A good number of us enjoy mythological tales and are fascinated by the mythical creatures in them. Mythological stories have been around for many centuries. Lots of fiction authors have beautifully portrayed mythical creatures, which made their stories more amusing and enthralling. Many of our ancestors strongly believed in mythical creatures and even thought that they created the world! In this blog, we’ve gathered the most famous mythical creatures in the world and described their deadly powers. Come on, let’s take a look!
15 Mythical Creatures around the World
If you are crazy about Harry Potter, you must have come across lots of mythical creatures in the series. You might also remember how you were intrigued by these creatures. Here is a list of 15 such wonderful beings for you!
1. Bigfoot
Bigfoot is also known as “Sasquatch.”
- A. True
- B. False
Bigfoot is a popular mythical creature in American and Canadian folklore tales. Also called “Sasquatch,” it is a hairy creature that is pretty similar to humans. Even now, some people believe that Bigfoot lives in North America. Many have spent their lives searching for Bigfoot.
2. Leprechaun
The word, “leprechaun” is derived from the Irish term, “lurchopán,” which means “small body.” So, leprechauns are small, diminutive human-like creatures who like to be in solitude. They are one of the coolest mythical creatures that originated in medieval Irish folklore. Leprechaun’s Day is celebrated on May 13 every year.
3. Medusa
She is one of the most powerful and popular mythical creatures. Medusa is very famous in Greek mythology, and it has the face of a woman with poisonous snakes on her head, instead of hair. She has the power to turn anyone into stone if they look at her. Medusa is the daughter of Phorcys, the God of the Sea, and Ceto, the Goddess of the Sea.
4. Unicorn
This mythical creature is mentioned in the Bible. You might see them in the Harry Potter series as well. A unicorn resembles a horse with a single horn located on its forehead. It is considered a symbol of purity and strength. Here’s an interesting read on unicorn facts.
5. Chimera
It’s yet another popular mythological creature found in ancient folklore. It comprises of
- A lion’s head that breathes fire
- A goat’s body
- A serpent’s tail
Sounds terrifying, isn’t it? Well, there are varying versions of this fascinating mythical creature.
6. Vampire
This is one of the most renowned mythical creatures that has captured the hearts of numerous movie-goers! They are famous for their red-shot eyes and blood-dripping mouths.
There are many famous vampires in popular culture, but Count Dracula from Bram Stoker tops the list. Count Dracula is one of the most iconic characters in literature and Stoker is reportedly modeled after the Romanian prince, Vlad Tepes. This famous mythical creature has been featured in old, new, and contemporary movies.
There are several movies portraying the features and actions of vampires, including “The Twilight Saga” and “Underworld” series. Vampires usually have a raging war with werewolves. Also read: the history of vampires.
7. Werewolf
A werewolf is a human that turns into an animal (similar to a wolf) at night. It kills animals and people, but at dawn, it transforms back into a human.
8. Zombie
Zombies are mythical creatures that originated from Haitian folklore. The ancient Greeks feared the uprising of the dead so they buried people with stones on top of the body to prevent them from coming out from their graves. This paved the way for this famous mythical creature. Zombie folklore originated in the 17th century and it is most commonly found in horror and fantasy genres.
9. Dragon
It is one of the extremely popular mythical creatures loved by kids and adults alike around the world. The dragon is famous in the folklore of many cultures including in India, China, and the US. Some traditions believed that dragons are Gods, whereas others associated them with Satan. A dragon is a large lizard or serpent-like powerful creature that was created by the ancient Greek poet, Hesiod.
10. Banshee
This creature has its origin in Irish folklore and is usually depicted as a female. Do you know that the banshee is a harbinger of death? This female spirit howls before an imminent death, which could be a warning to the family about the near death of one of its members.
11. Centaur
This legendary creature has the head of a man, but the body and legs resemble those of a horse. According to ancient folklore, centaurs used to dwell in the mountains of Thessaly, a part of Greece.
12. Mermaid
Mermaid is one of the beautiful mythical creatures that captured the hearts of many people throughout history. Mermaids are said to be half-human and half-fish creatures and their origin is traced back to ancient Babylon. According to Irish folklore, mermaids can transform into humans and can also marry them. The mermaid has always remained one of the mysteries of the ocean.
13. Hydra
It is believed that the Hydra was a serpent of gigantic proportions with a head full of snakes. This creature is well-known for its regenerative capability. If one of its heads was cut, two more used to grow in its place!
14. Minotaur
This monstrous creature from Greek mythology is a hybrid between a man and a bull. It used to eat humans and was considered evil. The Minotaur is also referred to as “Asterion.” Ancient Greek folklore has it that the Minotaur lived in a maze.
15. Phoenix
This one is pretty familiar among people of all nations. Yes, there is a phoenix in Harry Potter too! You might have heard that when a phoenix dies, it resurrects from its ashes. Even today, the term, “phoenix” is often used to refer to a person with an indomitable spirit because of which they rise again from their ashes!
Final Note
We hope this blog on the amazing mythical creatures has been of interest to you. Whether they really existed or not (in ancient times) is still a question that lingers in most of our minds. However, nothing can deter us from enjoying reading or watching series that highlight their amazing features and actions!