Mythical creatures I find really cool;
🍄 Kelpies - Celtic - Shape-shifting water spirit that can take the form of a human, but most commonly appears as a horse. They live in the lochs and pools of Scotland, and drag any unsuspecting humans (usually children) underneath the surface to drown.
🍄 Centaurs - Greek - A creature with the upper body of a man and the lower body and legs of a horse. They are seen as both wild and untameable (like wild horses), but also clever and wise, and are frequently depicted in Greek mythology as teachers and wise companions.
🍄 Gnomes - European - Small, subterranean goblin/earth spirits that guard mines of precious stones and treasures hidden well beneath the earth. The Gnome King, Gob, ruled with a magical sword and was said to be able to control men’s emotions (particularly melancholic or sad ones).
🍄 Sirens - Greek - Dangerous creatures living on small islands in the middle of the ocean that lure sailors to their watery deaths by singing magical, spellbinding music. They originally appeared as part human, part bird, and could be either male or female. However, during the Middle Ages, male versions were dropped from all artwork depicting sirens, and they adopted their signature mermaid form.
🍄 Minotaur - Greek - A creature with the head and tail of a bull and the body of a man. The original Minotaur was a monstrous creature that lived in the centre of a Labyrinth designed by the architect Daedalus. It would be fed seven Athenian youths and seven maidens each year as it could only eat human flesh. Eventually, a boy called Theseus went along with the other six youths, and managed to kill the Minotaur and escape the labyrinth with the help of some red string.
🍄 Kitsune - Japanese - Kitsune is the literal word for fox in Japanese. However, when used in context of the English language, Kitsune represents the Japanese fox spirits. All foxes in ancient Japan were believed to have shape shifting powers, and they lived side by side with humans (also living amongst them as guardians, friends and lovers). They were also believed to be the spiritual messengers of Shintō Kami (spirits) called Inari.
