Illyrian myths

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1. Djall
The Albanian name for the devil. Another name for the devil in Albanian is dreqi, from the Latin draco (dragon).


2. Bukuri e qiellit
Albanian name for the Christian God.




3. Ljubi
The Albanian demoness who will dry water courses in the land if no virgin is sacrificed to her.


4. En
Among the ancient Albanians the term for god in general, but also the name of the supreme god. The word en survived in enj?t?, the Albanian word for Thursday.


5. Kukuth
Ancient Albanian female demons of sickness who spread the plague. The spirit of a deceased miser, who cannot find rest, and who does much evil, is also called Kukuth.


6. Ora
An Albanian protective spirit. Every person is assigned an Ora at birth. Those who are courageous and diligent have one with a white face. Those who are cowardly and lazy have an Ora with a black face.


7. Fatit
South-Albanian female deities of destiny, similar to the Greek Moirae. These three goddesses appear at the cradle, on the third day after the birth of a child, to determine the child's fate.


8. Stihi
A female demon in south Albanian belief. She is represented as a fire-breathing dragon guarding a treasure.


9. Perendi
The Albanian thunder god of Illyrian origin. He is the consort of Prende, the goddess of love. Perendi is identical with the Lithuanian Perkunas and the Latvian Perkons.


10. Perit
In Albanian folklore, they are female mountain deities of great beauty. They are dressed entirely in white and are regarded as good fairies. They can become very angry towards those who spill bread, and will give these sinners a hump.

11. Verbti
The ancient Albanian god of fire and the northern wind whose name means "the blind one". Although he cannot see, his hearing is absolutely perfect. He has an aversion of obscene language and dirty business. With the advent of Christianization he was reduced to a demon who causes blindness.


12. Kulshedra
A different name for dragon-like creature Bolla from Albanian folklore.


13. Vitore
A good Albanian household spirit who, in the shape of a small snake, lives in the walls of the house. With a soft whistling it announces both pleasant as well as sad events.


14. Xindhi
The Xindhi are, in Albanian folklore, elves or elfish creatures. Their approaching is accompanied by the creaking of a door or the flickering of a flame. The Xindhi are the male spirits and the Xindha are the female spirits. They are known to be sometimes friendly and helpful, but more often they are cruel to humans.


15. Bukura e dheut
A beautiful fairy among the ancient Albanians who is always very helpful. The supreme god Tomor is her lover. She is sometimes connected with the underworld and shows some demonical aspects. Her name means "the beauty of the earth". Her sister is Bukura e detit, and her name means "the beauty of the sea".


16. Tomor
The supreme god of the ancient Albanians, from Illyrian origin. He is the father of all the gods and humans and lover of the beautiful goddess Bukura e dheut. The winds are his servants. He is also known as Baba Tomor.


17. Prende
Goddess of love worshipped by the ancient Illyrians and, later, the Albanians. The wife of Perendi, the Illyrian thunder-god, Prende is referred to in folktales and legends as the "queen of beauty" (zoja e bukuris). After the Catholicization of the region, Prende was absorbed into the new church as a minor saint; as in pre-Christian days, her holy day always falls on a Friday.


18. Bolla
In ancient Albanian folklore, Bolla is a snake-like (or dragon-like) creature that sleeps throughout the entire year. On Saint George's Day, it will open its eyes and look into the world. A human unfortunate enough to be spotted by Bolla will be devoured instantly. At the end of a twelve-year cycle it mutates into another being, called Kulshedra. This creature is a horrible, fire-breathing dragon with nine tongues. Kulshedra is sometimes also represented as an enormous woman with a hairy body and hanging breasts. The monster can cause a shortage of water and it requires human sacrifices to propitiate it. The creature is also known as Bullar in south Albania.