Giants

Giants were often portrayed as being monstrous because of its enlarged body. And because they are large they are perceived to be dangerous and cruel. That's how Fairy Tales and Folklore of cultures thought us about giants.

The ancients believed that they were capable of breaking mountains and causing avalanches, or of drying up an entire river by drinking from its flow.

Early Giants

Gigantes of Ancient Greek mythology were the first giants. They were said to be born when the blood of Uranus (the Heaven) fell upon Gaea (Earth). The Gigantes fought Zeus, Hera, Apollo and others who were the gods of Mount Olympus. The Gigantes were buried underneath the mountains that then became volcanoes when Hercules help the Olympian gods to defeat them.

Cyclops were another race of mythical giants. This vicious cannibal monsters had only one eye, created the thunderbolts of Zeus. One-eyed giants dedicated to smithing and forging the rays of Zeus and the most incredible weapons of the gods.

It's been told in the poem "The Odyssey" by Homer about the hero Odysseus and his men had encountered Cyclops and they barely escape.

Other Mythical Giants From Around the World

Atlas "The Giant who Holds up the Sky"

In Greek mythology, Atlas was condemned by holding up the sky/heavens as punishment from Zeus for leading the Titans in their battle with the Olympian Gods for control of the heavens. It leaves Atlas with his interminable duty.

Another legend involving Atlas was featured the hero Perseus. He was said to encountered Atlas in the northwest region of Africa and Atlas tried to scare Perseus away. Perseus (who got Medusa's head)took Medusa’s detached head from his bag. When Atlas saw the horrible Gorgon he turned to a stone and becomes the Atlas mountain range.

Hrungnir "Drunken Norse Giant"

Hrungnir is also known as the Brawler was the mightiest of all of the giants who are often the enemies of the gods. He was one of the biggest and beastly among the countless giants in Norse Legends.

One day the leader of the Norse gods of Asgard named Odin challenged Hrungnir to a horse race. Odin rode Sleipnir which is his super-fast eight-legged steed. Bring it on the other hand rode Gullfaxi which is his standard-legged horse. Sleipnir outran Gullfaxi expectedly and he was led into the realm of Asgard. Odin felt sorry for Hrungnir losing the race and invited him for a drink. Unfortunately, he was not a good drinker and with a few drinks, he becomes belligerent and started claiming that he could kill all the gods of Asgard. And as the gods get tired of Hrungnir's arrogance they call Thor and the two had a duel.

Thor threw his trusty hammer called Mjolnir and it smashed through both the whetstone (Hrungnir's weapon) and Hrungnir’s head and the latter fell to his death. It is believed that the pieces of the whetstone fell to the earth and became the flint we see around us today.

Balor "One-Eyed God of Death"

In Irish mythology, Balor or Balar was a king of the Fomorians which was a group of malevolent supernatural beings and said to be early migrants of Ireland. He is often described as a giant with an enormous eye that wreaks destruction when opened.

Jentil "Heathen Giants"

Jentil were giants from the Basque mythology (region of Spain/France). They were believed to represent the pagans who lived the land before Christianity. They love to throw rocks as they are strong and enormous. Jentils believed to built the dolmens and megalithic stone circles in the Basque region.

They were believed to die out after the appearance of a huge bright cloud appeared to be the birth of Jesus. The Jentil did not want to change. They were frightened and run down the mountains and hid in dolmens never seen again.

However, one Jentil survived his name is Olentzero. A grumpy huge giant who enjoyed a tipple. He is said to cut the throat of all the greedy people in the nearest village who had eaten too much. This legend of Olentzero was adopted and adapted during the rise of Christianity. Olentzero becomes the Basque version of Santa Claus and visits children on Christmas Eve bringing them his crafted toys made especially for them.

Goliath "Biblical Giant"

This we'll known parable, the Biblical story of David and Goliath in which Davids's precise throw with his slingshot hit the giant Goliath in the head and knocked him out. David then moves in to win the war for the Israelites. The story of David and Goliath is often thought of as a moral lesson of how underdogs can overcome the odds and become victorious.

Oni "Japanese Giant Demons"

Oni is often hideous giants in demon form in Japanese folklore. They are big and scary, taller than trees, looking fearsome. They are commonly depicted with a red or blue skin, wild hair, three fingers and toes, two or more horns, and fang-like tusks. 

They are super strong and live in hell, caves, remote mountains, islands or abandoned fortresses. They are very keen on human flesh and eat livestock.

Oni usually lives in hell for living an evil life while on earth. So wicked that they are turned into one while they are still living and they roaming around causing misery to others.

Japanese people have a traditional celebration called Setsubun Festival during spring to drive out the one. During this festival celebrations, soybeans are thrown in the air to ward off the lurking beasts.

British Giants

The legend of a pair of later Giants named Gog and Magog spread throughout the world and in the process, the story changed from place to place.

In Britain, their story was in the form of two large statues in Guildhall in London. The first was erected in the 1400s portraying the last race of giants destroyed by the legendary founder of London. Legend has it that the two giants were defeated and chained to the gates of Brutus' palace on the site of Guildhall.

The statues which is publics favourites have been replaced twice: first after the Great Fire of 1666, then after an air raid during the Second World War.

British Legends has this slightly different version wherein they combine those giants into a single monster and named it Gogmagog, who lived near Cornwall. In this legend, a brave soldier threw the giant off a cliff and is called Giant's Leap.

Another British giant was Gargantua. He was the main character in comical adventures written by a Frenchman, Francois Rabelais in the 1500s. Gargantuan was something like the gigantic American woodsman Paul Bunyan. He was so big that a tennis court could fit inside one of his teeth. It gook the milk of 17,913 cows to quench his thirst. In some legends, he was hired by King Arthur and was credited with defeating Gog and Magog.

The Giant Causeway

Northern Ireland according to a legend was once home to a giant named Finn McCool whom also called Fionn Mac Cumhaill. When another giant named Benandonner lives across the Irish Sea in Scotland threatened Ireland, Finn avenged by tearing up great chunks of the Antrim coastline and throwing them into the sea. The new path the Giant’s Causeway he created paved a route over the sea for Finn to reach Benandonner.

However, that turns out to be a bad idea as Benandonner is much bigger giant than Finn! To save himself, Finn retreats to Ireland and is disguised as a baby thank to his wife's bright idea. As soon as Benandonner arrives in his place, he sees Fin as a baby and realises that if a mere baby was that big then the father must be far bigger!

Following this realisation, Benandonner rushes back to Scotland and tore away as much of the Causeway as he can to put as much distance between himself and Ireland as much as possible. And there you have it, the myth of the Giant’s Causeway was born.

Stonehenge in England

According to the early historian Geoffrey of Monmouth, the mysterious circle of huge stones in Southern England was originated with the giants of Ireland.

Geoffrey of Monmouth relied on stories he was told. So his history of Britain were mixes legends with actual events.

In Harry Potter

Did you know that most wizards are prejudiced against giants? Hagrid was worried about what others might think and never told anyone that his mother was the giantess Fridwulfa.

It's the same reason for Madame Olympe Maxime (the headmistress of Beauxbatons). She is hesitant to admit that she is also half-giant. But anyone could tell by her huge appearance. And the secret from her name is no secret at all.

Olympe refers to the original giants of Olympus and Maxime means "very large" in French.

When I was young I enjoyed watching Jack and the Beanstalk and from there I learned that giants do eat humans, they are violent and sometimes stupid. But Roald Dahl's " BFG" Big Friendly Giant showed me a side of giants being intelligent and friendly. Which is quite nice and my kids love him! I also watched this documentary about Easter Island/Rapa Nui with this oversized head carved human figures that no matter how I think about it, I could only think of Giants built it. It's quite fascinating.

In real life, giants are our own demons, fears and problems. And so we should be the giant bigger than our problem! I am giant! 💪

Do you believe that giants existed?

References:

• Lead Image from pixabay.com

• The Magical World of Harry

• https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/84109/10-mythical-giants-around-world