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What did Cuchulainn's warp spasm look like?
In the Táin Bó Cúailnge, or Cattle Raid of Cooley, the great Irish hero Cuchulainn is said to undergo a process which appears to be quite similar to "hulking out". The most colorful translation of the phrase used to describe this transformation is…
Wad Cheber
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Pegasus and the Hydra - Is there a Myth behind this Painting?
Pegasus and the Hydra by Odilon Redon
It seems to be a winged horse (Pegausus) fighting a many-headed figure.
I have not been able to locate an established and credible myth behind Pegasus fighting the Hydra. Is there one, or did this originate in…
sehcheese
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Are there any relations between Norse elves and Celtic fairies, or their home realms?
A lot of, if not most, modern fantasy tends to have 'Elven' races that seem to be largely inspired by the Norse Elves, likely by way of Tolkien. There also seems to be a large amount of Celtic influence, however. This has got me wondering, are there…
Salvador
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Any examples of dying and resurrecting gods that exist only in heaven, not earth?
In recent years proponents of the Christ-myth theory (e.g., Earl Doherty in his writings) have begun to argue that St. Paul in his epistles was setting forth the view that Christ was wholly divine and operated entirely in heaven, including his being…
Arthur George
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Why are the Wondjina mouthless?
Wikipedia proposes two explanations for why the Wondjina are typically depicted without mouths:
Common composition is with large upper bodies and heads that show eyes and nose, but typically no mouth. Two explanations have been given for this: they…
yannis
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What myth explains animal sacrifices to the Olympian gods?
I seem to remember a particular ancient Greek myth that used to explain how animal sacrifices to the Olympian gods were performed. In particular, when poultry or mammals was sacrificed, the humans would keep the meat of the animal to them, and burn…
Matt Cloudy-grid
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Did myths involving Loki influence Christian myths?
There is a lot of influence from non-Christian myths on Christian myths. There are numerous examples of syncretism, especially revolving around the various saints and what they might have done. However, when researching on how Loki might have…
user93
14
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Why would turning clothes inside-out keep the Faerie away?
A recurring theme in Irish stories about the Faerie is that they can be kept away by clothing turned inside-out. This (according to this particular Wikipedia source about Spriggans) is "as effective as holy water or iron in repelling fairies".
Holy…
Vixen Populi
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What is the meaning of the word "me" in The Descent of Inanna
In The Descent of Inanna, the word "me" is used as a noun in several places:
With the me in her possession, she prepared herself:
...
She who receives the me of the underworld does not return.
What does the word "me" mean in this context?
user62
14
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How long did King Arthur's empire last?
In Geoffrey of Monmouth's Vita Merlini, Merlin discussed past (and future) British history. He goes on at great length about the time of Arthur, describing some of his later exploits after defeating "a pagan people from Angla" with the help of Hoel,…
HDE 226868
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Why could Lleu Llaw Gyffes only be killed in a certain way?
In the fourth branch of the Mabinogion, Lleu Llaw Gyffes revealed to Blodeuedd that he can only be killed in a certain way.
'Will you, for God's sake and mine, tell me by what means you might be killed? Since my memory is a better safeguard than…
HDE 226868
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Why isn't Súaltam disabled by Macha's curse?
In the Táin Bó Cúailnge, the men of Ulster are disabled by a curse placed upon them by Macha to feel her labor pains in their hour of greatest need, thus disabling them when the army of Connacht attacks.
Cúchulainn is immune to the curse. I've…
femtoRgon
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Was the killing of an albatross being bad luck fabricated or real nautical mythology?
While reading The Rime of the Ancyent Marinere I got interested in the part of the albatross.
‘God save thee, ancient Mariner!
From the fiends, that plague thee thus!--
Why look’st thou so?’--With my cross-bow
I shot the ALBATROSS.
And…
Tom Sol
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Where was Hera called "cow-faced"?
I've been reading Edith Hamilton's anthology Mythology. In the introduction she says:
Hera is often called "cow-faced," as if the adjective had somehow stuck to her through all her changes from a divine cow to the very human queen of heaven.
In…
Mr. Bultitude
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Did the sun stand still at around the same time in Toltec and Biblical traditions?
As I learned from my previous question, the Toltecs had a myth where the Sun did not move for a day.
In the year 8 Tochtli, which was 1,347 years after the second calamity and 4,779 years since the creation of the world, it is recorded in their…
El'endia Starman
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