Lightning Bird

The Lightning bird or Impundulu or Thekwane (or izulu, inyoni yezulu) is a mythological creature in the folklore of the tribes of South Africa including the Pondo, the Zulu and the Xhosa. The impundulu (which translates as "lightning bird") takes the form of a black and white bird, the size of a human, which is said to summon thunder and lightning with its wings and talons. It is a vampiric creature associated with witchcraft which was often the servant or familiar of a witch or witch doctor, attacking the witch's enemies. It is said to have an insatiable appetite for blood. It is said to sometimes take the form of a beautiful young man and seduce women.

Read more about Lightning Bird:  The Bird, Its Powers, Cultural Significance

Famous quotes containing the words lightning and/or bird:

    The lightning there is peculiar; it is so convincing! When it strikes a thing, it doesn’t leave enough of that thing behind for you to tell whether—well, you’d think it was something valuable, and a Congressman had been there.
    Mark Twain [Samuel Langhorne Clemens] (1835–1910)

    Mr. Bok is giving the bird sanctuary as a tract of land at this place. He is dedicating it as a bird sanctuary and putting up these bells to interest the birds in music.
    Calvin Coolidge (1872–1933)