# data[].attributes.body
An Aztec mythology trickster that is a prankster, shape shifter, and the God of storytelling, dance, and merriment.

# data[].attributes.body
An anti-hero figure who fights bad guys along with his snarky and most times adult humor. His charisma is entertaining since he is humorous even in times of seriousness or when he should act serious.

# data[].attributes.body
A sneaky and witty character in The Pirates of The Caribbean franchise, who is able to talk or sneak himself out of messy situations he placed himself in. Although he may not be sober most times, he is quick to react and devise plans to not to get killed.

# data[].attributes.body
"...the trickster is at once wise and foolish, the perpetrator of tricks..."
(Leeming 156).

# data[].attributes.body
The West African trickster who was able to outwit the most feared creatures to bring to his father. Even though Anansi was no match for these creatures, he used his trickery ways and wit to capture the creatures.

# data[].attributes.body
A woman who saved her own life from a king, who would marry a virgin one night and behead her the next day and so on. She would tell him stories and leave them on a cliff hanger so the King would spare her life one more day to finish the story. After 1,001 nights of telling stories, the king fell in love with Scheherazade and made her his queen. Scheherazade was able to save herself and uphold a powerful position with the power of storytelling. This story comes from The 1,001 Arabic Nights book.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Many years ago, the Persian King Shahryar was betrayed by his wife. In anger, he vowed to marry a new woman each day and have the previous one beheaded, so that she would have no chance of being unfaithful to him. A man of his word, he executed 1,000 women before being visited by the young Scheherazade.

# data[].attributes.body
A Chinese Mythology trickster that has superhuman strength and the ability to transform into 72 different animals and objects.

# data[].attributes.body
"...he often takes animal form. Yet the trickster is profoundly inventive, creative by nature..." (Leeming 157).

# data[].attributes.body
A trickster God from Norse Mythology that uses his humor to "lighten the mood." Geller says that "Loki is famous for his dangerous charisma and his wicked sense of humor" (Geller).

# data[].attributes.body
A Greek God with a sense of humor that mostly resulted in him tricking other Gods for a laugh.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Who Is Hermes?

Hermes was the son of Zeus and Maia. He was commonly known as the messenger god but his official title was the Greek god of commerce. He was quick to act and fast on his feet. He was known as the link between humans and gods and earned a reputation as being fun yet helpful.

Purpose

As mentioned, Hermes was the messenger god. He would help mortals and gods communicate but he was also a protector of travelers, including Odysseus. He had a sense of humor and would occasionally trick other gods to get a laugh. Besides conversing with mortals and gods, Hades also served as the messenger for those in the underworld and afterlife.

Origins

Hermes' purpose and responsibilities as a god were once very different. His responsibilities originally revolved around sex, as he was the god of fertility and good fortune. His name originates from the word herma, the word used for a square or rectangular pillar with Hermes' head near the top and male genitalia near the bottom. They were used outside of homes to keep evil away. During the Peloponnesian War, all the herms in Athens were defaced to offend Hermes. It was sometime after this that his purpose began to transition into the god of commerce.

Legends and Stories

Hermes' myths are some of the more entertaining in Greek mythology. He was known for his fun nature and his willingness to help those in need. Here are a couple to give you a better understanding of the god.

Hermes and Apollo

When he was still a baby, Hermes killed a tortoise. He made an instrument from its shell. Later, he stole Apollo's cattle and returned to his cradle. Apollo began looking for his cattle. Hermes proclaimed ignorance regarding the animals, even coming up with a fabricated story as an alibi. While telling the story, he took Apollo's bow and arrows.

But Zeus knew the truth and demanded that Hermes return the animals. Hermes then brought Apollo to where he had hidden the cattle. He played his instrument while Apollo was gathering the animals and Apollo was so impressed that he said he would forget about the cattle if Hermes would give him the instrument instead. Hermes agreed and also gave the god his bow and arrows back.

Hermes became known for his helpfulness, especially with the other gods. He saved Zeus' lover, Io, from the giant Argus. He charmed the monster with his flute until he fell into a deep sleep. Hermes beheaded the giant and set Io free.

Hermes also persuaded Calypso to release Odysseus. The hero had been kept captive by the nymph ever since he shipwrecked on her island. She promised him immortality if he would make her his bride but he refused. When he was waved by Hermes, it was said that Calypso died of grief.

Hermes saved Odysseus one other time, along with his men, from the sorceress Circe. She was going to turn them all into pigs but Hermes gave the men an herb to protect them.

Family

Hermes was the son of Zeus and Maia. He was born on Mount Cyllene in southern Greece. He had many love affairs, both with other goddesses and mortals. He loved Aphrodite and together they had two children, Hermaphroditus and Priapus. Hermes had another child, Pan, who was half man and half goat. He was the god of shepherds.

Appearance

Hermes is usually depicted as a young man. His clothes are that of a traveler and he wears a petasus, or a flat hat. His sandals have wings, a tribute to his speed. In some artistic representations, he also has wings on his hat and attached to his shoulders.
He is often holding a winged staff with snakes around it. This staff helped him to charm other gods or awaken those in deep slumber.

Symbology

Items associated with Hermes are few but very symbolic. His staff symbolizes his power and his winged sandals symbolize his speed. He is also associated with a leather pouch and the ram.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Hermes - Greek God of Travel, Messenger of the Gods | Mythology.net

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Hermes was the son of Zeus and Maia. He was commonly known as the messenger god but his official title was the Greek god of commerce. He was quick to act and fast on his feet. He was known as the link between humans and gods and earned a reputation as being fun yet helpful.

# data[].attributes.body
An entity with varying names depending on the culture, mostly mentioned in Islamic and Christian religions. This entity is described as evil and someone who works against God. It is also mentioned to take different shapes and can disguise its self as anyone or anything.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Who is the Devil?

The Devil (also called Satan, Iblis, Lucifer, and Beelzebub) is a religious personification of evil. He works against god, employing an army of demons to harass humans and attempting to corrupt humans to do his bidding as well.

Characteristics

Physical Description

The Devil is a shapeshifter, so an exact description of his appearance is impossible. Nevertheless, he has a few classic shapes, which he uses over and over again.

Before he became "the devil," he was either an angel (or a djinn, according to some Islamic sources) in God's inner circle. Like other angels, he was ravishingly beautiful. He may have had wings and an aura of light around him.

After the Devil was cast out of heaven, he began taking on various, monstrous shapes. Serpents, pigs, and goats were some of his favorite shapes. Even when he wasn't fully disguised as an animal, he liked to add some animalistic traits to his shape. For example, he might appear as a man with goat's hooves and horns or with a serpent 's scaly skin. His skin was also discolored; it could be blue, green, or black, but red was the most popular color.

Perhaps the Devil's most sinister form is his human one. He can easily blend in with a crowd by posing as a human-usually an attractive, wealthy male.

Personality

The Devil is a troublemaker; this is something that very few people dispute.

In the beginning, the Devil's main fault was probably pride. He was cast out of heaven because he refused to bow to man, reasoning that God had made man out of earth and angels (or djinn) out of fire. Therefore, he should be superior to man.

When God denied the Devil's superiority and banished him to earth, his pride was severely wounded. He vowed get revenge against God and mankind.

But he was too clever to attack mankind outright. Instead, he decided he would corrupt the species, thus disgracing God and forcing the creator to punish mankind. The Devil devised infinite ways to tempt mankind into sinful behavior. He offered wealth to greedy men, revenge to wrathful men, luxury to lazy men, sex to lusty men, and so forth.

This scheme, which succeeded in corrupting countless humans and spreading sin all over the world, earned the Devil a reputation as a purely evil spirit, with a powerful knack for temptation and deceit. However, a small camp of people admire the devil for his shrewd intelligence and rebellion against God, an authority who asked him to go against his own beliefs.

Cultural Representation

Origin

Devilish characters, who oppose the order of good creators, can be found in humanity's earliest religions.

In 3000 BC, the ancient Egyptians dreaded Apep, the god of chaos, who defied Ma'at, the god of light and truth. Zoroastrinism, which dates back to the 6th century BC, has a "destructive spirit" named Angra Mainyu who is the twin spirit of the creator, Spenta Mainyu. And the ancient Greeks, who probably had the strongest influence on the Devil, described the chaotic, half-goat Satyrs disrupting the rule of the gods.

Jewish Devil

Although most Jewish people today could tell you who the Devil is, he was not a prominent character in early Judaism at all. In fact, he only appears once in the Torah, as a tempter who convinces God to test Job by taking away his wealth and family.

The idea of a powerful Devil contradicts the Jewish faith, which claims that there is only one deity, and none can approach his power.

Still, there are a few Jewish, religious texts which expand upon the existence of a Devil. The Book of Enoch gives various examples of the Devil (Satan) tempting God or humans into bad behavior. It also describes Satan being cast from heaven, along with a troop of other angels.

Christian Devil

The Christian Devil is much more powerful than the Jewish Devil. He is described throughout the Bible as "the prince of this world" and even as "the god of this world," and he is seen tempting humans from the very start, when he appears as a serpent to convince Adam and Eve to eat forbidden fruit. He also tempts powerful beings, including the apostles and even Jesus himself.

The early Christian church believed in the Devil and his demons as a very real force, constantly trying to corrupt mankind. The church's belief in a literal devil led to many horrific events. The church felt justified in attacking people who were "possessed" by the Devil, usually heretics or witches. The Church also claimed that anyone who disobeyed their rules would be forced to join the Devil in the Hell which God had created to punish him.

Today, many Christians favor a non-literal interpretation of the Devil. Rather than a spirit running rampant among us, they describe the Devil as a symbol for base human instincts.

Islamic Devil

The Quran spends more time developing the Devil (Iblis) than any other religious text. The book gives him a complex back story, describing him as a djinn who fought for God when the world was overrun with evil spirits. In response, God gave Iblis a place among his elite angels, but when Iblis refused to bow to Adam, God cast him back to Earth.

Most Islamic believers see Iblis as the enemy of humanity, not the enemy of God. He spreads chaos and destructive habits because he hates the descendants of Adam. However, his schemes can easily be thwarted by calling upon God.

Modern Appearances

Today, the Devil is so well known that his name can be used to describe anyone or anything that causes frustration ("that man is a devil" or "this is a devilish puzzle"). Countless horror movies, TV shows, and books use the Devil as an ultimate villain-usually detectable only through his influence on lesser villains.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Devil - Powerful Evil in Christianity, Judaism and Islam | Mythology.net

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Devil (also called Satan, Iblis, Lucifer, and Beelzebub) is a religious personification of evil. He works against god, employing an army of demons to harass humans and attempting to corrupt humans to do his bidding as well. The Devil is a shapeshifter, so an exact description of his appearance is impossible.

# data[].attributes.body
Maui from the Disney movie Moana, is based of the Demi-God in Polynesian Mythology. In the movie he has shape shifting ability, with the help of his hook, that allows him to transform into different animals

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Moana - MAUI ALL TRANSFORMATIONS I MOANA - New Disney Animation [HD]

# data[].attributes.body
A God from Indian Mythology who outsmarts his evil uncle, Kamsa. Leeming also mentions, " that Krishna's trickery has a moral purpose that transcends it apparent amorality" (Leeming 159). Krishna uses his trickery in clever ways in only certain situations when deemed necessary.

# data[].attributes.body
Bob and Linda Belcher's children in the show Bob's Burgers are 3 children who come across different obsticles in their daily life and have hilarious commentary along the way.

# data[].attributes.body
Rick Sanchez is a character from the show Rick and Morty, and Morty's grandpa. The two go on wild adventures through the universe and alternate dimensions. Rick tries to teach Morty about the universe (as he is not that bright) and happens to take life in a fun and comedic approach, risking Morty's life in exchange for a fun adventure or a couple of laughs.