Circle
A role · 24 figures in all
Closed wholeness and eternal return: the figure's story turns on encircling, on a cycle that completes and begins again, on a ring that binds, or on a totality with no outside.
A role a story gives a figure, not a picture a figure fits. No reference work prints this as a headword, so the wording and the reading are both ours. What each was read from is not: the works named below, and their entries on these figures rather than the descriptions on this site. How this was made.
18 figures carry it. 6 others meet it without carrying it.
Carried by
Figures whose entries here read as carrying the role itself. Both readings marks a figure two independent readings placed here; one reading marks one.
Aine one reading
- Carol Rose, Spirits, Fairies, Leprechauns, and Goblins, s.v. "Aine."
- Katharine Briggs, An Encyclopedia of Fairies, s.v. "Aine."
- Maria Leach, editor, Funk & Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology, and Legend, s.v. "Aine."
Anqa one reading
- Theresa Bane, Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore, s.v. "Anqa."
Apep both readings
- E. A. Wallis Budge, The Gods of the Egyptians, p. 272.
- Carol Rose, Giants, Monsters, and Dragons, s.v. "Apep."
Bennu both readings
- Carol Rose, Giants, Monsters, and Dragons, s.v. "Bennu."
- J. C. Cooper, An Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Traditional Symbols, s.v. "Bennu."
Charybdis both readings
- Apollodorus, translated by J. G. Frazer, The Library, p. 1.
- Carol Rose, Giants, Monsters, and Dragons, s.v. "Charybdis."
- Theresa Bane, Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore, s.v. "Charybdis."
- Timothy Gantz, Early Greek Myth, p. 356.
Christ one reading
- Ad de Vries, Dictionary of Symbols and Imagery, s.v. "Christ."
- Damiana L. Eugenio, Philippine Folk Literature: The Myths, p. 312.
- Firdausi, translated by Arthur George Warner and Edmond Warner, The Sháhnáma.
Huma one reading
- Firdausi, translated by Arthur George Warner and Edmond Warner, The Sháhnáma.
- Theresa Bane, Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore, s.v. "Huma."
Jörmungandr both readings
- Carol Rose, Giants, Monsters, and Dragons, s.v. "Midgard Serpent."
- John Lindow, Norse Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs, s.v. "Midgard Serpent."
Kabandha one reading
- Carol Rose, Spirits, Fairies, Leprechauns, and Goblins, s.v. "Kabandha."
- John Dowson, A Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology and Religion, s.v. "Kabandha."
- Theresa Bane, Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore, s.v. "Kabandha."
Nerthus one reading
- John Lindow, Norse Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs, s.v. "Nerthus."
- Maria Leach, editor, Funk & Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology, and Legend, s.v. "Nerthus."
- Patricia Monaghan, The Encyclopedia of Celtic Mythology and Folklore, p. 355.
Nian both readings
- Theresa Bane, Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore, s.v. "Nian."
O Goncho both readings
- Charles Gould, Mythical Monsters, p. 250.
- F. Hadland Davis, Myths and Legends of Japan, p. 362.
- Theresa Bane, Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore, s.v. "O Goncho."
Ouroboros both readings
- Ad de Vries, Dictionary of Symbols and Imagery, s.v. "Ouroboros."
- Carol Rose, Giants, Monsters, and Dragons, s.v. "Ouroboros."
- J. C. Cooper, An Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Traditional Symbols, s.v. "Ouroboros."
Phoenix both readings
- Theresa Bane, Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore, s.v. "Benu Bird."
- Carol Rose, Giants, Monsters, and Dragons, s.v. "Benu Bird."
- George M. Eberhart, Mysterious Creatures: A Guide to Cryptozoology, s.v. "Benu Bird."
Saturn both readings
- Firdausi, translated by Arthur George Warner and Edmond Warner, The Sháhnáma.
- J. C. Cooper, An Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Traditional Symbols, s.v. "Saturn."
Walutahanga both readings
- Carol Rose, Giants, Monsters, and Dragons, s.v. "Walutahanga."
- Carol Rose, Spirits, Fairies, Leprechauns, and Goblins, s.v. "Walutahanga."
- Theresa Bane, Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore, s.v. "Walutahanga."
Wihwin both readings
- Carol Rose, Giants, Monsters, and Dragons, s.v. "Wihwin."
- George M. Eberhart, Mysterious Creatures: A Guide to Cryptozoology, s.v. "Wihwin."
- Theresa Bane, Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore, s.v. "Wihwin."
Xolotl both readings
- Carol Rose, Giants, Monsters, and Dragons, s.v. "Xolotl."
- Mary Miller and Karl Taube, An Illustrated Dictionary of the Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya, p. 190.
- Theresa Bane, Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore, s.v. "Xolotl."
Met by
Figures read as meeting the role rather than carrying it: it is in their stories, held by something they meet, oppose, serve or are destroyed by. It is the commoner reading here, and saying so is the point: a bestiary is largely a catalogue of what the carriers of these roles encounter.
Alberich
- Carol Rose, Spirits, Fairies, Leprechauns, and Goblins, s.v. "Alberich."
- Maria Leach, editor, Funk & Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology, and Legend, s.v. "Alberich."
Brock
- Carol Rose, Spirits, Fairies, Leprechauns, and Goblins, s.v. "Brock."
- Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology.
Fenrir
- Carol Rose, Giants, Monsters, and Dragons, s.v. "Fenrir."
- John Lindow, Norse Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs, s.v. "Fenrir."
Minotaur
- Carol Rose, Giants, Monsters, and Dragons, s.v. "Asterion."
- Theresa Bane, Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore, s.v. "Asterion."
- Timothy Gantz, Early Greek Myth, p. 192.
- Ad de Vries, Dictionary of Symbols and Imagery, s.v. "Asterion."
- Apollodorus, translated by J. G. Frazer, The Library, p. 470.
Talos
- Apollodorus, translated by J. G. Frazer, The Library, p. 534.
- Carol Rose, Giants, Monsters, and Dragons, s.v. "Talos."
- Timothy Gantz, Early Greek Myth, p. 262.
Venus
- Ad de Vries, Dictionary of Symbols and Imagery, s.v. "Esther."
- Louis Ginzberg, The Legends of the Jews, p. 146.
- Damiana L. Eugenio, Philippine Folk Literature: The Myths, p. 63.
- Firdausi, translated by Arthur George Warner and Edmond Warner, The Sháhnáma.
Not to be confused with: NOT merely being round, coiling up, or bearing a ring-shaped mark.