The drangue is a half-human warrior that has wings in Albanian mythology. Its main objective is to conquer the kulshedras and other enemies of Albanian people.
Appearance/Behavior
Since the drangues are semi-human, they possess an extraordinary strength that gives them the capacity to pull out trees from the ground and throw large boulders at their enemies. Typically, they are born wearing shirts and geleshes and have wings beneath their arms.
As they battle with the kulshedras, thunderstorms are formed. Albanian people believed that Drangues have killed a kulshedra by throwing trees and boulders at her and drowning her in Shkumbin, a river in central Albania.
Highland lute
According to Lahuta e Malcis (Highland Lute), one of the most significant Albanian heroic epics, drangues are personified as the Albanian Highlands heroes during the 16th and 17th canto.
During the 16th canto, a kulshedra escaped from a cave in Shale to get even with Vocerr Bala, a drangue. However, the kulshedra was defeated by a large force of drangues. To celebrate the drangues’ victory, a festivity was hosted by oras or the protective female spirits.
In the 17th canto, two drangues became central figures. Rrustem Uka and Xhem Sadrija travelled to Qafë Hardhi to rest after preparing for a wedding ceremony. As they cleaned their weapons, they found out that eight Montenegrin battalions or three hundred soldiers led by Mark Milani are preparing for war against Plava and Gucia. With the help of the local shepherds, the two drangues defeated the Montenegrin troops.
Modern beliefs
Local people of Malësia, a region in northern Albania and southern Montenegro, believed that drangues live among them.