Romanian Folklore and Myths

The Creation of the World

The creation of the world in Romanian folklore is most probably based on mazdeist doctrines, which entered the mythologies of many peoples including the Daci, the ancestors of the Romanian people, and which were left behind by these. As such, far from coinciding with the story in the Book of Genesis, cosmogony is largely dualist in nature, depicting the Earth as the common opus of God and the Devil, imagined as counterparts of Ahura Mazda and Angra Mainyu rather than in the biblical way. However, different stories suggest God made the earth with the help of animals, while Satan was trying to thwart his plans.

In the majority of versions, before the earth existed, a boundless ocean called Apa Sâmbetei was the abode of God and the Devil, seen as master and servant rather than equals. Upon deciding to create the earth, God sent the Devil to bring a handful of clay from the ground of the World Oceanin his holy name. The Devil set forth and tried to bring it to the surface in his name instead, but could not succeed until he brought it up in the name of God. As this piece of clay grew into the earth, God laid himself down to sleep. The Devil tried to push him over the side, but the ever-expanding earth would hinder that. After trying to throw God off the earth in every one of the four cardinal directions, he shied away from the crosshe drew in the ground himself.

[edit]The Origin of Evil

Other accounts, closer to the biblical one, suggest that the Devil and his demons were once angels of God. The Devil, however, tried to rebel, and, in response, God opened up theHeavens so that he might fall to the earth. Fearing that Heaven might be voided, the archangel Michael re-sealed it, thus freezing the demons that had not yet fallen to hell in place. This is related to the concept of soul customs, where every soul is intercepted on its way to Heaven by these demons, who force it into hell. It has also given rise to the Romanian sayingpână ajungi la Dumnezeu, te mănâncă sfinţii (before you reach God, the saints will eat you).

[edit]The Origin of God

Another question commonly addressed is that of the origin of God, which is explained in a Russian doll type fashion. Before every God there was another God that created him. Thus explaining the many names the Bible used for God, the Oltenians believed the first God was called Sabaoth, followed by Amon, Apollo, the Creator God of the Bible, and finally, Jesus Christ.

[edit]The Origin of Race

Quite surprisingly for a Caucasian race, Romanian folklore asserts that, as God had made the humans out of clay, and clay was perceived to be black like soil, the first humans were black-skinned^{[citation needed]}. It was later during the time of Cain and Abel that God did punish the murderous Cain by bleaching his skin.^{[citation needed]} This is identified as the source of the expression a se îngălbeni de frică (to go yellow with fear), which can also be found in various forms in the folklore of other peoples.

[edit]The Earth

As in other cultures, the Earth was regarded as a giver of life even before Christianity had spread to the Romanian lands, and as such, was personified as the feminine archetype of theGreat Mother. This form can be traced back to the Iranian mazdeist religion, where Spenta Armaiti is found as the personification of the Earth. This form endured even after Christian imagery and symbolism became part of Romanian culture, Mother Earth often being identified as the consort of God, the heavenly Father.

The origin of mountains is explained in a number of ways by the cultures of the different regions of Romania. One account is that mountains formed as a response to God demanding the Earth to nurture all life, to which the earth shuddered and brought forth mountains. Another version suggests the Earth was too large to fit under the firmament, and so God attempted to shrink it, thus raising mountains. Often, these accounts are accompanied by the imagery of one or several World Pillars, which sustain the earth from below and are usually placed beneath mountains. Earthquakes are frequently attributed to the earth slipping due to the Devil's constant gnawing at these pillars, which are rebuilt by God and his angels in times offasting.

Haunted place in Romania

A hotel in Romania has become a local attraction after a photograph of a ghost was published by newspapers and television. The ghost of a tall woman in a long white dress reportedly watches the hallways and staircases of the Decebal hotel, in the Baile Herculane mountain spa.The 150-year-old hotel isbelieved to hide ancient Roman treasure under its foundations and the ghost is said by locals to keep treasure hunters away.

The hotel has been closed for renovations for five years but people who have ventured inside claim to have seen - and photographed - the ghost.Victoria Iovan, 33, from Baile Herculane, said: "I photographed my boyfriend in the hotel. Back home I was shocked tosee another woman's shadow in the picture. She looked like a priestess in long white clothes."

Is planet Nibiru real?(Planet X)

Girl transforms into a demon

Girl transforms into a demon on a live video conversation on the Chatroulette.com , socialisation website.It looks like someone likes to scare people..

'The Last Exorcism' Chat Roulette Gives Fellas Blue Balls - Watch more horror

Vanga predicts World War III in November 2010!

2008 - Assassination attempts on four heads of states. Conflict in Indonesia. That becomes one of the causes for the start of WWIII.

2010 - The start of WWIII. The war will begin in November of 2010 and will end in October of 2014. Will start as a normal war, then will include usage of nuclear and chemical weapons.

2011 - Due to the radioactive showers in Northern Hemisphere - no animals or plants will be left. Muslims will begin chemical war against Europeans who are still alive.

2014 - Most of the people in this world will have skin cancer and skin related diseases. (as a result of chemical wars).016 - Europe is almost empty

2018 - China becomes the new world power.

2023 - Earth’s orbit will change slightly

2025 - Europe is still barely populated

2028 - Development of a new energy source. (Probably controller thermonuclear reaction) Hunger slowly stops being a problem. Piloted spaceship to Venus deploys.

2033 - Polar ice caps melt. World ocean levels rise.2043 - World economy is prosperous. Muslims are running Europe.

2046 - Any organs can be mass produced. Exchange of body organs becomes the favorite method of treatment.

2066 - During it’s attack on Rome (which is under control of the Muslims) U.S.A. uses a new method of weapons - has to do with climate change. Sharp freezing.

2076 - No class society (communism)

2084 - The rebirth of the nature.

2088 - New disease. - People are getting old in few seconds.

2097 - This disease is cured.

2100 - Man made Sun is lighting up the dark side of the planet Earth.

2111 - People become robots.

2123 - Wars between small countries. Big countries don’t get evolved.

2125 - In Hungry the signals from Space are received. (People will be reminded of Vanga again)

2130 - Colonies under water (advices from aliens)

2154 - Animals become half-humans.

2167 - New religion

2170 - Big drought.

2183 - Collony on Mars becomes nuclear nation and is asking for independence from the Earth. (same way as U.S. did from England)

2187 - Successfully two volcano eruptions are stopped.

2195 - Sea colonies are fully supplied with energy and food.

2196 - Full mixture between Asians and Europeans.

2201 - Thermonuclear reactions on the Sun slow down. Temperatures Drop.

2221 - In the search of Alien life, human beings engage with something very freighting.

2256 - Spaceship brings a freighting new disease into Earth.

2262 - Orbits of planets start to change progressively. Mars is undera threat of being hit by a comet.

2271 - Physic properties are calculated over, since they changed.

2273 - Mix of yellow, white, and black race. New race.

2279 - Energy out of nothing (probably from vacuum or black holes)

2288 - Travel through time. New contacts with the aliens.

2291 - Sun cools. Attempts to fire it up again are taken.

2296 - Bright flashes on the Sun. Force of gravity changes. Old space stations and satellites begin to fall

2299 - In France, there is a partisan uprising against Islam.

2302 - New important new laws and mysteries about the universe are uncovered.

2304 - The mystery of the Moon is uncovered.

2341 - Something frightening is closing in with Earth from the space.

2354 - Accident on one of the man made suns, will result in drought.

2371 - Mighty hunger.

2378 - New and fast growing race.

2480 - Two man made suns will collide. Earth is in the dark.

3005 - War on Mars. Trajectory of planets changes.

3010 - Comet will ram into the Moon. Around Earth there is a belt of rocks and dust

3797 - By this time, everything living on Earth dies. But humans are able to put in the essentials for the beginning of a new life in a new star system.

P.S. She also predicted;

“Everything will melt away like ice yet the glory of Vladimir , the glory of Russia are the only things that will remain. Russia will not only survive, it will dominate the world.”(1979)

- The prediction was made in Soviet times when just a few people were using the term

“Russia”. It remains to be seen which Vladimir Vanga had referred to. There are three real candidates: The Prince Vladimir, Vladimir Lenin, the Vladimir Putin, or the future one…

Ghost Hunting

Ghost hunting can be a fun and intriguing experience that blends spirituality with science to create an interesting investigation. Seasoned ghost hunters quickly learn all the tricks of the trade, including knowing how to stay safe and what to do and not to do to in order to ensure good quality results. However, with all the conflicting messages the media gives u, an impending investigation could seem a little daunting to the novice ghost hunter, perhaps even scary. Here are the top five myths presently circulating about ghost hunting at this time--debunked.

You must already posses a pinch of psychic prowess if you hope to capture anything worthwhile. Although I'm quite sure that people who have some degree of psychic ability may have a better chance of actually communicating with a spirit, there is no evidence to suggest that psychics capture more EVPs (electronic voice phenomenon) on tape or apparitions on film than anyone else.

You need expensive, top-of-the-line equipment if you expect to catch anything good. This is completely untrue. As I discussed inGhost Hunting for Beginners, my mother and I have been using a $40 Olympus digital recorder and a $200 Sony digital camera for well over five years. As long as the equipment isn't faulty or prone to malfunctioning, you should be able to pick up any anomalies in the area just as good as if you had a $1600 Nikon.

Ghost hunting is dangerous -- the ghosts might follow you home!99.9% of ghosts are completely harmless. Typically speaking, ghosts are haunting a location, not a person, and certainly not YOU specifically. They are also usually quite territorial, either bound to a certain location because they choose to remain at a place that had special significance to them when they were alive or because their energy is trapped in the place where the tragedy that caused their passing occurred. If an object is haunted, however, then yes, the spirit attached to the item will go wherever it goes. But entering a cemetery, snapping a few pictures and then leaving is harmless. You are merely observing, and the ghosts know that. However, it doesn't hurt to say a prayer of safety as you are getting ready to leave, or even ask the spirits directly that they remain where they are and do not follow you home.

ALSO,YOU MAY FOLLOW THIS LINK (GHOST HUNTING FOR BEGINNERS):http://hubpages.com/hub/Ghost_Hunting_for_Beginners

The Mirror of Matsuyama - Japan Folktales

In ancient days there lived in a remote part of Japan a man and his wife, and they were blessed with a little girl, who was the pet and idol of her parents. On one occasion the man was called away on business in distant Kyoto. Before he went he told his daughter that if she were good and dutiful to her mother he would bring her back a present she would prize very highly. Then the good man took his departure, mother and daughter watching him go.

At last he returned to his home, and after his wife and child had taken off his large hat and sandals he sat down upon the white mats and opened a bamboo basket, watching the eager gaze of his little child. He took out a wonderful doll and a lacquer box of cakes and put them into her outstretched hands. Once more he dived into his basket, and presented his wife with a metal mirror. Its convex surface shone brightly, while upon its back there was a design of pine trees and storks.

The good man's wife had never seen a mirror before, and on gazing into it she was under the impression that another woman looked out upon her as she gazed with growing wonder. Her husband explained the mystery and bade her take great care of the mirror.

Not long after this happy homecoming and distribution of presents the woman became very ill. Just before she died she called to her little daughter, and said: "Dear child, when I am dead take every care of your father. You will miss me when I have left you. But take this mirror, and when you feel most lonely look into it and you will always see me." Having said these words she passed away.

In due time the man married again, and his wife was not at all kind to her stepdaughter. But the little one, remembering her mother's words, would retire to a corner and eagerly look into the mirror, where it seemed to her that she saw her dear mother's face, not drawn in pain as she had seen it on her deathbed, but young and beautiful.

One day this child's stepmother chanced to see her crouching in a corner over an object she could not quite see, murmuring to herself. This ignorant woman, who detested the child and believed that her stepdaughter detested her in return, fancied that this little one was performing some strange magical art--perhaps making an image and sticking pins into it. Full of these notions, the stepmother went to her husband and told him that his wicked child was doing her best to kill her by witchcraft.

When the master of the house had listened to this extraordinary recital he went straight to his daughter's room. He took her by surprise, and immediately the girl saw him she slipped the mirror into her sleeve. For the first time her doting father grew angry, and he feared that there was, after all, truth in what his wife had told him, and he repeated her tale forthwith.

When his daughter had heard this unjust accusation she was amazed at her father's words, and she told him that she loved him far too well ever to attempt or wish to kill his wife, who she knew was dear to him.

"What have you hidden in your sleeve?" said her father, only half convinced and still much puzzled.

"The mirror you gave my mother, and which she on her deathbed gave to me. Every time I look into its shining surface I see the face of my dear mother, young and beautiful. When my heart aches--and oh! it has ached so much lately--I take out the mirror, and mother's face, with sweet, kind smile, brings me peace, and helps me to bear hard words and cross looks."

Then the man understood and loved his child the more for her filial piety. Even the girl's stepmother, when she knew what had really taken place, was ashamed and asked forgiveness. And this child, who believed she had seen her mother's face in the mirror, forgave, and trouble forever departed from the home.

Source: F. Hadland Davis, Myths and Legends of Japan (London: George G. Harrap, 1917), pp. 196-198.

This story is often told at Hinamatsuri (Girls' Festival), March 3rd, one of the traditional festivals still celebrated in Japan.