The Book of Dragons & Other Mythical Beasts
Dragons, unicorns, griffins, sea monsters, and other ancient animals that never existed continue to fascinate us with their dreamlike shapes and mysterious powers. They are expressions of human fears and of our wonder at the awesome forces of nature. Bestowed with magical qualities, they embody our longings for healthy riches, wisdom, and immortality. They also delight us with their charms and eccentricities.The Book of Dragons and Other Mythical Beastsis a journey through the unnatural history of creatures that never existed outside our own imagination. It brings to life with vivid description and illustration over fifty of the most fascinating and awesome mythical beasts. Turn the pages and discover:Amphisbaena—A reptile with a head at either end of its body that can go backward or forward at great speedChimera—A fire-breathing monster with the head and foreparts of a lion, the body of a goat, and the hindquarters of a dragonHydra—A monstrous water serpent with many heads. If one head is destroyed, two or more grow in its placeKarkadan—A ferocious one-horned monster of Persia, so large it can carry off an elephant on its hornKrakan—One of the most feared monsters of the northern ocean, it wraps its huge tentacles around unwary ships and plucks sailors from the decksManticore—With three rows of teeth and a long, scorpion-like tail, it is a man-eater with a voice like a panpipeStmphalids—Man-eating birds with brass beaks and clawsTengu—Large birds of Japan that combine human and crow-like characteristics.