Quote:
Originally posted by KappaStargirl
you think that's bad? Read Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban . There are nasty Dark creatures mentioned called Kappas. Maybe J.K. Rowling is bitter...just kidding.
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I read the book and yes, you're right, Kappas are mentioned in there...however, Ms. Rowling is not anti-Greek, she is getting "Kappa" from the Japanese word (thinking of Kappa Maki, the cucumber rolls, when I go out for sushi):
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~pi4t-kmr.../demone11.html
Kappa is the most famous demon in Japan. They live in all Japanese rivers.
They are the children about 4 or 5 years old and have a dish on the top of head and a shell in the back. They like sumo and go down man and horse into river. And they love girls.
In the east of Japan, called Suiko(Water Tiger).
and this is what they are in Harry Potter:
Water-dwellers who look like scaly monkeys with webbed hands, Kappas will grab and strangle waders in their ponds (PA8)
According to Snape, the Kappa is commonly found in Mongolia (PA9), but the textbook states that the Kappa is a Japanese creature (FB).
Harry Potter Lexicon