Birds have always amazed people. Not surprisingly, legends were made about them, and the birds themselves were endowed with magical abilities.
10. Alkonost
This amazing bird lives in a Slavic paradise. It is often mentioned in Russian spiritual poems, legends and traditions. Her singing is so beautiful that upon hearing it, a person forgets everything in the world. They say that at this moment his soul leaves the body and his mind leaves him.
Alkonost is portrayed with a female face, but with a bird's body or she has breasts and human hands. The ancient Greeks had their own legend about Alkion, daughter of Aeolus. She, learning about the death of her husband, threw herself into the sea, but the gods turned her into a bird named alkion (kingfisher). Most likely, when rewriting the text, the expression “alkion is a sea bird” was transformed into the new word “alkonost”.
In the middle of winter, according to legend, she carries eggs in the sea, where they lie for a week. All this time the sea is calm. Then the eggs float to the surface, and Alkonost begins to hatch them.
9. Gamayun
This is also a bird of paradise, which the Russian people called "things." According to legend, she lives in the open sea, flies over them in the skies. Her scream is a harbinger of happiness. It was once imagined as a legless bird without wings, which moved with its tail. Her fall was a sign - one of the noble people should die soon.
In the “Book of Natural History” a description is given of a hamayun: it is larger than a sparrow, but without legs and wings. Her feathers are multi-colored, long tail (more than 1 m).
But the artist V. Vasnetsov portrayed her as a black-winged bird with a female face, anxious and frightened. And, if earlier bliss and joy were associated with her, after this gloomy image she became a bird predicting tragedy.
8. Griffin
Pliny and Herodotus wrote about her. They themselves never saw this mysterious creature, but supposedly were able to describe them from the words of the Scythians.
The ancient Greeks believed that the griffin had the body of a lion, and the head, claws and wings of an eagle, so they were the lords of the earth (lion) and air (eagle). He was huge, 8 times bigger than an ordinary lion. He could easily raise 2 oxen with a plow or a man with a horse.
It is believed that the Scythians were looking for gold in the Gobi Desert. There they found the remains of animals unknown to them, it is possible that dinosaurs. Some of them could lead them to the idea of the existence of a huge bird that punished everyone who approached its nest. In it, she collected gold.
7. Owl
So called birds from the family of owls. But myths also mention a creature of the same name. According to ancient legends, this eastern bird lives in Egypt.
In appearance, it resembles a stork, but it has a memorable plumage, brighter than that of a peacock. Travelers said that she will be able to revive the chicks, sprinkling them with her blood. The owl hates snakes, because they steal their chicks.
6. Onocrotal
This is also a little-known mythical bird. You can read about it in the book of Lorenz Zizania “Lexis” (1596). He writes that she looks like a swan. But, dropping his nose into the water, he can scream like a donkey or a bear. If a person, having heard her voice, makes a wish and manages to run home before the first rain, it will come true. If he doesn’t have time, he will no longer have a second chance.
5. Sirin
Often depicted next to Alkonost. Also a bird of paradise, the image of which was borrowed from Greek sirens. It was believed that she was a man to the waist, and a bird below the waist.
Sometimes she flies out of paradise and begins her sweet-voiced song. Any person can hear it, after which he forgets about everything in the world. Listening to her singing, he dies. Or, according to another version, his whole previous life flies out of his head, he follows her into the desert, where, lost, he dies.
Therefore, despite the fact that she is a bird of paradise, telling about imminent bliss, in some legends she becomes a dark creature.
4. Stratim
This mythical bird was considered the mother of birds. Her other name is Starfield. She lives in the ocean-sea, there she takes out her chicks. The whole world is under her right wing. When she shakes herself, a storm begins at sea.
At night, the sun hides under her wing. The ancient manuscript refers to chickens that reach the sky with their heads, and when the sun begins to bathe in the ocean, he feels a wave of waves, after which he shouts "kokoreku."
But scientists are sure that all these legends tell about the ostrich. Once upon a time, Russian interpreters made a mistake when rewriting a text. So Starfill appeared. He was imagined as a huge bird with a small head located on a thin neck. He had a narrow and long body, one wing raised up, and the beak - hooked.
3. Phoenix
A symbol of resurrection, rebirth through fire. This mythological bird burned itself, after which it was reborn again. Its name comes from the Greek word, which translates as "crimson, fiery."
In China, she foretold marital fidelity and a happy life. But the Chinese had an unusual description of this bird: the beak - like a rooster, looks like a swan in front, the neck - like a snake, the body - like a turtle, from the back - a spilled unicorn, but with a fish tail.
According to another version, he lives 500 years, near the Solar city, feeds on the Holy Spirit. In the allotted time, the bells begin to beat, and the phoenix turns into ashes. In the morning, a chick appears at the same place, which in a day becomes an adult bird.
The German scientist F. Wolf wrote that the phoenix is the only one on the whole earth, therefore they rarely see it. In size, it resembles an eagle, with a golden neck, pink feathers in the tail and a forelock on the head.
2. Firebird
This is a character of fairy tales, with golden and silver wings, from which a bright radiance emanates. She lives in a golden cage, feeds on pearls, and steals golden apples at night. Anyone who hears the singing of the firebird is healed of any disease, it returns the sight of the blind.
If you bring a feather of a firebird into the room, it will replace the lighting, and over time it turns into gold.
1. Harpy
Heroes of ancient Greek mythology, half a woman, half a bird. They always terrified people, stole human souls, children. The number of harpies is different in different sources, from 2 to 5.
They have a female head and chest, but their legs and wings are necked. They appeared in a thunderstorm or hurricane, spreading stink around them.