Yelbeghen (

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

: ''Yelbegän'',

Cyrillic script The Cyrillic script ( ), Slavonic script or the Slavic script, is a writing system used for various languages across Eurasia. It is the designated national script in various Slavic, Turkic, Mongolic, Uralic, Caucasian and Iranic-speaking co ...

: Йилбегән) is a multi-headed man-eating monster in the mythology of

Turkic peoples The Turkic peoples are a collection of diverse ethnic groups of West, Central, East, and North Asia as well as parts of Europe, who speak Turkic languages.. "Turkic peoples, any of various peoples whose members speak languages belonging t ...

Siberia Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive region, geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a ...

Turkish Dragon

In the original myths Yelbegen was a multi-headed dragon or serpent-like creature (the etymology of the name points to this--''Yel'' = "wind, magic, demonic" and ''begen'' comes from ''böke'' - "giant serpent, dragon"), but over time it evolved into other forms such as a multi-headed

ogre An ogre (feminine: ogress) is a legendary monster depicted as a large, hideous, man-like being that eats ordinary human beings, especially infants and children. Ogres frequently feature in mythology, folklore, and fiction throughout the world ...

-like behemoth. Some epics feature multiple Yelbegen with different numbers of heads who are the offspring of Altan Sibaldai, "the golden witch", a cohort of the lord of the underworld. Some epics also mention a Yelbegen king named ''Yelmogus''. Still other stories tell of multiple Yelbegens of various colors. In a legend of the Altai, there was a seven-headed ogre, Yelbeghen, taking revenge from the Sun and the Moon, and used to eat them. The

Ülgen Bai-Ülgen or Ülgen (Old Turkic: Bey Ülgen; also spelled Bai-Ulgen, Bai-Ülgen, Bay-Ulgan, Bay-Ulgen, or Bay-Ülgen; Khakas, Shor and alt, Ӱлген; mn, Үлгэн; russian: Ульге́нь) is a Turkic and Mongolian creator-deity, usu ...

shot arrows to Yelbeghen. This ogre sometimes chewed the stars in his mouth and broke them into pieces and then spit them out. Therefore, stars used to run away from him into the sky... According to Altai people, eclipse of the Moon used to take place because of this ogre. For this reason, when there is moon eclipse they say: ‘’Again Yelbegen (seven-headed ogre) ate the Moon...’’ Yelbeghen, sometimes ''Yelmogus'' is generally considered to be a creature separate from dragons and a polar opposite to them in its nature. It is a being of pure evil, a dragon-like beast and dreadful monster with no reason, that usually lives in dark and hostile places, or guards unreachable locations in fairy-tales. It is often multi-headed (with 3, 7 or 9 heads) and breathes fire. It is considered as "extremely intelligent, wise and knowledgeable" creature of "superhuman / supernatural" strength and proficiency in magic, very rich (usually described as having castles of enormous riches hidden in distant lands) and often lustful for women, with whom it is capable of making offspring. It often breathes fire and is generally accepted as a highly respected being, and while not always being benevolent, never as an entirely evil creature. Legends were spread about many historical and mythical heroes that they were conceived by a dragon.

Yalpaghan Khan

Yalpaghan Khan (Turkish: ''Yalpağan'') is the dragon king of Altai and Turkish mythologies. He is the king of all the dragons. He also seems like a dragon with seven heads at any time.

References

* * Türk Mitolojisi Ansiklopedik Sözlük, Celal Beydili, Yurt Yayınevi Turkic legendary creatures Dragons Mythical many-headed creatures {{Siberia-myth-stub

Turkish Dragon

Yalpaghan Khan

See also

References