Most of the mythological creatures They have different morphology and connotation depending on the area or time in which they appear and the ogres are no exception. In this article we will tell you about the most fascinating stories about this ugly and terrible humanoid-looking creature that at first served to terrorize children and now serves to amuse them. You can know how it has changed the figure of the ogre , from its beginnings in the stories of cradle and fairy tales to the figure of Shrek , the most sympathetic and famous ogre of today.
You will also discover that there is truth in all these myths and legends about ogres . Do they really exist? What were our ancestors inspired to create them? What was his character like? If you want to know the answer to all these questions, keep reading this article about one of the best known mythological creatures.
Ogres | Folklore, legends and evolution
The ogre through the different folklores
The etymological origin of the word ogre, brings the experts to head because for some it was an introduction of the Magyars - an ethnic group of Europe of the East- and for others it comes from the Latin orcus .
- Be as it is , the ogre appeared for the first time in Scandinavian legends , in them this giant and fierce creature captured children as it fed on their flesh. According to other legends, they had a very shy character so they were easy to beat. For this culture of northern Europe, the ogres lived in castles near the mountains where valuable treasures are hidden.
- In Japanese mythology the figure of the oni , which have the same morphology as European ogres, with the only difference that not all of them are evil and horrible but that there are some kind ones. The most famous ogre in Japanese mythology is called Momotaro , that is the son born of a giant peach and that adopts a couple that can not have children. Apparently, the ogre ends up becoming a hero defeating all the enemies he finds in his adventures. This oriental tale, enjoys great acceptance in Japan.
- The creature that most resembles the ogre for the pygmies, is the Negoogunogumbar . As the legend tells, it is a horrible and ferocious creature that feeds on newborn children.
- As well as for Muslims and Indians, there are also several stories of ogres in which these are always malevolent creatures that abduct and feed on babies.
- For the Algonquin people of the United States, the ogre we know is called Wendigo and is described as a humanoid with enormous strength and who resorts to cannibalism to survive. The main legend of Wendigo , is that it was really a great hunter that was lost in the forest and had to transform into an ogre that ate human flesh to survive without being able to return to its original form. It is believed that this legend may have true origins, which would explain the cannibalism in some areas of ancient North America.
Appearance of the ogres in popular culture
The first time the term "ogre" was used in a novel, it was thanks to Charles Perrault and their "Histoires ou Contes du Temps" . In these stories, based on the Neapolitans of Basile , the figure of the ogre appears as an almost human being with a very strong complexion and great bodily beauty. We can say that the French author described for the first time the figure of the classic ogre in Europe and thanks to this, everyone who read these fairy tales shaped his imagination.
In our times, the ogre is a mythological figure that is very present in both role-playing games and video game . Although without a doubt, Shrek It was the ogre who made sure that we all changed our mind about this once horrible creature. The movie Shrek , it was screened in theaters in 2001 and it was a blockbuster. In it was presented to a green ogre who lived in a pond, was lonely, somewhat sullen and very dirty, but at the end of the film manages to steal everyone's heart thanks to his humor and his values unlike a creature like him .
As you may have seen after reading this article, the ogre is one of the mythological creatures best known throughout all cultures . In each civilization, it was known in a way although it always had the same common aspects. Many creatures like Orcs or the trolls they are similar to them, although of those other species we will speak on another occasion.
If you liked what you have read, you will also be interested in knowing the details of three of the classic children's stories that we publish on our website. In addition, we would love to hear your opinion on the subject. Did you know that the ogre was known all over the globe? Did you know the history of Wendigo ? Have you seen any of the films of Shrek ? We are looking forward to reading your comments!