#latvian legend

[solar-satan]

I am forever cursed to like things that nobody has made a fandom for, RIP all my passions wasted , anyway here's Ziemeļmeita telling Lāčplēsis to man the fuck up from the 1980s Lāčplēsis rock opera

[sisters-sideblog]

Minish Cap design is complete! She/her. An absolute gremlin of a child. Impossible to keep out of places and knows things you really wish she didn't.

[franki-lew-yo]

--Fifty actually good Free to Watch Animated Movies--

Most are on Tubi, of course, but I don't think you'll mind that. Get em while they're hot - please dm/pm with any potential triggercontent warnings that you think might be needed.

I especially recommend Mary & Max, Kubo and the Two Strings, Last Unicorn, The Wolf House, Ernest and Celestine, Rock & Rule, Hair High, and Nocturna.

They're all beautiful and absolutely worth your time while they're still on Tubi, Youtube, or just online at all.

Safe for Families 

The Legend of Hei (Chinese, English Dub) Action, Fantasy

Ernest and Celestine (English Dub) Comedy/Drama

All Dogs go to Heaven (English) Fantasy/Action/Musical

The Secret of NIMH (English) Adventure/Action/Drama

Nocturna (English Dub) Fantasy/Comedy

The Mouse and his Child (English) Drama/Adventure

The Magic Pony/The Humpbacked Horse (English Dub) Fantasy/Adventure

Ferngully: The Last Rainforest (English) Fantasy/Adventure/Musical

Here Comes Peter Cottontail (English) Comedy/Fantasy/Musical

Moon Man (English Dubs) Fantasy/Comedy

The Legend of Sirius/Sea Prince and the Fire Child (English) Fantasy/Romance/Drama

The Adventures of Unico and Unico and the Island of Magic (English Dubs) Fantasy/Adventure/Comedy

The Snow Queen (English Dub) Fantasy/Adventure

Long Way North (English Dub) Adventure/Historical

Eleanor’s Secret (English Dub) Fantasy/Adventure

The Last Unicorn (English) Fantasy/Drama/Adventure CW: Contains a harpy for one scene that your super religious mom might have a fit at but otherwise safe

Night on the Galactic Railroad (English Dub) Drama/Fantasy

Havoc in Heaven (Mandarin, subs available) Fantasy/Action/Adventure

Tito and the Birds (English Dub) Fantasy/Action/Horror

The Thief and the Cobbler (English) Adventure/Fantasy/Action CW: Ideologically sensitive despictions

The Adventures of Mark Twain (English) Adventure/Fantasy CW: May disturb some children, ideologically sensitive material

Raggedy Anne and Andy: A Musical Adventure (English) Adventure/Fantasy

On Happiness Road (Hokkien/Mandarin, English Sub) Drama/Comedy/Adventure CW: Systemic oppression

The Tale of the Fox (German, English Sub) Fantasy/Adventure

Ringing Bell (Japanese, English Sub) Drama/Adventure CW: May upset some children as it's an analogy for child soldiers

The Brave Little Toaster (English) Adventure/Drama CW: violence towards appliances

The Little Vampire (English Dub) Fantasy/Adventure

--Mature--

Have a Nice Day (Mandarin, English Sub) Action/Thriller/Crime CW: Violence, Domestic Abuse

The Painting (English Dub) Adventure/Comedy/Drama

Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade (English Dub) Drama/Thriller/Action CW: Police Brutality

A Cat in Paris (English Dub) Action/Comedy/Crime

Penguin Highway (English Dub) Speculative fiction/Drama

When the Wind Blows (English) Drama/Horror CW:Radiation poisoning, Elder Abuse

I Married a Strange Person (English) Comedy/Horror/Romance CW: Violence

Blood Tea and Red String (English) Horror/Arthouse CW: Violence, Sexual assault imagery

S He (non-verbal) Arthouse/Horror CW: sexism and misogynist ab*se (with shoes)

The Plague Dogs (English) Drama/Action CW: Animal abuse, animal death, violence

The Romantic (English) Fantasy/Horror CW: Domestic abuse

A Dog's Courage (English dub) Drama/Action/Adventure CW: Animal abuse

Robot Carnival (English Dub) Sci-Fi/Drama

Vampires in Havana (Spanish, English Sub) Comedy/Drama CW: Violence

Gandahar (French) Fantasy/Action/Adventure

Animal Farm (English) Drama/Thriller CW: Animal death, animal abuse

Technotise: Edit & I (Serbian, English Sub) Thriller/Fantasy

Dante’s Inferno: An Animated Epic (English) Horror/Fantasy CW: Religious/sexual/domestic abuse imagery, violence

Louis by the Shore (English dub) Drama/Psychological

Rock & Rule (English) Fantasy/Action/Musical

Ghost in the Shell (English Dub) Action/Thriller/Drama

Millenium Actress (English Dub) Fantasy/History/Action

Away (Latvian, no talking) Arthouse/Drama

[beautiful-basque-country]

On the evasive Basque accent

We all know by now that the legend saying Basque is almost an impossible language to learn is nothing but Basquephobic propaganda. Euskara, just like any other language, may have tricky parts but all languages can be learnt.

One of the silent, trickiest sides of Basque though is its accent and intonation. It flows naturally for Basque people - even the ones that grew up speaking only in Spanish and then learn Basque - but is pretty tough to understand for students from outside EH.

Most languages have a single dominant syllabe and fixed rules for stress but this does not happen in Basque. Linguist Antonio Tovar figured this out already in the 50s: "The Indo-European and Semitic idea that every word has an accent does not seem to apply to Basque."

In fact, Basque accent looks quite different from Indo-European and Semitic languages. According to the Hyman classification, these are the locations of stress:

[+1] dominant inital stress (~114 of the studied languages) or prototone, include Chechen, Gegorgian, Czech, Latvian, Serbo-Croatian, Irish, German, Dutch, Suomi, Estonian or Hungarian.

[-1] dominant final stress (97 of the studied languages) or oxitone, include Armenian, Kurdish, Farsi, French, Hebrew or Ainu.

[-2] dominant penultimate stress (77 of the studied languages) or paroxitone, include Quechua, Aimara, Breton, Polish, Romanian, Protuguese or Spanish.

[+2] second syllabe dominant stress (12 of the studied languages) include Dakota, Tsakhur or Mongolian. Following Basque linguist Koldo Mitxelena's theories, Basque belongs to this group, the only European language!

For example:

Beriain = be-riAin, while Spanish-speaking students tend to say be-ria-In. debekatuta = de-bE-katu-tA, while Spanish-speaking students tend to read de-be-ka-TU-ta. aireportua = ai-rE-por-tu-A, and not ai-re-por-TU-a. zitzaidalako = zi-tzAI-dalako, and not zi-tzai-da-lA-ko.

Although debatable, many linguists agree that even though phonology changes over time, in words of linguist Steve Peter "there is no, at present, any theory of accentual change in the way there's a theory of phonological change". Accent may be even a part of an ancient substrate, like linguist Navarro Tomás wrote: "On my side I noticed the possibility of assuming the same kinship among the most peculiar characteristics of Aragonese and Basque intonation."

Linguist Álvarez Enparantza "Txillardegi" thought that if ancient Basque followed the stressed and non-stressed syllabe pattern our vowel system would be different, and that this very simple vowel system is better explained assuming that ancient Basque was a tonal language. This theory may also explain the dancing accent - and even double-accented words - of Euskara.

*From Lingua Navarrorum by Txillardegi.

[yoga-onion]

Legends and myths about trees

Legendary tree deities (23)

Metsaema – the mother spirit of the forest in Estonian mythology.

The name Metsaema translates to "forest mother" in Estonian (from metsa "forest" and ema "mother"). For this reason, the word metsaema can also be used as a descriptor of other similar deities in Eastern European mythology, for example Vir'ava.

The mother of the forest acts as ruler and guardian. She is sometimes also connected with fertility, acting as a midwife in some texts. Forest spirits are said to be found in each forest, ruling over the animals, birds, trees, and berries. Wild animals such as bears, snakes and wolves are commonly connected with them across European mythologies.

The shared elements of Finnic, Slavic, Baltic and Turkic mythology can be seen in similarities between forest mother spirits. Metsaema has strong similarities with the forest mother spirits Vir'ava, from Mordven mythology, and Meža mate, from Latvian mythology. Other related deities are the Lithuanian goddess of the forest and animals, Medeina, and the Finnish goddess of the forest, Mielikki (Ref).

[Photo below: European pine marten ]

木にまつわる伝説・神話

伝説の樹木の神々 (23)

メッツァエマ 〜 エストニア神話に登場する森の母なる精霊

メッツァエマという名前は、エストニア語で「森の母」と訳される（メッツァは「森」とエマは「母」の意）。このため、メッツァエマという言葉は、例えばヴィラーヴァのような、東欧神話に登場する他の類似した神々を表す言葉としても使われる。

森の母は支配者であり守護者である。彼女は時に豊穣にも関係し、助産婦のような役割を果たすくだりもある。森の精霊はそれぞれの森に存在し、動物、鳥、木、木の実を支配していると言われている。熊、蛇、狼などの野生動物は、ヨーロッパの神話に共通する。

フィンランド神話、スラブ神話、バルト神話、テュルク神話に共通する要素は、森の母なる精霊の類似性に見ることができる。メッツァエマはモルドヴェン神話の森の母なる精霊ヴィラーヴァやラトヴィア神話のメジャ・マテと���い類似性がある。他にも、リトアニアの森と動物の女神メデイナや、フィンランドの森の女神ミエリッキ（参照）が関連している。

[quitealotofsodapop]

Different SWK/LEM verses ship names:

Post I decided to make after realising that i best not use the "shadowpeach" tag for every verses version of SWK/LEM ship.

Here's my complied ship names for the different variants of SWK/LEM across the Wukongverse. Ships with canon Macaques are easy enough and well established;

"Shadowpeach" = Lego Monkie Kid/LMK

"Peachbuds" = Meihouwang/Mei Hou Wang

"Jackpotshipping" = New Gods: Nezha Reborn film

But then comes the pairings with unconfirmed/fan-made Macaques;

For your brilliant service @latvian-spider : I have declared "Fruitiedads+shipping" = Monkey King Reborn. This now will be my official ship name + tag for Reborn!Sun Wukong and his Macaque. They are indeed dads to a fruitie (as spelt in the eng subtitles) boy.

"GreatSageandWarrior+shipping" = Hero is Back!SWK and LEM, as their nicknames in story are Dasheng (great sage) and Zhanshi (warrior) respectively. Also brings to mind a sort of a "King and his Knight"-sorta imagery. Unsure about this one.

"MeandmyShadow+shipping" = 2000s Cartoon/Journey the the West: Legends of the Monkey King. This SWK is initially convinced that his LEM is a manifestation of his thoughts/powers until the shadow monkey begins to gain the confidence to define themselves as separate entity. More qpr in nature.

"CherriesandOlives+shipping" = Netflix!The Monkey King and Macaque. Based on their nicknames among the other monkeys in the Wukongverse. Also a peek into their dynamic as a cheery (pun) sweetheart + a monkey with a bitter outlook on life.

"SunandMoonflamewar+shipping" = Smash Legends. Focused on the SWK and LEM Smash counterparts being e-celebrities + online rivals, and how their inital online interactions were not-so friendly.

I am welcome to further suggestions.

[poke-muns]

Dragon Type Names

Pre-existing: Aragon (dragon), Aris/Aristide (possibly Aristides, an Athenian general), Clair (lair, what dragons are said to have and store their treasures in), Débora (dragón or víbora, Spanish for dragon and viper), Dracaena (the dragon tree’s genus), Dragan (Irish word for dragon), Drake (another term for dragon), Drayden (drake/dragon & den), Dreyton (see Drayden), Genji (genjū, Japanese for mythical beast as a generic term), Gweonsu (gweon/권 Korean for power, su/수 meaning beast), Ibuki (means breath in Japanese, possibly referencing either dragons breathing fire, Dragon Breath, or dragons’ breath opal glass), Kakitsubata/カキツバタ (contains anagram of タツ, meaning dragon), Kibana (Kiba/牙, Japanese for fang), Lance (weapon used by knights who killed dragons and Lancelot, a knight of the round table from Arthurian legend), Lóngkuí/Lùhngkwàih/龍葵 (lóng/lùhng/龍 is Chinese for dragon), Lysander (Spartan general or part of fleur-de-lys, a medieval coat of arms), Peter (petard or petronel, medieval weapons again used by knights), Roy (king in Middle French or from roi, French meaning king), Ryūki (ryū/竜, Japanese for dragon), Sandra (dragon, drake, etc.), Siegfried (a knight who killed a dragon in Germanic legend), Tristana (Tristan, a knight in Celtic legend who had to kill a dragon), Wataru (possibly Watatsumi, a Japanese dragon and water deity), Yong-Gyu (Yong/용 is Korean for dragon) Basil = basilisk (possibly what they were going for with Raihan, who’s name comes from the Arabic word for basil, rayḥān/ريحان) Craig(g) = Draigg, Welsh for dragon Erwan = homophone with aeroant, meaning dragon in Breton. George/Georgina/etc. = St. George, said to have slain a dragon Gil = Gilgamesh, who loses a plant granting immortality to a serpent (could allude to a dragon-water ace given gill or dragon-grass given the aforementioned immortality plant) Hera/Heracles/Hercules/etc. = the mythological figure who killed the hydra Heidi/Hydi/etc. = hydra Linda/Lindon/etc. = Lindworm, type of dragon or serpentine creature Merlin/Meryl/etc. = Merlin, a figure from Arthurian stories Patrick /Patricia/etc. = St. Patrick, if taking the snakes he drove away at face value Puck = a dragon from German, Estonian, Lithuanian and Latvian legend (possibly alludes to a dragon-fairy ace given the famous fae from Celtic legend, made more known in A Midsummer Night’s Dream) Tracy / Patrice = Cockatrice, a 2 legged dragon with a fowl’s head

[unhonestlymirror]

If you never listened to Latvian pagan heavy metal, then now is the perfect time because this song is awesome, the lyrics and the clip are also awesome, I don't get it why they don't have millions of views

***

The one who has the power, everything that is inconvenient, hastens to erase from history But nothing is forgotten and should not be forgotten! Nothing is forgotten and it should not be forgotten! Because history remains, no matter how you hide him As a book, the pages do not tear it apart Were those people in vain? Did they die and shed their blood in vain? Let no one remember the faces and names However, they continue to live in legends In poetry and music May the memory be sacred forever To the fallen heroes for freedom Nothing is forgotten and should not be forgotten! Nothing is forgotten and it should not be forgotten!

[barbietoiles]

Well if it was swimming with a raft "nager avec un radeau" is totally correct, just not that common mdrrrrr

Yeah our words are weird like who decided that a banana would be "UNE banane"??? My take is that you just learn the pronouns of the words by living your life and earring people talk about these words, but there is no logic to just guess if it's "un" or "une" 😭

In school students often laugh saying that to guess a Spanish word, you have to take a French one and add "o" or "a" at the end (so students often make up words if they don't know the translation lmao)

But for us it's also much more difficult than in English for the gender neutral pronoun ; since in English everything is genderless, you can say "they are tired"

In French, you would say,

for a masculine pronoun : il est fatigué

for a feminine pronoun : elle est fatiguée

so for a gender neutral pronoun : iel est fatigué.e

it's called "inclusive writing"! As you can guess old people and far-right ppl are totally against, saying it's denaturing our language and bla bla bla but in fact, my teachers use it a lot in email to address a big group of students and include everyone like " à tous les étudiant.e.s". Bc we have a dumb rule that we learn in primary school that "masculine win over feminine" (le masculin l'emporte sur le féminin) meaning that if you have 10 girls and only 1 guy, you still have to say "ils" in plural. So with that it's easier to include everyone in written form !

And yep I never really watch multigaming before twitch tbh, there are only two men that can makes me watch league of legend, and they are etoiles and kameto (I don't understand a single thing 🫠)

(The space invader does look better on pc, he even has small codes to help him jump!)

-👾

No logic to it.... i see i see.... you live and you learn.... pain. I must listen to etoiles and baghera well!

The "take a french word and make it spanish" is hilarious and also quite cute kkkk. Its like my sister, who makes english words by saying latvian words in an english accent. And ALSO!! I KNEW IT i mentioned to an irl friend that im learning french and that learning spanish beforehand helped a lot because theyre similar and they said "french and spanish are nowhere near similar". SUCK IT BABY, i know what im talking about!!

The inclusive language looks a bit silly with the full stop lol but i think its clever. -é.e. i can choose to be é or e or . , very nice kkkkk. But yeah, old folks will complain about anything, the pissiness of latvian folks when a "no gender" bathroom is mentioned can be UNREAL (though usualy all the angry people are on the internet loll). Cant imagine how it would be if we tried doing inclusive language lol. (Or maybe we could just do a "oh its like russians ono dont worry about it" reasoning lol)

The "male over female" is a whole rule??? Oh my D: its usual to have the masc form be kind of considered "default", but thats crazy..... We use the "viņ(š)(a)" writing very often in emails and documents, its not considered progressive at all because its what we were always using pretty much? But the masc word always comes first. And ive noticed a phenomenon of masc even being considered "gender neutral", because to kind of neutrally address someone you COULD address them in the plural form, but problem is we also have gendered plural lol. So usually the masc one is used to kind of make the person "gender neutral". Its hard....

Theres going to be league of legends? Oh no... one friend played it all the time and it looks so boring ;u;..... well, its etoiles i dont care if game is boring i can get distracted by his shitty facecam mdr

(Also, im using mdr now, its so fun. Saying it out loud is good "r" practice kkkkk)

[gellavonhamster]

monthly media recap: february 2024

(better late than never)

read:

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman - very sweet and moving, I cried a little in the end, also very different from what I usually read, so that was a nice change of scenery. Once again thanks to the friend who gave it to me, wouldn't have picked it up otherwise.

The Master of Ballantrae + short stories by Robert Louis Stevenson - good ol' family tragedy. I was a bit underwhelmed by the ending, but overall enjoyed the story. Didn't enjoy the short stories in this collection as much, but I liked how the three of them (The Pavilion on the Links, Thrawn Janet, and Markheim) were so different - a good way to represent the author's range.

King Artus - a 13th century Hebrew version of Arthuriana (Arthur's conception + beginning of the Lancelot episode involving Astolat). Very interesting for the way it swaps the Christian context for the Jewish one (e.g., the Grail becomes a charity bowl for distributing food).

The Black Vampyre; A Legend of St. Domingo by "Uriah Derick D'Arcy" - considered, among other things, the first Black vampire story and the first vampire story by an American author. I kind of struggled through it due to style but the context and references (long live footnotes) made it worth the trouble. Can't say I enjoyed it much as a story, but it broadened my horizon.

+ currently reading The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and Volume 2 of W.I.T.C.H. comics (what? I never learned how it ended as a kid)

watched:

Poor Things (2023) - weird (compliment), beautiful, disgusting, absurd, and funny. Honestly don't know if I liked it, but it was though-provoking, that's for sure.

Šķelšanās (The Split, 2023) - a four-episode Latvian documentary, mostly on the divide between ethnically Latvian and Russian people in Latvia (and among ethnically Russian people in Latvia) in the context of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but also about other things. I. Don't know if it makes sense to describe it broadly here, I barely have any followers familiar with the context. But I'd say that, despite a lot of moments that made me physically cringe (god, that last episode about social media campaigns against adopting the Istanbul Convention and spreading misinformation about sex education at schools made my skin crawl. Btw, the Convention was adopted, these assholes can choke), it made me weirdly hopeful. Dialogue is possible, united society is possible. This has been my opinion too, and the older I get, the more I realize that people on all sides who try to tell you it's not are just after their own profit and success.

[nyxelestia]

Seeing as apparently FFN is about to die or people are already unable to access it, just saving this screenshot. While I was in fandom on other platforms and under other names before I joined FFN, this was the oldest profile/account I had that was still continuously running as of June 2023.

I’m putting the complete profile below the cut for my own personal reference/nostalgia. (Prior to the proliferation of machine translation and language websites, I collected translations of “Hi, I’m Nyxie” from fans for years.) This is also my record of my original construction of my current name/identity.

Author has written 87 stories for Harry Potter, Psych, StarTrek: Voyager, Alex Rider, Merlin, Legend of Korra, Avengers, Fullmetal Alchemist, and Breaking Bad.

I do not accept requests!

(But I do still accept new languages for my greetings list below!)

I'm afraid I don't really hang out here, anymore. Come find me on Tumblr and AO3, where my much more recent - and thus much better - fanfic is now posted.

Hi. I'm Nyxie. - English (My first language)

Hola. Me llamo Niksi. - Spanish (My second language that I forgot as soon as I left high school)

নমস্কার. আমার নাম Nyxie. (Nômoshkar. Amaar nam Niksshi.) (My other first language that I have now mostly forgotten) - Bengali

Bonjour. Je m'appelle Neiksi. - French (Courtesy of Arithilim)

Salut. Je m'appelle Neiksi. - French, alternative greeting (Courtesy of Jaygirl94)

Hallo. Ich heisse Niksie. (Courtesy of MadCatta) - German

Ciao. Mi chiamo Nyxie. (Courtesy of Iamawesome) - Italian

Hallo. Ik heet Niksie. (Courtesy of Amore) - Dutch, Formal

Hallo. Ik ben Niksie. (Courtesy of katelinmr) - Dutch, Informal

Niksii اسمي .وسهلاً. (Ahlan. Ana ismii Nyxie.) (Courtesy of HallowedInk) - Arabic

Čao. Zovem se Niksi. (Courtesy of a family friend) - Croatian

Hajimimashite. Nyxie desu. (Courtesy of Le Sang De La Morte) - Japanese, with edits from Dark's Mistress

Konnichiwa. O namae wa Nikuse desu. (Courtesy of Cararook) - Japanese, with edits from Whisper-Otonashi

こんにちはわたしはニクシです。(Konichiwa. Watashi wa Nyxie desu.) (Courtesy of SecretMangaLover) - Japanese, with edits from Whisper-Otonashi and Dark's Mistress

你好，我叫 Nyxie。(Nǐ hǎo. Wǒ jiào Nyxie.) (Courtesy of t8t8t8) - Mandarin Chinese Simplified

Shwmae. Nicsi ydw i. (S'huhmai. Nyxie iudu ih.) (Courtesy of rhymneyfairies) - Welsh

नमस्ते। मेरा नाम Nyxie. (Namaste. Mera nam Nyxie.) (Courtesy of my dad) - Hindi

Hei. Jeg heter Nyksi. (Courtesy of Gin Dyps) - Norwegian

Mabuhay. Ako si Nyxie (Courtesy of ikot-ikot) - Tagalog

Boozhoo. Niksii indizhinikaaz. (Courtesy of goddess of all daleks) - Ojibwe

Cześć. Nazywam się Nyksi. (Courtesy of water kangaroo) - Polish

שלום. שמי ניקסי (Shalom. Shmi Nyxie.) (Courtesy of TheOneThatIsAddictedToHPfics) - Hebrew

Hej. Jag heter Niksi. (Courtesy of Barbasulrico) - Swedish

Καλημέρα. Μου όνομα ρήμ Νικσι. (Kalimera. Mou onoma rhim Nyxie.) (Courtesy of TribalForEagle) - Greek

Καλημέρα. Το ονομά μου είναι Νίξι. (Kalimera. To onoma mou ine Nyxie.) (Courtesy of roxake19) - Greek, alternative

Apa khabar. Saya Nixie. (Courtesy of Akira Setsuka) - Malay

Halo. Nama saya Nyxie. (Courtesy of biota9) - Indonesian

Sziasztok! A nevem Nikszi. (Courtesy of Amirea) - Hungarian

Labdien. Mans vārds ir Niksi. (Couresty of Lindala) - Latvian

నమసారము. నా పేరు నిక్సి. (Namaskaramu. Naa peru Nyxie.) - (Courtesty of Shadow's Life) - Telugu

Hei! Minä olen Niksi. (Courtesy of Jaleine) - Finnish

안녕, 내 이름은 닉시야. (Ahn nyung! Nae ee reum eun Nyxie ya.) (Courtesy of JackieDanielStark) - Korean

Ellohay, ymay amenay isway Yxienay. (Courtesy of WiccaKat) - Pig Latin

Oi, meu nome é Nixi. (Courtesy of Hedwig Edwiges) - Brazilian Portuguese

Dia daoibh. Is mise Nicsi. (Dee-a deev. Is mishuh Nyxie.) (Courtesy of Dolorosa) - Irish

'O Nīkī ko'u inoa. (Courtesy of Draconic Caduceus) - Hawaiian

Salve! Nomen mihi Nyxia est. (Courtesy of lege et lacrima) - Latin

Здравейте. Аз съм Nyxie (Zdraveite. Az sum Nyxie.) (Courtesy of ColiexChaos) - Bulgarian

Buna. Ma numesc Nixi. (Courtesy of Aralinne) - Romanian

Привет. Меня завут Никси. (Privyet. Menya zavut Nixie.) (Courtesy of lpgirl14) - Russian

Hej. Jeg hedder Nyxie. (Courtesy of Lady Drace) - Danish

سلام!میرانامﻧﻜﺲ.ہے (Salam! Mera naam Niksi hai.) (Courtesy of silkchemise) - Urdu

Gude, nem bilong mi Nyxie. (Courtesy of Scooterstripes) - Papua New Guinean Tok Pisin/Neo-Melanesian

(I don't know if all of them are right - if you see something is incorrect, please let me know.)

Additional languages to say this in are always much appreciated (including, if possible, the characters/spellings for my name). Thank you very much to those who have already given me the extra languages. 45 greetings in 39 languages and counting!

Random Personal Information

Name: Just call me Nyxie

Age: Old enough to read what I write

Location: California

What's In A Name

Nyx is the ancient Greek goddess of the Night, known for having sway over Man and God, and even Zeus didn't like to upset her. She gave birth to many powerful spirits and deities, and is often referred to as a sister of Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades, the sons of Cronus and Rhea and the fathers and leaders of the gods. She is fond of mischief and mystery. Every night, she casts the darkness so the stars can come out the play, and every morning, she sends them back to sleep.

'-elestia' comes from 'celestial', because I love the night sky and am an occasional space geek (I've even been to space camp). I dropped the ending l for a smoother sounding name. Along with which, "Celestia" is a computer program for space viewing, and what a lovely program it is...not to mention the fact I'm on a computer so much. I dropped the c for easier spelling.

Nyx celestial - c - l = Nyxelestia

Enjoy my fics! No matter how old the fic is, reviews are always appreciated. :)

[solar-satan]

A childrens book cover I found for the legend Lāčausis (bear ears) which inspired Andrejs Pumpurs to write the epic Lāčplēsis (bear ripper)

[legend-collection]

Boogeyman

The Bogeyman ( also spelled boogeyman, bogyman, bogieman, boogie monster, boogieman, or boogie woogie) is a type of mythic creature used by adults to frighten children into good behaviour. Bogeymen have no specific appearance and conceptions vary drastically by household and culture, but they are most commonly depicted as masculine or androgynous monsters that punish children for misbehaviour. The Bogeyman or conceptually similar monsters can be found in many cultures around the world. Bogeymen may target a specific act or general misbehaviour, depending on what purpose needs serving, often based on a warning from the child's authority figure. The term is sometimes used as a non-specific personification or metonym for terror, and in some cases, the Devil.

The word bogey originated in the mid-19th century, originally as a quasi-proper name for the devil. It may derive from the Middle English bogge or bugge, meaning a terror or scarecrow. It relates to bugbear, from bug, meaning goblin or scarecrow, and bear, an imaginary demon in the form of a bear that ate small children. It was also used to mean a general object of dread. The word bugaboo, with a similar pair of meanings, may have arisen as an alteration of bugbear.

The word is known in Indo-European languages as puck (English), bogle (Scots), púca, pooka or pookha (Irish) mumus (Hungarian), pwca, bwga or bwgan (Welsh), bucca (Cornish), buse or busemann (Norwegian), puki (Old Norse), bøhmand or bussemand (Danish), bûzeman (Western Frisian), boeman (Dutch), Butzemann (German), bòcan, bogu (Slavonic), buka or Babay/Babayka (Russian, бука), bauk (Serbian), bubulis (Latvian), baubas (Lithuanian), bobo (Polish), bubák (Czech), bubák (Slovak), bebok (Silesian), papão (Portuguese), babulas (Greek: μπαμπούλας), bua (Georgian, ბუა), babau (Italian), Бабай (Ukrainian), baubau (Romanian), and papu (Catalan).

While the description of the Bogeyman differs on a cultural level, there are often some shared similarities to the creatures. Many of the Bogeymen are depicted as having claws, talons, and sharp teeth. Along with that, the majority of Bogeymen are of the spirit variety, while the minority are demons, witches, and other legendary creatures. Some are even described to have certain animal features such as horns, hooves, and bug like appearances.

When looking at the personality traits of the Bogeymen, they are most easily divided into three categories; the kind that punishes misbehaved children, the kind that are more prone to violence, and the kind that protect the innocent. They all relate in the same way, being that they all exist to teach young children lessons. The large majority of Bogeymen are there to just frighten children with punishments, and not actually inflict much damage. The more vicious Bogeyman is said to steal the children at night, and even eat them. The last category is the Bogeyman who protects people and only punishes those guilty, regardless of age.

Because of the myth’s worldwide prevalence, it is difficult to find the original source of the legends. The first reference to the Bogeyman would be considered the hobgoblins described in England, in the 16th century. Many believed that they were made to torment humans, and while some only played simple pranks, others were more foul in nature.

[mystical-shadows]

The Werewolf in Latvian Myth, Legend, and Folk Beliefs

Latvian folklore is rich with mythical creatures and spirits, and one of the most prominent and intriguing figures in its mythology is the werewolf or vilkatis. The concept of the werewolf appears across various Baltic and Northern European traditions, often linked to ideas of transformation, liminality, and shamanistic practices. In Latvia, the werewolf carries a mix of fear, reverence, and symbolic meaning, reflecting the deeper cultural beliefs about nature, humanity, and the supernatural.

The Werewolf in Latvian Folklore The Latvian word vilkatis combines vilks, meaning "wolf", and vīrs or ats, implying "man" or "creature." In Latvian myth, a vilkatis is a person who can transform into a wolf, either by their own will or due to external curses or forces. Unlike the popular Western image of the werewolf as a bloodthirsty monster, the Latvian werewolf embodies more nuanced roles. Sometimes, the transformation is voluntary and linked to magical or shamanistic practices, while in other cases, it is a curse or punishment.

In Latvian legends, vilkatis is portrayed as both a victim and a perpetrator. Some tales describe them as people who have been cursed to become wolves, forced to roam the forests and live apart from society. Others depict them as people who willingly transform into wolves, often for the sake of accomplishing a difficult or dangerous task, such as hunting or avenging wrongdoings. The vilkatis could also serve as a protector of the village, chasing away evil spirits or guarding livestock.

Transformation and Curses The transformation into a werewolf in Latvian tradition could be caused by several factors. One of the most common ways a person could become a vilkatis was by breaking a taboo or engaging in a forbidden act. Some stories mention specific rituals or the consumption of certain magical herbs that allow the transformation. In some cases, the curse is hereditary, passed down from generation to generation, which ties the werewolf myth to broader themes of ancestral sin or familial curses.

One of the more benevolent interpretations of the vilkatis sees them as individuals cursed by witches or sorcerers. They might be condemned to wander as wolves for a set period—seven or nine years—or until a specific task is fulfilled. In such cases, the curse often ends when someone recognizes the werewolf, usually through some distinguishing mark or behavior, and shows them kindness, thereby breaking the spell.

Symbolism and Cultural Significance The figure of the vilkatis in Latvian culture holds a complex symbolic significance. It represents the boundary between the human and animal worlds, symbolizing a liminal state where one is neither fully human nor fully beast. This transformation reflects ancient shamanistic traditions, where entering an animal's form was seen as a way to connect with nature's primal forces or gain special powers.

Moreover, the werewolf myth reflects the fears and anxieties of rural life. Wolves were common in the forests of Latvia and posed a real threat to livestock and sometimes even humans. The vilkatis may have originated as a way to personify this fear, giving the predator a more human form that people could understand or confront.

In other interpretations, the vilkatis represents a person alienated from society, someone who lives on the outskirts of civilization due to their magical abilities, curses, or social transgressions. As such, the werewolf can be seen as a symbol of the outsider, someone who exists outside the accepted norms of behavior but still plays an essential role in the community by keeping dangerous forces at bay.

The Werewolf in Latvian Beliefs and Traditions Folk beliefs about werewolves persisted in Latvia well into the 19th and even the early 20th centuries. Local people believed that encountering a vilkatis could bring both good fortune and misfortune, depending on the circumstances. In some regions, people would leave offerings at crossroads or in the forest to appease werewolves or protect themselves from transformation. Conversely, stories tell of hunters or village folk confronting werewolves, usually by recognizing the human behind the wolf and either helping them return to their human form or, in darker tales, killing the creature to lift the curse.

The image of the werewolf in Latvian folk beliefs also became intertwined with Christian morality. Some stories associate the vilkatis with demonic forces or as punishment for immoral behavior, reflecting the church's influence on Baltic pagan traditions. Yet, in many cases, the werewolf remains a neutral or even positive figure, one who can straddle both worlds and bring balance to the community.

Conclusion The werewolf in Latvian myth, legend, and folk belief is a multifaceted figure that reflects the deep connection between humans, nature, and the supernatural in Latvian culture. The vilkatis is not merely a monstrous villain but often a complex character whose story reflects the moral, social, and environmental tensions of the time. As such, the Latvian werewolf embodies a rich tradition of storytelling that continues to fascinate and inspire with its layers of meaning and cultural significance.

Personal Note:

When I was a very young child and my elderly grandmother was staying over at our place, she would frequently tuck me in for the night. Grandmom made it a priority to draw the curtains to my window closed on full moonlights. With the clear expression of concern and yes even fear on her face when rays of the moon fell on my bed.

She'd sit down on the edge of the bed and tell me stories of the old Latvian god Vilks (today the general Latvian word for 'wolf') a god of the deep wilds of the forest. Who had once been a Latvian Warrior but learned the power of shapeshifting by way of magick. During a time of invasion he taught this skill to his fellow people and with it, they defeated all foes. Being a shapeshifting werewolf and hero had it's downside. Eventually, your humanity would fade. And you would become a Feral Wolf of Deep Forest.

Grandmom and later Mom made it a point to draw the curtains closed on full moons. For to sleep in moon beams upon the bed. It was the first process of becoming Vilks eventually. Becoming a Feral Werewolf.

Just as soon and Grandmom and Mom would leave. I hopped out of bed and flung those curtains wide open as well as the window!

Hooooooooooowwwwwwwwwlllllll!

[seewetter]

Mythic Creatures by Culture & Region

Part 6: Medieval Europe

Global list & overview here.

This list still needs revising, because I didn't distinguish French, German, Italian and Spanish folklore (Catalan folklore is independent, because I support Catalonian independence haha). Some European folklore has already been listed in part 3 and 4 and 5 or will be listed in future in connection with religious culture.

Here are some links to websites with European creatures that I didn't all list: https://bestiary.ca/beasts/beastalphashort.htm

Medieval Europe Fish: http://www.godecookery.com/ffissh/ffissh.htm

Medieval Europe Plants: http://www.godecookery.com/mythical/mythical.htm

Abyzou; Aegipan in medieval bestiaries, based on Pliny the Elder; Aitvaras from Lithuania; Alberich in Thidrekssaga written in 1250 in Norway, possibly based on a Plattdeutsch original (also appears in German Nibelungenlied from 1200 in Passau, Bavaria and Ortnit from 1230s Germany, Strassburg; Alerion only 1 pair of these birds exists at a time, bestiaries and heraldry; Alp German; Alphyn; Amadís de Gaula made some time before 1508, contains the giant Endriago, a monster born of incest who exhales a poisonous gas and whose body is covered in scales and Urganda the Unknown: Sorceress who protects Amadís; Amphiptere, word is Greek, found on French coats of arms between 1300 and French Revolution. Possibly found in medieval bestiaries as an African animal (anhinga)? Winged snakes of Arthurian legend. Terrible Wikipedia page.; Anguane Italy; Anjana Spain; Antichthones; Arquetu; Askafroa German "Eschenfrau"; Aspidochelone referenced as Jasconius; Atlantes (sorcerer); Aufhocker; Augenbrand;

Badalisc; Bahkauv Aachen; Balaur Romanian, multi-headed dragon; Baldanders; Baphomet; Barabao; Barnacle Goose; Barstuk; Basilisk; Beast of Gévaudan; Beerwolf; Befana; Belsnickel; Bergmanli; Bergmönch; Bicorn; Bieresel; Big Ghoul (dragon); Biscione; Bishop Fish 2 visits, 1 in 1531; Bisterne Dragon; Black Dog; Black Panther; Blemmyes; Blue Ben; Blue Lady of Verdala Palace; Bonnacon (Pliny the Elder); Borda; Bragmanni; Brazen Head; Broxa; Bucentaur; Buckriders North Belgian and South Dutch; Buschgrossmutter; Buschweibchen; Butatsch Cun Ilgs; Butzemann;

Caballucos del Diablu; Caelia; Caladrius; Careto; Cerastes; Cheval Gauvin; Cheval Mallet; Chichevache; Chromandi; Cinnamologus; Coco; Cocollona; Cola Pesce; Crocotta; Cuegle; Cuélebre; Cynocephali;

Dahu; Dahut; Dames Blanches; Dames Vertes; Death; Demoiselles Blanches; Dipsa; Dolphin; Doñas de fuera; Drac; Draconcopedes; Dragon; Dragon of Beowulf; Dragon of Mordiford; Dragons of St. Leonard's forest; Drake; Drapé; Drude; Duende; Dwarf ; Dwarfs, Dwarves;

Easter Bunny; Ekke Nekkepenn; Elegast; Elemental; Elwetritsch; Emmet Giant Ant; Enchanted Moura; Enfield; Erchitu; Erdhenne; Erdluitle; Erlking; Ewiger Jäger;

Fáfnir; Familiar; Fänggen; Farfadet ; Farfadets; Fasolt; Fates; Father Frost; Fées; Feldgeister; Ferragut; Feuermann; Fish-man of Lierganes; Follet; Folletti; Frau Holle; Frau Holunder; French Mythic Creatures and Saints; Freybug;

Gabija; Galehaut; Galgemännlein; Ganna; Gargoyle; Gatipedro; Gayant; Gegenees; Giane; Glatisant; Gnome; Goblin ; Goblins; Golden Goose; Goldenhorn; Gorgades; Graoully; Guajona; Gudrun; Guivre; Gütel;

Hans von Trotha; Haymon (giant); Headless Horseman; Heimchen; Heinrich von Winkelried; Heinzelmännchen; Hercinia; Hey-Hey Men; Hinzelmann; Hircocervus also Greek & Roman; Hödekin; Homunculus ; Homunculi; Houles fairies;

Ichneumon; Irrwurz;

Jaculus; Jean de l'Ours;

Karnabo; Ķekatnieki Latvian mask processions; King Goldemar; King Laurin; Klabautermann; Klagmuhme; Knecht Ruprecht; Knight of the Swan; Knights of Ålleberg; Kobold; Kornbock; Korred Iberia, Britanny, Cornwall; Krampus; Kurents (Slovene mask processions);

La Encantada; Laima; Lampetho possibly based on Roman accounts of Lampedo; Lauma; Laúru; Legendary Horses in the Jura; Legendary Horses of Pas-de-Calais; Leontophone; Lepus cornutus; Lietuvēns; Lindwurm; Loch Ness Monster; Lou Carcolh; Lucius Tiberies (vs King Arthur); Lutin; Lutins Noirs; Lutzelfrau; Lycaon; Lyncetti;

Machlyes; Mahound; Mandragora; Manticore; Marabbecca; Mare; Massarioli; Muscaliet; Musimon; Myrmecoleon; Nachtkrapp; Nachzehrer; Naimon; Matagot; Mazapégul; Melusine; Monaciello ; Monacielli; Monopod; Moss People; Mouros;

Nimue; Nixen aka Nixie ; Nixies; Norggen;

Ojáncanu; Oksoko (3 headed eagle in heraldry & 3 headed bird in alchemical texts); Ork; Orphan Bird; Ortnit; Ouroubou;

Pamarindo; Pandi; Pantheon_the_creature; Panther; Pard; Peluda; Perchta; Père Fouettard; Petermännchen; Phoenix; Picolaton; Púca;

Quiet Folk; Quinotaur;

Ramidreju; Rasselbock; Revenant; Reynard; River Women; Rougarou; Rüdiger von Bechelaren; Rumpelstiltskin;

Salamander; Salvanel ; Salvanelli; Salvani; Sandman; Santa Compaña; Satyrus; Schrat also Slavic; Sciritae; Scitalis; Sea-Griffin; Sea-Lion; Sebile; Selige Fräulein; Serván; Sheela na Gig; Skrat; Straw Bear; Strix; Struthopodes; Swan Maiden; Syrbotae;

Tarand; Tarasque; Tatzelwurm; Termagant; The Devil Whale broad category, includes modern accounts and Sindbad; The Imp Prince; The Legend of Ero of Armenteira; The Nixie of the Mill-Pond; The Prince Who Wanted to See the World; The Swan Queen; Theow; Thyrsus (giant); Tooth Fairy; Trasgo; Tree Elves; Trenti; Türst; Tyger;

Uhaml;

Vegetable Lamb of Tartary; Venediger Männlein; Ventolín;

Weiße Frauen; Werewolf; White Lady ; White Ladies (fae); Wichtel; Wiedergänger; Wight; Wild Hunt; Wild Man, Wild Woman ; Wild Men, Wild Women; Wind Folletti; Witege; Witte Wiver; Wolpertinger; Wolves in heraldry (search wiki page for word calopus);

Xana;

Yale; Ypotryll;

Žaltys Lithuanian;

allegedly medieval

Lorelei; Rompo; Squasc

Belgium

Druon Antigoon; Lange Wapper; Zitiron

Brittany

Amadís de Gaula (Gaula, the fictional part of Brittany); Ankou; Bugul Noz; Fions; Groac'h; Iannic-ann-ôd; Jetins; Korred; Korrigan ; Korrigans; Les Lavandières; Malo (saint); Margot the fairy; Morgen; Morvarc'h; Tréo-Fall; Yan-gant-y-tan

Byzantium

Abyzou; Gello

Catalan

Aloja; Banyoles monster; Catalan Creatures; Comte Arnau; Dip; Home dels nassos; La Guita Xica; Marraco; Minairó; Muladona; Negret; Nitus; Pesanta

Celtic mainland

Dusios Gaul (known through Greek, Roman and medieval sources); Les Lavandières; Púca; Sovereignty goddess also Irish; Swan Maiden; Trasgo; Werewolf

Dutch

Alven; Ellert and Brammert (giants); Kabouter; Swan Maiden; Witte Wieven

Estonia

Akka, also Finland and Sami; Dragon of the North; Ebajalg; Estonian Creatures; Kalevipoeg; Kratt ; Kratid; Maa-alused; Skrat; Toell the Great; Vanapagan

Finland

Aino; Ajatar; Akka, also Sami and Estonian; Antero Vipunen; Etiäinen; Firefox; Haltija; Heikki Lunta; Hiisi; Iku-Turso; Lemminkäinen; Lempo; Maanväki; Menninkäinen; Nine Diseases; Nuuttipukki; Otso; Paasselkä devils; Piru; Soul Components_Finnic Paganism; Swan Maiden; Syöjätär; Tapio; Vellamo

Germanic

Albruna Germanic seeress attested by Tacitus; Cimbrian seeresses mentioned by Strabo; Gambara; Ganna; Hooded Spirits; Idis; Matres and Matronae; Plusso Wendish = Slavs of North Germany; Swan Maiden; The Woman of the Chatti; Thiota; Veleda; Waluburg; Wurm

Roma

Mullo; Ursitory; Vampire pumpkins and watermelons

Sami

Akka also Finland and Estonia; Ruohtta; Stallo; The Elf Maiden;

Venice

Winged Lion (St. Mark), Venediger Männlein (allegedly from Venice, not on Wikipedia)

Renaissance

Allocamelus in Edward Topsell and among English companies; Hippogriff; Hircocervus in Edward Topsell, based on earlier sources; Ipotane first attested with John de Mandeville; Irrwurz; Jenny Haniver; Lampago maybe medieval not renaissance???; Lepus cornutus; Lizard Fairy; Mephistopheles; Oberon; Orgoglio; Pier Gerlofs Donia; Pyewacket (familiar spirit); Queen Mab; Satyress; Sea Monk; Succarath; Sylph; Teutobochus; Three Witches; Titania; Undine ; Undines; Vegetable Lamb of Tartary; Werewolf; Wild Man, Wild Woman ; Wild Men, Wild Women

Enlightenment

Jacques St. Germain; Terrible Monster maybe real??? Romanticism; Lorelei; Warlock

Notify me please if there are mistakes or if these beings should have a disclaimer not to be used in art or fiction writing.

[ainews]

According to Latvian folk legends, the Easter Bunny was once a mythical creature known as "Lieldienas kaza" or "Easter goat" in English. This goat-like figure was said to bring springtime fertility and abundance to the land.

In ancient Latvia, top-hats were worn by farmers as a symbol of wealth and fertility. The tall, pointed shape of the top-hat was believed to represent the horns of the Easter goat, and therefore, it became associated with the holiday.

As Christian traditions spread to Latvia, the Easter goat gradually transformed into the Easter Bunny. However, the top-hat remained a staple accessory for this beloved holiday figure.

In addition to its symbolic meaning, the top-hat also serves a practical purpose for the Easter Bunny. In Latvia, where winters are harsh and snowy, a top-hat helps to keep the bunny's ears warm and protected from the elements while delivering Easter eggs.

Moreover, the color of the top-hat is significant in Latvian culture. In many old Latvian tales, the Easter goat or bunny is described as wearing a red top-hat. Red holds great significance in Latvian culture, representing vitality, strength, and good luck. This is why many Latvians still choose to decorate their homes with red Easter eggs.

But why specifically a top-hat, rather than any other headwear? This is believed to be because of the resemblance between the shape of a top-hat and the traditional Latvian headdress, the "Kokles lielauksta cepure," which is also tall and pointed.

Though many countries have their own version of the Easter Bunny, the tradition of wearing top-hats can be traced back to Latvia and its rich cultural heritage. Today, Latvians continue to celebrate Easter with colorful eggs, traditional foods, and of course, the iconic top-hat-wearing Easter Bunny. So, if you happen to spot a bunny wearing a top-hat this Easter, you'll know it's a nod to Latvian tradition and folklore.