10 mythical creatures that really exist. Mythical creatures (40 photos). Winged horse Pegasus

We've all heard stories about mythical creatures either from ancient greek legends, or from modern fairy tales. Despite their unclear origins, these mythical creatures are described in folklore different nations and in many cases are part of the culture. It's amazing that there are people all over the world who are still convinced that these monsters exist, despite the lack of any meaningful evidence. We present to your attention a list of the most famous fantastic creatures.

Giant or gigantic - a monster of enormous size in human form. The first mention of them appears in the Bible, in the story of King David and Goliath. In mythology, they often come into conflict with the Gods, and are generally associated with chaos and wildlife.

A banshee is a figure from Irish folklore, a woman who, according to legend, appears near the house of a person doomed to death and, with her characteristic moans and sobs, notifies that the hour of his death is near. In Celtic pagan religions, are considered junior gods, spirits or ancestors of the clan. In English mythology, they are represented as fairies. They are also mentioned as spirits of death and aliens from the underworld.

Gorgons

Gorgons in Greek mythology three sisters - Stheno, Euryale and Medusa. These are insidious monsters with fangs and live snakes instead of hair. They are capable of turning all living things into stone with their gaze. The most famous is Medusa, who is the only mortal of the sisters.

Mermaids

Mermaids or sea maidens (can also be male) are humanoid creatures or spirits that live in water, near water or in the forest. They were depicted as beautiful pale girls with flowing green hair, less often as old and disgusting women capable of tickling a person to death or drowning in water. Surprisingly, Christopher Columbus claimed to have encountered these creatures during his travels, possibly confusing them with manatees or dugongs.

Cyclops are members of a race of giants, with a single eye on their forehead. Endowed with extreme strength and agility. Hesiod wrote that there were three Cyclopes and their names corresponded to the manifestations of the power of Zeus: Steropes (lightning), Argus (light), Brontes (thunder). They came from Uranus and Gaia, but were imprisoned in the depths of the earth because the father was afraid of their power.

According to Greek legends, the minotaur is a monster with the body of a man and the head of a bull. It was believed that he lived in the center of a labyrinth built by the King of Crete, Minos, specifically to keep the monster imprisoned. Was killed by Theseus.

IN ancient greek mythology, satyrs are mentioned as companions of the goat god Pan. Depicted as Roman fauns, half goats, half men (a deity of cattle breeding and forests, who was depicted with horns and wearing goatskin). Satyrs are described as a roguish but cowardly people - subversive and dangerous, but at the same time timid and cowardly.

The unicorn is usually depicted as a horse with a long single horn on the head. However, in the original sources he had the beard of a goat, the tail of a lion and cloven hooves. The unicorn is actually the only creature in legends that did not arise from human fears. It was believed that he could not be caught unless dishonest methods were used.

The Phoenix is ​​a mythical bird from Ancient Egypt, which was distinguished by the ability to burn and be reborn from the ashes. Usually depicted with red or gold feathers. It is a symbol of the solar principle, resurrection and immortality. It was believed that the tears of a bird heal wounds.

Griffins are mythical winged creatures with the body of a lion and the head of an eagle. In ancient times he was considered the protector of all things divine. The creature was first mentioned by a poet of the 6th century. BC e. Aristeem from Proconnesus. Often found on coats of arms. Symbolizes power, authority, vigilance, speed and strength.

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Surely everyone has heard something about mythical creatures at least once in their life. Some of them are very kind and help people, but there are also those who clearly do not wish the best for a person. Some people were scared by their grandmother, others were afraid of the brownie, who kept hiding small things. The parallel world is very mysterious and interesting, isn’t it? There are many magical creatures in the world that you don't even know exist. We bring to your attention the top 10 mythical creatures from around the world.

Magical representative of Slavic myths. Since ancient times, people believed that these beautiful creatures cared for the well-being of forests, rivers and lakes, but for humans, a mermaid is an evil spirit. You can see it in the summer in the river, where it usually lures its prey and drowns it. Beliefs say that mermaids are former drowned women who were killed or committed suicide. They have no clothes and appear in the living world absolutely naked, only their heads are decorated with a beautiful wreath of different colors. Instead of legs, mermaids have a fish tail.

A zoomorphic magical creature native to ancient egypt. It is an animal with the body of a lion and the head of a human. The very first mentions of the lion man were found 10 thousand years ago BC. These magical creatures became the guardians of the pyramids in which the pharaohs rest.

Winged horse Pegasus

Representative of Greek mythology. There is an opinion that Pegasus is the child of Medusa, Gorgon and Poseidon. An unusual horse was flying faster than the wind. Pegasus lived in the mountains and loved to walk in the grove of the Muses. Beliefs say that he had the power to knock water sources out of the ground. “Horse Key” is one of these.

The characters come from Ukrainian mythology. They are also called “forest panns”. It is believed that these evil spirits are children who were stillborn or babies who left our world unbaptized. The word Mavka comes from the ancient Slavic “nav” - “death”. Such mythical creatures are represented as skinny maidens with very long curls wearing floor-length white shirts.

There are several variations of what this beast looks like. The first is a snake with the head of a rooster, the second is a rooster with a snake's tail and scary eyes. Basilisk is a creature of Spanish mythology. He can make terrible sounds that paralyze a person, his claws are very poisonous, and his gaze instantly kills. You can deal with the Basilisk by killing it with your own reflection in the mirror.

A bright and famous representative of European mythology. A dead man who rises from the grave at night to drink human blood. May appear in the form bat. There is an opinion that vampires become dead people who committed terrible acts during their lifetime - murderers, maniacs, suicides. You can also become a vampire from a zombie bite. These mythical creatures are immortal and can be defeated with an aspen stake. Modern cinema very often uses this mysterious image.

Wild creatures from ancient Greek mythology. Up to the waist the centaur is a man, and below is a horse. They live in mountains and forests. Centaurs have a very bad character and intemperate temper. The gods created them from stormy mountain rivers, so that they would be mentors to heroes.

Mythical characters from Scandinavian fairy tales and legends. These are very intelligent creatures that live underground, in abandoned mines and are famous for their incredible wealth. Dwarves are considered the good spirits of the earth. They help the lost find a way out of the forest and give gold to good people.

A three-headed dog from Greek mythology with poison flowing from its mouth. Cerberus is the guardian of the kingdom of the dead; he does not allow the dead to return to the world of the living. The three-headed dog had a snake tail and a terrifying appearance in general. He was killed by Hercules, this is described in the legend of his amazing exploits.

Home spirit in Slavic mythology. The main guardian and patron of the home. He monitors the life of the family, order in the house and the health of people, protecting against negative impact unclean forces. The brownie is considered the spirit of one of the ancestors of the family. He is revered and respected. Sometimes a brownie can warn of impending changes or misfortunes.

The ancient Greeks had a fascination with mythological monsters. This obsession spread throughout the world and continues to this day. However, to create many mythological creatures inspired not by imagination, but by science and nature.

It was discovered that the settings of ancient myths were often places where a large number of fossils. In an attempt to understand what they saw, many myths were born among people. Here we look at 10 mythological creatures from ancient Greece and from all over the world, which may have actually existed.

10. Cyclops

In Greek mythology, Cyclops ( plural Cyclopes) was giant creature with one eye in the center of the head. They were known mainly for their barbarism, and feared neither men nor gods. The most famous Cyclops was Polyphemus, who attacked Odysseus in a cave and ate half of his men. Odysseus blinded the Cyclops by driving a wooden stake into his only eye. Odysseus and his men then escaped by tying themselves to the bellies of the sheep.

This may seem implausible. But some time ago, quite strong evidence of the existence of Cyclops appeared. Many skulls have been discovered with a single eye socket in the center. It turns out that the skulls belonged to dwarf elephants. The "socket" was the central nasal cavity and opening for the elephant's trunk. Many pygmy elephant skulls have been found in Cyprus, especially in caves where the Cyclopes were thought to have lived. So perhaps the elephant skull was once taken as proof of the existence of a race of giant, man-eating creatures with one eye and terrible table manners.

9. Kraken

Photo: BBC

Release the Kraken! The Kraken appeared in Scandinavian folklore and was said to be powerful enough to drag a ship into the deep by wrapping its giant tentacles around the vessel, or by swimming in a circle around it to create a whirlpool that would pull the ship down. The first written account of the kraken dates back to 1180, and there were many accounts of the giant sea ​​monster with tentacles that dragged ships to certain death. They said that the kraken was capable of swallowing the entire crew of a ship in one go.

The myth of the kraken probably arose after people began encountering the giant squid (Architeuthis dux), which can grow to approximately 18 meters in length, or perhaps after encounters with the colossal squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni), which is much larger giant squid and can grow to an unknown length. Very few of the giant squid have been found intact because they live in the deep waters of Antarctica. For this reason, it has proven very difficult to find evidence of exactly how squid attack their prey. Some recent research suggests that they wrap their tentacles around prey before pulling it towards them and eating it.

8. Platypus

Photo: National Geographic

Although this is a relatively recent story compared to others, the platypus was also once considered a mythological animal. But it is quite real, although a little strange. The platypus, first discovered in the 18th century, was considered by many to be an absurd hoax, and not without reason. This was the century when naturalists, with the help of stuffed animals and creative imagination created all sorts of strange creatures.

For example, Albertus Seba had a whole cabinet of curiosities. Some of its exhibits existed in reality, while others did not. For example, the seven-headed Hydra turned out to be a bag of snakes sewn to the body of a weasel. The platypus also looks implausible. In 1799, English zoologist George Shaw wrote that it resembles “the beak of a duck attached to the head of a quadruped.”

The platypus is remarkable for many reasons, not just its unusual appearance. Naturalists could not determine whether the creature was a mammal. Does it lay eggs or give birth to live babies? It took scientists another 100 years to find the answer to this question. The platypus is one of the few mammal species that lays eggs.

7. Mermaids

Photo: ocean.si.edu

Legends about mermaids have existed for almost as long as people have been sailing the seas. One of the first mermaids to be mentioned was the mermaid from Thessalonike. They say she was the half-sister of Alexander the Great. Going to dangerous journey To discover the Fountain of Youth, he rinsed his sister's hair in the water of immortality. When Alexander died, his sister (who may also have been his mistress) tried to drown herself in the sea. But she couldn't die, so she turned into a mermaid. Legend had it that she asked the sailors: “Is Tsar Alexander alive?” If they answered, “He lives, rules, and conquers the world,” she allowed them to sail away. But if they answered that he was dead, she would turn into a monster and drag the ship to the bottom of the ocean.

One possible explanation for why evidence of sightings of mermaids is constantly encountered is that sailors mistakenly mistook a manatee for a mermaid - a fairy-tale creature with the body of a fish, but the head and torso of a beautiful woman. sea ​​cow). To be fair, the manatee is not the most attractive creature on Earth. So how could the sailors be so wrong? The fact is that manatees can stick their heads out of the water and turn them from side to side just like a person does. And if you look at the animal from behind, its rough skin may resemble long hair. It is also known that sailors who sailed for long periods at sea experienced sea hallucinations. Therefore, it is possible that if the manatee was at a far distance, or the lighting was poor, it could easily be mistaken for a mermaid. Or perhaps it was the rum.

6. Vampires

The modern view of the vampire emerged from Bram Stoker's Dracula (1897) and has changed little since - a pale, thin stranger with an incredible accent who sleeps in a coffin and is more or less immortal. It is well known that Stoker took a historical character - Vlad the Impaler - as a prototype for his hero. It is also possible that Stoker was inspired by the many rumors and superstitions surrounding death and burial at the time, as well as the lack of knowledge about how things decompose. human body.

After death, the skin on the corpse dries out. Thus, his teeth and nails become more visible and appear to have grown. As they decompose internal organs, fluid may leak from the nose and mouth, leaving a dark spot. People could interpret this to mean that the corpse was drinking from the living. There was also evidence straight from the coffin itself. Sometimes on inside The coffins contained traces of scratches, which served as evidence that the dead had come to life and risen from their coffins.

Unfortunately, it is more likely that the undead became dead, because, for example, people who fell into a coma could be buried while they were actually still alive. After consciousness returned to them, they may have tried to free themselves from the coffin. It is believed that the philosopher and monk John Duns Scotus died in this way. It is said that his body was found in the crypt near the coffin with bloody, wounded hands, which he damaged in an attempt to free himself.

5. Giants

Photo: livecall.io

Giants have been part of folklore for thousands of years. In Greek mythology, there is a tribe called Gigantes, consisting of 100 giants who were born from the goddess Gaia after she was impregnated with blood collected during the castration of Uranus. Ugh. In Norse mythology, Aurgelmir was created from drops of water that were formed when the land of ice (Niflheim) met the land of heat and fire (Muspelheim). The giant must have been quite large. After he was killed by the gods, the earth emerged from his flesh, the seas from his blood, mountains from his bones, stones from his teeth, the sky from his skull, and clouds from his brain. His eyebrows even became a fence surrounding Midgard, which means "earth" in the Viking language.

Some beliefs about giants can be explained by hereditary gigantism. Scientists believe that they have isolated a gene that may cause familial gigantism. According to researchers, people with gigantism may also have a tumor in the pituitary gland that stimulates their growth. The height of the biblical giant Goliath was more than 274 cm. Today there is no specific idea of ​​what height allows you to be called a giant, since different societies have different average height, and the difference can reach up to 30 cm.

A study published in the Ulster Medical Journal found that Goliath, famously killed by David with a sling, had "identifiable family tree, suggestive of autosomal dominant inheritance." A boulder thrown by David hit Goliath in the forehead. If Goliath had suffered from a pituitary tumor pressing on his optic chiasm, he might have had visual disturbances that would have made it difficult for him to see the stone.

4. Banshee

Photo: celtic-weddingrings.com

In Irish folklore, a banshee (meaning "fairy woman" in Gaelic) was a beautiful young woman with flowing white hair and eyes red from crying who "wailed" to warn a person that someone in their family would die. Instead of making threats, the banshee gave people time to say goodbye to their loved ones. It is unclear when this legend first arose. Reports of banshees appear in the written history of the village of Torlough - Cathreim Thoirdhealbhaigh, dating back to 1350, and similar cases were also described in the mid-19th century.

Lamentation was a traditional "feminine" way of expressing grief. Women gathered at the grave and cried about their loss. The practice largely died out in the 19th century, after watching mourners at real Irish funerals became something of a tourist attraction. However, it is easy to understand why the romantic Irish, who were always ready to believe in the supernatural, took the idea of ​​a fairytale woman and mixed it with the sadness of women mourning their dead to create a beautiful banshee who called to return home and say a final “I’m sorry.”

3. Hydra

In Greek mythology, the hydra was a giant sea ​​serpent with nine heads, one of which was immortal. If you cut off one head, two more will grow from a fresh wound. Killing the hydra was one of the 12 labors of Hercules. To achieve this, he enlisted the help of his nephew, who cauterized the wounds as Hercules cut off the heads until only the immortal head remained. Hercules cut it off too and buried the head under a heavy stone.

The Hydra may have been inspired by nature. There are many documented cases of snakes with multiple heads (although nine is too many). The incidence of polycephaly in reptiles is significantly higher than in any other species. Scientists studying Siamese twins have even managed to create animals with polycephaly. In the early 20th century, Hans Spemann combined young salamander embryos with a strand of human baby hair to create babies with two heads.

2. Direwolves

Photo: BBC

Today, direwolves are best known for their association with the Stark children in Game of Thrones. However, the direwolf is not a figment of the imagination of the creators. Much larger in size than the modern wolf, the dire wolf lived in the Americas before going extinct about 10,000 years ago. More than 4,000 fossilized remains of dire wolves were discovered at the La Brea Tar Pits Ranch in Los Angeles. They are believed to have become trapped while eating the carcasses of other trapped animals.

The direwolf had a huge skull, but the brain was smaller than that of the modern wolf. Perhaps if direwolves had bigger brains, they would realize that for some reason these animals were trapped. There is no evidence that an albino dire wolf ever existed, although albino pups have been born in the modern wolf population.

1. Basilisk

Photo: gawker.com

According to Greek myth and the Harry Potter book, the basilisk (aka cockatrice) was a snake with a deadly look and terrible breath. They say that he came from an egg laid by a rooster and hatched by a serpent. Supposedly, he was only afraid of the rooster's crow and the weasel, which was immune to his poison (or Harry Potter's sword). IN Greek myth The basilisk was of normal size, although by the time he reached Hogwarts, the basilisk had grown to gigantic proportions.

Although it is unlikely that a rooster would ever lay an egg or that a snake would want to hatch one, the idea of ​​a basilisk does seem to have some merit. It is likely that mythical basilisk was actually an Egyptian cobra - very dangerous snake, which hisses all the time and spits out poison at a distance of 2.4 meters, aiming at the eyes of its enemy.

This may explain the myth that the basilisk killed those who looked into its eyes. The most large predator The one that hunts the cobra is the mongoose, which is very similar to the weasel. Alexander the Great famously used a mirror to defeat a basilisk. When the snake looked at its image, it died instantly. JK Rowling also used a version of this story in her novel.

Today these creatures seem to be a figment of the imagination, but many centuries ago people believed in them. real existence. There is no reliable evidence that they really existed, so it was decided to treat them as mythical creatures. We invite you to get acquainted with the ten most popular creatures, the image of which is glorified in myths different cultures for their beauty, cruelty or magical power.

Kraken is giant octopus with uncontrollable aggression, while Leviathan is a seven-headed monster known for its enormous size. In any case, the presence of these monsters in the world's oceans would threaten the safety of navigation. No one knows whether these monsters really exist or are a figment of human imagination. Only one thing is known that these are the most aggressive ocean creatures, based on the plots of myths about them.

A human body on horse legs, a buffalo head on a human body, or a lion with human head– these mutants can be listed endlessly, since the myths of different cultures around the world are replete with them. A chimera with the head of a lion, wings of a dragon and the body of a goat is also on this list. Many of these creatures had mostly positive characteristics, like the Pegasus or the centaur, but there were also such cruel creatures as the Chimera.

The phoenix, a beautiful, colorful bird, comes from Greek mythology and is a symbol of early Christianity. He lived long life and died, incinerating himself, to be reborn from the ashes again and start a new eternal life. Some myths say that the Phoenix could live up to 1400 years, then die and be reborn again. This is one of the most famous mythical creatures, which often became the hero of literary works, including the Harry Potter novels.

7. Unicorn

A creature with the body and head of a horse with a sharp horn on its forehead is the legendary unicorn, a mythical animal that is a symbol of purity of thoughts and grace, associated with innocence. Many believe that the unicorn existed, but was exterminated because of its horn, which had healing properties.

The only similarity between a mermaid and a siren is that they top part was similar to the human body of a woman, and the lower one was presented in the form of a fish tail. Sirens were a product of Greek mythology and were considered the nightmare of any sailor. They could make any man fall in love with them, luring him with their beauty and bewitching singing. Mermaids are generally very popular in works of art, they were often depicted by artists, films were made about them. Despite numerous oral historical accounts of their existence, even those provided by Christopher Columbus during his voyage to Caribbean Sea, there is no material evidence. Only fairy tales and epics.

5. Werewolf

In folklore there are stories about people who can turn into wolves or wolf-like creatures. If someone is bitten or scratched by such an animal, he will turn into a werewolf.

Bigfoot is a giant-sized man whose body is covered with thick fur. They are said to live primarily in forests in the Pacific region. Despite the fact that photographs were taken of Bigfoot himself and his footprint, scientists do not believe in his real existence. They are sure that these photographs are fake, and he big Foot- the fruit of human imagination.

3. Vampires / Chupacabra

Vampires are found in the tales and myths of many cultures, but under different names. These are immortal creatures that terrorize the surrounding area in search of their victims, whose blood is their only source of nutrition. Vampires are experts in transformation and seduction.

These legendary creatures with a body, reptiles are heroes of fairy tales, epics and epics of almost all peoples of the world, from Europe to Asia. In Asia, dragons are represented as giant lizard or snakes with two pairs of legs and a head spewing flames from its mouth, while European dragons had many heads and wings. In Asia, dragons were revered for their wisdom and courage, while in Europe, dragons were described as bloodthirsty creatures.

This is not just a legendary lake creature, it is also the most famous monster, living in Loch Ness in Scotland. There are thousands of studies and reports about Nessie dating back to the 6th century. In the 30s of the last century, a real stir began among researchers, everyone tried to see the monster with their own eyes. Scientists persistently reject any evidence of its existence, considering it a figment of fantasy and fraud.

I tried to collect as many times as possible since this topic came up)))
I checked all the information on Wikipedia.......as far as possible)
So how much of this is true is up to you to decide =)
Who believes in what) If you like the topic, I’ll add a ton of them))

Popobava

Popobawa (from Swahili popo - bat and bawa - wing) - according to legend, an evil creature or evil spirit, believed in by some Tanzanians. Described as a dwarf with a single eye in his forehead, small pointed ears, and the wings and claws of a bat. According to beliefs, she rapes men sleeping in their beds.

The presence of the often invisible Popobava can be detected by a pungent odor or plumes of smoke. Sometimes Popobava is visible to everyone except the victim. According to legends, this creature takes a human form during the day, but with sharp fingers that give it away. After carrying out the act of violence, Popobava forces his victims to tell everyone about what happened, otherwise threatening to return and rape again.

The habitat of this dwarf cyclops is the island of Zanzibar. It first appeared on the island of Pemba, neighboring Zanzibar, in 1972. ABOUT more attacks were reported in the 1980s, then in April 1995 and more recently in 2000 and July 2001. The attacks appear to coincide with periods of heightened political tension, such as elections. In 1972, the attacks were provoked by the assassination of the country's president. But the recent attacks occurred during a politically calm time.

Hospitals in Zanzibar reported numerous cases of broken ribs, bruises and other injuries attributed to Popobawa. Alone mentally unbalanced person was hacked to death after he admitted that it was as if he was that very demon

Rat King

The Rat King is a mythical animal mentioned in European legends. The Rat King is believed to be composed of several rats fused or knotted together with their tails. The other rats supposedly feed and care for their king.
Rats living in the wild are completely susceptible to special illness: several of them grow together with their tails and form the so-called rat king, which in the old days had, of course, a different concept than now, when it can be seen in almost every museum. Previously, they thought that the rat king in a golden crown sits on a throne of several subjects fused together and from here decides the fate of the entire rat kingdom! In any case, it is true that sometimes a fairly large number of rats are found, their tails tightly intertwined, they can hardly move, and compassionate rats, out of pity, bring them food. They still don't know yet real reason such a phenomenon. They think that some special sweating on the tails of rats causes them to stick together, but no one can say anything positive.

Manananggal

The legend of this monster originates in the Philippines. Manananggal has the body and face of a beautiful old woman. This mythical monster also has a pair of leather wings and is able to separate its body from its legs. Manananggal terrorizes Visayan Island. Locals they hang huge amounts of garlic around their houses as a deterrent to the monster.
Manananggal is absolutely harmless, except for a small hobby - sucking out the hearts of pregnant women's fetuses with its proboscis. But don't be so nervous, everyone has their shortcomings.

Tikbalang

Tikbalang - translated as "demon horse" hides in the mountains and forests of the Philippines. It is typically described as a tall, bony humanoid monster with disproportionately long limbs; when it squats, its knees can be higher than its head. It has the head and legs of an animal, most often horses. He travels at night to rape mortal women, who then give birth to more Tikbalang. (translated in place with Google XD))

Ayustal

Ayustal, in Abkhaz mythology the devil; harms people and animals. According to beliefs, if Ayustal inhabits a person, he gets sick and sometimes dies in agony. When a person suffers greatly before death, they say that Ayustal has taken possession of him, but often a person defeats Ayustal by cunning.

Aguan

Aguanes are demonic creatures in Italian folklore. High beautiful women with long flowing hair, aguanas wander around alpine meadows, swim in rivers and lakes, the purity of the water in which they protect. The Aguans are friendly towards people, but woe to anyone who dares to even muddy the waters in a mountain spring! Before crossing the stream (and even more so before swimming in it), you must ask the aguane for permission. Those who neglect politeness face a terrible punishment: the aguans drag them under the water or lure them into their caves, and then devour them. The same punishment is reserved for rapists, for the Aguans do not forgive abuse of women.

Azema

Azema - Surinamese evil spirit, a kind of analogue of a vampire. He takes the form of an old man or woman, his eyes are red, and his big toes are curled. Before hunting, the azema takes off its skin, folds it and hides it under a mat - mattamata. Once free of his skin, he can turn into a blue glowing ball and fly through the air. It can enter homes through any cracks.
Azema first tastes the person's blood. If it tastes bitter, the person is saved. If the blood is sweet, the vampire will come again and again. Victims of Azema can be easily identified by red or blue markings on the areas where the vampire sucked blood. You can protect yourself from azema by making your blood bitter with the help of certain herbs and potions. You can also scatter rice or sesame seeds outside the door, mixing them with the claws of a ground owl. According to legends, the azema must collect all the grains before he can attack the victim. Because of the owl's claws, the azema will drop grains and will not cope with this task until dawn. Sun rays will kill the azema, since there is no skin on it.
If someone is suspected of being azema, they try to find out where he hides his skin. If you sprinkle it with salt or pepper, the azema will not be able to put it back on and will die

Aitvaras

Aitvaras is the name given to a flying spirit in Lithuania, which most often appears to people in the form of a bright fiery flash. They say his favorite hobby is braiding horses' manes. Aitvaras, according to Lithuanian beliefs, brings wealth into the house. It also gives me nightmares at night.

Ali

Ali, in Georgian mythology evil spirits, harmful to women in labor, newborns, lonely travelers and other people. Ali could be either male or female. They have a terrifying appearance (teeth made of copper, traces of glass, hair dirty). According to legends, Ali live in the forest, in rocks, in ruins, climb into stables, sometimes lure a victim, which they appear in the form of close relative, in water. Women Ali (alkali) are endowed with the same functions, but have less physical strength, sometimes act in the function of the goddess Dali and, like her, are presented in the form of a beautiful golden-haired woman in a white dress. Ali becomes the faithful servant of the man who will cut off his hair and claws.

Alkonost

Alkonost - in Slavic mythology - a heavenly light bird-maiden with a human face, controls the weather, bird of the god Khors (the sun god in Slavic mythology) Alkonost has magical properties. For example, for those 7 days during which Alkonost hatches eggs, and another week while she feeds the chicks, the weather is calm and storms are replaced by light winds. But the most main feature Alkonosta - his wonderful, bewitching singing. The caption under one of the popular prints reads: “Alkonost stays near paradise, sometimes on the Euphrates River. When he lets out his voice in singing, then he doesn’t feel himself. And whoever is in the vicinity then will forget everything in the world: then the mind is from him departs and the soul leaves the body." Alkonost was considered a symbol of light sadness.