Z

 Z – ZOMBIES

Well, folks, this brings the A-Z Blog Challenge to a close. It’s been a fun and interesting month of supernatural and paranormal creatures from myths and legends all around the world. There is much information to glean from, and hopefully I’ve inspired a story or two in the process. If you need to look back at the information, please visit my archives, I would love to have you back!

In the future, I plan to have guest bloggers, book reviews, and more. There’s always a chance for some Flash Fiction each week, too. Don’t be a stranger. J

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Zombies have been made popular today by movies, television, literature, games, and music. A form of the undead, they can also be people in a trance controlled by a wizard. These types of zombies are the originals from the West African Vodun religion and Haitian Vodu and New Orleans Voodoo.

The 1968 film, “Night of the Living Dead”, brought a modern popularity that can still be seen today. Feasting on human brains, they will often be the result of a pandemic illness resulting in an apocalypse. In this scenario, people who have been bitten by zombies usually become zombies themselves. This leaves the world in disarray with little survivors and no structure to society.

Today, zombie walks, where people dress and act like zombies, are staged to bring together fans in a unique performance, and can be used for political protests.

The above information and photos were found at Wikipedia.

Y

Y –YETI

The yeti is also known as the abominable snowman. Purported to inhabit Nepal, India, and Tibet, it is one of the most famous cryptozoological creatures. It is akin to America’s Bigfoot.

In 1921, Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Howard-Bury found footprints on Mount Everest, and the term “Abominable Snowman” was coined.

Belief in the creature was widespread until the 1960’s and has since been on the decline.

There have been many studies performed on the creature. Footprints, hair samples, and recordings of possible yeti calls have all been collected.

It still remains a mystery.

The above information and photo were found at Wikipedia.

X

X –XELHUA

According to Aztec mythology, Xelhua was one of the seven giants who ascended the mountain of Tlaloc to escape the flood, and built the Great Pyramid of Cholula. The pyramid was dedicated to the god Quetzlcoatl. It is the largest pyramid in the world. There were an estimated 100,000 people living there at it’s height. There is an advanced system of tunnels in place within the pyramid.

It currently resembles a hill with a church on top. It is a major Catholic pilgrimage destination. The whole pyramid has not been excavated and restored. It contains six superimposed structures, which were used for each ethnic group.

The first study on the pyramid was performed in 1881, with exploration beginning in 1931. Murals, structures, and patios have been found, as well as many altars.

It is considered archaeologically important and is well protected.

The above information and photos were found at Wikipedia.

W

W –WEREWOLF, WILL O’ THE WISP

Werewolves can be found in myths and folklore. Also known as a lycanthrope in Greek, they are humans able to shapeshift into a wolf once they have been either bitten by another werewolf, or placed under a curse. The cycle of shifting usually revolves around the full moon.

Having superhuman strengths and senses, werewolves can be found in literature, film, and television. The actual metamorphosis from human into werewolf varied. Swedish myth showed a special beer and incantation ritual, while Italy, France, and Germany had certain days of the week, along with a summer night’s full moon needing to be shone on the face of the person.

A more current myth has werewolves succumbing to silver bullets and weapons. Before this legends told of rye, mistletoe, and wolfsbane being used for this.

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A will o’ the wisp, also known as a ghost light or corpse candle, appears at night over swamps, bogs, or marshes. It is said to look like a flickering lamp and will recede if you go near it.

A scientific explanation could be the oxidation of methane and phosphine igniting with the oxygen in air to produce ephemeral fires. An element of decay is also usually present to catalyze.

Some cultures regarded them as spirits of the dead or other supernatural forces such as fairies, and ghosts.

The above information was found at Wikipedia.

U

U –UNICORN, UNDINE

A unicorn is a creature of legend, which resembles a white horse with a spiraling horn coming from its forehead. Originating in Greece, it is popularly connected to the Renaissance period where it was thought to be a wild creature that lived in the woods, symbolizing purity and grace, and only able to be captured by a virgin. The horn was typically thought to heal the sick and make poisoned water drinkable.

 

The belief in unicorns was real, and they are therefore not found in Greek mythology. They were believed to have lived in India. One report from an Alexandian merchant in the 6^th century who had traveled to India, described a set of brass unicorn figures that were in the palace of the King of Ethiopia. He also stated that the animals’ power derived from its horn.

One allegory shows a unicorn trapped by a maiden that represented the Virgin Mary, standing for the Incarnation. When the unicorn saw her, it put its head in her lap and fell asleep. This could be found in religious art. Some religious writers saw the unicorns’ death as the Passion of Christ. While the myths spoke of a creature with one horn that was only tamed by a virgin, they were translated into an allegory for the relationship between Christ and the Virgin Mary.

The narwhal is a whale with a large tusk that extends from its upper left jaw. It is resident to the Arctic. Ancient Norwegians thought the unicorn horn stemmed from the narwhal’s tusk.

In order to trap a unicorn, a virgin could be used. There were many tapestry hangings with this theme.

Unicorns became popular in heraldry from the 15^th century where they were depicted with goat’s cloven hooves and beards, lion’s tails, and the usual horn. It is commonly known from the royal coats of arms of Scotland and the United Kingdom.

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The Undine, also known as the Undina or Ondine, is a mythological water nymph. Classified as an elemental, they are also seen in European folklore as a creature like a fairy. They are able to gain a soul by marry a human and giving birth to his child.

Found in forest pools and waterfalls, with beautiful voices, they are common in romantic and tragic literature.

The above information and photos were found at Wikipedia.

T

T –TROLL, THUNDERBIRD, TREEFOLK

Trolls are found in different myths and folklore. In Old Norse, they are thought to live in mountains, rocks, and caves, and are not helpful creatures. Scandinavian’s thought of them as larger than humans, and ugly. Some stories saw them as very old and strong, but slow and dim-witted. Occasionally they are thought to be man-eaters, and will turn to stone in sunlight.

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Native American legends consider thunderbirds to be supernatural birds of power and strength. Their wings beating cause thunder and stirs up wind, which can come across as a storm. Thunder would sound by the wings flapping, clouds pulled together by the wingbeats, lights flashed from its eyes when it blinked, and lightning bolts were created by the glowing snaked it carried. You should never anger one. 

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Sentient beings with the faeries, treefolk are humanoid and able to move a short distance from their tree. Rarely entire tree uproots and shuffles along. They usually resemble their tree with green hair and brown skin, or trunk-like legs, branches for arms, and bark for skin.

Knobs and odd formations on the bark could be a sign the tree contains a spirit. They despise men who cut down trees, and will die if cut down.  Oak, Ash, Single Thorn, and Holly are protective and friendly.

The above information and photos were found at Wikipedia and Mythical Creatures Guide.

S

S –SPRITE, SPHINX, SATYR

A sprite can refer to a spirit, ghost, elf, fairy, pixie, or water sprite.

The water sprites, or Neck, are shape-shifting water spirits that usually take on a human form.

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The sphinx had a human head on a lion’s body, with great wings. If you cannot solve her riddle, you would suffer a terrible fate. Egypt regarded them as benign, while the Greek’s thought of it as murderous. 

The Great Sphinx of Giza is one of the most popular land structures known. The head is thought to be the pharaoh Khafra.

Said to guard the entrance to the Greek city of Thebes, travelers would have to answer a riddle in order to gain passage. Later, the riddle was said to be: "Which creature in the morning goes on four legs, at mid-day on two, and in the evening upon three, and the more legs it has, the weaker it be?" If not answered correctly, she would eat the person. Oedipus solved it by answering, “Man—who crawls on all fours as a baby, then walks on two feet as an adult, and then walks with a cane in old age”.

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The Greek mythology tells of satyrs being the male companions to Pan and Dionysus, who played pipes, and roamed the woods and mountains. Often they are shown with strong builds, flat noses, large pointed ears, and long, curly hair. Also common is the depiction of having a man’s torso attached to the lower part of a goat. They love wine and women, and love to dance with nymphs. Baby or child satyrs are often seen in art and film.

The above information and pictures were found at Wikipedia.

R

R –RED CAPS, RAVENS

A red cap is a kind of evil, murderous dwarf, goblin, elf or fairy found in folklore. Known to inhabit ruined castles on the border between England and Scotland, they are said to murder travelers who wander into their homes and dye their hats with the victims’ blood. If the dye on their hats dries, they will die, therefore they must kill often. They are too fast to outrun. 

Their description is a sturdy old man with hands bearing talons, large teeth, and red eyes. They wear the red hats and hold a pikestaff in their left hand.

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Ravens can be found in many legends. They are usually seen as a bad omen, and are connected to the dead and lost souls. While they are seen as the ghosts of murdered people in Sweden, they are believed to be souls of the damned in Germany.

The ravens named Thought and Memory sat on Odin’s shoulders to bring him news of all they saw and heard in Norse mythology.

In England, the legend goes that if the ravens that inhabit the Tower of London are removed, the Kingdom of England will fall. There have been at least 6 at home there for many centuries.

The above information and photos were found at Wikipedia.

O

O –OGRE, ORACLE

Ogre’s are found in mythology, folklore, and fiction, and are depicted as huge, hideous beasts. They are said to feed on humans. Their bodies are strong, with large heads, lots of hair, usually a beard, and large appetites. They are closely related to trolls. 

The words itself could possibly be from the two mythical giants, Gog and Magog.

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Classically, an oracle referred to someone or something that was wise or a prophet. Also has to do with predictions, precognition, and is considered a form of divination.

An oracle was considered to be a portal that the gods used to speak directly to man. 

Only the Oracle at Delphi was a female, the rest were males. Her name was Pythia, and she was a priestess at the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. She was known for her prophecies inspired by Apollo.

Pythia, derived from Pytho, was the original name of Delphi. It was thought that she delivered the messages in a frenzy that was caused by vapors rising from a chasm in the rock. The gibberish she spoke was then translated and reshaped to form the prophecies that are found in Greek literature.

Recently scholars have argued the above theory stating that the ancient sources tell of Pythia speaking intelligibly and giving the prophecies in her own voice. Further, recent geological investigations have explained that gas emissions from a chasm could have been the cause.

Not much is known about how the priestess was chosen to be the oracle. Working as a Pythia was a high society standing, and a respectable career. At the height of the oracle’s popularity, there may have been as many as 3 women giving prophecies. The oracle would give prophecies only in the nine warmest months of each year. Fasting was used to prepare them, and on the seventh day of each month she would bathe in the Castalian Spring and drink the waters of the Kassotis, where a naiad with magical powers was supposed to live.  Afterward, she would descend and mount her tripod seat, while holding laurel leaves and a dish of Kassotis water to peer into. The omphalos was nearby and was flanked by two solid gold eagles that represented the authority of Zeus. People desiring to hear a prophecy would carry laurel branches for Apollo, bring an animal sacrifice, and a monetary fee.

The above information and pictures were found at Wikipedia.