Tradition / Region: Latvian Mythology
Alternate Names: —
Category: Bat
The Myth
The Giant Bat appears in the underworld setting of the Devil’s Pit, where unnatural creatures inhabit a dark subterranean space entered by Lāčplēsis while following witches.
As Lāčplēsis descends into the pit, deep darkness surrounds him and large bats fly around his head. They move through the air within the underground space together with other creatures such as snakes, owls, and toads. The bats remain present in the smoky, dimly lit environment as he continues deeper into the place where the witches gather.
Sources
AILAB contributors. (n.d.). Pumpurs – Lāčplēsis (2. daļa). In AILAB, from https://web.archive.org/web/20060131100630/http://www.ailab.lv/Teksti/Senie/Pumpurs/2.dala.html
Pumpurs, A. (1888). Lāčplēsis (Bearslayer), II Song: The Bear-World’s First Heroic Deed. In Latvian national epic poetry.