ALBANIAN FOLK BELIEFS

Albanian folk beliefs comprise myths and legends of the Albanians. Many of
the characters in Albanian mythology are included in the Albanian Songs of
the Frontier Warriors (Albanian: Këngë Kreshnikësh or Cikli i Kreshnikëve),
the traditional cycle of Albanian epic songs.

HISTORY
The elements of Albanian folk beliefs are of Paleo-Balkanic origin and almost
all of them are pagan.[1] Albanian myths can be divided into two major
groups: legends of metamorphosis and historical legends.
Albanian folk tales were first recorded in the middle of the nineteenth century
by European scholars such as Johann Georg von Hahn, the Austrian consul in
Janina (Ioannina), Karl H. Reinhold and Giuseppe Pitrè. The next generation
of scholars to take an interest in the collection of Albanian folk tales were
primarily philologists, among them well-known Indo-European linguists
concerned with recording and analysing a hitherto little known European
language: Auguste Dozon, Jan Jarnik, Gustav Meyer, Holger
Pedersen, Gustav Weigand and August Leskien.
The nationalist movement in Albania in the second half of the nineteenth
century, the so-called Rilindja period, gave rise to native collections of folklore
material such as the 'Albanian Bee' (Albanike melissa / Belietta shqiptarë) by
Thimi Mitko, the 'Albanian Spelling Book' (Albanikon alfavetarion/Avabatar
arbëror) by the Greco-Albanian Anastas Kullurioti and the 'Waves of the Sea'
(Valët e Detit) by Spiro Dine. In the last thirty years, much field work has
been done by the Institute of Folk Culture in Tirana and by the Institute of
Albanian Studies in Prishtinë, which have published numerous collections of
folk tales and legends. Unfortunately, very little of this substantial material
has been translated into other languages.

LIST OF LEGENDS, MYTHS, BALLADS, AND

CHARACTERS
Some of the best known legends, concepts, ballads, songs and/or characters of
Albanian folk beliefs.
 Arben  Armati  Bindusi
 Afërdita  Bardha (Mountain  Baljoz (Dark
 Shpirag Spirit) Knight)

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 Bolla (Dragon)  Hajnjeri (Man  Ora
 Bushtra (Bad eating giant)  Perëndi (God of
omen-wishing  Hije (Shadow lightening)
female witch) ghost)  Perit (Storm deity)
 Constantin and  Iria  Prende (Goddess of
Doruntinë  Judi (Ghost giant) love)
 Dhampir (Half-  Jola  Premte
vampire, Half-  Kacamisri (similar  Princess Argjiro
human) to Tom Thumb)  Redon (God of sea
 Dhemeter  Katallan (Giant) and flowing water)
 Djall (Devil)  Katravesh  Rozafati
 Dreq (Devil)  Karkanxholl (were  Shtojzovalle(Sylph)
 Drangue (Winged wolf)  Shtriga (Vampiric
warrior)  Keshete (Naiad) witch)
 E bija e Henës dhe  Kreshniku (Albania  Shurdhi (Weather
e Diellit (Daughter n northern deity)
of moon and sun) strongmen)  Stihi (Demonic
 E Bukura e  Kukudh (Plague dragon)
Dheut (Fair lady of demon)  The Tale of the
the earth)  Kuçedra (Multi Eagle
 E Bukura e headed storm  Tadeni
Detit (Fair lady of dragon)  Tomor (Giant)
the sea)  Lamia (Half snake  Thopc (Gnome)
 E Bukura e Half woman)  Verbti (Storm
Qiellit (Fair lady of  Latra deity)
the sky)  Laure (Shapeshiftin  Vurvolaka (Vampir
 Eia g hag) ic ghoul)
 En (God of fire)  Lugat (Revenant)  Ymer Agë Ulqini
 Fatit  Ljubi (Demoness)  Xhindi (Jinn)
 Flama (Restless  Mauthia  Zana e
evil ghost)  Muji edhe Halili malit (Mountain
 Gjergj Elez Alia  Merkur fairy)
 Gjysmagjeli  Nuse  Zojzi
 Gogol (Boogeyman mali (Mountain
) nymph)

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 WORKED BY:
ALBION MUÇA

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