Djall or Dreq is the personification of
evil
Evil, as a concept, is usually defined as profoundly immoral behavior, and it is related to acts that cause unnecessary pain and suffering to others.
Evil is commonly seen as the opposite, or sometimes absence, of good. It can be an extreme ...
in
Albanian mythology and folklore. The name is used also for a
demon
A demon is a malevolent supernatural entity. Historically, belief in demons, or stories about demons, occurs in folklore, mythology, religion, occultism, and literature; these beliefs are reflected in Media (communication), media including
f ...
of fire. Various tales woven through the years have pitched Djall as the antagonist, the villainous element against which heroes and ordinary people alike must contend. As a symbolic representation of evil forces, Djall serves to highlight the contrasting virtues of courage, wisdom, and moral integrity in those who dare to oppose it. But Djall is no mere metaphor, in these narratives, it takes a form that can manifest in the physical world, most terrifyingly as a fire demon. This elemental characteristic adds another layer of peril to its already fearsome existence. A walking inferno, it brings both moral and mortal danger.
Etymology
The name ''djall'' derives from the
Latin
Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
''diabolus'', "
devil
A devil is the mythical personification of evil as it is conceived in various cultures and religious traditions. It is seen as the objectification of a hostile and destructive force. Jeffrey Burton Russell states that the different conce ...
". Alternative forms are ''dreqi'' from the Latin ''draco'', "
dragon
A dragon is a Magic (supernatural), magical legendary creature that appears in the folklore of multiple cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but European dragon, dragons in Western cultures since the Hi ...
",
''
satan
Satan, also known as the Devil, is a devilish entity in Abrahamic religions who seduces humans into sin (or falsehood). In Judaism, Satan is seen as an agent subservient to God, typically regarded as a metaphor for the '' yetzer hara'', or ' ...
'' and ''
shejtan''.
See also
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En (deity)
Enji () is the old name of the fire god in the Albanian pagan mythology evidently contained in the weekday name that was dedicated to him – – the Albanian word for Thursday. The Fire – Zjarri – is deified in Albanian tradition as rel ...
*
Kulshedra
The kulshedra or kuçedra is a water, storm, fire and chthonic demon in Albanian mythology and Albanian folklore, folklore, usually described as a huge multi-headed female Serpent (symbolism), serpentine dragon. She is the archetype of darkness ...
*
Stihi
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Verbti
I Verbti () is an Albanian adjectival noun meaning "the blind one", which was used in northern Albanian folk beliefs to refer to the god of fire and wind in the Zadrima region, and to the thunderstorm god in Dukagjin and the Malësia e Vogël; in ...
References
Bibliography
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Albanian mythology
Albanian legendary creatures
Death gods
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