Aido Hwedo / Aido Wedo / Rainbow Serpent
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Time Period: Ancient
References in Literature:
Sources: Book of Dragons and Other Mythical Beasts, Circle of the Dragon, Polenth, DenCity, and several others
Notes:
- Said to have carried Mawu / Mawel as he created the world.
- Eats iron bars under the earth and will one day eat his own tail, causing the destruction of the world
- First creature made by Mawel, the creator god
- Possibly created by Nana-Bulaku as a companion
- Formed riverbeds
- Fed by red monkeys
- In the Congo, is seen as evil and appears in waterfalls
- Creation and destruction
- Dahomey - Aido Hwedo, Bobi-bobi, Da
- Figi - Degei
- Australia, North - Dhakhan
- Nigeria - Oshumare
- Australia, West - Wanambi
- Kalseru
- Galeru
- Julunggul
- Karie
- Kunmanggur
- Langal
- Mindi
- Muit
- Ngalbjod
- Taipan
- Ungur
- Woinunggur / Wollunqua / Wollunquain / Wulungu
- Wonambi
- Worormbi
- Yero
- Yulunggu / Yurlungur
Mawu, after making the world too heavy, asked Aido Hwedo to curl up under it and hold it in place. Mawu then made the sea around him to cool his heat. In some versions, Aido Hwedo volunteers to curl under the world
Related Tales:- Oroborus, with its tail in its mouth
- Midgard Serpent in Scandinavia
- Chinese rain dragons