340
descriptions of the struggle between
these two forces. Twelve battles
between righteousness and
wickedness took place across
heaven, earth, and the Underworld.
The gods wielded mighty celestial
weapons called “astra”; the most
fearsome and destructive was the
“pashupatastra,” an arrow that was
capable of destroying all of creation.
See also: The Ramayana 204–09
■ Durga slays the buffalo demon 210
■ The fish-eyed goddess finds a
hu sba nd 211EMPEROR BHARATA
Indian, c. 8th century BCEThe first book of the Sanskrit epic
Mahabharata tells the story of
Emperor Bharata. His mother
Shakuntala was the daughter of a
revered sage and a beautiful spirit,
and his father Dushyanta ruled a
kingdom in northern India. Despite
his royal birth, Bharata was not
raised at court, but in the forests,
where he played with wild animals.
As an adult, Bharata succeeded
his father as king, and through his
virtuous rule founded an imperial
dynasty that ruled all India. As
a result, one of the official names
for India is “Bharat.”
See also: The game of dice
202–03 ■ The Ramayana 204–09
■ The fish-eyed goddess finds a
hu sba nd 211THE COWHERD AND THE
WEAVER GIRL
Chinese, c. 7th century BCEThe Qixi festival takes place on the
seventh night of the seventh lunar
month. It commemorates the story
of Niulang, a cowherd, and the weaver
Zhinu, the daughter of the MotherGoddess. Despite their different
professions, they fell in love. The
Mother Goddess was furious that
her daughter was with a mortal and
called Zhinu back to the heavens.
When Niulang attempted to follow
the weaver, the Mother Goddess
tore the heavens apart to separate
them, creating the Milky Way. They
were only allowed to meet once a
year, across a bridge of magpies.
See also: Arachne and Minerva
115 ■ Pangu and the creation of the
world 214 –15LEGEND OF THE WHITE
SNAKE
Chinese, 17th century CEXu Xian was a boy who accidentally
bought some pills that granted
immortality. When he tried to
swallow the pills, he vomited them
into a lake. They were swallowed
by a white snake spirit who gained
magical powers. Eighteen years
later, the snake turned into a
woman called Bai Suzhen, who
married Xu Xian. They lived happily,
until he discovered her true nature
and died of shock. Bai Suzhen went
on a quest and found a herb that
would restore her husband to life.
When Xu Xian was revived, he fully
realized her compassion and
loved her again.
See also: Echo and Narcissus
114 ■ Pomona and Vertumus 122
■ Pangu and the creation of the
world 214 –15LAC LONG QUÂN AND ÂU CO
Vietnamese, 14th century CELac Long Quân (“Dragon Lord of
Lac”) was the son of the first king of
Vietnam. After he became king,
Lac Long Quân married a princesscalled Âu Co from a mountain tribe
to the north. They had 100 children
but could not be happy together.
Âu Co wanted to live in the
highlands, and Lac Long Quân
longed to be by the coast. They
took 50 children each and lived
in different parts of Vietnam,
promising to support each other if
necessary. Their children were the
ancestors of the people of Vietnam,
symbolizing their unity and
collective identity.
See also: The legendary
foundation of Korea 228–29
■ Jumong 230–31KIVIUQ
Inuit peoples of Canada, Alaska,
and Greenland, date unknownKiviuq was a shaman said to walk
the Arctic eternally. He also used a
sled, a kayak, and even the backs of
aquatic creatures to travel. His
magical powers allowed him to
defeat any obstacle in his path. He
was once married to a wolf-woman.
Sadly, the union ended when her
envious mother killed her. She then
skinned her daughter and wore her
pelt in an attempt to trick Kiviuq
into staying with her.
See also: Orestes avenges
Agamemnon 64–65 ■ Jason and
Medea 84–85 ■ Raven and the
whale 242–43RED HORN
Ho-Chunk of North America, date
unknownThe eponymous hero of the Red
Horn Cycle is one of the sons of the
creator god Earthmaker. He gained
his name because of his long,
braided red hair, but he was also
known as “Wears Heads on HisDIRECTORY
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DIRECTORY 341
human woman and the West Wind.
Nanabozho was associated with
rabbits and was also known as
“The Great Hare.” His main
companion was the wolf spirit
Moqwaio, sometimes portrayed as
his brother. The Great Spirit sent
Nanabozho to teach the Ojibwa the
names of the plants and animals,
and show them how to fish and
use hieroglyphics. He also saved
humanity after a great flood by
protecting them from water spirits.
See also: Prometheus helps
mankind 36–39 ■ The adventures
of Loki and Thor in Jötunheim 146–
47 ■ The epic of Gilgamesh 190–97EL SILBÓN
Venezuelan/Colombian,
19th century CEEl Silbón (“The Whistler”) was a
spirit in the form of a thin man
20 ft (6 m) tall. While human, he
murdered his father to avenge his
mother’s murder. The spirits of his
mother and grandfather punished
him by whipping him, rubbing
lemons and chilies into his eyes,
and setting dogs on him. He was
then cursed to wander the world
as a spirit for eternity, carrying
his father’s bones in a sack. As he
walked, he whistled a distinctive
tune and preyed on unwary people,
womanizers, and drunks.
See also: Prometheus helps
mankind 36–39 ■ Orestes avenges
Agamemnon 64–65 ■ The fate of
Oedipus 86–87THE BASILISCO CHILOTE
Chilean, 16th century CEThe Basilisco Chilote (“the Chilota
Basilisk”) is a creature in the
mythology of the Chilotes, who livein the Chiloé archipelago in the
south of Chile. With the body of a
serpent and the head of a rooster,
this terrifying creature was said to
be hatched from a chicken egg. If
the egg was not burned before the
monster hatched, the Basilisco
would dig a lair beneath a nearby
house. Then it would slowly
dehydrate its occupants, feeding
remotely on their saliva and
moisture. After hatching, it was
said that the house above the
Basilisco’s lair must be burned
in order to kill the beast.
See also: The quest of Odysseus
66–71 ■ The labors of Herakles
72–75 ■ Theseus and the Minotaur
76–77SACI THE PRANKSTER
Brazilian, 18th century CESaci appeared as a one-legged
youth who smoked a pipe and wore
an enchanted red cap that gave
him the power to appear and
disappear at will. He was notorious
for his pranks (such as making
needles blunt, hiding things, or
setting animals loose), but granted
wishes to anyone who could steal
his cap. His myth was based on
a figure from indigenous Guarani
mythology adapted by African
slaves who were brought to Brazil.
See also: Hermes’s first day
54–55 ■ The adventures of Loki
and Thor in Jötunheim 146–47 ■
The death of Baldur 148–49GAUCHO GIL
Argentinian, 19th century CEAntonio Gil was a legendary
Argentinian gaucho (cowboy) and
outlaw said to have been active
during the late 19th century. HeEars” because of the living human
faces grafted on to his earlobes.
Red Horn was a great healer and
worked to protect humans from the
race of giants that plagued them.
Along with his brothers, he was
challenged to a contest by these
giants and, although they won
many games, Red Horn and his
brothers were killed after losing a
wrestling match.
See also: The adventures of Loki
and Thor in Jötunheim 146–47 ■
Spider Woman 238–39 ■ The first
canoe 256–57IKTOMI THE TRICKSTER
Sioux of North America, date
unknownThe son of the creator-god Inyan,
Iktomi (“spider”) was originally
called Ksa (“wisdom”). He was
turned into a spider and given his
new name for his mischievous
ways. Though primarily a spider,
Iktomi was a shapeshifter who
could take any form, including that
of a human, and communicate with
animals as well as inanimate
objects, such as trees and rocks.
As he was physically weak, Iktomi
used tricks to survive. While
sometimes manipulative, Iktomi
was seen by the Lakota Sioux as
a patron of ingenuity.
See also: Prometheus helps
mankind 36–39 ■ Arachne and
Minerva 115 ■ Spider Woman 238–39NANABOZHO THE
TRICKSTER
Ojibwa of North America, date
unknownAlthough Nanabozho was a
trickster, his exploits were never
malicious. He was the son of aUS_336-343_Directory.indd 341 06/12/17 3:01 pm