Creatures and beings of myth and fantasy

[Harpo]

Oh, modern mythology, eh? Then we can add Great A’Tuin and The Great Pumpkin

 

[nixie]

I'm reading The Sinister Booksellers of Bath; Garth Nix and came across a word I don't ever recall reading or seeing. Ypotryll, has he made it up or is it a real word? One quick Google search I found this,
It has the tusked head of a wild boar or hog, the humped body of a camel, the legs and hooves of an ox or goat and the long, scaly tail of a serpent.
Does anyone know where I can find one?
would be right at home in cracked pot.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Then there are the composite creatures, which I am not sure if anyone actually believed they were real or not (since I've never seen them turn up in medieval myth or legend) but which do appear in Heraldry. The bagwyn, the gamelyon, opinicus, enfield, etc.

Griffins do appear in classical and medieval stories, which is why I don't include them in that category, though of course they were popular heraldic beasties. I've always been fond of griffins, myself, and of enfields. (TJ might take an interest in enfields, since they are part fox.)

 

[paranoid marvin]

Then there are the composite creatures, which I am not sure if anyone actually believed they were real or not (since I've never seen them turn up in medieval myth or legend) but which do appear in Heraldry. The bagwyn, the gamelyon, opinicus, enfield, etc.

Griffins do appear in classical and medieval stories, which is why I don't include them in that category, though of course they were popular heraldic beasties. I've always been fond of griffins, myself, and of enfields. (TJ might take an interest in enfields, since they are part fox.)

And the cockatrice which was a dragon with a chicken's head.

Similar to this were dishes which recreated fantasy creatures in an edible format. For example the cockentrice (any relation to the cockatrice?) where the front end of a pig was sewn to the back end of poultry (or vice versa) and served as a dish. I'm not sure if they thought these creatures actually existed for real, or if it was some kind of odd sense of humour. Apparently quite popular in the Elizabethan period.

 

[Elckerlyc]

Has the Harpy or the following been mentioned?
Yeti
Bigfoot
Dragons
Orcs
Elves
Nessie
Kraken
Werewolves
Vampires
Santa Claus

 

[paranoid marvin]

Has the Harpy or the following been mentioned?
Yeti
Bigfoot
Dragons
Orcs
Elves
Nessie
Kraken
Werewolves
Vampires
Santa Claus

Bigfeet!

 

[Elentarri]

Bigfoots!

 

[Elckerlyc]

There is more than one?
Where's the evidence?

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

For example the cockentrice (any relation to the cockatrice?) where the front end of a pig was sewn to the back end of poultry (or vice versa) and served as a dish. I'm not sure if they thought these creatures actually existed for real, or if it was some kind of odd sense of humour. Apparently quite popular in the Elizabethan period.

And earlier, if I recall correctly. (They're served at a feast in one of my books, and I must have had some research to back that up, but I have no idea where my research notes on the matter are now.) Also small poultry, stuffed inside larger poultry, stuffed inside even larger poultry, stuffed inside even larger poultry. They could be quite creative.

 

[paranoid marvin]

There is more than one?
Where's the evidence?

I could never understand why it would be called Bigfoot, when it clearly has two (unless they hop along side by side).

 

[Elckerlyc]

You say 'clearly', but how 'clear' is that exactly?

 

[Elentarri]

I could never understand why it would be called Bigfoot, when it clearly has two (unless they hop along side by side).

Be grateful! Bigfoot sounds a lot better than monopod or dufflepud.

 

[Ray Zdybrow]

And the cockatrice which was a dragon with a chicken's head.

Similar to this were dishes which recreated fantasy creatures in an edible format. For example the cockentrice (any relation to the cockatrice?) where the front end of a pig was sewn to the back end of poultry (or vice versa) and served as a dish. I'm not sure if they thought these creatures actually existed for real, or if it was some kind of odd sense of humour. Apparently quite popular in the Elizabethan period.

Dunno what an enfield is, but it must be close to a toten-hamm, (trans: dead pig), still a popular menu item.

 

[BAYLOR]

Be grateful! Bigfoot sounds a lot better than monopod or dufflepud.

Which makes me wish C L Lewis Had written an 8th Narnai book titled The Great Dufflepud Hunt. But given the noxious stupidity of these creature , the book end with only one chapter.

 

[Harpo]

There is more than one?
Where's the evidence?

 

[Ray Zdybrow]

The Jabberwocky (the one from the poem, not the movie). And the frumious bandersnatch.

And the Snark, in Boojum/non-Boojum varieties

 

[Ray Zdybrow]

 

[BAYLOR]

Does Mighty Peking Man Count?

 

[Harpo]

Don't forget the wild Haggis. The only animal with asymmetrical leg proportions - aiding their travels around the Monroes and Marilyns of Scotland - giving rise to 'lefties' and 'righties' depending on which leg side is shorter.

The wild haggis – all the facts and no fiction - Bylines Scotland

Anna Schurer presents the ultimate guide to the wild haggis

bylines.scot

Of course, some claim this creature to be entirely fictional. How wrong they are

Haggis Wildlife Foundation

Haggis Wildlife Foundation. Official archive for documenting Haggis animals. Connecting Wild Haggis Animal Enthusiasts World Wide

haggiswildlifefoundation.com

 

[Karapace]

Hm, the only way oi explain this anomaly anomaly is some of them must have mastered time travel and in the process of travel , regressed to a more primitive diminutive docile form.

Nar. We've had Jackalopes here since the 15th century. I think some must have got on board ships to America and are regarded as an invassive species