Romania is a rich trove of mythology and folklore, historically located at the crossroads between Germanic, Latin and Slavic traditions. But the best legend ever is that of the famous agreement between the great Dacian king Burebista and all the Jidovi from the mountains. Anyone who would have wanted to kill it had to bring a mirror in front of it so that its gaze could be reflected. Believed to look like a mix between a snake and a reptile, the Vasilisc had a killer gaze and poisonous breath. (a type of cracker) If you refuse to buy any, she releases a Pontianak (a vengeful ghost) into your house. And thus, while he still tries to take control of the earth, it never did become his. . Wherever you go, their memory is well preserved and you must not be surprised to hear that there are still many people who believe in their past existence. These stories appear not only in Romanian folklore, but also in those of Aromanian, Slavic Macedonian and Bulgarian folklore. The king begged him to join them in the world, but no matter what he offered him love, riches, kingdoms the baby refused to be born. 10 Legendary Monsters of Europe | Mental Floss . Glad WP is sorted. The translations are excellent reads for your children when traveling to Romania. Had you been much later, I would have perished myself!. [1]:37 Blajini are invisible connectors between Inner and Hollow Earth. [1]:55, The origin of mountains is explained in a number of ways by the cultures of the different regions of Romania. 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. Overcome by sadness, he walked through every room in search of the room where he was born. Learn about worldwide Past and Present Monsters of Folk Tales too. Romanian Myths, Monsters, and Heroes - The Incredibly Long Journey Whatever their exact origins are, the Solomonars are not considered gone and in fact, they are well respected and have a special place among the magical beings of Romanian folklore. Different from balaur or vrcolac, the Zmeu has human features. They wore either boots or a simple shoe made of leather and tied around the foot called opinc and they wore a hat which differs in design from region to region. Once, in an old anonymous folk tale, Ft-Frumos even goes on a quest to gain immortality. I am always astonished by the number of myths, legends and all the folklore there is in European countries. is the Slavonian blan meaning 'kind, well-minding person'. The Dacians were the ancestors of Romanians, and they used a fabricated dragon flag as a protection symbol during battles against the Romans. 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. Maria Tnase is considered to be one of the greatest Romanian folk singers and today Grigore Lee and Taraful Haiducilor are two of the most famous musicians. The Pricolici is a Romanian werewolf another name for them is Vrcolac, but this term has also been used to name goblin-like creatures. "While Reading Vasmer's Dictionary" In: Learn how and when to remove these template messages, Learn how and when to remove this template message, introducing citations to additional sources, Traditional Popular Civilisation ASTRA Museum, Youth Without Aging and Life Without Death, "Dragobete 's Day - Celebrating love in the Romanian style", De la tipologia folcloristului finlandez Antti Amatus Aarne la universul basmului romnesc vzut de etnologul Adolf Schullerus, n comparatiune cu legendele antice clasice i n legtur cu basmele popoarelor nvecinate i ale tuturor popoarelor romanice: studiu comparativ, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Folklore_of_Romania&oldid=1128627917, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from June 2010, All articles needing additional references, Articles needing additional references from September 2012, Articles with multiple maintenance issues, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2022, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Hora miresei (translated as "Bride's Hora"). One day, Ft-Frumos found that he missed home, and could hardly remember what his life had been before his fairie revelries. Sometimes he has two heads, other times a head of a dog on the body of a man, it appears that he is also a shape-shifter, being able to transform itself in other animals too. He is an outlandish beast that has a female version in some stories. Strigoi | Vampedia | Fandom A legend in his home country, Vlad was incredibly impressive in inspiring fear and horror into his Turkish enemies, demoralising their troops. Males are somewhat larger than females, with a weight of 30-60 kg . Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Among the Romanian culture, we can find several traditions, celebrations and rituals with references to vampire protection, which also contributes to the creation of several legends and beliefs about these creatures. First, the rural character of the Romanian communities resulted in an exceptionally vital and creative traditional culture. As the prince walked home, he found that he was growing steadily older, until he was a crooked, white-haired man. The folklore of Romania is the collection of traditions of the Romanians. ROMANIAN MYTHOLOGY and LEGENDARY CREATURES - little spy eye A strong desire to kidnap and marry young girls animates him. Music and dance represent a lively part of the Romanian folklore and there are a great variety of musical genres and dances. Zmeu also refers to kite in Romanian. [1]:33. Oftentimes people claim to see them at night, dancing Horas naked in the moonlight, with bells on their ankles and candles in their hands. Extremely Rare Roman Cavalry Parade Mask Discovered In Romania F rom lumbering giants and fearsome trolls to impish satyrs and magical elves, mythical creatures have captured imaginations since the dawn of time. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. The word Cpcun can mean either dog-head or Turk chieftain. The ancient legendary creature called the Basilisk was feared in Europe and North Africa. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Vampires in Romania: How Were These Legends Created? The giants sound almost charming, but Capcaun scares me . With stories being passed down from one generation to another, the Romanian folklore was always rich with magical or scary tales. Moroii and their legends are as old as Dacian times -especially in Orastie area and thus it is believed that they used charms to steal the cattles milk, rendering the cows dry. Sure enough, the sculptures on Emperor Trajans Column in Rome are there to attest it. The Strigoi is a vicious vampiric creature who returns from the dead to drink the blood of their relatives. In Romanian strigoi means to scream. Every story has a beginning, and our tale of the five most beloved Romanian villains starts with the Dacian Draco. According to the tale of creation, God and the Devil are master and servant, the devil (Nefrtatul) being Gods foolish brother. Inspired by the breath and depth of classic action RPG and farming games,"A Viking's Quest, the Lost Continent" is an engaging, dynamic world role playing game where you experience a beautifully hand crafted world of fantasy and adventure. According to the stories, a vampire is a Strigoi possessing a bat, just like a werewolf is a Strigoi possessing a wolf. In some versions, a vrcolac is a wolf demon. Women also wore a white skirt and a shirt with a vest. Also, people who claim to have seen him say that along with his book, he also carries a piece of wood for calling the winds and an iron axe which he uses to create hail. And when the banquet was held, the king was flabbergasted at the taste of his food. . 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. Ciubotaru, Silvia. Ft-Frumos with his princess | illustration by Marina Plantus. August 20, 2020 by Patricia Furstenberg. As a matter of fact, the author of this incredibly popular novel never traveled to Romania in his life. Some of the most beautiful fairy tales and legends have been translated into English. There are many stories of men being mutilated or losing their ability to talk after discovering these beautiful but cruel creatures. Category:Romanian legendary creatures - Wikipedia [1]:34. It comes out only to feed on the saliva of those living above, slowly dehydrating the residents until they die. [2] The Devil tried to push him over the side, but the ever-expanding earth would hinder that. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. It has also given rise to the Romanian saying pn ajungi la Dumnezeu, te mnnc sfinii ("before you reach God, the saints will eat you"). Discover some of the most powerful legends in Romanian folklore, which influenced and gave birth to numerous tales and stories. Most people . In Romanian mythology, the Iele are mythical creatures similar to the Nymphs and Dryads found in Greek mythology. The balaur appears in most love stories as an evil character. Some old books even tell stories about young girls haunted by this mysterious man, becoming so desperately in love that they started acting like lunatics, walking down the village streets almost undressed and untidy, obviously exhausted and sometimes semi-conscious. And this is my "build" which is inspired by Slavic mythological folk tale creatures such as Baba Yaga or maybe Swamp Kikimora. Or a love story would be better, to melt your other half's heart? The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". 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. Eventually, she found employment with another emperor, working as a servant girl. "Aluxes" are creatures from Mayan mythology, depicted as small elven or goblin-like spirits known for creating mischief. The creature himself appears as a beautiful young man. By taking the shape of a dragon, appearing in the sky and spitting fire, the Zmeu belongs to a particular category of villains. But in the end, she was convinced, as she loved the young servant girl. K Kiara Yew Adventures Romanian Legends and Myths Werewolf Legend Werewolf Mythology Vampire Mythology Werewolf Hunter Mythical Creatures Art Dare we assume Balaur sound familiar? Dragons, wolves, and hybrid animals populate the most appreciated stories. By Jackie Wattles, CNN; Mar 2, 2023 Mar 2, 2023 Updated Mar 2, 2023; . Strigoi is a character from Romanian mythology. The subspecies of the Rupicapra genus differ by habitat range and slightly different in certain physical traits, such as color. Finally, Ft-Frumos practically means handsome son. He is the Romanian superhero who gets to slay all the mythical monsters we listed above. 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. [4] But the clay refused to budge until finally he gave up and called it in his brothers name of course, it immediately came to his hands. anything that can shape shift scares me! In various regions of the country, the Solomonars are divided into two categories: good and evil. Similarly gigantic, the Jidovi are the giants of the Carpathian Mountains. 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. Seen as the Romanian version of Valentine's Day, Dragobete is celebrated on February 24th.Dragobete, personified as a young handsome man, is the protector of lovers in Romanian folk culture. [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. Both reside above the infinite ocean called Apa Smbetei. 10. [Romanian Pluvial Myths In a World Wide Context]. However, the dragon wolf mythology does not end here. But Zburatorul was not an ordinary lover, he developed obsessions and curing this love-illness was a hard thing to do. He is smart and hard-to-defeat. 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. Once upon a time, at the very beginning of the world, there was nothing but water. Vlad the Impaler. Others attribute the earthquakes to the earth (which is alive, and can therefore feel) realising the wicked ways of humans, and trembling in fright. . Maybe Zburatorul adapted to our modern times and uses other ways of tormenting young womens love life. The most prominent symbol associated with the End Times is that of the earthquake. On this night, people hang garlic on their doors for protection, and tend to stay inside. Like the Strigoi, Pricolici are undead monsters (violent criminals returned from the grave) looking like a giant wolf. The Balaur resides among the mythic dragons and dragon-like beings, who retain their unique traits and cultural elements from their fitting lores. Ethnographers have tried to collect in the last two centuries as many elements as possible: the Museum of the Romanian Peasant and the Romanian Academy are currently the main institutions which systematically organise the data and continue the research. The dances are lively and are practiced throughout Romania by a large number of professional and amateur groups, thus keeping the tradition alive; Hora is one of the most famous group dances but men's folk dances such as cluari are extremely complex and have been declared by UNESCO to be "Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritages of Humanity". Author of the Year Spillwords Press Awards MMXXIII. In turn, Radu Florescu, a Romanian-born history professor, was the one to establish the connection between Dracula and Vlad epe, in his 1972 book In Search of Dracula. It represents evil, as do its counterparts Zmeu and the Balaur. We all know the phenomenon of children having imaginary friends. Prince Radu the Black dreamed of building the most striking monastery in Romania. Kites are a favorite way of entertaining both children and adults on the Romanian Black Sea beaches, where the wind is mighty. Long considered a venomous monstrosity, the Basilisk surfaced as a folkloric character in Europe in the Middle Ages. These are embroidered with traditional motifs that vary from region to region. The Romanian Giants known as Jidovi, are probably one of the most beloved folklore creatures. Top 10 Greatest Mythological Creatures and Legendary Creatures of Myth and Folklore Werewolf: Wolf-human shapeshifter (Global Culture) Dragon: Depicted as fire-breathing and winged (Global Culture) Chimera: Hybrid Fire-breathing creature (Greek Mythology) Loch Ness Monster: Aquatic monster (Scottish Folklore) Balkan Folklore, Discover Fascinating Tales and Mythical Creatures One of the creation stories in Romanian folklore explains the Genesis. Earthquakes are frequently attributed to the earth slipping due to the Devil's constant gnawing at these pillars, which are rebuilt by God and his angels in times of fasting. They are considered to fast the year through, and thus doing humans a great service. In the Romanian folklore, the wolf appears more often, since the Carpathian people have had many encounters with these animals. Despite this, many consider Ielele the protectresses of the forest. Moreover, Strigoii can cause many illnesses and eve shape-shift into were-wolfs. 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. They may be the best-known classic monsters of all. In: This page was last edited on 21 December 2022, at 03:40. This list may not reflect recent changes . 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. Since they live in isolation, they have no way of knowing when Easter comes. This bizarre whale feeding technique may explain some ancient folklore. Have a lovely weekend, Pat. MAJESTIC TURKEY BY CULTURE TRIP It must have been very, very fully flooded, considering the giants great stature. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. The Devious Dragon of Romanian Folklore Posted by Magical Europe BY HANNAH HORN In the books of mythology, the Romanian Balaur is an enticing creature. Where they dance, they are often said to leave the ground burnt, and no living thing will grow there for years. Ce zici? 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. 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 . Black is the most common colour used, but red and blue are predominant in certain areas. vampire, also spelled vampyre, in popular legend, a creature, often fanged, that preys upon humans, generally by consuming their blood. 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. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Also, there is a story which repeats regardless of region, when giants seeing people plowing the land, took them in their hands as little toys, smiled at them and then put them back carefully. The 8 haunting creatures of Transylvania 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. In that time, the prince fell in love with this charming servant girl, and asked his mother if he could marry her. Folk creations (the best known is the ballad Mioria) were the main literary genre until the 18th century. Iele - the Ladies of the Woods Romanian Myths & Legends Any man can become this bloodthirsty demon after death if they die under certain conditions. Chamois Animal Facts | Rupicapra rupicapra - AZ Animals A List of Magical Creatures, Fantasy Animals, and Supernatural Beings Folklore monsters, Romanian hip-hop, and a one-armed - PCGamer Of course. Romanians generally perceived the earth as a disc, and they imagined what existed on the other side. Romanian Legends and Myths - Pinterest In some stories this is his true appearance, in others, he is actually a dragon-like demon who simply takes on this visage. I believe that at the source of each myth, folktale or superstition is the seed of a true story. 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. Traditional folk arts include wood carving, ceramics, weaving and embroidery of costumes, household decorations, dance, and richly varied folk music. Romanian Monsters of Myth and Folklore #Im4Ro With stories being passed down from one generation to another, the Romanian folklore was always rich with magical or scary tales. While the name Draco comes from the Greek term Drakon, which signifies to guard with a sharp eye, it also means serpent or dragon. Varkolak | Mythpedia Wiki | Fandom A sly and repulsive antagonist, the Omul Spn, Bold Man, Glabrous Man, is a character of treacherous intelligence, yet he has the role of initiating Harap-Alb, the hero of the Romanian fairytale with the same title, thus representing, together with the Red Emperor, a necessary evil for the growth of the protagonist. The wedding day came, and the princess knew her father would be coming to the wedding, totally unawares. Nobody knew if he was handsome or not, for he was the very first one. The Jidovi are said to have considered humans the successors of their earth, and so they treated us well and taught us what they knew. If sorcerers are known to have disappeared long ago, the love stories and passionate dreams certainly are not. A Cpcun is something similar to an ogre in the Romanian folklore. Extremely Rare Ancient Gold Glass With Goddess Roma Found During Subway Works In Rome. 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. Major Archaeological Discovery Of A 7,000-Year-Old Settlement In Miami . Yet the earth kept on growing to reach and protect Frtat, and thus Earth came to be. In legends Capcaunul has his own land, usually dark, arid and populated with strange creatures. Sometimes compared to other fantastic creatures, such as the balaur or the vrcolac, the zmeu is nevertheless distinct, because it usually has clear anthropomorphic traits: it is humanoid and has legs, arms, the ability to create and use artifacts such as weapons, or the desire to marry young girls.