Summary

Legends and myths are full of impossible creatures and strange beasts, from the half-human, half-lion sphinx of ancient Egypt to fire-breathing dragons to mermaids in the oceans. Although stories of these creatures date back to the earliest history of humanity, they are no less fascinating or popular today as a steady stream of books, games, movies, television shows, and other media revisit their stories and reinterpret the myths.

But what lies behind these myths and legends? Did these bizarre animals once exist in ancient times, inspiring the accounts and stories that have kept them alive? Or do these creatures large and small reflect the characteristics of the cultures in which they were created? Mythical Creatures describes many of the famous beasts of fable and legend and looks at their possible origins while recounting the tales that have kept them famous for millennia.

Chapters include:

• Mixed-Up Monsters
• Heroic Horses: Pegasus to Unicorns
• Fabled Flyers
• Flying Flame Shooters: Dragons of the World
• Denizens of the Deep
• Creatures to Look Up To: Giants.

Specifications

Full-color and black-and-white photographs and illustrations. Sidebars. Timeline. Endnotes. Further resources. Glossary. Index.

About the Author(s)

Linda S. Godfrey worked as a newspaper reporter and columnist for The Week, a county newspaper published in Delavan, Wisconsin, for 10 years. She won several National Newspaper Association first-place awards for feature stories. She is the author of The Beast of Bray Road and Hunting the American Werewolf, as well as two volumes in the Barnes & Noble “Weird” series: Weird Wisconsin (coauthored with Richard D. Hendricks) and Weird Michigan. She also wrote Lake and Sea Monsters and Werewolves in Chelsea House's Mysteries, Legends, and Unexplained Phenomena series. Godfrey has appeared on many national television and radio programs as an expert on anomalous creatures. She is also an illustrator and artist, and maintains a Web site on werewolf sightings and news. Godfrey lives in rural southeastern Wisconsin.