Lamashtu – She is a ferocious demoness of ancient Sumer with the head of a lion and long ears and teeth. Razor sharp talons grow from her fingers, and her feet are the claws of a predatory bird. In the olden days, Lamashtu was particularly feared by pregnant women and young mothers, as unborn and newborn children constitute the gruesome basis of her dietary regime. Women often wore amulets to protect their babies from the evil Lamashtu.
Harpies – Fierce women with the lower bodies of birds, the three Harpies served Athena as enforcers of vengeance. Human flesh was a delicacy for them, and they lived in a perpetually ravenous state. Their home base was a cave in Crete, site of the great Minoan civilization that ruled the Aegean world long before the Mycenaean Greeks came into power.
Rusalki – From Russia, the Rusalki has similarities to the Undine, Siren, and Woman in White. Rusalki are the demonic spirits of young women who either died in childbirth or committed suicide. Thin, pale, and with long silvery hair, they frequent swampy areas and bodies of still water. They entice men into the water with their melodious voices and nubile bodies, where they delight in drowning them. After emerging in the dead of night, they band together on the limbs of trees like a murder of silvery crows, to devour unsuspecting men passing beneath. A Rusalki’s hair must never completely dry, else she will perish.
Lamia – A great Libyan queen, the original Lamia was cursed by Hera after Zeus fell in love with the exotic beauty. Her upper body retained the appearance of a woman, while her lower body transformed into a snake. Lamia holds the title role in one of John Keats’ most famous narrative poems. A supporting character in my paranormal romance Lord of Fire is a Lamia named Safiye who was captured to be sold to the highest bidder.
Amanozako – This Japanese goddess was always enraged and wrathful toward anyone who came near. She had a hairy body and the head of a ferocious beast, with a long nose and ears. Her bloody, fanged teeth could chew stone and metal, not to mention human flesh.
Owl Woman – From the great Northwest, this Native American, cave dwelling creature fed on lower animals but also on innocent children. Eerie and loathsome in appearance, she was feared for her ferocity and voracious appetite. One of Owl Woman’s eyes created owls, those chilling harbingers of doom and death.
Wadjet – Although this snake woman is similar to Lamia, she predates Lamia by several thousand years. Her story does not have the sorrowful tone of Lamia’s, possibly because a great lyrical poet hasn’t seen fit to tell her tale. Wadjet originated in ancient Egypt as a fierce champion of the Pharaoh. She had the ability to spit out balls of fire, walloping Pharaoh’s enemies into a flaming death or submission. At times she was a sensuous green serpent, and at other times she was a stunning woman who wore amulets in all shades of green. Her name means “the color of papyrus.” The suggestion of a connection to writing is interesting, as down through the ages writing has proven a mighty force.
Tell me, which of these eerie creatures would you most prefer to dodge?
Cheers & Happy Reading!
Flossie Benton Rogers, Conjuring the Magic with Paranormal Fantasy Romance
Thank you for the shout out Darrell– love the alliteration too!
They are quite a scary bunch. I definitely wouldn’t like to meet any of them but the hairy Amanozako sounds a truly nasty piece of work. It does seem some of them have very similar traits all the antithesis of the feminine. Fascinating.
Yes, that’s an astute observation. Except for Wadjet, who was so loyal to Pharaoh, they are all pretty heartless. I know during different ages humankind has viewed nature as heartless. It’s all very interesting.
Like Daisy, I wouldn’t like to meet any of them.After all, what monster is friendly? In Romania we have something similar to the Russian Rusalki. These are to be found in groups and are called Iele. Ielele are considered as wicked/bad fairies. They have no flesh body and are seen as ghostly apparitions. They are always merry, mischievous and dance draped in white silk, wearing flower wreaths on their heads. The earth beneath their feet is burned and grass will rarely grow again. If it grows, it will have a dark color and cattle will not graze it. The only plant that grows, on the place these fairies dance on, is a mushroom called „the fairies’ spoon”. People refer to the wicked fairies as deities who, if bothered during their dance, will harm the intruders turning them deaf or dumb. Wearing cloves of garlic at the belt may prevent such misfortunes to happen.
Anyway, you have an interesting “collection”here. I wonder. Aren’t they manifestations of beings from other parallel worlds?
Carmen, I really appreciate your letting me know about your Ielele. How do you pronounce that?I have made a big note about it to write about it in the future– thanks so much for sharing the info. So garlic protects against them too, as well as against vampires. Some of the spirits probably are from a parallel world. Stuart Wilde did a lot of psychic research into the exact geometric degrees of some of the worlds, including appearances of UFOSm, and his reports are astounding.
Well, the name iele is pronounced a bit like you pronounce “yes”-so { iele }, as Romanian is a phonetic language. You pronounce the words as they are written.
These wicked fairies are connected to a religious celebration. I’m not sure if I get it right in English – Pentecost?! They appear during the night preceding the celebration. People say that if a human being steps on the place where they’ve danced, he will get seriously ill. Not only garlic is a way of protection but also lime or walnut leaves or even better basil.
I would gladly avoid each and every one of them…however, since I am no longer young, pregnant, or a child, perhaps they would leave me alone? 🙂
Rusalkis fascinate me for some reason. I remember reading a novel about one many, many years ago, but I had no clue that if their hair dried completely they would vanish.
I was unfamiliar with several of these…ahem…ladies. Wadjet sounds like she would make an awesome character in a novel. Thanks for an entertaining post, Flossie!
What? You’re a spring chicken, Mae! Do you remember the name of the novel about the Rusalki? I would love to read that. You know, I think Wadjet just may…
And here I thought Harpies were the ladies at my neighbor’s tea parties….
Well, Liza, Harpies come in many shapes and sizes;)
I would dodge them all especially the Harpies!
Yes, Cathy, let’s try not to get on Athena’s bad side.