TOP 10 MYTHOLOGICAL CREATURES AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The mythical creatures are beings folk relevance with representative characteristics of the place where they arise. In addition, these figures are the protagonists of a series of stories, tales, myths and legends of a popular nature. Some beings of this type combine animal and human features, such as centaurs, minotaurs or mermaids.

In contrast, other creatures gather various parts of different animals, such as the sardula, hydra or hippogriff. They also accommodate a multiplicity of beings whose existence served to explain extraordinary or unknown phenomena to man. Furthermore, it was a common fact that he was awarded extraordinary powers or incredible wisdom.

It is said that the belief in the existence of these creatures was common, even in the most educated classes. It should be noted that these characters differ significantly from other figures with a more spiritual nature, such as gods, angels and / or demons.

characteristics

Some important elements about mythological creatures can be highlighted:

-They appear in all kinds of art and expression of the human being.

-They have extraordinary powers or qualities that are out of the ordinary.

-They have served as inspiration for the creation of works and even current dissemination materials, such as video games.

-Some beings belonging to Greek and Norse mythology served as the basis for the creation of literary universes of Narnia, the contexts of Harry Potter and even Star Wars.

-They arose as a way to explain natural phenomena, or animals that did not yet have a morphological description (especially in the Middle Ages).

-There are mythological creatures of various types: hybrids that contain human features with animal bodies, or others that bring together various parts of these. Those based on real animals and even plants also stand out.

-The fascination of mythological creatures has generated the creation of a branch of study called cryptozoology, which seeks to find the origin of certain creatures of the Modern Era, such as the Yeti or the Loch Ness monster. From this branch exobiology emerges, which seeks to explain the anatomy and functions of extraterrestrial beings.

Most relevant mythological creatures

Werewolf

Also called a lycanthrope or werewolf, it is one of the most popular creatures known to date. Werewolves have been the protagonists of countless stories, myths and legends around the world.

These beings are characterized by their strength, cunning, speed and dangerousness, so crossing with one of them could be potentially fatal.

The werewolf is a man who turns into a wolf due to a curse, or because he has been bitten by one. To kill him it is convenient to use a silver bullet, although in ancient times it was enough to cut off his head and tear out his heart.

Ningyo

Translated as "the human fish" (also interpreted as "mermaid"), it is a being with a mouth similar to that of a monkey that has sharp teeth, a shiny body with scales, and a soft voice. It is popular in Japanese culture.

Sardinian

In Hindu mythology it refers to an animal with the body of a feline and the head of a bird, usually a parrot. Some equate it to the mythological griffin.

Symbolically it represents the force of nature, so it can also be seen being ridden by a man to indicate that he is able to tame and dominate it. In some practices he is also considered a demon.

Caipora

It comes from the tradition of the Tupí-Guaraní peoples of Brazil and it is about a boy with dark skin and long hair, who is usually playful. Another well-known representation is this same infantile body but with the head of a fox. It is also characterized by having the feet backwards, to be able to mislead the hunters who are hunting in the jungle.

It is said that he is the king of all animals and that he is usually vindictive towards those who do not respect the balance and tranquility of nature.

Dragon

Without a doubt, the dragon is one of the most popular mythological beings, since it has a series of interpretations in almost all cultures.

There are generally two major divisions when it comes to dragons: those from European culture and those known in Asia. For this reason, it is easy to find endless stories and interpretations.

Generally speaking, dragons are presented as animals with reptilian features with parts of other animals, such as wings and / or horns.

They can have positive and wisdom connotations (like Chinese and Korean dragons), as well as evil and demonic. For example, in Christianity the dragon is seen as one of the transformations of Satan.

Minotaur

It is a being belonging to Greco-Roman mythology with the body of a human and the head of a bull. His name means the bull of Minos.

The monstrosity of the minotaur earned him the confinement in a labyrinth in order to retain him until he was defeated by Theseus. Meanwhile, the minotaur was offered young virgins to feed him.

Lempo

In Finnish mythology, Lempo is a kind of troll with evil powers. Even this word in Finnish is related to a kind of blasphemy.

Cyclops

In Greek mythology, the Cyclops belonged to the race of giants, who had a single eye located on the forehead. According to the stories, there were two generations of Cyclops:

-The first, where they were characterized by being rough but with great ability to build and manufacture weapons.

-The second, known to Odysseus in the series of adventures he experienced during his journey. These maintained a relationship with the giants and with the Phaiakai, a Phoenician tribe.

Brownie

In Scottish mythology, brownies are creatures that are in charge of doing housework at night, while all the members sleep or no one is. As they are brown in color (brown in English) and due to their small size, they are called brownies.

In general, as a way of gratitude, people leave a plate with cream of milk on the fireplace. It is a benevolent and friendly creature.

Harpy or harpy

Beings belonging to Greek mythology that are characterized by having the body of a bird (usually of prey) with a woman's face. With the passage of time they became grotesque and horrible monsters unlike their first conception, according to which they were described as beautiful creatures.

References

1. Brownie (sf). On Wikipedia. Retrieved: April 23, 2018. In Wikipedia at es.wikipedia.org.
2. Caipora. (sf). On Wikipedia. Retrieved: April 23, 2018. In Wikipedia at es.wikipedia.org.
3. Cyclops. (sf). On Wikipedia. Retrieved: April 23, 2018. In Wikipedia at es.wikipedia.org.
4. Imaginary creature. (sf). On Wikipedia. Retrieved: April 23, 2018. In Wikipedia at es.wikipedia.org.
5. Mythological creatures. (sf). In Abstract Corner. Retrieved: April 23, 2018. In Rincón Resumen de rinconbastracto.com.
6. Dragon. (sf). On Wikipedia. Retrieved: April 23, 2018. In Wikipedia at es.wikipedia.org.
7. Harpies. (sf). On Wikipedia. Retrieved: April 23, 2018. In Wikipedia at es.wikipedia.org.
8. Werewolf. (sf). On Wikipedia. Retrieved: April 23, 2018. In Wikipedia at es.wikipedia.org.
9. Lempo. (sf). On Wikipedia. Retrieved: April 23, 2018. In Wikipedia at es.wikipedia.org.
10. Minotaur. (sf). On Wikipedia. Retrieved: April 23, 2018. In Wikipedia at es.wikipedia.org.
11. Ningyo. (sf). On Wikipedia. Retrieved: April 23, 2018. In Wikipedia at es.wikipedia.org.
12. Sardinian. (sf). On Wikipedia. Retrieved: April 23, 2018. In Wikipedia at es.wikipedia.org.