The Myths Portal
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Myth is a genre of folklore consisting primarily of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society. For scholars, this is very different from the vernacular usage of the term "myth" that refers to a belief that is not true. Instead, the veracity of a myth is not a defining criterion.
Myths are often endorsed by secular and religious authorities and are closely linked to religion or spirituality. Many societies group their myths, legends, and history together, considering myths and legends to be factual accounts of their remote past. In particular, creation myths take place in a primordial age when the world had not achieved its later form. Origin myths explain how a society's customs, institutions, and taboos were established and sanctified. National myths are narratives about a nation's past that symbolize the nation's values. There is a complex relationship between recital of myths and the enactment of rituals. (Full article...)
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Thor (from Old Norse: Þórr) is a prominent god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred groves and trees, strength, the protection of humankind, hallowing, and fertility. Besides Old Norse Þórr, the deity occurs in Old English as Þunor ("Thunor"), in Old Frisian as Thuner, in Old Saxon as Thunar, and in Old High German as Donar, all ultimately stemming from the Proto-Germanic theonym *Þun(a)raz, meaning 'Thunder'.
Thor is a prominently mentioned god throughout the recorded history of the Germanic peoples, from the Roman occupation of regions of Germania, to the Germanic expansions of the Migration Period, to his high popularity during the Viking Age, when, in the face of the process of the Christianization of Scandinavia, emblems of his hammer, Mjölnir, were worn and Norse pagan personal names containing the name of the god bear witness to his popularity. (Full article...)Did you know? -
- ...that the Tigmamanukan, a Philippine mythological bird, can be a good or bad omen depending on the direction of its flight?
- ...that the Two Ladies was a euphemism used for the Ancient Egyptian deities Wadjet and Nekhbet, represented on the royal crowns of the merged Upper and Lower Egypt as a cobra and a vulture, respectively?
- ...that Maximón, a saint venerated in the highlands of Guatemala, drinks whiskey, smokes cigarettes and grants prayers for revenge?
- ... that the white horse in mythology is associated with the sun chariot, warrior-heroes, fertility or an end-time saviour?
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Featured Articles:
Ahalya,
Ancient Egyptian literature,
King Arthur,
Ganesha,
Iravan,
Orion (mythology),
Vampire,
Vithoba
Featured Lists:
List of valkyrie names in Norse mythology
Good Articles:
2012 phenomenon,
Æsir–Vanir War,
Ala (demon),
Anu,
Aphrodite,
Athena,
Ardhanarishvara,
Battle of Barry,
Bhikshatana,
Catalogue of Women,
Chamunda,
Chhinnamasta,
Consorts of Ganesha,
Cú Chulainn,
Dhumavati,
Dumuzid,
Einherjar,
Eir,
Enlil,
Fairy Flag,
Fenrir,
Gerðr,
Hel (being),
Huginn and Muninn,
Iðunn,
Ila (Hinduism),
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Kabandha,
Kali,
Kamadhenu,
Kangiten,
Keshi (demon),
Khandoba,
Kratos (mythology)
Krishna,
Kubera,
LGBT themes in Hindu mythology,
Manasa,
Mandodari,
Matangi,
Matrikas,
Maya Sita,
Mohini,
Myrrha,
Mythology of Carnivàle,
Naraka (Hinduism),
Ninurta,
Prester John,
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Putana,
Rati,
Ratatoskr,
Revanta,
Satyavati,
Satyr,
Sharabha,
Shashthi,
Shiva,
Sif,
Tara (Ramayana),
Troilus,
Tuisto,
Valhalla,
Valkyrie,
Vampire folklore by region,
Varaha,
Varahi,
Veðrfölnir and eagle
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Wikiversity
Selected creature -
An ala or hala (plural: ale or hali) is a female mythological creature recorded in the folklore of Bulgarians, Macedonians, and Serbs. Ale are considered demons of bad weather whose main purpose is to lead hail-producing thunderclouds in the direction of fields, vineyards, or orchards to destroy the crops, or loot and take them away. Extremely voracious, ale particularly like to eat children, though their gluttony is not limited to Earth. It is believed they sometimes try devouring the Sun or the Moon, causing eclipses, and that it would mean the end of the world should they succeed. When people encounter an ala, their mental or physical health, or even life, are in peril; however, her favor can be gained by approaching her with respect and trust. Being in a good relationship with an ala is very beneficial, because she makes her favorites rich and saves their lives in times of trouble.
The appearance of an ala is diversely and often vaguely described in folklore. A given ala may look like a black wind, a gigantic creature of indistinct form, a huge-mouthed, humanlike, or snakelike monster, a female dragon, or a raven. An ala may also assume various human or animal shapes, and can even possess a person's body. It is believed that the diversity of appearances described is due to the ala's being a synthesis of a Slavic demon of bad weather and a similar demon of the central Balkans pre-Slavic population. In folk tales with a humanlike ala, her personality is similar to that of the Russian Baba Yaga. Ale are said to live in the clouds, or in a lake, spring, hidden remote place, forest, inhospitable mountain, cave, or gigantic tree. While ale are usually hostile towards humans, they do have other powerful enemies that can defeat them, like dragons. In Christianized tales, St. Elijah takes the dragons' role, but in some cases the saint and the dragons fight ale together. Eagles are also regarded as defenders against ale, chasing them away from fields and thus preventing them from bringing hail clouds overhead. (Full article...)General images
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