Cow

Zilant

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Tradition: Tatar and Russian Mythology
Alternative Names: Zilant, Zilant the Flying Serpent
Category: Dragon, Cow

The Myth

Zilant was a two-headed flying serpent. One head was that of a snake, while the other was that of an ox. With the snake’s head, it devoured young horses and beautiful maidens brought to it as sacrifices. With the ox’s head, it ate grass.

According to legend, the site of Kazan was once inhabited by countless snakes, each as thick as a log. Zilant was their leader. The snakes became such a danger that the people sought a way to destroy them.

The Khan consulted the sorcerer Hakim, who advised him to cut down the surrounding forest and brush and gather it into a great pile of straw. In spring, when everything had dried and the snakes had crawled out from beneath the ground, the straw was to be burned.

The plan was carried out. The snakes were surrounded by the blazing fire and burned alive. The flames and smoke were so intense that people, horses, and camels died from them.

After the destruction of the snakes, the Khan placed Zilant on his coat of arms to commemorate the event.

The image of Zilant later became associated with Kazan and was depicted as a black winged dragon with scarlet wings and tail, a golden beak and claws, and a scarlet tongue. The creature became an enduring symbol of the city.

Sources

“Ostrovetskii Tsmok.” New Bestiary (Bestiary.us). Accessed September 19, 2026. https://www.bestiary.us/ostrovetskii-tsmok

Ostrovets Tsmok

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Tradition: Belarusian Mythology, Lithuanian Mythology
Alternative Names: Ostrovets Tsmok, Tsmok
Category: Dragon, Cow

The Myth

The Ostrovets Tsmok has the body of a snake and the head of a cow. It is a strong and frightening creature, with a large body and horns resembling those of a cow. The Tsmok lives in forests and underground burrows, and is associated with hidden places, rivers, caves, and buried treasures.

The most famous Ostrovets Tsmok comes from the village of Voleikiški in the Ostrovets district. It was said to live in ancient times in a remote forest near the village. One legend says that it was a very kind creature, despite its frightening appearance. It helped people who were poor, and it was said to have guarded treasure hidden underground.

Another tradition says that the Tsmok was a dangerous creature. It lived in a forest or underground and would sometimes emerge from its burrow. People were warned not to approach it. Some stories describe a red snake living beneath the ground, with one such creature inhabiting each forest.

One local story tells of children who were forbidden to swim in the Viliya because a cow-headed creature lived there. The Tsmok was said to emerge from the water and suck the blood of swimmers.

Other stories connect the Tsmok with cattle. In one tale, a child was herding cows when he suddenly heard a sharp mooing sound. He followed the sound and discovered that one of the cows had a strange bite on its lip. No one could explain what had bitten it.

The Tsmok was also associated with hidden treasure. One legend says that gold was concealed beneath a pile of stones in the forest. The treasure was guarded by a Tsmok, which frightened away anyone who attempted to retrieve it. People said that whoever was brave enough to defeat the Tsmok could take the treasure.

The creature was particularly associated with underground places. Stories describe Tsmoks living in burrows and caves, sometimes hiding beneath hills or near rivers. One tradition even says that Tsmoks could construct stone barriers in rivers, marking dangerous shallows and places where the water was difficult to cross.

The Ostrovets Tsmok was therefore connected with both the natural landscape and the hidden world beneath it: forests, rivers, underground passages, buried treasure, cattle, and dangerous places.

Sources

“Ostrovetskii Tsmok.” New Bestiary (Bestiary.us). Accessed September 19, 2026. https://www.bestiary.us/ostrovetskii-tsmok

Zhuhuai

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Tradition: Chinese mythology
Alternative Names: –
Category: Cow

The Myth

The Zhuhuai is a strange man-eating beast said to inhabit North Peak Mountain, located two hundred li farther north. The mountain is covered with thorny orange trees, jujube trees, and hardwood trees.

The creature has the form of an ox, but possesses four horns, human-like eyes, and the ears of a pig. It is called the Zhuhuai.

The Zhuhuai makes a sound resembling the cry of a goose. Despite its ox-like appearance, it is a dangerous creature and is said to prey upon and devour human beings.

Sources

Strassberg, Richard E., ed. and trans. A Chinese Bestiary: Strange Creatures from the Guideways Through Mountains and Seas. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2002.

Zubro

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Tradition: Czech Mythology, Polish Mythology
Alternative Names: Zubro
Category: Cow

The Myth

Most Zubros are said to live in Bohemia, though they are also found in Poland, where they are believed to be smaller and less powerful. Wherever it appears, the Zubro is known as a terrifying kind of wild bull.

The Zubro is described as an enormous beast, reaching up to fifteen meters in length. Its hide is marked with dark brown and black coloring, and its horns can grow to a length of one and a half meters. The animal is swift and aggressive, and it can easily be driven into a state of uncontrollable fury.

When people attempt to hunt the Zubro, it does not flee helplessly. Instead, it defends itself with frightening intelligence. It blinds pursuing dogs by throwing its own dung at them. If it manages to seize a dog or a human, it hurls the victim into the air with its horns and catches them again as they fall, repeating this until the victim is dead.

Yet even such a creature can be defeated by cunning rather than strength. A skilled hunter first wears the Zubro down by driving it relentlessly with dogs. Once the animal is exhausted, the hunter positions himself beneath a tree with his spear. The enraged Zubro charges straight toward him, but the hunter hides behind the trunk. The beast thrusts its horns past the tree on both sides, and in that moment the hunter steps forward and kills it with a single thrust.

Sources

Van Maerlant, J. (2024). Der Naturen Bloeme (I. Biesheuvel, Trans.), p.74.

Zeekalf

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Tradition: Dutch Mythology
Alternative Names: Zeekalf
Category: Cow

The Myth

The Zeekalf is an enormous sea monster from the folklore of Harderwijk. It has fiery eyes, a drooling mouth, and legs resembling those of a bat.

Sailors who swear too much may cause the creature to appear aboard their ship. Once the Zeekalf has come aboard, however, there is a way to drive it away. If the sailors pray to God, the devilish creature will flee from them.

Sources

“Van aardmannetje tot zwarte juffer: Een lijst van Nederlandse en Vlaamse elfen en geesten.” Abe de Verteller. Accessed August 30, 2026. https://abedeverteller.nl/van-aardmannetje-tot-zwarte-juffer-een-lijst-van-nederlandse-en-vlaamse-elfen-en-geesten/

Zwergenkuh

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Tradition: German Mythology
Alternative Names: Dwarf Cow
Category: Cow

The Myth

About half an hour from the village of Goldbeck, in the direction of Rinteln, there are caves in a mountain where dwarfs were once said to have lived. Near these caves stood a farmer’s farm, and his herd usually grazed in the area around them. The shepherd noticed that every morning a strange cow would join his animals. She was so smooth and beautiful that she seemed to glitter and shine like gold. Yet every evening, when the shepherd drove the herd home, the mysterious cow would suddenly disappear near the caves.

One evening, the shepherd told his master about the strange animal. The farmer replied, “For that they could surely give you a tip, since you drive their cow out to pasture with yours every day.” The dwarfs, who liked to remain invisibly in the farmer’s house, overheard what he had said.

The following morning, when the shepherd once again drove his herd past the dwarfs’ caves, he found a penny lying in front of one of them. From then on, a penny appeared there every day.

When the farmer heard about this, he said to the shepherd, “If they can do that, surely they can give you breakfast as well.” The next morning, when the shepherd passed the cave again, he found a pancake lying beside the penny. From that day onward, he found a pancake there as well.

Sources

Zaunert, Paul. “Die Zwergenkuh.” In Westfälische Sagen. 1927. Reproduced by SAGEN.at. (sagen.at)
https://www.sagen.at/texte/sagen/deutschland/nordrhein_westfalen/diezwergenkuh.html

Witch as a Calf

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Tradition: German Mythology
Alternative Names: Witch as a Calf
Category: Cow

The Myth

In the Schöllang area of the Allgäu, a farmer was plagued by misfortune in his barn. His cows would not give milk, no matter how much he fed them, and one misfortune after another seemed to fall upon him. The farmer eventually confided his troubles to a man, who gave him strange advice. He told the farmer to get up at midnight and inspect the barn. A calf, he said, would be loose and running around among the other cattle. If the farmer found it, he should not hesitate to cut off both of its ears and then return to bed.

That night, the farmer went to the barn at midnight. Just as he had been told, he found a calf running freely among the other cattle. The farmer took a carving knife and cut off both of the calf’s ears. Having done what he had been instructed to do, he returned to bed without further investigation.

The following morning, the calf was standing unharmed in its usual place. There was nothing apparently wrong with it. But when the farmer looked around the barn, he noticed an old woman sitting in one of the corners. Her ears had been cut off.

The farmer immediately understood what had happened. He shouted, “There you have it!” and chased the old woman out of the stable. After this, the witchcraft that had plagued the farmer and his cattle ceased. His cows once again gave milk, and the farmer and his cattle were happy once more.

Sources

“Hexe als Kalb.” In Allgäuer Sagen, selected from K. A. Reiser’s Sagen, Gebräuche und Sprichwörter des Allgäus, by Hulda Eggart, no. 248, p. 259. Kempten and Munich, 1914. Reproduced by SAGEN.at. https://www.sagen.at/texte/sagen/deutschland/bayern/allgaeu/hexe_kalb.html

Yamiyo no Ushi-oni

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Tradition: Japanese mythology
Alternative Names: 闇夜の牛鬼
Category: Cow

The Myth

The Yamiyo no Ushi-oni is a strange yokai described in the Tamakushige. It has the head of a bull and the body of a human, with a tiger’s hide wrapped around its waist. Its face shines with an intense light that radiates outward, illuminating the darkness around it. In the tale, the creature is also able to perch high in the branches of a tree despite its large and powerful form.

The story takes place during the time when Ukita Naoie ruled Bizen Province. Kuroshima Sakon Nyūdō Munetsuna was a warrior from Kuroshima in Sanuki and was said to be a descendant of Tawara no Tōta Hidesato. Through circumstances of marriage and inheritance, Munetsuna came to succeed the household of Hatano and entered the service of Hoshiga Tōnai, the lord of Shūsō Castle in Bizen.

One night, Munetsuna was invited to the home of another retainer of Hoshiga Tōnai, Dokura Kamanosuke, where the two became absorbed in playing go. By the time they finished, it was already deep into the night. Around the hour of Ushi Mitsu, Munetsuna set out for home accompanied by his attendant, Mimizawa Riemon.

As they traveled along the road, they suddenly saw an extraordinarily bright light in the otherwise completely dark night. It was so brilliant that they could clearly see people’s faces and even the crests on their clothing. There was no fire nearby, and it was far too early for sunrise.

Wondering what could possibly be producing such light, Munetsuna looked around. About fifty ken ahead stood the residence of a samurai named Motoki Shichirō. From within its gate grew a large paulownia tree, and high among its branches was something that appeared to be a calf of about three years old—a large and powerful bull.

Its eyes shone like mirrors, while intense light also poured from its two raised horns, illuminating the surrounding area.

The creature’s head pointed toward the east and its tail toward the west. Despite its enormous and powerful appearance, it was crouched among the branches of the paulownia, resting upon one of the thinnest branches with the lightness of a dog or a butterfly.

Munetsuna, being a fearless man, was not frightened. Instead, he approached the gate and declared that this must be the Ushi-oni he had heard about. He considered himself fortunate to have encountered such a strange monster and decided that he would see exactly what it was.

The monster suddenly leapt toward him.

Munetsuna, who was highly skilled in martial arts, quickly grappled with the creature and forced it to the ground. He then drove his sword through its body.

At that very moment, the Ushi-oni vanished without leaving a trace. The brilliant light disappeared with it, and the surroundings immediately returned to darkness.

Munetsuna then turned around and discovered that his attendant, Riemon, had seen the light and had fainted from terror. Munetsuna gave him medicine and cared for him until he regained consciousness, after which the two continued back to their residence.

The strange events were connected to the household of Motoki Shichirō, whose property the Ushi-oni had appeared beside. Motoki had recently become deeply interested in a form of magic known as the Izuna technique. He had attempted to learn and practice the art himself, but had failed to complete it and eventually abandoned his efforts.

Afterward, strange supernatural events were said to occur continually within the Motoki household. On one occasion, a light appeared to walk through the air. On another, a severed human arm fell into the middle of a gathering. Strange noises caused the house to shake, while objects were mysteriously hurled through the air in phenomena associated with tengu.

These supernatural disturbances frightened the women and children of the household.

After Munetsuna defeated the Ushi-oni, however, the strange phenomena gradually ceased. The disturbances that had plagued the Motoki household fell silent, and before long the supernatural activity disappeared altogether.

Sources

Takahashi, Toshihiro. “闇夜の牛鬼 [やみのよ‐うしおに] (Yami no Yo Ushi-oni).” 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑 (New TYZ Yokai Encyclopedia). June 30, 2018.
https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1071487382.html

Ychain Banog

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Tradition: Welsh Mythology
Alternative Names: Ychain Banog, the Mighty Oxen, the Prominent Oxen of Hu Gadarn
Category: Cow

The Myth

The Ychain Banog were a pair of mighty oxen associated with Hu Gadarn, the legendary figure who appears in Welsh tradition. They were enormous and powerful beasts, renowned for their extraordinary strength. A terrible water-monster lived concealed beneath an enchanted lake, where it terrorized the surrounding region. The monster is described in some traditions as a crocodile and in others as a dragon. The Ychain Banog were harnessed to draw the creature from the depths of the lake. The oxen strained with all their strength as they dragged the enormous monster from its watery hiding place.

The struggle was so immense that one of the mighty oxen died from the exertion. The surviving ox continued the struggle, and its tremendous bellowing was said to split the mountain in two. Thus the Ychain Banog became remembered as the mighty oxen whose supernatural strength was used to overcome the monstrous creature lurking beneath the lake.

Sources

Sikes, W. (2017). British Goblins: Welsh Folk-Lore, Fairy Mythology, Legends and Traditions (Classic Reprint) Forgotten Books, p. 109.

Wahx il-Baqar

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Tradition: Maltese mythology
Alternative Names: Wahx il-Baqar
Category: Cow

The Myth

Wahx il-Baqar is a terrifying man-beast with the head of a bull. It is said to emerge from the netherworld at night and roam through quiet country lanes and village streets.

Its arrival is announced by the loud rattling of chains. These chains are believed to be the remnants of the tethers that once bound the creature to the stone walls deep beneath the ancient underground of Minos.

As the creature wanders through the countryside, it releases a long and mournful howl. The sound is enough to terrify and panic farm animals, spreading fear among the surrounding villages.

Wahx il-Baqar possesses enormous eyes that are heavily afflicted and terrifying to behold. Anyone unfortunate enough to meet its gaze directly is believed to face almost certain death.

The creature is therefore a lingering echo of its dark confinement beneath the earth, retaining the chains of its former captivity as it wanders the world above. Its clanking chains, dreadful howl, and deadly gaze make it a being feared by villagers and travelers who are warned to avoid it at all costs.

Sources

Mifsud, S. D. (2014). The Maltese bestiary: An illustrated guide to the mythical flora and fauna of the Maltese Islands.