Mythological Creatures of Sardinia

[askra]

Janas

http://annapsychicmedium.webstarts.com/uploads/RedFairy.jpg


The Janas, in Sardinian Mythology, are fairies, that sometimes can transform themselves in witches, so exist benevolent and evil Janas. The Janas look like beautiful winged small women who dress in red, and wear a hat embroidered with silver thread. They sometimes give off a blinding light. According to the tradition to each newborn baby was assigned a Jana, which would watch over and protect for a lifetime each person if the Jana was benevolent, in other case the Jana would cause misfortunes.

[askra]

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lzd4f6A3ZC1rngln3o1_1280.jpg


Spirits of women who died in childbirth. The Panas according to the legend could be seen along the rivers and the streams between the 1 and 3 o'clock a.m., while washing bloody clothes used during the childbirth, singing a sad lullaby.

[askra]

Called also Skrutsoni is the Sardinian version of the Basilisk. It's a giantic reptile, snake or dragon with 7 heads that live hibernating inside a mountain. It has a crystal cross on the forehead/s, brave people who will be able to take up the cross will have luck for life. Catch it is very dangerous, infact it can kill a man with a glance, or with its breath.

Recently it has been theorized that the legend on the Sardinian Basilisk would be began when in the past people found the fossils of dinosaurs that inhabited the island, such as the Cotylorhynchus (the basilisk descripted in the legends in the place where it was discovered looks at the description of this dinosaur)

[askra]

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Jt1qgZEAhQ8/TsiFzQN_SkI/AAAAAAAAGv0/VnprWakZ_0c/s1600/Autumn%2BWind%2BGoddess.jpg


Sa Mama e su Entu in sardinian language means the Mother of the Wind. She is represented as a strict beautiful woman who fluctuates in the wind. When she gets angry , in the form of a stormy wind, scratches the face of people who have committed sins and uproots the trees during her passage.

[askra]

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8376/8485669784_7e06882ce3_b.jpg
A mask of a maskinganna during a traditional carnival


The Maskinganna, literally "master of deception", was a legendary figure of Sardinian mythology. He was a Devil of the Forests, that could change his aspect to a crying baby, or a beautiful young girl, or a handsome guy.
His favorite pastime was disturbing people while they slept.

[askra]

http://pso.istruzione.it/materiali_hsh/siti/Bosco/images/Gnomo.gif



They are chubby elves that inhabit the houses, in particular the rustic country houses, they wear a red hat that covers a curly head. They are attracted by all shiny little objects. They hide the objects that catch in secret deposits. According to the legend only one boy is succeeded to get the confidence of the mazzamureddos, and become their friend.

[askra]

It's a fantastic being dedicated to the protection of the wild animals. In the interior of Sardinia (Barbagia) is called the shepherd of the venison. It warns the mouflons and other wild animals in case of danger or appears to the hunters, hindering them during the hunt.

[askra]

http://www.isolaillyon.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/005_Strega_scopa.jpg

The Cogas are vampiric witches. They according to the legend kill only the male babies, feeding on their blood. They look like old ugly hags, and they are stump tailed (they are recognizable from this feature mainly), but sometimes they have the ability to transform themselves in other beings.

[askra]

They are monstrous beings who inhabit the depths of the Gorropu Gorge, in the Supramonte. They came out from the canyon during the stormy nights killing the cattles, plundering the men and destroying the pinnettos (traditional shepherd huts).


http://www.laltrasardegna.com/2008/e107_images/newspost_images/gorropu_luceg.jpg
The entrance of the Gorroppu Canyon

[askra]

http://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large/2-green-horse-simona-timofei.jpg

In Sardinian Folklore, the Caddos Birdes (En: Green Horses) were mythological creatures, constituted by horses with green hair coat, very difficult to be sighted. Only few persons of noble heart could see and ride them.

[askra]

In sardinian folklore Sa Mama 'e su Sole, in english The Mother of the Sun, was a female supernatural creature who appeared after Midday in the summers.

Sa Mama 'e su Sole is described as a beautiful woman who punishes the children who disobey to their parents going out to play during the hottest hours of the day in summer, causing them a fever called halentura.

[Mens-Sarda]

interesting, when we were children, we used to call "mama 'e su sole" the flying cardoon seeds


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/40/Semi_e_peluria_di_cardo_rosso.png

http://i794.photobucket.com/albums/yy228/angelop_album/DSC01164.jpg

[askra]

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_MryQii-dvu8/SIckA_HeFQI/AAAAAAAADT4/DYYranAxiGs/s400/ezekiel.gif

The Carru e’ Deus ( The God Chariot ), also known as Carru e' Nannai, is a flying chariot that across the sky during the storms, which carries heavy boulders, that when banging one another cause hard noises and sparks. This legend was told to children during the thunderstorms, in the reality the bang noises are the thunders and the sparks the lightnings.

[askra]

The Origantes are an ancient People who settled in Sardinia since the the dawn of time and that now live underground, where have built thousands of tunnels and towns.

[askra]

Arreyulta is a very tall woman with giantic proportions who appears between july 31 and august 1. She drags heavy chains and lives inside a grotto, located to the foot of Mount Pelao, outside the village of Bessude. Seeing her means a sign of impending death.

[Enflamme]

Cool :D

[Aëlwenn]

Nice thread !!
That's inspired me for my works.

Sardinia look like a very special island.

[Wadaad]

Janas

http://annapsychicmedium.webstarts.com/uploads/RedFairy.jpg


The Janas, in Sardinian Mythology, are fairies, that sometimes can transform themselves in witches, so exist benevolent and evil Janas. The Janas look like beautiful winged small women who dress in red, and wear a hat embroidered with silver thread. They sometimes give off a blinding light. According to the tradition to each newborn baby was assigned a Jana, which would watch over and protect for a lifetime each person if the Jana was benevolent, in other case the Jana would cause misfortunes.

Janas is from Jinn/Genies

[Enflamme]

I do not know if this has already been posted, I post here anyway in case!

Erchitu
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/88/d8/74/88d874006d72712b11a5784e857011b7.jpg

The Erchitu is a legendary creature of Sardinian tradition.
According to the ancient legends of Sardinia, a man who committed a serious fault would turn on full moon nights into a white ox with two large horns. The creature stops in front of a house and bellows three times: his roar is heard by all the inhabitants of the country, and according to tradition, the master of the house will to die within the year.
Sometimes they are accompanied by Devils which lay two lit candles on their horns and prod them with hot skewers.
The Erchitos can free themselves from their torment only when they encounter someone brave and strong, capable of extinguishing the candles in one puff, or capable of cutting the horns on the head with one precise shot.

[JMack]

Beautiful thread :thumb001:

[Mens-Sarda]

Janas is from Jinn/Genies

Jana is the contraction of Diana, the Roman goddess of nature

p.s.
the J is pronounced like a Y