[A][
B][
C][
D][
E][
F][
G][
H][
I][
J][
K][
L][
M]
[
N][
O][
P][
Q][
R][
S][
T][
U][
V][
W][
X][
Y][
Z]
Fafnir- In Scandinavian mythology, the eldest son of the dwarf king Hreidmar. The slaying of Fafnir represented the destruction of the demon of cold or darkness who had stolen the golden light of the sun.
Fahfah- Name given to one of the rivers of paradise in the mythology of the East.
Fata Morgana- In Italian folklore, a wraith who, in the guise of a beautiful woman, lured her pursuers into dangerous spots where they perished.
Fates- In Greek and Roman mythology the Fates are identical with the Parcæ. They were three sisters, daughters of Night, whom Zeus permitted to decide the fortune and the duration of mortal life. They were viewed as inexorable, and ranked among the inferior divinities of the lower world. They were generally represented as three women, with chaplets made of wool and interwoven with the flowers of the narcissus, wearing long robes, and employed in their works: Clotho with a distaff; Lachesis having near her sometimes several spindles; and Atropos holding a pair of scissors. See Atropos.
Faunus- Roman counterpart of the Greek god Pan.
Felicitas- A symbolical, moral deity of the Romans. She was the personification of good fortune, and is frequently seen on Roman medals, in the form of a matron, with the staff of Mercury and a cornucopia.
Feng- The name taken by Odin in the capacity of wave-stiller. Under this name he teaches mortals to distinguish between good and bad omens and to know the moods of the winds.
Fenrir or Fenris- In Scandinavian mythology, the wolf, offspring of Loki, which, because of his sinister growth in size and strength, the gods bound with a magic chain. When he gapes, one jaw touches earth and the other, heaven.
Ferohers- The guardian angels in Persian mythology. They were countless in number, and their chief tasks were to ensure the well-being of man.
Feronia- A goddess of fruits, nurseries, and groves among the Romans. She had a very rich temple and a grove consecrated to her. She was honored as the patroness of enfranchised slaves, who ordinarily received their liberty in her temple.
Fiolnir- In Norse mythology, son of Gerda and Frey.
Fire People- A people mentioned in a Pacific Coast Indian legend as possessing fire before other people did. Raven stole a baby belonging to them and refused to exchange it for anything less than fire. Finally, the fire people taught him the use of fire.
Fire Spirit- A spirit which, according to certain North American Indian myths, jealously guarded fire. Many people tried to steal the fire from him. Finally, Nanabozho, taking the form of a hare, reached the wigwam of the fire spirit. He succeeded in seizing a fireband and returned with it to his people. Like Hiawatha, Nanabozho, stands in legend as a benefactor of the race.
Flora- The Roman goddess of blossoms and flowers.
Fortitudo- A personification of courage and bravery, worshipped as a goddess by the Romans.
Fortuna- The goddess of chance, to whom was ascribed the allotment of prosperity and adversity among men.
Freki and Geri- The two wolves of Odin, which lie at his feet as he overlooks heaven and earth.
Frey- In Scandinavian mythology, the god of the sun and of rain, and also of fertility and of peace. He was one of the most popular of the Norse divinities. No weapons were ever allowed in Frey’s temple, although oxen and horses were sacrificed to him.
Freya- The Scandinavian goddess of beauty and love, sister of Frey, and wife of Odur, who deserted her for a while but was found again by her and won back. Plants were called Freya’s hair, and the butterfly, Freya’s hen. Her name survives in “Friday.”
Frigga- In Scandinavian mythology, the wife of Odin, and so the queen of the gods. She was the mother of Balder, Thor, and others. She sometimes typifies the earth, as Odin does the heavens. She is often confounded erroneously with Freya, in very early stories.
Frodi- The son of Frey, a god of peace. Under his direction two giantesses turned a pair of magic millstones which ground out gold according to his wish and filled his coffers. Excited by greed he forced them to labor, allowing rest only long enough for the singing of one verse. When Frodi himself slept, the giantesses changed their song and proceeded to grind out an army of troops to invade the land. These troops represent the Vikings.
Frost giants- In Norse mythology, frost giants were sworn enemies of the gods.
Furies- Three divinities of the lower world, whose office it was to torment the guilty in Tartarus, and often to inflict vengeance upon the living who had slain their relatives. They are also known as Erinyes and Eumenides. See Megæra.
Fylgie- Guardian spirits treated of in Norse mythology. Besides the Borns or Dises, who were regarded as protective deities, one of the Fylgie was ascribed by the Norsemen to each human being as a guardian spirit to attend him through life.
~HOME~