Bolla
Encyclopedia
Bolla is a type of serpentic dragon
(or a demonic dragon-like creature) with a long, coiled, serpentine body, four legs and small wings in ancient Albanian folklore
. This dragon sleeps throughout the whole year, only to wake on Saint George's Day, where its faceted silver eyes peer into the world. The Bolla does this until it sees a human. It devours the person, then closes its eyes and sleeps again.
In its twelfth year, the bolla evolves by growing nine tongues, horns, spines and larger wings. At this time it will learn how to use its formerly hidden fire-breathing abilities, and is now called a Kuçedra (hydra). The Kuçedra causes droughts and lives off human sacrifices. The Kuçedra is sometimes also represented as an enormous woman with a hairy body and hanging breasts. In other mythologies it corresponds to the Lernaean Hydra
of the Greek Mythology
.
The monster can cause a shortage of water and it requires human sacrifices to propitiate it. The creature is also known as Bullar in southern Albania.
Dragon
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...
(or a demonic dragon-like creature) with a long, coiled, serpentine body, four legs and small wings in ancient Albanian folklore
Albanian folklore
Albanian mythology comprises myths and legends of the Albanians. The elements of Albanian mythology are of Paleo-Balkanic origin and almost all of them are pagan....
. This dragon sleeps throughout the whole year, only to wake on Saint George's Day, where its faceted silver eyes peer into the world. The Bolla does this until it sees a human. It devours the person, then closes its eyes and sleeps again.
In its twelfth year, the bolla evolves by growing nine tongues, horns, spines and larger wings. At this time it will learn how to use its formerly hidden fire-breathing abilities, and is now called a Kuçedra (hydra). The Kuçedra causes droughts and lives off human sacrifices. The Kuçedra is sometimes also represented as an enormous woman with a hairy body and hanging breasts. In other mythologies it corresponds to the Lernaean Hydra
Lernaean Hydra
In Greek mythology, the Lernaean Hydra was an ancient nameless serpent-like chthonic water beast, with reptilian traits, that possessed many heads — the poets mention more heads than the vase-painters could paint, and for each head cut off it grew two more — and poisonous breath so virulent even...
of the Greek Mythology
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
.
The monster can cause a shortage of water and it requires human sacrifices to propitiate it. The creature is also known as Bullar in southern Albania.
See also
- Albanian folkloreAlbanian folkloreAlbanian mythology comprises myths and legends of the Albanians. The elements of Albanian mythology are of Paleo-Balkanic origin and almost all of them are pagan....
- DjallDjallAn Albanian god of evil and death. In modern Albania Djall is the name of the Devil. He is also called Dreq from the Latin draco ....
, a devil-like figure in Albanian folklore - BalaurBalaurA balaur is a creature in Romanian folklore, similar to a European dragon. A bălaur is quite large, has fins, feet, and is polycephalous...
, a similar figure in Romanian folklore