Mythical
Beasts
By Andrea Mills
US_001_Half_title.indd 1
31/07/18 5:05 PM
Mythical
Beasts
By Andrea Mills
US_001_Half_title.indd 1
31/07/18 5:05 PM
Editors Katy Lennon, Kritika Gupta
US Editors Shannon Beatty, Megan Douglass Project Art Editors Emma Hobson, Yamini Panwar Art Editor Roohi Rais
Jacket Coordinator Francesca Young
Jacket Designer Suzena Sengupta
DTP Designers Dheeraj Singh, Nand Kishor Acharya Picture Researcher Sakshi Saluja
Illustrator Dan Crisp
Producer, Pre-Production Dragana Puvacic Producer Barbara Ossawska
Managing Editors Laura Gilbert, Monica Saigal Managing Art Editor Diane Peyton Jones Deputy Managing Art Editor Ivy Sengupta Delhi Team Head Malavika Talukder
Creative Director Helen Senior
Publishing Director Sarah Larter
Reading Consultant Linda Gambrell
Educational Consultant Jacqueline Harris Reading Consultant Linda Gambrell
Educational Consultant Jacqueline Harris DK Digital Content, London
Digital Producer Alex Valizadeh
Digital Operations, Delhi
Production co-ordinator Manish Bhatt DK Creative Team, Delhi
Mohd Zishan, Prerna Grewal
First American Edition, 2018
Published in the United States by DK Publishing 345 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014
Copyright © 2018 Dorling Kindersley Limited DK, a Division of Penguin Random House LLC
All rights reserved.
Without limiting the rights under the copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.
Published in Great Britain by Dorling Kindersley Limited A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress.
eISBN: 9781465484543
The publisher would like to thank the following for their kind permission to reproduce their photographs: (Key: a-above; b-below/bottom; c-center; f-far; l-left; r-right; t-top) 3 Dreamstime.com: Breakermaximus (br). 5 Dorling Kindersley: The University of Aberdeen (bl, c, br). 7 akg-images: Roland & Sabrina Michaud. 8-9 Alamy Stock Photo: Ivy Close Images. 10-11 123RF.com: Lorelyn Medina. 12 Dorling Kindersley: Newcastle Great Northern Museum, Hancock (bl). 13 123RF.com: Anton Tokarev. 14 Science Photo Library: Jamie Chirinos (clb). 15 Bridgeman Images: Pictures from History / Woodbury & Page (cra). Getty Images: Nigel Pavitt (cb). iStockphoto.com: VeraPetruk (cla). Rex by Shutterstock: Nathan Anderson (crb). 18 Alamy Stock Photo: Witold Skrypczak. Dreamstime.com: Alinamd (Clouds). 22 123RF.com: Rafael Ben-Ari (bl). 23 123RF.com: Richard Whitcombe (br). Alamy Stock Photo: World History Archive (tr). TopFoto.co.uk: Ullsteinbild (cl). 25 Alamy Stock Photo: Sabena Jane Blackbird. 26-27 iStockphoto.com: MadKruben. 28-29 123RF.com: Tawatchai Prakobkit.
30-31 Alamy Stock Photo: The Granger Collection (b). 31 Dreamstime.com: Breakermaximus (c). 32 123RF.com: Vera Petruk (cl). Dreamstime.com: Luca Oleastri (br). 33 Alamy Stock Photo: William Brooks (clb). Dreamstime.com: Restavr (r). 34-35 Depositphotos Inc: Russian-photo. 36 Alamy Stock Photo: North Wind Picture Archives. 38-39
123RF.com: pbqhf427. 40-41 Alamy Stock Photo: Science History Images. 44-45 123RF.com: Vilainecrevette. 44
Getty Images: DEA / G. Nimatallah / De Agostini (cr). 45 Alamy Stock Photo: Ivy Close Images (tl); Matthew Wight (bl).
47 123RF.com: Maksym Shevchenko. 49 Corbis: Ocean. 50-51 123RF.com: Shihina. 54 123RF.com: Iosif Lucian Bolca.
55 123RF.com: Lakhesis (t); Panu Ruangjan (cla). Dreamstime.com: Javarman (cra). 57 123RF.com: Eric Isselee (cla).
Dorling Kindersley: Canterbury City Council, Museums and Galleries (clb). Getty Images: SSPL (crb). 59 Alamy Stock Photo: Science History Images. 63 iStockphoto.com: Chuvipro Cover images: Front: Dreamstime.com: Chorazin3d b; iStockphoto.com: Breakermaximus crb, egal All other images © Dorling Kindersley
For further information see: www.dkimages.com A WORLD OF IDEAS:
SEE ALL THERE IS TO KNOW
www.dk.com
US_002-003_Imprint_and_contents.indd 2
01/08/18 9:47 AM
Contents
4 Introduction
6 Chapter 1: Meet the Monsters
14 Monsters Map
16 Chapter 2: Flying Fiends
22 Dragons
24 Chapter 3: Earthy Creatures
32 Local Legends
34 Chapter 4: Water Wonders
44 Spectacular Sea Creatures
46 Chapter 5: Super Shapeshifters
56 Total Tricksters
58 Quiz
60 Glossary
62 Index
US_002-003_Imprint_and_contents.indd 3
01/08/18 9:47 AM
Introduction
Myth means tale or story. It comes from
the Greek word “mythos.” People have
shared stories about mighty monsters
and bizarre beasts since ancient times.
These tales help people understand
themselves and the world around them.
Myths have been retold over the years
in art and music, as well as in stories.
With each retelling, the content and
creatures may change. As people move
around, their myths and stories travel
with them. This makes it very difficult to
track where myths originally came from.
4
US_004-005_Introduction.indd 4
31/07/18 5:05 PM
Turn the page and get ready to meet
beautiful beasts, sneaky shapeshifters,
and creepy critters. They are the things
that legends are made of!
Ancient Greek pots
decorated with images
of mythical creatures.
5
US_004-005_Introduction.indd 5
31/07/18 5:05 PM
Chapter 1
Meet the Monsters
The most important creature in ancient
Chinese mythology is Pan Gu. Born from
a cosmic (space) egg, he had horns, tusks,
and a hairy body. As the first living being, Pan Gu got to work creating the universe.
He pushed the sky away from the earth by
growing ten feet taller every day for 18,000
the stars, his eyes became the sun and
moon and his body parts were transformed
into the rest of the universe.
Pan Gu was a believer in the two forces
of yin and yang. These forces must be
balanced for people to live in harmony.
6
US_006-013_Chapter_1_Meet_the_Monsters.indd 6
31/07/18 5:05 PM
A mural of Pan Gu
from a temple
in China.
7
US_006-013_Chapter_1_Meet_the_Monsters.indd 7
31/07/18 5:05 PM
Enormous giants were the first beings
on Earth in many cultures. The frost
giant Ymir [ee-MEER] was the first
in Norse (Viking) mythology.
The Norse world formed when fire
and ice collided. This made the ice
melt into water, creating Ymir. As more
giants appeared, the gods grew scared of
them. Ymir was killed and the gods used
his bod
y parts to make the landscape.
Ymir, the first being, was
the father of all giants.
8
US_006-013_Chapter_1_Meet_the_Monsters.indd 8
31/07/18 5:05 PM
His hair became trees, his skull the sky,
and his brain formed clouds. His bones
made mountains and his blood flowed as
seas. A wall between the gods and giants
was built from Ymir’s huge eyebrows.
9
US_006-013_Chapter_1_Meet_the_Monsters.indd 9
31/07/18 5:05 PM
A fantastic, flapping firebird called
a phoenix is featured in the legends of
ancient Greece and Egypt. The song
of the phoenix was so beautiful that
the sun god would stop his chariot just
to listen to it.
Toward the end of its life, the phoenix
was thought to build a special nest. It
set the nest on fire before being reborn
from the ashes. The new phoenix flew
up to the sky to give the gift of an egg
to the sun god. This magical bird is
a symbol of long life, rebirth, and
eternal hope.
10
US_006-013_Chapter_1_Meet_the_Monsters.indd 10
31/07/18 5:05 PM
It is believed that phoenixes
can live for up to 500 years.
11
US_006-013_Chapter_1_Meet_the_Monsters.indd 11
31/07/18 5:05 PM
Beware the grotesque Gorgons!
Anyone who stares at these scary
snake-haired sisters will be instantly
turned to stone.
These ancient Greek women had
vast wings, sharp fangs, and scaly
skin. The most famous sister was
Medusa. She was cursed with
slithering snakes on her head after
claiming her hair was more beautiful
than a goddess’s. Medusa met a
dire end when the Greek warrior
Perseus set out to slay her. Using
a bronze shield as a
reflective mirror
to avoid her gaze,
Perseus cut off
Medusa’s head.
He became a hero.
Bronze shield
12
US_006-013_Chapter_1_Meet_the_Monsters.indd 12
31/07/18 5:05 PM
Medusa was the only Gorgon
who could be killed.
13
US_006-013_Chapter_1_Meet_the_Monsters.indd 13
31/07/18 5:05 PM
Monsters Map
Planet Earth has always been a
monster’s playground. Be brave as you
travel far and wide to trace the origins
of these memorable monsters!
Ymir—Scandinavia
(see pp.8–9)
NORTH
AMERICA
Gambia
This swamp monster
has the body of a
crocodile with
SOUTH
a giraffe’s neck
AMERICA
and a horse’s head.
El Chupacabra—Puerto Rico
This monster is a mix of lizard
and coyote. Its legend grew
from stories of beasts in
Mexico and the USA.
14
US_014-015_Monsters_Map_Genre.indd 14
31/07/18 5:05 PM
Cerberus—Greece
Known as the hound of Hades,
this three-headed dog stood
guard outside the Underworld
Ushi-oni—Japan
to keep the dead from escaping.
The water-dwelling Ushi-oni
has an ox’s head. Its body is made
of parts from different animals,
including a spider, cat, and crab.
Medusa—Greece
(see pp.12–13)
ASIA
EUROPE
Pan Gu—China
(see pp.6–7)
Phoenix—Egypt and Greece
(see pp.10–11)
Yara-ma-yha-who—
Australia
Ninki Nanka—
The yara-ma-yha-who
Gambia
is small in size and has
This swamp monster
AFRICA
suckers for fingers. Its
has the body of a
skin is bright red.
crocodile with
a giraffe’s neck
and a horse’s head.
Garuda—India
AUSTRALIA
The king of the birds has an
eagle’s head, wings, and claws,
with a human body. He punishes
wrong-doers by eating them.
15
US_014-015_Monsters_Map_Genre.indd 15
31/07/18 5:05 PM
Chapter 2
Flying Fiends
The great griffin is part of mythology
across Europe, Asia, and beyond.
It has the beak and wings of
an eagle and the body of a lion.
Griffins were considered the
most majestic mix of creatures.
With super strength, they have
been described as more powerful
than 12 eagles and more dangerous
than a pride of lions. Griffins were
strong enough to snatch up horses
and their riders in their talons.
They were also guardians, trusted
to protect gold and other treasures.
16
US_016-021_Chapter_2_Flying_fiends.indd 16
31/07/18 5:05 PM
Their strength and leadership meant
they were pictured on the shields of
medieval knights.
Griffins were
believed to build
their nests from gold.
17
US_016-021_Chapter_2_Flying_fiends.indd 17
31/07/18 5:05 PM
A thunderbird totem pole
in Victoria, British
Columbia, Canada.
18
US_016-021_Chapter_2_Flying_fiends.indd 18
31/07/18 5:05 PM
Native American tribes tell
tales of the Thunderbird. They
celebrate it in carvings and totem
poles. However, sightings and stories
of the Thunderbird have always struck
fear into human hearts.
When this monstrous bird took
flight the sky would fill with
thunderstorms. Thunderclaps came
from each flap of its wings and
lightning strikes from each blink
of its eyes. The Thunderbird was so
large that it could grab whales
out of the ocean and carry
them away to eat.
19
US_016-021_Chapter_2_Flying_fiends.indd 19
31/07/18 5:05 PM
Arabian legends tell of a
winged terror called the Roc. It
features in a classic Arabian story,
One Thousand and One Nights. It
also appears in the traveler’s tales
of Italian adventurer Marco Polo.
20
US_016-021_Chapter_2_Flying_fiends.indd 20
31/07/18 5:05 PM
According to one story, this
eagle-like bird could even
carry off elephants.
Seeing the Roc meant a failed harvest
or bloody battle was on the way. The
Roc had a huge hunger to match its size.
It could grab its prey in its enormous
claws. Rocs were thought to be able
to snatch whole ships from the sea.
&
nbsp; 21
US_016-021_Chapter_2_Flying_fiends.indd 21
31/07/18 5:05 PM
Dragons
The history of dragons is a tale of two
continents. Flying, fire-breathing dragons
were feared in Europe. Slinky, serpentlike
dragons were thought to be lucky in Asia.
Kuh Billaur
In ancient Persia, there
was an evil dragon
called Kuh Billaur.
He was killed by the
sword of the hero, Ali.
Gargoyle
Instead of fire, French dragons,
called gargoyles, squirted
water. Gargoyle sculptures
were put on buildings to scare
away enemies.
22
US_022-023_Dragons_Genre.indd 22
31/07/18 5:05 PM
Ryu
This snakelike dragon
hid beneath the ocean in
Japan. He created terrible
storms. However, those who
faced the creature would
have their wishes granted.
Fafnir
In Scandinavian myth,
a dwarf named Fafnir was
turned into a fire-breathing
dragon. He was killed by
the dragon-slayer, Sigurd.
Komodo
The only dragon alive
today is the Komodo
dragon. It is the largest
living lizard. Komodo
dragons live in the
volcanic islands
of Indonesia.
23
US_022-023_Dragons_Genre.indd 23
31/07/18 5:05 PM
Chapter 3
Earthy Creatures
An elephant never forgets, and
Indian stories always remember
the jumbo Airavata. This special
elephant is easy to spot as it has
five trunks and ten tusks. The Hindu
god Brahma crowned Airavata
King of the Elephants.
In Indian mythology, Airavata is
known as “elephant of the clouds,”
because he gave the world water.
Airavata made rain clouds form above
Earth. He sucked up water with his
trunks and sprayed it into the sky.
24
US_024-031_Chapter_3_Earthy_beasts.indd 24
31/07/18 5:05 PM
Mural of Airavata at a temple in Thailand.
25