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Understanding the Mysterious Kingdom of Shambhala, Alleged Sighting of the Mythical Manananggal in the Philippines Causes Public Anxiety, The Truth Behind the Christ Myth: Ancient Origins of the Often Used Legend Part I, The Evidence is Cut in Stone: A Compelling Argument for Lost High Technology in Ancient Egypt, Caesars Savage Human Skewers Unearthed In German Fort. The Green Man: Tales from the Mythic Forest (Viking Press: USA, 2002. What is the origin of the legend of the Christed Son who was born of a virgin on December 25th? Ancient Origins 2013 - 2023Disclaimer- Terms of Publication - Privacy Policy & Cookies - Advertising Policy -Submissions - We Give Back - Contact us. The seven gates, the grapes (as Karla points out), and the mistletoe that kills Baldr (the Sun) are the small cluster . Most people know of the great construction achievements of the dynastic Egyptians such as the pyramids and temples of the Giza Plateau area as well as the Sphinx. !Bull b. Cow c. Horse d. Eagle. At Ragnarok, Fenrir will kill Odin and then, in turn, be killed by Odin's son Varr. Often said to be at war with the Gods of the sir and Vanir, nevertheless, many of the Norse Gods themselves are borne of one or more Jtunn. Simek compares the deity to a variety of cow-associated deities among non-Germanic peoples, such as the Egyptian goddess Hathor (depicted as cow-headed) and Isis (whose iconography contains references to cows), and the Ancient Greek Hera (described as 'the cow-eyed').[6]. The world of fantasy is packed full of amazing mythical creatures such as Elves, Dwarfs and Giants. [4], On the topic of Auumbla, John Lindow says that cows appear commonly in creation narratives around the world, yet "what is most striking about Audhumla is that she unites the two warring groups in the mythology, by nourishing Ymir, ancestor of all the giants, and bringing into the light Bri, progenitor of the sir. !True. ), Green, M. Gods of the Celts (Sutton Publishing Limited: United Kingdom, 1986. Jess is a native Brit who lives and works in Oslo as a translator (from NO/SE/DA into EN), proofreader and copy editor. 4. !True. Legends of Bakeneko exist all over Japan, but the most famous is the tale of the Nabeshima Bakeneko Disturbance. The first complete mapping of a Neanderthal genome took place about five years ago - supporting the human-Neanderthal hook-up and also showing that Neanderthal DNA in humans is a thing. Thereby these skull and cross-bone depictions can logically be linked to this pre-Christian entity. I can not say, if there was a green manbut the truth could be of interest. ), Castleden, Rodney. I'm positive this goes back to when the comet hit the Earth 13Kyrs. The comet came out of the constellation of Taurus and is still known as the Taurid Stream which is commemorated as Halloween and the Festival of the Dead (as in the death from the Deluge), this is why the bull is represented in the story as far back as Gobekli Tepe. Jrmungandr is the child of Loki and the Jtunn Angrboa, along with Fenrir and Hel, and was tossed into the ocean by Odin. ah, still not all this information is true a few miss things, You are first generation Norwegian, but use Scottish phrasing? Sleipnir was one of the most unique creatures in Norse mythology. PARTNERS. Featured image: Green Man mask by Lauren Raine ( Wikimedia Commons ), Coming next in Part 2: The Green Man: A Pre-Christian Icon in Christian Monuments. The Norse Gods. Jrmungandr's arch-enemy is Thor, the God of Thunder. Our main sources for Norse mythology, and the sources we use to interpret any subsequent findings related to Norse mythology, are the sagas. The Sumerian word lama, which is rendered in Akkadian as lamassu, refers to a protective deity, who is usually female. a. yeah I would like it if there was more of the mirdgard serpent. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Words of Norway tells the stories of Norway to the world, and helps Norwegian companies do the same. The squirrel Ratatosk runs up and down Yggdrasils trunk, carrying messages between these two creatures and theyre not particularly nice messages either. Rather, it is the end of the current world order although this does not make it any more pleasant to go through. A stirring rendition of Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries has adorned many a film to good effect but what are the Valkyries? So to make gifts to Freyr, Eitri threw a pig's skin into a furnace as Brokkr worked on the bellows, and together they manufactured the boar Gullinbursti which had bristles in its mane that glowed in the dark. Loki was represented as the companion of the great gods Odin and Thor, helping them with his clever plans but sometimes causing embarrassment and difficulty for them and himself. On the whole the Elves kept themselves away from the affairs of humans, appearing only occasionally to either cause or cure illnesses, based on their whims. Master's thesis: University of the Sunshine Coast, 2006. The Christianisation of the Nordic countries was a long processand happened relatively late compared to the rest of Europe. According to Norse mythology, Loki is a mother. Despite generally being translated as Giants', they are usually the same size as humans. According to Greek Mythology, Atlas was an Olympian God. In Norse mythology these are the Draugr. However, without Christianity we might not know about Norse mythology at all. Some historians even suggest that she is a figment of . At the paragraph of Elves, you say that they live in Alfheim under the rule of the Goddess Freyr but isnt Freyr a God? Consider this guide a sort of Mead of Poetry(but better because no one died while writing this, and you dont have to drink anything that Odin vomited up while he was a bird yes, that is a thing that happened). this is why the bull is represented in the story as far back as Gobekli Tepe. Ymir would pass the time by drinking Audhumlas milk and Audhumla would lick a salt block, which eventually took the form of Bri, the first of the sir. Much like Norwegians, she loves black coffee. Said to inhabit the realm of Alfheim, under the rule of the God Freyr, the Elves were tall, slim demi-gods with pale skin and hair, who were more beautiful than the sun. Want to read all 3 . According to the monograph by Dr. Samantha Riches, "St. George", she was able to trace the pre-Christian origins of the Green Man through its identity as "Green George", an epithet of St. George", IIRC, but also through the death and "rebirth" motif of St. George and a couple identical pre-Christian figures (one from Greece and another from the Middle East where St. George's cult was traced) who were said to die and be revived from death, but were also died a green color after being revived. It was imprisoned in a huge maze called the Labyrinth, where it received regular sacrifices of young men . This union with nature and mutual reliance upon one another is evidenced historically and archaeologically through Man's cultivation and development of the natural world, and the fruits nature thereby provided. You can say they where reinvented during the national romantic era, to add some grandure to Norwegian folk lore. . A Complete List of Greek Gods, Their Names & Their Realms of Influence. Since the myths were passed from person to person, it is possible that there was never one correct version of the myths anyway but many different versions, as each storyteller added their own creative spin. Everywhere, from Lord of the Rings to The Elder Scrolls games, these creatures are deeply woven into our cultural fabric. Etna, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, but Skylla does bear some similarities to squid mythology: multiple legs, multiple long grasping necks (with dog heads . It is made up of four parts: the Prologue, Gylfaginning, Skldskaparml, and Httatal. Little is known about the Light Elves, but Dark Elves may be another name for the Dwarfs, who also live in Svartalfheim. Scholars identify her as stemming from a very early stratum of Germanic mythology, and ultimately belonging to larger complex of primordial bovines or cow-associated goddesses. What is the name of the first human being in Norse mythology? Norse mythologyis full of fascinating stories and complex characters. Shiva, the destroyer, is the supreme god in Shaivite sects of Hinduism and spends his time meditating in the Himalayas. Some Jtnar are exceedingly beautiful and some are terribly ugly, and the sir spend most of their time either fighting the jtnar or marrying them. Occasionally, dogs appear in negative roles, such as the hellhound Garm in Norse mythology or the fighting dogs belonging to the Greek . Is there a monster or something that is two plant pots stacked on each other with the top one upside down with something inside it. Nefer Say Nefer - Was Nefertiti Buried in the Valley of the Queens? Thegoal of Ancient Origins is to highlight recent archaeological discoveries, peer-reviewed academic research and evidence, as well as offering alternative viewpoints and explanations of science, archaeology, mythology, religion and history around the globe. Archaeological records link the Green Man to these three notions most evidently because of the three most important moments of time they represent, whether it is the life and death of nature, man, or the two affecting one another. Before the Christianisation of the Nordic countries, the region was pagan, a term that here refers to a a pre-Christian religion. Odin is the head of the Aesir gods. He is able to beget offspring all by himself, one of his . Mutually Assured Destruction! Both Eddas were written around two hundred years after the Christianisation of the Nordic region. The religion went into decline around a thousand years ago when Christianity swept through the north of Europe. While scholars disagree on exactly where the different myths fall on a scale of Completely Pagan to Completely Christian, the majority agree that it is very unlikely that Christianity had no impact on the myths. They can appear in two ways. a. !True b. A creature resulting from the dramatic encounter between ice and fire, he was fed by a cosmic cow and his body parts served as the building blocks of the universe. She is also technically a qualified viking, with a BA in Viking Studies, although there was a lot more reading and a lot less pillaging than she had expected. The Roman god quot;Jupiterquot; was first known as quot;Zeusquot; to the Greeks. Sol: Goddess . 1. Hisface is always encompassed by leaves, vines, and flowers, seeming to be literally born from the natural world. They arent cute like the Troll dolls sold in the USA. ago and killed off the mammoth and blotted out the Sun. As you can see, Norse Mythology harbours a huge array of creatures, some more fearsome than others. Draugr are undead beings, with superhuman strength and the stench of decay. Bloody confusing, but fascinating at the same time. In Norse mythology, Auumbla (Old Norse pronunciation: [uumbl]; also Auhumla [uhuml] and Auumla [uuml]) is a primeval cow.The primordial frost jtunn Ymir fed from her milk, and over the course of three days she licked away the salty rime rocks and revealed Bri, grandfather of the gods and brothers Odin, Vili and V. It's perhaps better to consider them as devourers'; chaotic spirits of night and darkness and winter. Mudlarker Finds Bronze Age Shoe on a UK Riverbank Dated 2,800 Years Old! Our digital library saves in multipart countries, allowing you to acquire the most less latency time to Thankfully, though, the real thing is seldom seen by humans, much preferring the deep, dark depths of the sea. The short answer is: we dont know. a. Athena b. We do have artefacts from the Viking era that appear to reference Norse mythology, such as the Eyrarland Statue, which is thought to depict Thor, or the Valkyrien fra Hrby figurine, which is thought to be a valkyrie. For humans at least, there are few creatures more important than Jrmungandr. Fjorgyn - Lover of Odin and mother of Thor. Type of Entity: Supernatural. Etymology and Names. Are these the stories that the Vikings told each other? This Greek goddess039;s name was chosen for the dwarf planet responsible for discord on Pluto039;s classification amongst astronomers. An Argentinian folk metal group named their band "Cernunnos" after the horned god. Page 3. 6. r/mythology 14 days ago. Also known as the Midgard Serpent, he encircles the Earth keeping everything in place. Aurgelmir, also called Ymir, in Norse mythology, the first being, a giant who was created from the drops of water that formed when the ice of Niflheim met the heat of Muspelheim. Bakeneko means "changed cat" in Japanese. Can you suggest othe good articles or sources? Hel is the Norse goddess of the dead. Let us know in the comments below! Heres everything you need to know about the basics of Norse mythology (plus a little more). The shamrock - St. Patrick's teaching tool. Buy Norse Mythology Asgard God DIY Diamond Painting Full Square Drill Diamond Cross stitch Mosaic Diamond Needlework Handwork Wall Paintings Home Decor Gift for Adults and Kids at Wish - Shopping Made Fun The world of fantasy is packed full of amazing mythical creatures such as Elves, Dwarfs and Giants. Leviathan is Created. Smithing making things is what we think of best when it comes to Dwarfs. Bil is not a goddess like others, but a human girl, adopted by the god of the moon Mani, who rescues her and her brother. Celtic mythology involves animals that have magical powers of their own. Raven is the holy bird around Odin. Everywhere, from Lord of the Rings to The Elder Scrolls games, these creatures are deeply woven into our cultural fabric. In Norse mythology, Auumbla (Old Norse pronunciation:[uumbl]; also Auhumla [uhuml] and Auumla [uuml]) is a primeval cow. a. This is of course possible, but it cannot be demonstrated (2005:30). 1. Dwarfs dwell in the earth, and Svartalfheim is often thought of as a labyrinthine underground complex of mines and forges. Many Heads, Arms and Eyes: Origin, Meaning and Form in Multiplicity in Indian Art (Brill: Netherlands, 1997. Architecture of the Floating (Or Sinking) City: How Was Venice Built? Were theonlyPop Archaeology site combining scientific research with out-of-the-box perspectives. Instead, they are considered lesser beings and so some may have warped this into short. Who goes where is decided by the Valkyries, who collect the souls of those lucky enough to have died in battle and carry them to their destination. As the first giant, he's the ancestor of all of the other giants - and, since almost all of the gods are partially . We still have a collection of hand carved wooden Troll dolls sent by my wifes Grandfather from Norway. a. The Epic of Gilgamesh also depicts a bull that could have been a reference to Behemoth. She is also associated with beauty, sex, divine law, and political power. In Norse mythology, the first living being, the one from which all the rest emerge, was a giant named Ymir. The Edda, a textbook about Norse mythology written in the 13th century by the Icelander Snorri Sturluson, claims that the valkyries served drinks to fallen warriors in Valhalla. Some sources distinguish Elves into two different groups Dkklfar and Ljslfar Dark Elves that are blacker than pitch and Light Elves that are lighter than the sun. Is there such a legend? It should be understood that much of what is known about the Green Man is speculation, as mythological records are not utilized as hard evidence but rather as examples of the belief system of pre-existing cultures; nevertheless, these speculations are highly likely. According to Japanese folklore, what is the favorite food . Symbols played a vital role in the Viking society and were used to represent their gods, beliefs and myths. Elaborately carved grave slab at Shebbear (Devon, England) showing a skull sprouting flowering shoots ( public domain ). Here, we take a look at the best of the best from races such as elves to individual creatures such as the mighty Kraken so for everything you need to know about the fantastic beasts, weve got you covered! They were a very fluid race and did not subscribe to the normal gender roles of humans. I am doing research for a school project, but I kind of took it personal and am trying to dig a bit deeper into Norse Mythology. false !true which greek roman god was known as the god of music, truth and prophecy, healing, the sun. She really believed in them, said some could be as small as a rat or the size of a mountain. 1. End of preview. There are civilization that have Green Skin. Update: Text altered to correct errors flagged up in comments below. Do you have any questions about Norse mythology you would like us to answer? In turn the two attack the tree, leading to a cycle of decay and rebirth that refreshed the tree. 9. Before he ascended the throne of Crete, Minos struggled with his brothers for the . The first reference of Echidna is in the Greek mythology of Hesiod called Theogony, written probably around the turn of the 7th-8th century BCE. I wrote a book about this subject, at the moment I'm trying to redo the whole thing in html so that it will become an ebook, but don't hold your breath the learning curve is terrible. But as with all parts of mythology, where good things happen, death is usually close by! However, this love for the Norse myths can sometimes result in people becomingunnecessarily protective of preserving their purity which is a task doomed from the start since, as shown above, we have no idea whether the Vikings knew the myths as we do. Son of Balder and Nanna. Members of his party were into Norse mythology, and they hi-jacked our cultural history and our symbols. 3. The sir are the main gods in Norse mythology and live in Asgard. The ancient Norse also believed in personal spirits, such as the fylgja and the hamingja, which in some respects resembled the Christian idea of the soul. He will be slain by Thor who then drops down dead from being poisoned by his venom. For an extensive guide to the Norse gods, myths and locations, I recommend John Lindows Norse Mythology: A Guide to Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs, which was extremely useful when writing this article. Gullinbursti (Old Norse: [ulenburste], meaning "Gold Mane" or "Golden Bristles") is a boar in Norse mythology. One ancient Smi story tells of a constellation in the night skya hunter with his bow aimed at the Cosmic Reindeer in an eternal hunt. From Odins mighty horse to a world-circling serpent, Norse Mythology has a cacophony of crazy creatures! Often seen smearing himself with ashes and visiting cremation grounds, he is a god of lust and masculinity. Although specifics about his beginningsand his worship are not fully known, due in large part to how far back and to what initial cultures he can be traced to, it is a testament to the widespread reach of his character that he is still remembered and worshipped to this day. If the goat is too lean, the Fossegrim will only teach how to tune the fiddle. They're Odin's female helping spirits who are depicted as elegant maidens ferrying the slain to Valhalla. Updated 29 January, 2015 - 00:43 Riley Winters. Instead, scholars now believe that both Eddas are based on the same, earlier poetry, though this has not yet been found. In Greek Mythology, who was the daughter of King Minos? Valknut/3 triangles/Odin's knot/Hrungnir's heart Meaning. Ive updated the text to reflect your corrections. It wasn't until the 12th century that most physical records of Norse mythology and evil norse gods would be codified in a . Tusen takk! Lugh remains prominent in popular culture, and has made appearances across a variety of media: Aurgelmir was the father of all the giants; a male and a female grew under his arm, and his legs produced a six-headed son. The Poetic Edda is a collection of mythological poems by unknown authors that mainly come from a manuscript known as the Codex Regius, which is Latin for the Kings Book. This semantic ambiguity may have been intentional. According to Hsdrpa, Freyr rode Gullinbursti to Baldr's funeral, while in Gylfaginning, Snorri states that Freyr rode to the funeral in a chariot pulled by the boar. The gods were originally conceived as a confederation of two formerly warring divine tribes, the . Every morning they fly to the human world at dawn, and report back to Odin in the evening. Interested in Norse mythology and dont know where to start? mararie/Flickr.com. Behemoth (a bull-like creature) was given dominance over the land. [3], The second and final mention of Auumbla occurs in the Nafnaulur, wherein the author provides a variety of ways to refer to cows. Weve got you covered! The Allfather, the king of the Aesir, seemed somewhat gloomy. And speaking of the Christians. Snotra: Goddess of prudence. The Christian-Pagan dynamic is present in many sagas. . False b. Thanks to prophecies noting Fenrir's growth and ferocity, the Gods decided he must be bound. Vegvsir/Viking Compass Origin and Meaning-Norse Symbol. Perhaps most importantly, they can swim through solid rock, which perhaps explains how they exit their tombs. Ziz (a dragon-like creature) was given reign over the skies. !True b. Norse Mythology. a. Notable Jtnar include Skai (Skadi), Gerr (Gerd), Surtr (Surt) and Ymir. Very good intro to norse mythology. Sjfn: Goddess of love. I was googling Gods of poetry and stumbled across Bragi, then proceeded to spent the next hour or so falling further down this rabbit hole of knowledge (10/10 would recommend, will probably accidentally hyperfixate on Norse mythology, thank you for putting this together). The Green Man is almost frequently depicted as a man's face, usually ranging from middle aged to elderly,appearing out of the wild of forest trappings. However, there is no accompanying explanation that confirms that these objects are or what they were used for. And can such mermaid imagery and symbology be correlated with the The paths he would take were strange, With little cheer to glean, And his hopes would often change Till that chapel could be seen. Sir Gawain and Green Knight is a late 14th-century poem, set in an Scotlands Rosslyn Chapel came under the world spotlight in 2003 after Dan Brown featured it in his bestseller, The Da Vinci Code . Amongst the incredible artefacts forged by the Dwarfs are Mjollnir Thors hammer Skidbladnir a ship belonging to Freyr that always has a favourable wind and Draupnir and Gungnir Odins ring and spear. ), Riley Wintersis a Pre-PhD art historical, archaeological, and philological researcher who holds a degree in Classical Studies and Art History, and a Medieval and Renaissance Studies minor from Christopher Newport University. Ymir being slain by the gods (Franz Stassen, 1920) Ymir (pronounced roughly "EE-mir;" Old Norse Ymir, "Screamer" [1]) is a hermaphroditic giant and the first creature to come into being in the Norse creation myth. However, the slight variations on his images come from the exact way in which the natural world explodes around him. He is best known for being decapitated and thereafter providing wisdom to the chief of the gods, Odin. [4], https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gullinbursti&oldid=1100758366, This page was last edited on 27 July 2022, at 14:48. On the other hand, he lures women and children to lakes and streams where they drown, which is rather harsh! An eagle lives at the top of Yggdrasil, while the dragon Nihggr (Nidhogg) lives at the bottom and chews on its roots. Ullr is the son of the grain goddess Sif, and therefore the stepson of the thunder god Thor. Aesir gods were usually worshiped in connection with victory and war while the Vanir were connected with harvest and prosperity. I see Karla in the comments on part two has some good points. [1], The compound presents some level of semantic ambiguity. Read on to learn about Pasiphae and the bull. [2], Auumbla's sole attested narrative occurs in the Gylfaginning section of the Prose Edda, and her name appears among ways to refer to cows later in the Nafnaulur section of the book. False. Going to read it again to try and get my head around it all! 81,000+ Vectors, Stock Photos & PSD files. Though it was disputed for many years, there is conclusive evidence that Neanderthals bred with modern humans (Homo sapiens). Mimir was the Norse god of wisdom. When the arrow finally lands, and the Cosmic . See how that works? . MyNDIR (My Norse Digital Image Repository), Mythological Norse people, items and places, List of figures in Germanic heroic legend, Anthropomorphic wooden cult figurines of Central and Northern Europe, Sacred trees and groves in Germanic paganism and mythology, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Auumbla&oldid=1140924740, Fictional characters introduced in the 13th century, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. Permeating various religious faiths and cultures, the Green Man has survived countless transformations and cultural diversities, enduring in the same relative physical form to this day. For example, the character of Baldr, who is the son of Odin and loved by everyone but killed through no fault of his own and sent to Hel only to return after the apocalypse to rule a new world stop me if youve heard this one before. Between them was Ginnungagap, or the void. It can represent either tremendous energy and power or frightening strength. inn: The God of war. In Norse Mythology, Gaiman stays true to the myths in envisioning the major Norse pantheon: Odin, the highest of the high, wise . The name lamassu is not without problems. Read more: The Role of Women in the Viking Age. Aside from the sir, the other main group of characters in Norse mythology are the Jtnar, who live in Jotunheim. I got the impression that he was unfamiliar with Dr. Riches' research, but he was also more than hesitant to consider it, even declaiming it as being non-current academia that he could merely dismiss with little thought. The Japanese god Izanagi successfully returned his wife Izanami from the Underworld. The comic book series Sline features a character, Carnun, based on Cernunnos. Similarly, while this section is entitled Monsters, not all the creatures described here commit monstrous acts. The Minotaur (Ancient Greek: (Mntauros)) is a hybrid creature in Greek mythology that is part man and part bull. Credit: Visit Scotland. The "Green Man" of the Rosslyn Chapel is depicted with vines coming out of his mouth and surrounded by foliage. Sleipnir. These worlds are connected by a great ash tree named Yggdrasil, which runs through the centre of the universe. The big trolls she mentioned isnt from norse mythology, but from a later era. Versions of this Edda can be be found in four manuscripts: the Codex Regius (14th century) though this is not the same Codex Regius as the one that contains the Poetic Edda the Codex Wormanius (14th century), the Codex Upsaliensis (14th century), and the Codex Trajectinus (17th century). His earliest images have been dated long before the coming of the Christian religion, depictions dating back before the days of the Roman Empire. During Ragnarok, the Norse god Thor endures his final battle with the Midgard Serpent. RELATED: The 8 Biggest Announcements From PlayStation's 2021 Showcase. Her name means "one that hides.". helm of awe and vegvisir, icelandic magical staves-Norse Symbol. When Loki had Sif's hair, Freyr's ship Skblanir, and Odin's spear Gungnir fashioned by the Sons of Ivaldi, he bet his own head with Brokkr that his brother Eitri would not have been able to make items to match the quality of those mentioned above. It took even longer for pagan practices to die out completely, as many people were happy to adopt the Christian God in addition tothe Norse ones, but werent as keen to adopt the Christian God instead ofthe Norse ones. What animal did Queen Pasipahe sleep with before she gave birth to the Minotaur in Greek Mythology? According to Norse mythology, Loki is a mother. By bringing together top experts and authors, this archaeology website explores lost civilizations, examines sacred writings, tours ancient places, investigates ancient discoveries and questions mysterious happenings. a. The Dwarfs are responsible for creating some of the sirs most valuable possessions, including Mjlnir (Thors hammer), Gleipnir (the chains that bind the Fenris-wolf), and Sifs golden hair after Loki shaved her bald off as a joke. hit me up if you want any inside information. The harp - the story behind our national symbol. [1] Kennings establish that Ullr is an excellent archer, hunter, skater, and skier, handsome, warlike, and an especially apt deity to invoke before a duel. It stars a giant named Fionn Mac Cumhaill and it tells the story of his battle with a Scottish giant. a. As the fiddle is very similar to the violin, its possible this is the reason for the confusion. Echidna is a half-woman, half-snake from Greek mythology, where she was known as the mate of the fearsome snake-man Typhon, and mother of many of the most horrible monsters of all time. Huginn, from the Old Norse for thought', and Muninn, from the Old Norse for mind', are a pair of ravens that fly around Midgard and bring news of the affairs of men to Odin. Written references to the gods and mythology on runestones are equally ambiguous. Interesting read about Norse mythology. In Greek mythology, Pasiphae was the daughter of the personification of the Sun, Helios.