Water spirit
From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
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A water spirit is a kind of supernatural being found in the myth and folklore of many cultures:
Contents
African
Some of the water spirits in traditional African religion include:
- Mami Wata is a transcultural pantheon of water spirits and deities of the African diaspora. For the many names associated with Mami Wata spirits and goddess, see Names of Mami Wata.
- A jengu (plural miengu) is a water spirit and deity in the traditional beliefs of the Sawa ethnic groups of Cameroon.
Celtic
In Celtic mythology:
- An Each uisge is a particularly dangerous "water horse" supposed to be found in Scotland; its Irish counterpart is the Aughisky.
- A Kelpie is a less dangerous sort of water horse. There are many similar creatures by other names in the mythology including:
- the nuggle (Orkney)
- the shoopiltee, the njogel, or the tangi (Shetland)
- the cabbyl-ushtey (Isle of Man)
- the Ceffyl Dŵr (Wales)
- the capall uisge or the glashtin (Ireland)
- Morgens, Morgans or Mari-Morgans are Welsh and Breton water spirits that drown men.
Germanic
- The Neck (English) or the Nix/Nixe/Nyx (German) are shapeshifting water spirits who usually appear in human form.
- The Undine or Ondine is a female water elemental (first appearing the alchemical works of Paracelsus).
Ancient Greek
In Greek mythology:
- Naiads were nymphs who presided over fountains, wells, springs, streams, and brooks
- Nereids were sea nymphs.
- Sirens were bird-headed women living in the sea near a rocky island coastline.
Japanese
- Kappa (河童?, "river-child"), alternately called Kawatarō (川太郎?, "river-boy") or Kawako (川子?, "river-child"), are a type of water sprite.
- A Hyōsube (ひょうすべ?) is a hair-covered version of a Kappa.
Mesoamerican
In Aztec belief:
- Ahuizotl; a dog-like aquatic creature that drowned the unwary.
Oceanic
In the mythology of Oceania:
- Adaro were malevolent merman-like sea spirits found in the mythology of the Solomon Islands.
Roman
In Roman mythology:
- Camenae were goddesses of springs, wells and fountains, or water nymphs of Venus (mythology).
Slavic
In Slavic mythology:
- A Vodyanoy (also wodnik, vodník, vodnik, vodenjak) is a male water spirit akin to the Germanic Neck.
- A Rusalka (plural: rusalki) was a female ghost, water nymph, succubus or mermaid-like demon that dwelled in a waterway.
- А Berehynia in ancient Ukrainian folklore was a spirit that guarded the edges of waterways, while today it is used as a symbol for Ukrainian nationalism.
- For potoplenyk, vila/wila/wili/veela, and vodianyk, see also Slavic fairies.
Thai
- Phi Phraya (ผีพราย, พรายน้ำ), a female ghost living in the water.
- Phi Thale (ผีทะเล), a spirit of the sea. It manifests itself in different ways, one of them being St. Elmo's fire, among other uncanny phenomenons experienced by sailors and fishermen while on boats.