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Dave's Mythical Creatures and Places |
Lamia
| Description | There
are different versions of the Lamia: one is a female demon who, in the
form of a beautiful women, entices and eats children.
Another version is that have the face and breast of a woman, and the rest of the body like a serpent; although they could not speak, their hissing was pleasing. They would lure in strangers, and then eat them. Yet another version is that they have "the hinderparts of the beast are like unto a Goate, his fore legs like a Beares, his upper parts to a woman, the body scaled all over like a Dragon." (Topsell)
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| Also Called | Lilith-
of Jewish folklore. Supposedly, Lilith was the first wife of Adam, but
refused to obey him. Lilith left, and was told that if she did not return,
her children would die. She did not return, and took her revenge by
harming children.
Empusa or Emipusa - these are half-ass and half-woman, capable of changing their appearance to be a beautiful woman or a cow. In Greek myth, Empusa is the daughter of the goddess Hecate. She has bronze feet, and pursues and eats travelers. She can be driven off by insulting her.
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| Described By: | Greek
mythology- Jupiter loved Lamia, but a jealous Juno deformed her and took
her children. Driven mad by this, Lamia killed and ate every child
that she could.
Topsell- "For when they see a man, they lay open their breastes, and by the beauty thereof, entice them to come neare to conference, and so, having them within their compasse, the devoure and kill them."
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| Links | An
excellent site with information about the literary history of the Lilith
myth: http://www.geocities.com/Wellesley/Garden/4240/index.html
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