Dictionary of mythology - part 5 potx

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Hapy
2
hare
the Nile floods. He was born when
a virgin cow was impregnated by
moonbeams or by lightning.
He helped to bring Osiris back to
life, after he had been killed and
dismembered by Set, by suckling him
after Isis had reassembled the parts.
He was sometimes depicted as a
goose with two heads and a human
body or as a naked fat man with erect
phallus and pendulous breasts, holding
a fan and tray.
Hapy
2
Egyptian
[Hap.Ha(a)pi]
an ape-headed or dog-headed
god
one of the 4 Amenti
son of Horus
He was guardian of the north and of
the lungs of the dead or, some say, the
north and the small intestine.
Hapy
3
Egyptian
[Hap.Ha(a)pi]

a name for the bull-god, Apis, in
some accounts
Hapy Qementu Egyptian
a rite involving Hapy, Isis and
Nephthys
A cake in three pieces symbolised the
deities and one piece (Hapy as Osiris)
was hidden or lost.
Har
1
British
father of Tiriel
Har
2
Norse
[Harr.Mighty]
one of 3 mysterious deities visited by
Gylfi, probably a manifestation of
Odin
Har
3
Norse
[Harr]
a rock-dwarf
Har
4
(see Horus)
Har-em-akhet
(see Horus of the Horizon)
Har Hou (see Hou

1
)
Har Magedon (see Armageddon)
Har-mau Egyptian
[Heru-sam-taui:=Greek Harsomtus]
a name of Horus as unifier of the
2 kingdoms
Har-nedj-itef Egyptian
[=Greek Harendotes]
Horus as the guardian of Osiris
Har-pa-khered (see Harpakhrad)
Har-pa-Neb-Taui Egyptian
a name of Horus as ‘Lord of Two
Lands’
Har-pi-chruti (see Harpakhrad)
Har-Soped Egyptian
a syncretion of the hawk-gods, Horus
and Soped
Hara
1
Hindu
[Prah Eysor.‘ravisher’.‘robber’]
a name of Shiva in Cambodia
(see also Harihara)
Hara
2
(see Mount Alburz)
Hara Berezaiti (see Mount Alburz)
Hara Ke African
[Harake.Mistress of Water]

a Nigerian water-goddess and rain-
goddess
She is assisted in her duties by two
dragons, Godi and Goru.
Hara-Yama-Tsu-Mi Japanese
a Shinto mountain-god
Harab Serap Hebrew
a raven in the Cabbala
harae-do Japanese
[harai]
a simple shrine; an area used for
purification ceremonies
(see also hitogata)
harai (see harae-do)
Harake (see Hara Ke)
Harakhtes Greek
the Greek name for Harakhti
Harakte (see Horus of the Horizon)
Harakhti (see Horus of the Horizon)
Harald
1
Norse
[Harald(r) Hilditonn]
a king of Denmark
Odin promised to protect the king in
battle if he would hand over those he
killed but, taking over as the driver of
the king’s chariot, Odin stabbed and
killed him. (see also Brun)
Harald

2
Norse
[Haraldr]
a chieftain or a storm-demon
He tried to open the barrow said to
contain the body of the god Balder to
steal its treasures. Water poured from
the opening he had made and the land
was flooded.
Haraldr (see Harald)
Haravaiti Persian
[=Afghan Helmund]
a river-goddess
Harbard
1
Norse
[Hagbard(r).Hagbarthr.Hagbarthus.
Harbardr.Harbarthr]
a name adopted by Odin in one of
his disguises
Harbard
2
Norse
[Hagbard(r).Hagbarthr.Hagbarthus.
Harbardr.Harbarthr]
a lover of Signy
He killed Signy’s brothers and, when
he was executed for the crime by her
father, the king of Denmark, she
killed herself.

Harbardr (see Harbard)
Harbardsljod Norse
[Lay of Harbard]
a story in the Elder Edda
This story tells of the meeting
between Thor and Odin (as Harbard)
when they boasted to each other about
their adventures.
Harbarthr (see Harbard)
Hard Ghilli (see Gilla Dacar)
Hard Gilly (see Gilla Dacar)
Hard Servant (see Gilla Dacar)
Hardar Saga Icelandic
[Harthar Saga]
the story of the outlaw, Hoder
Hardaul Hindu
a local plague-god and god of
weddings
Hardgrep Norse
a sorceress
daughter of Vagnhofde
She acted as nurse to Hadding when
he was wounded and escorted him in
battle.
She died when a huge black hand
appeared and strangled her.
Hardred (see Heardred)
hare
a small animal like a larger rabbit,
with long ears, which appears

in many myths, often associated
with the moon
(1) In West Africa, Hare (or Rabbit)
is a trickster-god and is regarded as
the precursor of Brer Rabbit, taken
to America by slaves.
(2) In Buddhism the hare is
regarded as a previous incarnation
of Buddha.
(3) In China, the hare (t’u)
represents longevity. It is said that
the female animal becomes
pregnant either by looking at the
moon or by licking its mate’s fur
and delivers her young through the
mouth. Some say that the hare can
live for 1,000 years and lives in the
moon where it sits at the foot of a
tree pounding the drug of
immortality. In this role, it is
known as the Gemmeous Hare. Its
transfer to the moon is said to have
been the reward of self-sacrifice.
(4) In Greek myths the hare is the
animal of Aphrodite, Eros and
Hermes.
(5) In Hindu lore, Shasha, a hare, is
said to live on the moon.
(6) In Japan also, Usagi, Hare in the
Moon, is said to live on the moon

where it spends its time pounding
rice which it makes into cakes.
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Harpalyce
1
(7) In Roman myths the hare is the
animal of Mercury and Venus.
(see also Great Hare)
Hare in the Moon (see hare)
Hare of the Aloes (see Mexitli)
Harek
Norse
son of Kol
brother of Biorn
Harendotes Greek
the Greek version of the Egyptian
Har-nedj-itef
Harfer (see Holda)
Hari
1
Hindu
[‘tawny one’]
a name for Vishnu as Vamana
in Cambodia (see also Harihara)
Hari
2
(see Vahguru)
Hari Hara (see Harihara)
Hari Krishna Hindu

the young Krishna as the stealer
of hearts
He is said to have made 10,000 copies
of himself so that each maiden could
appear to dance with him alone. He
eventually fell in love with Radha.
Hariasa German
a minor deity
Harihara Hindu
[Hari Hara]
the Cambodian deity combining
aspects of Vishnu (Hari) and Shiva
(Hara)
In statues, Vishnu (Hari) is the left
half, Shiva (Hara) the right. The two
gods combined forces to defeat the
demon Guha since neither could
defeat him single-handed.
(see also Kritarajasa)
Harimau Kramet Malay
ghostly tigers
Harimella German
a minor deity
Harinaigamaisin (see Haringamesi)
Harinegamesi (see Haringamesi)
Haringamesi Jain
[Deerhead.Harinaigamaisin.
Harinegamesi]
a messenger of the gods
He conveyed to Devanda the

instruction from Sakra that her son,
Mahavira, still an embryo, should be
transferred to Trishala.
He has the power to grant children
to those who worship him.
hariolate
foretell the future
hariolation
divination
Haripriya Hindu
a name for Lakshmi as ‘beloved of
Vishnu’
Harischandra Hindu
a king
son of Trishanku
father of Rohitaswa
He had a hundred wives but no
children so he prayed to Varuna and
was granted a son. Varuna demanded
the boy as a sacrifice but Harischandra
kept postponing the rite. When the
boy came of age, he hid in the forest
and eventually persuaded a Brahmin to
sacrifice his son, Sunah-sepa, in his
place in exchange for several herds of
cattle. When the boy prayed to the
gods, he was saved from execution and
the dropsy from which he had long
suffered was cured.
To mitigate an offence to the sage

Vishvamitra, Harischandra handed
over all his possessions, including his
wife and son. He was then sold as a
slave to Chandala. When his son died
of snakebite, Harischandra and his
wife proposed to die on his funeral
pyre but the gods intervened.
Rohitaswa was restored to life and
took the throne so that his parents
could reap the reward of their piety
and go to heaven where Indra had
prepared their own heaven for them.
Hariti Buddhist
[Ananda:=Chinese Ho-li Ti:
=Japanese Kishi Bojin]
a child-snatching demon, goddess
of plagues
consort of Kubera or Panchika
mother of Pingala and the Yakshas
This female demon ate the children
she stole until Buddha hid her own
son, Pingala, so persuading her to
change her ways when she became
Ananda, protectress of all children.
Harits Hindu
the winged steeds of Indra
These twin sisters are sometimes
regarded as the female version of the
Aswins. In other accounts they are said
to be the same as the Rohits.

Harivamsa Hindu
a 16,000 line epic poem, a supplement
to the Mahabharata, relating the life
and deeds of Krishna
Harlequin
1
[Arlecchino.Arlecchioe.Hellekin]
a pantomime sprite
Harlequin
2
British
[Arlecchino.Arlecchioe.Hellekin]
a fairy king
lover of Morgan le Fay, some say
In some accounts, he is a giant, leader
of the Wild Hunt.
Harleus British
a knight
He was on a quest when, at the king’s
request, he was taken by Balin to the
king’s court. Before he could greet the
king, he was killed by the invisible
knight, Garlon.
Harma Armenian
father of Aram
Harmachis Greek
[Harmakhis.Hermakhis:
=Egyptian Har-em-akhet]
a name of Horus as Horus of
the Horizon

Harmakhis (see Harmachis)
Harmerti (see Horus of the Two Eyes)
Harmonia Greek
[Hermione]
daughter of Ares and Aphrodite or
of Zeus and Electra
wife of Cadmus
mother of Agave, Autonoe, Illyrius, Ino,
Semele and Polydorus
She was given a magic necklace made
by Hephaestus as a wedding gift from
Aphrodite and a magic robe or veil
by Athena.
Both she and Cadmus were changed
into black serpents at the end of their
lives and sent to the Islands of the
Blessed.
Haroeris (see Harwer.Horus the Elder)
Haronga Pacific Islands
son of Rangi and Papa
father of Atarapa
Harpa-khruti (see Harpakhrad)
Harpagus Greek
a horse of Castor and Pollux
Harpakhrad Egyptian
[Har-pi-chruti.Har-pa-khered.
Harpa-khruti. Harpi-chruti.Her-pe-khred.
Heu-pa-khart. Heru-pakhret:= Greek
Harpocrates.Harpokrates]
a god of silence

a name for Horus as an infant
son of Banaded and Hatmehyt
In some accounts he is half man,
half crocodile.
Harpale (see Harpalus)
Harpaluke (see Harpalyce)
Harpalus Greek
[Harpale]
a dog of Actaeon
When Artemis turned Actaeon into a
stag when she caught him spying on
her as she was bathing, his hounds,
including Harpalus, tore him to pieces.
Harpalyce
1
Greek
[Harpaluke]
daughter of Clymenus
wife of Alastor
Hare in the Moon
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Harpalyce
2
When she married Alastor and left her
home, her father seized and brought
her back, wanting her himself. She
killed her younger brother (or her
son by Clymenus) to serve his flesh to
Clymenus at a banquet and was turned

into an owl in answer to her own
prayers. (see also Epopeus
2
.Nyctymene)
Harpalyce
2
Greek
[Harpaluke]
daughter of Harpalycus
She was brought up by her father as a
warrior-maid. When he died, she
became an outlaw and was caught and
killed by shepherds.
Harpalyce
3
Greek
[Harpaluke]
a maiden who died from unrequited
love for Iphiclus, the twin of
Heracles
Harpalycus
1
Greek
father of Harpalyce
He trained his daughter in the art of
warfare and she repaid him by saving
his life in a battle.
Harpalycus
2
Greek

one of the Trojans who accompanied
Aeneas on his journey to Italy
He was killed in battle by Camilla.
Harpe
1
Greek
one of the Amazons
Harpe
2
Greek
a curved sword
This was the type of sword used by Perseus
to decapitate the Gorgon, Medusa.
Harpeia (see Harpyia)
Harpichruti (see Harpakhrad)
Harpies Greek
[Harpuai.Harpyiae.Hounds of Zeus]
female monsters, part woman,
part bird
daughters of Typhon and Echidna, or
Thaumas and Electra, or Phorcus
and Gaea
sisters of Iris, some say
Originally, there was one such being,
Podarge, on whom it is said, Zeus (or
Zephyrus) fathered the horses of
Achilles known as Balios and Xanthos.
Then Aello and Ocypete were added.
Later stories had them as Aellopus,
Calaeno, Ocythoe and Nicothoe. At

first they were regarded as spirits of the
air, later as foul monsters.
Amongst other horrible deeds they
harried Phineus, the blind Thracian
king who had offended Zeus by the
accuracy of his prophecies, befouling
his food until they were chased off by
the two winged members of Jason’s
crew, Calais and Zetes. Some say they
were never seen again.
On another occasion they harried
Aeneas and his men when they
landed on the Strophades Islands
where the Harpies lived. On both
occasions, the monsters were saved
from destruction by the angry sailors
by the intervention of Iris.
They also carried off the daughters
of Pandareus and gave them to the
Furies as servants.
They appear in the stories of
Charlemagne where they harried
Senapus, the blind king of Abyssinia,
by snatching away or fouling his food
so that he would have died of starvation
if Astolpho had not arrived in time to
drive them off and so save his life.
In mediaeval times they could be
depicted in various forms such as
centaur-like beasts with wings, rather

than as bird-women.
Harpinna Greek
a horse of Oenomaus, son of Ares
Harpocrates Greek
[Harpokrates]
the Greek name for Harpakhrad
Harpokrates (see Harpocrates)
Harpre Egyptian
[Horus of the Sun]
a god
son of Menthu and Rattawy
Harpre’s function was to protect the
king.
Harpuai (see Harpies)
harpy-hag North American
a fabulous animal
Harpyia Greek
[Harpeia]
a dog of Actaeon
When Artemis turned Actaeon into a
stag when she caught him spying on
her as she was bathing, his hounds,
including Harpyia, tore him to pieces.
Harpyiae (see Harpies)
Harr (see Har)
Harrow (see Great Bear)
Harrowd (see Heroud)
Harrowhound British
the English version of Cagnazzo
Harry le Fise du lake British

a Knight of the Round Table
Harsa Hindu
a goddess
a sakti of Hrsikesa
Harsaphes (see Arsaphes)
Harsiese (see Horus the Younger)
Harsiesis (see Horus the Younger)
Harsomtus Greek
[Somtus]
the Greek name for Har-Mau
Hart Fell British
a Scottish mountain
In some accounts, this was the home
of Merlin.
Harthar Saga (see Hardar Saga)
Hartman von Aue (see Aue)
Hartmut German
a prince of Normandy
son of Ludwig and Gerlinda
brother of Ortrun
husband of Hergart
This prince was one of the suitors for
the hand of Gudrun, daughter of
Hettel and Hilde. While her father
was helping another suitor, Herwig,
against a third, Siegmund, Hartmut
abducted Gudrun and took her to
Normandy. Herwig, Ortwin and Wat
led a force that killed Hartmut’s
parents and only the pleas of his sister,

Ortrun, saved him from death at the
hand of Herwig. He later married
Herwig’s sister, Hergart.
Hartomes Egyptian
a name of Horus as ‘he who pierces’
Hartwaker Danish
son of Hengist
Haru-yama Japanese
a mountain god representing spring
brother of Aki-yama
husband of Izushio tome
Harueris (see Harwer.Horus the Elder)
Harun African
[Haruna]
a Moroccan water-spirit said to
appear in the form of a snake
Haruna (see Harun)
haruspex Italian
[plur=haruspices]
an Etruscan diviner of
future events
haruspicate
fortell the future
haruspication
[extispicy.haruspicy]
divination from the entrails of
animals
haruspices (see haruspex)
haruspicy (see haruspication)
Harvatat Persian

an aspect of Ahura Mazda as ‘integrity’
harvesptokhm Persian
a tree said to produce the seed of
all trees
Harwer Egyptian
[Aro(u)eris.Haroeris.Harueris.
Hor-merti.Horus the Elder.
Mekhenti-en-irty]
the early god Wer as an aspect
of Horus
husband or son of Hathor
Harwer
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Hathor
Hasameli Mesopotamian
[Hasammeli]
a Hittite smith-god
Hasammeli (see Hasameli)
Hasan Persian
[Hasen]
a hero of the Arabian Nights
He helped a magician to find the
philosopher’s stone and later was
shipwrecked, coming ashore near a
palace. The magician turned up again
and Hasan killed him, after which he
entered a forbidden room to find ten
swan-maidens. He stole the feathered
robe of one of the maidens who then

became his wife but she later
recovered the robe and flew off to the
island of Wak Wak. With the help of a
jinnee, he found this island and
recovered his wife.
Hascheyalte (see Hashje-Altye)
Hasen (see Hasan)
Hashakimana African
a name of Imana as ‘planner’
Hashat Canaanite
a goddess
She was killed by Anat.
Hashche (see Hashje)
Hashcheyalte (see Hashje-Altye)
Hashi-ne-Omi
(see Nome-No-Sukune)
Hashje-Altye North American
[Hashcheyalte]
the Talking God of the Navajo
one of the Yeibechi
This deity is regarded as the creator
and supreme deity.
Hashje-Ba’ad North American
6 female gods of the Navaho
members of the Yeibechi
Hashje-Bakan North American
6 male gods of the Navaho
members of the Yeibechi
Hashje-Hlichi North American
the Red God of the Navaho

one of the Yeibechi
Hashje-Hogahn North American
a Navaho god
Hashje-Iditchonsi North American
the Whistling God of the Navaho
one of the Yeibechi
Hashje-Ohltohi North American
the Shooting God of the Navaho
one of the Yeibechi
Hashje-Oyan North American
the Calling God of the Navaho
one of the Yeibechi
Hashje-Shohini North American
the Black God of the Navaho
one of the Yeibechi
He is said to have placed the stars in
the sky from a pouch worn on his belt
and tipped out the fragments to form
the Milky Way.
Hasibwari Pacific Islands
[Hatuibwari]
a supreme deity in Melanesia
He is said to have come from the sky and
made the first woman out of clay baked in
the sun and the first man from one of her
ribs. The god himself, though male, has
breasts and feeds all life from them.
He is envisaged as a serpent with
wings and a human head with four
eyes and four teeth.

Hasikasnawanzas Mesopotamian
a Hittite god
Hasis-Atra (see Atrahasis)
Hasmodai
one of the 7 Intelligences, ruler of
the moon (see also Asmodeus)
Hassan European
the name taken by Huon when he
disguised himself as assistant
gardener under Sherasmin
Hasta Hindu
a goddess of fortune
one of the Nakshatras
daughter of Daksha
wife of Candra
Hastehogan North American
[Hast(s)(h)ehogan]
a Navaho house-god and god
of agriculture
god of yellow maize
Hasteyalti North American
[Hast(s)(h)eyalti.Yebitshai]
supreme god of the Navaho
god of white maize
He and Hastehogan created the two
goddesses, Estanatlehi and Yolkai
Estsan, and helped them to create
humans from maize-flour.
Hastimukha Hindu
a name for Ganesha as ‘elephant-face’

Hastings Norse
a pirate
He fostered Sigurd the Snake-eyed and
taught him the arts of war. Sigurd’s
brothers joined them in many raids and
they all returned to Denmark to help
their father, Ragnar, repel the invasion
by Eystein, the king of Sweden.
Hastsbaka North American
[Yebaka]
a Navaho god
Hastsehogan (see Hastehogan)
Hastsebaad North American
supreme goddess of the Navaho
Hastseltsi North American
[Red Lord]
the Navaho god of racing
Hastseoltoi North American
the Navaho goddess of hunting
Hastseyalti (see Hasteyalti)
Hastsezini North American
[Black Lord]
the fire-god of the Navaho
Hastshehogan (see Hastehogan)
Hastsheyalti (see Hasteyalti)
hasu (see lotus
1
)
Hasu-ko Japanese
[Lotus Child]

sister of Kei
When she died, her soul took over the
body of her sister, Kei, who then lived
in a state of suspended animation and,
for a whole year, lived with her lover.
At the end of that time, she left Kei’s
body who then revived and married
Hasu-ko’s former lover.
Hat-Mehit (see Hatmehyt)
hatak-mansarik Persian
a part of the Avesta
This part deals with both legal and
spiritual matters. The other two parts
are the datik and the gatha.
Hatakeshvara Hindu
king of Vitala, part of the underworld
Hatdastsisi North American
a healing god of the Navaho
Hatea-motua Pacific Islands
a chieftain
When the son of Apakura sought the
hand of his daughter, Hatea-motua
killed him. The young man’s mother
killed the chief in revenge.
Hategekimana African
a name of Imana as ‘ruler’
Hathor Egyptian
[Anit.Athyr.Great Mother.Het-Hert.
Lady of Byblos.Lady of Dendera.
Lady of Faience.Lady of the West.

Lady of Turquoise.Qedeshet
Sakhmet.Tafner.Triphis:
=Canaanite Baalat.Tanit:
=Greek Aphrodite:
=Mesopotamian Ishtar]
a mother-goddess, goddess of
childbirth, fertility, joy, love,
marriage, music, sky
wife of Horus the Elder
mother of Horus the Younger and Ihi
mother of Khons by Sebek, some say
In some versions she is Ra’s daughter
by Nut, in others his wife and mother
of Ihy.
She was originally a war-goddess of
the Nubians and is sometimes identified
with Sakhmet or with Isis, in which
capacity she held the ladder by which
the good dead could ascend to heaven.
Others identify her with Mehet-Weret.
Hasameli
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Hathor-Sakhmet
She suckled the pharaohs and
greeted the souls entering the
underworld. On one occasion, in the
form of Sakhmet, she was sent by Ra to
kill all mankind but she got drunk on
the red-coloured beer with which Ra

flooded the land and forgot to carry
out her mission.
Her son is said to have cut off her
head replacing it with the head of a
cow.
She was originally depicted as a
lioness and later as a cow, sometimes
wearing a headdress of horns enclosing
the disc of the sun. In some depictions,
her four limbs support the universe.
(see also Athor.Mut.Nekmet-
Awai.Sakhmet.Tauret)
Hathor-Sakhmet Egyptian
[Eye of Ra]
the goddess of war
Hathors, Seven (see Seven Hathors)
Hati
1
Egyptian
the corporeal heart, distinguished from
Ab, the symbolic heart that is judged
at death
Hati
2
Norse
the strongest of the giants
He was killed by Helgi.
Hati
3
Norse

a wolf, one of the Varns offspring of
Fenris and Gollweig
This animal was one of the wolves
pursuing the sun and moon and trying
to swallow them.
It is said that when he, Managarm
and Skoll managed to overtake the
heavenly bodies, they swallowed them,
causing an eclipse. At Ragnarok they
finally devoured the sun and moon
completely. They were fed on the
marrow from the bones of dead
criminals. (see also Managarm)
hatif Persian
[female=hatifa:plur=hawatif]
a type of jinnee that can be heard
but not seen: a voice in the
desert
The voice may sound like a maiden in
distress calling for help and the
traveller who follows its sound may
find himself lost. In some cases, he
may be led to an oasis where the caller
appears in human form and the
traveller, forgetting where he was
going, stays with her.
hatifa (see hatif)
Hatim T’ai Indian
a hero of Bengal, based on an Arab
chieftain, appearing in many

adventures (see also Hatim Tay)
Hatim Tay Arab
a king, famous for his generosity
He was said to have ruined himself by
slaughtering his camels and horses to
feed guests.
In one story, he went in search of
another’s bride who had been carried
off by a demon, found them and killed
the maiden’s captor.
(see also Hatim T’ai)
Hatiphas
a demon associated with garments
Hativa North American
daughter of Atius Tirana and
Atira
Hatmehit (see Hatmehyt)
Hatmehyt Egyptian
[Hat-Mehit.Hatmehit.Heru-pa-kaut.
Herupakaut.Hetmetit.Mother of Mendes]
a fertility goddess and goddess
of fishing
consort of Banaded
mother of Harpakhrad
Hattatal Norse
part of the Younger Edda dealing
with prosody
Hatthi Hindu
a plague-goddess
Hatto (see Bishop Hatto)

Hatuibwari (see Hasibwari)
Hatun Raymi (see Raymi)
Hatupatu New Zealand
a Maori boy
He was carried off by the bird-woman,
Kura ngaituku, but he stole her clothes
and escaped. When he became a man,
he returned to Kura.
Hau
1
New Zealand
a Maori wind-god
son of Rua-tapu
Hau
2
(see Hautupatu)
Hau Maringi Pacific Islands
a god of mists
son of Ua
Hau-o-Tawera New Zealand
a Maori hero
He killed a Poua-kai which had carried
off many of his people.
Haubas Arab
[Hoba]
a god of the southern region in
pre-Islamic times
Hauhet Egyptian
[Hehet.Hehit.Hehut]
a goddess of the primitive waters

consort of Huh
With Huh, she represented the
endlessness of the waters or, in some
accounts, space.
Haukim Arab
a god of law in pre-Islamic times
Haumea Pacific Islands
[Haoumea.Haumia:=Tuamotu Faumea]
the Hawaiian goddess of fertility
daughter of Ranga and Papa
sister of Rongo, Ruamoko, Tane,
Tangaroa, Tawhiri and Tu
mother of Pele by Kane Hoalani
Being reborn again and again she was
able to breed with her own des-
cendants. She could order trees to
produce fruit and could populate the
seas with fish by using her magic rod. In
some versions she is identified as Hina.
Haumia (see Haumea)
Haumia-tikitiki (see Haumiatiketike)
Haumiatiketike New Zealand
[Haumia-tikitiki]
a Maori god of vegetation
son of Rangi and Papa
In some accounts, he is equated with
Haumea.
Haurun Canaanite
an earth-god, god of healing
Haurvatat Persian

[Hordad.Khurdad.‘wholeness’]
a water-god and god of health
and integrity
one of the 7 Amesha Spentas,
perfection
one of the Yazatas
son of Ahura Mazda
This being was in charge of all water
and is opposed by the demon Zairicha.
Other accounts give Haurvatat as
female, a goddess of prosperity.
Hauteclaire European
[Altecler]
a sword of Oliver
Hautupatu New Zealand
[Hau]
a Maori youth
He was captured by the ogress
Kurangai Tuku who shut him in a cave.
He escaped but she followed him until
he used a magic spell to open a door in
a rock-face through which he escaped
again. When she next tried to seize
him, she fell into a hot spring and was
scalded to death.
Havai (see Hawaibi)
Havaiki (see Hawaibi)
Havamal Norse
[Ballad of the High One.High Song.
Sayings of Odin]

a poem in the Elder Edda recording
the code of moral laws handed
down by Odin
Havelin European
in some versions of the Tristram story,
the name given to Hoel, father of
Isolde White Hands
Havelin
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Hayk
Havfru (see Akkruva.Havfrue)
Havfrue European
a Danish mermaid
[male=Havmand]
These beings are said to be very
beautiful but not always friendly. Their
function is to collect the bodies of those
drowned at sea. (see also Havfru)
Havmand European
[female=Havfrue]
a Danish merman
These beings are said to be very
handsome, wearing beards, and, unlike
the female of the species, are quite
friendly to humans.
Havelock Danish
a prince of Denmark
son of Birkabegn
husband of Princess Goldborough

His father’s throne was seized by
Godard who ordered that the young
Havelock be cast adrift in a boat. He
landed in Britain where he was reared
by a fisherman called Grim. He later
inherited his father’s kingdom when he
was recognised as being of noble blood
by the cross on his shoulder and the
light issuing from his mouth.
Haven
a demon of dignity
Havgan Welsh
[Hafdan.Hafgan.Prince of the Underland]
a warrior-king
He was an enemy of Arawn, king of
the underworld, and could be killed
only with a single blow since he
revived if struck again. When Pwyll
and Arawn reversed roles for one year,
Pwyll met Havgan in single combat
and killed him, taking over his
kingdom.
Havoa East Indian
daughter of Maelere
sister of Eau
wife of Kopu
Havstrambe North American
a sea-monster of the Inuit
Hawa African
wife of Adama

In the lore of the Songhai, she bore
forty children but she and her husband
hid twenty of them from god who built
a wall to keep the parents from these
children which he kept for himself.
Hawaiki Pacific Islands
[Avaiki.Havai(ki).Haval.Land of Kane.
Polutu:=Japanese Awagi:=Tahitian Kahiki]
home of the Hawaiian spirits in the sky
or under the earth: home of the
ancestors of the Polynesians: home
of Miru
Hawart Norse
a warrior at Etzel’s court
He was one of those who, bribed by
Krimhild, tried to kill Hagen but failed
and was slain by Hagen.
hawatif (see hatif)
Haweniyo North American
a supreme god of the Iroquois
Hawichyepam North American
a supernatural being in the lore of the
Chemehuevi tribe of California
It was she who caused the primordial
waters to subside.
hawk
a bird of prey found in many parts
of the world and featured in
some myths
(1) In Central America the hawk,

Tlotli, was regarded as the
messenger of the Aztec gods.
(2) In the East Indies the hawk is a
revered bird, guardian of workers
in the rice-fields.
(3) In Egypt the hawk is a sacred
bird and the god Horus is
frequently depicted with the head
of a hawk (or falcon).
(4) In Greek myths the hawk is the
messenger of Apollo or Hera.
(5) The Pacific Islanders regard the
hawk as an incarnation of Maui.
(6) In Siberia they say the hawk
stole fire and gave the secret to the
gods who passed it on to mankind.
(see also Great Hawk)
Hawk-hole North American
one of the 10 brothers who became
the Supernatural People
He was so-called because, having
passed through the fire, he was found
to have a blue hole in his heart.
Hawk of May (see Gwalchmai)
Hawk of Summer (see Gwalchaved)
Hawthorn (see Ysbadadden)
Haya Mesopotamian
a name for Ninlil as goddess of
directions
Haya-Akihiko Japanese

a river-god
son of Izanagi and Izanami
brother and husband of Haya-Akitsu
Haya-Akitsu Japanese
a sea-goddess
daughter of Izanagi and Izanami
sister and wife of Haya-Akihiko
Haya-Ji Japanese
[Haya-tsu-muji]
a Shinto wind-god
When Waka-Hiko was killed for
neglecting his divine mission, Haya-Ji
carried his body back to heaven.
Haya-tsu-muji (see Haya-Ji)
Hayagriva
1
Buddhist
[=Tibetan rTa-mgrin.Tandim]
a Tibetan horse-god, god of wrath
one of the 8 dreadful Drag-gshed
In some accounts, Hayagriva is female.
Hayagriva
2
Hindu
[Paramasva:=Tibetan rTa-Mgrin.Tandim]
a horse-headed demon
one of the Dharmapalas
He stole the scriptures from Brahma
and was killed by Vishnu in his
incarnation at Matsya.

Another version says that Hayagriva
was an incarnation of Vishnu who, at
the request of Brahma, recovered the
Vedas from the ocean-bottom where
they had been taken by the two
demons who had stolen them.
In some accounts he appears as
Khasarpana or as Lokanatha, assistants
to Avalokiteshvara.
Some say that he will be rein-
carnated as Kalki, the tenth avatar of
Vishnu.
Hayasum Mesopotamian
a Sumerian god
Hayasya
1
Buddhist
a horse-goddess
Hayasya
2
Hindu
a horse-god
Some versions equate him
with Hayagriva.
Haydn Welsh
[Hyddwn.Hydwyn]
son of Gwydion and Galfaethwy as
a deer
For the rape of Goewen, Math
condemned the brothers Gwydion and

Gilfaethwy to spend a year as deer.
Their offspring was turned into a boy
by Math and named Haydn.
(see also Bleiddwn.Hwychdwn)
Hayhuaypanti South American
Inca deities acting as messengers
for Viracocha
Hayicanako North American
[Hayicanke]
in the lore of the Tlingit of Alaska,
the old woman who supports
the earth
In some accounts, the world is
supported on the leg of a beaver which
the old woman looks after.
Hayicanke (see Hayicanako)
Hayik (see Hayk)
Hayk Armenian
[Hayik]
a giant who led his people from
oppression in Babylon
father of Armenak
Havfru
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Haykoona
He later led his people against the
forces of Bel and overcame them in
battle.
He was later revered as a god of

vegetation and wine.
Haykoona Serbian
a Turkish princess
wife of Stephan
When the Turks captured Belgrade,
Stephan was taken prisoner by the
vizier who tried to make him embrace
the Turkish faith. He even used his
daughter, Haykoona, to try to persuade
his prisoner but she fell in love with
Stephan. They escaped together, she
converted to Christianity and they
married.
Hayowentha (see Hiawatha)
hayula Arab
the primordial matter from which all
else is made
Hayunu North American
[Stone Men:=Zuni Ahayuta achi:
=Tewa Towaesendo]
The name given to the twin war-gods
of the Tewa at Taos.
Hayyin Canaanite
a name of Kothar as ‘the deft one’
Hazzi
1
Mesopotamian
a Hittite mountain-god
Hazzi
2

Mesopotamian
a mountain, home of the gods
He People South American
ancestral spirits of the Barasana
people
He Zur Egyptian
a baboon-god
an aspect of Thoth
Hea (see Ea)
Head-he-go-round man East Indian
a prophet or seer
Head-splitter (see Quatlapanqui)
Healers (see Therapeutae)
Healing Buddha (see Yakushi)
Healfdene (see Halfdan)
Heammawihio North American
a sun-spirit of the Cheyenne
Heang Lo Chinese
[Pai Yang:=Arab Al Kabah al-Alif]
an early name for the constellation
Aries as ‘the dog’
Heardred Norse
[Hardred]
a king of the Geats
son of Hygelac and Hygd
He was still an infant when he became
king of the Geats on the death of his
father. He was killed by the sons of
Othere who were sheltering at his
court to escape from the wrath of their

own father.
Heart of Heaven (see Gucumatz.
Hurakan)
Heart, The Egyptian
Horus as an aspect of Ptah
heaven
[Celestial City.paradise]
the home of the blessed: dwelling-
place of gods: paradise
Most cultures envisage some form
of heaven:
–Afghan
The Kafir paradise is called Burry
La Boola.
–African
The Bambara envisage a heaven
created by Faro divided into seven
parts:
(1) Kaba Noro, the home of Faro
(2) Kaba dye, the home of the souls
of the dead
(3) Kaba fii, the home of spirits
(4) Faro’s accounting room
(5) Red Heaven, the hall
of judgement
(6) Sleep Heaven, the store
for secrets
(7) Faro’s store for rain
–Australian
The paradise of the Aborigines is

called wathi-wathi. The road that
leads there forks: the road to the
right is clean and inviting but is the
home of evil spirits whereas the
road to the left, though dirty, is the
realm of the good spirits.
–Buddhist
The place where Buddhas and
bodhisattvas wait is known as the
Tushita heaven (Maya) and has
thirteen layers, the highest of which
is known as Paranirmita-Vasavarten.
In Mahayana Buddhism, a
paradise for those en route to
enlightenment is known as the
Pure Land (Jodo) and is equated
with the Nirvana of Hinayana
Buddhism.
The heaven reserved for past
Buddhas is known as Kshetra,
Amitabha’s heaven is known as
Sukhavati and a future heaven is
called Grdhakuta.
In Cambodia, there are said to
be twenty-six paradises, the highest
of which is known as Nirpean.
(see also Sukhavati)
–Central American
The Aztecs envisaged three
heavens of which Tlalocan, home

of Tlaloc, was the lowest, Tlillan-
Tlallapan was in the middle and
Tonatiuhican, the home of
Tonatiuh, was the highest. Other
stories say there were thirteen
heavens, the highest of which was
called Zivena Vitzcatl (see
Ilhuicatl). In later belief, heaven
was like a ladder with steps, on the
top rung of which lived Ometeotl.
Other rungs, in descending order,
were occupied by innocent
children, tempests, night and day,
shooting stars, birds and Venus, the
sun and the 400 warring sons of
Coatlicue, the Milky Way, the
moon.
–Egyptian
The paradise of Osiris, Aalu, lay far
to the west and could be reached
only by travelling in Ra’s bark after
being judged by Osiris in the
underworld.
–Hindu
Each god has his own heaven and
Brahma lives in the highest heaven,
Brahmaloka, said to be 84,000
leagues above the earth
The heaven ruled by Vishnu is
called Vaikuntha; that of Indra is

Svarga; that of Krishna is Go-loka;
that of Shiva is Kailasa; that of
the goddess Shanti is called Shanti-
Niketa and paradise for the
uncremated dead is known as the
Land of the Pitris.
–Irish
The Irish envisage an earthly
paradise in the form of the island,
called Emain Ablach, the Western
Paradise.
–Mesopotamian
Heaven was regarded as the play-
ground of the gods and was known
as Anduruna or, in Sumerian lore,
Eridu.
–Norse
The heaven to which slain warriors
are conducted is known as Valhalla.
–North American
The native Indian tribes believe in
a Happy Hunting-ground where
game is plentiful.
–Pacific Islands
Burotu, paradise, is envisaged as a
land of perpetual joy where the
good can rest.
The Hawaiian paradise is called
Paliuli.
The Polynesian heaven is multi-

layered, the highest realms being
Putahi-nui-o-Rahua. The tenth
heaven is Rangi-Tuarea.
heaven
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Hecatontocheiroi
–Persian
Heaven is a four-cornered region
known as Varena.
–Shinto
Heaven is the Eternal Land, Taka-
no-Hara, home of the gods, to
which the mikado is allowed to
ascend on his death and the
paradisal land of the spirits is
Tokoyo-no-kuni.
–Slav
The paradise of the western Slavs is
known as Rai, that of the eastern
Slavs as Svarog.
–Taoist
The island paradise where all the
inhabitants are immortal is called
Ying-chou. There are said to be
108 realms of paradise, one of
which, called P’eng-lai, is the home
of the Eight Immortals.
There are said to be thirty-six
heavens of which the highest is Ta-lo.

The imperial heaven is known
as Huang-t’ien.
–West Indian
The Caribs of the Antilles call their
heaven Hueyuku.
Heaven Deaf (see Hsüan Tung-tzu)
Heavenly Arch (see Atius-Tirawa)
Heavenly Deity (see Tenjin)
Heavenly Dog
Chinese
[Child-stealing Devil]
the spirit of a girl who died at an
early age
This child will kill any child so that its
spirit can replace her own so that she
can be reincarnated.
(see also Heavenly Dog Star)
Heavenly Dog Star Chinese
[Celestial Dog.Demon of the Eclipse.
T’ien Kou.T’ou-sheng Kuei]
a star said to cause an eclipse by
devouring the moon
It is said that this star represents the
spirit of a girl who tries to steal babies
to make up for the child she never had.
It is envisaged as a shooting star or as a
fearsome dog and was shot down by
the archer, I.
(see also Heavenly Dog)
Heavenly Iron Chain Korean

a route to heaven
When two children, who were in
danger of being eaten by a tiger prayed
for help, god dropped the Heavenly
Iron Chain down to them and they
climbed up it, later becoming the sun
and the moon.
When the tiger prayed, god dropped
the Rotten Straw Rope which broke
when the tiger tried to climb it and the
animal fell to earth and was killed.
Heavenly King (see Tenno)
Heavenly Kings
(see Four Diamond Kings)
Heavenly Weaving Girl
(see Chih Nü.Tanabata)
Heaven’s Concubine (see T’ien Hou
1
)
Heaven’s Forthright Female
(see Uzume)
Heb-seb Egyptian
a jubilee festival
This ceremony was said to renew the
energy of an ageing pharaoh by magic.
Hebat Mesopotamian
[Hepatu.Hepit.Queen of Heaven:
=Hittite Arrina]
a Hurrian mother-goddess
and sun-goddess

consort of Teshub
mother of Sharrumas
She is sometimes depicted with a lion.
(see also Hepit)
Hebe Greek
[Ganymeda.‘youth’:=Roman Juventas]
goddess of youth
cup-bearer to the gods
daughter of Zeus and Hera
wife of Heracles
She had to resign her post when she
fell over and spilt wine at an important
feast. She was superseded in the post
by Ganymede.
After Heracles was deified, Hebe
married him and they had two
children, Alexiares and Anicetus.
She is said to have rejuvenated Iolaus
in his old age so that he could fight
Eurystheus to protect the children of
Heracles.
Heber (see Eber)
Hebes le Renoumes British
a knight attendant on Tristram
He saved Tristram when the wife of
King Anguish tried to kill him while
he was in the bath.
Hebren (see Habren)
Hebron British
[Bron(s).Rich Fisher]

husband of Enygeus
father of Alan and 11 other children
He was given the Holy Grail by Joseph
of Arimathea who was his wife’s brother.
Some say he was Percival’s grand-
father and became the Rich Fisher
who was cured of his wounds and
carried to heaven by angels.
Hebura Korean
a king
He found a little boy, in the form of a
golden frog, under a stone and adopted
him, calling him Kumwa. When
Hebura died, Kumwa took the throne.
Hecabe (see Hecuba)
Hecadoth
a demon
Hecate
1
Greek
[Empua.Hekate.Phosporos:=Roman Trivia]
the three-headed or three-bodied
goddess of darkness, fertility, moon,
streets, the underworld and
witchcraft
a Titaness
daughter of Perses or Zeus
by Asteria
daughter of Coeus and Phoebe,
some say

daughter of Demeter, some say
mother of Circe
mother of Medea by Aetes, some say
mother of Scylla by Phorcos, some say
In some accounts she is Artemis on
earth, Persephone carrying a torch in
the underworld. Others say that she
helped Demeter in her search for Core
(Persephone) in the underworld.
The triple aspect of her nature is
represented by Artemis, Hecate and
Salene but she is otherwise identified
with Brimo, Cybele, Demeter and Rhea.
She is depicted as having six arms,
three or four bodies and the heads of a
dog, a horse and a lion.
(see also Queen of Elphame)
Hecate
2
Greek
a poor woman who made Theseus
welcome when he was hunting
the Marathonian Bull
Hecate
3
Roman
a name for Diana as goddess of death
and the underworld
Hecate the Younger (see Iphigenia)
Hecate Trioditis Greek

[=Roman Trivia]
a name for Hecate as goddess of
the (cross-) roads
Hecatea Greek
white pillars set up at cross-roads
where offerings were left for the
goddess Hecate
Hecaterus Greek
an ancestor of the Curetes
He was said to be the father of five
daughters who became the mothers of
the Curetes, satyrs and the Oreads.
Hecates (see Apollo)
Hecatoncheires
(see Hundred-handed)
Hecatonchires
(see Hundred-handed)
Hecatontocheiroi
(see Hundred-handed)
Heaven Deaf
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Hechuchan
Hechuchan Central American
a Mayan war-god
Hector
1
Greek
[Hektor.‘prop’]
son of Priam and Hecuba

brother of Deiphobus, Helenus
and Paris
husband of Andromache
father of Astyanax
He led the Trojans in their defence of
the city against the attacking Greeks
who had been angered by the
treachery of Paris who carried off
Helen, the wife of Menelaus when a
guest in their house. He killed
Patroclus, bosom friend of Achilles,
who, wearing the armour of Achilles,
had rallied the Greeks for a further
attack. The death of his friend brought
Achilles back into action – he had been
sulking in his tent, refusing to fight,
after falling out with Agamemnon over
a girl captive. Now, in new armour
made by Hephaestus, he led the Greeks
in a fresh onslaught and killed Hector.
He tied Hector’s body to his chariot
and drove round the walls of the city.
Priam pleaded for his son’s body and
was allowed to take it for burial.
In some French accounts, Morgan
le Fay fell in love with him but
turned against him when he spurned
her advances.
In Charlemagne stories, his armour
and sword, Durindana, are fought over

by several of the paladins.
Hector
2
(see Ector
1
)
Hector de Marys (see Ector
2
)
Hecuba
1
Greek
[Hecabe.Hekabe]
daughter of Cisseus, Dymas
or Sangarius
sister of Theano
second wife of Priam, king of Troy
mother of Antiphus, Cassandra, Creusa,
Deiphobus, Hector, Helenus, Iliona,
Laodice, Paris, Polydorus, Polites,
Polyxena, Pontes
She is said to have had nineteen
children by Priam.
She sent Polydorus to Polymestor,
king of Thrace, for safety when the
Greeks attacked Troy but the king
killed her son for the treasure he
carried. She was taken captive by the
Greeks at the fall of Troy and given to
Odysseus. When she learned from him

what had happened to her son, she
tore out Polymestor’s eyes and killed
his two sons. To escape the wrath of
the king’s subjects, she changed herself
into a bitch, Maera, and jumped into
the sea.
Hecuba
2
Greek
a play by Euripides
This work relates the story of her
vengeance on Polymestor and the
death of her daughter Polyxena.
Hedammu Mesopotamian
a Hurrian sea-monster
son of Kumarbi
This monster was born of Kumarbi’s
union with the daughter of a sea-god
and emerged from the sea to devour
animals and humans. It was eventually
subdued by Ishtar who caused the sea-
water to act as a sleeping draught.
Hedetet Egyptian
a scorpion-goddess
Hedin (see Hedinn)
Hedinn Norse
[Hedin.Hildren]
a king
He abducted Hilde and was attacked
by Hogni who attempted to rescue

her. They fought an everlasting battle
in which the slain were revivified every
night by Hilde or a sorceress.
Hedjwer Egyptian
a baboon-god
Hedley kow British
a mischievous spirit
These spirits are said to appear as an
immoveable bale of hay or a horse
which cannot be restrained by harness.
Heduru East Indian
a sky-god of New Guinea
This god existed at a time when the
sky was very close to the earth, to
which it was connected by a rope
ladder. Heduru often descended to
earth to look after the children of
those out at work but he started to
steal children and take them back to
the sky with him so the angry people
cut the ladder, with the result that the
heavens retreated to their present
position.
Hefaidd (see Hefeydd)
Hefedha Arab
a guardian god
Hefeydd Welsh
[Hefaidd.Hefeydd the Tall.Hefyd(d).
Heveidd.Hev(e)ydd]
a messenger of Bran

Hefeydd Hen Welsh
[Hefaidd.Hefeyyd the Old.Hefyd(d).
Heveidd.Hev(e)ydd]
father of Rhiannon
Hefyd (see Hefeydd)
Hefydd (see Hefeydd)
Hegal (see Marduk)
Hegemone Greek
in some accounts, one of the Graces
Hegir-nuna (see Gangir)
Heh (see Huh)
Heheh (see Huh)
Hehet (see Hauhet)
Hehit (see Hauhet)
Hehu (see Huh)
Hehut (see Hauhet)
Hei Lao-yeh Chinese
[Mr Black]
a minor deity
He, together with Po Lao-yeh, is an
assistant to Ch’eng-huang, the god of
Walls and Moats, reporting on events
occurring during the night.
hei-tiki New Zealand
a Maori amulet
This charm represents a human foetus
and is said to ward off attacks by the
spirits of the still-born, envious of
those who survived at birth.
heiau Pacific Islands

a temple built of lava in Hawaii
Heid
1
Norse
[Heidh.Heidr]
a witch
sister of Ham
With her sister Ham, she was used by
Helgé to cause a storm that nearly
wrecked Frithiof’s ship en route to the
Orkneys. They were both killed when
the ship ran down the whale on which
they were riding.
In other accounts, the two witches
were called Thorgrim and Thorod.
(see also Haid)
Heid
2
(see Gollweig
1
)
heiden Japanese
part of a shrine used by the
officiating priest
Heidh (see Heid)
Heidr (see Heid)
Heidrum (see Heidrun)
Heidrun Norse
[Heidrum]
the goat of Odin

This goat supplied the mead of the
gods, grazing on the leaves on Laerad,
the highest branch of Yggdrasil.
Heidyn Welsh
killer of the bard Aneurin
heifer Egyptian
the animal of Isis
Heiglot
a demon of snowstorms
Heijo Japanese
a mythical castle of peace
Heike-hani Japanese
the spirit of a dead warrior of
the Heike clan
Heike-hani
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Heitsi-eibib
Heil (see Helith)
Heilyn Welsh
a warrior in Bran’s army
son of Gwyn Hen
He was one of only seven to return
from Bran’s expedition to Ireland to
rescue his sister, Branwen, from
Matholwch.
Heilyn Goch Welsh
son of Cadwgawn
He owned the cottage where Rhonabwy
slept and had his famous dream.

Heimarmene Greek
destiny personified
Heimchen German
the souls of unborn or unbaptised
children
Heimdal (see Heimdall)
Heimdall Norse
[Er.Gullintani.Hallinskide.Hama.Heimdal.
Heimdallr.Heimdellinger.Hermin.
Irmin.Mardall.Rati.Rig(er).Vindlir.
White God:=Saxon Saxsnot]
a giant demi-god, god of the dawn
guardian of Bifrost, the rainbow bridge
son of Odin by 9 wave-maidens
His mothers, giantesses all, are listed
as Atla, Augeia, Aurgiafa, Egia, Gialp,
Greip, Iarnsaxa, Sindur and Ulfrun
and they simultaneously gave birth to a
baby, fathered by Odin, which they
reared on warmth from the sun,
moisture from the sea and strength
from the earth. Another account gives
his mother as Angey.
He was said to have very keen
eyesight, able to see 100 miles by
night, hearing that could detect the
grass growing and, armed with a
bright sword Hofud and his trumpet
Giallarhorn, he lived in a palace
known as Himinbiorg built on top of

the bridge, from where he had a good
view. His job was to keep the Frost
Giants from entering Asgard.
On one occasion he saw Loki, in the
form of a flea (or fly), steal the
marvellous necklace, Brisingamen,
from the sleeping Freya and, after a
struggle in which they both changed
forms several times, Heimdall finally
retrieved the necklace and restored it
to Freya.
In the guise of Riger, he visited
earth and became the progenitor of
the human race, spending three days
each with three couples, the
impoverished Ai and Edda, the well-
off Afi and Anima and the very wealthy
Fadir and Modir. A son (Thrall, Karl
and Jarl respectively) was born to
each couple and these became the
forerunners of humanity.
He blew his horn to warn the gods
of the impending battle of Ragnarok
but, by then, it was too late. In the
fighting, he killed Loki but was
himself killed with the other gods.
He had a horse called Gulltop and is
depicted in shining white armour.
(see also Cheru.Rati
2

.Lyfir.Riger)
Heimdallr (see Heimdall)
Heimdellinger Norse
a name of Heimdall as ‘herald of
the day’
Heime Norse
[Heimir]
son of Studas
son of Volund, in some accounts
In the Germanic stories, Studas gave
his son the marvellous sword,
Blutgang, with which he challenged
Dietrich von Bern. He was defeated
and became a devoted follower of
Dietrich to whom he gave the horse,
Falke, which never grew tired. When
he saw Wittich fall in battle, he took
his famous sword, Miming, thinking
the owner was dead. When he later
discovered that Wittich had survived,
he returned the sword.
He later fell out with Dietrich
and became the leader of a band
of robbers.
(see also Wittich)
Heimer Norse
in some accounts, the man who saved
the child Aslaug
In some accounts, it was he, not
Brunhild’s father, who took the child

Aslaug to safety hidden in a harp.
Heimir Norse
the name for Heime in Thidrekssaga
Heimskringla Norse
a book by Snorri Sturluson listing the
ancient kings of Norway, including
the Ynglingasaga
Heinin British
the chief bard at King Arthur’s court
or, in the story of Elphin, at the
court of the king, Maelgwn
Heinze German
one of the kobolds
Heinzelmannchen German
friendly dwarfs who work by night
to help people (see also kobold)
Heinrich von dem Turtin
(see Turtin)
Heise African
an itinerant Bushman hero
He was half-man, half-god and knew
all the wild animals. He married an
antelope and they had two half-
human, half-antelope offspring. When
he snapped off the branch of a tree, the
maiden trapped inside the tree was
released and became his wife.
Heitaro Japanese
a farmer
husband of Higo

father of Chiyodo
He became so fond of a large willow
tree that grew near his house that
eventually the spirit of the tree
appeared to him in the form of a
maiden called Higo. He married her
and they had a child, Chiyodo. When
the emperor had the willow felled to
provide timber for a new temple, Higo
cried out in pain as the axes fell and
then disappeared forever.
Heithiurun British
an idol, possibly representing the
god Taran
Heithrek Norse
a king
When offenders were brought to his
court for trial, he would allow them to
go free if they could pose a riddle which
he could not answer. None did – until
Gestumblindi. This proud landowner
asked many questions, all of which the
king answered with ease, but finally
asked ‘What did Odin whisper to
Balder as he lay on his funeral pyre?’. It
was only then that the king realised that
he was dealing with Odin who had
taken on the likeness of Gestumblindi.
As he struck at the god with his sword,
Odin changed into a falcon and flew

away, losing only a few tail feathers.
Angry at this insult, Odin ensured that
Heithrek died that same night.
heitiki Pacific Islands
an amulet
Heitlik North American
[Hahektaok.Haietl(e)ik]
a demon of the tribes of the north-west
This ‘lightning-snake’ was revered
by fishermen.
Heitsi-eibib African
[Haitsi-aibab]
a Hottentot god or hero,
a shape-changer
Some say his mother was a cow, others
that she was a virgin impregnated by a
herb.
He killed the monster Ga-Gorib by
pushing him into the pit he had used
to trap travellers. In some accounts the
monster was Gama and Heitsi-eibib
killed him by striking him behind the
ear with a stone.
Heil
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Hek
He is said to have died and been
resurrected several times.
Hek (see Heka)

heka
1
Egyptian
[hek(au).hike.hyk]
the magical power of the gods
Heka
2
Egyptian
[Hek(au).Hike.Hyk]
a god of magic
He was one of those who accompanied
the god Ra in his boat journey across
the sky each day.
In some accounts he is equated
with Shu.
Heka
3
(see Heket.Hike)
Hekabe (see Hecuba)
Hekate (see Hecate)
Hekatonkheires
(see Hundred-handed)
hekau (see heka
1
)
Heke-Heke-I-Papa New Zealand
the third wife of Rangi
Heket Egyptian
[Hak.Heka.Hekt.Hequat.Heq(u)et]
a water-goddess, goddess of childbirth

consort of Haroeris or Khnum
In some accounts, she is the daughter
of Ra and the twin sister of Shu. As the
wife of Khnum, she gave life to the
bodies he made from clay.
Originally, she was one of the frogs
which lived in the primaeval swamp
and is depicted as a frog or as a frog-
headed human. In some accounts she
is regarded as the mother of Haroeris
and wife of Khnum.
Hekija Buddhist
an underworld being
He dips the evil-doers in sauce and
bites off their heads.
Hekkenfeldt European
[=Icelandic Hekla]
a site where Danish witches held
their meetings
Hekla Norse
[=Danish Hekkenfeldt]
in Icelandic lore, a mountain where
witches held their meetings
Hekt (see Heket)
Hektor (see Hector)
Hel
1
Norse
[Hela.Hell]
a parti-coloured underworld goddess

daughter of Loki and Angerbode
She was thrown into Niflheim by Odin
to rule the nine worlds of the dead.
She occasionally roamed the earth on a
three-legged horse, bringing famine
and disease, and is envisaged as half
black, half white.
In some accounts, she is the leader
of the Wild Hunt, in others she is Urd.
Hel
2
(see Niflheim)
Hel-cake Norse
food used to pacify the dog Garm
Hel-gate Norse
the entrance to Niflheim
Hel-kappe (see Tarnkappe)
Hel Keplein Norse
a mantle producing invisibility
(see also Tarnkappe)
Hel-shoes Norse
[Hel-sko.Helsko.Todtenschuh]
stout shoes fitted to the dead for their
journey over the rough road, Helveg,
leading to Niflheim
Hel-sko (see Hel-shoes)
Hel Tor British
a point on the Devon moors where
King Arthur is said to have fought
and defeated the Devil

Hela
1
British
daughter of Tiriel, in the works of
William Blake
Her father rebelled against his own
father, Har, and became a tyrannical
ruler, killing many of his own children
and turning Hela’s hair into snakes
like Medusa.
Hela
2
(see Hel
1
)
Helaius British
[Helyas]
an ancestor of King Arthur
father of Joshua
He is regarded as an earlier Grail
King.
Helain (see Elyan)
Helblindi
1
Norse
son of Farbauti
brother of Loki, some say
Helblindi
2
Norse

a name used by Odin
Helche Norse
[Herka]
daughter of Rother and Oda
first wife of Etzel
Heldenbuch German
[Book of Heroes]
a 15th C book of myths and legends by
Kaspar von der Rhon
Heldins European
in some accounts, the first king of
Denmark. predecessor of Tallas
Heledd Welsh
daughter of Cynddylan
Heleius Greek
a king of the Taphians
son of Perseus and Andromeda
Helen
1
Canaanite
the consort of Simon Magus
Helen
2
European
[Helena]
daughter of King Hoel
She was carried off by Cormoran, the
giant of Mont St Michel. King Arthur
killed the giant but was too late to
save Helen.

Helen
3
Greek
[Dendritis.Helen of Troy.Helena.
Helene.Kunopis]
daughter of Zeus by Leda or Nemesis
wife of Menelaus
sister of Castor, Clytemnestra
and Polydeuces
mother of Hermione and Xuthus
She was born from the coupling of
Zeus, in the form of a swan, with Leda,
or with Nemesis who took the form of
a goose, to produce an egg from which
Helen was hatched.
As a young girl, she was carried
away by Peirithous and Theseus who
drew lots for her. Theseus won and
sent her to Aphidnus who cared for her
until she was of marriageable age. She
was rescued by Castor and Polydeuces
when they invaded Attica while
Theseus was imprisoned in Tartarus.
She later married Menelaus but was
abducted by Paris, precipitating the
Trojan War. After the death of Paris,
whom she had married, in the fighting
at Troy, she married his brother
Deiphobus but when the city fell to
the Greeks she was reunited with

Menelaus and returned with him to
Greece. Menelaus was one of those
who condemned Orestes to death for
killing Aegisthus and Clytemnestra to
avenge their murder of his father
Agamemnon and Orestes would have
killed Helen to punish her husband
had not Zeus intervened and carried
Helen off to Olympus as one of the
immortals where she became, like
Castor and Pollux, guardian of sailors,
appearing as St Elmo’s fire.
Another version says that, when
Menelaus died, Helen went to Rhodes
where she was hanged by Polyxo.
An alternative story says that, when
Paris’ ship was driven ashore in Egypt,
Proteus took Helen to the safety of a
cave and put a spirit facsimile in her
place to be abducted by Paris.
In some accounts she is said to
have married Achilles in Hades and
bore a son, Euphorion, though Goethe
says that Euphorion was her son by
Faust.
Helen
4
Greek
daughter of Aegisthus and
Clytemnestra

Helen
4
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Helgi
4
She was one of those killed by
Orestes when he killed her parents
to avenge the murder of his father,
Agamemnon.
Helen
5
Greek
a play by Euripides in which he alleges
that only a phantom Helen was
taken to Troy
Helen
6
Serbian
the real name of Yevrossima
Helen
7
(see Elaine
1
)
Helen of the Hosts (see Elen)
Helen of Troy (see Helen
3
)
Helena

1
British
daughter of Coel
Her father overthrew the king,
Asclepiodotus, and took the throne.
He died a month later and Helena
married the Roman, Constantine, who
became king of Britain.
In some accounts, she is the same
as Elen.
Helena
2
(see Helen
1.3
)
Helena Dendritis (see Dendritis)
Helene (see Helen
3
)
Helenos (see Helenus)
Helenus Greek
[Helenos]
a Trojan prophet
son of Priam and Hecuba
twin-brother of Cassandra
brother of Deiphobus, Hector and Paris
Some stories say that both he and
Cassandra acquired prophetic powers
when they were licked on the
ears by serpents when they were

young children.
When Paris was killed during the
siege of Troy, Helenus and his brother
Deiphobus fought for possession of
Helen. Helenus lost the encounter and
fled from the city. He was either trapped
by Odysseus or voluntarily joined the
Greek forces and predicted that they
would take the city only if Philoctetes
and Pyrrhus joined the battle, the
shoulder bone of Pelops were brought
from Greece and the Palladium were
seized from within the city. When the
city fell to the Greeks, he led a band of
survivors to settle in Greece itself.
Andromache, the widow of Hector, was
given as a prize to Pyrrhus but he soon
abandoned her. Helenus later married
her and they had a son, Cestrinus.
Helfrat (see Elf
4
)
Helferich (see Elf
4
)
Helga Norse
daughter of Njal and Bergthora
sister of Grim, Helgi, Skarp-Hedin
and Thorgeid
She was trapped when Flosi’s men

surrounded the house but, with the
other women and children, was given
safe passage before the house was
burnt to the ground.
Helga-fell Norse
In Icelandic lore, a hill which is the
home of the dead
Helgé (see Helgi
1.2.3.4
)
Helgi
1
Norse
[Helgé]
son of Belé
brother of Halfdan and Ingeborg
After the death of their father, Helgi
and Halfdan jointly ruled the kingdom
of Sogn. At their coronation, Frithiof
offered his loyalty and asked for the
hand of their sister, Ingeborg. Helgi
rejected his suit because Frithiof was a
mere commoner and insulted him by
offering him work in the palace.
When the aged king, Sigurd Ring,
sued for the hand of Ingeborg,
Halfdan upset the king by a joking
remark about his age, whereupon the
king sent an invading army. The
brothers sent Hilding to ask Frithiof to

fight for them and when he refused
they made peace with Sigmund Ring,
paying him an annual tribute and
giving him Ingeborg in marriage.
Frithiof offered to free them from
their obligations to Sigmund Ring if
they would allow him to marry
Ingeborg but, because Frithiof and
Ingeborg had broken the sacred laws
by speaking in Hoder’s temple, Helgi
again rejected his suit and imposed a
sentence which he fully expected
would result in Frithiof’s death.
Angantyr, king of the Orkneys, had
ceased paying an annual tribute to Belé
when he died. Helgi sent Frithiof to
Orkney to demand that the king should
hand over the tribute. Helgi then used
two witches, Ham and Heid, to brew
up a storm that almost wrecked
Frithiof’s ship but they survived by
running down the whale on which the
witches were riding and killing them.
Frithiof returned safely with a bag of
coins given to him by Angantyr which
he flung in Helgi’s face.
When hunting in the mountains, he
came upon a deserted shrine and when
he tugged at the lock the god’s statue
fell from over the gate and killed him.

Other accounts say that he was
killed by Frithiof.
Helgi
2
Norse
[Helgé]
son of Sigmund and Borghild
brother of Hamond
Tutored by Hagal, Helgi became a
fearless warrior and killed the giant
Hati. He saw nine Valkyries riding in
the sky and one of them, Svava, told
him where to find a magic sword.
In another story, Sigrun (Svava
reborn) saved him from a storm at sea
and, in yet another, Kara (Sigrun
reborn) protected him in the form of a
swan but was killed when he swung his
sword too high in the air.
Some say that Sigrun had been
promised in marriage to Hadbrod and
that he fought Helgi for her hand and
was killed.
Helgi escaped capture by the
Hundings, traditional enemies of the
Volsungs, by disguising himself as
Hagal’s man-servant and then, with
Sinfiotli, led an army against the
Hundings which killed all except
Dag who promised to end the

feud. Instead, he used Odin’s spear,
Gungnir, to kill Helgi.
One of the Valkyries, Gudrun, had
fallen in love with Helgi and they were
reunited in Valhalla after his death. In
some versions, Gudrun is Svava.
Helgi
3
Norse
[Helgé]
son of Njal and Bergthora
brother of Grim, Helga, Skarp-Hedin
and Throgerd
He died, with the rest of the Njalsson
clan when they were trapped in their
house, Bergthorsknoll, which was
burnt to the ground by Flosi and his
men. He tried to escape dressed as a
woman but was spotted and killed
by Flosi.
Helgi
4
Norse
[Helgé.Helgi Thorgilsson]
father of Bjarni
In one story, it was said that Helgi
killed Geiter but others say that they
fought but became good friends.
Another story tells how he plotted
with Geitir, his brother-in-law, to

murder a rich merchant for his valuables
but the merchant’s partner, Thorlief,
sent the dead man’s possessions to his
heirs. Helgi then employed Ketill to
kill Thorlief but the assassin made
friends with his intended victim. Helgi
and Geitir each came to suspect the
other of having stolen the merchant’s
fortune and they quarrelled. In the end,
Geitir laid an ambush for his brother-
in-law and Helgi was killed.
Helen
5
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Helgrind
Helgrind Norse
[Helgrindr.Nagrind.Valgrind:=Finnish
Tuonen-portti]
the gate at the entrance to Hel’s
kingdom of the dead
Helgrindr (see Helgrind)
Helgunda European
the name for Hildegunde in the Polish
version of the story of Walther
and Hildegunde
In this version, her husband was Walczerz.
Helheim (see Niflheim)
Heli (see Beli
1

)
Helia (see Halia)
Heliades
1
British
a king of Scotland
He was an ally of Mordred when he
usurped the throne of Britain and was
rewarded with the throne of Scotland.
Heliades
2
Greek
the daughters of Helius
and Clymene
sisters of Phaeton
Their names were Aegle (or Phoebe),
Lampetia and Phaetusa.
Grieving at the death of their
brother Phaeton, they were turned into
poplar trees on the banks of the river
Eridanus, the river into which he fell
when struck by the thunderbolt of
Zeus.
The term is also used for the
children of Helios, of whom there
were many, by various consorts.
Helias (see Elias)
Helicaon Greek
son of Antenor
husband of Laodice

Helice
1
Greek
a nymph
wife of Oenopion
mother of Merope
Helice
2
Greek
daughter of Selinus
wife of Ion
Helicon (see Mount Helicon)
Helie British
a servant of Blonde Esmerée
She went to King Arthur’s court
to enlist the help of Gingalin for her
mistress.
Helig Welsh
a ruler of Lafau Sands
As a result of his wickedness, his realm
was inundated by the sea. He escaped
with his family and thereafter lived a
pious life.
Heliogabalos Greek
the Greek version of Elagabalus
heliolatry
sun-worship
Heliopolis Greek
the Greek name for the sacred
Egyptian city of the sun

Helios (see Helius)
heliotrope
1
Greek
the sunflower into which Clytie
was changed
heliotrope
2
a stone, a greenish form of quartz
Some say it makes its wearer invisible.
Helis
1
British
son of Ardan
cousin of King Arthur
Helis
2
(see Helith)
Helith British
[Heil.Helis]
a sun-god
Some say that he is represented by the
figure known as the Cerne Abbas Giant.
Helius Greek
[Apollo.Helios.Phoebus.Titan:
=Egyptian Ra:=Roman Sol]
a sun-god and god of beauty
son of Hyperion and Thea
or Euryphaessa
brother of Eos and Selene

consort of Perse
father of Aegle, Lampetia,
Phaetusa and Phaeton by
Clymene
father of Pasiphae by Crete
father of Aetes and Crete by
Perse, some say
father of Prote by Rhode, some say
He was said to have fathered seven
sons and one daughter on the nymph
Rhode. In some accounts, Phaeton is
one of those sons, in others he is the
son of Helius by Clymene. Other
accounts say that he was the father of
Silene by Euryphaessa while others say
there were three sons (or grandsons),
Camirus, Ialysus and Lindus.
He drove his sun-chariot across the
sky from east to west every day,
returning to his eastern palace each
night in a golden ferry-boat operating
in Ocean. Foolishly he allowed his son
Phaeton to drive his sun-chariot with
disastrous results.
During the war between the Giants
and the gods, he was absent from
the sky to prevent the growth of a
herb that would have made the
Giants immortal.
It was Helius who gave Heracles the

golden bowl in which he crossed from
Africa to Erythea en route to seize
Geryon’s cattle.
Helius owned seven herds of cattle
and seven flocks of sheep, pastured
on islands in the Mediterranean and
tended by his daughters. These herds
never grew larger or smaller until they
were attacked by the crew of Odysseus’
ship.
Heljar-ran Norse
the realm of Dellinger
Hell
1
(see Hel
1
)
hell
2
[Abyss.Bottomless Pit]
a place of punishment after death,
common to many cultures
–Afghan
The Kafir hell is called Burry
Duggan Boola.
–Buddhist
The Buddhists envisage a hell with
eight, ten or as many as 136 realms,
the lowest of which is called Avici.
–Central American

The Mayan hell consisted of nine
steps which required the soul to
cross a river guarded by a yellow
dog, pass between two mountain
peaks, suffer the onslaught of bitterly
cold winds, banners and arrows, and
escape from a wild animal before
reaching a land of peace.
–Chinese
This home of departed souls,
known as Ti Yü, Earth Prism, is
said to be somewhere in Szechuan
province and has ten departments,
known as Shih T’ien-wen-yang,
each of which is ruled by one of the
Ten Yama Kings.
Souls reaching this region are
asked for money at the entrance
and beaten if they fail to pay. After
being weighed to ascertain whether
they are weighed down by evil,
they are segregated into good and
evil in Bad Dog Village. They are
allowed a glimpse of their future in
a mirror and a nostalgic look at
their past before crossing a bridge
which, for sinners, is only about an
inch wide. On the far side, they
receive a drink which destroys all
recollection of an earlier life and

pass through the Wheel of the Law
to emerge into a new incarnation.
–European
In his Divine Comedy, Dante divides
hell into nine cirles, some of which
are sub-divided.
After entering at the gates and
passing through the vestibule
reserved for the futile, one crosses
the Acheron to reach the first circle,
Limbo, reserved for the unbaptised.
hell
2
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Helva
The next three circles are reserved
for the lustful, the gluttonous and
the hoarders (or spendthrifts).
Crossing the Styx, one reaches the
fifth circle, reserved for the angry,
and then the city of Dis. Passing
from the upper hell to the lower
hell, one comes to the sixth circle,
reserved for heretics. The seventh
circle, for the violent, is sub-
divided into three rings (for those
who attacked relatives; suicides;
and blasphemers) and the eighth
circle has ten trenches reserved for

panderers, flatterers, simoniacs,
sorcerers, barrators, hypocrites,
thieves, fraudsters, agitators and
falsifiers.
The final circle has four zones
that are known as Caina (for
those who betrayed their families),
Antenora (for those who betrayed
their country), Ptolomaea (for
betrayers of hospitality) and Judecca
(for those who betrayed their
superiors).
–Greek (see Hades.Tartarus)
–Hebrew
She’ol, sometimes referred to as
Belial, is a dark realm under the
earth, largely a place for the dead
awaiting the last day, rather than a
place of punishment.
(see also Gehenna)
–Hindu
Hell has twenty-eight realms. Of
these, Asipatravana is for heretics,
Avichimat is for liars, Kalasutra is
for killers of Brahmins, Krimibhoja
is for the selfish, Raurava is for
sadists, Suchimukha is for misers,
Sukramukha is for tyrants, Tamusra
is for adulterers and thieves,
Vaitarani for pillagers and those

who have destroyed beehives, and
Vajrakantaka is for those who
married into another caste. Those
people who have caused religious
controversy are thrown into the
filthy river, also called Vaitarani.
–Jain
Hell has a number of layers of
which the lowest is known as
Mahahima. In one realm, Valuka,
the torture involves burial in hot
sand.
–Japanese
Yomitsu-kuni or Jigoku lies under
the earth and comprises eight hells,
each of which is divided into
sixteen parts. In addition to these
major hells there are others, each
divided into four parts, known as
Kimpen-jigoku and others, the
Koduko-jigoku, which appear
randomly. Souls are judged by
Emma-O and sent to one or more
hells or, if deserving, reborn.
(see also underworld)
Hell-money
paper money burnt as an offering to
the dead
Hellawes (see Hellowes)
Helle Greek

daughter of Athamas and Nephele,
Ino or Themisto
sister of Phrixus
She and her brother were rescued
from being sacrificed and carried away
by Chrysallom, a flying ram with a
golden fleece, but she got giddy, fell
into the sea and was drowned in what
became known as the Hellespont.
Some stories allege that she was
saved from drowning by Poseidon and
bore his son, Paeon or Edonus.
Hellekin (see Harlequin)
Hellen Greek
son of Deucalion and Pyrrha
brother of Amphictryon, Idomeneus
and Molus
husband of Orseis
father of Aeolus, Dorus and Xuthus
He is regarded as the father of all Greeks.
Heller South American
a Patagonian creator-god
son of the sun
Hellespontine Sybil Greek
a prophetess
Helli (see Selli)
Hellison
a spirit of fruitfulness
Hellkin British
the English name for Alichino

Hellotia Greek
a Cretan festival in honour of Athene
or Europa
hellotis Greek
a wreath, said to contain the bones of
Europa, carried in the festival
of Hellotia
Hellowes British
[Hallowes.Hellawes]
a sorceress of Castle Nigramous
She was sent by Morgan le Fay to
entrap Lancelot but he warded off all
her enchantments by using the hilt of
his sword as a cross. She fell in love
with Lancelot but perished since a
sorceress cannot love a mere mortal
and live. Others say she died of a
broken heart.
Hellraker British
the English version of Malebranche
Helm Gunnar (see Hialmgunnar)
Helm Wind (see helmwind)
Helmet of Dread
(see Helmet of Invisibility
2
)
Helmet of Invisibility
1
Greek
[Cap of Hades]

a helmet owned by Hades
This helmet was worn by Perseus
when he killed the gorgon, Medusa.
In some versions, this headgear was
a cap made of dogskin which Perseus
got from the Graiae.
Helmet of Invisibility
2
Norse
[Aegis.Helmet of Dread.Oegishialm.
Tarnhelm]
a magic helmet made by the
dwarf, Mime
This was part of the treasure
surrendered under duress by Andvari
to Loki to ransom himself, Odin and
Hoenir who were held captive by
Hreidmar for the killing of his son
Otter by Loki. It was seized by Fafnir
who used it to turn himself into a
dragon.
Helmigis German
a shield-bearer to Alboin
When Alboin was murdered by
Perideus at the behest of Alboin’s wife,
Rosamund, she became ruler of the
Lombards and proposed to marry
Helmigis. Her subjects would not
accept such a man as king and they
fled together. She grew tired of him

and gave him a poisoned drink. He
forced her to drink half of it and they
died together.
Helmschott Norse
a warrior serving with Dietrich
von Bern
He was one of the party captured by
Ermenrich.
Helmund Afghan
[=Persian Haravaita]
a river-goddess
helmwind British
[Helm Wind]
a Cumbrian wind in Arthurian
legends
Heloha North American
a female Thunderbird, in the lore of
the Choctaws
Helsko (see Hel-shoes)
Helva Norse
daughter of the lord of Nesvek
Her father agreed that she could
marry Esbern if he would build a
church. Esbern agreed to give his
eyes, heart and soul to the dwarf who
Hell-money
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Helveg
undertook the work, unless he could

discover the dwarf’s name before the
church was completed. Helva’s prayers
to the gods enabled her to discover
that the dwarf’s name was Father Fine
in time to save her lover.
Helveg Norse
[Helvegr.Helvig]
the rough road leading to Niflheim
Helvegr (see Helveg)
Helvig (see Helveg)
Helyas (see Elias.Helaius)
Hema
1
New Zealand
son of Kai Tangata and Whaitiri
husband of Urutonga
father of Tawhaki
He was killed by demons but his death
was avenged by Tawhaki.
(see also Hema
2
)
Hema
2
Pacific Islands
in Hawaii, Hema was the son of Ai
Kanaka and Mahina and the brother
of Puna
Hemadri Hindu
a name for Mount Meru as

‘golden mountain’
Hemakuta Hindu
a range of mountains said to lie to the
north of the Himalayas
Hemantadevi Buddhist
[=Tibetan dGun-gyi-rgyal-mo]
a goddess of winter
She is depicted as blue and having the
head of an animal.
Hemen Egyptian
a falcon-god
He is said to be an aspect of Horus.
Hemera Greek
[‘day’]
an aspect of Eos as ‘morning’
daughter of Erebus and Nyx
mother of Aphrodite, some say
hemicyne Greek
one of a race of dog-headed humans,
said to bark like dogs, living near the
Black Sea (see also cyanocephali)
Hemison British
a knight
lover of Morgan le Fay
He was said to be the father of Pulzella
Gaia by Morgan and was killed by
Tristram.
Hemithea Greek
daughter of Cycnus and Procleia
Her father’s second wife, Phylonome,

accused Hemithea’s brother, Teles, of
improper advances and Cycnus cast
both Teles and Hemithea adrift in a
chest. They were rescued by Poseidon
and landed on Tenedos where Teles
was made king.
Hemosu Korean
father of Chumong
He pretended to be the son of a god
and raped the maiden Yuhwa who
produced an egg from which Chumong
was born.
Hemp Lady (see Ma Ku)
Hemsut Egyptian
[Hemusut]
a goddess of fate
Hemusut (see Hemsut)
Hen Wen Welsh
[Henwen.Old White One]
a magical white sow
She distributed gifts of corn, bees, etc.,
and was said to be the mother of the
monstrous animal, Cath Palug, and
other troublesome offspring. King
Arthur chased her until she jumped
into the sea.
In some accounts she is identified
as Ceridwen.
henbane
a plant said to have magical powers

Henbeddestyr Welsh
son of Erim
He could run faster than any man
whether on foot or on horseback.
(see also Henwas)
Hendursaga Mesopotamian
[Hendursanga:=Akkadian Ixum]
a Sumerian god of law
Hendursanga (see Hendursaga)
Heneb Egyptian
a god of the vine
Heng
1
North American
[De Hi No]
a thunder-god of the Hurons
Heng, one of seven brothers, was so
vigorous and so clumsy that his
brothers abandoned him on a small
island in a lake in the mountains where
he still lives.
Heng
2
(see Hang)
Heng Hsi Chinese
[Chang Hsi.Ever Breath]
one of the wives of Ti Chün
She had ten (or, some say, twelve)
sons by Ti Chün and took them, one
each day as the moon, across the sky

in her chariot.
In some accounts, she is the same
as Heng O.
Heng O Chinese
[ch’an-ch’u.Chang O.Ever Sublime.
Moon Lady]
a moon-goddess
sister of Ho Po
wife of I
Her husband built a jade palace for Hsi
Wang Mu and was given the drink that
conferred immortality. Heng-O stole
it and fled to the moon, becoming a
three-legged celestial toad. She was
reunited with I when he became a
sun-god.
(see also Heng Hsi)
Heng Shan
1
Chinese
one of the Five Holy Mountains, known
as Wu Yüeh, in Hunan province
Heng Shan
2
Chinese
one of the Five Holy Mountains,
known as Wu Yüeh, in Shansi
(Shanxi) province
Henga North American
an eagle-spirit in the lore of the

Osage tribe
Hengest (see Hengist)
Hengi-kiaptr Norse
a name for Frodi’s mill (see also Grotte)
Hengist
1
Norse
[Hengest]
a Danish clan-chief
brother of Horsa
father of Aesc, Ebissa, Hartwaker, Octa,
Renwein and Sardoine
When Hnaef was killed in the battle
with Finn who had married Hnaef’s
sister, Hildeburh, Hengist took over as
leader of the clan. He pretended to
make peace with Finn but treacherously
killed him and took Hildeburh back to
her own people.
He led the Saxon invasion of Britain
with his brother Horsa and became
king of Kent. He was killed in battle
by Eldol.
Hengist
2
Saxon
the Saxon name for Ivald or Hiuki
Hengroen Welsh
the horse of Cynwyl
Henin Welsh

father of Garwen
henky Scottish
a troll of the northern islands
Henning European
the cock in Reynard the Fox, mate
of Scratchfoot
Heno (see Hinun)
Henry European
a German emperor
father of Laris and Lidoine
Henry the Courtly British
leader of an army sent by King Arthur
to relieve Jerusalem from the threat
of invasion
Hensho Kong (see Kobo Daishi)
Hent-Taui Egyptian
a priestess of Amon-Ra
Henten Karube African
daughter of Bincigi
sister of Marain Jagu
Henten Karube
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Hera
She helped her brother avenge her
father’s death at the hands of the tyrant
king, Garakhe.
Henwas Welsh
son of Erim
He was known as Henwas the Winged

because he could run faster than
any animal. (see also Henbeddestyr)
Henwen (see Hen Wen)
Henwinus British
a duke of Cornwall
husband of Regan
He and his wife, together with Goneril
and her husband, deposed the aging
King Lear. Lear went to his other
daughter, Cordelia, in Gaul and they
returned with an army that restored
the king to his throne.
Heol European
a Breton sun-god
Heorot Danish
the palace of Hrodgar
Heosphorus (see Phosporus)
hepatoscopy
divination by inspection of animals’
livers or entrails
Hepatu (see Hepit)
Hepetiupa (see Rua Kenana)
Hephaestia
1
Greek
[Hephaistia:=Roman Vulcania]
a festival in honour of Hephaestus
Hephaestia
2
Greek

[Hephaistia]
a name of Athena as a smith-goddess
Hephaestus Greek
[Hephaistos:=Hindu Tvashtri:
=Roman Mulciber.Vulcan]
god of fire, a smith-god
one of the Olympians
son of Zeus and Hera or of Hera alone
brother of Hebe and Ares
husband of Aglaia, Aphrodite or Charis
father of Olenus and Palaemon
father by Etna of the twins, Palici, in
some accounts
father by Gaia of Erichthonius
father by Medusa of Ardalus, Cacus,
Cercyon and Periphetes
He was a puny and ugly infant and may
have been born lame, prompting his
mother Hera to throw him off Mount
Olympus. In another account, he was
thrown down by Zeus when he had the
audacity to criticise Zeus for his
treatment of Hera who had been hung
up by her wrists. Whether he was lame
before or not, he was certainly lame
thereafter as a result of breaking his
legs in the fall. In the first version he
fell into the sea and was rescued by
Thetis and Euryneme, in the second
he fell on Lemnos. He walked on

golden leg supports which, some say,
were in the form of hand-maidens who
supported him. He made a golden
throne which trapped anyone who sat
in it and sent it to Hera. After Hermes
had failed, Dionysus persuaded
Hephaestus to return to Olympus and
release her, whereupon he was
restored to his parents’ favour. Some
say that he released Hera only when he
was promised Aphrodite as his wife.
He soon returned to his forge and
made golden palaces for each of the
gods and the thunderbolts that Zeus
used as his personal weapons. His
other works included Talos, the
bronze guardian of Crete, a golden
mastiff for Rhea to guard the infant
Zeus, Harmonia’s beautiful necklace,
the bulls of Aetes and the golden
basket used by Core when picking
flowers. Some say that he also
created Pandora.
In some accounts he married Aglaia,
one of the Graces, or Charis; others
say he married Aphrodite. In this latter
story, he caught Aphrodite in bed with
Ares and trapped them both in a net of
very fine metal mesh which he had
made, allowing all the bystanders to

see her shame. It was he who split
open the head of Zeus with his axe to
allow the birth, fully dressed in armour
and already armed, of the goddess
Athene. In an abortive attempt to rape
Athene he fertilised Gaea, giving rise
to Erichthonius.
His symbol is the hammer.
Hephaistia (see Hephaestia)
Hephaistos (see Hephaestus)
Hephzibah (see Rua Kenana)
Hepiales (see Ephialtes
2
)
Hepialos (see Ephialtes
2
)
Hepit Mesopotamian
a Hurrian sky-goddess
In some accounts, she is identified
with Hebat; in others, they are
separate deities.
She is depicted as standing on a lion.
Heptad (see Amesha Spentas)
Hepti Norse
one of the dwarfs
Heqet (see Heket)
Heqt (see Heket)
Hequat (see Heket)
Heques Egyptian

a god of fishermen and river-mouths
Hequet (see Heket)
Her Egyptian
a sky-god
Her-ap-sheta Egyptian
Horus as ‘opener of secrets’
the planet Jupiter
Her-ka Egyptian
Horus as the Bull: the planet Saturn
Her-pe-khred (see Harpakhrad)
Her-Tyr (see Herfadir)
Hera Greek
[Chera.Gamelia.Great Goddess.Here.
Karpophonos.Kourotrophos.‘lady’.
Parthenos.Queen of Heaven.Teleia:
=Egyptian Mut:=Hindu Indrani:
=Roman Juno]
the goddess of marriage and sky
one of the Olympians
daughter of Cronus and Rhea
twin sister and wife of Zeus
mother of Ares, Hebe, Hephaestus
and Ilithyia
She was one of the children swallowed
by Cronus who was afraid that one of
them might usurp his throne. Only Zeus
escaped this fate and he later caused
Cronus to regurgitate the children he
had swallowed. She was nursed by the
Seasons and raised by Temenus.

She was raped by Zeus in the form
of a cuckoo and later married him,
receiving a tree that yielded golden
apples as a wedding gift from Gaea.
She was so disgusted by the puny
and ugly infant Hephaestus that she is
said to have dropped him from Mount
Olympus. She had the power to grant
to others the gift of prophecy.
She found the infant Heracles
abandoned by Alcmene and, not
realising that this was another son
of her errant husband Zeus, suckled
it at her breast, so making him
immortal. She later did all she could to
harass Heracles.
She once led a revolt against the
imperious Zeus and was severely
punished for her treachery. She was
suspended by her wrists with heavy
weights attached to her ankles. Others
say that this treatment resulted from
her persecution of Heracles.
When Semele was having an affair
with Zeus, Hera came in the form of
Semele’s old nurse, Beroe, and
persuaded her mistress to demand that
her lover should prove that he really
was who he said he was. When Zeus
complied, the divine radiance killed

Semele. The son of this union was
Dionysus and Hera ordered the Titans
to destroy him. They tore him to
pieces and boiled him but Rhea
collected all the bits, reassembled them
Henwas
EABC8972-576D-4878-8C33-C9EBD9D6F5A9
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Heracleidae
1
and restored Dionysus to life.
When Paris awarded the golden
apple to Aphrodite at the wedding of
Peleus and Thetis, she and Athene, the
losing contestants, became his enemies
and supported the Greeks against the
Trojans during the Trojan War.
Once, when she left Zeus, he made
a wooden image, dressed it in a bridal
gown and displayed it as his new wife.
She then came back, knocked over
the statue and was reconciled with her
husband.
Some say that she produced the
monster, Typhon, in jealousy when
Zeus produced Athene unaided.
Amongst other exploits, she
changed Callisto into a bear for having
an affair with Zeus, although others
say that Zeus did this to deceive Hera,

and transferred the eyes of Argus to
the peacock’s tail. When Teiresias
said that women have nine times as
much pleasure as a man from sexual
intercourse, she struck him blind.
On some accounts, she is identified
with Ilythia.
Her animal was the cow, her bird the
peacock and her symbol the cornucopia.
(see also Selene)
Heracleidae
1
Greek
[Heraclidae.Heraclides.Heraklidae]
descendants of Heracles
Heracleidae
2
Greek
[Children of Heracles]
a play by Euripides
Heracles
1
Greek
[Alcaeus.Alcides.Amphitryonides.
Criophorus.Herakles.Herc(l)e.Kymenos.
Maneros.Melampygos.Melon.
Palaemon.Palaimon.Tirynthian:
=Armenian Vahagn:
=Canaanite Melkarth:=Celtic Ogmios:
=Etruscan Hercle:=Italian Hereklo:

=Roman Hercules.The Unconquerable]
son of Zeus by Alcmene
twin of Iphicles
husband of Megara and, later,
of Deianeira
father by Megara of Creontidas,
Deicoon and Thersimachus
father by Deianeira of Ctesippus,
Glenus, Hodites, Hyllus, Macaria
and Tlepolemus
father by Procris of Antileon and
Hippeus, some say
When Zeus decided that there was a
need for a great champion to safeguard
both the gods and mortals, he slept
with Alcmene during the absence of
her husband Amphitryon at the wars,
deceiving her into thinking he was her
husband and causing the motions of
the universe to slow so that one night
lasted for three. The result of this
union was Heracles, known in his early
years as Alcides.
Alcmene, fearing the wrath of the
jealous Hera, abandoned Heracles in a
field where he was found by Hera
who, not knowing who the infant was,
suckled him, so making him immortal.
When she later discovered that the
boy – originally known as Alcaeus or

Palaemon – was the son of her own
husband she became obsessed with
making his life difficult. As a start, she
sent two fiery-eyed serpents to kill
him but Heracles, though a mere lad
at the time, strangled them both, one
in each hand.
As a youth, he killed Linus who was
teaching him to play the lyre by
striking him with the instrument in a
fit of anger. He was acquitted at his
trial, quoting the law that gave him the
right of self-defence against Linus who
had been beating him. He also killed
the outlaw Saurus and another called
Termerus, the latter in a head-butting
contest just as Termerus had killed
many a traveller.
At eighteen, he slept with each of
the fifty daughters of King Thespius,
producing fifty-one sons, and went on
to kill the Cithaeronian lion which had
been causing havoc. He wore the skin
as armour with the jaws forming a
helmet. Other accounts say that this
was the skin of the Nemean Lion
which he killed as the first of his twelve
Labours and that the Cithaeronian
Lion was killed by Alcathous.
Reputedly the strongest man who

ever strode the earth, he fought on the
side of the gods when the Giants rebelled
and killed Ephialtes, Porphyrion and
their leader Alcyoneus.
When a Theban charioteer
accidentally killed King Clymenus, his
son Erginus avenged his death by
exacting a tribute of a hundred cattle
for twenty years. Heracles became
involved when he cut the noses off the
men sent to collect the cattle and,
when Erginus attacked Thebes, he led
the Theban youth and defeated the
Minyan army, killing Erginus. As
reward he was given Megara, the
eldest daughter of King Creon, in
marriage and they had several sons –
the number varies according to who is
telling the story – who became known
as the Alcaides.
Hera eventually drove Heracles
mad and he tried to kill his own
nephew Iolaus. Iolaus escaped but
Heracles did kill six of his own sons
and two of the sons of his brother
Iphicles or, in an alternative version,
Megara and two or three of his own
sons. He was purified by King
Thespius and, when he consulted the
Delphic Oracle, he was told to serve

King Eurystheus for twelve years and
do whatever the king demanded of
him. Hermes gave him a sword, Apollo
donated a bow and arrows, Hephaestus
a breast-plate, Athena a robe,
Poseidon a team of horses and his
father, Zeus, gave him a shield. So
equipped, Heracles set out to perform
the twelve Labours, taking with him
young Iolaus as charioteer.
After his fourth Labour, he joined
the Argonauts on their expedition to
recover the Golden Fleece but was left
behind at Mysia when he went off to
look for his armour-bearer, Hylas, who
had been carried off by water-nymphs.
Giving up his fruitless search, he
resumed his Labours, successfully
completing all twelve. He later killed
Calais and Zetes who had advised
Jason to sail on, leaving Heracles
stranded in Mysia.
Afterwards, he gave his wife Megara
to Iolaus and tried for the hand of Iole
by beating her father Eurytus in an
archery contest. When Eurytus
reneged on his offer of Iole’s hand to
the victor and an argument arose
about some stolen cattle, Heracles
killed Iphitus, son of Eurytus, by

throwing him from a tower. As
punishment, he was sold as a slave to
Omphale, queen of Lydia, for one year
but this proved pleasant punishment
when Omphale fell in love with him
and bore him three children, Agelaus,
Lamus and Laomedon. He also
fathered Cleodaeus and Alcaeus on
Malis, a servant of Omphale.
To avenge himself on Augeas who
had failed to hand over the promised
reward of a tenth of all the herds when
Heracles cleansed his stables and land,
Heracles attacked Elis and later killed
Eurytus and Cteatus, the twins who
had acted as general for Augeas and
were joined at the waist. He also
sacked Pylus because the king, Neleus,
had fought for Augeas, and killed his
Heracles
1
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Hereret
sons including Periclymenus who,
given the power by Poseidon of
assuming any shape he wished,
attacked Heracles in the form of an
eagle until killed with an arrow.
Heracles gave the city to Nestor, son

of Neleus.
Hippocoon had become king of
Sparta by deposing his brothers, the
co-kings Icarius and Tyndareus. He
had also helped Neleus in his fight
with Heracles. In revenge, Heracles
killed Hippocoon and his twelve
sons, restoring the former rulers to
the throne.
He also fought and defeated the
many-formed river-god Achelous for
the hand of Deianeira and married
her. Their children were called
Ctesippus, Glenus, Hodites, Hyllus
and Macaria.
Heracles also killed Phyleus, king
of Ephyra, abducting his daughter
Astyoche on whom, according
to some accounts, he fathered
Tlepolemus. Others say the mother
was Astyadameia, also abducted.
He accidentally killed Eunomus
when the boy spilled some wine and
exiled himself and family to Trachis.
A Centaur named Nessus offered to
carry Deianeira and the children over
the Evenus while Heracles swam
across but ran off with Deianeira and
tried to rape her. Heracles shot him
from across the river. At the behest

of Nessus, Deianeira collected his
spilt semen and blood and mixed it
with olive oil in a sealed jar, believing
his story that it would act as a love-
potion if she spread it on her
husband’s shirt. In another version,
Nessus gave her his own robe, stained
with his poisoned blood, which had
the same effect.
Challenged to a chariot-duel by
Cycnus, a son of Ares, he won the
contest, killing Cycnus and wounding
Ares who was supporting his son in
the duel.
He next took further revenge on
Eurytus, who had reneged on his
promise to give his daughter Iole to
the winner of the archery contest, by
sacking Oechalia and killing Iole’s
family. He captured Iole and sent her
back to Trachis while he remained to
offer sacrifices to Zeus. By the hand of
the herald, Lichas, Deianeira sent, at
Heracles’ request, a new shirt for the
ceremony and she, fearing that she
would be abandoned in favour of Iole,
anointed the shirt with what she
believed to be the love-potion given to
her by Nessus. In fact, the mixture
contained the poison of the Hydra

which had entered the blood-stream
of Nessus from the arrow fired by
Heracles and Heracles died in agony,
finally immolating himself on a pyre
on Mount Oeta. Before he died he
grabbed Lichas by one foot and
threw him to his death from Mount
Oeta. The pyre was lit either by
Philoctetes, to whom Heracles
bequeathed his bow and arrows, or by
his father, Poeas. Zeus conveyed
the immortal part of his son to
Olympus where he became one of the
gods. Finally reconciled with Hera,
he married her daughter Hebe and
fathered two more children, Alexiares
and Anicetus.
In the Roman version, where
Heracles becomes Hercules, he is said
to have married Lavinia and fathered
Latinus and Pallas.
As father of Celtus by Celtina, he
originated the Celts.
(see also Labours of Hercules)
Heracles
2
Greek
a play by Euripides
Heracles of Ceta Greek
a barley-god

twin brother of Poeas
He was the ruler of twelve chieftains
but subject to the Queen of the Woods
whom he married in an annual
ceremony and then died.
In an alternative version, he was
killed at mid-summer each year and
Poeas reigned until the New Year
when he in turn was killed by a
new Heracles.
The annual ritual required that he
be impaled on a stake, blinded,
castrated, killed, flayed and cut into
pieces which were then roasted. The
head was floated down the river in a
boat or preserved as an oracle.
Heracles of Tiryns Greek
an early vegetation god
He was the lover of fifty maidens, who
were priestesses of a mountain goddess.
In the recurrent rite of death and
renewal, he was killed at intervals of
eight years, alternately with his twin,
Iphicles. In later years, a child victim
was sacrificed in his stead, prolonging
his reign.
Heraclidae (see Heracleidae)
Heraclides (see Heracleidae)
Heraia Greek
a festival in honour of Hera, held at

New Year in every fourth year
Herakhte (see Horus of the Horizon)
Herakhty (see Horus of the Horizon)
Herakles (see Heracles)
Heraklidae (see Heracleidae)
Herambá Hindu
in Nepal, a form of Ganesha with 5
elephant heads
herba sacra Roman
[vervain]
a plant said to have magic properties
to cure sickness and avert witchcraft
Herbart German
a nephew of Dietrich von Bern
His uncle sent him to King Arthur’s
court to sue for the hand of Hilde, the
king’s daughter. Herbart and Hilde fell
in love and eloped.
Herbrand European
son of Berchther
father of Hildebrand
Herce Egyptian
Heracles as the god of merchants
and soldiers
Hercle Greek
the Etruscan name for Heracles
Herculean knot Greek
the entwined snakes (originally said
to be ribbons) on Hermes’ rod
This complex knot was used by

brides for their girdles and it was said
that it could be unfastened only by
the bridegroom.
Hercules Greek
the Roman name for Heracles
Hercules Barbatus (see Donar)
Hercules secundus (see Commodus)
Herculis columnae
(see Pillars of Hercules)
Herdesher (see Herdesuf)
Herdesuf Egyptian
[Herdesher]
Horus as the Red Horus: the planet
Mars
Herdsman (see Pan
2
)
Here (see Hera)
Herecgunina North American
an evil spirit of the Winnebago tribe
Hereklo Roman
[=Greek Heracles:=Roman Hercules]
an Italian hero
Heremod (see Hermod
2
)
Heremon (see Eremon)
Herensugue European
a Basque demon in the form of a
flying snake with 7 heads

Hereret Egyptian
a huge serpent living in the Lake
of Cobras
Heracles
2
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Hereric
The evil that this beast spewed out was
swallowed by the goddesses guarding
the flame of Ra.
Hereric European
[Heriricus]
a Frankish king
father of Hildegunde
When the advancing hordes of Attila
threatened his kingdom, he surrendered
without a fight, paid a tribute of gold
and handed over his young daughter,
Hildegunde, as a hostage.
Heres Canaanite
a name for the Babylonian sun-god,
Samas
Hereshguina North American
an evil spirit of the Winnebago
In some accounts, this spirit is equated
with Wakdjunkaga.
Heret-Kau Egyptian
a goddess of the underworld
Hereward the Wake British

an 11th C hero
He is said to have fought a giant and a
bear, winning a magical suit of armour
from the former.
Herfadir Norse
[Her-Tyr.Herfather]
a name for Odin as ‘father of hosts’
Herfather (see Herfadir)
a name for Odin
Herfjoturr Norse
a Valkyrie
Hergart
sister of Herwig
wife of Hartmut
Heri Norse
in the Icelandic version of the
Tristram and Isolde story, it was he
who told King Mark of his wife’s
affair with Tristram
Herian Norse
[Herjan]
a name for Odin as ‘leader of hosts’
Heriricus (see Hereric)
Herishef (see Hershef)
Herjan (see Herian)
Herjan’s Maids (see Valkyries)
Herka (see Helche)
Herke (see Holda)
Herkhty (see Horus of the Horizon)
Herkios Greek

a name for Zeus as god of enclosures
Herla British
[King Herla]
a mythical king of Britain
A dwarf king appeared at Herla’s
wedding and invited the king to visit
his court. Herla and some of his
retinue accepted the invitation and
spent a few days in the underground
palace. When they returned, they
found that they had been away for 200
years and those that dismounted from
their horses crumbled away to dust.
The others were condemned to ride
on forever or suffer the same fate.
Herla was said to be a leader of the
Wild Hunt, unable to dismount until
the small dog he carries, which was
given to him by the dwarf king, jumps
down.
Herlathing (see Herelethingi)
Herelethingi British
[Herlathing]
a train of phantom soldiers
on horseback
These men, carrying many fine gifts,
were said to move through the
countryside in broad daylight. They
are generally regarded as the survivors
of Herla’s visit to the kingdom of the

pygmy king but others say that they
are the riders of the Wild Hunt.
Herlind African
a handmaiden of Oda
Herma Greek
[=Roman Terminal]
a marker, originally a heap of stones,
but later a post or column bearing a
head of Hermes, erected at street
corners and venerated by the public
Hermaia Greek
a festival in honour of Hermes
Hermakhis (see Harmachis)
Hermaneric (see Ermenrich)
Hermangarde European
daughter of Desiderius
In some accounts she was the second
wife of Charlemagne.
Hermanubis Greek
the Egyptian god Anubis identified
with Hermes
Hermaphrodeitos
(see Hermaphroditus)
Hermaphroditos
(see Hermaphroditus)
Hermaphroditus Greek
[Aphroditus.Hermaphrod(e)itos]
son of Hermes and Aphrodite
When he spurned the advances of
the nymph Salmakis she prayed

that they might be united. When she
embraced him as they bathed their
bodies merged into one. Subsequently,
the spring changed all men who
bathed in it into hermaphrodites.
Hermeias (see Hermes)
Hermensul German
[Herminsul.Irmensaule.Irminsul]
a fertility-god
A pillar dedicated to this god, who was
said to support the world, was
destroyed by Charlemagne.
In some accounts, the name is
merely that of the sacred pillar.
(see also Tiwaz)
Hermes Greek
[Agoneus.Arais.Arg(e)iphontes.
Atlantiades.Camillus.Clithonius.
Cyllen(ius).Hermanubis.Hermeias.
Master of Animals.Master Thief.
Nomius. Oneicopompus.Pasturer.
Psychogogue.Psychopomp(us).Terminus.
The Master.Trismegistus:
=Egyptian Anubis.Thoth:=Etruscan
Turms:=Roman Mercury]
god of art, commerce, eloquence,
fertility, games, herdsmen, luck,
markets, roads, thieves,
travellers, wisdom
herald and messenger of the

gods
one of the Olympians
son of Zeus by Maia
Hera, as usual, was jealous of her
husband’s affair with Maia so Hermes
disguised himself as the infant Ares
and deceived Hera into suckling him,
after which she felt obliged to regard
him as her own son.
As an infant he stole some of
Apollo’s cattle and gave him the lyre,
which he had invented when less than
one day old, to earn his forgiveness.
The peasant Bottus had told Apollo
who had taken the cattle and Hermes
turned him to stone.
When he was appointed official
herald to the gods, Zeus gave him his
winged sandals, his hat and his staff.
Others say that Apollo gave him the
staff when Hermes gave the god the
lyre and they became friends.
He was also appointed by Hades to
summon the dead and conduct their
souls to Tartarus, as Psychopompus.
He had many children, among them
Daphnis, Echion and, in some stories,
Pan. He was also the father of:
Abderus
Autolycus by Chione

Cephalus and Ceryx by Herse
Daphnis by a nymph
Eros by Aphrodite, in
some accounts
Evander by Carmenta
Hermaphroditus by Aphrodite
Myrtilus by Phaetusa or Theobule
Pan by Penelope or a nymph
Priapus by Aphrodite, some say.
He saved the infant Dionysus when
his mother was killed by Zeus and
Hermes
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Heroides
planted him in the father’s thigh until
full term.
He is credited with the invention of
fire, the lyre from the shell of a tortoise,
the shepherd’s pipe, astronomy, musical
scales, measures, etc.
He brought Protesilaus back from
Hades to see his wife who, refusing to give
him up, went back to Hades with him.
He killed the Giant Hippolytus
during the battle between the Giants
and the gods and restored to Zeus the
sinews cut out by the monster Typhon.
He rescued Io (in the form of a cow)
from imprisonment under the eyes of

Argus, killing Argus and cutting off his
head. Hera, who had ordered the
detention of Io, placed the 100 eyes of
Argus in the peacock’s tail.
He gave Perseus the sickle with
which he beheaded Medusa.
He is depicted as wearing the
winged hat and sandals and carrying
his staff, the caduceus, with wings and
entwined serpents. (see also Charidotes)
Hermes Argeiphontes Greek
a name for Hermes as the killer
of Argus
Hermes Chthonius Greek
the god Hermes as a magician
In this role, he was second only to Hecate.
Hermes Psychopompus
(see Psychopomp)
Hermes Trismegistus Greek
[=Arab Hirmis]
a Greek derivation from the Egyptian
god, Thoth
He is said to have written many works
of scholarship.
Hermesent (see Hermisent)
Hermetic art (see alchemy)
hermetic powder
a powder said to be able to effect
cures at a distance
Hermetic philosophy (see alchemy)

Hermin (see Irmin
2
)
Herminius (see Titus Herminius)
Herminsul (see Hermensul)
Hermione
1
Greek
daughter of Menelaus and Helen
wife of Orestes and Pyrrhus
mother of Tisamenus by Orestes
She married Pyrrhus after he had
abandoned Andromache, widow of
Hector, whom he had brought back
from Troy but she had earlier been
betrothed to Orestes who killed
Pyrrhus and married her.
Hermione
2
(see Demeter.Harmonia.
Persephone)
Hermis (see Hirmis)
Hermisent British
[Hermesent]
sister of King Arthur
In some accounts, she was the daughter
of Hoel and Igraine and sister of
Blasine and Bellisent.
Hermit King (see Elyas.Pelles)
Hermitten South American

a survivor of the flood
brother of Coem and Krimen
These three brothers escaped the
flood by taking refuge in caves or
trees.
Hermod
1
Danish
a Danish king
Hermod
2
Norse
[Heremod.Hermod(e)r.Hermoth(r).
Irwin]
messenger of the gods
son of Odin and Frigga
brother of Balder, Hoder and Thor
Swiftest of the gods, he received fallen
heroes in Valhalla.
When Hoder inadvertently killed
his twin brother Balder with a
mistletoe branch, Hermod rode down
to Niflheim on Sleipnir, Odin’s
eight-legged horse, to plead that his
brother be restored to life. Hela
agreed provided that the whole world
wept for Balder. When just one
giantess, Thok (thought to be Loki in
disguise), refused to shed a tear, Hela
kept her own.

He brought back from Niflheim
Odin’s ring, Draupnir, and Nanna’s
magic ring which had been placed in
Balder’s pyre.
Hermoder (see Hermod
2
)
Hermodr (see Hermod
2
)
Hermondine British
a Scottish princess
wife of Meliador
Hermoth (see Hermod)
Hermothr (see Hermod)
Hermothea Greek
wife of Pandareus
Hermouthis Greek
[Thermouthis]
the Greek name for the Egyptian
goddess Renenutet
Hermus Roman
a river-god
Hermutrude British
a queen of Scotland
When Ameth arrived at her court with
a message from the king of Britain
asking her to kill the bearer, she
ignored the message and married him.
Hern the Hunter (see Herne)

Hernaut European
son of Garin de Monglane
brother of Girart de Vienne
father of Aymeri
He helped his brother in his war
with Charlemagne.
Herne British
[Hern the Hunter:=Welsh Arawn.
Gwyn ap Nudd]
a wind-god and god of the underworld
In some versions he is leader of the
Wild Hunt.
He is depicted as a giant with
the antlers of a stag growing from his
head. Some say that he still lives in
Windsor Great Park where he roams
through the woods, disappearing at
midnight.
hero
1
Greek
a demigod, offspring of a god and
a mortal
Hero
2
Greek
a priestess of Aphrodite
She was loved by Leander but they
were forbidden to marry and were
separated by the waters of the

Hellespont. Every night she put a
light in the window of her tower to
guide Leander as he swam over to see
her but one night a storm blew the
light out and he was drowned. Hero
killed herself in grief by jumping
from the tower into the sea.
Hero and Leander English
a poem by Christopher Marlowe
Hero of Estonia Estonian
an epic tale of the exploits of the
hero Kallivipoeg
Hero, The Greek
the ghost of Polites (see Polites
2
)
Hero Twins, The South American
the twin brothers Hunapu and
Ixbalanque
Herodiades
[Nocticula]
a demon, ruler of the night
He is said to have presided over the
rites of sabbat.
Herodis British
[Meroudys]
a lady rescued from the underworld
by Orpheo
Herod’s Hunt (see Wild Hunt)
Heroes, The English

the story of Jason, Perseus and other
Greek heroes, by Charles Kingsley
Heroides Roman
[Heroines]
a book of poems, addressed to the
heroines of Greek and Roman myths,
written by Ovid
Hermes Argeiphontes
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Heroines
Heroines (see Heroides)
Heron
1
Egyptian
[Thracian Hero]
a god depicted on horseback
Heron
2
North American
a sage of the Tlingit tribe
He was created by Nascakiyetl at the
same time as Raven (Yetl).
Herophile
1
Greek
a prophetess, priestess at Delphi
daughter of Zeus and Lamia
She was the oracle at Delphi at the
time when Heracles seized the tripod,

the seat of the oracle.
Herophile
2
(see Sibyl of Cumae)
Herophilus Greek
son of Poseidon by Aphrodite
Heros Greek
a Thracian god of the underworld,
vegetation and the chase
Hero’s Portion (see Curad-mir)
Heroud British
[Harrowd]
father of Asslake
He looked after Rainburn, son of
Guy of Warwick, but the boy was
kidnapped by Russians and sold to
Argus, an African king. Heroud went
in search of the youth but was himself
captured and put in prison in Africa.
He was later reunited with Rainburn
when the latter led the forces of Argus
in an attack on the adjoining country.
On the return journey to England, they
met a young champion who fought a
draw with Rainburn and who turned
out to be Heroud’s son, Asslake, who
was searching for his father.
Herovit (see Gerovit)
Herowdes British
an emperor of Rome

He became blind and was cured only
when, on the advice of Merlin, he
killed his advisers, the Seven Sages.
Herrad Norse
the name of Herrat in Thidrekssaga
Herrand (see Herrat)
Herrat German
[Herrad.Herrand]
a princess of Transylvania
second wife of Dietrich von Bern
Herren-Surge European
a Basque monster in the form of a
huge snake with 7 heads
Herrick (see Erik.Svipdag)
Herse Greek
goddess of dew
daughter of Cecrops and Aglaurus
sister of Aglaurus and Pandrosus
She was seduced by Hermes and bore
Cephalus and Ceryx.
She and her sisters were entrusted
with the care of the infant
Erichthonius. In one story, they were
so shocked when they saw the infant
that they threw themselves to their
death from the Acropolis.
Hersent European
a she-wolf
mate of Isengrim in some versions of
Reynard the Fox

In one story she chased Reynard into
his burrow but got stuck in the
entrance. Reynard came out through
another hole and raped her.
(see also Gieremund)
Hershef Egyptian
[Herishef.Herysaf.Heryshef.Terrible
Face:=Greek Arsaphes.Harsaphes]
a fertility god
an aspect of Horus
He is said to have emerged from the
primordial waters and is depicted as a
ram or as a human with a ram’s head.
His feet rested on earth but his head
was in the sky where his right eye was
the sun and his left eye was the moon.
He is sometimes depicted with
four heads.
Hersilia Roman
wife of Romulus
She was taken up to heaven after the
death of her husband and became one
of the Horae.
Hertha (see Nerthus)
Hertnid (see Hertnit)
Hertnit German
[Hertnid]
an earl of Greece
brother of Osantrix
husband of Isollde

He helped his brother in the battle
with Etzel who was helped by Dietrich
and some of his warriors. He captured
Wittich and put him in prison, until
Wildeber, dressed as a dancing bear,
got access to the prisoner, killed
Hertnit and freed Wittich.
Heru (see Cheru.Huh)
Heru Khent Khat Egyptian
a name for Horus
Heru Khent an Maa Egyptian
a name for Horus
Heru Khuti Egyptian
a name for Horus
Heru Murti Egyptian
a name for Horus
Heru-pa-kaut (see Hatmehyt)
Heru-pakhret (see Harpakhrad)
Heru-pakhart
(see Harpakhrad.Hatmehyt)
Heru-sam-taui (see Har-mau)
Heru Ur Egyptian
name for Horus
Heruka Buddhist
[Buddhakapala.Vajraheruka]
a wrathful aspect of Aksobhya
He combines with his sakti, Nairamata,
to produce nirvana.
In this aspect, he is envisaged as blue.
(see also Karuna.Saptaksara)

Herukabuddhas Buddhist
manifestations of the Dhyanibuddhas
and their saktis
They are depicted with one or three
heads, two or six arms and four legs.
They are listed as Karmaheruka
(green), Padmaheruka (red),
Ratnaheruka (yellow), Vairocana
(white) and Vajraheruka (blue).
Herunub Egyptian
a name for Horus
Herupakaut (see Hatmehyt)
Herus Central American
an Apache hero
He is said to have appeared among
the Chiricahua Apache and told
them to keep the book he gave them.
When he died, the tribe followed
their usual practice of burning all the
dead man’s possessions, including
the book, with the result that they
suffered many disasters.
Herusmatauy (see Ihy)
Hervis de Revel British
a Knight of the Round table
Hervor
1
Norse
daughter of Angantyr
Her father owned the magic sword

Tyrfing which was buried with him.
She used magic to force him to rise
again and hand the sword over to her.
Hervor
2
Norse
in some stories, the swan-maiden, wife
of Volund, otherwise known as Alvit
Herwig Norse
a prince of Zealand
brother of Hergart
husband of Gudrun
He was one of the suitors for the hand
of Gudrun, daughter of Hettel and
Hilde, and when her father refused to
sanction their marriage, he invaded his
kingdom. His courage persuaded
Hettel to accept him as a son-in-law.
While Herwig was away fighting
Hettel, Siegfried, another suitor for
Gudrun’s hand, invaded Herwig’s
kingdom. Herwig returned to fight
Siegfried and was helped this time by
Hettel. They all joined forces to fight
Hartmut who had abducted Gudrun,
but failed to rescue her.
Herwig
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Hetwn

Later he sailed to Normandy with
Ortwin and Wat and rescued Gudrun
and her companion, Hildburg. In the
battle that ensued, Herwig killed
Ludwig and would have killed Hartmut
as well but was persuaded by Gudrun
and Ortwin to spare him. When they
returned to Gudrun’s home, she and
Herwig were married.
Herysaf (see Hershef)
Heryshef (see Hershef)
Herzeloide (see Herzeloyde)
Herzeloyde British
[Herzeloide]
a queen of Anjou
daughter of Frimutel
sister of Amfortas, Josiane, Repanse
and Trevrezent
wife of Castris and, later, of
Gahmuret
Her sister, Josiane, died giving birth
to Sigune and Herzeloyde raised the
girl alongside Schionatulander, another
orphan.
In some accounts, she later married
Gahmuret and bore Percival, dying of
a broken heart when Percival left
home to seek his fortune.
Hesat Egyptian
[Hest]

a name for Isis as a goddess of birth
She is depicted in the form of a cow.
Hesiod Greek
an 8th CBCwriter
He was the author of Theogony, an
attempt to classify the many deities
and heroes of the past, and Shield
of Heracles.
Heshwash Ceremony North American
a contest of magic between shamans
Hesione
1
Greek
daughter of Laomedon
wife of Telamon
mother of Teucer
sister of Podarces (Priam)
Laomedon chained his daughter to a
rock in the sea as a sacrifice to appease
a sea-monster sent by Poseidon
because Laomedon had refused to pay
Apollo and Poseidon for building the
walls of Troy. Heracles found her
when he was returning from his ninth
Labour, and undertook to rescue her
in exchange for Laomedon’s horses.
He was swallowed by the monster but
killed it by attacking its internal
organs. Her father reneged on the
promise of the horses so Heracles

killed him and took Hesione as a
captive to Athens where she married
Telamon. She ransomed her brother,
Podarces, for the price of her veil and
Heracles made him king of Troy as
Priam.
In other stories, Telamon helped
Heracles in his later attack on Troy
and, for his help, was awarded Hesione,
as a prize and fathered Teucer on her.
Hesione
2
Greek
a sea-nymph, one of the Nereids
wife of Prometheus
Hesione
3
Greek
wife of Nauplius, some say
mother of Nausimedon, Oeax
and Palameded
In some stories, the wife of Nauplius
and mother of his three children was
Clymene.
Hesioneus (see Eioneus)
Hesius Mesopotamian
a Hurrian god
Hesper (see Vesper)
Hespera
1

Greek
an aspect of Eos as ‘evening’
Hespera
2
Greek
a nymph, one of the 7 Hesperides
Hespere (see Hesperis)
Hespereia Greek
[Hesperia]
a nymph
one of the 7 Hesperides
Hesperethusa (see Hesperusa)
Hesperia (see Hespereia)
Hesperides Greek
[African Sisters.Atlantides]
nymphs
daughters of Atlas and Aethra,
Hesperis or Pleione, or of Erebus and
Nyx, or of Phorcos and Ceto
In some accounts, there were three
(Aegle, Erythia and Hespera), in others,
four or seven, the other suggested
names being Arethusa, Hespereia,
Hesperusa and Hestia.
They, with the dragon Ladon, were
the guardians of the golden apples
from Hera’s tree who helped Heracles
in his quest for some of these apples on
his eleventh Labour.
In some versions the name is used

for the Pleiades.
Hesperis Greek
[Hespere]
a nymph
mother of the Hesperides by Atlas
Hesperus Greek
[=Roman Vesper]
god of the west, the evening star
son of Atlas or of Atraeus and Eos
brother of Phosphoros
He was said by some to be the father of
the Hesperides.
Hesperusa Greek
[Hesperethusa]
a nymph
one of the 7 Hesperides
Hest (see Hesat)
Hestia
1
Greek
[‘hearth’.Histie:= Roman Vesta]
goddess of the community, family, fire,
hearth, house
one of the Olympians
daughter of Cronus and Rhea
A virgin-goddess whose symbol is a torch.
Hestia
2
Greek
a nymph

one of the 7 Hesperides
Hesus (see Esus)
Het-Hert (see Hathor)
Het Nabes Egyptian
the palace of Shu
Hetel (see Hettel)
Hetepes-Sekhus Egyptian
a goddess of the underworld
She is attended by crocodiles and her
function is to destroy the souls of the
enemies of Osiris.
She is sometimes depicted as a cobra
or cobra-headed.
Hetmehit (see Hatmehyt)
Hetpet Egyptian
a goddess, happiness personified
Hettel German
[Hetel.Hettle]
a north German king
husband of Hilde
father of Gudrun and Ortwin
Three of his followers, Frute, Horant
and Wat, abducted Hilde, the daughter
of Hagen, with whom Hettel was in
love. Hagen invaded to rescue his
daughter and wounded Hettel in the
battle that ensued but they made peace
and Hettel married Hilde, fathering a
daughter, Gudrun, and a son, Ortwin.
When Hettel rejected Herwig’s suit

for the hand of Gudrun, Herwig
invaded Hettel’s kingdom and so
impressed the king with his courage
that he consented to the marriage.
Gudrun was abducted by another
unsuccessful suitor, Hartmut, so
Hettel joined forces with Herwig and a
third suitor, Siegfried, to rescue her.
They failed in this attempt even
though Hettel killed Hartmut’s father,
Ludwig, in the battle.
In some versions, Hettel himself
was killed in the battle.
Gudrun was later rescued by Herwig,
Ortwin and Wat.
Hettle (see Hettel)
Hetwn (see Hetwyn)
Herysaf
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Hetwyn
Hetwyn Welsh
[Hetwn (the Leaper)]
father of Cynedyr
Hevajira Buddhist
[Hevajra:=Tibetan Kye-rdor.
Kye-ba-rdorje]
a bodhisattva
one of the Yi-dam
an aspect of Aksobhya

consort of Vajravarahi or Nairatama
He is variously depicted with three or
eight heads, three eyes, two or four
legs and as many as sixteen arms.
Hevajra (see Hevajira)
Hevehe East Indian
a feast at which the spirits of the dead
are said to appear
Heveidd (see Hefeydd)
Heveydd (see Hefeydd)
Hevydd (see Hefeydd)
hex
a witch or wizard: a spell: to bewitch
Hex Chun Chun Central American
a Mayan war-god
hexagram
a six-pointed star used in magic
Hexe German
a witch
Hey-tau Egyptian
[Es(h)mun]
a god who was changed into a pine tree
In some accounts, he is equated with
Tammuz.
Heyoka North American
[=Sioux Haokak]
spirits of the Dakotas: clowns
(see also Haokah)
Heyvoso African
the sky-god of the Fon

son of Mawu-Lisa
Heywood, Thomas English
(1574–1641)
a writer and dramatist, author of Life
of Merlin and Morte Arthur
Hez-ur Egyptian
a baboon-god
an aspect of Thoth
Hi-asa East Indian
a primaeval being in the
Admiralty Islands
When she cut her finger, she collected
the blood in a shell. Two eggs formed
from the blood and the first man and
woman emerged from the eggs.
Hi Haela Pacific Islands
[String Man]
a priest
Some tribes believe that spirits
descend the long creeping stems of
some plants, such as the convolvulus,
and destroy their crops. A priest, called
Hi Haela, is appointed to ensure that
this does not happen by cutting the
‘strings’ of the creeping plants.
Hi-Hya-Hi Japanese
a Shinto sun-god
son of Kazu-Tsuchi
He was born from the blood of
Kazu-Tsuchi who was decapitated by

his father.
Hi-matsuri Japanese
a Shinto festival in honour of
the fire-gods
Hi-no-kami Japanese
a fire-god (see Kamado-no-kami)
Hialli Norse
a servant of Atli
When Atli captured Gunnar and
Hogni and tortured them to make
them disclose the hiding place of the
Niblung’s gold, he ordered that
Hogni’s heart be cut out to force his
brother to speak. His servants, fearful
of such a warrior, killed the scullion
Hialli instead and took his heart to
Atli. Gunnar rejected it as his brother’s
heart with the result that they then
killed Hogni and cut out his heart.
Hialmgunnar Norse
[Helmgunnar.Hjalmgunnar]
a hunter
He was killed by Brunhild against the
orders of Odin and for this she was
demoted and put to sleep inside a wall
of flame.
Hialpret (see Elf
4
)
Hian East Indian

a deity of Kei Island
brother of Parpara
He and his brother descended from
the heavens on a rope and became the
ancestors of the islanders.
Hiang Piumbung East Indian
a supreme god of the Dayaks
Hiarandi Norse
[Hjarandi.‘whirlwind’]
a prince
son of Visvald
half-brother of Gullbrag and Soley
To protect Gullbra from unwanted
suitors, Hiarandi locked her in a
fortress and killed all who came
seeking her hand, cutting off their
heads which he put on poles to deter
others.
Hiarbas (see Iarbas)
Hiauna West Indian
father of Guagiana
Hiaunael (see Guagiana)
Hiawatha North American
[Hai-en-Wat-ha.Haiowatha.
Hayowentha.Hy-ent-wat-ha]
a 16th C sage of the Iroquois
son of Mudjekeewis and Wenonah
husband of Minnehaha
He was reared by his maternal
grandmother, Nokomis.

His wife and daughter were killed
by the magician Atotarho but the two
men later became reconciled and
founded the Confederacy of the
Five Tribes.
He was regarded as a culture-hero
who taught the tribes the arts of
agriculture and medicine, killed the
corn-spirit Mon-da-moin to give
mankind maize, overcame the great
strugeon Mishe-Nahma and killed
the evil magician Megissogwon. He
was helped by a pair of mittens which
enabled him to split rocks when he
wore them and a pair of moccasins
in which he could cover a mile at each
step.
When his work was done, he sailed
off to Ponemah in the west in his
magic canoe.
In another version, Tatenyawagon
took pity on the suffering tribes and
came to earth as a man, Hiawatha.
He led the tribes to a cave where they
recovered their strength and then
led them to their own homelands,
separating them into the five tribes,
the Cayuga, Mohawks, Onondaga,
Oneida and Seneca, each with its own
language and character. When they

were attacked by wild tribes from the
north the five appealed to Hiawatha
for help. He sacrificed his daughter
Minnehaha to the Great Spirit and she
was taken up to heaven on the back
of a great eagle. Hiawatha united the
tribes into the Five Nations who
repelled the invaders and brought
peace to the land. Hiawatha himself
entered his white canoe which then
rose into the sky and disappeared.
(see also Manabozho)
Hibakara Japanese
a guardian deity
one of the 28 Nijuhachi-Bushu
Hibernia Celtic
[Ivernia]
an old name for Ireland
Hicetaeon Greek
son of Laomedon and Strymo
Hickathrift, Tom English
a mythical giant-killer
Hidari Jingoro Japanese
a sculptor
He carved the figure of a woman he
had fallen in love with, incorporating a
Hidari Jingoro
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478
Hilaeria

mirror which she had dropped. When
it was completed, it came to life.
Hidden-Kissa Baltic
a cat owned by the giant, Hiisi
This cat could so frighten criminals
that they confessed their misdeeds.
Hide South American
a water-monster in Argentinian lore
hidebehind North American
a fabulous animal
Hidesato Japanese
[My Lord Bag of Rice.Tawara Toda]
a warrior
He undertook to kill the huge centi-
pede that had taken all the children
and grandchildren of the Dragon King
of Lake Biwa. The first two arrows he
shot when the monster next appeared
had no effect but the third, moistened
with saliva, killed the centipede. As
reward, the Dragon King gave
Hidesato a never-empty bag of rice, an
endless roll of silk, a cauldron that
cooked without fire and two bells. He
was thereafter known as My Lord Bag
of Rice.
Hideyoshi Japanese
[Toyo Kuni.Toyokuni]
a peasant who became a civil dictator
and was deified as Toyokuni

Hidimba Hindu
[Hidimva]
a demon
brother of Hidimbaa
He was killed by Bhima who then
married Hidimbaa.
(see also Shurpanakha)
Hidimbaa Hindu
[Hidimvaa]
sister of Hidimba
wife of Bhima
mother of Ghatotkacha
Hidimva (see Hidimba)
Hidimvaa (see Hidimbaa)
Hidr (see Khadir)
hieracosphinx Egyptian
a sphinx with the head of a hawk
and the body of a lion
hieromancy
[hieroscopy]
divination from objects used in sacrifice
hierophant Greek
chief official at the celebration
of the Eleusian mysteries
hieros gamos Greek
[theogamy]
marriage between gods or between
gods and humans
hieroscopy (see hieromancy)
Higelac (see Hygelac)

High One, The (see Briganta.Odin)
High Ones (see Superior Gods)
High Song (see Havamal)
Higo Japanese
[‘willow’]
the spirit of the willow tree
She appeared to Heitaro in the form of
a lovely maiden and they married and
had one child, Chiyodo. When the
emperor had the tree cut down to
provide wood for a new temple, Higo
cried out in pain as the axes fell and
then disappeared for ever.
High Plains of Heaven
(see Takama-gahara)
Higher Azure Palace Chinese
[Shang Ch’ing]
the home of Tao Chun
Highest Azure Palace Chinese
the home of Lao-tzu
higona (see figona)
Hiiaka Pacific Islands
[Ha’iaka]
sister of Pele and Kapo
second wife of Lohiau
She was born from an egg which Pele
carried in her armpit.
Lohiau was the second husband of
her sister, Pele, who killed him and all
his attendants when they were very

slow in arriving at the new home she
had made for her husband.
Another story says that Lohiau died
before Pele sent for him and Hiiaka was
sent to collect his body. She retrieved
his soul from the underworld and
reunited it with his body. Lohiau then
fell in love with Hiiaka but the jealous
Pele poured lava over him and he died
again. Hiiaka went to the underworld
to wait for his soul to arrive but Kane-
hoalani had found the soul in the
upper world and restored Lohiau to
life once again. The god gave Lohiau a
magic shell which turned into a boat
that took Lohiau to an island where he
found Hiiaka and they married.
Hiisi Baltic
a Finnish giant
a tree-god
son of Kaleva, some say
He owned an elk, the fastest creature on
earth, that Lemminkainen was required
to outrun as one of the tasks required of
him by Louhi.
He also owned a fierce cat which
terrorised criminals into confessing
their misdeeds.
Some accounts equate him with the
Devil or Lempo.

He is envisaged as a very ugly man
with no eyelids.
Hikayat Bayan Malay
a book of legends and fables
Hikayat Hang Tuah Malay
the story of the life and exploits
of the hero Hang Tuah
Hikayat Pandawa Jaya Malay
the Malay version of the
Mahabharata
Hike
1
(see Heka
2
)
hike
2
(see heka
1
)
Hiko-hoho-demi (see Fire Fade)
Hiko-Sashiri-No-Kama Japanese
a Shinto carpenter-god
Hikoboshi
1
Japanese
[Kengyu-Sei]
a Shinto sky-god (see also Hikoboshi
2
)

Hikoboshi
2
Japanese
[Aquila.Kengiu.Kengyu:=Chinese Ch’ien
Niu.Tung Yung]
an ox-herder
He fell in love with Tanabata and his ox
wandered free, causing great damage.
Tanabata’s father caused them to be
separated by a celestial river and they
could meet only once a year when a
flock of magpies formed a bridge over
the river. (see also Hikoboshi
1
)
Hiku Pacific Islands
a Hawaiian demi-god
son of Hina
Taking his magic arrow, Pua-ne, he
came to earth seeking adventures and
stayed with a queen, Kawelu, who put a
spell on him. When he grew wings and
flew away, she died. Hiku had himself
lowered on a vine into the realm of
Milu and rescued Kawelu’s soul, which
took the form of a butterfly, catching it
in a coconut shell. Back on earth, he
made a small incision in the dead
queen’s toe and, by inserting her soul
by magic, brought her back to life.

Hikula’o Pacific Islands
a god of Tonga
His home was in Putolu, land of the
dead, and he was envisaged as having a
tail which encircled the earth. He later
came to be regarded as female.
Hikuli Central American
a Mexican deity, peyote personified
This spirit is envisaged as having four
faces, one looking in each direction.
Hilaeria Greek
[Hilaira.Hilara]
daughter of Leucippus
sister of Phoebe
mother of Anogon by Castor
In some stories of the death of Castor,
she and her sister were abducted by
Castor and Polydeuces. Their cousins,
Idas and Lynceus, to whom they were
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Hilaira
betrothed, pursued them and Idas
killed Castor who was hiding in a
hollow tree.
Hilaira (see Hilaeria)
Hilaria Greek
a festival in honour of Cybele held at
the Spring equinox

Hilal
1
Arab
[Hillaliy]
a moon-god
Hilal
2
Arab
[Hillaliy]
founder of the warrior race
father of Al-Mundzir
He is the hero of the stories in Sirat
Bani Hilali.
Hilara
1
Greek
a priestess of Artemis
daughter of Apollo
Hilara
2
(see Hilaeria)
Hilaria Roman
a festival celebrating the reunion of
Attis and Cybele
Hild (see Hilde)
Hilda (see Hilde.Ildico)
Hildburg
1
German
daughter of the king of Portugal

As a child, she was carried off by a
griffin and lived for many years in a
cave with three others who had
likewise been abducted. Two of these
three were Hagen, son of the king
of Denmark, and Hilde, another
princess. They were all rescued by a
passing ship owned by Count Garadie
who was forced by Hagen to take them
to his father’s court where he and
Hilde were married.
Hildburg
2
Norse
daughter of Walgund
wife of Hugdietrich
mother of Bogen, Waxmuth
and Wolfdietrich
Her father kept her locked in a tower
to exclude would-be suitors but
Hugdietrich gained access in the guise
of an old woman, fathering a son on
her. She kept the birth secret but
the boy was taken by wolves from
which he was rescued by Berchther and
Walgund and given the name
Wolfdietrich. She later married
Hugdietrich and bore two more sons,
Bogen and Waxmuth.
Hildburg

3
Norse
a companion of Gudrun
She was captured when her mistress
was abducted by Hartmut and taken to
Normandy. They were both rescued
by Herwig and Ortwin and Hildburg
later married Ortwin.
Hilde
1
German
[Hild(a).Hildr.Hil(l)d ur]
an Indian princess
As a child, she was carried off by a
griffin and lived for many years in a
cave with three others who had
likewise been abducted. Two of these
three were Hagen, son of the king of
Denmark, and Hildburg, daughter of
the king of Portugal. They were all
rescued by a passing ship owned by
Count Garadie who was forced by
Hagen to take them to his father’s
court. There they married, Hagen
took his father’s throne and they had a
daughter, also called Hilde.
Hilde
2
Norse
[Hild(a).Hildr.Hil(l)dur]

daughter of Hagen and Hilde
wife of Hettel
mother of Gudrun and Ortwin
Hilde
3
Norse
[Hild(a).Hildr.Hil(l)dur]
a Valkyrie
daughter of Hogni
She was abducted by Hedin and he
fought an everlasting battle with
Hogni over her, in which the slain
were revivified every night by Hilde or
a sorceress.
In German stories she is Hilde,
daughter of Hagen.
Hilde
4
Norse
[Hild(a).Hildr.Hil(l)dur]
a giantess
wife of Grim
When Dietrich killed her husband, she
attacked him and Hildebrand but
Dietrich cut her in half with his sword,
Nagelring. The two halves of her body
immediately joined together and she
renewed her attack. Dietrich cut her in
half again and prevented her from
restoring herself by placing his sword

between the two halves.
Hilde
5
Norse
[Hild(a).Hildr.Hil(l)dur]
a daughter of King Arthur
In Germanic stories, Herbart came to
Arthur’s court to sue for the hand of
Hilde on behalf of his uncle, Dietrich
von Bern, but she fell in love with
Herbart and they eloped.
Hildebrand Norse
son of Herbrand
brother of Ilsan
husband of Ute
father of Hadubrand
He was foster-father to Dietrich and
became his greatest friend. They set
out to kill the giant Grim who was
ravaging the countryside and forced
the dwarf, Alberich, to lead them to the
giant. Dietrich killed Grim and his wife
Hilde with his magic sword, Nagelring,
and he and Hildebrand shared the
giant’s treasure between themselves.
Both he and Dietrich were captured
by Sigenot, brother of the slain Grim,
but Hildebrand managed to kill the
giant and they escaped.
He was present when Krimhild

killed the captive Hagen who refused
to reveal where in the Rhine he had
hidden the Nibelung treasure and he
was so incensed by her cruelty that he
killed her.
When Emenrich attacked Dietrich
who had refused to pay tribute,
Hildebrand and a party of his men
were captured. To save their lives,
Dietrich gave up his kingdom to
Ermenrich and left with many of his
friends, going to Etzel’s court.
In later years, he met his son
Hadubrand in battle, although neither
recognised the other. They fought to a
standstill and, finally realising the
relationship, were re-united. Some
accounts say that he killed his son.
Hildebrandslied German
a 9th C poem telling the story of the
warrior Hildebrand
Hildeburh Danish
sister of Hnaef
wife of Finn
In the battle between the clans of
Hnaef and Finn, Hnaef was killed. The
new leader, Hengest, treacherously
killed Finn after talking peace and took
Hildeburh back to her own people.
Hildegarde

1
European
in some accounts, one of the 9 wives
of Charlemagne
Another version says that she was
betrothed to Roland who was called
away to fight in Spain before they could
get married. When she heard that
Roland had been killed at Roncesvalles,
she became a nun. A similar story is
told of Aude. (see also Aldabella.Aude)
Hildegarde
2
(see Hildegunde
1
)
Hildegrim Norse
[Hildigrimur]
a magic helmet made by Grim
Dietrich took possession of this helmet,
which gave the wearer increased
strength, when he killed Grim and his
wife Hilde.
Hildegunde
1
German
[Hildegarde]
the German version of Aude
Hildegunde
1

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