Some suggested that the legends of the Kraken originated from sights of giant squid (which can grow to be quite large). It supposedly lives off the coast of Norway and Greenland and terrorizes sailors passing through that area. It takes the shape of a giant squid in most iterations. The Kraken is one of the most famous sea creatures from mythology. Interesting Note: Terrorizes sailors/ships that pass near it Kraken illustration from Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne When writing about the creature, Lovecraft said it was:Ī monster of vaguely anthropoid outline, but with an octopus-like head whose face was a mass of feelers, a scaly, rubbery-looking body, prodigious claws on hind and fore feet, and long, narrow wings behind It is worshiped by cults throughout the story and is depicted as an enormous humanoid-shaped sea creature with squid tentacles on its face and dragon wings. It’s one fate Great Old Ones within Lovecraft’s pantheon of creatures. Lovecraft’s “The Call of Cthulhu.” Cthulhu is a cosmic monster who came to earth and resided in the earth’s oceans in a fictional city known as R’yleh. LovecraftĬthulhu is a literary monster who first appeared in H.P. Interesting Note: Cosmic monster from space Drawing of Cthulhu by H.P. More logical explanations point to misidentified large sea animals such as the basking shark or sperm whales.Ĭreature: Humanoid-shaped sea creature with squid tentacles on its face and dragon wings The Loch Ness Monster is a prime example of this. Some theories suggest that these could be plesiosaurs that have survived the age of the dinosaurs. Real-life sightings of sea serpents have been recorded throughout history. Legend states that when the snake lets go of its tail, the apocalypse or Ragnarök will begin. The serpent is so large that it can wrap itself around the earth and bite its own tail. It is the child of Loki and giant Angrboða. Jörmungandr is a famous sea creature from Norse mythology known as the Midgard Serpent or the World Serpent. Particularly popular in the Yamaguchi and Saga Prefectures, they have appeared in Japanese folklore since the Edo period.Interesting Note: So large it can wrap it’s itself around the world and bite its tail Thor battling the Midgard Serpent by Emil Doepler They return to the world of the living to seek revenge. Dismayed by their fate, they seek others to join them. The name means “boat spirit.” These water demons are the ghosts of people who have died at sea. Umibozu may have another goal the creation of Funayurei. The demon usually appears at night when visibility is poor. For this reason, umibozu is associated with bad weather like storms and tidal waves (tsunami). They appear when the sea is unusually calm but quickly cause the ocean to become dangerous. Umibozu are enormous, hairless creatures that resemble humans, with eyes that glow brightly in the dark. If the ship is lucky, it can get far enough away before the Umibozu discovers the deception, becomes enraged, and drowns every person on the boat. The sailors can only give it some barrels with no bottoms and try to escape while the sea demon ponders the situation. Nevertheless, the monsters will destroy the vessel, regardless of the offerings. Umibozu are sea giants that frighten sailors. As with the kappa, a sailor’s only hope is to resort to trickery to escape the creature demands barrels of goods from the ship’s cargo in return for safe passage. They strike without warning or reason, and their only aim is to destroy. However, unlike the regal “dragon god,” there is no shrine where one can pray for favor. Umibozu also lives in the seas surrounding Japan. According to legend, Ryūjin caused typhoons, which twice prevented Kublai Khan and his Mongolian fleet from invading Japan. He is an angry god that protects his followers and destroys his enemies. Fishing communities, where the sea is essential, ask him to protect their sailors and fishermen. Suijin still has shrines throughout Japan due to his perceived power over the sea. From his kingdom, he sends snakes over the land to the outside world to gather news and inform him of happenings in the earthly realm. He controls rain, thunder, currents, waves, and tides as the guardian of the sea. He also means a lake in the shadow of an extinct volcano. The dragon king represents the ocean’s power from his castle beneath the sea. Ryujin is rumored to have created the hurricanes that protected Japan from Genghis Khan’s army.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |