Ora (mythology)

In Northern Albania, the Oras are represented – similarly to the Southern Albanian Fatia – as a group of three mythological goddesses who gather in the night to perform the task of “determining the child’s fate at birth” and distribute their favours upon the child. The inhabitants of the Dukagjini Mountains believed that three types of Fates existed: “e Bardha (The White One) distributes good luck and wishes humans well, e Verdha (The Yellow One) distributes bad luck and casts evil spells, and e Zeza (The Black One) who decides death”.[9]

Within Albanian folklore and poetry, Ora had the ability to take any form they pleased, including “birds, beasts, women, or serpents.”[10]

In Northern Albania, Oras “often appear as serpents.” – similarly to the Southern Albanian deity Vitore. Both the Ora and Vitore are “widely represented as a serpent with golden horns who brings gold.”[9] Albanian stories describe beliefs associated with the protective serpent Oras. The mythological cycle of the ‘deeds of Muyi’ reveal the Ora’s ability to provide the hero with supernatural powers and healing while in the form of a serpent.[11]

From Albanian literature translated by Robert Elsie -

“Can you see that Ora, standing at my bedside?

She holds vigil over me day and night.

This serpent slithers over my wounds to heal them.

God bestowed it upon me to come to my assistance.“

— Robert Elsie[11]

With the birth of each child many Oras gather in the night towards the cliffs to decide upon the qualities that child would receive.[2] Albert Doja refers to the studies of Maximilian Lambertz, revealing that the faces of the Oras change depending on the degree of happiness they bestow upon the newborn child. “Should an Ora howl at a person, the threads of their fate would be cut”.[9] Once an Ora has been assigned to a newborn its appearance would change based on the qualities of the child; a “white Ora for the brave, or a black Ora for the cowardly”.[2]

Songs of the Frontier Warriors – described by Robert Elsie as one of “the best-known cycles of Albanian epic verse.”[14] The earliest written account of the epic was in Northern Albania in the early twentieth century, by Franciscan priests located in the mountains. (Osborn, 2015, p. 14)

Revealed are the tales and adventures of warrior Gjeto Basho Mujo and his brother Sokol as they travel through what is now Albania. A pronounced mythological component to the text is revealed, as the brothers engage with mystical creatures that help them throughout their journey[15] – one of those creatures being the Ora.

Slavic warrior Paji Harambashi’s encounters three white oras, mystical creatures in the mountains “who revel and frolic” as he searches for Mujo. An Ora is made a victim by Paji as he clenches and crushes its arm. The three Ora then seek the help of Mujo to seek revenge on Paji.[15]

Extract from Songs of the Frontier Warriors (Mujo’s Ora’s), translated by Robert Elsie -

“Oh oras, to whom do you render assistance?”

One then strolled near him and spoke to him, saying:

“The oras we are of the great earthly hero,

We give our aid to Gjeto Basho Mujo!”

Great was the rage that the shkja felt for Mujo!

Seizing the arm of one of the oras,

He clenched it and squeezed it and crushed it to pieces.”

— "Mujo's Ora's", Songs of the Frontier Warriors.[16]

Mujo’s brother Halili sets out to search for the only one he wishes to marry, Tanusha - the daughter of the King in the Realm of the Christians. On his journey he encounters an Ora who assists him and guides him towards Tanusha.[17][18]

Extract from Songs of the Frontier Warriors (The Marriage of Halili), translated by Robert Elsie –

“I’m on my way to the Realm of the Christians,

There to encounter one Vukë Harambashi.”

The mountain ora then burst into laughter,

The young man himself was perplexed and did wonder

What kind of being was standing before him.

The ora turned now and began to inform him, …

Vukë Harambashi you’ll never encounter

For the Realm of the Christians he’s long since departed,

But come over here, young man, in my direction…”

— "The Marriage of Halili", Songs of the Frontier Warriors.[19]

On his journey, Mujo meets an Ora who tells him he must slay Slavic warrior Behuri. As Mujo and Behuri duel, the Ora intervenes guiding Mujo to distract Behuri and use the poison dagger which the Ora had hidden on Behuri, to slay him. With the Ora’s guidance Mujo slays his rival,[20] revealing the Ora’s ability to provide aid and guidance to its allocated person when they are in need.

Extract from Songs of the Frontier Warriors (Mujo and Behuri), translated by Robert Elsie –

“ In flight an ora hastened to him …

'Oh look, the sun!' shout to Behuri,

And when he turns his head to see it,

Put your hand in his left pocket,

There you’ll find a poisoned dagger,

And if you skilfully manoeuvre,

The shkja will look at you no longer.”

— "Mujo and Behuri", Songs of the Frontier Warriors.[21]

Zuku Bajraktar captures his mother’s secret lover, Slavic warrior Baloz Sedlija, as his prisoner. Afraid of Zuku’s strength, his mother offers to blind her son. Zuku, taunted and captured is blinded by his mother. “Wandering aimlessly in the mountains, the blind Zuku is met by an ora who restores his sights with some herbs and tells him to take vengeance”.[22] At midnight, Zuku slays Slavic warrior Baloz Sedlija, and burns his mother to her death.

Extract from Songs of the Frontier Warriors (Zuku Bajraktar), translated by Robert Elsie –

“For my mother, she did blind me.

The oras turned to him, responding:

You must give your word of honour,

To take vengeance on your mother,

We’ll restore your eyesight to you,

And make your eyes as you once had them.”

— "Zuku Bajraktar", Songs of the Frontier Warriors.[23]

Syri i Keq is “one of the curses of Albania”; the Evil Eye. Evil Oras and devils would appear at night and then vanish at the “first cock-crow two hours after midnight, as they were now powerless”.[24] Throughout Albania people would wear many types of charms to ward off the evil oras and devils. Children may have a coin tied to their forehead, or blue glass beads could be attached to the hair of both children and horses.[25] Edith Durham reports that the dried head of a snake, cut off with a large silver medjidieh (coin) is a “very good charm” against the Evil Eye. It would be wrapped with a silver medal of St. George, then blessed by a priest - providing protection against the evil Oras and devils when worn.[24]

Edith Durham reports on the frequent supernatural happenings in the city of Djakova, Kosovo. In the mountain side on the road to Prizren remains a cavern that travels “miles underground - some say even beneath the Drin”. A large abandoned ancient city remains within the cavern, with a bazar “stocked with all of the finest and best fruit, flesh, fish, and fair raiment”.[26] Evil oras disguised as serpents would guard the cavern; for if any man were to touch the items within the ancient city, they would “devour him in the darkness”.[26] Durham’s studies within Albania reveal that no man has ventured within the cavern for many years.

Albert Doja reveals beliefs about the protective ‘house snake’ throughout Albanian culture and superstitions. One must never disturb a snake, even if it’s found within a baby’s cradle as “it is the ora that belongs to the house and the baby”.[11] As the Ora provided protection, their appearance as a serpent could also foretell unfortunate events. If you cross paths with a snake before sunrise or after sunset it “foretells the death of some of your relations.”[27]

Within Albanian folklore, the role of the Ora tends to differ. The Ora are often described as good mythological figures that offer their protection and help, but in several tales are depicted as negative and dangerous creatures. Within Albania, people believed the Ora would protect them, while others believed the Ora were dangerous creates with evil purposes. Durham reports that supernatural happenings within Albania would act as a caution, with many refusing to travel anywhere near areas believed to be cursed and/or protected by the Ora.[26]

The Zana is a mythological figure within Northern Albanian Gheg folk beliefs and oral epics. Zana’s are depicted as mountain fairies, and similarly to the Ora, live near springs within the highlands of Northern Albania.[28] Robert Elsie described the Zana as “muses of the mountains” - as every mountain has its own Zana.[28] As revealed in Albanian epic poetry, the Zana observe Albanian battles, offering their assistance and protection where needed.

The Three Fates by Alexander Rothaug

Extract from Songs of the Frontier Warriors (Halili Avenges Mujo), translated by Robert Elsie –

“They hoisted the hero and got him up standing,

They bound all his wounds and healed all of his ailments,

They brought forth his courser and put on its saddle,

They handed the hero some herbs to inhale from,

Giving him back all his might and his power.

Mujo set off for the high mountain pastures,

Leaving his saviours, the zanas, behind him.”

— "Halili Avenges Mujo", Songs of the Frontier Warriors.[29]

The Norns (1889) by Johannes Gehrts.

The Vitore is identified with the Fatia and Mirai in Southern Albanian folk beliefs and folklore. The Vitore is a household deity known as the “woman who spins”[4] – spinning out the destiny of each person when they are born. The Vitore is often depicted as a golden horned serpent that would provide protection and bring good luck to the family of the house it resides in.[4]

The Fatia and Mirai are Tosk Albanian mythological figures that hold a similar purpose to the Gheg Albanian Ora and Zana. Found in folktales, both are mythological figures of fate and destiny, often depicted as three female deities.

The three fates of Greek Mythology, the Moirai, are represented similarly to the Ora as three goddesses who determine human destiny. They are often depicted spinning, measuring, and cutting thread, revealing their control over human life. Clotho spun the thread of life determining the destiny of each person, Lachesis measured the thread determining how long one’s life would last, and Atropos cut the thread signifying the end of one’s life.[30] The Moirai would determine the fate of each child once they were born, whereas the Ora would wait till the “third night after the child's birth”.[4]

Within Norse Mythology, the Norns were “supernatural women that controlled the fates of men”.[31] As discussed by Snorri Sturluson, the Norns were three “maidens whose names are Uro, Veroandi and Skuld”,[32] meaning past, present, and future. These maidens would shape the life of every child that is born, appointing varying destinies to each – similarly to the Ora. The good Norns who are well born would shape a good life, while the bad Norns are responsible for misfortune in people’s lives.[31]