They are generally considered good wizards and often presented as false beggars, testing the kindness of people. 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. Any man can become this bloodthirsty demon after death if they die under certain conditions. They appear in Romani folklore. What are some books on Romanian mythology/folklore? - Quora These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. They are also known as vampires. As the Norse Fenris, a varcolac may swallow the moon and the sun; it's thus responsible for eclipses. Nonetheless, Romanian history inspired him to come up with the name Count Dracula for the main character of the book. Smorgasbord - Variety is the Spice of Life. According to Romanian mythology, Zburatorul is actually the personification of the intense feelings of erotic desire and longing for a man. No grass would ever grow there, for many years, but instead only red, poisonous herbs and mushrooms would appear. [1]:55, The origin of mountains is explained in a number of ways by the cultures of the different regions of Romania. Mythical creatures, legendary beasts , and supernatural, mystical, and god-like beings have fascinated us since ancient times. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. 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. The fey creatures that lived here quickly took a liking to him and invited him to stay. [1]:34. His eldest daughter said I love you like honey, father, and he was very pleased. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Youll also find that some of the figures are shared with the neighbouring Hungarian mythology, as borders were fluid and travellers have been moving between the two forever. The ancient legendary creature called the Basilisk was feared in Europe and North Africa. From this clay he would make the earth. Pricolici are, in some stories, the souls of murderous men who come back to earth to do more evil. What a practical love! These vicious wolf-creatures come out during the full moon, and in their older myths, lunar eclipses are actually the result of these wolves eating the moon. In another instance, should this army not come, God shall burn the earth as described and bring the Blajini to live there. Not to mention great and powerful heroes without age and giants who keep guard over the earth! Males are somewhat larger than females, with a weight of 30-60 kg . She forgave him, and they all lived happily ever after. He is an outlandish beast that has a female version in some stories. I'm was never really into authentic military units simulation, so true fans can feel free to throw rocks of shit at me. Blajin also means a dead child who did not receive the benediction of Holy Spirit. Have a lovely weekend, Pat. While the name Draco comes from the Greek term Drakon, which signifies to guard with a sharp eye, it also means serpent or dragon. There, he studies the languages of all the beings from Earth, all the magic spells ever created, and then, after many hard tests, he is left alone, to a rock table, to write down all of his knowledge in his own book. We hope you liked our selection of Romanian mythical monsters. First, the rural character of the Romanian communities resulted in an exceptionally vital and creative traditional culture. Romanians, Hungarians, Saxons, Ottomans, Jews, and Roma Gypsies inhabited the whimsical territory of "the land behind the forests" ( trans silvae), shaping the local folklore and giving birth to fantastic creatures, magic legends, and a fascinating tradition of storytelling. Some people claim to even have seen them, especially in the region of Bukovina. Vlads cruel and brutal acts led to many widespread tales about him, eventually leading to the bloody legend of Count Dracula, which also pulls from Hungarian vampiric myths and other European folklore, like the Polish Wpierz. These are the most popular and well-known stories and Romanian mythological creatures. But when he came of age, the young man asked his father to make good on his promise, and give to him eternal youth. These include dying unmarried, by execution or suicide, or even by being the seventh child of the same sex born into a family. Dar l-am inclus intr-un post mai vechi: 4 Romanian Myths between Culture, History and the Sacred, https://alluringcreations.co.za/wp/4-romanian-myths-culture-history-sacred/, Imi amintesc ca, in copilrie, cand am citit pentru coal poezia lui Ion Heliade Rdulescu, tare nspimntat am fost de Zburtorul. This is just one of them! So sweet, and without any real flavour! Author of the Year Spillwords Press Nomination, An Unexpected Christmas Gift Publication of the Month on Spillwords Press, Storytime, An Unexpected Christmas Gift Un Dar Neateptat de Crciun, How To Improve Your Child s Reading Skills and How Memory Helps, 32 original Afrikaans idioms sure to make you smile once translated into English, #SouthAfrica #languages #learning #fun, 20 Afrikaans words with interesting English literal translations, Fastest Route to Mona Lisa, Louvre, Paris, The Wooden Church from Bicaz, Maramures, Romania #Im4Ro, Romanian Monsters of Myth and Folklore #Im4Ro, A New Literary Comparison, Bram Stoker's Dracula - Vlad the Impaler, and prieten means friend, a treasured friend . Extremely Rare Roman Cavalry Parade Mask Discovered In Romania According to their stories, there were few giants left but lived in good communion with humans. [1]:6971. Ugly and evil, this creature feeds on human flesh and looks like a giant dog-headed beast. Because there is a long history of walking corpses and bloodsucking ghouls in folklore . Moreover, Strigoii can cause many illnesses and eve shape-shift into were-wolfs. Thank you, Roberta And thus, while he still tries to take control of the earth, it never did become his. With Halloween coming up this year, the Cpcun seems to be an unconventional choice for an impersonation. Tall, red-haired, with bulging eyes, dressed in a white long coat, he is always described carrying his Magic Book, the source of all his powers. Occasionally they help children find answers to moral questions in life. Historian, folklorist, and founding member of the Romanian Academy, Ion G. Sibiera (1836-1916), and the writer and poet Ilarie Voronca (1903-1946) wrote about these supernatural creatures . F rom lumbering giants and fearsome trolls to impish satyrs and magical elves, mythical creatures have captured imaginations since the dawn of time. In Romania, fears of the strigoi, once-human monsters who need blood to survive, have circulated for hundreds of years. In his search, Ft-Frumos had many adventures, acquiring a flying horse and fighting many of the monsters we mention below. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". 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"). The first beings to exist on earth were the Uria giants or ogres so large, they could bound across continents. 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. Hi! Strigoi is a character from Romanian mythology. Once, in an old anonymous folk tale, Ft-Frumos even goes on a quest to gain immortality. They are centered on popular characters like the prince Ft-Frumos (the Romanian "Prince Charming"), the princess Ileana Cosnzeana, the villain or monster Zmeu or Cpcun, the dragon Balaur or fantastic superbeings like the good Zn and the evil Muma Pdurii. Folk legend say that wherever the seductive ielele danced, strung in a circle, afterwards the ground appeared scorched, dead. is the Slavonian blan meaning 'kind, well-minding person'. These stories appear not only in Romanian folklore, but also in those of Aromanian, Slavic Macedonian and Bulgarian folklore. kobolds - these little German guys might live in mines or in your house. Despite the popularity of the vampire mythology, Romania holds her own myths and legends. The Lore Behind Supernatural's Zanna Vampires are evil mythological beings who roam the world at night searching for people whose blood they feed upon. Cultures worldwide have passed down tales. I'm a maths tutor and a mechanical engineering student with a long time-interest in history. These are embroidered with traditional motifs that vary from region to region. . [1]:1314, Another question commonly addressed is that of the origin of God, which is explained in a Russian doll-type fashion; before every God there was another God that created him. The Devious Dragon of Romanian Folklore - Magical-europe.com A not-so-widespread belief is that of a definitive destruction of the earth, whereupon God and the Devil shall divide the souls of the dead among themselves and retire to the moon, who is considered to have been made in the image of the earth to serve a place of retreat after the destruction of the earth. Or be a werewolf that died, and came back as a vampire . Some similar creatures drain their victims of psychic or sexual energy, health, or qi, also known as life essence. Romanian Legends and Myths - Pinterest Absolutely fascinating Pat.. thanks for the amazing background and I love the explanation of Genesisxx, Cheering your visit, Sally The folklore of Romania is the collection of traditions of the Romanians. A feature of Romanian culture is the special relationship between folklore and the learned culture, determined by two factors. What can I say, Romanians have a wild imagination , Thank you for visiting twice today Id forgotten this post in drafts. Eventually, he realised he was being had and demanded to know why! Glad WP is sorted. . So the king, enraged (somehow) by her answer, banished his daughter from the castle, unwilling to listen to any explanation. [1]:1112[2] In the majority of versions, before the earth existed, a boundless ocean called Apa Smbetei was the abode of God and the Devil, seen as master and servant rather than equals. The word Cpcun can mean either dog-head or Turk chieftain. "Mituri pluviale romneti n context universal". Also, the poet Vasile Alecsandri published the most successful version of the ballad Mioria (The Little Ewe), a sad, philosophical poem, centered on a simple action: the plot by two shepherds to kill a third shepherd because they envied his wealth. But the king said that he had no power to fulfil his pledge, it was impossible. In these stories the Devil goes by the name "Nefrtatul" and is the somewhat foolish brother of God in folk versions of stories. Finally, Ft-Frumos practically means handsome son. He is the Romanian superhero who gets to slay all the mythical monsters we listed above. Varkolak | Mythpedia Wiki | Fandom Balkan Folklore, Discover Fascinating Tales and Mythical Creatures Folklore of Romania | Religion Wiki | Fandom The giants sound almost charming, but Capcaun scares me . Romanian Folklore. From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia. 25 Creepy Urban Legends From Around The World | Thought Catalog They are considered to fast the year through, and thus doing humans a great service. Others claim that they are descendants of St. Elijah and that this is the reason why they master the storms and the thunders so well. Maybe it is a bedtime story, for your little one? In another version, true to the succession of Gods mentioned earlier (s. here), Jesus Christ is said to come and create a new world like his father before him. Finally, his father desperately promised him youth without age and life without death. In Romanian culture, as in many others, the house represents the spiritual center of human life, the place where profane meets sacred and around which gravitates many of the intriguing creatures populating myths (stories and beliefs rooted in human's origin, often involving gods) and folklore (fictional tales and superstitions, legends . This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Ielele are charmstresses, women of forests and waters with magic powers living in Romania and populating its folklore. Marvel: 10 Real-Life Mythical Monsters That Are In The Comics - CBR (a type of cracker) If you refuse to buy any, she releases a Pontianak (a vengeful ghost) into your house. 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! | Sep 28, 2018 | Legends and Myths, Romanian Folklore, Romanian Folklore Creatures. 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. Most Popular Mythical Creature In Every Country - YouTube And be gone! Ielele are stunning nymph-like women who dance under the moonlight. B Balaur C Cpcun D Dhampir I Iele M Marolea Moroi Muma Pdurii Muroni P Pricolici R Rahmans S Sntoaderi Snzian Spiridu Strigoi U Uria V Vlv Pricolici. There is more on dragon-like creatures in the Romanian mythology in what follows. But the best legend ever is that of the famous agreement between the great Dacian king Burebista and all the Jidovi from the mountains. He only wanted his daughter to be happy. Sources. Long considered a venomous monstrosity, the Basilisk surfaced as a folkloric character in Europe in the Middle Ages. The mythical creatures of the night are usually frightening and Maleficent, but there is one, a fascinating creature, born from unshared love, so attractive and mysterious like a true prince of the night. In fact, in 2005, The Guardian covered a vampire-slaying ritual in a Romanian village, performed after deceased laborer Petra Toma's family decided he'd become a strigoi in 2003. They are described as anthropomorphic and short, sometimes having the head of a rat. I think it might be due to a good mix of tumultuous histories, a web of cultures, incredible geography, weather, and crazy politics? Another version suggests the Earth was too large to fit under the firmament, and so God attempted to shrink it, thus raising mountains. It is essential to preserve these creations together with the act of telling stories and fables. The water soon foamed, perhaps under a gust of wind, and from that foam grew a flower. Known as the Powerful Ones, and The Holy Ones, as well as many other names, these feminine creatures hate to be watched. One day, Ft-Frumos found that he missed home, and could hardly remember what his life had been before his fairie revelries. Those who know the series The Strain surely know this creature too; Strigoi is the product of the same culture that created Count Dracula: Romania. They have similarities to brownies and to dwarves. Their songs and firelit dances can lead travelers astray. xx, Talking books (Transylvania's History A to Z and Dreamland) with lovely Andra Craig & Sorina Stallard from DOR Romanian Diaspora on #CarteaDeVineri. The varkolak or vyrkola or vrykolakas, also called vorvolakas or vourdoulakas, is a harmful undead creature in Slavic folklore. A Cpcun is something similar to an ogre in the Romanian folklore. Were from South Africa, and have a keen interest in history, mythology and culture. 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. 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. The queen was pregnant and in labour, but her son, still in the womb, cried and refused to come out. However, the dragon wolf mythology does not end here. 8 Myths of Romania | Popular Folklore, Legends and Tales 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! DEX, Romanian Academy Publishing House, Bucharest, 1998, Marian Simion Florea, Cultural Romanian Foundation Publishing House, Bucharest 1994, Michael Hitchcock (1998): Tourism, Tam An Mini, and national identity, Indonesia and the Malay World, 26:75, 124-135: 129. Romanian Folklore | Fascinating Stories and Rituals