Mythology!

Tetsume

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Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternative names: Iron Horse
Category: Horse

The Myth

Tetsume, the Iron Horse, is one of the infernal creatures that inhabit the Iron Chariot, Iron Ox, Iron Donkey, and Iron Horse Hell, one of the Buddhist hells reserved for monks who have broken their religious vows. This realm is described in the Mahayana Lotus Sutra: Questions and Answers of Bodhisattva Retribution, included in the thirty-volume Buddha’s Name Sutra.

The hell is surrounded by four gates and an immense iron fortress. Within it, blazing fires rage as burning iron chariots race through the infernal landscape. Horse-headed rakshasas, iron oxen, iron donkeys, and the Iron Horse relentlessly torment the damned.

The Iron Horse is covered with a mane and tangled tail as sharp as sword blades. It breathes flames and smoke as it charges through the fiery realm.

Sinners are forced onto the backs of the Iron Horses, where they are cut by the razor-sharp mane and tail. Powerful blows from the creature’s tail crush their bodies. Although the condemned die from these agonies, they are immediately restored to life, only to endure the same punishments again for all eternity.

Sources

TYZ. (n.d.). 鉄目 (Tetsume). In 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑. Retrieved June 29, 2026, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1010655037.html

Tikbalang

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Tradition / Region: Philippine Folklore
Alternative names: Tigbalang, Tigbalan, Tikbalan, Tigbolan, Werehorse, Unglo (Visayan)
Category: Horse

The Myth

The Tikbalang is a supernatural creature of Philippine folklore that dwells in the mountains and rainforests. It is usually described as a tall, gaunt being with the head and hooves of a horse and the body of a human. Its limbs are unnaturally long, and when it squats, its knees rise above its head. Some traditions say it is the transformed spirit of an aborted fetus sent to earth from limbo.

Early Spanish accounts did not describe the Tikbalang as horse-like. Instead, it was regarded as a ghost or forest spirit that haunted wild places and could assume many frightening forms. Later, after horses became familiar in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial period, the creature came to be consistently portrayed as a half-human, half-horse being.

The Tikbalang is closely associated with forests and large sacred trees, particularly balete and kalumpang trees. It is believed to guard these places and is often encountered beneath bridges, in bamboo thickets, banana groves, or beneath ancient trees.

The creature is notorious for misleading travelers. It causes people to lose their way, making them unknowingly walk in circles and repeatedly return to the same place. According to tradition, this enchantment can be broken by turning one’s shirt inside out or by politely asking permission before passing through the forest.

Many legends also describe the Tikbalang as a shapeshifter capable of becoming invisible or taking human form. During sunshowers, Filipinos commonly say that a Tikbalang is getting married.

According to one tradition, the Tikbalang possesses a mane filled with sharp spines, among which three golden hairs hold magical power. A person brave enough to leap onto the creature, restrain it with a specially prepared cord, and remain mounted while it struggles through the air can pluck these three hairs. Once subdued, the Tikbalang becomes the person’s loyal servant, and the hairs may be kept as a powerful talisman.

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Tikbalang. In Wikipedia. Retrieved June 29, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tikbalang

Songòmby

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Tradition / Region: Madagascar Mythology
Alternative names: Songomby, Songaomby, Tsiombiomby, Tsongomby, Bibiaombe, Tokantòngotra, Tokandìa
Category: Horse

The Myth

The Songòmby is a fearsome creature from the folklore of Madagascar. It is described as a large, carnivorous beast about the size of an ox or a horse. Although its appearance varies between traditions, it is consistently portrayed as extremely swift, with long drooping ears and a taste for human flesh.

The creature is said to resemble a horse, mule, donkey, or ox. It has flaring nostrils, powerful incisors, and large ears that hang over its eyes. Some traditions describe it as white, while others give it a horn, hard hooves that strike sparks from the ground, or tufts of hair around its feet. One northern tradition even claims that it can only be seen in profile while looking backward.

Despite its speed, the Songòmby’s long ears can hinder it when descending mountains by covering its eyes. Nevertheless, it remains an extraordinarily fast hunter. Some accounts claim that it can cross great distances almost instantly to reach its prey.

If a victim escapes by climbing a tree, the Songòmby patiently waits below. Some traditions say it attempts to trick the person into climbing down, while others claim it sprays urine or itchy hairs from its nostrils, causing the victim to lose their grip and fall into its jaws. It is said to wait all night if necessary.

Stories also describe methods for capturing the beast. One involved tying a child near the entrance of its den while hunters concealed a net above it, using the child’s cries to lure the Songòmby into the trap. The creature was also invoked to frighten misbehaving children. In one tale, parents jokingly offered their child to the Songòmby, only to discover that the monster had truly appeared and carried the child away to its cave.

The Songòmby is not invincible. One legend tells of a brave man who fought it throughout an entire night without being defeated. Another recounts how the hero Imbahitrila used two magical eggs from the angavola bird to make the beast stumble before killing it with his spear.

Closely related creatures include the Tokantòngotra or Tokandìa, a similar white, single-hoofed, man-eating beast that is somewhat smaller than the Songòmby but shares its great speed and nocturnal habits.

According to Malagasy tradition, when horses were first introduced to Madagascar, they were initially believed to be Songòmby until they eventually became known by the separate name soavaly.

Sources

A Book of Creatures. (2020, April 24). Songòmby. Retrieved June 29, 2026, from https://abookofcreatures.com/2020/04/24/songomby/

Sleipnir

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Tradition / Region: Norse Mythology
Alternative names: –
Category: Horse

The Myth

Sleipnir is the eight-legged horse of Odin and is regarded as the finest of all horses. He is the child of Loki and the stallion Svaðilfari and is described as grey in color.

According to the Prose Edda, Sleipnir was born during the construction of the gods’ fortress. A builder was permitted to use his powerful stallion, Svaðilfari, to complete the work. Fearing that the builder would succeed and claim his reward, the gods forced Loki to prevent the stallion from helping. Loki transformed into a mare and lured Svaðilfari away. From this union Loki later gave birth to Sleipnir, who became Odin’s mount and was considered the best horse among both gods and men.

Sleipnir carries Odin throughout the Nine Worlds. When the god Baldr dies, Odin sends his son Hermóðr to Hel upon Sleipnir to plead for Baldr’s return. After riding for nine nights through deep valleys, Sleipnir leaps effortlessly over the gates of Hel, allowing Hermóðr to continue his mission before carrying him safely back to Asgard.

The horse also appears in the tale of Odin’s encounter with the giant Hrungnir. Odin boasts that no horse in the world can match Sleipnir, prompting Hrungnir to pursue him on his own steed, Gullfaxi, in a race that ends at the gates of Asgard.

In the Völsunga saga, Odin guides the hero Sigurðr in choosing a horse. Among many animals driven into a river, only a young grey horse remains. Odin reveals that it is descended from Sleipnir. Sigurðr names the horse Grani, who later becomes his famous companion.

Sleipnir also appears in the Poetic Edda, the Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks, and Gesta Danorum. He is frequently praised as the greatest of horses and is closely associated with Odin’s journeys between the worlds of gods, giants, and the dead.

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Sleipnir. In Wikipedia. Retrieved June 29, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleipnir

Tabibitoma

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Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternative names: Traveler’s Horse
Category: Horse

The Myth

The Tabibitoma is a folktale told in several regions of Japan, including Kyushu and the San’in region.

The story tells of two close friends, one the son of a wealthy family and the other from a poor household. Although their backgrounds differed, they set out together on a journey. When night fell, they found lodging in a stranger’s house.

During the night, the poor boy secretly watched the woman of the house behaving strangely beside the hearth. After raking the ashes, she sowed rice seeds into them. The rice instantly grew to maturity, and she harvested it to make dumplings.

The following morning, the travelers were served the dumplings. Despite his friend’s warnings not to eat them, the wealthy boy tasted one. The moment he swallowed it, he was transformed into a horse.

The woman placed a bridle on the transformed boy and led him away to work as a horse, while the poor traveler escaped. Along the road he met an old man, who listened to his story and revealed that an eggplant tree bearing seven eggplants facing east could reverse the enchantment. If one of those eggplants were fed to the horse, it would become human again.

After searching for several days, the poor boy finally found the magical tree. He returned to the house, where his friend had become weak and emaciated from hard labor in the fields. He forced the seven eggplants into the horse’s mouth, and the spell was immediately broken.

The two friends returned home and told their families what had happened. Deeply moved by the poor boy’s loyalty and courage, the wealthy boy’s father bestowed his fortune upon him. The two friends then lived happily together for the rest of their lives.

Sources

TYZ. (n.d.). 旅人馬 (Tabibitoma). In 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑. Retrieved June 29, 2026, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1010655044.html

Shoopiltee

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Tradition / Region: Scottish Mythology
Alternative names: Cabyll-ushtey
Category: Horse

The Myth

Shoopiltee is a water spirit from the folklore of the Shetland Islands. It appears in the form of a beautiful little horse.

The creature attempts to entice people into mounting its back. Once a rider climbs on, the Shoopiltee suddenly gallops into the sea, carrying its victim with it.

Sources

Bestiary.us. (n.d.). Shupilti. In New Bestiary: Encyclopedia of Imaginary Beings. Retrieved June 29, 2026, from https://www.bestiary.us/shupilti/en

Sagari

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Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternative names: –
Category: Horse

The Myth

Sagari is a yōkai found in the folklore of western Japan, particularly in Okayama and Kumamoto prefectures. It appears as the grotesque severed head of a horse hanging from the branches of hackberry trees.

The apparition suddenly drops down in front of travelers passing beneath the trees, startling them with its horrifying appearance. It does little else besides hanging from the branches, screaming and neighing with an unnatural cry.

Those who hear the Sagari’s eerie whinnying are said to be afflicted with a terrible fever.

According to tradition, the Sagari originates from the spirits of horses that die on the roadside and are abandoned where they fall. As the souls of these horses rise from their bodies, some become trapped in nearby hackberry trees. Unable to pass on to the next world, they transform into the yōkai known as Sagari.

Sources

Foster, M. D. (n.d.). Sagari. In Yokai.com: The Illustrated Database of Japanese Folklore. Retrieved June 29, 2026, from https://yokai.com/sagari/

Polkan

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Tradition / Region: Russian Mythology
Alternative names: Palkan
Category: Horse

The Myth

Polkan is a legendary creature from Russian folktales with the upper body of a man and the lower body of a horse. In some versions of the legend, he instead possesses the body of a dog. He is renowned for his immense strength and extraordinary speed.

Polkan first appears as the enemy of the hero Bova Korolevich. After battling the prince, however, he becomes Bova’s loyal companion and faithful ally, fighting alongside him in later adventures.

His story ends tragically when he sacrifices himself to protect Bova’s wife and children. During this defense, Polkan is killed while battling lions.

The Russian Polkan ultimately derives from the Italian character Pulicane, a half-dog creature from Andrea da Barberino’s I Reali di Francia. Through Slavic prose adaptations of the poem, Pulicane gradually transformed into the half-horse hero of Russian folklore. Folk tradition later reinterpreted his name as polukon, meaning “half-horse.”

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Polkan. In Wikipedia. Retrieved June 29, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polkan

Pirwa

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Tradition / Region: Hittite Mythology, Syrian Mythology, Turkish Mythology
Alternative names: Perwa, Peruwa
Category: Horse

The Myth

Pirwa was a god worshiped by the Hittites and Luwians in ancient Anatolia. He was closely associated with horses and was also regarded as a warlike deity.

The connection between Pirwa and horses is well attested in both religious texts and descriptions of his iconography. He was depicted as a male figure standing upon a horse. He was also associated with eagles and lions. Among his epithets was parḫant, meaning “chasing,” “hunting,” or “galloping,” which may reflect his equine character.

Pirwa first appears in documents from Kanesh, where a priest served in his cult. He remained closely connected with that city throughout later Hittite tradition and was eventually worshiped in numerous other settlements, including Hattusa, Šippa, Zipariwa, Ḫaššuwa, Tenizidaša, Ikšunuwa, Nenišankuwa, and Duruwaduruwa. Temples dedicated to him are known from Šippa and Wijanawanta.

In Hittite offering lists, Pirwa frequently appears alongside deities associated with Kanesh, including Aškašepa, Maliya, Ḫašamili, Ḫaššušara, and Kamrušepa. His connection with Ḫaššušara was especially close, and in some places the two were worshiped together as a divine pair. He also appears with Aškašepa in Luwian rituals and occasionally forms part of a triad with Kataḫḫa.

A possible later reference to Pirwa occurs in a Neo-Assyrian text from the reign of Ashurbanipal, where a deity named Birua is listed among the gods worshiped in Arbela. Some scholars identify Birua with Pirwa, although others consider the name to be a scribal error, making this identification uncertain.

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Pirwa. In Wikipedia. Retrieved June 29, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirwa

Pira-Nũ

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Tradition / Region: Argentine Mythology
Alternative names: –
Category: Horse, Fish

The Myth

Pira-Nũ, meaning “Black Fish,” is a water phantom from the Misionera region.

It is described as an enormous fish with a head resembling that of a horse, in which two exceptionally large eyes are set.

According to tradition, the creature was formed from the remains of old dugout canoes made from timbó wood that were lost in the rapids of the rivers.

The Pira-Nũ swims just beneath the surface of the water, waiting for boats to pass so that it can devour the people and animals traveling in them.

Sources

Colombres, A. (1984). Seres sobrenaturales de la cultura popular argentina (Vol. 1, Biblioteca de Cultura Popular). Ediciones del Sol.