Nissaba/Nisaba [Sum-Bab] Grain and harvest goddess, also in charge of writing and education. It is said that her breasts feed the fields and her body gives birth to the crops. *Nisser/Nisse (sing.)/gardvord/god bonde/fjøsnisse/gårdsrå [Scnd/Dnsh/Swd/Norw] Helpful pixie-ish creatures who assist farmers in the smooth operations of their farms. These fairies appear as small old men, usually dressed as farmers but with a distinctive tall, red, tassled cap. They have usually been depicted as wearing long white beards, but in modern times, it seems that some nisse have been shaving their beards off. They may also have pointed ears, which is a common characteristic for many fairies and other similar little creatures. Nisse are are strong and stalwart, and happily can dispose of any chores, but they are temperamental and desire recognition, thanks, and a bowl of porridge on Christmas eve. If they are not propitiated (like so many house spirits around the world) they can become mischievous and damage property, injure farm workers, or kill livestock. Nisser were thought to be able to turn invisible and change their shape, so few people ever see them, although small children may be able to. The red cap, the invisibility, and their capacity for mischief does remind a person of the Brazilian Saci more than a bit. Like saci, the Christian thinkers challenged these critters as being minions of the devil. It is this author’s understanding that their lot in life is a bit difficult, which is to say “It’s hard to be a nissemand.” Niu-kua [China] see Nu Kwa Niulang [China] ‘Cowherd.’ The love story of Zhinü and Niulang is one of those tragic romances that the East Asians excel at. Niulang was a cowherd (some tales make him a mortal, some make him a god) who happened upon seven beautiful young goddesses bathing in a lake. Full of mischief, he stole their clothes, and they sent the youngest sister, Zhinü, to get their clothing back. As he had seen her naked, she assented to be his bride. Their marriage was idyllic, but the downside was that they were so happy that they began to neglect their godly duties. Some versions say that her queenly mom would not assent to her young daughter marrying a mere mortal. Whatever the case, the gods stuck them on opposite sides of a mighty river. One day per year, the feast of Qi Xi, the magpie birds build a bridge so that the lovers can come together. Nivhevoss [Chy] ‘Eagle’s Nest.’ The childhood name for Sweet Medicine. *Nixies/Nixe [Teut-Ger] Water spirits or sprites. Njördr/Niord/Njord [Nrse] Handsome sea and wealth god, he was one of the Vanir. Father of Freya and Frey. Njordr married the ice-giantess Skadi and together, they personify the seasons. Their undersea hall was called Nöatûn. He and Skadi did not work out, since he did not care for her wolves and she did not like his sea-birds with their raucous cries. They split up after a time and he was wed to the goddess Nerthus. Njorfe [Nrse] Foe and then ally of Viking and Halfdan. Nnamdi [Afr] Youngest son of Alike and Ilomerika. Noah [Jw] Yahweh decided to send a huge flood which would kill everyone in the world and wash away their wickedness. He decided to spare this man and his family, so he ordered Noah to construct a gigantic boat, where two of every animal in creation, plus Noah and his family, would stay during the flood. His sons were Shem, Ham, and Japeth. The great ark in which they and the animals were safe from the flood waters floated for forty days and nights, and came to rest on Mount Ararat. Unlike many earlier flood stories, this one kills off all of humanity, while the Greek and Sumerian versions usually just wipe out a small corner of the world. Page 362 Encyclopedia of Beings After the flood, Noah got drunk in his tent and two of his sons wandered in and saw him naked. They were cursed for this. Some feel that this was the first case of drunkenness in the world. Some believe that this story indicates that the sons castrated old Noah, which I don’t see, but then I’m not those scholars, am I? According to one story, Noah wanted a third son, but Ham’s son Canaan got him drunk and castrated him. Some scholars suggest that the middle syllables of the name Utnapishtim [na’ish] may have been a phonetic equivalent to the name Noah FLOOD STORIES Many cultures throughout the world have had stories of a great flood that killed much of humanity. From the Sumerian tales of Ziusudra/Utnapishtim or Atrahasis, the Norse story of Bergelmir and the North American Navaho story of Tieholtsodi and Coyote. The Greeks had a flood survivor named Deucalion, who was adrift in a box and the South American peoples had a god named Ni or Hurican who flooded the world for the transgressions of human. The Aztec flood survivor was named Coxcox. In the Philippines, it is believed that a woman called Bugan was the mother of humanity after a great flood wiped out most of the humans. According to a Hindu tale, Matsya, an avatar of Vishnu saved the great lawgiver named Manu from a great flood. Noanase [KW] Child of the great mother, Serankua, given great powers. Used his powers to steal strength from his elder brother, Mulkiasi. His mom locked him away and he awaits the time he can break free to wreak disaster on the world. *Nochnitsas [Slav] ‘Night Women.’ Spirits who are constantly at odds with the dawn spirits called zors. Nodens [Celt] Medicinal goddess who was analogous to Nuadu, god of healing. Nodotus [Rom] Numin of plant buds. Probably related closely to Proserpina. *Noegyth/Nogoth/Nogothrim (sing.) [JRRT] see dwarves Nohochacyum [May] ‘Our Great Lord.’ see Hachacyum Nohuichana [Mex] Goddess of the hunt. *Nokken [Scnd] A type of water imp that enjoyed causing misfortune to sailors. It was sort of a gremlin, ruining sails, breaking lines, fouling drinking water, and so forth, but it could be even more malicious, helping to cause the injuries and deaths of mariners. Nommo [Dog] Water spirit, often associated with Amma. Parent figure deity. Nona [Rom] One of the numina. She watched over the last months of a baby’s gestation. Nonadieve [Lith] A domestic goddess mentioned in the Thirteenth Century Voluine Chronicle Nonin [Budd] (?-1196? CE) Studied Tendai Buddhism but did not get much from it, so he declared himself self-enlightened. He founded a highly unorthodox Zen sect called Nihon Daruma which was popular with the common folk, but not with the establishment. He was killed under questionable circumstances, likely by his own nephew. Nono [SA] Mistress of snakes, the devourer of souls. A tribal goddess. Nordri [Nrse] Dwarf who held up the Northern end of the celestial sphere. Nornagesta [Nrse] A bard. He was cursed at birth by Skuld to only live until a certain candle burned down. When someone put out the candle, he was thus imbued with perpetual life and youth (well, THAT was pretty simple!). At 300 years of age, Olaf Tryggvesson forced him Encyclopedia of Beings Page 363 to convert to Christianity, and as a sign of his sincerity he had to burn the candle. When the candle burned down, he died. *Norns [Nrse] Triple goddess figure representing past/present/future: Urd, who was old, Skuld who was middle-aged, and Verdandi who was young. They watered the world-tree Yggdrasil daily and wove huge webs of great size and haphazard design. In some ways, the three represented the past, present and future. They were called Wyrdes by Celts. See the entry on Morrigán for more information about triple goddess figures. Norov-Ava [Mord] Goddess of grain. Nortia [Etr] The parallel to the Roman Fortuna. Notus [Gk] The south wind. Norvi/Narvi [Nrse] Giantess, the mother of Night. Nosenga [Krkr] Tribal god who is the son of the sky god Chikara. Hehas a number of human priestesses who are his brides, devoted solely to him (this arrangement has been compared to the nuns of the Christian church). He is contacted through a human intermediary known as Hore, by express permission of the tribal chief. *Nosferatu/Norferat [Rmnn] The word means ‘Plague Carrier’ in Old Slavonic. This sort of cursed person spreads disease and disaster, feeds on its family and makes men impotent and women sterile (they are said to despise married couples, probably because of their hatred of fertility). Nosferatu seem to have plagued people over long periods, slowly destroying them or sapping their vitality. These creatures are vampiric, although not necessarily undead. These are supposedly the vampires that inspired the popular Dracula stereotypes so beloved in TV shows and movies. WHAT CREATES A NOSFERATU There were many things that could cause a nosferatu: the illegitimate sons of two illegitimate parents or the child of a mother who had not eaten salt during her pregnancy. Also, if the mother had been looked at by a vampire while pregnant, the child could turn out to be one of these monsters. Addi- tionally, the seventh son of a seventh son was thought to be at risk for becoming a nosferatu. Nott [Nrse] Goddess of the night, daughter of the giant Norvi. Mother of Aud by Naglfari, Erda by Annar and Dag by Dellinger. Notus [Rom] The southwest wind, son of Aeolus, although some sources attribute that wind to a being called Africus.