Ancient Indian mythology says that the Earth shakes when the four elephants that carry it on their backs move or stretch. According to Norse myths, the Earth trembles when Loki (the God of Mischief, imprisoned in a cave for his misdeeds) wrestles with his restraints. The Japanese blame the giant catfish, Namazu, which lives underneath the Earth in mud, guarded by a god who holds it down with a huge stone. Sometimes, however, the god becomes distracted and allows Namazu to thrash about. Nowadays we have a less colourful but more accurate explanation for the periodic vibration of the Earth.
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Myth
