Graphic by Harlow Berny
By Harlow Berny
I. Love. Fairy tales. If it has magic(k), mythical creatures, or an interesting and emotionally deep plot, then chances are that I’ll like it. But the thing that sets me off the most is when there’s a misunderstanding of something important about the magic(k) or mythical creature involved in the story. Here are some of the mistakes that upset me the most.
Types of Magic(k). There are two main types: magic (simple things like pulling a rabbit out of a hat and someone using cards for a reading) and magick (occult magick such as divination and summoning a demon). The two main types of magic are not black magic and white magic. The terms black magic and white magic can be construed as racist terms made to separate the “evil, impure, and barbaric” African magic from the “good, pure, and refined” European magic. These insensitive terms are often used by people who are new to the community and mean well or people who are just using magic(k) for show/money.
Occult vs. Cult. These words do look very similar, but they certainly do not mean the same thing. Occult simply refers to anything that can’t be explained by science, while cult refers to a group that worships a particular being or object. It can be confusing to people who haven’t been told the difference, and thus has caused misrepresentation of both subjects. One example would be the game Yandere Simulator (Warning: This game would likely be rated M for Mature by the ESRB–Entertainment Software Raters Board–if it wasn’t still in development) which has an Occult Club that the player can join. When you join the club, however, you participate in cult activities such as demon summoning and sacrifice.
Satyr vs. Faun. What does a satyr have to do with a female deer? Nothing. What you’re thinking of is a fawn. A faun is a creature from Roman mythology that can be male or female and has goat legs, horns, ears, and tail with a human torso, head, arms, and hands. They typically play pan flutes, drink wine, and have an affinity for romance. Sounds familiar? That’s because many people use the word “satyr” for creatures like that, when a satyr is really a different creature from Greek mythology. A satyr is a middle-aged (or older) man with a long beard, pointed ears, a donkey tail, and a goat or enlarged human phallus that is permanently erect. They are almost always ugly and drunk, have extreme lust for women, and play a pipe flute. These creatures are from different cultures and are quite certainly different species.
Chimera vs. Manticore. For the last misunderstanding, we have two mythical creatures that I don’t see very often. A manticore comes from Persian mythology and has a lion body, human head or face, and a scorpion tail. Sometimes a manticore has poisonous spikes on a lion tail, and some modern depictions give it large bat wings. A chimera is from Greek mythology and is a female creature with a lion head, goat body, and serpent tail. Some modern depictions call any monster that is a combination of multiple animals a chimera.
Editor: Makena Behnke
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