Hey, folks! We’re rounding out May with one last “re-run” post, as I am recovering from a nasty bit of stomach flu. Today’s rerun features several kinds of sea monsters. Not only will we be meeting some watery creatures in Cinders to Dust next month, we’ll also be celebrating World Ocean Day on June 8, so the timing is perfect!
To honor World Ocean Day, today I’ve got a list of terrifying sea monsters–some real, some less so. 😉 Chances are you’ve heard of the Kraken or Leviathan, but how about . . .
- Cetus — the ancient Greek sea monster most famous for being sent by the gods to eat Andromeda, a princess chained to a rock. Because all of these things make perfect sense in Greek mythology. Records are pretty scant about what Cetus actually looked like or did when not (almost) eating princesses, but readers are assured the monster was terrible all ’round. Today, you can see Cetus for yourself–as a constellation in the Northern Hemisphere, that is. 🙂
- Jormungandr — a snake so huge it could wrap itself around the world and hold on to its tail with its mouth. This is similar to the classical alchemical symbol ouroboros, the snake eating its own tail, except Jormungandr is said to be literally preventing the end of the world by holding everything together. So if for any reason you ever find yourself in the deep seas and you see something that looks like a gigantic snake, don’t poke it . . . the consequences could be dire!
- The sarcastic fringehead — even though it sounds like something one squabbling sibling would call another, this one’s real! And unlike the others on this list, it’s very small, so you don’t have to worry about it eating you or ending the world. Even so, bad jokes can be very hurtful, so if you happen to come across one off the coast of California, maybe swim the other way! (And if you’re interested, you can find a more scientific description of it here!
There’s plenty more monsters out in the sea, so check out the Resources list for more, well, lists. 🙂 And in the meantime, be mindful of where you go swimming, or where you choose to relax on the beach!
Selected Resources
As advertised, today the “resources” are some more fun monster lists. Mythology.net‘s article has some cool pictures; oceaninfo.com includes descriptions of Cthulhu and the “Sea bishop”; and at littlethings.com, you can find more real-life sea monsters, too!
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