Romanian mythology is vibrant and often scary, full of blood-sucking creatures, vicious and fickle lovers, and bloody battles. These stories appear not only in Romanian folklore, but also in those of Aromanian, Slavic Macedonian and Bulgarian folklore. But fartat also means prieten. This is because those wolves were unusually large and single-minded, attacking one individual at a time. 12 Traditions Only Romanians Can Understand - Culture Trip 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. By taking the shape of a dragon, appearing in the sky and spitting fire, the Zmeu belongs to a particular category of villains. 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. It is for this reason that Romanians eat dyed eggs and let the shells flow downstream, from there they believe they will get to the Apa Smbetei, and from there to the Blajini. You can find her in a plethora of folk and fairy tales, playing the role of a forest guardian. The subspecies of the Rupicapra genus differ by habitat range and slightly different in certain physical traits, such as color. Love and death play crucial roles in Romanian mythology, as well as the fight between evil and good, in which Ft-Frumos represents the good. 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! Ciubotaru, Silvia. His eldest daughter said I love you like honey, father, and he was very pleased. What can I say, Romanians have a wild imagination , Thank you for visiting twice today Id forgotten this post in drafts. A strong desire to kidnap and marry young girls animates him. Romanians generally perceived the earth as a disc, and they imagined what existed on the other side. In: Ciubotaru, Silvia. Rare Ancient Paycheck Of A Roman Legionary Soldier Found At Masada. One of the creation stories in Romanian folklore explains the Genesis. 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. They were left to live in the mountains only if they promised to guard with their life the great Dacian gold treasures. Their presence in Romania is well maintained by the multitude of places that were named after them: the Jidovi table, the Jidovi cave, the hill or the tombs of Jidovi, and also, there is jidovina, a measuring unit consisting of several meters, the equivalent of a giants step. At the beginning of 1900, there were still some people who claimed to have heard real stories about Jidovi from their grandparents who saw them in person. Vampire | Characteristics, History, Powers, Folklore, & Facts As this piece of clay grew into the earth, God laid himself down to sleep. Similarly gigantic, the Jidovi are the giants of the Carpathian Mountains. It's related to the Polish striga and the Albanian shtriga. Glad WP is sorted. Roman Sexuality Was Far More Complex Than Simply Gay Or Straight - Pompeii's House Of The Vettii Reveals Why. Top 5 Spanish legends and myths from folklore | EF Tours Blog We all know the phenomenon of children having imaginary friends. All Rights Reserved. Or a love story would be better, to melt your other half's heart? 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. The king loved his daughters very much, and when his wife died, he made sure they had every luxury and educational advantage. In this video we will be looking at the most popular and famous mythical creature of each and every country. Best solution is not to open the door.". Even if they did or did not exist, they left us beautiful stories about their way of living. Eventually, she found employment with another emperor, working as a servant girl. 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. With mountains as sky-high as the Carpathians is easy to understand why Giants were the first people evercreated on the Romanian land. . If youd like us to research and write about a particular place, get in touch! The word Cpcun can mean either dog-head or Turk chieftain. After trying to throw God off the earth in every one of the four cardinal directions, he shied away from the cross he drew in the ground himself. One account is that mountains formed as a response to God demanding the Earth to nurture all life, to which the earth shuddered and brought forth mountains. So if you have six kids, all one sex, call it there. Maybe Zburatorul adapted to our modern times and uses other ways of tormenting young womens love life. , Thank you very much, for this interesting posting, Patricia. And so he came to live with them for uncounted years, enjoying unearthly delights. While Ft-Frumos doesnt sound like the sexiest name in English, this classic Romanian fairy tale figure is the local equivalent of Prince Charming. Romanian mythology can be truly impressive, with tales of giants that protected the Earth, and powerful wizards that descended from Dacian High Priests. Patricia Furstenberg writes historical fiction, contemporary and children's book. Rozalinda agreed to be turned into a human and so the two lived happily ever after. Sometimes good, sometimes a bit wicked, the Solomonar is considered the great sorcerer of storms and winds, master of all lakes, tall mountains and deep caves, and the creator of frost, mist, and hail. 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 Ugly and evil, this creature feeds on human flesh and looks like a giant dog-headed beast. 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. If you are curious about his adventures on this quest, you can read the story in English. These giants lived in the immense woodlands and in caves. In some versions, a vrcolac is a wolf demon. His name translates to handsome son, and he embodies purity, passion, spiritual and mental strength. Both reside above the infinite ocean called Apa Smbetei. They have similarities to brownies and to dwarves. Hi! Most Popular Mythical Creature In Every Country - YouTube A Cpcun is a creature in Romanian folklore, depicted as an ogre who kidnaps children or young ladies (mostly princesses). Incredible Myths and Folklore from Romanian Woods #Im4Ro The sky and the earth will be set alight and the earth will be purged, so that its Creator may descend upon it. Vampires in popular culture | by Ben Douglass via Flickr. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Zmeu | Cryptid Wiki | Fandom Another prolific editor of folk tales was Petre Ispirescu, who, in the 19th century published an impressive number of volumes containing a large number of short novels and tales from popular mythology. The Strigoi is also a shapeshifter, able to transform itself into a bat, animal or fog. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. In that time, the prince fell in love with this charming servant girl, and asked his mother if he could marry her. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. 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. Overcome by sadness, he walked through every room in search of the room where he was born. 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. . (Learn how and when to remove these template messages) This article needs additional citations for verification. 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. This is a mythical creature in South Slavic mythology. Signs of their existence are still noticeable, local people claim. What are some unique aspects of Romanian folklore and legend? England's Black Annis tans the skins of naughty children and wears them around her waist. He told Nefrtatul to go to the bottom of the ocean and, in his holy name, bring up a handful of clay. One day, the king asked his daughters how much they loved him. Males are somewhat larger than females, with a weight of 30-60 kg . Varcolac | Encyclopedia of Monsters Wiki | Fandom These massive beings were mostly good and kind, and lived in peaceful existence with humanity and the creatures of the earth. Romania's rich folk traditions have been nourished by many sources, some of which predate the Roman occupation. The translations are excellent reads for your children when traveling to Romania. Had you been much later, I would have perished myself!. Halloween in Transylvania 2022 How was our 8 days trip to the spooky party at Bran Castle, 10 Most Famous Romanian Women from Now and Then, 10 reasons why you should move to Romania, The ethnic mosaic is enhancing local culture, Halloween in Transylvania - 8 days tour and party at Dracula's Castle, Six days tour from Cluj-Napoca - Discover Maramures and Bucovina, Dracula Beyond the legend - 8 day tour to Transylvania, Amazing Romania - Seven day private tour from Bucharest, Dracula Castle tour by night from Bucharest. The Romanian mythology is quite impressive. Of course, there are so many that are less widely known, but just as uniquely interesting. Dare we assume Balaur sound familiar? [1]:3842, The etymology of the word blajin (adj.) Ft-Frumos grew up to be wise and quick-witted, a perfect prince to rule the kingdom. Check Out Some Of The Scariest Creatures In Romanian Mythology You've taught your students about the worldnow . Once upon a time, there was a great king and queen. Eventually, he realised he was being had and demanded to know why! Werewolves, vampires, capcaun, zmeu and many other mythical creatures originated in East Europe in Transylvania, Romania. The ethnograph Marian Simion Florea wrote: Blajini are fictitious beings, incarnations of dead children not baptized who live at the end of Earth, nearby The Holy water (of Saturday). Fearing that Heaven might be voided, the archangel Michael re-sealed it, thus freezing the demons that had not yet fallen to hell in place. Category:Romanian legendary creatures - Wikipedia Despite the popularity of the vampire mythology, Romania holds her own myths and legends. From this clay he would make the earth. In these stories the Devil goes by the name "Nefrtatul" and is the somewhat foolish brother of God in folk versions of stories. They also used magic plants like wild garlic, Mandrake, lovage or deer grass to create strong potions to bathe the women for 3 days in a row. #folklore #creatures #cartoons #illustrations They are generally considered good wizards and often presented as false beggars, testing the kindness of people. But Zburatorul was not an ordinary lover, he developed obsessions and curing this love-illness was a hard thing to do. 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. This is said to be the length of their great stride. Bulgarian folklore tradition keeps its beliefs into supernatural creatures towards which people have more poetic or generally pagan attitude. Well, the representation of the symbolic animal is a fusion between a wolf and a dragon, sometimes depicted as a serpent. There Wolf, There Castle. Werewolves in Romanian Folklore | by Erin Quite a choice. 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. Mythology & Fiction Explained - YouTube 25 Creepy Urban Legends From Around The World | Thought Catalog Others attribute the earthquakes to the earth (which is alive, and can therefore feel) realising the wicked ways of humans, and trembling in fright. Answer (1 of 3): The name strigoi comes from the Latin strix and striga, which in ancient times were associated with witches or nocturnal flying creatures. They appear in Romani folklore. Their songs and firelit dances can lead travelers astray. Extremely Rare Ancient Gold Glass With Goddess Roma Found During Subway Works In Rome. 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. 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. Day Fifteen of the Folkloric Fauna of February. Iele - the Ladies of the Woods Romanian Myths & Legends Where they dance, they are often said to leave the ground burnt, and no living thing will grow there for years. 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. Romanian Monsters of Myth and Folklore #Im4Ro In some areas of Romania, she appears as a crone, with wrinkled skin that is peculiarly similar to tree bark. The Lore Behind Supernatural's Zanna Ethnologists, poets, writers and historians have tried in recent centuries to collect and to preserve tales, poems, ballads and have tried to describe as well as possible the customs and habits related to different events and times of year. Such imagery as a darkened sun, a bleeding moon and falling stars are associated with the beginning of the End Times. A feature of Romanian culture is the special relationship between folklore and the learned culture, determined by two factors. 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. 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 creatures swim to the surface of the ocean . To preserve traditional houses, many village museums have been created in the last century throughout Romania,[5] such as the Village Museum in Bucharest, the Traditional Popular Civilisation ASTRA Museum in Sibiu or the Oltenian Village Museum in Rmnicu Vlcea. About: List of legendary creatures (B) - Dbpedia.org 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. This list may not reflect recent changes . Dragons, wolves, and hybrid animals populate the most appreciated stories. 3. However, there is oneRomanian tale of a storm in the shape of a balaur that saves two young lovers from the wrath of a jealous aristocrat. A Viking's Quest, the Lost Continent on Steam The folklore of Romania is the collection of traditions of the Romanians. 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. Romanian Undead Creatures. Moroi, Living Strigoi, and Dead Strigoi | by Ft-Frumos enthusiastically agreed, having found his place of eternal youth. She forgave him, and they all lived happily ever after. His solution was to flood the entire earth, leaving only Noah and his Ark (you can see here how old myths have been intermingled with Christianity, rather than being simply replaced by it). 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). Sea monsters? This bizarre whale hunting technique may explain some 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 . Realising her to be his daughter, and finally understanding that he had been a fool, the emperor embraced her, apologising. The creature himself appears as a beautiful young man. Jidovii are described in Romanian legends as kind and patient, walking with huge steps from one hill to another. The serpentine rooster from Chile. 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. If people refuse to help them while they are in disguise, they bring hail and strong storms to ruin the crops. Promptly, the baby agreed, and was born. 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. That is, until he realised he had drawn a giant cross in the ground, and backed off in fear of the sacred symbol. Author of the Year Spillwords Press Awards MMXXIII. Richly marked with medieval castles, cities, and ruins, Transylvania is home to 8 Myths of Romania | Popular Folklore, Legends and Tales From hauntings, vampires, nymphs and treasures, these myths of Romania will mystify you and have you adding these fantastic places to your itinerary. The Devious Dragon of Romanian Folklore - Magical-europe.com Wood used to be the main construction material, and heavily ornamented wooden objects were common in old houses. Told from one generation to the next with the aim to explain, elucidate, aid the daily harshness of life or simply subdue; these stories snowballed, like any captivating story does, becoming myths (explaining creation), legends (inspiring through heroic figures), and folklore (explaining everyday life). Romanian mythology says that only a baby boy born with a distinctive sign over his face and body can become such a wizard. Every story has a beginning, and our tale of the five most beloved Romanian villains starts with the Dacian Draco. Wikizero - Folklore of Romania They wear flowing white dresses and dance with their hair out, wild and uninhibited. The Dacians were the ancestors of Romanians, and they used a fabricated dragon flag as a protection symbol during battles against the Romans. A legend in his home country, Vlad was incredibly impressive in inspiring fear and horror into his Turkish enemies, demoralising their troops. These monsters go beyond scary Halloween stories of ghosts, demons, vampires, and werewolves. In Romanian strigoi means to scream. Past and Present Monsters of Folk Tales - Books by Patricia Furstenberg, The Old Bear in Romanian Mythology and Folklore, Garlic and Dreamland Book, Superstitions on Pentecost, Rusalii, Nuggets of Romanian Folklore, Myths and Legends, Martisor, 1 March, Celebrating Old and New, Change and Hope, Legend of Rasinari, Resin City and a Roman Soldiers Payslip, Talking Books, Romania s Folklore and History, on #CarteaDeVineri this Friday. 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. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It is said that they used magic words that asked to Zburator to leave, to hide and never to return. 10. These are a few of Romanias most widely-known folktales and legends! [4] The princess journeyed far, distraught. So, the Uria are no longer among us. But what to do with the difference in size? With immense dark forests, mysterious mountains, and, in many periods of history, enemies on all sides, its no wonder the stories are often quite dark. Strigoi also include ghosts, wights, banshees, wraiths, ghouls, zombies and other shades of undeath and all forms of lycanthropy. Fully grown adult chamois reaches 70-80 cm (28-31 in) in height and 107-137 cm (42-54 in) in length. From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia. It goes without saying, human heroes with supernatural powers are always there to save the day. So sweet, and without any real flavour! It was a combination snake, rooster, bat, and sometimes other animals, that was born from an . In others, they are considered mortal vampires, and live an ordinary lifespan, simply with special powers, avoidance of sunlight, and a tendency to suck your blood. 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. This little tale follows a king and his three daughters, long, long ago. The founding father of vampire literature, Bram Stoker, introduced the cruelest Wallachian ruler of XVth century Romania to the world. You may be able to gather his favourite form of torture from his title Vlad Dracul liked to impale his enemies on stakes, alive, leaving their tortured bodies for the advancing enemy to find. In Romania, fears of the strigoi, once-human monsters who need blood to survive, have circulated for hundreds of years. They also stepped gingerly, so that we wouldnt get squashed. The balaur appears in most love stories as an evil character. One of the best answers for the question "how were these legends created" is, obviously, the Romanian folklore itself. From the little sand Frtat gathered he created a stretch of of earth where both of them went to rest, glad it felt solid, although their fingers were still dipped into Apa Smbetei, for it was narrow. Ft-Frumos is actually present in many Romanian folk tales. Mexican President Mocked Over Alleged Photo of Mystical Creature - Newsweek The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. But when he came of age, the young man asked his father to make good on his promise, and give to him eternal youth. Gugalanna (Sumerian Mythology) A fascinating post. It too kidnaps young ladies, with an individual preference for princesses, but also children who are eventually rescued by knights and princes. [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. (a type of cracker) If you refuse to buy any, she releases a Pontianak (a vengeful ghost) into your house. While the name Draco comes from the Greek term Drakon, which signifies to guard with a sharp eye, it also means serpent or dragon. In Maramure, wood was used to create impressive structures such as churches or gates; in Dobruja, windmills were made of wood, and in mountainous regions hardwood was used even for covering the roof. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. In traditional Romanian folklore the term strigoi (feminim strigoaic) can refer. [1]:61, If these warnings should fail, God will initiate the End of the World. Most people . Some sources claim that this legendary era is not at all a story and that those giants indeed ruled the world at some point in time. According to the stories, a vampire is a Strigoi possessing a bat, just like a werewolf is a Strigoi possessing a wolf. Many of these creatures can be both cruel and kind, depending on their whims. One day, the empress son was injured in battle, and he returned home to be nursed back to health. 13 Bizarre Mythical Monsters to Haunt Your Halloween Vampire movies fans should know that stories about dead people, who haunt the live ones and suck their blood, were part of the Romanian folklore long before Bram Stokers Dracula became famous. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Even now, in some remote villages, there are few people remembering such women who were at the edge of losing their minds or their marriages forever. 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"Mituri pluviale romneti n context universal". And with that, he slapped the old man, and Ft-Frumos fell down dead, crumbling into dust. In the show, Zanna are actually the imaginary friends children see. Basilisk. His second daughter said I love you like sugar, father, and he was pleased as well. They wore an apron called or or ctrin which is also embroidered and a headscarf called basma;on special occasions they wore more elaborate outfits.