Fire ... The bewitching dance of his tongues, full of charm and mysteries, gave rise to many legends and myths directly related to the occurrence of the elements, as well as with the forces that control it on the planet. If we consider the mythology of different peoples, we can trace the threads leading to the divine origin of fire. The power and unlimited power contained in the elements did not leave space in the minds of people for the origin of the thought that they themselves could get the spark from which the flame was born. Pantheons of the gods certainly had a deity controlling the dangerous elements, and fire spirits are found in many legends. Let them be written in different languages, but have a common ideology.
Spirits of fire - a kind of elemental or natural spirits. In most cases, these are forms of creatures that emit heat. If you believe the legends, fires and fires started with their hands, but, despite this, they carry not only the function of destruction, but also update the surrounding space. Elemental beings include the spirits of fire, water, earth, air.
Salamander
Salamanders - in the traditions of the Middle Ages, the spirits of fire that protect the element and are its personification. They live in an open flame, in any of its manifestations. Usually depicted as small lizards. There were people who considered the salamander not just a spirit, but also some unusual substance of fire.
Legends say that, despite the nature of the spirit, his body always remains cold, which sometimes allows him to extinguish the fire. If a salamander appeared in the house (usually this happens in the flame of a fireplace or stove), this does not mean anything bad. However, good luck should not be expected. If some creatures openly influence the fate of a person, pushing him into a maelstrom of failures or bestowing good, then the salamander is considered a neutral spirit. It is sometimes called the alchemical spirit of fire.
Phoenix
Phoenix (from the Latin phoenix) is a bird mentioned in the myths of many nations, capable of burning itself, and then reborn. In most traditions, the phoenix is often attributed to the cult of the sun. As a rule, depicted as an eagle in a fiery red plumage interspersed with gold. Feeling the approach of death, the bird burns itself, flying to its native nest, and a chick emerges from the resulting ash. In some interpretations of legends, the adult phoenix rises from the ashes. As a rule, in myths it was mentioned that this bird is the only representative of its species. If we consider the phoenix as a metaphor, it is a symbol of immortality, renewal, subject to a certain cycle.
In Christianity, this bird symbolizes the resurrection, the victory of an immortal life, unshakable faith and immutability. The bird is a symbol of Jesus Christ. One of the early periods of Christianity is painted with a frequent depiction of the phoenix on gravestones, where it acted as a triumph of life over death, the resurrection from the dead. The ancient Russians had their own phoenix analogues, fire spirits: the finist and the Firebird.
Kagutsuti
When Kagutsuti was born, he burned his mother Izanami with his fire, which is why she died. The father of the deity, Izanagi, succumbing to despair, deprived his son of his head with the legendary weapon of Ame no Ohabari, after which he divided the remains of Kagutsuti into 8 equal parts. Of these, 8 volcanoes were subsequently born. The blood of the deity of fire, dripping from the blade of Ame no Ohabari, gave rise to a large number of gods, including Vatatsumi, the deity of the sea, as well as Kuraokami, who has power over the rain.
Spirits of fire in Japanese mythology are important. The Japanese worship Kagutsuti as the god of fire and blacksmithing. Believers venerate it in the temple of Akib, Odaki and Atago, since its founding as the main temple to worship the deity. The Kagutsuti cult used to have a huge influence. People were wary of the wrath of the deity, tirelessly brought gifts and prayed to him, believing that in this way they would protect the house and family from fire. To date, these rituals have practically exhausted themselves, but the people have preserved the tradition of celebrating the Hi-Matsuri festival with the beginning of the year, at the time of which believers carry torches to the house, set on fire by the priest with fire from the altar in the temple.
Hephaestus
Spirits of fire in Greek mythology are quite common. The ancient Greeks worshiped Hephaestus as the god of fire, as well as the patron saint of blacksmithing. It was believed that not a single blacksmith could surpass him in skill. When Hera gave birth to Hephaestus, she saw that he was a sick and frail child, in addition limping on both legs. The goddess was horrified and immediately renounced her son, having thrown him from the top of Olympus. However, the child did not die. Thetis, the sea goddess, raised a child, replacing him with his own mother. Hephaestus lived at the bottom of the sea, where he learned to forge. Later he found out about his real parents and sent a golden throne to Hera, who bound her with invisible bonds, as soon as she sat down on him. In exchange for her release, he received the right to choose a wife, a place on Olympus and began to enter the pantheon of the gods.
Ragor
Ragor is a fiery falcon symbolizing an honest duel and honor in general. It is an allegory of directness and justice. Ragor is a metaphorical image of people abandoning lies and cunning, hypocrisy and treachery. It was he who was on the banner of Svyatoslav Igorevich, when he, in his campaigns, wiped out the Khazars and their treacherous actions from the face of the earth. Some mistakenly consider him the Slavic god of fire. The only fire spirits in the mythology of the Slavs, which can be called deities, are Semargl and Ingle.
Loki
Loki is the Scandinavian god of deceit, who was also considered the deity of fire, the son of Lauvei and the giant Farbauti. He is fluent in the magical art of changing his appearance, which he tirelessly uses to come to the aid of the gods or harm them. He has a high growth, beautiful, attractive appearance and bold nature, but by nature is insidious and angry. He took part in the creation of the first people. Loki acts as the parent of the Queen of the Underworld Hel, the terrible dragon Ermungada, as well as the wolf Fenris. In mythological plots, Loki acts as a getter-kidnapper whose weapons are cunning and deceit. He acts voluntarily or forcedly, sometimes benefiting the gods, and at another harming them.