romanian folklore creatures

The Transylvanian Folklore has a lot of legends, myths and haunting creatures: from the well-known vampires to werewolves, Moroi, Strigoi, iele, and all kinds of monsters! Interesting post. Party music is very lively and shows both Balkan and Hungarian influences. It has similarities to many different legendary creatures, but most of all with the vampire and lycanthropes of the Slavic and Balkan region. The Hydra in the Marvel universe is essentially lifted straight from the myth, ultimately being defeated by Hercules in a fight witnessed by the Eternals Ikaris and Phastos. So he told the fairies that he must go, and bid them farewell despite their objections. Blajin also means a dead child who did not receive the benediction of Holy Spirit. 8 Myths of Romania | Popular Folklore, Legends and Tales Some similar creatures drain their victims of psychic or sexual energy, health, or qi, also known as life essence. Overcome by sadness, he walked through every room in search of the room where he was born. But Zburatorul was not an ordinary lover, he developed obsessions and curing this love-illness was a hard thing to do. There are blood parasites called Strigeidida. Nuggets of Romanian Folklore, Myths and Legends Jewels of Romanian History and Travel. In the Carpathians, Jidovii are often named Blajini, which means the Kind Ones, or Novaci, which means the Powerful Ones as they could snatch a tree without any effort. We all know the phenomenon of children having imaginary friends. And thus, while he still tries to take control of the earth, it never did become his. Some explain them as the descendants of Adam's son Seth. I also found a very cool alternative version to the creation myth here, which foregoes the Christianised God and Satan for a worm and a butterfly! You will interact with the world and its inhabitants in the quest to learn more about its life, the plants . , Thanks for the addition Pat.. very interesting..hugsx. Scientists are increasingly aware that they need to improve their skills of public engagement, so as to combat scientific misinformation more effectively than they have been able to manage to date. You can find her in a plethora of folk and fairy tales, playing the role of a forest guardian. In his search, Ft-Frumos had many adventures, acquiring a flying horse and fighting many of the monsters we mention below. Romania's rich folk traditions have been nourished by many sources, some of which predate the Roman occupation. Romanian Legends and Myths - Pinterest Any man can become this bloodthirsty demon after death if they die under certain conditions. The 12 winds are said to sweep up the ashes of people and gather them in the valley of Safed, where the Last Judgement shall be done. The Devious Dragon of Romanian Folklore Posted by Magical Europe BY HANNAH HORN In the books of mythology, the Romanian Balaur is an enticing creature. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. So she cooked only his meal herself, ensuring the serving girl brought it to just him. Luckily, there were certain chosen people, known as good sorcerers, that with the permission of the possessed girls and with a bit of magic succeeded in healing them. According to the tale of creation, God and the Devil are master and servant, the devil (Nefrtatul) being Gods foolish brother. Perhaps the most successful collector of folk tales was the novelist and storyteller Ion Creang, who, in very picturesque language, shaped into their now-classic form stories like Harap Alb (roughly, "The White Moor") or Fata babei i fata moului ("The old woman's daughter and the old man's daughter"). In: Lefter, Lucian-Valeriu. August 20, 2020 by Patricia Furstenberg. If you know of any Romanian tales we should include here, let us know! I do remember being scared of this mosnter, for he was supposed to eat naughty children (which I was not!). [2] The Devil tried to push him over the side, but the ever-expanding earth would hinder that. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. According to Romanian mythology, Zburatorul is actually the personification of the intense feelings of erotic desire and longing for a man. Romanian mythology | Legends, Monsters & Mythical Creatures They have filled folklore, stories, songs, and works of art . Zburators lovers can soon be identified by their dishevelled, sleepless appearance. With mountains as sky-high as the Carpathians is easy to understand why Giants were the first people evercreated on the Romanian land. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Myths in the ancient kingdoms of Carpathia and Transylvania are especially original. These monsters go beyond scary Halloween stories of ghosts, demons, vampires, and werewolves. Seen as the Romanian version of Valentine's Day, Dragobete is celebrated on February 24th.Dragobete, personified as a young handsome man, is the protector of lovers in Romanian folk culture. God began to grow the piece of clay into the earth, and when it was large enough that he felt he could leave it to expand in peace, he lay his head down to rest. How cruel it must have been for them to be judged by the entire community only because their dreams become their second reality, one full of love and passion. Moreover, Strigoii can cause many illnesses and eve shape-shift into were-wolfs. It is said that they used magic words that asked to Zburator to leave, to hide and never to return. #folklore #creatures #cartoons #illustrations This little tale follows a king and his three daughters, long, long ago. Top 5 Romanian Folk Tales - #FolkloreThursday This is a mythical creature in South Slavic mythology. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. This is my own version of the Romanian creation story with elements taken from all. I, too, seem to notice that WP is out of sorts at times. Strigoi also include ghosts, wights, banshees, wraiths, ghouls, zombies and other shades of undeath and all forms of lycanthropy. Realising her to be his daughter, and finally understanding that he had been a fool, the emperor embraced her, apologising. Smorgasbord - Variety is the Spice of Life. Thank you, Roberta Strong folk traditions have survived to this day due to the rural character of the Romanian communities, which has resulted in an exceptionally vital and creative traditional culture. Jidovii are described in Romanian legends as kind and patient, walking with huge steps from one hill to another. [1]:34. In 2010 the archeologist who put together the skeleton named it Balaur Bondoc, which means stocky dragon. This way, the traditional fairy tale character of the dragon-like-serpent-headed monster gets to live on. As the prince walked home, he found that he was growing steadily older, until he was a crooked, white-haired man. This bizarre whale feeding technique may explain some ancient folklore. Easter of Blajini is called also Easter of Deaths or Mighty Easter. The Romanian folklore shares some similar fantastic cast of monsters and the Vasilisc is just an example. Here we are, arriving at the ubiquitous Zmeu (pronounced ). Ft-Frumos is actually present in many Romanian folk tales. So let's dig into 3 lesser-known legends from the Romanian mythology, and discover a bit more of the beliefs and superstitions of this beautiful yet mysterious country. Ielele are stunning nymph-like women who dance under the moonlight. (a type of cracker) If you refuse to buy any, she releases a Pontianak (a vengeful ghost) into your house. These are mythic creatures related almost wholly to the nature.When the humans draw them nearer, they are presented either as friendly or as ill meaning. No grass would ever grow there, for many years, but instead only red, poisonous herbs and mushrooms would appear. Manananggal (Image credit: Oronoz/Alamy) These terrifying flyers from Filipino folklore gain their name from the Tagalog word "tanggal," which means "to split." Generally depicted as female, the. Upon deciding to create the earth, God sent the Devil to bring a handful of clay from the ground of the World Ocean in his holy name. With legends such as those of Baba Dochia, Manole, or the Ballad of Miorita, we can surely say that Romania is pretty creative when it comes to mythology. Folk legend say that wherever the seductive ielele danced, strung in a circle, afterwards the ground appeared scorched, dead. The Romanian folklore is a big happy family. In the show, Zanna are actually the imaginary friends children see. Sometimes it is described wearing a shiny magical stone on its head, making it more difficult for Ft-Frumos, the Romanian Prince Charming, to crush it. Rozalinds fatherand the last head of the Giants, Old Cingalau (not the moth, perhaps a nickname, like Wide-Belt), feeling that his time has come, arranged for the two to get married. Or a love story would be better, to melt your other half's heart? You might want to try it. The Romanian mythology is quite impressive. ROMANIAN MYTHOLOGY and LEGENDARY CREATURES - little spy eye Or it could have been Decebal, one of the first rulers of the Dacians, Romanians ancestors, who ordered these Giants to protect the Dacian treasures hed hidden in a cave when Romans attacked, 1st century AD. Ce zici? F rom lumbering giants and fearsome trolls to impish satyrs and magical elves, mythical creatures have captured imaginations since the dawn of time. Some old books even tell stories about young girls haunted by this mysterious man, becoming so desperately in love that they started acting like lunatics, walking down the village streets almost undressed and untidy, obviously exhausted and sometimes semi-conscious. Also, people who claim to have seen him say that along with his book, he also carries a piece of wood for calling the winds and an iron axe which he uses to create hail. With stories being passed down from one generation to another, the Romanian folklore was always rich with magical or scary tales. She forgave him, and they all lived happily ever after. Somewhere in 1882, a book regarding the Romanian folklore regarding burials was published . Three saints (usually in the persons of Enoch, John and Elijah) are said to come to earth to unveil the Devil's attempts to destroy the world, whereupon they shall be killed by decapitation. Finally, Ft-Frumos practically means handsome son. He is the Romanian superhero who gets to slay all the mythical monsters we listed above. Music and dance represent a lively part of the Romanian folklore and there are a great variety of musical genres and dances. Vampires in Romania: How Were These Legends Created? What are some books on Romanian mythology/folklore? - Quora According to their stories, there were few giants left but lived in good communion with humans. Want to find out more about Romanian mythical monsters, besides the ever-present Dracula? Others think that they used to live alongside humans on the earth, but Moses, seeing his people oppressed by them, split the waters and, after he and his people had retreated to safety, poured the waters back onto them, sending them to their current abode. I cover the travel and myth/legend posts. They are considered to fast the year through, and thus doing humans a great service. These are a few of Romanias most widely-known folktales and legends! As the Norse Fenris, a varcolac may swallow the moon and the sun; it's thus responsible for eclipses. Romanian mythology | Myths and Folklore Wiki | Fandom Day Fifteen of the Folkloric Fauna of February. The Romanian Giants known as Jidovi, are probably one of the most beloved folklore creatures. The creature has been described as an undead man that left his grave during the night to haunt people. The first beings to exist on earth were the Uria giants or ogres so large, they could bound across continents. Belonging to the Cretaceous period the Theropod dinosaur is one of the dwarf dinosaur species that lived in what is now Romania. He only wanted his daughter to be happy. Peoples folkloric imaginary produced other monstrous depictions such as a double dog-headed human with four eyes, standing on four feet. One of the best answers for the question "how were these legends created" is, obviously, the Romanian folklore itself. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Author of the Year Spillwords Press Awards MMXXIII. A brief history of the world's most storied mythical creatures Once upon a time, at the very beginning of the world, there was nothing but water. Werewolves, vampires, capcaun, zmeu and many other mythical creatures originated in East Europe in Transylvania, Romania. Muma Pdurii is a mythological representation of a long ago civilization, mainly focused on woods as she personifies everything that comes out of a forest and you can read more about her in my blog post here. Romanian mythology is vibrant and often scary, full of blood-sucking creatures, vicious and fickle lovers, and bloody battles. They met and consume their love in the world of dreams but everything is so intense, almost real that the young woman becomes exhausted and obsessively in love. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Nefrtatul went forth, but he tried to call the clay in his own name so that he would be ruler over all. Around that day, which represents the end of winter, it is believed that birds find their mate and start building nests together. Despite the popularity of the vampire mythology, Romania holds her own myths and legends. The Jidovi are said to have considered humans the successors of their earth, and so they treated us well and taught us what they knew. By taking the shape of a dragon, appearing in the sky and spitting fire, the Zmeu belongs to a particular category of villains. So Ft-Frumos left them, insisting that he would roam the world and find immortality. So if you have six kids, all one sex, call it there. What do you need today? If the latter, hes a dark embodiment of the Romanian peoples fear of their invading enemies. But what is a Dacian Draco? They lived in caves and thick woods, enjoyed talking and respected the little humans, which they considered their successors, the next owners of all the rivers and mountains. Others attribute the earthquakes to the earth (which is alive, and can therefore feel) realising the wicked ways of humans, and trembling in fright. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. by Irina B. In another instance, should this army not come, God shall burn the earth as described and bring the Blajini to live there. Michael, Ah, how wonderful too see you here, Michael. [Romanian Pluvial Myths In a World Wide Context]. And be gone! Scientists are puzzling over a strange hunting technique that whales recently began using: They swim to the surface of the ocean, open their mouths into a gaping yawn with their He is described as a shooting star, coming down through the chimney or the window, entering a girls room in the shape of an incredibly handsome man and, sometimes, in the shape of the man the girl loves. His eldest daughter said I love you like honey, father, and he was very pleased. [1]:3842, The etymology of the word blajin (adj.) This is the sad tale of Meterul Manole. They wore either boots or a simple shoe made of leather and tied around the foot called opinc and they wore a hat which differs in design from region to region. They lived here first as West Slavic, Lechitic tribes, and later as a swiftly Christianized kingdom (formed by a tribe known as the Polans, hence Po land). These are embroidered with traditional motifs that vary from region to region. Traditionally, men wore a white shirt and pants (if made of wool they are called iari) with a wide leather belt, usually over the shirt, and a vest sometimes made of leather and embroidered. Marvel: 10 Real-Life Mythical Monsters That Are In The Comics - CBR In most local folklore, moroi are the souls of unbaptised children or faithless adults. Sometimes he has two heads, other times a head of a dog on the body of a man, it appears that he is also a shape-shifter, being able to transform itself in other animals too. Jerry Fuchs on LinkedIn: #folklore #creatures #cartoons #illustrations The Devil set forth and tried to bring it to the surface in his name instead, but could not succeed until he brought it up in the name of God. Dragons, wolves, and hybrid animals populate the most appreciated stories. "Aluxes" are creatures from Mayan mythology, depicted as small elven or goblin-like spirits known for creating mischief. How to Reason with Scientists and Other Partially Rational Creatures Since they live in isolation, they have no way of knowing when Easter comes. That is, until he realised he had drawn a giant cross in the ground, and backed off in fear of the sacred symbol. Genesis the creation stories in Romanian folklore are numerous and varied, from its ancient, Indo-European roots with Brother and Non-brother, to a Christianization of the tale involving God and His perpetual antagonist, Satan. January 13, 2021 The ancestors of the Poles were already present in what is now Poland since the earliest Roman records of the area, in the early centuries AD. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. [1]:55, The origin of mountains is explained in a number of ways by the cultures of the different regions of Romania. The princess journeyed far, distraught. A varcolac (or vrcolac or vircolac) in Romanian folklore may refer to several different figures. Iele - the Ladies of the Woods Romanian Myths & Legends Frtat called to his brother to dive together and gather handfuls of sand from the bottom of the ocean and throw it in the air, in his name, so Earth will form so they could both rest and catch their breath. The sky and the earth will be set alight and the earth will be purged, so that its Creator may descend upon it. They are very similar to the beasts in the rest of the European mythologies, and ever popular in Romania. The Hydra is a reptilian creature from Greek mythology that could regrow two heads for every one that was cut off, a trait that the Hydra organization adopted as its motto. The giants sound almost charming, but Capcaun scares me . Long considered a venomous monstrosity, the Basilisk surfaced as a folkloric character in Europe in the Middle Ages. The fey creatures that lived here quickly took a liking to him and invited him to stay. Category:Romanian legendary creatures Help Pages in category "Romanian legendary creatures" The following 22 pages are in this category, out of 22 total. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Legends tell the stories for most of them. Worth mentioning is the root of the word Frtat coming from frate = brother. A Cpcun is something similar to an ogre in the Romanian folklore. These creatures are sometimes described as one-eyed cyclops-like monsters, who feed on human flesh. Ethnographers have tried to collect in the last two centuries as many elements as possible: the Museum of the Romanian Peasant and the Romanian Academy are currently the main institutions which systematically organise the data and continue the research. The queen was pregnant and in labour, but her son, still in the womb, cried and refused to come out. A Viking's Quest, the Lost Continent on Steam Yet she fell in love with one of them, the head of the Dacian Roman city of Turda (where my Mother was born His name was Robonban. The founding father of vampire literature, Bram Stoker, introduced the cruelest Wallachian ruler of XVth century Romania to the world. Folk creations (the best known is the ballad Mioria) were the main literary genre until the 18th century. In some stories this is his true appearance, in others, he is actually a dragon-like demon who simply takes on this visage. One day, the king asked his daughters how much they loved him. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Romanian Mythical Monsters - The Adventures of Kiara Yew This bizarre-looking monster hatches from an egg incubated by a rooster, and lives in a hole underneath its victims' house. Romanian Monsters of Myth and Folklore #Im4Ro This article is about to introduce you to the heroes and villains of Romanian folklore! It was a combination snake, rooster, bat, and sometimes other animals, that was born from an . It took some convincing, as this was not a prudent match for a prince to make (at least, as far as they knew). So, it is believed, that in the deepest caves of the Carpathians Mountains may still live some Jidovi, protecting the treasures for generations to come. Pricolici are, in some stories, the souls of murderous men who come back to earth to do more evil. It is said that Rozalinda, the Giants daughter, discovered some people on the banks of Some river and she took them home, thinking they are tiny dolls. He visits them in their dreams, creating a second reality that is often a good deal more exciting than the truth of their waking reality. It has also given rise to the Romanian saying pn ajungi la Dumnezeu, te mnnc sfinii ("before you reach God, the saints will eat you"). Ft-Frumos grew up to be wise and quick-witted, a perfect prince to rule the kingdom. The dances are lively and are practiced throughout Romania by a large number of professional and amateur groups, thus keeping the tradition alive; Hora is one of the most famous group dances but men's folk dances such as cluari are extremely complex and have been declared by UNESCO to be "Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritages of Humanity". Once upon a time, there was a great king and queen. A strong desire to kidnap and marry young girls animates him. In the Romanian folklore, the wolf appears more often, since the Carpathian people have had many encounters with these animals. Let's face it. Romanian Folklore. Balkan Folklore, Discover Fascinating Tales and Mythical Creatures Incredible Myths and Folklore from Romanian Woods #Im4Ro England's Black Annis tans the skins of naughty children and wears them around her waist. Anyone who would have wanted to kill it had to bring a mirror in front of it so that its gaze could be reflected. Tomas Bangs on LinkedIn: Ten Mythical Creatures in Ancient Folklore The Romanian Giants known as Jidovi, are probably one of the most beloved folklore creatures. . What a practical love! The legends of many nations describe a bygone era when the world was ruled by giant humans. Sentimental music, however, is the most valued, and Romanians consider their doina (a sad song either about one's home or about love, composed like an epic ballad) unique in the world.

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romanian folklore creatures

romanian folklore creatures