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APIS

The bull god of Ancient Egyptian mythology. Apis is sometimes called the Son of Ptah and he acts as an intermediary between mankind and the creator god of Memphis. Oracles are also received through his priests. The sacred bull is black with a small white diamond patch on its forehead; between its horns it carries the emblem of the Sun Disc and the Uraeus, though at other times these may be replaced by the Moon. On its back it has the protective wings of a vulture, and the hairs of its tail are divided into two strands, representing the original two kingdoms of ancient Egypt. According to the Greek writer Herodotus, the scarab beetle, sacred to the creator god, was to be found under the tongue of Apis.

Real bulls were culled from a special herd and treated as sacred. In Memphis, these bulls lived in palatial quarters close to the temple of Ptah, where there were also many statues of the bull god, represented as human in shape with a bull’s head. The pharaohs of Egypt were identified closely with Apis and bull imagery, with its inherent notion of strength and fertility, was a characteristic of the stories of the god-king who was often known by epithets such as ‘Victorious Bull’.

During the funerary rites of the pharaohs, the link with Apis are further emphasized when the king is seen ascending to the sun god protected by a bull. The lifespan of a bull was approximately 14 years, during which period festivals would be held at Memphis honouring it. At its death, all Egypt mourned as for the loss of the king himself. The bull was mummified and its funeral was celebrated with great pomp. Men dragged the sledge on which the embalmed and bejewelled animal had been placed. Its burial place was in the northern quarter of a desert plateau overlooking Memphis. Vast underground catacombs, hollowed out of the rock, contained successive bull burials. Discovered in the 19th century, in some instances huge sarcophagi of granite weighing over 70 tons had been placed to protect the remains of the animals.

APKALLU

An alternative name for the Abgal of Sumerian mythology.

APOATAMKIN

A strange, malicious creature, found in the folklore of the Maliseet-Pasamaquaddy people of the north-east coastal area of the United States. Apoatamkin is generally described as human in shape but covered with long hair and possessing enormous teeth. It acts as a means of frightening children, ensuring that they do not wander away from adult supervision. Bogeys of this kind are known all over the world.

APOPHIS

In Egyptian mythology, Apophis is the name of the great cosmic moon serpent that coils around the heavens. It emerged from the great abyss at the time of the creation, omitting a great roar that still echoes across the universe. Every night it tries to deny light to the world by capturing the sun god as he journeys in his celestial boat across the sky. With the help of the guardian serpent Mehen, Ra always escapes – and in the struggle that follows, Apophis’ blood stains the sky red. Occasionally Ra may be captured briefly, resulting in an eclipse of the sun.

Tomb paintings from the earliest period of Egyptian history depict the god sailing in his sun boat through a gap in the Western mountains, behind which Apophis lurks, its vast mouth open wide. Apophis is represented in a number of different ways, each more terrifying than the last. Sometimes he is a serpent with the head of a man, and sometimes he is a crocodile, his body strangely twisted and contorted. So terrible is Apophis’ nature that he is said to represent darkness, storms and death. He is also an ally of Set, the god of evil. Eventually, Apophis is captured and bound by the god Horus. The god Osiris then chopped him into small pieces, which were allowed to float away on the Nile. (See also Mehen, Nagas, Rahu and Tiamat.)

Apocalyptic Beasts

The idea of the Apocalypse, the end of the world, has been associated in many cultures with the appearance of great beasts that consume the whole of creation and bring an end to time. The best known in the West are undoubtedly the four Beasts of the Apocalypse described by St John. The implication is that there are many of these, but only three are described in detail. The first beast rises from the sea and has the body of a leopard, the feet of a bear and seven heads like those of the hydra, each with lion’s jaws. Each head has ten horns, bearing ten crowns. The second beast comes from the earth, and is described as having a similar appearance to the first but with a single head. Its horns are shorter and it has the voice of a dragon. The third creature is called the ‘Scarlet Beast’, and shares its appearance with that of the beasts from the sea and the land, except that it is red. The precise meanings of these creatures remains the subject of speculation.

Other apocalyptic creatures described in the Bible include the Tetramorphs, an ox, a man, a lion and an eagle, who together surround the throne of Christ; later they were to be seen as symbols of the four evangelists: Mark (the lion) representing Christ’s dignity, Luke (the winged ox) signifying sacrifice, Matthew (the man) representing the priesthood of Christ, and John (the eagle) symbolizing the Ascension and divinity of Christ. There are also four great horses: the white horse (conquest), the red horse (war), the black horse (famine) and the pale horse (death). Together these represent divine wrath and retribution and are ridden by the Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

The Old Testament mentions such mythical creatures as Leviathan, Behemoth and the Hayoth, all of which have apocalyptic aspects. In Greek mythology, the Titans, and in Hindu myths, the Asuras, are creatures that seem to represent the forces of creation out of control and rising up to overwhelm humanity.

In Islamic tradition, it is the heavenly cockerel, whose feet are upon the first sphere of heaven and whose head is in the seventh heaven just below the throne of Allah, who announces the world’s end. On the final day, the heavenly cockerel will crow for the last time and that will be the signal for the announcing angel to command that the dead rise up.

APOTHARNI

An estranged race of centaur-like beings, referred to in a work published in the 16th century, that are half human, half horse, like the centaurs of classical Greek and Roman mythology. Unlike centaurs the Apotharni are both male and female (centaurs are only male). The females are bald but have hair on their chins in a similar fashion to goats and Unicorns. They are described as inhabiting marshy areas.

APRES

The Apres is an heraldic animal. It takes the form of a bull with a short tail like a bear. On the arms of the Muscovy Company, the Apres appears as the left-handed supporter of their shield.

APSARAS

The Apsaras are beautiful water nymphs in Hindu mythology, who made their appearance at the time of the Churning of the Water of creation and now dance in heaven before the throne of Indra. They are particularly associated with the fig and banana trees, and passers by may hear them playing lutes and cymbals. They are companions to the Gandhavas, spirits of air and music. Tradition describes them as the consorts given as reward to the heroic dead at the time of their arrival in Paradise. Perhaps because of this, no single group of beings would take them as wives, and this gave rise to a belief in their promiscuous behaviour. Their other attributes include bestowing good fortune in games of chance and causing madness or derangement in those who hear their music. They live in the water with plants and trees, or, if on land, with peacocks and arjuna trees. They entice men with their smiles but self-disciplined men are impervious to their dances and callings.

APSASU

The Apsasu are the form that lamas take when they appear as temple guardians of Mesopotamian temples, usually as female human-headed cows and lionesses who stand protectively at gateways.

APTALEON

In Babylonian myth, the Aptaleon was a beast with a goat’s body and two serrated horns with which it felled trees, sawing away at the wood. This work raised a great thirst which was only quenched by the waters of the Euphrates river. If the Aptaleon wandered into the desert and found an erechire bush, its horns would become locked fast in the branches. (See Analopos.)

ARANDA

One of the names of the great cosmic serpent in the traditions of the native Australians. Like its fellow, Yurluggur, the Aranda inhabited the depths of the deepest billabongs and rivers, where the currents run so deep they cannot be perceived on the surface. Humans unwise enough to draw water or fish in these spots are often caught unawares; the Aranda rises and takes its victim below in one gulp, leaving no sign that it has even been there.

ARASSAS

A bizarre creature from French folklore, which occupies caves in the French Alps. It has the body and legs of a lizard and the head of a cat. It preys on unsuspecting travellers.

ARCADIAN HIND

An alternative name for the Cerynian Hind in classical Greek and Roman mythology. Hercules sought it for the third of his twelve Labours.

ARCTOPHONOS

One of two giant hunting dogs belonging to the giant Orion in classical mythology. Its fellow was named Ptoophagos. Between the two of them, they were powerful enough to hunt down bears.

AREOP-ENAP

In the creation myths of the Nauru people of the South Pacific, the Areop-Enap was the Ancient Spider who created the Earth and Heavens by prising apart mollusc shells with the help of two snails and a worm. The two snails became the sun and moon, while the worm, Rigi, was the one who forced the molluscs apart. His efforts were such that his sweat became the salt of the sea as he heaved them open. In other stories, Rigi was a butterfly who flew between earth and sea to separate them. Areop-Enap’s son was Areop-It-Eonin or Young Spider, who created fire by bringing it from the abode of thunder and lightning.

AREYIAI

An alternative name for the Harpies of Greek mythology, said to derive from the cries they made. Areyiai translates as ‘Slicer’ or ‘Tearer’, giving a clear indication of the kind of creature this was. Originally, they were goddesses of the wind, as the meaning of the word Harpy – ‘to transport’ or ‘to snatch’ – suggests. Certainly they are unpleasant creatures, with hag-like faces, pendulous breasts, bear’s ears and bat wings.

ARGOS/ARGUS

In Greek and Roman mythology, Argos was a giant with a thousand eyes. Sometimes called Panopes (‘he who sees everything’), the giant almost never slept, since at all times, when some of his eyes were closed, others would be open. When Zeus, the father of the gods, had an affair with the nymph Io, his jealous wife Hera kidnapped Io and had her imprisoned under the watchful eyes of Argos. Discovering this, Zeus sent Hermes to rescue her. Hermes lulled the giant to sleep with his lyre, and then killed him and cut off his head. Later, when Hera heard this, she collected Argos’ eyes and set them in the tail of the peacock, a bird that was sacred to her.

ARIA

A variety of malevolent spirit in the folklore and beliefs of the Maori people of New Zealand. Seen as vehicles for the Atua, or spirits, the Aria were responsible for inflicting disease and misfortune, and even the sight of one could bring disaster. The fearsome form taken by this creature was that of the green gecko. A story, recorded in 1823, tells of a ship’s officer, who was carrying one of these reptiles in his hand, asking a young Maori woman for its name in her language. The woman drew away from him in terror, repeating over and over that this was one of the Ari, which fed upon the bodies of the dead.

ARIES

A giant winged ram from the mythology of Greece and Rome. It was known as Chrysomallus, ‘The Ram with the Golden Fleece’, and this was its most famous attribute. Its fate is inextricably bound up with that of the Prince Phryxus, son of King Athamus of Thesaly. When the young man was accused by his stepmother of causing a famine in his father’s land, he fled, mounted on the ram’s back. Having reached safety at Colchis, he gave thanks to Zeus, the king of the gods, by sacrificing the ram. Its miraculous fleece was hung in the temple of the god. It later became the object of the quest for the Golden Fleece undertaken by the hero Jason and his famed Argonauts. Zeus, pleased with the sacrifice, later placed the ram in the heavens as the constellation of Aries, which rules over the astrological period 21 March to 21 April.

ARION

The name of a mighty horse in classical Greek and Roman mythology. Homer calls this beast ‘the swift horse, divine in origin’. Arion was said to be the offspring of the sea god Poseidon, who mated with the goddess Demeter, while both were in the form of horses. Arion was said to be partly human, its hooves resembling human feet, while from its back grew eagle wings. It also possessed the gift of speech, and could prophesy events to come. Among its many riders were the semi-divine heroes Hercules, Copreus and Andrastus.

ARMOUCHIQUOIS

Among the strange beings reported by the first Western explorers of North America, the Armouchiquois were some of the most curious. Their heads were very small and their bodies very large, and their arms and legs as lean as skeletons yet straight and strong. When they sat on their heels, their knees were more than half a foot over their heads. They were powerful, strong and determined and much feared by the Native American tribes.

ARUSHA AND ARUSHI

Two of the great horses of the sun in the Hindu mythology of India. The stallion Arusha and the mare Arushi are the lead horses, pulling the chariot of the sun god Suraya across the heavens.

ARVAK

One of the horses of the sun in Norse, Scandinavian and Icelandic legends. Arvak, whose name in Old Icelandic means ‘Early Awake’, was one of two horses that pulled the chariot of the sun god Sol/Sunna across the sky, the other horse of the pair being called Alsvid or ‘All Swift’.

ARZSHENK

A gigantic humanoid with the head of a bull in the Zoroastrian religion of ancient Persia. Arzshenk is the king of the Devs, demons and servants of the supreme evil being, Ahriman. They are involved in perpetual battle against the Izeds, who represent goodness. The monster was finally killed by the hero Rustram after a battle lasting several days. (See also Minotaur.)

ASDEEV

A great white dragon from ancient Persian tradition. The hero Rustram, who has much in common with the classical Greek Hercules, fights and defeats this creature as one of a number of battles undertaken in order to prove himself the hero of his people.

ASHUAPS

Similar to the Loch Ness Monster, this lake-dwelling beast, described as 50–60 ft long, able to lift itself some 3 ft above the water, and either black or deep blue in colour, was first recorded in 1950 in Lac Saint-Jean in Canada. The name Ashuaps derives from a river in the area where the Native American Montagnais people were already familiar with the monster. Subsequent sightings, in 1977 and 1978, have confirmed the presence of something large in the water. In 1978, several members of a Native American family from the local reservation were thrown from their canoe by something that rose up from beneath them. Not long after, two other groups saw what they believed to be the monster, thrashing the waters into foam in the nearby Ashuapmouchouan river. The presence of this curious creature, much like that of the Loch Ness monster in Scotland, has created a considerable amount of media interest, and in recent years a number of investigative teams have frequented the area in the hope of catching sight of the elusive Ashuaps. To date, however, no final verdict has been reached about the existence or nature of this creature.

ASIN

A female cannibal monster from the folklore of the Native American Alsea people of the north-west coast of America. Asin lives in the forest and takes her victims from unsuspecting wanderers who come near to the edge of the woodland. She is especially fond of children, and uses her sweet singing voice to lure them into her clutches. Once there, they are never seen again. For this reason, the Asin is often seen as a nursery-frightener, intended to keep unwary children from wandering into dangerous territory.

ASIPATRA

A gigantic bird in the folklore of the Indian continent, the Asipatra lives in the underworld of Yamapura and tortures the souls of condemned sinners. Its name means ‘Sword-Wing’ – the feathers of its fleshy wings are scythe-like and slice through air. It also has claws like knives. It lives in the branches of a tree made from spears.

ASP TURTLE

An alternative name for the Aspidochelone, frequently referred to in early European travellers’ tales.

ASPIDOCHELONE

A gigantic sea turtle frequently cited in sailors’ yarns from earliest times. In classical Greece it was known as Aspidochelon or Aspidodelone or as the Asp Turtle, though the Physiologus refers to it as the as Fastitocalon. This dates it to at least as early as the 2nd century BC, in Alexandria, where the Physiologus was compiled. Medieval bestaries named it as Aspidoicholon or Apsodo-Toroise, while Middle Eastern sources, probably deriving from Alexandrian writings, knew it as Zaratan. It was said to be so vast that it resembled an island floating in the sea. Mud and soil accumulated on its back and bushes and shrubs grew there, giving it the appearance of a floating island. There are numerous sailors’ tales which described ships anchoring off what they thought was an island, going ashore for the night and lighting a fire. Only at this point did the creature awaken, and sink beneath the water, carrying the unfortunate mariners with it. One of the earliest accounts is in the medieval Voyage of St Brendan, when the saint and his companions encounter the great beast and come very close to being destroyed by it – only escaping because of the holiness of their leader. In this source, it is known as Jasconius. Medieval Christian writers associated it with evil, and described its great open mouth – which it used as a kind of trawl-net as it moved through the ocean – as a gateway to hell. Yet the Aspidochelone seems to have lived exclusively on a diet of fish, which swam into its open jaws, attracted by the surprisingly sweet smell that issued from it. J.R.R. Tolkien has a poem about the Fastitocalon, based on the medieval accounts of the Aspidochlone, in his collection The Adventures of Tom Bombadil.

ASPIS

According to the legend and folklore of medieval Europe, the Aspis was a small dragon with two feet rather than the usual four. While its touch was poisonous and even to come close to it was to invite death, its bite was instantaneously fatal. It had one weakness however – its susceptibility to music, which could make it docile. Eventually the Aspis became aware of this and reacted to the sound of music by sticking the end of its tail in one ear and pressing the other to the ground. However, once in this position, it was virtually helpless, allowing its prey to escape. The name Aspis actually means ‘serpent’, suggesting confusion in the minds of medieval writers between this creature and the more familiar dragon.