E Bija e Hënës dhe e Diellit ("the Daughter of the Moon and the Sun") is a character in Albanian mythology and folklore, the daughter of Hëna ("the Moon") and

Dielli Dielli may refer to: *Dielli (Albanian paganism), the Sun in Albanian ethnic religion *Dielli (newspaper) ''Dielli'' is a newspaper published in the United States by Vatra, the Pan-Albanian Federation of America. History ''Dielli'' started on ...

("the Sun"). She is the as ("drop of the sky" or "lightning") which falls everywhere from heaven on the mountains and the valleys and strikes pride and evil. In the legends she helps a hero winning a fight against a

kulshedra The kulshedra or kuçedra is a water, storm, fire and chthonic demon in Albanian mythology and Albanian folklore, folklore, usually described as a huge multi-headed female Serpent (symbolism), serpentine dragon. She is the archetype of darkness ...

. Her victory over the kulshedra symbolizes the supremacy of the deity of the sky over that of the underworld in the dualistic struggle between light and darkness.

Mythology

Albanian folk beliefs Albanian paganism comprises the pagan customs, beliefs, rituals, myths and legends of the Albanian people. The elements of Albanian mythology are of ancient Paleo-Balkanic origin and almost all of them are pagan. Ancient paganism persisted among ...

the sun (''Dielli'') and the moon (''Hëna'') are personified deities. In folk tales, myths and legends the sun appears as a male figure, and the moon as a female figure. In some traditions the sun and the moon are regarded as husband and wife, and in other traditions as brother and sister. In the case of E Bija e Hënës dhe e Diellit the sun is her father and the moon is her mother. E Bija e Hënës dhe e Diellit is described as ("drop of the sky" or "lightning") which falls everywhere from heaven on the mountains and the valleys and strikes pride and evil. In the legends she helps a hero in his fight against a

, an earthly/chthonic deity or demon originating from darkness. In Albanian mythology the kulshedra is usually fought and defeated by the

drangue The drangùe ( sq-definite, drangùa, drangòni) is a semi-human winged deity, divine Culture hero, hero in Albanian paganism, Albanian pagan mythology, associated with weather and storms. He is the archetype of light and good, the complementary an ...

, also seen as a sky and lightning deity or divine hero. The supremacy of E Bija e Hënës dhe e Diellit and of other similar celestial Albanian characters – such as Zjermi who is born with the Sun on his forehead – over the kulshedra, reflects the supremacy of the deity of the sky over that of the underworld in the dualistic struggle between light and darkness.

In literature

The legend of E Bija e Hënës dhe e Diellit has also been narrated by the Albanian writer

Mitrush Kuteli Dhimitër Pasko (; 13 September 1907 – 4 May 1967) was a well-known Albanian writer, literary critic and translator. Along with Ernest Koliqi he is considered as the founder of modern Albanian prose; in Albanian literature his pen name for whic ...

in the collection ''Tregime të moçme shqiptare'' (''"Old Albanian tales"''), published in 1965.

References

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Bibliography

* * * * * * {{refend Albanian paganism Albanian mythology Albanian legendary creatures Sky and weather deities