Mythology is a part of the culture of any society, created in every historical era. As a rule, the farther the events lag behind us, the less truth remains in the legends. Folk legends, parables and tales differ from the writings of the chroniclers in that, in addition to people, mythological creatures act in them as characters, often symbolizing the spiritual principle - both positive and negative. Moreover, each of them has some features of the appearance, albeit imaginary, distinguishing them from other legendary characters.
A very, very long time
The myths of Ancient Greece, Egypt, Rome, India, China, and many other ancient civilizations were most often part of the officially accepted at that time religious-state doctrine. Zeus, Apollo, Atlantes, Sirens and Medusa Gorgon organically participated in legendary events along with people-heroes who gained god-likeness for their exploits. Ancient mythological creatures created by the imagination of priests and commoners, as a result of cultural and historical exchange, became the prototypes of the mysterious inhabitants of the gloomy world of European and Russian land in the Middle Ages.
Good fellows lesson
A fairy tale is a special kind of myth, which is characterized by the penetration into the plot of characters that have developed over centuries. They act among people using their superhuman abilities. These stories are intended for children, and in addition to the people, many prominent writers had a hand in writing them. What is a fairy tale without magic and who can make them better than mythological creatures? The main thing in them, of course, is not methods and means, but the goals of actions. For evil characters, they are unkind and treacherous, while for positive characters, on the contrary, as in life.
Hedgehogs, Kashchei and Kikimory
In the USSR, there was its own official mythology, which suggested a materialistic approach when considering all social phenomena, even those that actually did not exist. But in art, mythological creatures were quite allowed, especially in works intended for children. Cartoons and films based on Russian fairy tales dazzle, in addition to Alyonushka, Ivanushka, princes and other “human” heroes, characters such as Zmey-Gorynych, Baba Yaga, Koshchei the Immortal, Kikimora, Vodyanaya, and many others. As a rule, Russian mythological creatures borrowed from folklore look completely fearless, sometimes playfully sweet, they even carry a certain negative charm in their images, and artists who play their roles play with inimitable humor. Children, of course, do not need to be scared, but how much does this interpretation correspond to the original source?
Yaga
Baba Yaga was an evil old woman, but not simple, which are many, but special. This is almost the main mythological creature in Russian folklore. Yaga had a certain connection with demonic forces and the ability to move in three-dimensional space, in other words - to fly. Unlike European counterparts, who flew, usually on a broomstick, the domestic Baba Yaga had a more comfortable means of transportation - a stupa, and it used only as a control device. She dressed simply, even too much - in rags. Initially, it was impossible to see anything funny in this image. Yaga represented evil will and possessed considerable technical capabilities of its embodiment.
Gorynych
Some Russian mythological creatures are very similar to foreign brothers. In the past centuries, the snake Gorynych scared children not without success. This is almost the identical analogue of an Eastern or European dragon, possessing all the signs of a modern attack aircraft, namely: the ability to fly, strike at ground targets, as well as high survivability. Killing him was a troublesome and almost useless affair because of his unique regenerative ability, expressed in growing heads to replace lost ones. In some mysterious way, the information contained in the brain was immediately restored and updated. In between aggressive raids, Gorynych hid in an underground heap, disguised as a mountain with a cave. At enmity with such an adversary there is nothing funny.
Koschey
Koshchei is usually portrayed in the form of a very thin, even skeletal, old man, who nevertheless possesses remarkable strength - both physical and moral. The name of the character comes from the word "kosht", that is, bone. There is a common root with the word "blasphemy" (sacrilege, they are blasphemy), meaning witchcraft performed in ancient times over the remains of people. The title “Immortal” is most often added to the main name, which expresses the ability to come to life many times, even after being crushed by someone’s heroic power. Other demonic mythological creatures, the meeting with which also cannot please, in this sense are inferior to Koshchei. To neutralize it completely, you should know some secrets (needle, egg, bird, etc.).
Are there good monsters?
Not so many other mythological creatures are known, the list of which is very extensive. Faced with the unknown, terrified of him and feeling their own helplessness, for centuries, people have explained their troubles with hostile influence and intrigues of supernatural monsters. Sometimes some of them took the side of goodness, but in any case they should be handled with extreme caution so that they would not change mercy to anger. The names of mythological creatures are different for different peoples, but many common features indicate the similarity of perception and the ability to think out external signs.
Demons appear to be tailed, goat-footed, and horned in almost all ethnic and religious traditions. The prophetic bird Gamayun, reptiles Basilisk and Aspida, Snowman (traditionally fashioned from snow), Werewolf (in the German version of Werewolf), Upyr (in Europe he is called a vampire), even Viy himself, the leader of evil spirits, who became the hero of the famous novel N.V. Gogol and the Soviet thriller of the same name, by no means always become fabulous characters. They personify the forces of evil, led by the Prince of Air.
