Scotland's Deadly Giant Serpent: The Beithir

 

The beithir is a large deadly serpent, possible even a wingless dragon with a poisonous sting.

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It lives in  caves and valleys.


 If a person is stung by the beithir then he must head for the closest  river or loch. If he can reach it before the beithir does then he is cured, but if the monster reaches it first then the victim is doomed. Another cure for the sting is water in which the head of another snake has been placed. 

The beithir is considered one of the fuath, a general term for various monsters and spirits associated with water.

 

Fuath (plural fuathan, meaning “hate” in Scottish Gaelic) refers to a type of evil water spirits in Highland Gaelic mythology. These spirits are believed to inhabit the sea, rivers, lakes, and sea lochs of Scotland and Ireland.

In Gaelic folklore, any being that frequently changes its shape is of evil origin. The case of the Fuath confirms such thinking. A Fuath can sometimes be seen, if it chooses to take on a physical appearance. Most fuathan have the power of transforming themselves in many things even angels of light. They use this power to trick their victims but they are generally found out in the long run. Most often, they present themselves as humanoid creatures, with green skin and the mane and tail of a yellow horse.

 

Its the  largest and most deadly kind of serpent", or possibly  a type of land dragon (but without certain typical draconic features like wings or fiery breath). similar to a lindworm (worm meaning snake), also spelled lindwyrm or lindwurm, is a mythical creature in Northern and Central European folklore that traditionally has the shape of a giant serpent monster living deep in the forest lindworm (worm meaning snake), also spelled lindwyrm or lindwurm,  a mythical creature in Northern and Central European folklore in the shape of a giant serpent living in the forest

 

It makes its home in large mountainous caves and (valleys)  and has an extremely  venomous sting. 

 

If a person is stung by the beithir then they need head for the nearest body of water like as a river or loch. If they can reach it before the beithir does then they are cured, but if the creature gets there first then the victim is will die.

 Another cure for the sting is water in which the head of another snake has been placed.

A common belief is that if a normal snake is killed then the head must be separated a proper distance from its body and destroyed. Otherwise, both parts will come together and the snake will return to life as a beithir. 

 

John Gregorson Campbell in 1900 provided an account of the beithir:

The big beast of Scanlastle in Islay was one of this kind. It devoured seven horses on its way to Loch-in-daal. A ship was lying at anchor in the loch at the time, and a line of barrels filled with deadly spikes, and with pieces of flesh laid upon them, was placed from the shore to the ship. Tempted by the flesh, the "loathly worm" made its way out on the barrels and was killed by the spikes and cannon

 

 

                                                                   Loch-in-daal

 

 

John Francis Campbell in 1890 recounted a traditional story about a wicked stepmother who was the wife of an Irish king, and she gave the king's son a magic shirt that was a beithir in disguise. As long as the "great snake" remained coiled about his neck, the prince was under his stepmother's enchantment, but he was eventually freed from the beithir with the help of a wise woman.

This Serpent is most often sighted on summer nights when lightning strikes occurred

Tha e ann an grath na nathrach dhuit.'

'Tha nimh na nathrach aig dhuit.'

'Cho carach ris an nathair nimhe.'

'Cleas na nathrach cur a chraicinn.'

'Cochull nathrach is ole a dh’fheumadh tu.'

He is in the spirit of the serpent towards thee.

The venom of the serpent he has towards thee.

As twistful as the serpent venomous.

The trick of the serpent changing the skin.

The sheath of the serpent badly wouldst thou need    

 

 

 

Tha sinne 'cur mar choran 's mar gheasan ort,

Gu 'n innis thu, co thu fhein na co do mhuinntir ?

'S mise nighean righ na Sorchann,

Sgiath an ainn ;

'S gur h-e 's ainm dha 'm Baoidhre borb ;

'S gu 'n d' thoir e mise leis,

Cia mor bhur treis as an Fheinn.

Cia b' fhada 'n oidhche gu latha,

Cha bu ghna leinn 'bbith gun cheol.

We lay it as a circuit and as spells on thee.

That thou tell us who thou art, or thy people.

I am the daughter of the king of Sorchann,

Shield of armies,

And that his name is Baoidhre borb,*

And that he will take me with him.

Though great our time from the Fane,

Though long be the night to day,

It was not our wont to be without music.     .

Korea, Japan and China: Dragon's of East Asia..

                                             East Asian Dragon's, or The Oriental Dragon...

Dragon myth's can be found in all corners of the world East Asia Korean Japan and China have their  own unique dragon legends too, however the East Asian dragon is often seen as a more benevolent being as apposed to it's European counterpart...


When you hear the word Dragon what comes to mind, for most of us it's a massive winged beast of fire and destruction terrorizing some poor medieval village. or in more recent times Viking flying their fire breathing friends (How To Train Your Dragon)..

Or maybe from your next adventure driven campaign of DnD (Dungeons and Dragons) it would seem that dragons real or imagined hold a special place in our hearts and mind's from  classic literature, too modern entertainment dragons can be found in some form or another in every corner of the world.

However Dragons differ in appearance slightly from culture to culture, where most European dragons are usually large winged fire breathing creatures of  destruction, East Asian dragons are often seen as lean flying creatures often  associated with the elements Earth, Fire, Water and Air...

In Korean mythology dragons are mostly seen as benevolent beings related to water and agriculture,
treated with reverence and respect, these dragons are considered bringers of good fortune, rain and clouds.

Many Korean dragons are said to make their homes in rivers, lakes, deep mountain ponds and even the ocean.

Korean culture is full of dragon's both in ancient art and mythology.

Intelligent sentient  dragons, capable of understanding speech and complex emotions are mentioned in ancient myth's these beings often show very human emotions
such as devotion, kindness, and gratitude.


One of the more popular and well known legends is that of The great King Munmu, who on his deathbed wished to become a Dragon of the East Sea in order to protect Korea forever.

The Korean dragon  differs slightly in appearance  when compered to other East Asian dragons like the Japanese and  Chinese.


The Korean dragon was said to have certain specific traits: for example it could fly but it dose not have  wings  in addition to a slightly longer  beard.

East Asian dragons share a common mythology and as far as physical appearance the  Korean dragon look's a lot like the Japanese or Chinese dragon's.

In some depictions this  dragon may be shown carrying a dragon orb known as the Yeo-ui-ju (여의주) in one or more of its claws.

Legend has it that  whoever could wield the Yeo-ui-ju was blessed with the abilities of omnipotence and creation at will, and that only four-toed dragons (those with  thumbs to hold the orbs) were both wise and powerful enough to wield these orbs (as opposed to the lesser, three-toed dragons


As with China, the number nine is significant in Korea, and dragons were said to have 81 (9×9) scales on their backs, representing yang essence.

Korea also has legends of the cockatrice (Chicken like reptile), a type of chimera in European mythology that is capable of breathing fire and turning it's victims to stone just by looking at
them,  similar to a basilisk a large serpent like reptile that also turns it's victims to stone, but where the cockatrice can breath fire the basilisk is venomous so much so that even
it's breath is toxic

The Korean cockatrice is known as a gye-lyong they do not appear in myth's as often as actual dragons.

Cockatrice are sometimes seen as  chariot-pulling beasts for important figures or for the parents of mythological heroes.



Dragons and Naga's

Though very similar in appearance the East Asian Dragon should not be confused with another massive serpent of myth the Naga.


Dragon's, Imugi and Naga..

In Korean mythology it is said that most dragons were originally Imugis (이무기), or lesser dragons, these creature resemble a gigantic serpents.

There are a few different versions of the Imugi myth differing slightly be regions, these myths describe both what imugis are and how they wish to become full dragons.

According to legend's an Imugi can become a  true dragon, or yong or mireu, if it was able to catch a Yeouiju that had fallen from heaven.

Another myth says that they are hornless creatures closely resembling dragons that  had  been cursed and were unable to become real dragons.

In either case they are said to be large, benevolent,  python-like creatures that live in water or caves, and their sighting is often associated with good luck.

In Hindu mythology the Naga is often described as being  somewhat human in appearance, a Half Serpent Half Human creature whereas a more traditional Naga is said to be more serpentine in appearance.. as seen below.

On the left is the Hindu Goddess..Naga Kanya The  Guardian of the three Realms, and on the right is a classic Serpent style Naga.

Korea also has a large variety of festivals and events ranging from cultural heritage or just fun and game's with great food. Feel free too join in on if your in the area :)


                                            Muju Firefly Festival..

 Kick of the beginning of fall season with the ( Link too site  Muju Firefly Festival ) which takes place from August 31st  to September 8^th.

This  fall Korean festival celebrates the beauty of nature and fireflies, it also offers guests the opportunity to participate in nighttime activities that involve  observing fireflies in their natural habitat.

There are also plenty of outdoor activities during the daytime for festival attendees.
  

Address ... 326-17 Hanpungnu-ro, Muju-eup, Muju, Jeollabuk-do, South Korea

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                                        7080 Chungjang Recollection Festival
 
Also if your a fan of retro 70's -80's then check out the Chungjang Recollection Festival in October

                                       
                                            The 7080 Chungjang Recollection Festival

7080 Chungjang Recollection Festival is a popular  Gwangsan-gu festival  that is centered around reviving the culture of the ‘70’s and the ‘80’s that thrived on Chungjang-ro Street. Food drink's and a family friendly parade and events October 7th - 11th

 These are just two of the many many festivals to visit this time of year :)

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Chinese Dragons and History..

 In ancient times the dragon was the symbol of the Emperor of China.

 In the Zhou Dynasty, the 5-clawed dragon was assigned to the Son of Heaven, the 4-clawed dragon to the nobles (zhuhou, seigneur), and the 3-clawed dragon to the ministers (daifu).

In the Qin Dynasty, the 5-clawed dragon was assigned to represent the Emperor while the 4-clawed and 3-clawed dragons were assigned to the commoners. The dragon in the Qing Dynasty appeared on national flags.

The Statue of the goddess Xihe charioteering the sun, being pulled by a dragon, in Hangzhou The dragon is sometimes used in the West as a national emblem of China. However, this usage within both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China on Taiwan as the symbol of nation is not common. Instead, it is generally used as the symbol of culture.

In Hong Kong, the dragon is part of the Hong Kong Brand a symbol of Kong, a symbol used to promote the city  as an international brand name of sorts. 

 
Sometimes Chinese people use the term Descendants of the Dragon as a sign of ethnic identity, as part of a trend started in the 1970s when different Asian nationalities were looking for animal symbols for representations. The wolf was used among the Mongols, the monkey among Tibetans.

In Chinese culture today, the dragon is mostly used for decorative purposes. It is a taboo to disfigure a depiction of a dragon.

 The C-shaped jade totem of Hongshan culture (Pig Dragon)  was carved dragon  ornament from the Warring States period (403 BC-221 BC). Gilded-bronze handle in the shape of a dragon's head and neck, made during the Eastern Han period (25–220 AD)

The origin of the Chinese dragon is not certain. The presence of dragons within the Chinese culture dates back  thousands of years  one archeological dig  discovered  a dragon statue dating back to at least  the fifth millennium BC from the Yangshao culture in Henan in 1987, there where also several  jade badges of different rank in coiled form excavated from the Hongshan culture dating to roughly  4700-2900 BC.
 
The coiled snake or dragon form played an important role in early Chinese culture. The character for "dragon" in the earliest Chinese writing has a similar coiled form, as do later jade dragon amulets from the Shang period.

                   Hongshan Coiled Snake or Pig Dragon Jade carving

A pig dragon or zhūlóng is a type of jade artifact from the Hongshan culture of neolithic China as discribed above. Pig dragons are zoomorphic forms with a pig-like head and elongated limbless body coiled around to the head

Ancient Chinese referred to unearthed dinosaur bones as dragon bones and documented them as such. For example in 300 BC Chang Qu documented the discovery of Dragon Bones in Sichuan and the modern word for dinosaur is konglong meaning Terrible Dragon.

A Chinese Dragons and their relation to the water and the weather....

During the Ming Dynasty Chinese dragons were strongly associated with water in many Chinese myths. they are believed to be the rulers of moving bodies of water, such as waterfalls, rivers, or seas.

They can show themselves as water spouts (tornado or twister over water). In this capacity as the rulers of water and weather, the dragon is more anthropomorphic in form, often depicted as a humanoid, dressed in a king's costume, but with a dragon head wearing a king's headdress.

There are four major Dragon Kings, representing each of the four seas: the East Sea (corresponding to the East China Sea), the South Sea (corresponding to the South China Sea), the West Sea (sometimes seen as the Indian Ocean and beyond), and the North Sea (sometimes seen as Lake Baikal).

Because of this association, they are seen as "in charge" of water-related weather phenomenon.

In the past, many Chinese villages (especially those close to rivers and seas) had temples dedicated to their local "dragon king". In times of drought or flooding, it was customary for the local gentry and government officials to lead the community in offering sacrifices and conducting other religious rites to appease the dragon, either to ask for rain or a cessation thereof.

The King of Wu-Yue in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period was often known as the "Dragon King" or the "Sea Dragon King" because of his extensive hydro-engineering

No matter were you are or were you go there are dragon  legends  in every corner of the globe.

 I  will be going more post's on Dragons and other Mythological creatures soon, thank you for reading.