338
BALTIC DIVINE TWINS
Lithuanian/Latvian,
pre-13th century CEDievs and Velns were divine twins
who played a major role in the pre-
Christian mythology of eastern
Europe, around the Baltic Sea. The
world was created after a fight
between Dievs and Velns on a rock
in the middle of the sea, which then
became the central point in the
universe. Dievs, the personification
of light, was a generally benevolent
deity. He sometimes descended
from the heavens to test humanity’s
goodness and generosity by walking
the earth as an old beggar. Velns,
by contrast, was a trickster who
often interfered with creation; for
example, he created mountains by
spitting mud over the earth.
See also: Ahura Mazda and
Ahriman 198–99 ■ The Hero
Twins 244–47 ■ The Dogon
cosmos 288–93HUNOR AND MAGOR
Hungarian, 13th century CENimrod was a biblical king and
mighty hunter. In the Gesta
Hungarorum, a 13th-century epic
poem, he had twin sons called
Hunor and Magor. While hunting
with their followers, they pursued a
white stag all the way from Central
Asia into Eastern Europe. They
decided to remain in the region and
married daughters of a local king.
Hunor’s descendants became the
Huns, while Magor’s line included
the Magyars, who conquered
Hungary in the late 9th century CE.
See also: The epic of Gilgamesh
190 –97 ■ The adventures of the
Monkey King 218–19 ■ Fire and
rice 226–27CHERNOBOG
Russian, 12th century CEIn Russian mythology, Chernobog
was the deity of death and
darkness, and the embodiment of
evil. He caused disaster and bad
luck. Some believed Chernobog’s
counterpart was Belobog (“White
God”), the deity of sun, light, and
fortune. The two gods were thought
to be locked in an endless struggle,
with Chernobog ruling the winter
months while Belobog dominated
the summer.
See also: The war of the gods
14 0 – 41 ■ Ahura Mazda and
Ahriman 198–99 ■ Viracocha
the creator 256–57BABA YAGA
Slavic, 18th century CEBaba Yaga was a hideous cannibal
with sharp teeth and a long nose,
who was said to lurk deep in the
forests of Eastern Europe. She lived
in a hut that stood on giant chicken
legs, topped with a rooster’s head,
and surrounded by a fence of
human bones. She flew around in a
giant mortar, armed with a pestle,
which she used to grind down her
victims before eating them.
See also: Perseus and Medusa
82–83 ■ The Mead of Poetry 142–43TARIEL THE KNIGHT IN THE
PANTHER’S SKIN
Georgian, 12th century CESet in India and Arabia, this tale
follows Tariel, an Indian prince who
yearned for his long-lost love
Nestan—thought to symbolize
Queen Tamar the Great, who ruled
Georgia from 1184 to 1213. He setout to find Nestan with the help of
Avtandil, a knight who had served
King Rostevan of Arabia. Avtandil
had been sent to capture Tariel, the
famed “knight in the panther’s
skin,” but was moved by Tariel’s
story and instead joined his quest.
Eventually, they found Nestan, and
she and Tariel married in India.
See also: Venus and Adonis
88–89 ■ Cupid and Psyche 112–13
■ Pyramus and Thisbe 124HAYK THE GREAT
Armenian, 5th century CEHayk originally lived in Babylon but
fled to escape from the tyrannical
rule of the Titan Bel. Hayk and his
followers established a village
called Haykashen. Bel demanded
they return. When Hayk refused,
Bel led a huge army against them.
Hayk met them in battle and killed
Bel with an arrow. Bel’s army fled,
leaving Hayk and his people to live
in freedom. The nation that Hayk
founded became Armenia.
See also: The founding of Athens
56–57 ■ The founding of Rome
102– 05 ■ The legendary foundation
of Korea 228–29ZAHHAK
Persian, 10th century CEThe Shahnameh (“Book of Kings”)
is a 60,000-verse poem that tracks
the development of Persia from the
mythical era to the 7th century CE.
This poem includes the story of
Zahhak, a tyrannical ruler who
overthrew a great king called
Jamshid. Zahhak had two snakes
that grew from his shoulders and ate
the brains of two men every day. He
ruled Persia for 1,000 years, until
Kaveh, a blacksmith, led an uprisingDIRECTORY
US_336-343_Directory.indd 338 06/12/17 3:01 pm
DIRECTORY 339
KÖROGLU, TURKIC
Turkic, 11th century CEThe figure of Köroglu is common
across Central Asian mythology. He
was born as Rusen Ali but gained
his other name, which means “son
of the blind man,” because his
father was blinded by an evil royal
governor. Köroglu was known for
his fierce desire for justice and
hatred of tyranny, which inspired
him to lead a revolt against the
governor, launching targeted raids
against him before disappearing
back into the countryside.
See also: The epic of Gilgamesh
190 –97 ■ The legendary foundation
of Korea 228–29 ■ Jumong 230–31EPIC OF MANAS
Kyrgyz, collected 18th century CEMore than 500,000 lines long, the
Epic of Manas is based on Kyrgyz
oral tradition. Its hero is Manas,
who united the Kyrgyz peoples
and led them to independence and
prosperity. Manas then conquered
neighboring areas and led
campaigns as far afield as Beijing.
Still recited by trained performers
called Manaschi, the epic goes on
to tell the story of his son Semetei
and grandson Seitek.
See also: Marduk and Tiamat
188–89 ■ The epic of Gilgamesh
190 –97 ■ The adventures of the
Monkey King 218–19PHA TRELGEN CHANGCHUP
SEMPA THE CREATOR
Tibetan, date unknownIn Tibetan mythology, one tale
seeks to explain the ancestry of the
Tibetan people. After a great flood,a monkey named Pha Trelgen
Changchup Sempa (“Father Old
Monkey Enlightenment-Intention”)
settled on a Tibetan mountain to
lead a life of meditation. A female
demon came to the monkey and
demanded to marry him. They had
six children who, with the waters
receding, lived in the forest. After a
few years, they numbered 500, and
were running out of food. They
asked their father for help and,
divinely inspired, he taught them
the practice of agriculture.
See also: The epic of Gilgamesh
190 –97 ■ The origins of the Baiga
212–13 ■ Fire and rice 226–27EPIC OF KING GESAR
Tibetan/Mongolian, 12th century CEAs an infant, Gesar was exiled
from the kingdom of Ling to the
desert by his cowardly uncle. At
the age of 12, Gesar returned to
Ling to compete in a horse race
that would decide who the next
ruler would be. Gesar won and
married the daughter of a local
chief. He then led a series of
victorious campaigns against
Ling’s enemies, which included
man-eating demons.
See also: The labors of Herakles
72–75 ■ The founding of Rome
102– 05 ■ The adventures of Loki
and Thor in Jötunheim 146–47THE DEVASURA YUDDHA
(WARS BETWEEN THE
HINDU GODS)
Indian, c. 8th century BCEIn Hindu mythology, benevolent,
virtuous deities came to be called
Devas, and more harmful, demonic
gods are called Asuras. The Rig
Veda and Ramayana both includethat overthrew him. Jamshid’s
descendant, Fereydun, ascended
the throne, and Zahhak was
imprisoned in a cave for eternity.
See also: Origin of the universe
18–23 ■ The founding of Rome
102– 05 ■ Marduk and Tiamat
188–89TENGRI THE CREATOR
Turkic/Mongol, 4th century CEMany Central Asian peoples,
including the Turkic and Mongol,
practice a shamanistic religion
called Tengriism with the sky god,
Tengri, at its center. It teaches that
before creation, the sky god was a
pure white goose who flew across
an endless ocean. Tengri created a
deity called Er Kishi to help him
create the universe. Er Kishi was
impure, trying to tempt people to
do evil, so Tengri sent sacred
animals to humans to guide them.
See also: Origin of the universe
18–23 ■ Ahura Mazda and Ahriman
198–99 ■ Spider Woman 238–39ASENA THE GREY WOLF
Turkic, c. 7th century CEThe Göktürks were a Turkic people
who dominated Central Asia from
the 6th to the 8th centuries. When
their capital city of Ötüken was
captured in 744 CE and their people
were slaughtered, only one boy was
left alive. He was badly injured and
would have died, but a she-wolf
called Asena nursed him back to
health. Eventually, he and Asena
had 10 sons; one of whom was the
founder of the Ashina clan, the
ruling power of the Göktürks.
See also: The founding of Rome
102– 05 ■ The cattle raid of Cooley
166 – 67 ■ Jumong 230–31US_336-343_Directory.indd 339 06/12/17 3:01 pm