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Eshō

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Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternate Names: —
Category: Cow

The Myth

At Enkō-ji Temple there once lived a monk named Shaku Eshō. During his lifetime, he took a bundle of firewood belonging to the temple—wood meant for boiling water—and gave it away to another person. Not long after this act, Eshō died.

Some time later, a cow at the temple gave birth to a calf. As it grew, the animal was put to work pulling carts and hauling heavy loads of firewood each day without rest.

One day, while the ox strained beneath its burden, a monk unknown to the temple appeared at the gate. Watching the animal struggle, he said quietly:

“Monk Eshō may have been skilled in reciting the Nirvana Sutra, but it seems he is not very good at pulling a cart.”

At these words, the ox burst into tears, gave a deep sigh, and fell down dead.

The driver accused the visiting monk of causing the animal’s death and had him seized and reported. Yet the monk’s appearance was noble and radiant, unlike that of an ordinary person. Artists were summoned to paint him, and each portrait they made resembled Kannon Bodhisattva. Soon afterward, the monk vanished, and it was said that Kannon had appeared in human form and then departed.

From that time on, people told that the ox had been none other than Monk Eshō reborn, condemned to labor for his wrongdoing. Similar stories were also told of other monks who misused temple goods and were reborn as cattle, forced to pull carts and bear burdens as punishment.

Thus the tale endured as a warning that even small acts of theft could bind a soul to a life of toil, and that the lowing of a weary ox might carry the regret of a human past.

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Sources

Keikai. (822). Nihon-koku genpō zen’aku ryōiki [日本国現報善悪霊異記, Miraculous Stories of Reward and Punishment in This World]. Nara: Yakushiji Temple.

TYZ Yokai Encyclopedia. 恵勝, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1078437911.html

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El Toro el Súpay

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Tradition / Region: Argentinian Mythology
Alternate Names: Devil Bull; Toro Supray
Category: Cow

The Myth

In the lands of Santiago del Estero, near the Saladillo River, people speak of a fearsome creature called the Toro el Súpay.

This bull is said to be enormous beyond any natural size. Its head appears partly human and partly bovine, set upon a strong upright neck. Its mane and tail bristle, and smoke pours from its nostrils. Some say its horns shine like gold, flashing in the light as it moves.

Though terrible to behold, the bull is not always a bringer of harm. It is believed to guard the herds of the one who owns it, ensuring that livestock thrive and multiply beyond ordinary fortune. Yet such prosperity is never free, for people say the owner must have made a pact with the Supay, the devil of the region.

The truth of this bond is revealed only when the master dies. At that moment, the Toro el Súpay gathers the soul of the dead and drives away every animal belonging to him. By dawn, while mourners may still sit beside the body, the corrals stand empty, and no beast remains.

Thus the Toro el Súpay is remembered as a bull of dark blessing, one that brings wealth in life but claims all in death, leaving behind only silence where herds once stood.

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Sources

Colombres, A. (1984). Seres sobrenaturales de la cultura popular argentina. Ediciones Del Sol, p. 48.

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Endure and Refrain

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Tradition / Region: Alchemical Mythology
Alternate Names: —
Category: Cow

The Myth

In an old alchemical image, there is shown a powerful bull held in check by a man with a rod. Behind the animal stand several cows, calm and watchful, some heavy with young.

The bull strains forward with great strength, but its leg is bound so that it cannot rush ahead. The herdsman stands firm before it, guiding and restraining the beast so that it does not break loose among the cows.

The scene is quiet, yet full of tension. The bull’s power is clear, but it is not destroyed. Instead, it is held and directed. The cows behind remain safe, and the herd continues in order.

The image has been remembered as a lesson shown through animals: that strength must be governed, that force must sometimes be held back, and that endurance and restraint preserve what is meant to grow.

Thus the bound bull and the waiting herd became a lasting emblem, showing how power, when guided, protects life rather than bringing ruin.

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Sources

Alciato at Glasgow: Emblem: Anechou kai apechou. Sustine & abstine. (n.d.). https://www.emblems.arts.gla.ac.uk/alciato/emblem.php?id=A21a034

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Dun Cow of Saint Ciarán

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Tradition / Region: Irish Mythology
Alternate Names: —
Category: Cow

The Myth

When Saint Ciarán went to study at Clonard, he carried little with him. Instead of wealth or fine possessions, he brought only a dun-colored cow as his offering.

Though the animal seemed humble, it proved a great blessing. Wherever Ciarán stayed, the cow gave milk in abundance, enough to sustain not only him but the scholars and clergy around him. Its supply never failed, and it became known as a gift that supported the holy community.

After Ciarán’s death, the memory of the cow remained strong. It was said that when the animal died, its hide was preserved and made into parchment. From that hide came the pages of a great book known as the Book of the Dun Cow, on which were written many ancient stories, lives of saints, and heroic tales of Ireland.

In this way, the cow of Saint Ciarán was remembered as a creature that first nourished the living with its milk and later preserved the words and history of the land, carrying them forward through time.

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Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Ciarán of Clonmacnoise. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ciar%C3%A1n_of_Clonmacnoise

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Dun Cow

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Tradition / Region: Irish Mythology
Alternate Names: The Great Dun Cow; Y Fuch Frech; Y Fuwch Laethwen Lefrith
Category: Cow

The Myth

In the lands of Ireland and Britain there wandered a great and wondrous animal known as the Dun Cow. She was immense in size and known for her generosity, for she gave milk freely to anyone who asked. Her bounty seemed without end, and people came from far and wide to receive her gift.

In some tellings, she bore two mighty long-horned oxen, who later became famous for their strength and deeds. Yet though the cow gave willingly, not all treated her with respect. In certain stories, greedy people tried to take more than was fair, milking her without care or gratitude. Because of such acts, she was eventually killed, and in some places her enormous bones were said to remain as proof of her size and wonder.

Another tale speaks of a Dun Cow that belonged to a holy man in Ireland. After the cow died, her hide was preserved and turned into vellum. From this hide came the pages of a great book that held many ancient stories of Ireland. In this way, even after death, the cow continued to give, for her body became the keeper of the land’s tales and memories.

Thus the Dun Cow was remembered as a creature of abundance and marvel, whose generosity fed both people and legend, and whose gift endured even after her life had ended.

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Sources

Monaghan, P. (2004). The Encyclopedia of Celtic Mythology and Folklore. Facts on File, p. 141.

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Donn Cuailnge and Finnbennach

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Tradition / Region: Irish Mythology
Alternate Names: —
Category: Cow

The Myth

In ancient Ireland there lived two mighty bulls whose strength was said to surpass that of all other cattle. One was Finnbennach, owned by the queen of Connacht, admired throughout the land for his size and power. The other was Donn Cuailnge, the great bull of Ulster, the only beast believed capable of matching him.

Their rivalry became the heart of a great conflict. When the rulers of Connacht sought to possess Donn Cuailnge, the attempt set off the struggle remembered as the great cattle raid of Cooley. Warriors marched and kingdoms clashed, for the possession of the bull was seen as a matter of honor and power.

Whenever the two bulls met, their battles were terrible to behold. They charged with thunderous force, locking horns while their hooves tore the ground apart. Hills and fields were scarred by their fights, and men watched in awe as the land seemed to shake beneath them.

At last, in their final encounter, Donn Cuailnge overcame Finnbennach and slew him. Yet the victory cost him dearly, for he too was left wounded from the struggle.

Thus the two bulls passed into legend, remembered as creatures whose strength stirred war among kings and whose clashes were counted among the greatest marvels of Ireland.

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Sources

Monaghan, P. (2004). The Encyclopedia of Celtic Mythology and Folklore. p. 135.

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Cursed Cow of Emerline Allen

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Tradition / Region: American Mythology
Alternate Names: —
Category: Cow

The Myth

Long ago in the United States there lived an old woman named Emerline Allen, feared among her neighbors for her power to lay spells upon cattle. People said that anyone who angered her might soon see misfortune fall upon their livestock.

One night, some villagers claimed to have seen Emerline working a spell against Grandma Parker’s cow. Not long afterward, the animal stopped giving milk. Each day it yielded only a single small cup, no matter how it was tended.

Grandma Parker was told of a way to break such a curse. She was to take the little milk the cow produced, set it to boil, and cut it with a knife. By doing this, the spell would be severed, and the one who cast it would be forced to come begging.

She followed the instructions exactly. Soon after, Emerline Allen appeared at her door, asking for bread. She promised that if she were given something to eat, the cow would recover. But Grandma Parker refused her request.

With nothing given, Emerline went away in pain, and people said she suffered greatly. From that time on, the cow’s milk returned, and it gave as much as before.

Later, Emerline tried again to seek help, begging others for small things, but no one would give her anything. Left without relief, she endured her suffering alone, while the cow remained healthy and the spell never returned.

Gallery

Sources

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Folklore Council. (1948–1960). North Carolina Folklore, p. 307.

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Cuero

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Tradition / Region: Chilean Mythology
Alternate Names: —
Category: Cow

The Myth

In the rivers and lakes of southern Chile and Argentina there is said to live a dreadful creature known as the Cuero.

It is described as resembling a living bull’s hide, flat and wide, with no hair upon its body. Along its length runs a raised spine, while its edges are lined with hooked claws and sharp points. From its body extend broad fins, and behind it trails a long, whip-like tail. Its eyes, red and swollen, rise on stalks like those of a crab, watching the shores and waters where prey may come.

The Cuero waits quietly near the banks, most often at dusk. When an animal or person comes close, the creature glides forward and spreads itself over its victim like a blanket. Once it has covered them, it drags them beneath the water.

On the underside of its body lies a sucking mouth filled with small teeth. With this it drains the victim’s blood and moisture until nothing remains but a dried body.

People say the size of the Cuero varies, some being no larger than a small animal, others vast enough to cover a man entirely. It is feared wherever it dwells, for few can escape once it has closed upon them.

Only the most skilled shamans are said to be able to destroy one. They use thorny branches as bait, for when the Cuero attempts to seize the offering, the sharp spines pierce its body and hold it fast, making it vulnerable.

Thus the Cuero is remembered as a silent hunter of the waters, shaped like a hide yet alive, waiting beneath the surface for the moment to strike.

Gallery

Sources

Trincau, R. (1918). VII. El Indo y el Cuero. In S. R. de Saunière (Ed.), Cuentos populares araucanos y chilenos: recogidos de la tradición oral (p. 70). Santiago: Imprenta Universitaria.

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Cuero (leyenda). Wikipedia, from https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuero_(leyenda)

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Crod Mara

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Tradition / Region: Scottish Mythology
Alternate Names: Sea Cow
Category: Cow

The Myth

In the Highlands and islands of Scotland, people speak of the Crod Mara, the sea cows that come from the waters and sometimes walk among earthly herds.

These cattle are said to be gentle compared to other creatures of the lochs. They have no horns and are often brown, though in some places they appear red, piebald, or black. When one of these sea cattle joins a farmer’s herd, the animals are said to grow strong and thrive, though the presence of such a creature is never without mystery or danger.

At times a sea cow follows a herd wherever it goes. It may lead the cattle toward an elfin hill, and when the mound opens, the animals can pass inside. Any beast that enters the hill is never seen again unless someone stops it in time.

Stories are also told of calves born from the union of water bulls and ordinary cows. One such calf, known by its unusually round ears, was recognized as special by a wise old woman. She ordered that it be kept apart from the rest of the herd and fed carefully for many years, so that it might grow safely and bring fortune.

In the same district, a maid once met a young man by the lakeside who asked her to comb his hair while he rested. As she did so, she saw green lake weeds tangled in it and realized he was no man but a water being. She calmed him until he slept and escaped, though she was chased by a terrible water horse. Only when the water bull itself was released did the two beasts clash in the lake, and afterward the danger was gone.

Thus the Crod Mara are remembered as cattle of the water world, sometimes a blessing to herds, sometimes a guide toward the hidden hills, and always creatures whose coming links the land to the mysterious depths beyond it.

Gallery

Sources

Campbell, J. G. (1900). Superstitions of the Highlands & Islands of Scotland: Collected entirely from oral sources. Glasgow: James MacLehose and Sons.

Bestiary.us. (n.d.). Crodhmara, from https://www.bestiary.us/crodhmara

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Cretan Bull

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Tradition / Region: Greek Mythology
Alternate Names: Marathonian Bull
Category: Cow

The Myth

In the time when the gods still intervened openly in the affairs of men, Poseidon sent a magnificent snow-white bull from the sea to King Minos of Crete. The god meant this beast to confirm Minos’ right to rule, on the condition that the king would sacrifice the animal in honor of the god.

But when Minos saw the bull, he judged it too splendid to lose. Instead of offering it to Poseidon, he sacrificed another, lesser animal and kept the divine bull for himself.

The god saw the deception and grew angry. As punishment, he caused Minos’ wife, Pasiphaë, to be seized by a strange and terrible desire for the bull. From their union was born the Minotaur, half man and half bull. To hide the monster, Minos ordered the craftsman Daedalus to build the Labyrinth, a vast and winding maze in which the creature was shut away.

Meanwhile the bull itself fell under the god’s curse. It grew wild and furious, rampaging across Crete, tearing up crops and destroying orchards, and no one could subdue it.

At last the hero Heracles was commanded by King Eurystheus to capture the beast as one of his labors. Minos allowed him to take it, and Heracles wrestled the bull into submission and carried it across the sea to Tiryns. Later the animal escaped again and wandered into the land of Marathon, where it continued to terrorize the countryside.

The bull’s fate crossed again with that of heroes. It was said to have caused the death of Androgeus, Minos’ son, which in turn led to the tribute of Athenian youths sent to Crete for the Minotaur. Eventually the hero Theseus captured the bull near Marathon and brought it to Athens, where it was sacrificed to the gods.

Thus the Cretan Bull became known as a creature sent by a god, the sire of the Minotaur, and a beast whose fury shaped the deeds of kings and heroes alike.

Gallery

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Cretan Bull. In Wikipedia, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cretan_Bull

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