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Kamadhenu

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Tradition / Region: Indian Mythology
Alternative names: Surabhi, Surabhī, Kamaduh, Kamaduha, Sabala, Kapila
Category: Cow, Deity

The Myth

Kamadhenu is a miraculous white cow who provides whatever is desired and is regarded as the mother of all cows. She is associated with milk, prosperity, fertility, and the sacred rituals of the sages. She is sometimes depicted with the head and breasts of a woman, the wings of a bird, and the tail of a peacock, or with numerous gods represented within her body.

Different Hindu scriptures give different accounts of her origin. In the Mahabharata, Kamadhenu-Surabhi emerged from the churning of the cosmic ocean and was given to the great sages. Brahma commanded her to provide milk and ghee for ritual sacrifices.

In other traditions, Surabhi was born from Daksha, from Brahma, or from the divine act of creation. She became the mother of countless cattle and was associated with Goloka, the realm of the cows, as well as Patala.

Kamadhenu was closely connected with the sages who possessed her. She could provide enormous quantities of food and milk and, when threatened, could even produce warriors to defend her master.

One famous story concerns the sage Vashishtha and his miraculous cow Sabala. King Vishvamitra arrived at the sage’s hermitage with his army, and Vashishtha welcomed them with a great feast produced entirely through Sabala’s supernatural power.

Amazed by the cow’s abilities, Vishvamitra offered the sage thousands of ordinary cattle, elephants, horses, and jewels in exchange for her. Vashishtha refused, explaining that Sabala was essential to his religious duties.

Vishvamitra then attempted to take her by force. Sabala returned to Vashishtha and was ordered to defend him. From her body she produced armies of supernatural warriors, who fought Vishvamitra’s forces and destroyed his army.

Another tradition tells of Kamadhenu living with the sage Jamadagni. King Kartavirya Arjuna attempted to seize the divine cow and her calf. After the conflict led to Jamadagni’s death, his son Parashurama took revenge upon the king and eventually destroyed the Kshatriya warriors twenty-one times.

Kamadhenu is also associated with Nandini, another miraculous cow of plenty who lived with Vashishtha. In some traditions Nandini is Kamadhenu’s daughter, while in others the names Kamadhenu, Surabhi, and Nandini overlap.

When Kamadhenu’s son, a bullock, was cruelly overworked and beaten by a farmer, she wept over his suffering. Her tears were seen by Indra, who was moved by her grief and sent rain to stop the torment.

Kamadhenu remains a divine source of cattle, milk, prosperity, and protection, while her miraculous ability to provide nourishment and warriors makes her one of the most powerful supernatural cows in Hindu mythology.

Sources

“Kamadhenu.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed August 16, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamadhenu

Guallipén

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Tradition / Region: Argentine Mythology, Chilean Mythology
Alternative names: Waillepeñ, Huallepén, Huallepenyú, Huaillepenyí, Wayfü
Category: Cow

The Myth

The Guallipén is a strange animal with the body of a sheep and the head of a calf. It has four crooked legs, poor-looking wool, and makes a bleating sound like a sheep.

The Guallipén lives in low, humid places near bodies of water, especially swamps known in Mapuche tradition as münoko. It moves by pushing itself forward with its front legs while dragging its hind legs behind it.

On land, the Guallipén is said to be harmless, but in the water it becomes dangerous and attacks fiercely. When it encounters livestock, it can mate with them and cause their offspring to be born with deformities.

A pregnant woman who sees a Guallipén in a perimontu, a supernatural vision, receives a terrible omen concerning her unborn child. Depending on the tradition, the child may be born with deformed or atrophied limbs, rickets, an intellectual disability, or without bones.

Because of this danger, sexual relations near wetlands were traditionally regarded as taboo. A child believed to have been conceived after such an encounter could be described as a wallipeñ kulliñ, an incarnation of the Guallipén.

Sources

“Guallipén.” Wikipedia: La enciclopedia libre (Spanish Wikipedia). Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed August 16, 2026. https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guallip%C3%A9n

Hiromushime

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Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternative names: Tanaka no Mahito Hiromushime, Hiromushi-onna
Category: Cow

The Myth

Hiromushime was a wealthy woman from Sanuki Province who possessed cattle, horses, slaves, rice, money, and farmland. She was extremely miserly and exploited those around her through dishonest trade and harsh lending practices.

When selling sake, she diluted it with water to increase her profits. When lending rice and other goods, she used small measures and scales, but when collecting repayment she used larger ones. Some of her debtors were forced to abandon their homes and flee to other provinces.

In 776, Hiromushime became seriously ill. Shortly before her death, she told her husband and sons about a dream in which she had been brought before King Yama. She was shown three offenses: taking things belonging to temples and monks without repayment, adulterating sake for profit, and using different measures when lending and collecting debts.

Hiromushime died that same day. Her family decided to pray for her rather than cremate her body, gathering monks and ascetics to perform religious rites for nine days.

On the seventh day, Hiromushime suddenly returned to life and opened her coffin. Her body had been horribly transformed. Her upper body had become that of a cow, a horn had grown from her forehead, and her hands had become hooves. Only the lower half of her body retained its human form.

She no longer wanted ordinary food and instead ate grass, chewing it repeatedly and spitting it out before eating it again. She also lived without clothing and showed no concern for where she slept or defecated.

News of the transformation spread, and crowds gathered from surrounding areas to see her. Her family was filled with shame and grief and began making religious vows to atone for her wrongdoing.

They donated large amounts of property to temples, including seventy cows, thirty horses, rice fields, and thousands of bundles of rice. They also forgave all the debts owed by the people from whom Hiromushime had previously demanded repayment.

Five days later, while the provincial authorities were preparing their report about the strange event, Hiromushime died for a second time.

Sources

Takahashi, Toshihiro. “広虫女 (Hiromushime).” 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑 (New TYZ Yokai Encyclopedia). April 19, 2014. https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1010655084.html?

Gyūkan

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Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternative names: Kiukan
Category: Cow

The Myth

Gyūkan is a strange disease-causing entity believed to develop inside the human body. It is depicted as a cow with black horns and was understood as a mass that forms within the lungs.

According to the Shinmonsho, when the Gyūkan develops, it causes severe illness. When the afflicted person attempts to eat, the condition can trigger a sudden seizure and loss of consciousness.

The Gyūkan was considered difficult to treat once it had fully developed, although the Shinmonsho describes various acupuncture treatments that could be used against it. The creature is illustrated alongside other disease-causing beings in the sixteenth-century medical manual.

Sources

Takahashi, Toshihiro. “牛癇 (Gyūkan).” 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑 (New TYZ Yokai Encyclopedia). June 27, 2021. Accessed August 16, 2026. https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1078437904.html

Hira

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Tradition / Region: Malian Mythology
Alternative names: Hira
Category: Cow

The Myth

The Hira is a gigantic and ferocious buffalo known for its immense strength and brutality. It appears in the epic traditions of the Songhai people, particularly among the Bozo communities who lived along the Niger River.

According to the legend of Moussa Gname, a woman once fell asleep beneath a tree inhabited by a spirit and became pregnant by the spirit. Her son was named Moussa, or Mousa-Djinni, and his spirit father later taught him the magical knowledge needed for hunting.

When the Hira began ravaging the countryside, Moussa and his fiancée confronted the monster. Both were skilled in hunting magic, and together they succeeded in defeating the Hira.

A second Hira later appeared and proved equally difficult to kill. A diviner revealed that the monster could only be defeated through the help of a female elephant. The chief’s girlfriend secretly took the form of a female elephant and waited near a pond.

When the Hira came to the pond to drink, he approached the disguised elephant and began licking her. While he was distracted, she pulled four hairs from his tail and secretly gave them to Moussa.

The following day, Moussa confronted the Hira. Instead of fighting the enormous buffalo, he simply showed the monster the hairs taken from its tail. The Hira immediately lay down, allowing Moussa to kill it.

Sources

“Hira (mythical monster).” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed August 16, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hira_(mythical_monster)

Geumdoktae

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Tradition / Region: Korean Mythology
Alternative names: Golden Calf, Geumsongaji, Geumsongajijeon, Prince Geumdok
Category: Cow

The Myth

Geumdoktae is a magical golden calf born from a cow after a newborn child is secretly given to the animal. It later transforms between human and animal forms and eventually becomes a handsome man.

According to the tale, a man takes a concubine because he wants a son. While he is away, his wife gives birth to a boy. Jealous of the child, the other wife secretly gives the baby to a cow, which eats it.

When the man returns, the cow gives birth to a golden calf. He becomes deeply attached to the unusual animal and treats it with great affection.

The jealous wife then pretends to become ill and claims that she can only recover by eating the golden calf’s liver. The man orders a butcher to kill the calf and bring him its liver.

The butcher takes pity on the calf and secretly releases it. Instead of killing it, he brings back the liver of a dog.

The golden calf escapes and travels to Seoul. There it encounters a notice announcing that whoever can beat a straw drum will be allowed to marry the daughter of a nobleman. The golden calf approaches the drum and beats it, becoming the nobleman’s son-in-law.

The calf eventually sheds its animal form and becomes a handsome man. He returns to his father together with his wife and reveals the truth about what happened to him. His biological mother is rescued, and the family is reunited.

The golden calf then remains in human form and lives happily with his wife.

Sources

“암소 (Amso).” Encyclopedia of Korean Folk Culture. National Folk Museum of Korea. Accessed August 16, 2026. https://folkency.nfm.go.kr/topic/detail/5748?

Gozu

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Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternative names: Gozuki, Ox-Head Demon
Category: Cow

The Myth

Gozu appears as a terrifying oni with the head of an ox and the body of a powerful demon. He is one of the great guardians of Meido and Jigoku, where he serves Great King Enma, the ruler of the underworld. His companion Mezu has the head of a horse, while Gozu has the head of an ox.

Gozu and Mezu stand at the gates of hell and are among the first demons encountered by the dead when they enter Jigoku. They oversee the punishment of wicked souls and serve among Enma’s chief torturers.

The two demons possess immense strength, said to be powerful enough to move mountains. They operate the torture chambers of Jigoku and supervise the punishment of countless condemned souls.

If a soul manages to escape from hell, Gozu and Mezu are sent out to find the fugitive and drag it back into the underworld.

Gozu and Mezu are not the only animal-headed demons serving Enma. Other powerful guardians are said to possess the heads of deer, tigers, lions, and boars, and they hold high positions among the demons who guard and operate the tortures of Jigoku.

The tradition of Gozu and the other animal-headed guardians ultimately comes from Indian Buddhist mythology and entered Japanese tradition along with Buddhism through China.

Sources

Meyer, Matthew. “Gozu.” Yokai.com: The Illustrated Database of Japanese Folklore. Accessed August 15, 2026. https://yokai.com/gozu/

Gurzil

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Tradition / Region: Berber Mythology, Moroccan Mythology
Alternative names: Gurzil
Category: Cow, Deity

The Myth

Gurzil was an ancient Berber deity associated with the Laguatan people of Tripolitania. He was described as the son of the god Ammon and a cow. One of his known representations was a bull, and his image was carried into battle as a sacred object.

In the sixth century, the Laguatan rebelled against the Byzantine Romans. Their leader and priest of Gurzil, Ierna, carried an image of the god in the form of a bull into battle. The warriors placed great faith in Gurzil and Ammon during the fighting.

After several battles, the Laguatan and their allies were defeated. Ierna was killed while attempting to rescue Gurzil’s image, which was destroyed by the Romans.

Gurzil may also have had a sanctuary at Ghirza in Roman Tripolitania. Archaeological remains there include a temple, votive altars, and evidence of cattle sacrifice, including an inscription recording the sacrifice of fifty-one cattle and a relief depicting a bull being sacrificed.

Some traditions identify Gurzil specifically as a bull god, while others interpret his connection with cattle more generally. His exact nature remains uncertain, and possible connections with other animals, including horses and rams, have also been proposed.

Sources

“Gurzil.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed August 15, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gurzil

Gopatshah

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Tradition / Region: Iranian Mythology, Persian Mythology
Alternative names: Gopatshah, Gopadshah
Category: Cow

The Myth

Gopatshah is a royal bull with the torso of a human and the body of a bull. He is associated with Eranvez, the promised land of Iranian mythology, in the region of Hvaniras. He is described as a powerful sacred being who serves the gods along the coast.

Gopatshah is associated with several primordial and legendary figures. He is equated with Gayomarth, the primordial man, as well as Gilshah, the clay king of the earth, and Garshah, the mountain king. He is also identified with Agrerata, the legitimate brother of Afrasiaba.

The figure of Gopatshah reflects the importance and reverence given to the bull in ancient Iranian tradition.

Sources

“Gopatshah.” Wikipedia: Die freie Enzyklopädie (German Wikipedia). Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed August 15, 2026. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gopatshah

Kin-ushi

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Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternative names: The Golden Ox, Bekoko, Kin-ushi
Category: Cow

The Myth

The Kin-ushi is a golden ox associated with the gold-mining regions of Tōhoku. It appears as a golden lump of gold in the shape of an ox and is connected with the discovery and sudden collapse of a gold mine.

Long ago, in the village of Otomo in Tōno, a wealthy man employed an eccentric servant who spent his free time digging the earth with a hoe, claiming that he was searching for potatoes. One New Year’s Eve, the servant discovered gold in a valley called Hiseki.

The discovery made him wealthy, and he became known as Komatsu-dono. He employed many miners and began working the site as a gold mine. For the next one or two years, however, almost no gold was found, and people mocked Komatsu-dono for returning to his old habit of digging for potatoes.

He continued the mining despite the ridicule. On New Year’s Eve of the third year, the miners finally uncovered a piece of gold in the shape of an ox. Komatsu-dono was delighted and held a great banquet that lasted through the night.

On New Year’s Day, he held a ceremony to celebrate the opening of the mine. A brocade rein was fastened to the horns of the golden ox, and the miners attempted to pull it from the mine while singing that they wanted to pull the golden ox themselves.

The ox would not move. When the miners pulled harder, its horns broke away. They then fastened the rope around its neck and tried again. After the golden ox appeared to move several steps, the mine suddenly collapsed with a tremendous crash, killing seventy-five miners.

Among the miners was a cook known as Usotoki. He was an honest and dutiful man who cared for his blind elderly mother. He was also known for sharing grains of spilled rice with crows, although the miners mocked him for his simple and kind nature.

When the golden ox was being brought out of the mine, Usotoki entered the shaft to help pull it. Suddenly he heard someone calling his name near the entrance. He released the rope and ran outside, but found nobody there.

He returned to the mine, only to hear his name called again. Once more he went outside, but there was still nobody there. Puzzled, he entered the mine again.

A third time the voice called out to him, this time more loudly. Usotoki ran toward the entrance as quickly as he could. The moment he stepped outside, the mine shaft collapsed.

Usotoki was the only one among the miners to survive the disaster, saved by the mysterious voice that had repeatedly called his name.

Sources

Takahashi, Toshihiro. “金の牛 (Golden Ox).” 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑 (New TYZ Yokai Encyclopedia). April 22, 2019. Accessed August 15, 2026. https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1074400117.html