In ancient times a hideous monster roamed the deserts of Libya. Part woman, part beast, Lamia was as swift as the wind and could pluck her own eyeballs out of her head then pop them back in. Though she often preyed upon shipwrecked sailors, Lamia's favorite victims were children-whom she hunted down and ate!
Four-Legged Lady: Lamia was sometimes described as a four-legged creature with the head and upper body of a female. Her lower body was scaly, and she had a horse's tail. Her front feet had claws like a bear's and her back feet were cloven like a goat's hooves.
Pretty Scary: According to legend, Lamia was very fast and could run down any prey. She could also change herself into a beautiful woman. In this form, she would use her sweet voice to lure victims.
Kids Meal[]
Hera was famous for seeking revenge against Zeus' many girlfriends.
In Greek mythology, Lamia was a Libyan princess who fell in love with the god Zeus. Though Zeus tried to hide Lamia from his wife, Hera, she soon discovered the princess. In a jealous rage, Hera punished Lamia by forcing her to eat her own kids. The horror of this act turned Lamia into a hideous monster-and gave her a taste for children. Hera's curse made it impossible for Lamia to close her eyes, so she couldn't find any rest from the horrible acts she committed.
Eye Eye! To spare her some grief, Zeus gave Lamia the ability to remove her eyeballs from her head. Although her eyes were still open, Lamia got some relief from the awful images that usually haunted her.
Lady Killer: In some stories, Lamia has the upper body of a woman but the lower body of a snake. This Lamia doesn't eat children-she is a vampire who preys on young men and drinks their blood.
Hair Affair[]
In the folklore of western Spain, Lamia is half woman, half fish like a mermaid, and isn't harmful at all. In fact, the only time this Lamia gets mad is if someone steals her golden hair combs!
