Harpy (Ἁρπθαι) Harpyai
The harpy are bird like creatures with a human
face and the body of a bird.
Sometimes with an obvious breast as well.
The word Harpy was said to mean "snatchers"
and that is exactly what they do.
They would snatch anything from people to
food and fly away.
They were known to be Zeus' dogs for retrieving
anything he wants from earth.
So sudden disappearances are usually associated
to being taken by a Harpy.
They are also notoriously known for being very smelly and very dirty.
One story involving the Harpy is when King
Phineus of Thrace was punished by Zeus for
revealing the secrets of the gods.
He found out about the secrets using the gift
of prophecy that was given by Zeus himself.
Anyways, King Phineus was then blinded and put
on an island where all he could smell was
food as punishment.
But whenever he got near the food, the harpies
would come and snatch it away from him before
he manages to get some for himself.
The food the actually got his hands on would usually be spoilt by the harpy's excrement.
Though, earlier depiction of the Harpies shows
them to be beautiful spirits with wings during
windy or stormy weather.
