CANADA
ONIARE - IROQUOIS LAKE MONSTER - GREAT LAKES, CANADA & the USA
Native American legends tell of Oniare living in the Great Lakes.
The Iroquois gave the dragon-like water serpent, with a horned head, the name Oniare. Hiding in the waters of the Great Lakes it would prey on travellers, overturning their canoes and using its poisonous breath.
Travellers could avoid its wrath by making offerings, or by calling upon Oriane's enemy the thunder god, Hinon.
Sightings by the descendants of the European settlers, also report a sea serpent creature from the 1800s through to the 1990s, where it is called affectionately, Bessie.
Native American legends tell of Oniare living in the Great Lakes.
The Iroquois gave the dragon-like water serpent, with a horned head, the name Oniare. Hiding in the waters of the Great Lakes it would prey on travellers, overturning their canoes and using its poisonous breath.
Travellers could avoid its wrath by making offerings, or by calling upon Oriane's enemy the thunder god, Hinon.
Sightings by the descendants of the European settlers, also report a sea serpent creature from the 1800s through to the 1990s, where it is called affectionately, Bessie.
CHINA
YUTU - THE JADE RABBIT - BEIJING, CHINA
Jade Rabbit Stone is found in Beijing's Phoenix Ridge - Fenghuangling - Nature Park.
Jade Rabbit is the pet of the Chinese Moon Goddess, Chang E, and can be seen on the face of the moon using a mortar and pestle to crush the elixir of life.
Chang E was summoned to the palace of the Jade Emperor, and she placed her beloved pet on Phoenix Ridge so that whilst she was gone it could eat and drink.
Jade Rabbit explored Phoenix Ridge and played with the other rabbits that lived there. Chang E returned from the palace but couldn't find Jade Rabbit, but with her orders from the Jade Emperor she had a mission to accomplish, and couldn't take any more time to find Jade Rabbit.
Jade Rabbit waited and waited at the exact spot where Chang E had left her and turned to stone. So is the Jade Rabbit seen on the moon the spirit of Jade Rabbit returned to the Moon Goddess Chang E.
Was the re-union complete when China's first lunar rover landed and explored the moon in December 2013, called by the Chinese public 'Yutu' - Jade Rabbit in an online vote?
Jade Rabbit Stone is found in Beijing's Phoenix Ridge - Fenghuangling - Nature Park.
Jade Rabbit is the pet of the Chinese Moon Goddess, Chang E, and can be seen on the face of the moon using a mortar and pestle to crush the elixir of life.
Chang E was summoned to the palace of the Jade Emperor, and she placed her beloved pet on Phoenix Ridge so that whilst she was gone it could eat and drink.
Jade Rabbit explored Phoenix Ridge and played with the other rabbits that lived there. Chang E returned from the palace but couldn't find Jade Rabbit, but with her orders from the Jade Emperor she had a mission to accomplish, and couldn't take any more time to find Jade Rabbit.
Jade Rabbit waited and waited at the exact spot where Chang E had left her and turned to stone. So is the Jade Rabbit seen on the moon the spirit of Jade Rabbit returned to the Moon Goddess Chang E.
Was the re-union complete when China's first lunar rover landed and explored the moon in December 2013, called by the Chinese public 'Yutu' - Jade Rabbit in an online vote?
FRANCE
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA - PARIS, FRANCE
The Palais Garnier, the Opera of Paris, is renowned for the legend of the Phantom of the Opera, made famous by Gaston Leroux's novel of 1910.
In the 1870s a young pianist is disfigured in a fire which also takes his fiancee's life. He takes refuge in the underground passages beneath the Palais Garnier.
In the 1890s a weight holding a chandelier falls and kills the spectator sitting in seat 13. Whilst the directors face demands from an individual for 20,000 francs a month and the reservation of box number 5.
The disfigured pianist dedicated the rest of his life to his music, living out of sight of the people of Paris, in the underground passages - where occasional sightings in the basements by those working at the Palais Garnier are put down to the existence of a phantom.
The Palais Garnier, the Opera of Paris, is renowned for the legend of the Phantom of the Opera, made famous by Gaston Leroux's novel of 1910.
In the 1870s a young pianist is disfigured in a fire which also takes his fiancee's life. He takes refuge in the underground passages beneath the Palais Garnier.
In the 1890s a weight holding a chandelier falls and kills the spectator sitting in seat 13. Whilst the directors face demands from an individual for 20,000 francs a month and the reservation of box number 5.
The disfigured pianist dedicated the rest of his life to his music, living out of sight of the people of Paris, in the underground passages - where occasional sightings in the basements by those working at the Palais Garnier are put down to the existence of a phantom.
INDIA
THE DESCENT OF THE RIVER GANGES FROM HEAVEN, RIVER GANGES, INDIA
Hindu mythology tells of how the Ganges was the heavenly river that descended from to form the Ganges that now crosses India. King Baghiratha performed pennance in a bid to gain the salvation of sixty thousand of his ancestors who as ashes were had been trapped in the underworld, and in so doing gained the prize of the Ganges descent from heaven. However, the force of the fall would split the earth apart, and so Baghiratha persuades the god Shiva to break the fall of the river's descent by using the coils of his hair. The Ganges falls from heaven onto the coils and can then gently fall onto the Himalayas, before Baghiratha led the river out across India and into the ocean so that it could plunge to the underworld to save his ancestors.
Hindu mythology tells of how the Ganges was the heavenly river that descended from to form the Ganges that now crosses India. King Baghiratha performed pennance in a bid to gain the salvation of sixty thousand of his ancestors who as ashes were had been trapped in the underworld, and in so doing gained the prize of the Ganges descent from heaven. However, the force of the fall would split the earth apart, and so Baghiratha persuades the god Shiva to break the fall of the river's descent by using the coils of his hair. The Ganges falls from heaven onto the coils and can then gently fall onto the Himalayas, before Baghiratha led the river out across India and into the ocean so that it could plunge to the underworld to save his ancestors.
ITALY
ROMULUS AND REMUS AND THE FOUNDING OF ROME, ITALY
Romulus and Remus the twins brought up by a wolf, who went on to found the city of Rome.
Their mother was the Princess Rhea Silva, daughter of King Numitor, and their father the god Mars. Fearing their them as a threat to his rule King Amulius ordered them to be killed.
The twins were then abandoned on the banks of the River Tiber for their own safety. The Father of the River, the god Tiberinus saved them, and they were suckled by a she-wolf in a cave on the site of the future city of Rome.
Romulus and Remus were eventually adopted by a shepherd called Faustulus. In a battle for the kingship of the city of Alba Longa where they were born, Remus was captured and Romulus raised a force to rescue him.
During the battles they learned of their true identity and supported their grandfather King Numitor against King Amulius.
King Numitor won back his kingship and the twins went on to found a new city by the cave where they were brought up, amongst the Seven Hills. They argued over which hill should be the location of the new city, in the argument Remus was killed, and Romulus went on to found Rome on Palatine Hill.
The twins being suckled by the she-wolf became the symbol of Rome, A grotto discovered beneath the remains of the house of Emperor Augustus at the base of the Palatine Hill in 2007 has been claimed to be the Lupercal, the cave where the she-wolf is said to have suckled the twins.
Romulus and Remus the twins brought up by a wolf, who went on to found the city of Rome.
Their mother was the Princess Rhea Silva, daughter of King Numitor, and their father the god Mars. Fearing their them as a threat to his rule King Amulius ordered them to be killed.
The twins were then abandoned on the banks of the River Tiber for their own safety. The Father of the River, the god Tiberinus saved them, and they were suckled by a she-wolf in a cave on the site of the future city of Rome.
Romulus and Remus were eventually adopted by a shepherd called Faustulus. In a battle for the kingship of the city of Alba Longa where they were born, Remus was captured and Romulus raised a force to rescue him.
During the battles they learned of their true identity and supported their grandfather King Numitor against King Amulius.
King Numitor won back his kingship and the twins went on to found a new city by the cave where they were brought up, amongst the Seven Hills. They argued over which hill should be the location of the new city, in the argument Remus was killed, and Romulus went on to found Rome on Palatine Hill.
The twins being suckled by the she-wolf became the symbol of Rome, A grotto discovered beneath the remains of the house of Emperor Augustus at the base of the Palatine Hill in 2007 has been claimed to be the Lupercal, the cave where the she-wolf is said to have suckled the twins.
NEW ZEALAND
ROTOROA, NORTH ISLAND, NEW ZEALAND
Mokoia Island, in Lake Rotoroa, is sacred to the Te Arawa Tribe of the Maori people, and is the setting for the legend of Hinemoa and Tutenakai.
The warrior Tutenakai lived on the tiny island and played music each night on his pipes with his friend Tiki. The music floated on the air across the lake and on its banks noble-born Hinemoa heard the notes the warrior played.
Tutenakai visited Hinemoa's village and met her and they fell in love, but he had to return to his village on the island. He promise Hinemoa that he would play the music each night, so that she could follow the music and swim across the lake to the island to join him.
Hinemoa heard the music and had selected six dry gourds to use as floats so that she could swim across the lake. She followed the music and made it to the island, gaining refreshment at the hot spring on the island, Waikimihia.
By chance Tutenakai had sent his servant to collect water, and he reported back that there was a young woman by the spring. Tutenakai rushed down to greet Hinemoa, and they lived happily ever after.
Mokoia Island, in Lake Rotoroa, is sacred to the Te Arawa Tribe of the Maori people, and is the setting for the legend of Hinemoa and Tutenakai.
The warrior Tutenakai lived on the tiny island and played music each night on his pipes with his friend Tiki. The music floated on the air across the lake and on its banks noble-born Hinemoa heard the notes the warrior played.
Tutenakai visited Hinemoa's village and met her and they fell in love, but he had to return to his village on the island. He promise Hinemoa that he would play the music each night, so that she could follow the music and swim across the lake to the island to join him.
Hinemoa heard the music and had selected six dry gourds to use as floats so that she could swim across the lake. She followed the music and made it to the island, gaining refreshment at the hot spring on the island, Waikimihia.
By chance Tutenakai had sent his servant to collect water, and he reported back that there was a young woman by the spring. Tutenakai rushed down to greet Hinemoa, and they lived happily ever after.
SOUTH KOREA
THE OLDEST TEMPLE BELL IN SOUTH KOREA, SANGWONSA TEMPLE, PYEONGCHANG
Sangwonsa Temple houses the oldest Temple Bell in South Korea, cast in 725 AD, the 24th year of King Seongdeok.
This classic Korean Bronze Buddhist Temple Bell features a dragon at its top from which it is suspended, a lotus and honeysuckle motif and heavenly fairies or angels playing a harp and Korean mouth-organ.
Sangwonsa Temple houses the oldest Temple Bell in South Korea, cast in 725 AD, the 24th year of King Seongdeok.
This classic Korean Bronze Buddhist Temple Bell features a dragon at its top from which it is suspended, a lotus and honeysuckle motif and heavenly fairies or angels playing a harp and Korean mouth-organ.
USA
ONIARE - IROQUOIS LAKE MONSTER - GREAT LAKES, USA
Native American legends tell of Oniare living in the Great Lakes.
The Iroquois gave the dragon-like water serpent, with a horned head, the name Oniare. Hiding in the waters of the Great Lakes it would prey on travellers, overturning their canoes and using its poisonous breath.
Travellers could avoid its wrath by making offerings, or by calling upon Oriane's enemy the thunder god, Hinon.
Sightings by the descendants of the European settlers, also report a sea serpent creature from the 1800s through to the 1990s, where it is called affectionately, Bessie.
Native American legends tell of Oniare living in the Great Lakes.
The Iroquois gave the dragon-like water serpent, with a horned head, the name Oniare. Hiding in the waters of the Great Lakes it would prey on travellers, overturning their canoes and using its poisonous breath.
Travellers could avoid its wrath by making offerings, or by calling upon Oriane's enemy the thunder god, Hinon.
Sightings by the descendants of the European settlers, also report a sea serpent creature from the 1800s through to the 1990s, where it is called affectionately, Bessie.