Treasure guardians in folklore
The Treasure Guardian is a recurring motif in folklore of a being that guards a treasure. Typically, the hero must overcome the guardian in order to obtain the treasure. In some cases the Treasure Guardian are non-human beings, although one subtype, known as "treasure ghosts", were deceased humans who had been murdered and buried with the treasure to protect it.[1][2][3][4] Animals are often shown as treasure guardians—an index of folklore chronicles stories of snakes, crows, ravens, cocks, swans, and night-birds as treasure guardians.[5] In some stories, the treasure is guarded by "the Devil himself."[1]
In folklore
- Jinn, an Arabian treasure guardian
- Gnome, a European treasure guardian
- Leprechaun, a treasure guardian from Irish folklore
- Dragon, a creature often portrayed as hording a treasure.
- Salamander, a legendary creature which may described as a lizard in shape (even that of a common salamander), but usually with an affinity for fire
In popular culture
- "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" features a crusader knight who guards the Holy Grail.
- Works by Tolkien feature Smaug, a treasure-guarding dragon.[2]: 45–46
See also
Notes
- ^ a b Huggins, Ronald V. (Winter 2003), "From Captain Kidd's Treasure Ghost to the Angel Moroni: Changing Dramatis Personae in Early Mormonism" (PDF), Dialogue, 36 (4): 17–42
- ^ a b Ashurst-McGee, Mark (2006), "Moroni as Angel and as Treasure Guardian", FARMS Review, 18 (1)
- ^ Ashurst-McGee, Mark (Fall 2001), "Moroni: Angel or Treasure Guardian?" (PDF), Mormon Historical Studies, 2 (2): 39–75
- ^ "treasure+guardian" http://books.google.com/books?id=uk-W8g_68b8C&pg=PA85&lpg=PA85&dq="treasure+guardian".
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External links
- MacGuffin Guardian entry at TVTropes