Who is the fastest god in all mythology? - Iseult Gillespie
Welcome to another event
in the Myth Olympics—
the eternal arena in which
creatures and deities
from global mythologies
compete for glory.
I’m Shamash, the Mesopotamian
god of judgment,
and today we’re gathered to witness
this year’s clash of stunning speed.
Keeping track of our racers with me
is last year’s champion, Hermes—
the swift-footed messenger
of the Greek gods.
Oh, I'm delighted to hang up my
winged sandals today, Shamash.
But I am keeping my helmet on because
we are in for a wild ride!
It’s true! Almost every mythical tradition
claims one creature
as the fastest of them all.
From goddesses who run like the wind
to creatures who outstrip every captor,
mortals of all cultures are fascinated
by superhuman swiftness.
So, Hermes, who are
this year’s contestants?
Well, the Norse gods have sent Sleipnir—
son of Loki and the greatest
of Asgard’s steeds.
He’s usually spotted gallivanting
between the realms with Odin.
But today, Sleipnir is riding solo.
Also competing is Raiju, the Japanese
beast of thunder and lightning.
When the weather’s nice, they like
to nap in mortals’ belly buttons.
But when clouds darken, Raiju leaps
into action alongside Raijin,
the Shinto god of storms.
With this fearsome competitor,
lightning can strike at any time.
But storms don’t scare Idaten.
This Buddhist deity has a record
of outrunning the weather—
his name is even part of the Japanese
expression for “run like the wind.”
Idaten’s definitely got some tricks
up those steel sleeves.
Perhaps, but our last competitor
has tricks of his own.
Savitar is the Hindu deity
that sets everything in motion,
from moving the Sun
to chasing away sorrow and sickness.
Yes, today’s roster contains many
mythic interpretations of speed.
From personifications
of the unpredictable elements
to creatures capable of outrunning
reality itself.
But perhaps the myth of speed
is really about the elusive nature
of all supernatural beings.
Those are some, uh, neat ideas, Shamash—
but this race is the real deal!
Our noble competitors will run
the equivalent of 100 marathons
through a hazardous
natural obstacle course.
And our racers are taking
their first steps right now!
Idaten takes the lead, but don’t let
that calm exterior fool you—
his determination is legendary.
When a literal speed demon stole
one of Buddha's teeth,
he raced over mountains and rivers
to capture the culprit.
Don’t forget Sleipnir—
he’s cleared hurdles in his time, too.
I’ll say! On his mission to retrieve
Baldur the Bright
from the fortress of Hel,
he rode for nine days straight—
clearing the gates of the underworld
without breaking a sweat.
They don’t call him
the sliding one for nothing—
he appears to slide on the wind itself!
Of course, wind is often personified
as a sacred being that—
No time for a history lesson!
That wind is picking up!
Like the force of nature they are, Raiju
brews a storm to scorch the competition.
It’s certainly possible.
Raiju is known
for their destructive storms.
But they’re also our most chaotic racer,
frequently crashing to earth and
getting tangled in flimsy mortal nets.
They’re unpredictable!
Chaos is often associated
with mythology’s fastest creatures,
from the shapeshifting Flemish Kludde
who preys on travelers
to the smelly Japanese spirit Nuppeppō
who moves too fast to be caught.
True, but there are also steady agents
of speed.
Here comes one now!
Lending his boundless energy to the Sun,
Savitar breaks through Raiju’s storm!
This golden-handed protector of the
universe can manipulate the elements—
and all moving things for that matter!
A valiant effort to redirect the wind
by Idaten... but not valiant enough.
The path seems clear for Savitar.
But is that the gallop of hooves I hear?
What beautiful blindside!
It’s Sleipnir hurtling
out of another dimension!
it seems the shamanic steed shares Odin’s
ability to travel between the realms.
This racer might not have to play
by Savitar’s rules.
But... wait a second,
am I watching this in slow motion?
No! It appears the god of motion is
slowing the speed of his opponent,
suspending him centimeters
from the course’s conclusion.
Sleipnir’s stampede slows
to a snail’s pace
as Savitar leisurely glides
over the finish line!
What a finale!
Savitar’s mastery of motion
immobilized his fastest foe!
It seems Sleipnir’s not too happy
with this controversial result,
but hey, there’s always next year.
And one might say that we’re all winners
for witnessing the mind-bending speed
of so many myths and legends.
