Tradition / Region: Albanian Mythology
Alternate Names: —
Category: Horse
The Myth
The Devouring Wild Mare is a dangerous supernatural horse said to consume all living beings. Despite its violent nature, it can be subdued through cunning and oath-binding.
A young hero was sent to water a mare known for devouring anyone who approached it. Guided by a magical horse, he prepared a trap by mixing honey into the water and placing a golden saddle nearby. When the mare arrived, it drank the sweetened water and was drawn to the sight of the saddle.
The mare called out for a human to ride it. The hero revealed himself but demanded an oath for safety. The mare swore by the head of Demirçil, the hero’s horse, that it would not harm him. Only after this oath did the hero descend and mount the mare.
Once mounted, the mare did not attack him. Instead, it behaved peacefully and even expressed a desire to be reunited with its offspring, the very horse that had guided the hero. The three then moved together without conflict.
Although known as a devourer of living beings, the mare’s behavior was restrained when bound by oath and approached with strategy.
Sources
Albanian Literature contributors. (n.d.). Folktale 7. In Albanian Literature, from http://www.albanianliterature.net/folktales/tale_07.html
Dozon, A. (1879). Manuel de la langue chkipe ou albanaise: Grammaire, vocabulaire, chrestomathie. In Paris: Ernest Leroux (reprinted in Folklor shqiptar 1, Proza popullore, 1963). Translated by Elsie, R.