Thursday, March 17, 2011

Eight Frightening faces of folklore


1. The outrageous and terrifying Ogre
The terrifying Ogre came out of Greek mythology, Oegrus being the son of Greek blood shedder god. Oegrus was described as a large, cruel, monstrous and hideous humanoid monster, often depicted in fairy tales and folklore as feeding on human beings. Ogres have made appearances in many classic literary texts, while artists often portray them In with a large heads, abundant hair and beards,  enormous appetites and great strength.  People who exploit, brutalize or cannibalize others are called ogres.
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2. The insatiable and selfish Satyr
Originally thought to have been companions of the goat god Pan in the mythology of ancient Greece. Satyrs were first depicted as normal men, usually visibly sexually aroused ,with an erect phallus. Later this image was merged with the Roman faun, and began to be pictured with the upper body being that of the man, the lower that of a goat). Satyrs are generally thought subversive and dangerous, capable of perverting the most pious of people, yet they are also known to be shy and cowardly. Older Satyrs carry horns on their head, while young satyrs are seen with mere nubs. One of the less vile faces of folklore.
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3. The wailing and vicious Banshee
The banshee is usually seen as a female spirit, and comes from the mythology of Ireland. Long considered to be omens of death Banshees belong not to this world but to come from the ‘other side’ and parade round a house wailing horribly when death is imminent .  Considered to be a leftover from some ancient Celtic pagan religion, in which they were minor gods, spirits, or ancestors. The English call them fairies, and if you meet one you should fear for your life.
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4. The horrifying and fierce Loup-Garou
The Loup Garou is the French term for the mythical monster known as the Werewolf. This fearsome beast appears often in both European folklore and modern urban legends. Said to be a man who, having being bitten by another of this ilk, can shapeshift into a large wolf-like monster, either at will or when the moon is full.  Those who are attacked but do not die become such creatures themselves, with an inhuman thirst for fresh blood.
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5.  The incredible half-man, half-horse called the Centaur
This legend of the the half-human, half-horse creature that is the Centaur is a creature from Greek Mythology, which is rarely seen as threatening to ordinary humans, though they are reputed to be fierce and un-tamable, being neither one thing nor the other, Some people perceive them  as wise and scholarly, while others find them an evil aberration created by an uncaring god.
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6. The Demonic and dangerous Dragon
This always depicted as fearsome Dragon is a product of both Chinese and Greek mythology as well as European legend. Dragons are of holds symbolic significance in many varied legends and appear in several unique forms, be they seen as  a winged, fire-spewing demon or  a wise teacher of the  mastery of Alchemy. The word Dragon is the  English version of the Greek drakon, basically meaning  huge serpent. These are truly terrifying beasts.
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7. The cruel and merciless Cyclops
Cyclops were supposedly member sof a primordial race of giants, each with a single round eye in the middle of its forehead. They hate ordinary humans and quite happily use them as food. They feature in written works by both Greek writers Homer and Hesiod, according tow whom, the three cyclopes Brontes, Steropes and Arges,  were born of Uranus and Gaia, gods of sun and earth, while Homer says that the word refers to Polyphemus,Cyclops son of Poseidon and Thoosa.  Whichever is true, Cyclops was a nasty piece of work.
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8. The truly evil female monster Gorgon
The legendary Gorgons were always portrayed as wicked women with fangs where teeth should be, and living snakes instead of hair. People believed that looking into the eyesof a gorgon would turn the onlooker into stone. Famously, Medusa who was the only mortal sister of three ,the others being Stheno and Euryale, was a gorgon that Perseus was able to kill by cutting off her head while h looking at her reflection, instead of directly at her. Greeks to ward off evil by putting images of Gorgons on their houses, but would never have actually wanted to meet one, Gorgons were true monsters of Myth.

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