“Refaat’s 5th law: If your mind plays tricks on you, play along!”
If you have read Dr. Ahmed Khalid Tawfik’s novels, seen the TV show, or even just skimmed through the titles of the episodes, you will know that they all revolve around Egyptian folklore and ancient myths.
But there is more to every story, so in this article we are taking you on a short mythical trip to the origins of each tale.
There are two kinds of people when it comes to the supernatural: the believers and the skeptics.
And if you think modern science has got all the answers? Sorry to burst your bubble, but that is not entirely true.
Science has not even nearly reached 0.001% of discoverable knowledge, so who are we to say the paranormal does not exist?
So, whether you are a fan of the metaphysical, or not, here is a list of myths that may assure you we are not alone in this world.
1. Naiads (Al Naddaha)
Undoubtedly, ALL women are beautiful, no matter size, shape, height… or even species!
In Greek mythology, the Naiads are a type of divine female spirits, or nymphs, that live over fountains, wells, springs, streams, and other types of freshwater.
Like all the nymphs, the Naiads played the part of both the seduced and the seducer, but accounts of Naiads harming mortals for no reason, were not depicted in Greek mythology.
However, stories of the Naiads sometimes could take the form of cautionary tales with unhappy endings, due to their toxic jealousy (yes, perfect face, but terrible personality!).
Often, people confuse Naiads with Sirens for their ability to lure men, too. Contrary to jealous Naiads, Sirens do attract men, but to their deathbeds instead, either for fun or for fresh meat. Sirens live on rocky bluffs in the Mediterranean and gained a dangerous reputation for using their fair, enchanting voices to sing sailors into shipwreck, which urged sailors to clog their ears while passing by.
All in all, there is one common lesson from the myths of Naiads and Sirens, and that is never approach a woman (of any race) unless you are ready to commit, orrr… brace yourself to be eaten alive.
2.The Curse of Pharaohs
Messing with spirits could give you a thrilling dose of adrenaline, but messing with an ancient monarch’s spirit would leave you playing dead in shock, except that you won’t be “playing” anymore.
As death and burial were of utmost sacredness to the ancient Egyptians, keeping an untouched, holy tomb was equally sacred. However, some people just cannot help themselves from messing with kings’ and queens’ tombs. This urged the ancient Egyptian kings and queens to lay curses as protection against intruders on their tombs, warning people not to mess with their bodies or belongings.
Incidents of cursed tombs are extremely rare, because the idea of such a defiling act was unthinkable and even dangerous, but that has not stopped the foolhardy, has it?
For instance, in 1699, an account of a Polish traveler was recorded of him buying two mummies in Alexandria and went on a sea journey with the mummies aboard. The traveler, then, was alarmed by recurring visions of two ghosts, and the stormy seas did not abate until the mummies were thrown overboard.
Moreover, one particular warning found on a Pharaoh’s tomb says, quoting the famous archaeologist Zahi Hawass: “Cursed be those who disturb the rest of a Pharaoh. They that shall break the seal of this tomb, shall meet death by a disease that no doctor can diagnose.”
Reports of curses could simply be perceived as bad luck associated with the handling of mummies and other artifacts from tombs. But, FOLKS, warnings are made for a reason!! So, unless you are ready to face the consequences of your own unnecessary boredom, PLEASE do not attempt provoking the dead, ESPECIALLY provoking the spirits of powerful monarchs of the past.
As you may have seen in Paranormal, and even many Hollywood productions, disturbing the dead, and especially the Pharaohs NEVER ends well.
3.Haunted Mansions
Origin:
A haunted house is a house or a building that is believed to be inhabited with restless, and sometimes malicious, spirits of dead people who either used to live there or were somehow connected to the property.
Parapsychology, which is the study of the paranormal, believes that the reason behind haunting is the spirits of the dead suffered violent or tragic events, such as murder, suicide, or a mere accidental death, while living in the property’s past; those spirits have unfinished business to carry out, and they’re not going anywhere until it’s done.
Signs of possible presence:
FYI, none of these signs are scientifically backed, but they are sure to spook you out!
Honestly, though, how many times have you wondered if there is a ghost around you?
For all those times we have tried to answer that question, as showcased in Dr. Ahmad Khalid Tawfik’s novel “Paranormal”: creaking, knocking sounds, and flickering lights could be signs of a presence, but it doesn’t end there!
Look out for these more signs that could indicate a spirit near you:
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Cold spots or sharp and sudden drop in temperature.
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Wind chimes moving without any wind.
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Pets acting strange. (Yeep! like that time when your pet went nuts)
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Whispers calling your name when you’re completely alone.
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The sensation of someone touching you (THEM CHILLS!) when nobody is around.
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For Heaven’s sake, BELIEVE KIDS when they say they saw something strange.
If you want to use some protection, and you do not have any, here are some known ways (but do not take our word for it. Good luck, mate!):
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A line of salt across all points of entry of your house; and we mean ALL points of entry. (Do not forget windowsills!)
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Sage or incense when needed.
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Personal recommendation: JUST RUN!
4.Incubus
The Incubus, which is featured in episode 4 of Paranormal, is primarily defined as a demon in male form who, according to mythological traditions, lies upon sleeping women in order to engage in sexual activity with them. Its female version is called a succubus.
Yet, after a thorough research, a more accurate term to describe the creature in Netflix’s Paranormal is the “Night Hag”. A night hag or old hag is the name of a supernatural creature often associated with the phenomenon of sleep paralysis. In case the term is not very familiar, sleep paralysis is a state, during waking up or falling asleep, in which a person is aware but unable to move or speak.
During an episode, one may hear, feel, or see things, which often results in fear. A person might even feel the presence of a supernatural hostile entity, which cripples the person while sitting on their chest or the foot of their bed.
People who experience that particular type of sleep paralysis wake up in the middle of their sleep, convinced that an evil figure is lying right upon them, in wait. They try to move, but their bodies will not let them. They try to scream, but nothing comes out. Helplessly, they can feel the monster drawing closer. It may sound like a horror movie scene, but this is the real deal.
Many think an incubus is the same as a night hag, since they both come to people in their sleep. However, a fine line differentiates each of them, as illustrated above.
5.Al-Assass (العساس)
As some people believe, all myths once began as made-up scary stories by adults for their little ones so they can obey them in fear of punishment.
Al-Assass, too, according to Ahmed Khaled Tawfik, is a Middle Eastern folklore about a dreadful monster that is for some reason guarding a cave in the middle of nowhere.
However, like Stephen King’s Pennywise and J.K. Rowling’s Voldemort, Al-Assass is merely a creation of the author’s imagination. So, unlike the other episodes, this beast actually has no origin in Libyan folklore, nor has an equivalent ancient-world myth, so no one really knows what it looks like.
Some final words..
Okay, you have reached the end of this article, now you can stop holding your breath.
To wrap things up here, we will just leave you with these two nuggets of wisdom:
“Monsters are real, and ghosts are too. They live [among] us, and sometimes, they win.” – Dean Winchester, Supernatural, Stephen King
“Hell is empty, and all the devils are here.” – William Shakespeare