Little-known myths about whales

(Baonghean.vn) - Throughout human history, whales have been quite special animals, holding unique positions within the cultures and societies of many countries.

Stories of whales destroying ships and devouring small humans are not uncommon in many countries. Meanwhile, many people believe that whales are supernatural beings that bring peace, good fortune, and harmony to their people and the world. Here are some famous whale myths from various countries:

Illustration: Internet.

Yu-kiang

Ancient Chinese people believed in a mythical creature called Yu-kiang that ruled the vast ocean. This creature was often depicted as a gigantic fish (whale), hundreds of meters long, with human-like limbs!

When Yu-kiang gets angry, it transforms into a giant bird and causes storms at sea.

Jonah repents inside the belly of a whale. Photo: Internet.

Jonah and the Whale

The story tells of a young man named Jonah who refused to heed the gods' warnings and decided to do the opposite. In the story, the god commanded Jonah to preach repentance in Nineveh. However, Jonah considered the city a bad place and, disregarding the god's instructions, went to Joppa and sailed to Tar Shish, a place directly opposite Nineveh.

On the way to Tar Shish, the sea began to churn, causing the ship to rock precariously amidst the rough waves. The crew began to fear and tried everything to regain balance, but to no avail.

At this point, Jonah regretted disobeying the gods' orders and asked the sailors to throw him overboard as a sacrifice.

Suddenly, the ocean became calm again, and the crew resumed their journey. As for Jonah, instead of sinking to the bottom of the ocean, he was swallowed whole by a giant fish sent by the gods.

After three days of repentance inside the fish's belly, the gods finally took pity on Jonah and agreed to release him.

Whales have washed ashore on Cua Lo beach, Nghe An province. Vietnamese people usually bury them carefully, and in many places, temples are erected to worship the dead whales that have washed ashore.

The significance of whales in Vietnam

In Vietnam, whales are considered sacred animals that bring good luck, peace, and prosperity to people.

When a dead whale is found washed ashore, people give it a careful burial, and in many places, shrines are erected next to the whale's grave, becoming places where people come to pray for peace and safety.

Illustration: Internet.

King Sulemani and the hungry whale

In East Africa, the story of King Sulemani and the hungry whale is passed down. King Sulemani had many corn crops planted to feed his people and animals who were suffering from famine. One day, after all the people and livestock had enough to eat, King Sulemani prayed to the gods for the strength to feed the whole world.

The gods were displeased with the king's request and sent a giant creature from the ocean to devour King Sulemani's crops. Afterward, the giant whale turned to King Sulemani and said, "I am still very hungry; give me food."

The king, astonished, asked again, "Are there many other creatures like you?"

The whale looked directly at the King and replied, "Yes, there are about 70,000 more like me."

At that moment, King Sulemani thanked the gods for teaching him a valuable lesson, and he realized that feeding the entire world was not a responsibility he or his territory could bear. From then on, he never sought to defy the divine mandate to provide food for the world.

A crow and a whale are stranded. Photo: Internet.

The story of the giant crow

The Inuit people of the Arctic tell the story of Big Raven, a giant raven who was once a deity. One day, Big Raven, in human form, discovered a stranded whale. Desperate to help, Big Raven prayed to the Almighty for assistance and received the answer that to save the distressed whale, Big Raven had to travel through the forest to a place where the moonlight shone in a very special way. There, he would find special mushrooms, and eating them would give Big Raven the strength to return the whale to the ocean. After a arduous journey, Big Raven successfully saved the whale's life and brought it back to his home.

Phu Binh

(According to Whalefacts)