mythologies

1.  Mythology or godlore refers variously to the collected myths of a group of people[1]
or to the study of such myths.[2] Myths are the stories people tell to explain nature,
history, and customs.
 Myth is a feature of every culture. Many sources for myths have been proposed,
ranging from personification of nature or personification of natural phenomena, to
truthful or hyperbolic accounts of historical events to explanations of existing rituals.
A culture's collective mythology helps convey belonging, shared and religious
experiences, behavioral models, and moral and practical lessons.
 The study of myth began in ancient history. Rival classes of the Greek myths by
Euhemerus, Plato and Sallustius were developed by the Neoplatonists and later
revived by Renaissance mythographers. The nineteenth-century comparative
mythology reinterpreted myth as a primitive and failed counterpart of science (Tylor),
a "disease of language" (Müller), or a misinterpretation of magical ritual (Frazer).
 Recent approaches often view myths as manifestations of psychological, cultural, or
societal truths, rather than as inaccurate historical accounts.

2.  A water deity is a deity in mythology associated with
water or various bodies of water. Water deities are
common in mythology and were usually more important
among civilizations in which the sea or ocean, or a great
river was more important. Another important focus of
worship of water deities has been springs or holy wells.
 As a form of animal worship, whales and snakes (hence
dragons) have been regarded as godly deities throughout
the world (other animals are such as turtles, fish, crabs,
and sharks). In Asian lore, whales and dragons sometimes
have connections.[1] Serpents are also common as a
symbol or as serpentine deities, sharing many similarities
with dragons.

3.  mermaid is a legendary aquatic creature with the head and upper body of a female human and
the tail of a fish.[1] Mermaids appear in the folklore of many cultures worldwide, including the
Near East, Europe, Africa and Asia. The first stories appeared in ancient Assyria, in which the
goddess Atargatis transformed herself into a mermaid out of shame for accidentally killing her
human lover. Mermaids are sometimes associated with perilous events such as floods, storms,
shipwrecks and drownings. In other folk traditions (or sometimes within the same tradition), they
can be benevolent or beneficent, bestowing boons or falling in love with humans.
 The male equivalent of the mermaid is the merman, also a familiar figure in folklore and heraldry.
Although traditions about and sightings of mermen are less common than those of mermaids,
they are generally assumed to co-exist with their female counterparts.
 Some of the attributes of mermaids may have been influenced by the Sirens of Greek mythology.
Historical accounts of mermaids, such as those reported by Christopher Columbus during his
exploration of the Caribbean, may have been inspired by manatees and similar aquatic
mammals. While there is no evidence that mermaids exist outside of folklore, reports of mermaid
sightings continue to the present day, including 21st century examples from Israel and
Zimbabwe.
 Mermaids have been a popular subject of art and literature in recent centuries, such as in Hans
Christian Andersen's well-known fairy tale "The Little Mermaid" (1836). They have subsequently
been depicted in operas, paintings, books, films and comics.

4.  Poseidon was a brother of Zeus, the sky god
and chief deity of ancient Greece, and of
Hades, god of the underworld. When the
three brothers deposed their father, the
kingdom of the sea fell by lot to Poseidon.
His weapon and main symbol was the
trident, perhaps once a fish spear.

5.  philippine mythology is the body of myths, tales, and
superstitions held by Filipinos, mostly originating from beliefs
held during the pre-Hispanic era. Some of these beliefs stem
from pre-Christian religions and were regarded by the Spanish
as "myth" in an effort to de-legitimize pre-colonial Animism.
Today, some of these myths are still held by Filipinos, especially
in the provinces.
 Filipino myth is incorporated from various sources, having
similarities with Indonesian and Malay myths, as well as
Christian traditions, such as the notion of Heaven
(kaluwalhatian, kalangitan, kamurawayan), Hell (impiyerno,
kasamaan), and the human soul (kaluluwa). Filipino mythology
attempts to explain the nature of the world through the lives and
actions of gods, goddesses, heroes, and mythological creatures.
A majority of these myths were passed on through oral tradition.