This page groups mythical creatures by the role they play in their own story. Wikipedia notes that "these monsters thus have the basic function of emphasizing the greatness of the heroes involved." Browsing by domain function lets a visitor compare the narrative job one creature does against another.
Facts
Overview
What Defines This GroupingSupernatural dogs, collected by form. Dogs guard thresholds and the roads of the dead in several unrelated traditions, and the group holds them together by that shape rather than by any shared belief. 2 Learn More
The mythical hounds
This small group gathers mythical hounds, the supernatural dogs of legend, which in many traditions guard thresholds and the paths of the dead, or run as spectral hunters through folklore.
The browser will find the hound figures the atlas classes here. The entries describe each creature's form and mythological role.
Sources
1. Divinity Atlas Directory Taxonomy, First Edition Category Tree
2. Motif-Index of Folk-Literature: A Classification of Narrative Elements in Folktales, Ballads, Myths, Fables, Mediaeval Romances, Exempla, Fabliaux, Jest-Books and Local Legends
Stith Thompson, Indiana University Press, 1958B0-B99, Mythical Animals
Divinity Atlas Directory Prose, First Edition Category Descriptions
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.