Legends, myths, fables, and folklore make for fascinating reading. These whimsical, sometimes scary, tales and creatures date back to ancient civilizations. and some legends were created during the 20th century, referred to as urban myths or urban legends. Collecting these imaginative stories is a hobby.
But surely I am not the only one who is interested in this subject. Do you like to collect legends, myths, fables, and folklore? I do. I have an entire board dedicated to collecting them on Pinterest. If this is also one of your hobbies, here are a few you might like to add to your collection.
♦ The Centaur and the Unicorn
I only wanted a picture of a unicorn. I'm a fan of the BBC fantasy series "The Adventures of Merlin" and I really liked the episode about the unicorn. But then I found this cool free image (free to use; no attribution required). The image description said "Horseman and Unicorn". I'm like "Horseman". (???) Ummm ... a horseman by any other name is called a Centaur. One can't talk about myths and not mention the unicorn, my favorite mythical creature. However, the horseman is not exactly one of my favorite mythical creatures. But since he was in the image, he got lucky and is being included in my collection! LOL.
♦
ANGELS: Psychopomps (Guide of Souls or Spirits of the Dead)
“A psychopomp is a god, spirit, or demon who is responsible for guiding the
spirits of the dead on their journey to the underworld.” (Quote source.) An angel named Azrael is not mentioned in the Old Testament or New Testament scriptures. The Angel of Death (or Destruction) mention in Revelation is called Abaddon. Just sayin'.
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ANIMALS: Myths About Cats Throughout History
The ancient Egyptians may have been cat lovers and thought these creatures
were sacred (Cats in Ancient Egypt), but other civilizations were not that enthralled with them. Did you know some people believed they worked for the devil?
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HEAVENLY BODIES: Is there a Lady on the Moon or a Man?
Being a westerner, of course, I knew about werewolves and how they don't come out unless there's a full moon. But I never knew heard about the lady who lives in the moon. It's a very famous Chinese myth.
The
Exemplore
article referenced in the tweet discusses 10 myths and legends about the
moon: Chang'e; Moon Rabbit; Selene / Luna; Tecciztecatl; Anningan; Mawu;
Soma; Rona; Mayan Moon Goddesses; and Werewolves.
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HERBS: Thyme is Associated with Medicine and Myth
The ancient Greeks would set aside a bed of thyme or a patch in the herb
garden as a home for fairies. The term fairy dates back to the Europeans in
the Middle Ages, however, “...the earliest form of faeries can be found
loosely in the mythical beings in Greek mythology, such as the nymphs,
satyrs and sileni.” (Source:
TimelessMyths
)
From fairies to dead people? Another interesting myth or tradition that
developed over time was using this herb with funerals. “The Egyptians used
it in embalming their dead. That association with death persisted through
the Middle Ages where thyme was often placed in coffins to assure safe
passage to Heaven for the dead.” (Source:
Thyme: Advice From the Herb Lady
)
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A Wizard Casting a Dragon Spell
Wizards, spells, and dragons are the stuff of legends and folklore. A part of English folklore wizards are wise men with magical powers who can cast spells, for the good, unless the wizard becomes corrupt; and of course, wizards have power over dragons.
Image credit
****
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Dragons in British Folklore – Tales Handed Down Through the Centuries
Are you already familiar with any of these myths and legends?
Content first appeared at
Vrily.com
