Created by: Drazy and Brittany
| Unicorns: | |
| History: The unicorn that we are most familiar with in fantasy drawings and modern art is one that came down to us from the heraldic art of the Middle Ages. In Western civilization, a Greek physician Ctesias described it having a white body, dark red head and blue eyes. He was the first known in history to mention the beast. Its single horn was white, black in the middle and bright red at the tip and the length of a forearm. It was said to live in India. Another said that they are a certain kind of wild ass, which is as large as a horse or larger. Also with white bodies, red heads but with its horn pure white half way up with the upper portion a sharp red color. They are said to be so swift they can outrun a cheetah. Julius Caesar once reported that an animal with one horn lived in the Hercynian Forest near the Rhine. Unicorns of Today: The popular unicorn that we are familiar with is a beautiful, graceful creature, usually white. It resembles a cross between a goat and a horse. The hooves are cloven, it has a small beard, the tail is smooth with a tuft on the end (like a lion's) and the mane and head are usually very stylized. This is the beast made popular in medieval and Renaissance art. The legendary unicorn was rare and difficult to catch. It became a symbol for purity. The purity aspect is reflected in the belief that unicorn purifies pools of water by simply dipping its horn into it. This belief carried over into the practice of making cups from unicorn horns, which would render any poison harmless if it was in the liquid.
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The first mention of the Unicorn came
from Ctesias in 389 BC. He said that the beast was a wild ass that
was the same size, or bigger than a horse. They had white bodies,
dark red heads and dark blue eyes, with the tell-tale horn on it’s
head measuring about a foot and a half. Pliny gave the most descriptive
early account. He records it as "a very ferocious beast, similar
in the rest of it’s body to a horse, with the head of a deer,
the feet of an elephant, the tail of a boar, a deep, bellowing voice,
and single black horn, two cubits in length, standing out in the middle
of its forehead." It is almost impossible to hunt; the only method
seems to be to take advantage of the unicorn’s great love of
purity and innocence. If a young virgin is placed in the unicorn’s
way it will approach with reverence, lie down beside her, lay its
head down in her lap, and fall asleep. The hunters can then capture
the beast.
In the middle ages the unicorn was a symbol of power, magnificence and purity. In ancient China it was the badge of kingship. Throughout the stories of the unicorn, its horn, the alicorn, is said to have great medicinal powers. In Ctesias’ writings, the dust filed from the horn was supposed to protect against deadly diseases if mixed into a potion. Or, if you drank from the horn, you would be protected against any poison. Often, a narwhale tusk was sold as an alicorn, and it was often ground up and used for its magical properties. The narwhale is a whale that has a single tusk protruding from its forehead. And some believe that the narwhale, along with the Indian Rhinoceros (which only has one ‘horn’) are creatures that, through travelers’ exaggerations, became the fabled unicorn. The single horn in the middle of its forehead also symbolizes a spiritual arrow, a sun ray, the sword of god, divine revelation. In biblical myth the unicorn is said to be extinct because it was thrown out of Noah’s ark and drowned. The unicorn is mentioned in Job, chapter 39 , lines 9-12. In more modern times it is portrayed as a white horse with a single horn.
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| Pegasus: | Mermaids: |
| Description: A Pegasus is like a Unicorn but it has no horn, and can fly. Unicorns belong on the ground and grass, and they know that is their territory. Pegasus' however, managed to stay in the air most of the time but come down onto the Unicorns' territory to visit. Sometimes, the Unicorn is afraid that the Pegasus would get their children so they keep their distance. All the Pegasus' wanted was to have some friends, but the Unicorn is a very worrisome animal and very protective of their children and each other. If a Unicorn goes into a forest, six others will wait up until he is back before sleeping that night. Powers: Other Powers: Alsvidor the All-Swift – power of speed Arvakur the Shining Mane – power of grace Blodug-hofi - power to go through water and fire with ease and velocity. The Firepower horses: Aethion – power of flames Phlegon – power of molten lava The Night/Dark power horses: Asterope – power over the stars Bronte – power over weather Lampethousa – power of the moon Zephyria – power of the eclipse Valraven – power of death The Day/Light power horses: Lampos – power of light Actaceon – power of the sun Eoos, Abrasas, Phaeton, and Amathea - the power to bring dew |
Here are four different kinds of mermaids:
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| Gryphons: | |
| Basilisk: | |
| Gargoyles | Phoenixes: |
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"Patroni" is a Latin word meaning defenders or protectors,
and it is under this name that the majority of Gargoyles may be
classified. These Gargoyles are born, raised, and die on or near
a stone edifice, usually The twelve tribes of the Gargoyle's: The Askanii The Polanni |
Most beings spring from other individuals; but there is a certain kind which reproduces itself. The Assyrians call it the Phoenix. It does not live on fruit or flowers, but on frankincense and odoriferous gums. When it has lived five hundred years, it builds itself a nest in the branches of an oak, on the top of a palm tree. In this it collects cinnamon and spikenard, and myrrh, and of these materials builds a pile on which it deposits itself, and dying, breathes out its last breath amidst odors. From the body of the parent bird, a young Phoenix issues forth, destined to live as long a life as its predecessor. When this has grown up and gained sufficient strength, it lifts its nest from the tree (its own cradle and its parent's sepulcher), and carries it to the city of Heliopolis in Egypt, and deposits it in the temple of the sun.The first known mention of this bird was by Hesiod in the eighth century B.C., and the most detailed early account is by the Greek historian Heroditus. He says,
Like Heroditus says, the Phoenix is a large eagle like or heron like bird with red and gold feathers (although the Chinese phoenix has five colours). The bird is also known to have a beautiful song. The bird is supposed to be very long-lived with a life span of, according to various accounts, 500 years, 540 years, 1000 years, 1461 years or even 12 994 years. This is the Phoenix as we know it, the bird that is self-reincarnated from its own ashes. By the fourth century A.D. the phoenix myth had changed so that the mature bird self-immolated after turning its nest into a funeral pyre. After three days, it "rose again". Thus the phoenix became identified with the resurrection of Christ and became a symbol of both immortality and life after death. One possible explanation for the phoenix myth: some large birds spread their wings over fires so that the smoke kills parasites. As the bird kept appearing in writing, its origin changed a little. In Pliny's account of the Roman senator Manilius' report of the genesis of the phoenix. He stated that a small worm grew from the bones and marrow of the dead bird. This worm eventually develops into the new bird. |
| Gryphons: | |
| A feathered immortal with a cat like body , wings and a beak. The males are usually seven feet tall, just slightly smaller then the females. There is an old myth that perhaps that the power of the gryphon will not allow people to lie in a certain radius. | |
| Basilisk: | |
| Resembles a seven-foot tall lizard. They walk upright, and usually have purple slit eyes and silver talons. They eat mammals and have bad sight. The basilisk is said to have the ability to turn people into stone. Many deny this creature's existence, but Semprello Aurator saw and handled one that had been blinded by lightning as a punishment for having fatally gazed on a lady of rank whom Jupiter loved. | |
DRAGONS:
Dragons are found in the myths of many cultures, and appear in many different configurations. The name comes from the Greek "draconta" which means "to watch." Often, dragons are portrayed as guarding an object or a particular area.
Types In Western myths, dragons are generally dangerous carnivorous reptiles, and can be categorized by their appearance or habitat. Categories by appearance covered the various combinations of legs and wings-
Guivre (no legs or wings, just a large serpent with a dragon head.)
Lindworm (one pair of legs and no wings.)
Wyvern one pair of legs, and wings.)
Amphiptere (No legs, but wings.)
Heraldic Dragon (two pairs of legs and wings.)
Habitats included:
Caves
Mountains
Rivers, Lakes, and Ocean
Swamps
Chinese Dragons are also reptilian, often combined with parts of other animals. They symbolize power and are generally considered good fortune. These dragons can be grouped by function:
Celestial- Guardians of the houses of the gods-these dragons were the only ones with 5 claws.
Divine- controlled the wind and rain.
Terrestrial- River dragons- controlled the flow and course of rivers.
Subterranean- Keepers of treasure-generally seen holding a pearl.
The Chinese had other systems to determine the dragons strength- color and age. Red or black dragons were ferocious, but not as powerful as yellow ones. Some believed that dragons came thousand-year-old snake eggs (dinosaur eggs?) or that water snakes became dragons after 500 years. After a thousand years, the dragon would grow four feet and a beard. After another 500 years, the dragon would grow horns, and after three thousand years the fully-mature dragon would get its wings. Dragons can be seen in the shapes of clouds.
Japanese and Korean Dragons are much like the Chinese. Chinese ones will normally have 4 or 5 toes, while Japanese ones normally have 3 toes.
Many other cultures have legends of dragons. For example, the Sumerians spoke of Tiamat, which was a huge female dragon with two legs and horns. Native American Seneca myth tells of Gaasyendietha, a dragon that lives in the water but can shoot fire.
PEGASUS:
Pegasus is a flying horse from Greek and Roman mythology. He is generally pictured as white, sometimes with golden wings.
Features There are 2 versions of his birth: one is that Pegasus was the child of Poseidon (in an appearance as a horse) and Medusa. The other is that he was produced by the blood of Medusa sinking into the earth after she was killed by Perseus. Pegasus became the horse of Bellerophon, and they had many adventures together, including the slaying of the Chimera. But Bellerophon became too proud and arrogant; he tried to fly up to heaven on Pegasus. Because of this, Jupiter sent a gadfly that stung Pegasus and caused him to buck, throwing Bellerophon off forever. Bellerophon became blind and lame, and died alone and miserable.
The image of Pegasus is popular among artists.
Described By: Pliny describes Pegasi as giant horse-headed birds that live in the eastern Mediterranean.
CENTAURS:
The centaur probably began as a horse totem of a tribe of early Greeks in prehistory. The earliest drawings of hippocentaurs (a kind of demon given human form, or kallikantzaroi, in ancient Greek myth) show men wearing fetishes of hindquarters of horses joined to their waists. These hobby-horse fetishes, common (in varying form) to European crop and fertility rituals, only later became depictions of human torsos joined to actual horse bodies. The hypothesis that the centaur represents a terrified tribal reinterpretation of a horse and rider is probably without merit.
The Greek love for the horse led to the ennoblement of the centaur in myth and legend (the only version of the kallikantzaroi to be so honored). The Centaur Chiron was known for his wisdom and healing abilities. Other centaurs did not fare so well in myth: Nessus was killed by Hercules for trying to rape (variously) his wife or a woman under his charge, and other centaurs were renowned for their weakness for drink. The centauromachy - the depiction of one or more of the fights between humans and centaurs in myth - became a popular feature of Greek art. The centaur was also used by some writers to symbolize man's dual nature as an intellectual creature (the human half) which was also an physical animal (the horse half).
In the Medieval period, the centaur fared more poorly, often becoming a demonic image. Nevertheless, the centaur remained a popular character in art, no doubt due to the vast influence of Greek art and literature on Western culture.
ELVES:
In the most ancient legends, the elves were the elemental spirits of the land, sea and forest.Later the name became confused with that of faerie. The wood elves are however often considered to be a type of faerie. They have the same diminutive appearance, and have loose, brown skin. Elves have in recent times become popularized into larger creatures, near to the size of a human. The modern elves, love music and magic and are generally peaceful forest dwellers. The original definition of the elf as an elemental nature spirit has been all but forgotten.
In Germany, elves were sometimes viewed as malicious spirits, but occasionally helpful. In England they are quite benevolent and kind. These spirits engage in many of the same revelries as faeries, such as wildly dancing in the moonlight, and can easily be mistaken for them by all but the most well-trained observers
DWARVES:
Although the Scandinavian dwarf is often associated with faeries and elves. Dwarves are not generally regarded as a faerie race. The Duegar tales from Scotland and northern England of evil dwarves who harry travelers and construct elaborate and deadly traps, are likely a blend of imported tales of dwarves and local legends of trickster faeries.
Dwarves live underground partly because they like to be close to the metals that they love, but mostly to avoid sunlight, which turns them to stone, or in some legends, into toads. The legendary powers of dwarven metalsmiths are magical in nature. Some of the most powerful artifacts of the gods were made by dwarves, such as the Ring of Odin, and the sword Excalibur. Dwarves are also rumored to have strong prophetic abilities.
It is said that the aged appearance of dwarves is because they are mature at age 4 and grow a beard by age 6. Standing slightly shorter than humans, they wear long clothes and keep their beard long as well. The purpose of this is to help hide any deformity which the dwarf might be self-conscious about. Many dwarves have misshapen feet.
FAERIES:
There are many myths that describe the origins of the faeries, and almost all of them are different. Many involve Christianity in some way, these are generally believed to be later myths created by priests to explain the pagan creatures of the wood. These are a few of the more popular origin theories.
In one myth faeries were originally immortal beings who lived in Italy, as the Roman empire spread, so did the little folk, to France, and then to the British Isles. Faeries were kept out of Greece by competition with the indigenous Nymphs and Dryads. In Cornwall they also met with armed resistance from pixies, who managed to keep them from spreading in to that area. Originally Faeries bestowed gifts upon newborn children, while punishing mean adults, but they expanded to interfere in all parts of human life.
In a more likely myth, faeries are the spirits of the dead. This is supported by the fact that faeries are usually considered to live under large hills, many of which are the same mounds under which the ancient Celts buried their dead. An additional connection is that like the dead realm of Hades, faerie food must never be eaten, for once tasted, a mortal can never leave.
Possibly the earliest myth concerning the origin of Faeries is that they are the elemental nature spirits of the trees, hills, and waters. Originally the Celtic 'Elf' referred to this creature, but was possibly replaced with fay and eventually faerie. The Celts had different names for spirits of different areas, for instance feld-elfen, wudu-elfen, berg-elfen and sae-elfen referred to elves of the field, wood, mountain and sea. The wood elves of Celtic origin are more recently considered a sub-type of faerie.
An attempt to interpret faeries in modern terms using the sciences of archaeology and sociology, explains faeries quite nicely (and rather boringly) as the legend of an aboriginal, stone-age rage, first encountered by the invading iron-wielding Celts. The smaller race, which would of-course be beaten by the stronger, more advanced invaders, would be quite fearful of the iron weapons of the invading race. This would explain the two most popular traits of faeries, their by now exaggerated diminutive size, and fear of iron. The larger race, might even be responsible for myths of giants as their size and power also became exaggerated through the years. A very tidy little myth explanation brought to you by science.
In Norse mythology, maggots emerging from the corpse of the giant Ymir transformed themselves into the Light Elves and Dark Elves. Living in the air, the Light Elves were happy and benign, but the Dark Elves who dwelt underground were evil and malicious.
The Icelandic (post Christianity) myth tells that Eve was washing her children in a river, and God spoke to her, fearful of him, Eve hid all of her unwashed children. God asked her if all of her children were there, and Eve replied that they were. God then said that all of the children which she hid would remain hidden from man, and would become the elves, faeries and Huldre Folk (Scandinavian). The Huldre girls were very beautiful, but only from the front.
In the post Christianity myths, faeries are the spirits of unbaptized children or fallen angels or ancient druids who grow smaller and smaller through the ages, refusing to become Christians. In all of these cases, they are not good enough for heaven, but too good for hell. So they are expelled to live in the middle world.
Here are 7 different types of fairies:
1. Dryad- a tree spirit that is onlt found in the most secluded places such as oak trees. They are non-violent and very shy. They stay no farther then a few feet away from their tree. They can dissapear by steping into the tree. Dryads can talk to nature and plants.
2. Grey Elf (a fairy too)- These elves are the rarest and most powerful of the fairy kind. They don't like to talk or do anything with others, so they live in isolated medowlands. Grey Elves have either silver hair with amber eyes, or pale golden hair with violet eyes.
3. Nixie- These fairies are water spirits which live in lakes and sometimes venture off onto land. They have homes of seaweed and giant fish guarding their home. They are known to generate the charm spell. Nixies are armed with daggers and darts, they are 25% magic resistant but fear all light.
4. Nymphs- A beautiful fairy that lives in the most lovliest places. They do not like anything intruding them, but there is a 100% chance that it will be friendly with another good creature. Nymphs are very intelligent and rarely found.
5. Pixie- This is a creature of great invisibility, and known to fool or bug other creatures. They can become invisible and visible whenever they want to and they can even change shape whenever. Pixies also have the gift of ESP.
6. Sprite- These creatures dwell in meadows, they are very shy and hate evil. Because they hate evil, they will only attack evil creatures if they are not attacked first.
7. Slyphs- These fairies are very similar to Nymphs. They are usually found floating about and not near the place they live. Slyphs are intelligent and very rarely found.
GRYPHONS:
The Gryphon (and the many spellings there of) is a fabulous beast with the characteristics of two of the most noble of beasts ~ the lion and the eagle. It is most easily recognized as a eagle having the hindquarters of a lion. Representations are found in art wide-spread through many cultures, appearing as heraldic beasts, ancient sculptures, relief', mosaics, and the legends. Once upon an ancient time, three mythical creatures engaged in mortal combat in the skies above the world: the dragon, the chimera and the gryphon. The dragon used fire and his ability to fly to crushing effect, while the chimera looked in all directions at once with his many heads, appearing an invincible enemy. The gryphon watched his two foe for a long time, seeking out their strengths and weaknesses. At last he engaged in conflict. Using his wit and intelligence he lured the dragon into the depths of the ocean where his fire was extinguished forever. Burrowing through the earth beneath the chimera, the gryphon attacked from the one direction the chimera had not expected. The chimera never recovered from the surprise and was easily vanquished. In this way a creature thought much smaller and weaker than its adversaries won a great victory! The 9th century Irish writer Stephen Scotus asserted that gryphons were highly monogamous. Not only did they mate for life, but if one partner died, the other would never re-mate. The egg-laying habits of the female were first properly described by St. Hildegard of Bingen, a German nun writing in the 12th century. She outlined how the expectant mother would search out a cave with a very narrow entrance but plenty of room inside, sheltered from the elements. Here she would lay her eggs (about the size of Ostrich eggs), and stand guard over them, especially protecting them against the mountain lions which then roamed the areas inhabited by the gryphon. Some authorities claimed that griffins hatched out of chunks of agate rather than eggs.