Fire… The bewitching dance of its tongues, full of charm and mysteries, gave rise to many legends and myths directly related to the emergence of the elements, as well as the forces that control it on the planet. If we consider the mythology of different peoples, we can trace the threads leading to the divine origin of fire. The power and boundless power contained in the elements did not leave space in the minds of people for the birth of the idea that they themselves could get the spark from which the flame was born. The pantheons of the gods certainly had a deity that controlled a dangerous element, and the spirits of fire are found in many legends. Let them be written in different languages, but have a common ideology.
Spirits of fire - a kind of elemental or natural spirits. In most cases, these are the forms of creatures that emit heat. According to the legends, fires and fires started from their hands, but, despite this, they not only carry the function of destruction, but also renew the surrounding space. Elemental beings include the spirits of fire, water, earth, air.
Salamander
Salamanders - in the legends of the Middle Ages, the spirits of fire, protecting the elements and being its personification. Residing in an open flame, in any of itsmanifestations. Usually depicted as small lizards. There were people who considered the salamander not just a spirit, but also some kind of unusual substance of fire.
Legends say that, despite the nature of the spirit, his body always remains cold, which sometimes allows him to extinguish the fire. If a salamander appeared in the house (usually this happens in the flames of a fireplace or stove), this does not mean anything bad. However, don't expect any luck either. If some creatures openly influence the fate of a person, pushing him into a whirlpool of failures or bestowing blessings, then the salamander is considered a neutral spirit. Sometimes referred to as the alchemical spirit of fire.
Phoenix
Phoenix (from the Latin phoenix) - a bird mentioned in the myths of many peoples, capable of burning itself, and then reborn. In most legends, the phoenix is often attributed to the cult of the sun. As a rule, it was depicted as an eagle in fiery red plumage interspersed with gold. Feeling the approach of death, the bird burns itself, flying to its native nest, and a chick arises from the resulting ashes. In some interpretations of the tales, an adult phoenix rises from the ashes. As a rule, myths mentioned that this bird is the only representative of its kind. If we consider the phoenix as a metaphor, it is a symbol of immortality, renewal, subject to a certain cycle.
In Christianity, this bird symbolizes resurrection, the victory of immortal life, unshakable faith and immutability. The bird is a symbol of Jesus Christ. One of the early periodsChristianity is painted with a frequent image of a phoenix on gravestones, where he acted as a triumph of life over death, resurrection from the dead. The ancient Russians had their own analogues of the phoenix, the spirits of fire: Finist and the Firebird.
Kagutsuchi
When Kagutsuchi was born, he burned his mother Izanami with his fire, causing her to die. The father of the deity, Izanagi, succumbed to despair, deprived his son of his head with the legendary weapon Ame no Ohabari, after which he divided the remains of Kagutsuchi into 8 equal parts. Of these, 8 volcanoes were subsequently born. The blood of the fire deity dripping from the blade of Ame no Ohabari gave birth to a large number of gods, including Watatsumi, the deity of the sea, as well as Kuraokami, who has power over rain.
Fire spirits in Japanese mythology are important. The Japanese worship Kagutsuchi as the god of fire and blacksmithing. Believers revere it in the temple of Akiba, Odaki and Atago, since its foundation, it has been the main temple for the veneration of the deity. In the past, the cult of Kagutsuchi had a huge impact. People were wary of the wrath of the deity, tirelessly brought gifts and prayed to him, believing that in this way they would protect the house and family from fire. To this day, these rituals have almost exhausted themselves, but the people have preserved the tradition of celebrating the Him-matsuri holiday at the beginning of the year, at the time of which believers take torches to the house, set on fire by the priest from the altar in the temple.
Hephaestus
Spirits of fire in Greek mythology are quite common. The ancient Greeks worshiped Hephaestus as the god of fire, andalso patron of blacksmithing. It was believed that no blacksmith could surpass him in skill. When Hera gave birth to Hephaestus, she saw that he was a sick and frail child, in addition, he was lame on both legs. The goddess was horrified and immediately renounced her son, throwing him off the top of Mount Olympus. However, the child did not die. Thetis, the sea goddess, raised the child, replacing him with her own mother. Hephaestus lived at the bottom of the sea, where he learned to forge. Later, he found out about his real parents and sent a golden throne as a gift to Hera, which bound her with invisible bonds as soon as she sat on it. In exchange for her release, he received the right to choose a wife, a place on Olympus and began to enter the pantheon of gods.
Ragor
Ragor is a fiery falcon, symbolizing a fair duel and honor in general. It is an allegory of directness and justice. Ragor is a metaphorical image of people who have abandoned lies and cunning, hypocrisy and deceit. It was he who was on the banner of Svyatoslav Igorevich, when he, in his campaigns, erased from the face of the earth the mention of the Khazars and their perfidious actions. Some mistakenly consider him to be the Slavic god of fire. The only spirits of fire in the mythology of the Slavs that can be called deities are Semargl and Ingle.
Loki
Loki is the Scandinavian god of deceit, who was also considered the deity of fire, the son of Laufey and the giant Farbauti. He is fluent in the magical art of shapeshifting, which he tirelessly uses to come to the aid of the gods or harm them. He has a tall stature, a beautiful, attractive appearance and a bold nature, but by nature he is cunning and angry. Participated in the creation of the first people. Loki acts as the parent of the queen of the underworld Hel, the terrible dragon Yermungad, as well as the wolf Fenris. In mythological stories, Loki acts as a getter-thief, whose weapons are cunning and deceit. He acts voluntarily or involuntarily, sometimes benefiting the gods, and at other times harming them.
