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Griffin

This magnificent creature has a lion’s body (sometimes with wings, sometimes without) and the head, wings and talons of an eagle. The griffin was a favourite wall decoration in ancient Mesopotamian and Egyptian art, where it may have been used as a symbol of protection. It was shown either lying down or seated on its haunches, and was often paired with the sphinx – a creature with the body of a lion and the head of a human. Like dragons, it is sometimes said to guard treasure.

Noble and Benign Hybrid

characteristicsBy medieval times, and ever since, the griffin has been thought of as sacred and benign. It is associated with healing, is said to mate for life, and in Christianity became a symbol of marriage. It can sometimes be found in sculptures on the walls of churches and is also used as a symbol in heraldry. The griffin’s prey is most often the horse, but oddly sometimes they mate with them. This is how the strange and fabulous hippogriff came about – half horse and half griffin.

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Phoenix Fabulous Immortal Fire Bird

Egyptian, Persian, Slavic and classical legends all have their versions of the phoenix, although it was the ancient Greeks who gave it this name. There is only one phoenix alive at one time. Some stories say that it lives for more than 500 years, others say its lifespan is as much as 1,500 years or even longer. The phoenix lives in heaven in some stories, in an earthly paradise far to the east in others. It builds a nest in the highest tree and each morning it rises to greet the sun with outspread wings and a beautiful song. It drinks dew and lives on air.

fire birdThe phoenix is as large as an eagle but has brilliant red and gold plumage, a shining beak and sapphire eyes. As the years pass, its brilliant plumage gradually fades, and when the bird feels the end of its life approaching it gathers sweet-smelling spices and herbs and carries them to the desert, where it builds its own pyre. The next morning, when the sun rises, the pyre bursts into flames. The phoenix fans the flames with its wings until everything is reduced to ash. At dusk on the third day, the ashes stir and a worm emerges. Throughout the night, this worm gradually takes on the form of a bird, feathers grow, and by morning a resplendent new phoenix rises. The young bird rolls the ashes into an egg, which it carries to Heliopolis, in Egypt, to place on the altar of the temple of the sun, before returning to its home in the east.

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WerewolfA Human who Turns into a Wolf

Myths and folk tales about ‘were’ creatures come from all over the world, and werewolves are the most common. Were is an Old English word for ‘man’, and there are stories of were cats and were tigers as well as werewolves. The Roman poet, Ovid, tells the earliest tale of a werewolf, saying that Zeus punished a king called Lycaon by turning him into a bloodthirsty wolf with shaggy hair, red eyes and a fierce human face.

medieval werewolves In medieval Europe, it was believed that transformation into a werewolf was linked to a full moon. In Russia, it was thought that a child born on 24 December was in danger of becoming a werewolf, but in Portugal it was the third-born child who was vulnerable, so they were often named ‘Bento’, meaning ‘blessed’, as protection.

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A book full of legendary monsters and

Mythical creatures, from basilisks to vampires

Includes elusive creatures like the bunyip And

nagas, as well as dragons, mermaids and werewolves

30 be asts brought vividly to life in illustrations,

Descriptions, known facts and stats

Contains the best-known deeds, habits and

grisly stories about these awesome cre atures

ISBN 978 1 78521 726 5

H6726

J H Haynes & Co. Ltd.,Sparkford, Yeovil, Somerset BA22 7JJ, UKTel: +44 (0)1963 440635www.haynes.com

£6.99 / US$9.95 / CAN$11.95