From trying to swallow the moon, to the father
of all monsters, here are 8 of some of the most powerful mythological dragons and serpents
from around the world! 8. AKHEKH Akhekh, also known as Akhekhu, was a four-legged
dragon with a long, serpentine body that resided in remote corners of Egypt, particularly in
the fringe deserts and wastelands near the fertile Nile valley. According to some ancient Egyptian records,
Akhekh was believed to be associated with the deity Set/Seth. This makes sense, as the serpent was a common
symbol of Set, who also represented the personification of darkness and evil. Stories about Akhekh were brought to Europe
by travelers. There, it earned an elevated legendary status
and may have served as inspiration for the legends of the Griffins. Versions of Akekh differed depending on region. In Egypt, it had many of the stereotypical
characteristics that come to mind when most people think of mythical dragons. Later stories that circulated in Europe, however,
described the being as having the body of antelope, the head of a bird, and serpentine-like
features. In both European and ancient Egyptian accounts,
Akhekh is often depicted as having three uraei on his head. A uraeus is an upright form of the Egyptian
cobra that was often used as a symbol of sovereignty and divine authority. 7. BAKUNAWA In Filipino mythology, Bakunawa was a monstrous,
snake-like dragon that periodically attempted to swallow the moon, causing lunar eclipses. Bakunawa was a god, according to some variations
of the myth, and an adversary of the gods in some other versions. The creature’s history is long and complex,
and varies based on different regions of the Philippines. One story holds that he lived in the sea at
a time when the world had seven moons. Fascinated by the glow of the celestial bodies,
Bakunawa simply wasn’t satisfied with admiring the moons from afar. Instead, he rose up out of the water and ate
them. To prevent the world from becoming completely
dark, people went outside at night and banged pots and pans together, and also played drums,
hoping to cause Bakunawa to spit the moon out and to scare him away. One children’s song even pleads with the
ruthless reptile to have pity and return the moon to its rightful place in the sky. As evil as Bakunawa sounds, he wasn’t officially
demonized until the Spaniards came to the Philippines and began converting people to
Christianity. The Spaniards essentially depicted Bakunawa
as a version of Satan, claiming that the dragon would eat humans. This caused mothers to warn their children
about the dangers of Bakunawa in an effort to get them to behave. Bakunawa was first documented in 1637 by a
man named Father Alonso de Mentrida. According to his and other records, the term
was originally used to describe lunar and solar eclipses, along with a legend about
a serpentine creature that eats - or tries to eat - the moon. Unfortunately, documented stories of Bakunawa
are hard to come by, further complicating the ability to decipher the history and various
myths surrounding the dragon. Similar stories of dragons that swallow the
moon have circulated in other Asian countries, including China, as well as regions of Southeast
Asia with a history of Hindu influence, such as Indonesia and Malaysia. The name “Bakunawa” translates to both
“moon eater” and “man eater,” and is used as a slang term to describe a corrupt
government official or a greedy person. 6. NIDHOGG Nidhogg was a fierce dragon who chewed at
the roots of an ash tree called Yggdrasil (ig-drasil) which supported the nine realms
of Norse mythology. He was intent on destroying peace and virtue
and he ruled over criminals, and was therefore sometimes appropriately called the “Malice
Striker.” This massive, horned dragon had bright scales
and two powerful forelegs with ferocious claws. He had no back legs, but possessed a serpentine
tail and bat-like wings, under which he carried the bodies of deceased criminals. Typically, Nidhogg dwelled where he ate - among
the roots of Yggdrasil. He particularly favored the roots of the cold
world, called Niflheimr. Sometimes, Nidhogg visited the dark goddess
of Hel, who was rumored to be his master. As pesky and downright intimidating as Niddhog
may seem, his role as a dark figure was meant to balance Yggdrasil. A squirrel named Ratatoskr acted as a messenger
between Niddhog and a great eagle perched at the top of Yggdrasil, who represented wisdom
and virtue. The tension generated from the insulting messages
between Niddhog and the great eagle caused them to destroy Yggdrasil in frenzied attacks
against one another. Then, the tree was bathed in well water that
promoted growth and healing. Nidhogg also helped bring justice to criminals
by transporting them to their final resting place along the dark shores of Nadastrond. Here, they were banished to a terrifying hall,
where dragons ate their bodies. 5. DRUK The druk is a highly-respected, elaborately-scaled
dragon hailing from Bhutanese and Tibetan mythology. According to legend, the lightning flashes
of the large and violent thunderstorms that are common in the Himalayan valley represent
dragonfire. The Drupka lineage, which originated in Tibet,
adopted the druk as an emblem when one of its founders, Tsangpa Gyare,(gui-ya) witnessed
a large thunderstorm and considered it an omen. At the time, the Ralung Monastery was being
built in Tibet. Gyare added “thunder dragon” to the monastery’s
name, officially calling it Drug-Ralung. The monastery’s disciples were called Drugpa,
meaning “Those of the Thunder,” and the symbolism of the druk spread into the area
of modern-day Bhutan as the sect grew in popularity and more monasteries were built. Today, this “Thunder Dragon” is a national
symbol of Bhutan and is even featured on the country’s flag, holding jewels that represent
wealth. In Dzongkha, or Bhutanese, language, Bhutan
is called Druk Yul, which translates to “Land of Druk.” The Bhutanese national anthem, Druk Tsendhen,
means “Kingdom of Druk.” Bhutan’s leaders are addressed as Druk Gyalpo,
meaning “Thunder Dragon Kings.” 4. FAFNIR In Norse mythology, Fafnir was a great dragon
that started out as a mere dwarf who was known for his brave soul and strong right arm. He was the son of a dwarf king named Hreidmar,
who demanded compensation for the loss of one of his sons in gold from the god Odin. Odin gave the gold to Hreidmar. Because Fafnir was the strongest and most
aggressive out of Hreidmar’s remaining living sons, he was chosen to guard the treasure. Fafnir became greedy, however, and killed
his father to get his hands on the gold. To further protect the treasure, he transformed
into a dragon. He wreaked havoc on anyone who went near him
and breathed poison to keep people away from his fortune. Fafnir’s brother, a blacksmith named Regin,
asked his foster son and a young hero named Sigurd, who was the Norse version of the German
hero Siegfried, to kill Fafnir. Once the deed was done, Regin asked Sigurd
to cook the dragon’s heart for him. As the heart cooked, Sigurd touched it with
his thumb to check to see if it was done and was burned. He put his injured thumb in his mouth in an
attempt to relieve it, and suddenly began understanding the language of the birds. The birds told Sigurd that Regin planned to
kill him. Instead, Sigurd killed Regin and ran off with
the treasure. 3. KUKULCAN This feathered serpent god was one of the
most important mythological beings of ancient Mesoamerica and went by a few names. The Maya called him Kukulcan. To the Aztecs, he was Quetzalcoatl. The K'iche', a Maya group located in modern-day
Guatemala, referred to him as Gukumatz. This god is thought to have originated from
the Olmec culture, who thrived in Mexico between the 15th and fifth centuries BC. The pre-Columbian Toltec civilization, which
existed throughout Mexico from the 12th to 10th centuries BC, spread the belief of Kukulcan
as they conquered neighboring societies. It’s likely that the legend of Kukulcan
was brought to the Maya by the Toltecs. The destruction of the Maya codices by Spanish
conquistadors and Catholic priests complicated the ability to fully learn about Kukulcan,
leaving researchers little to rely on besides ancient Mayan architecture featuring depictions
of the god. In the ancient Maya city of Chichen Itza,
there’s a step pyramid dominating the landscape called El Castillo, or Temple of Kukulcan. At the base of the pyramid’s staircases,
there are carvings of Kukulcan’s head. Kukulcan was the god of the wind, sun, and
sky, and was the supreme leader of the gods, according to ancient Mayan beliefs. He was depicted as a combination between a
rattlesnake and a quetzal bird, much like Quetzalcoatl, the Aztec version of the god. Man received knowledge and laws from Kukulcan,
who was typically a merciful and kind god. However, he also had the ability to punish
humans by inflicting severe suffering on them. 2. KUR Kur’s origins lie within Mesopotamian and
Sumerian mythology. He was an underworld deity that lived in the
empty space between the earth’s crust and the sea, and corresponded roughly to the Hebrew
Leviathan and the Babylonian Tiamat. This dragon was dark, gigantic, and scaly,
with massive wings. Sumerian mythology holds that immediately
after the formation of the world, Kur stole a goddess named Ereshkigal and took her to
the nether world. To avenge the kidnapping, the water deity,
Enki, traveled by boat to the nether world and attacked Kur. Water overpowered Enki’s boat from all sides
as Kur hurled rocks at the vessel. Eventually, however, Kur was overpowered and
slain by Enki. This story serves as the prologue to the “Epic
of Gilgamesh,” which is known today as the oldest epic tale in the world. The Akkadian version of this tale dates back
to somewhere between 1300 and 1000 BC. The story of Kur was important in Sumerian
culture. The myths of later groups, including the Babylonians
and that Akkadians, were also influenced by this tale. 1. TYPHON The mightiest and deadliest monster of Greek
mythology was Typhon, who was created by his parents Gaia and Tartarus as a last-ditch
effort to repel Olympian gods from defeating the Titans. Gaia also wanted to punish Zeus for imprisoning
her Titan children. Typhon never slept and was nicknamed the “father
of all monsters” - understandably so! Of all creatures that ever lived, he was the
most grotesque and the largest. His head often brushed against the stars and
he towered over the mountains. Typhon’s torso took human form. Instead of having legs, his bottom half was
made of huge snake coils. His body was covered in feathers and his 100
heads sprouted from his shoulders. The gods were so terrified of Typhon, they
fled to Egypt and slipped into obscurity by disguising themselves in the wild. Typhon even defeated Zeus, severing several
muscles from his hands and feet. Eventually, Zeus got his muscles back, thanks
to Hermes, and Typhon was trapped underneath Mount Etna. Legend has it that the volcano’s flames
and steam are created by him. Thanks for watching! Which one was your favorite? Let me know in the comments below!! Remember to subscribe if you are new here
and I'll see you next time!! Bye
