in books, films and games.
Do Mythical Creatures Exist?
Mermaids, Vampires, Werewolves and Centaurs among many others are very familiar mythical creatures in the imaginary world we create in drawings, games and films. We know that their origins goes much further back into ancient history. But did these ancient people really believe in such mythical creatures? Are mythical creatures real?
Ye Old Tales:
According to Geoffery of Mammoth (11th century) the first people of Britain were said to be tall powerful Giants led by formidable leaders such as Albion. However the Giants became extinct at the arrival of Brutus and his army. Rabelais built whole genealogies of Giants from Biblical to the Renaissance. But, 'Giants' could have been people who were 1ft taller than humans. No big deal. But what about the stranger mythical creatures? The Afnac of Wales created floods by swinging its beaver tail, the Japanese Jinshin Mushi produced earthquakes and primordial beings like Ymir and Pan-Gu created the world. Scientific understanding has replaced these tales but these myths or personifications has helped people understand their world more easily. (More recently when Russian spacecrafts went missing it was believed that they were eaten by the Great Galactic Ghoul). But then again who knew what lived in the English channel or under Japan? Others beings like the Banshee were simply ancient deities who became lowly beings as religious beliefs changed
Bones of the Earth:
Many mythical creatures go against the laws of science. Take the Dragon as an example, a beast so big that its body mass does not enable it to fly. In comparison the Ostrich is much smaller and is still to big to fly. But original evidence of these mythical creatures sprang up when their skeletons were discovered. When skeletal structures of long fish were found in the mountains the most suitable explanation at the time was that the long 'lizard' must have flown there. Archaeologists now speculate that the sea creature's body sunk to the sea bed, and over time the sea bed was pushed up to become a mountain. Other remains found in history has also given rise to the belief of mythical creatures. Skeletons of the Archaeopteryx, a dinosaur with wings was the basis for the Griffin and Basilisk. A rhino's skull was believed to be that of the Cyclops (the hole for the horn looked like an eye socket). Science can not always be sure what is extinct. Mythical creatures such as the Basilosaurus, Australopithecus and Neanderthals are apparently extinct but these may be living as Nessie, Bigfoot and as Tsiatko respectively.
Mutated Species:
If you were to read the likes of mythical creatures found in the ancient Chinese bestiaries like Congcong, Diniao and Xiao, it would be easy to believe that these were simply mutations of ordinary animals. But if you were to see a dog of 6 legs when travelling in the unexplored mountains it would be easy to assume that a whole race of them live there. In the West babies that were born deformed underpinned people's faith in God as it seemed that God had failed in his creation of man, and was not a perfect creator. In 'City of God' (c. 5th century), St. Augustine solved this by stating that for every child born abnormally different, God had created a human race just the same.
What the Heck Was That?:
Many accounts of mythical creatures are said to have been exaggerations of what was really encountered. Stephen Asma in 'On Monsters' (2010) states beasts fought by Alexander the Great and his army were hugely exaggerated psychologically fear arises, perceptions are distorted. Accounts of fabulous beasts left New World explorers like Christopher Columbus disappointed when they found no evidence of mythical creatures. Many sightings of mythical creatures were later found to be ordinary animals such as Rosmarus which is a walrus and Manta which is a stingray. Leonardo Da Vinci said that to describe a new animal you need to base it on a known one. Thus when these descriptions are taken literally they sound very strange. For example could the head of a dog be a way of describing the head of a mandrill?
The Otherworld:
I may be bursting many bubbles here as modern science and documentation of species has pushed mythical creatures to the edge of extinction. But we have not explored the Otherworld that may intertwine with ours. Shamans, and other holy beings conversed with spirits of the spirit realms and people claim to have seen Angels. The flying Gurudas and hissing Nagas were believed to have existed when times were more auspicious and the realms were easily crossed. We should not leave out the Tulpa; a being that comes to life from ones imagination through the power of meditation. There is much to consider.
Jenny Hanivers:
Speculation and doubt of so many mythical creatures arose from Jenny Hanivers, creatures that seemed to be real but were later proved as a hoax. It is an art that has been practised for many years that became popular in Antwerp, Belgium to would sew together animal corpses making them look like real mythical creatures.
So what of the Mermaid, Vampire Werewolf and Centaur? The Mermaid comes from sightings, perhaps a mistaken sight of sea-lions or dugongs, Vampires a possible premature burial and Werewolves people suffering from lycanthropy. The Centaur is the strangest of all but the Black Devil from South America could explain much. Yet these stories fill our hunger for imagination and have found their way into the ancient Greek plays all the way through to the Hollywood movies. Whether they are perhaps real or false they are sources great inspiration and joy.
Mythical Creatures By Culture:Aboriginal
A
Aranda: Mythical Number: #0228
Culture:Aboriginal
Attribute:Celestial
Attribute:Reptilian
Behaviour:Deadly
-A cosmic serpent in Australian myths. It would wait in deep rivers where it would capture anyone who would take water or fish from it. It eats its victim in one gulp leaving no trace.
B
Bobbi-Bobbi: Mythical Number: #0487
Culture:Aboriginal
Attribute:Aquatic
Attribute:Reptilian
Behaviour:Friendly
Common Type:Sea Serpents
-The serpent of Australian myth who founded the boomerang. At a time when the whole earth was covered in water, the giant serpent created game for people to eat. However the people of this world were unable to catch the birds so Bobbi-Bobbi offered one of his ribs to use to throw at the birds. The people then used the boomerang to make holes in the clouds which angered Bobbi-Bobbi who from that moment on, refused to help man. It is also said that the primitive people also used the rib bone to protect themselves from the flying foxes.
Bolong: Mythical Number: #3877
Culture:Aboriginal
Attribute:Celestial
Attribute:Reptilian
Attribute:Aquatic
Behaviour:Friendly
Common Type:Sea Serpents
-The Rainbow Serpent for the Jawoyn people who inhabit the second gorge deep pool at Nitmiluk in Australia. The Bolong like all other Rainbow Seprents is a cosmic multi-coloured python that lives in deep waters. The ancient spirit summoned it from the deep to carve out the landscape. Bolong thus created the formation for gullies, rivers and billabongs. He is known to sleep in the mud during the dry season and flies to the sky as a rainbow sending down rain to help life re-grow during the wet season. He has a fascination for anything that is iridescent. Bolong protects its people but it does punish those that break the law. Bolong is closely link in with the land, weather, society and fertility.
Bulaing: Mythical Number: #0551
Culture:Aboriginal
Attribute:Reptilian
Behaviour:Haunting
-Dreamtime serpents from the belief of the Aborigines. They were terrifying creatures told in the tales of the Karadjeri Native people.
Bulugu: Mythical Number: #0557
Culture:Aboriginal
Attribute:Reptilian
Attribute:Humanoid
Behaviour:Troublesome
-One of the Dreamtime animals of Australia. They were serpentine humans believed by the Gunwinggu people of Arnhem Land in northern Australia. One of the Bulugu was called Bulugua and he stole the wife of Jurawadbad.
Bulugua: Mythical Number: #0558
Culture:Aboriginal
Attribute:Reptilian
Attribute:Humanoid
Behaviour:Troublesome
-One of the Bulugu of the myths of Australia. They are reptilian people from the Arnhem Land in northern Australia. Bulugua stole the wife of Jurawadbad.
Bunyee Bunyee:
Also known as Bunyip, King Pratie, Tantabah.
Mythical Number: #0563
Culture:Aboriginal
Attribute:Aquatic
Behaviour:Deadly
-A walrus-like creature that has a horse’s tail. It is a dark hairy creature with long arms and huge claws on his hands. Living in a lake, billabong, or creek it defends its home by eating people at night and crying out as a warning to men that it lives near by. The Bunyip will kill anything that enters its domain. Even the young are said to be highly dangerous. The Bunyip will capture children by howling and then sending a great flood around it‘s habitat. Any adult who touches this water will be turned into a black swan. The flood is so vast that it covers houses and hills. The babies of a flooded village will be left floating on top for the Bunyip to capture and devour.
C
Caterpillars: Mythical Number: #0632
Culture:Aboriginal
Attribute:Celestial
Attribute:Cave Dweller
Behaviour:Deadly
-In Aboriginal myth the Caterpillars went to the skies as they were curious about what happened after death. When they returned they became butterflies.
There is a painting in the opening of the Mparntwe cave also known as the Alice Spring located in the northern territory in Australia. This painting tells a story about the three caterpillars that existed long ago according to the mythology of the local tribe known as the Arrernte people who have lived in the Alice Springs for 45,000 years.
At one time there were three colossal caterpillars called Yeperenye, Ntyarlke and Utnerrengatye. They live below the earth and wriggled their way up to the earths surface. As they did so they left large tunnels and caves which now form the Emily Gap. These major creation forces met their match when they encountered the Irlperenye, green stink bugs with an aggressive nature. The Caterpillars fought the Irlperenye in which Ntyarlke and Utnerrengatye died. Yeperenye was the only one to survive the fight and he lived on to sculpt the trees and other areas of land.
Cheeroonear: Mythical Number: #0693
Culture:Aboriginal
Attribute:Humanoid
Behaviour:Deadly
-A ferocious creature of Aboriginal myth. He was a man with a dog head, a big folded belly and arms so long that they touched the ground. He would devour lakes into his oversized belly consuming animals and humans.
D
Da:
Also known as Dambhalla
Mythical Number: #0828
Culture:Aboriginal
Attribute:Reptilian
Attribute:Celestial
Attribute:Aquatic
Behaviour:Friendly
Common Type:Sea Serpents
-The great Rainbow Serpent of West Africa. Da is both male and female and is the rainbow see in the sky. The blue is Da’s masculine head and the red is Da’s feminine tail. Da created the world with the god Mawu held in the mouth. The movements of Da shaped the universe and made the currents of the ocean. Excrement left behind became the mountains. Da now rests under the Earth supporting the four pillars of cardinal directions that support the Earth itself. A Haiti version of Da is known as Dambhalla. Da is closely link in with the land, weather, society and fertility.
Dambhalla:
Also known as Damballah Wedo
Mythical Number: #0847
Culture: Aboriginal
Attribute: Reptilian
Attribute: Celestial
Behaviour: Friendly
-A creation snake to the Haiti people that is the Husband of Aida Hwedo. See Da. He is worshipped on Thursdays with the colour white. On this day people dress in white and use white cloths to decorate their shrines. He is also known as Bon Dieu ‘the Good God’.
Dard: Mythical Number: #0850
Culture:Aboriginal
Attribute:Aquatic
Attribute:Reptilian
Behaviour:Neutral
-A reptilian creature of Australia. It has the body and legs of a lizard with the head of a cat and mane of a horse. It likes to bath in the sun by lakes.
Dhakhan: Mythical Number: #0876
Culture:Aboriginal
Attribute:Reptilian
Attribute:Aquatic
Attribute:Mountain Dweller
Behaviour:Neutral
Common Type:Sea Serpents
-A Rainbow Serpent that has a large tail fish and lives in the lakes and pools In mountains. The Khabi people of Queensland believe that it travels using the arch of a rainbow and a glimpse of it can been seen when a rainbow appears. It is a cosmic multi-coloured python that lives in deep waters. It created the formation for gullies, rivers and billabongs. He is known to sleep in the mud during the dry season and flies to the sky as a rainbow sending down rain to help life re-grow during the wet season. He has a fascination for anything that is iridescent. Dhakhan protects its people but it does punish those that break the law.
Dheeyabery: Mythical Number: #0879
Culture:Aboriginal
Attribute:Humanoid
Behaviour:Deadly
-They have a human appearance on the front of their bodies but their backs are lumps of folded flesh. The story of the adventurer Yooneeara in Western Australian tales discovered a village of the Dheeyabery who tried to hunt him down over several days.
Dhinnabarrada: Mythical Number: #0880
Culture:Aboriginal
Attribute:Humanoid
Behaviour:Deadly
-These were humanoid creatures with the feet of an emu. They come from the tales of Yooneeara, the hero of Western Australian stories. On his way to find where the sun sets, Yooneeara came across the Dhinnabarrada who tried to hunt and kill him. However, whilst being chased, Yooneeara let loose a bandicoot out of his bag. The Dhinnabarrada became enticed by this little beast and so they chased it instead while Yooneeara escaped.
Drop Bear: Mythical Number: #3833
Culture:Aboriginal
Attribute:Forest Dweller
Behaviour:Deadly
-The Drop Bear is a large carnivorous creature from Aboriginal belief. It bears close resemblance to the koala. They live on the tops of eucalyptus and gum trees waiting for the right prey to walk underneath. They then ambush their victims by dropping from the trees directly onto their victim's heads. The sheer weight and force of these falling creature knocks out their victim allowing the Drop Bear to devour their prey easily. They are armed with razor sharp teeth and talons. They usually attack at night and will kill many types of creatures including people and beasts that are much bigger than they are.
Outsiders and children were told horror stories of these beasts so that they did not delve to deep into the forests. Some stories of these creatures have been told and believed in quite recently. They include methods on how to deter the Drop Bear. People have advised that if you spread vegemite or toothpaste behind your ears then you lower your chances of being attacked by a Drop Bear. Another method is to wield a large sharp and pointed tool above your head to impale the creature on.
E
Eer-Moonan: Mythical Number: #0987
Culture:Aboriginal
Behaviour:Deadly
-As Dreamtime creatures of Australian myth they had the bodies of dogs with women’s feet and the head of a porcupine. They were extremely stealthy and hunted humans.
Emu: Mythical Number: #1014
Culture:Aboriginal
Attribute:Celestial
Behaviour:Friendly
-One of the first animals created when the sun was born. This creature appears on many totems of the Australian Aborigines.
G
Galeru: Mythical Number: #1165
Culture:Aboriginal
Attribute:Reptilian
Attribute:Celestial
Attribute:Aquatic
Behaviour:Friendly
Common Type:Sea Serpents
-A Rainbow Serpent of Kimberley, Australia. It is a cosmic multi-coloured python that lives in deep waters. It created the formation for gullies, rivers and billabongs. Galeru now rests under the Earth supporting the four pillars of cardinal directions that support the Earth itself. He is known to sleep in the mud during the dry season and flies to the sky as a rainbow sending down rain to help life re-grow during the wet season. He has a fascination for anything that is iridescent. Galeru aids its people by sending down cooling rains during times of intense heat.
Gambier: Mythical Number: #1170
Culture:Aboriginal
Attribute:Giant
Attribute:Mountain Dweller
Behaviour:Friendly
-A Giantess form the tales of the tribes from Victoria, Australia. She lived in the mountains and gave birth to a son named Woo. Unlike his mother, Woo was very dexterous and adventurous. When he grew up, he left the mountains and discovered many things bout life. However, he became corrupted by the wicked ways of others. His mother hearing this began to despair. Longing for her son to come back and being alone she cried ever day until a continuous flow of tears ran down her face. She cried for so long and became so depressed that she became immobile. Eventually, tiring of worldly life, Woo returned and saw her mother in distress. He developed deep regret for his actions and cried until he died of grief.
Giant Dingo: Mythical Number: #1230
Culture:Aboriginal
Behaviour:Deadly
-A carnivorous large dingo that had an appetite for human flesh. It is believed to live in Western Australia.
Good Hoop: Mythical Number: #1299
Culture:Aboriginal
Attribute:Reptilian
Attribute:Aquatic
Behaviour:Deadly
-This is a reptilian creature from Tasmania. A walrus-like creature that has a horses tail. Living in a lake, billabong, creek or lake, it defends its home by eating people at night and crying out as a warning to men that it lives near by.
Guanapipi:
Also known as Kunapipi, Guanapipi, Kunapipi-Kalwadi-Kadjara.
Mythical Number: #1387
Culture:Aboriginal
Attribute:Aquatic
Behaviour:Deadly
-A sea monster of the Dreamtime animals of Australia. It would lurk amongst waters where children would play and fish and then it would swallow them whole. An eagle would then swoop down and regurgitate the boys. When the boys resurfaced they had grown into adults. This concept is incorporated into puberty ceremonies of the people. Some legends tell that when the warrior heard that heir boys had been eaten by the water monster, they hunted her in the pool and chopped of her head and legs. They then slit her belly to allow the children to escape.
Gurangatch: Mythical Number: #1390
Culture:Aboriginal
Behaviour:Deadly
-A lizard fish of the dream creatures of Australian legend. It preyed upon humans for many years.
H
Hinqumemen: Mythical Number: #1516
Culture:Aboriginal
Attribute:Aquatic
Behaviour:Deadly
-A creature that dwells in the waters of British Columbia. It devours anyone who trespasses in its waters. Its name means ‘Engulfer’.
J
Jarapiri: Mythical Number: #1710
Culture:Aboriginal
Attribute:Aquatic
Attribute:Humanoid
Behaviour:Not known
Common Type:Merfolk
-A Mermaid-like creature of human form above and fish below the waist. Jarapiri lives in the Alice Springs of Wimbaraka, Australia.
Julunggul:
Also known as Julungsul
Mythical Number: #1749
Culture:Aboriginal
Attribute:Aquatic
Attribute:Reptilian
Behaviour:Deadly
Common Type:Sea Serpents
-A snake from Aboriginal myth. At one time there where two sisters who had the responsibility to name all the creatures and plants of the Earth and take care off them. They had incestuous relationships with their own tribe. While one remained pregnant, the other let her menstrual blood loose into the waters. This polluted the oceans and angered the snake Julunggul who in revenge, flooded the world and devoured the sisters and their children.
Jurawadbad: Mythical Number: #1753
Culture:Aboriginal
Attribute:Reptilian
Attribute:Humanoid
Behaviour:Troublesome
-A reptilian creature of Australia that is part man, part snake. He was a cosmic spirit who married a mortal woman. That woman cheated on him with another snake. Angered, Jurawadbad hid inside a hollow trunk. When his wife came along he sprung out from his hiding place and bit her.
K
Kadimakara: Mythical Number: #1761
Culture:Aboriginal
Attribute:Reptilian
Attribute:Celestial
Behaviour:Neutral
-According to Aboriginal myth there was a race of reptilian monsters that fell from the sky and lived on Earth. Eventually the sun grew powerful and it burnt them up leaving only their bones behind. We now know these creatures as dinosaurs.
Kaleru:
Also known as Kalseru, Rainbow Serpent
Mythical Number: #1780
Culture:Aboriginal
Attribute:Celestial
Attribute:Reptilian
Attribute:Aquatic
Behaviour:Friendly
Common Type:Sea Serpents
-A Rainbow Serpent from north-western Australia. These were magical beings of great power that feature in many tales of the native tribes. It is a cosmic multi-coloured python that lives in deep waters. The ancient spirit summoned it from the deep to carve out the landscape. Kalseru thus created the formation for gullies, rivers and billabongs. He is known to sleep in the mud during the dry season and flies to the sky as a rainbow sending down rain to help life re-grow during the wet season. He has a fascination for anything that is iridescent. Kalseru protects its people but it does punish those that break the law. Kalseru is closely link in with the land, weather, society and fertility.
The stories associated with the different types of Rainbow serpents across Australia depend on the tribe and what part of Australia they come from. Those tribes that experience monsoons depict the Rainbow serpent as interacting with the sun and the wind to create them in their Dreamtime stories. Those tribes that are more central in Australia and do not experience such turbulent weather tell their tales of a Rainbow serpent that reflect their own environmental condition.
Some believe that belief in the Rainbow Serpent is closely linked to the Wonambi naracoortensis which is an extinct ancient snake of gigantic proportions.
Karia: Mythical Number: #1794
Culture:Aboriginal
Attribute:Celestial
Attribute:Reptilian
Attribute:Aquatic
Behaviour:Friendly
Common Type:Sea Serpents
-A Rainbow Serpent from Australia. These were magical beings of great power that feature in many tales of the native tribes. It created the landscape as it rose from the depths of its habitat. Karia now rests under the Earth supporting the four pillars of cardinal directions that support the Earth itself. He is known to sleep in the mud during the dry season and flies to the sky as a rainbow sending down rain to help life re-grow during the wet season. He has a fascination for anything that is iridescent. Karia is closely link in with the land, weather, society and fertility.
Karora: Mythical Number: #1801
Culture:Aboriginal
Attribute:Aquatic
Attribute:Celestial
Behaviour:Friendly
-
A creation creature from the beliefs of the Aboriginal people. Karora was born from the depths of the ocean or in some tales from under the earth. At one time he gave birth to many bandicoots that emerged from his armpits. The bandicoots dug their way to the surface of the earth at the same time as the first sun dawned on earth. Karora's son lived upon the earth and out of hunger, he killed and ate the bandicoots. Karora then gave birth to two more bandicoots but they were also eaten. This process continued for some time until Karora decided to take action. The beast approached his son and guided him to the edge of a water hole. When his son was waiting on the edge, a tidal wave of honey suckle from the honey suckle buds engulfed and drowned the son. After this Karora returned to the bottom of the waterhole to sleep. A waterhole where it is believed he sleeps is named after him.
Keen Keengs: Mythical Number: #1816
Culture:Aboriginal
Attribute:Humanoid
Attribute:Flying
Attribute:Cave Dweller
Behaviour:Deadly
-
A race of people form the Dreamtime myths of the Australian Natives. They we large and tall humans with only two fingers and one thumb on each hand. These fingers and thumbs were as long as their arm and supported bat like wings. These creatures lived the caves of high mountains, but they had to bend over double to enter them. In these caves, they guarded their sacred fire and worshipped their god. The god demanded frequent human sacrifices. There is a story of how two Shamans encountered these creatures. The Keen Keengs saw two Shamans that were hunting nearby and thought that they would make a good sacrifice. However they knew of the Shaman’s great magic and so, since these humans had never seen a Keen Keeng, they invited the Shamans into their caves as guests. The Shamans used their magic to here of the Keen Keengs plans that they heard from far away. They accepted the invite and were entertained for three days. Each day the fire of the pit grew stronger. On the third day while a female Keen Keeng was performing the emu dance, the two Shamans escaped. They were pursued but lost their enemies in the darkness of night. The next day the Keen Keengs found their wives dancing with the Shamans near their pit of fire. One by one the women caught in the dance fell into the fire pit. The Keen Keengs rushed in but were soon caught in the dance themselves and like their wives, they fell into the pit.
Keleru: Mythical Number: #1820
Culture:Aboriginal
Attribute:Celestial
Attribute:Reptilian
Behaviour:Friendly
-
A Rainbow Serpent from Kimberley, Australia. These were magical beings of great power that feature in many tales of the native tribes. Keleru is a cosmic multi-coloured python that lives in deep waters. It created the formation for gullies, rivers and billabongs. He is known to sleep in the mud during the dry season and flies to the sky as a rainbow sending down rain to help life re-grow during the wet season. He has a fascination for anything that is iridescent.
Kondole: Mythical Number: #1912
Culture:Aboriginal
Attribute:Aquatic
Behaviour:Neutral
-The Kondole was the first whale according to Aboriginal myth.
Krantjitinja: Mythical Number: #1928
Culture:Aboriginal
Attribute:Celestial
Behaviour:Friendly
-A creation kangaroo that formed the creatures of this world according to aboriginal myths.
Kun Manggur: Mythical Number: #1952
Culture:Aboriginal
Attribute:Celestial
Attribute:Reptilian
Behaviour:Friendly
-
A Rainbow Serpent of the Dreamtime creatures and myths from Australia. The Rainbow Snake is a powerful creature that appears in the tales an religious ceremonies of the Aboriginal tribes. It is a cosmic multi-coloured python that lives in deep waters. It created the formation for gullies, rivers and billabongs. He is known to sleep in the mud during the dry season and flies to the sky as a rainbow sending down rain to help life re-grow during the wet season. He has a fascination for anything that is iridescent.
Kurrea:
Also known as Kurria
Mythical Number: #1959
Culture:Aboriginal
Attribute:Aquatic
Attribute:Reptilian
Behaviour:Deadly
-A large crocodile creature of the Dreamtime animals of Australia. It lived in a swamp preying on animals but over time it began to prey upon people too. A story tells of the hero Toolala who tried to kill the beasts. He threw many spears but none pierced its skin. The Kurrea, enraged then chased him smashing through all obstacles. Toolala saw his mother-in-law in a Bumble Tree in the distance. When he arrived at the tree the Kurrea screamed in terror and fled. Since then the Kurrea has not preyed on humans.
Impressum
Texte: Mythical Creatures List (on Google)
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 18.02.2012
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