Mythology & Folklore Stack Exchange
Mythology & Folklore Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [reference-request]

For questions that ask for a canonical reference about a commonly known myth.

For information on how to use this tag, see Is asking for resources and myth identification allowed?

31 questions
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Is there any textual evidence that confirms the color of Hindu gods?

Hindu gods, most notably, Shiva, Krishna, Vishnu, Kali, are depicted as blue colored beings. But they are also depicted with many different skin colors, some looking more natural than others. Is there any textual evidence regarding the color of…
Ero Sɘnnin
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Where can I find the earliest literary compendium for the Greek Pantheon?

I know that much of Greek mythology was passed on by word of mouth but someone must have been the first to collect this in one source. What was that Compendium and is there a version available in modern English?
Chad
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10
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What is the earliest story of a mortal killing a god?

Various myths involve deities dying (such as Baldr and Osiris). However, in most of the myths that come to mind, another deity is responsible for the death. In Christian belief, Roman soldiers executed Jesus, but this is a relatively late…
Draconis
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What is the legend of the Knight Tondalo?

I was recently reading Martin Luther's commentary on the Sermon on the Mount (English translation by Charles A. Hay, 1892) and I was intrigued by a reference to "the legend of the Knight Tondalo". Here is what Luther wrote, when discussing the…
quarkrgb
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The concept that scripture is made to adapt to changes of society, technology, and language

I once heard of an attitude to interpreting religious scripture that goes roughly as follows: The scripture was made such that it will always produce the correct ethics, guidance, and similar when taken as it is in the reader’s context, i.e., their…
Wrzlprmft
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8
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Is there a god called Iob/Job/Yov?

R. Simon Ashenburg in Debek Tob reconciles a contradiction in the Bible regarding the name of Issachar's son which is given as Yov (יוב) in Genesis 46:13 and elsewhere as Yashuv (ישוב) in Numbers 26:24 by explaining that his name was really Yov but…
Reb Chaim HaQoton
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Literature for mesopotamian seven-tiered cosmos?

Reading up on the (excellent) Gilgamesh epic, I found a note for the 11th tablet (where Uta-Napishti - the 'original' Noah) describes the seven-tiered layout of the Ark. The author appended a note stating that some scholars believe this is a poetic…
J.Galt
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What are some references to Mathonwy in Welsh legends?

Mathonwy is the father of Math fab Mathony and a mother godess Dôn in Welsh legend, who is believed to be analogous to Danu from Irish and Vedic legends. Are there any surviving sources, either direct or references from the medieval era,…
MathGod
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6
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References on Tolkien's plots

Diana Wynne Jones's autobiography contains an interesting report on what Tolkien lectured about at university: He started with the simplest possible story: a man (prince or woodcutter) going on a journey. He then gave the journey an aim, and we…
user326210
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Does anyone have the source for this origin of Charybdis?

Wikipedia mentions this version about the origin of the Greek monster Charybdis: Charybdis aided her father Poseidon in his feud with her paternal uncle Zeus and, as such, helped him engulf lands and islands in water. Zeus, angry over the land she…
user10148
5
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2 answers

Is this a real myth? Pembroke Welsh Corgis as mounts for fairies

I've seen this myth floating around the internet for a while now and decided to write about it for a project. The only issue was: I couldn't actually find a reputable source for the claim. Wikipedia's section on the matter reads: Ancient lore…
smallobsession
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What is the mythological status of the 'goethia' demons?

The 'goethia' is a list of numbered (Christian, as in rulers of hell) demons of which their benefits are documented (this one only speaks the truth in a magical circle, this one provides great riches, etc) and their position as a (smaller) lord of…
Discrete lizard
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Origins of the "bodark"

There is a moderately-widespread notion in (amateur) English-language sources that a "bodark" is one of the words in Russian mythology/folklore referring to a werewolf. Some examples: Moderately well-known video game (Ghost Recon: Future…
Ptr
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4
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Definitive text on special stones

I'm wondering if there are any definitive texts, ancient or modern, that give some more depth to the origin of the meaning ascribed to them such as like here: Lapis is an excellent stone for executives, journalists, and psychologists, stimulating…
Lance Pollard
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What's the best way to go about researching obscure mythologies?

So basically, I want to learn more about Zulu (or possibly some other South African culture) polytheism, among other things. Trouble is, it's hard to find a lot information about it, even from ye olde Google and some stub pages on Wikipedia. I can…
Sir Keksalot
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