Theme # 5 : Mythological Creatures I
As promised, our fifth theme is mythological creatures! I went by this: List of Mythological Creatures by Type and picked one animal from each category. Will will definitely have more themes with some of the creatures missed here. I think this will be the easiest way to go about all these animals! There are a lot of cool animals for this theme, a lot that I've never heard of, so please read over everything to get a general idea of each of them.
Please VOTE on all the applications that needs votes. We have some people who have been waiting a long time for a stamp and they still have a tie. I will not stamp anyone with this theme, until everyone before this theme has been stamped.
Also, please tag your votes with !needs votes and [mythological creatures i] to help keep things organized.
Application
Application
Name:
Positive characteristics:
Negative characteristics:
Neutral characteristics:
Stamped as:
This or That
This, that, or somewhere in between?
Aggressive or Passive:
Loud or Quiet:
Flamboyant or Secretive:
Warm-blooded or Cold-blooded:
Flee or Fight:
Travel or Stay:
Hard-working or Lazy:
Trickster or Benevolent:
Changing or Consistent:
Dangerous or Harmless:
Traits
Do you live a solitary life or in a family group?
How well do you get along with humans?
Would you prefer fur, scales, feathers, or a shell?
How would you protect yourself?
What physical ability makes you unique?
Habitat
Arrange these elements from favorite to least favorite. air, water, land, fire
What area would you be willing to live on? Choose up to three.
[ ] Africa
[ ] Europe
[ ] Greece
[ ] India
[ ] Middle East
[ ] North America
[ ] South America
[ ] ocean
[ ] celestial
[ ] anywhere
Where would you be willing to live? Choose up to five.
[ ] cave
[ ] desert
[ ] forest
[ ] highlands
[ ] hills
[ ] jungle
[ ] meadows
[ ] mountains
[ ] ocean
[ ] plains
[ ] ponds
[ ] rainforest
[ ] rivers
[ ] swamp
[ ] tropical island
[ ] tundra
[ ] with people
Which elements appeal to you? Choose up to three.
[ ] air and wind
[ ] darkness and night
[ ] earth
[ ] fire
[ ] light and rainbow
[ ] ice and winter
[ ] metal
[ ] thunder and lightning
[ ] water
Which words might describe you?
[ ] half-human
[ ] half-something, half-something else
[ ] changeling
[ ] cursed
[ ] trickster
[ ] ancient
[ ] modern
[ ] powerful
[ ] innocent
[ ] secretive
[ ] untamable
[ ] tragic
[ ] wise
[ ] fable
[ ] tall tale
[ ] fairytale
[ ] horror story
Anything Else?
Which one creature do you feel is absolutely nothing like you?
For this theme, do you care if you get stamped as 2 creatures?
[ ] I have voted (or will as soon as I post this) all unstamped applications!
[Voters, the list of available stamps is http://community.livejournal.com/animal_stamps/29161.html">here]
Stamps & Descriptions
I have listed the type of animal, the original location or time period, any original, associated religions, and any associated elements.
Elephant - India - Hinduism
In Hinduism, Airavata is a white elephant who carries god Indra. The connection of elephants with water and rain is emphasized in the mythology of Indra, who rides the elephant Airavata when he defeats Vritra. This mighty elephant reaches down his trunk into the watery underworld, sucks up its water, and then sprays it into the clouds, which Indra then causes to rain forth cool water, thereby linking the waters of the sky with those of the underworld.
Camel-Donkey Hybird - Medieval
In heraldry, the allocamelus, or ass-camel, was the depiction of a mythical creature with the head of a donkey and body of a camel; it is the legendary representation of the llama.
Spider - West Africa & Caribbean
Anansi the trickster is one of the most important characters of West African and Caribbean folklore. He is also known as Ananse, Kwaku Ananse, and Anancy. The Anansi tales are believed to have originated in the Ashanti tribe in Ghana. Many Anansi stories deal with him attempting to trick people into allowing him to steal food or money, or something else that could turn a profit, but frequently the tricks ultimately backfire on Anansi.
Raccoon - Northern New England and Southern Quebec Native
Azeban is a lower-level trickster spirit in Abenaki mythology. Azeban (also spelled Azban, Asban or Azaban) is a Raccoon, the Abenaki trickster figure. Pronounced ah-zuh-bahn. Azeban does many foolish and/or mischievous things in Abenaki folktales, but unlike animal tricksters in some other tribes, is not dangerous or malevolent.
Tapir - Japan
Baku are Japanese supernatural beings that devour dreams and nightmares. They have a long history in Japanese folklore and art, and more recently have appeared in Japanese anime and manga. The Japanese term baku has two current meanings, referring to both the traditional dream-devouring creature and to the zoological tapir.
Snake (Snake-Rooster Hybrid in Past) - Medieval
In European bestiaries and legends, a basilisk is a legendary reptile reputed to be king of serpents and said to have the power to cause death with a single glance. The basilisk is called "king" because it is reputed to have on its head a mitre- or crown-shaped crest. Stories of the basilisk show that it is not completely distinguished from the cockatrice. The basilisk is alleged to be hatched by a cockerel from the egg of a serpent or toad (the reverse of the cockatrice, which was hatched from a cockerel's "egg" incubated by a serpent or toad). Basilisks have been re-imagined and employed in modern fantasy fiction for books, movies, and role-playing games, with wide variations on the powers and weaknesses attributed to them. Most of these depictions describe a reptile of some sort, with the power to kill its victims with a direct stare and petrify through an indirect one.
Unknown, Possible Dinosaur - Middle East - Judaism - Earth
Behemoth is a biblical creature mentioned in the Book of Job, 40:15-24. It implies that Behemoth is the largest and most powerful animal ever to exist. Many have interpreted Behemoth as a mythical animal. However, some have attempted to identify it with real animals. Suggested animals include the water buffalo, rhinoceros, crocodile, and the elephant, but the most common suggestion is the hippopotamus. Others disagree with these identifications, pointing to the fact that the animal's tail "moves like a cedar," an unlikely description for any of these animals. Some Young Earth Creationists propose that the Behemoth is a dinosaur. Some sort of sauropod is usually proposed since large sauropods had tails "like a cedar."
Primate - Specifically Pacific Northwest
Bigfoot, also known as Sasquatch, is a supposedly ape-like creature purportedly inhabiting forests, mainly in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. Bigfoot is usually described as a large, hairy, bipedal humanoid. The scientific community considers Bigfoot to be a combination of folklore, misidentification, and hoax, rather than a real creature. Bigfoot is described in reports as a large hairy ape-like creature, ranging between 6-10 feet tall, weighing in excess of 500 pounds, and covered in dark brown or dark reddish hair. Alleged witnesses have described large eyes, a pronounced brow ridge, and a large, low-set forehead; the top of the head has been described as rounded and crested, similar to the sagittal crest of the male gorilla. Bigfoot is commonly reported to have a strong, unpleasant smell by those who claim to have encountered it.
Woman Turned Bear - Greece
In Greek mythology, Callisto was a nymph of Artemis. Transformed into a bear and set among the stars, she was the bear-mother of the Arcadians, through her son Arcas. As a follower of Artemis, Callisto, took a vow to remain a virgin, as did all the nymphs of Artemis. But to have her, Zeus disguised himself, as Artemis herself, in order to lure her into his embrace and rape her. Callisto was then turned into a bear by Artemis. Later, her son, Arcas nearly killed his bear-mother, when she had wandered into the forbidden precinct of Zeus. In every case, Zeus placed them both in the sky as the constellations Ursa Major, called Arktos, the "Bear", by Greeks, and Ursa Minor.
Horse-Human Hybrid - Greece
In Greek mythology, the centaurs are a race of creatures composed of part human and part horse. In early Attic and Boeotian vase-paintings, as on the kantharos illustrated below left, they are depicted with the hindquarters of a horse attached to them; in later renderings centaurs are given the torso of a human joined at the waist to the horse's withers, where the horse's neck would be. Whereas centaurs in Greek mythology were generally symbolic of chaos and unbridled passions, modern centaurs are depicted as wisest and noblest of creatures. They are gifted at stargazing, prophecy, healing, and warfare, a fierce and valiant race.
Reptile or Snake - Greece, Middle East, and Asia - Air/Wind, Fire, and Metal (European) or Thunder/Lightning and Water (Chinese)
Dragons are legendary creatures, typically with serpentine or otherwise reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. The two most familiar interpretations of dragons are European dragons, derived from various European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern mythologies, and the unrelated Oriental dragons, such as the Chinese dragon. Dragons are usually shown in modern times with a body like a huge lizard, or a snake with two pairs of lizard-type legs, and able to emit fire from their mouths. The European dragon has bat-type wings growing from its back. A dragon-like creature with no front legs is known as a wyvern. Following discovery of how pterosaurs walked on the ground, some dragons have been portrayed without front legs and using the wings as front legs pterosaur-fashion when on the ground. Although dragons occur in many legends around the world, different cultures have varying stories about monsters that have been grouped together under the dragon label. Some dragons are said to breathe fire or to be poisonous. They are commonly portrayed as serpentine or reptilian, hatching from eggs and possessing typically scaly or feathered bodies. They are sometimes portrayed as having especially large eyes or watching treasure very diligently. Some myths portray them with a row of dorsal spines. European dragons are more often winged, while Oriental versions of the dragon resemble large snakes.
Goat-Human Hybrid - Roman
In Roman mythology, fauns are place-spirits of untamed woodland. Romans connected their fauns with the Greek satyrs, wild and orgiastic drunken followers of Bacchus (Dionysus). However, fauns and satyrs were originally quite different creatures. Both have horns and both resemble goats below the waist, humans above; but originally fauns had goat-like hooves, while satyrs had human feet. If there is a difference today, fauns are usually depicted tamer than satyrs.
Eagle-Lion Hybrid - Middle East - Air/Wind and Metal
The griffin, griffon, or gryphon is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head of an eagle. As the lion was traditionally considered the king of the beasts and the eagle was the king of the birds, the griffin was thought to be an especially powerful and majestic creature. Griffins are normally known for guarding treasure and well valued priceless possession. In antiquity it was a symbol of divine power and a guardian of the divine.
Horse-Fish Hybrid - Phoenicia and Greece - Water
The hippocamp or hippocampus, often called a sea-horse in English, is a mythological creature shared by Phoenician and Greek mythology. It has typically been depicted as a horse in its forepart with a coiling, scaly, fishlike hindquarter. Homer described Poseidon, who was god of horses as well as of the sea, drawn by horses over the sea's surface, and Apollonius describes the horse of Poseidon emerging from the sea and galloping away across the Libyan sands. The mythic hippocamp has been used as a heraldic charge, particularly since the Renaissance, most often in the armorial bearings of people and places with maritime associations.
Mongoose or Otter - Greece
In medieval literature, the ichneumon or echinemon was the enemy of the dragon. When it sees a dragon, the ichneumon covers itself with mud, and closing its nostrils with its tail, attacks and kills the dragon. The ichneumon was also considered by some to be the enemy of the crocodile and the asp, and attack them in the same way. The Greek word translated as "ichneumon" was the name used for the "pharaoh's rat" or mongoose or Egyptian mongoose, which attacks snakes; it can also mean "otter".
Jackrabbit (Hare)-Antelope Hybrid - Old West
The jackalope is an imaginary animal of North American folklore described as a jackrabbit with antelope horns or deer antlers and sometimes a pheasant's tail (and often hind legs). The word jackalope is a portmanteau of "jackrabbit" and "antalope." It is possible that the tales of jackalopes were inspired by sightings of rabbits infected with the Shope papilloma virus, which causes the growth of horn- and antler-like tumors in various places on the rabbit's head and body. The truth of the jackalope has bred the rise of many outlandish (and largely tongue-in-cheek) claims as to the creature's habits. For example, it is said to be a hybrid of the pygmy-deer and a species of "killer rabbit". Reportedly, jackalopes are extremely shy unless approached. It has also been said that the jackalope can convincingly imitate any sound, including the human voice. It uses this ability to elude pursuers, chiefly by using phrases such as "There he goes! That way!" However, legend has it that they are dangerous if approached. It has also been said that jackalopes will only breed during electrical storms including hail, explaining its rarity.
Giant Squid or Octopus - North Atlantic - Water
Kraken are mythical sea monsters of gargantuan size, said to have dwelt off the coasts of Norway and Iceland. The sheer size and fearsome appearance attributed to the beasts have made them common ocean-dwelling monsters in various fictional works. The legend may actually have originated from sightings of real giant squid that are variously estimated to grow to 40-50 ft in length, including the tentacles. These creatures normally live at great depths, but have been sighted at the surface and reportedly have "attacked" ships.
Giant Sloth - South America
The mapinguari (or mapinguary) is a legendary ground-dwelling sloth-like creature with red fur living in the Amazon rainforests of Brazil and Bolivia. According to some native accounts the creature has a series of unnatural characteristics related to other fantastic beings of Brazilian mythology, like long claws, caiman skin, backward feet and a second mouth on its belly. These characteristics are not shared by all accounts of the creature. According to legend, it is slow but ferocious and very dangerous due to its ability to move without noise in between the thick vegetation, its only weakness being that of avoiding water bodies (which limits its movements in a region where so many rivers, brooklets and lagoons exist, especially during the rainy season). Most accounts state that the creature is carnivorous - though not necessarily man-eating. When it smells the presence of humans it stands up on its back feet, becoming as tall as two metres, a movement similar to Grizzly bears.
Bull-Human Hybrid - Greece
In Greek mythology, the Minotaur, as the Greeks imagined him, was a creature with the head of a bull on the body of a man. He dwelt at the center of the Cretan Labyrinth, which was an elaborate maze-like construction built for King Minos of Crete. The Minotaur was eventually killed by Theseus. Minotaur was originally a proper noun in reference to this mythical figure. The use of minotaur as a common noun to refer to members of a generic race of bull-headed creatures developed much later, in 20th-century genre fiction.
Salamander - Medieval - Fire
The salamander is an amphibian of the order Urodela. As with many real creatures, pre-modern authors often ascribed fantastic qualities to it. The legendary salamander is most often depicted much like a typical salamander in shape, with a lizard-like form, but it is usually ascribed an affinity with fire. The salamander became a symbol of enduring faith which triumphs over the fires of passion.
Seal-Human Hybrid - Faroe Island, Iceland, Ireland, Scotland - Water
Selkies (also known as silkies or selchies) are mythological creatures that are found in Faroese, Icelandic, Irish, and Scottish folklore. Selkies are able to become human by taking off their seal skins, and can return to seal form by putting it back on. Stories concerning selkies are generally romantic tragedies. Sometimes the human will not know that their lover is a selkie, and wakes to find them gone. Other times the human will hide the selkie's skin, thus preventing them from returning to seal form. A selkie can only make contact with one particular human for a short amount of time before they must return to the sea. They are not able to make contact with that human again for seven years, unless the human is to steal their selkie's skin and hide it or burn it.
Bird - Specifically Pacific Northwest - Air/Wind and Thunder/Lightning
The Thunderbird is a legendary creature in certain North American indigenous peoples' history and culture. It's considered a "supernatural" bird of power and strength. It is especially important, and richly depicted, in the art, songs and oral histories of many Pacific Northwest Coast cultures, and is found in various forms among the peoples of the American Southwest and Great Plains. Across many North America indigenous cultures, the Thunderbird carries many of the same characteristics. It is described as a large bird, capable of creating storms and thundering while it flies. Clouds are pulled together by its wingbeats, the sound of thunder made by its wings clapping, sheet lightning the light flashing from its eyes when it blinks, and individual lightning bolts made by the glowing snakes that it carries around with it. In masks, it is depicted as many-colored, with two curling horns, and, often, teeth within its beak. The Native Americans believed that the giant Thunderbird could shoot lightning from its eyes. Depending on the people telling the story, the Thunderbird is either a singular entity or a species. In both cases, it is intelligent, powerful, and wrathful. All agree that one should go out of one's way to keep from getting thunderbirds angry.
Horse/Antelope - Medieval - Metal
A unicorn is a mythological creature. Though the modern popular image of the unicorn is sometimes that of a horse differing only in the horn on its forehead, the traditional unicorn also has a billy-goat beard, a lion's tail, and cloven hooves-these distinguish it from a horse.The unicorn is the only fabulous beast that does not seem to have been conceived out of human fears. In even the earliest references he is fierce yet good, selfless yet solitary, but always mysteriously beautiful. He could be captured only by unfair means, and his single horn was said to neutralize poison. The original myths refer to a beast with one horn that can only be tamed by a virgin maiden.
Pig - India - Hinduism
Varaha is the third Avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu, in the form of a Boar. He appeared in order to defeat Hiranyaksha, a demon who had taken the Earthand carried it to the bottom of what is described as the cosmic ocean in the story. The battle between Varaha and Hiranyaksha is believed to have lasted for a thousand years, which the former finally won. Varaha carried the Earth out of the ocean between his tusks and restored it to its place in the universe. Varaha is depicted in art as either purely animal or as being anthropomorphic, having a boar's head on a man's body. In the latter form he has four arms, two of which hold the wheel and conch-shell while the other two hold a mace, sword or lotus or make a gesture of blessing. The Earth is held between the boar's tusks.
Wolf-Human Hybrid - Medieval - Darkness/Night
A werewolf or werwolf, also known as a lycanthrope, is a mythological or folkloric human with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf or an anthropomorphic wolf-like creature, either purposely, by being bitten or scratched by another werewolf, or after being placed under a curse. This transformation is often associated with the appearance of the full moon. Werewolves are often attributed super-human strength and senses, far beyond those of both wolves or men. The werewolf is generally held as a European character, although its lore spread through the world in later times. Shape-shifters, similar to werewolves, are common in tales from all over the world, most notably amongst the Native Americans, though most of them involve animal forms other than wolves. Werewolves are a frequent subject of modern fictional books, although fictional werewolves have been attributed traits distinct from those of original folklore, most notably vulnerability to silver bullets. Werewolves continue to endure in modern culture and fiction, with books, films and television shows cementing the werewolf's stance as a dominant figure in horror.
Please VOTE on all the applications that needs votes. We have some people who have been waiting a long time for a stamp and they still have a tie. I will not stamp anyone with this theme, until everyone before this theme has been stamped.
Also, please tag your votes with !needs votes and [mythological creatures i] to help keep things organized.
Application
Name:
Positive characteristics:
Negative characteristics:
Neutral characteristics:
Stamped as:
This, that, or somewhere in between?
Aggressive or Passive:
Loud or Quiet:
Flamboyant or Secretive:
Warm-blooded or Cold-blooded:
Flee or Fight:
Travel or Stay:
Hard-working or Lazy:
Trickster or Benevolent:
Changing or Consistent:
Dangerous or Harmless:
Do you live a solitary life or in a family group?
How well do you get along with humans?
Would you prefer fur, scales, feathers, or a shell?
How would you protect yourself?
What physical ability makes you unique?
Arrange these elements from favorite to least favorite. air, water, land, fire
What area would you be willing to live on? Choose up to three.
[ ] Africa
[ ] Europe
[ ] Greece
[ ] India
[ ] Middle East
[ ] North America
[ ] South America
[ ] ocean
[ ] celestial
[ ] anywhere
Where would you be willing to live? Choose up to five.
[ ] cave
[ ] desert
[ ] forest
[ ] highlands
[ ] hills
[ ] jungle
[ ] meadows
[ ] mountains
[ ] ocean
[ ] plains
[ ] ponds
[ ] rainforest
[ ] rivers
[ ] swamp
[ ] tropical island
[ ] tundra
[ ] with people
Which elements appeal to you? Choose up to three.
[ ] air and wind
[ ] darkness and night
[ ] earth
[ ] fire
[ ] light and rainbow
[ ] ice and winter
[ ] metal
[ ] thunder and lightning
[ ] water
Which words might describe you?
[ ] half-human
[ ] half-something, half-something else
[ ] changeling
[ ] cursed
[ ] trickster
[ ] ancient
[ ] modern
[ ] powerful
[ ] innocent
[ ] secretive
[ ] untamable
[ ] tragic
[ ] wise
[ ] fable
[ ] tall tale
[ ] fairytale
[ ] horror story
Which one creature do you feel is absolutely nothing like you?
For this theme, do you care if you get stamped as 2 creatures?
[ ] I have voted (or will as soon as I post this) all unstamped applications!
[Voters, the list of available stamps is http://community.livejournal.com/animal_stamps/29161.html">here]
Stamps & Descriptions
I have listed the type of animal, the original location or time period, any original, associated religions, and any associated elements.
Elephant - India - Hinduism
In Hinduism, Airavata is a white elephant who carries god Indra. The connection of elephants with water and rain is emphasized in the mythology of Indra, who rides the elephant Airavata when he defeats Vritra. This mighty elephant reaches down his trunk into the watery underworld, sucks up its water, and then sprays it into the clouds, which Indra then causes to rain forth cool water, thereby linking the waters of the sky with those of the underworld.
Camel-Donkey Hybird - Medieval
In heraldry, the allocamelus, or ass-camel, was the depiction of a mythical creature with the head of a donkey and body of a camel; it is the legendary representation of the llama.
Spider - West Africa & Caribbean
Anansi the trickster is one of the most important characters of West African and Caribbean folklore. He is also known as Ananse, Kwaku Ananse, and Anancy. The Anansi tales are believed to have originated in the Ashanti tribe in Ghana. Many Anansi stories deal with him attempting to trick people into allowing him to steal food or money, or something else that could turn a profit, but frequently the tricks ultimately backfire on Anansi.
Raccoon - Northern New England and Southern Quebec Native
Azeban is a lower-level trickster spirit in Abenaki mythology. Azeban (also spelled Azban, Asban or Azaban) is a Raccoon, the Abenaki trickster figure. Pronounced ah-zuh-bahn. Azeban does many foolish and/or mischievous things in Abenaki folktales, but unlike animal tricksters in some other tribes, is not dangerous or malevolent.
Tapir - Japan
Baku are Japanese supernatural beings that devour dreams and nightmares. They have a long history in Japanese folklore and art, and more recently have appeared in Japanese anime and manga. The Japanese term baku has two current meanings, referring to both the traditional dream-devouring creature and to the zoological tapir.
Snake (Snake-Rooster Hybrid in Past) - Medieval
In European bestiaries and legends, a basilisk is a legendary reptile reputed to be king of serpents and said to have the power to cause death with a single glance. The basilisk is called "king" because it is reputed to have on its head a mitre- or crown-shaped crest. Stories of the basilisk show that it is not completely distinguished from the cockatrice. The basilisk is alleged to be hatched by a cockerel from the egg of a serpent or toad (the reverse of the cockatrice, which was hatched from a cockerel's "egg" incubated by a serpent or toad). Basilisks have been re-imagined and employed in modern fantasy fiction for books, movies, and role-playing games, with wide variations on the powers and weaknesses attributed to them. Most of these depictions describe a reptile of some sort, with the power to kill its victims with a direct stare and petrify through an indirect one.
Unknown, Possible Dinosaur - Middle East - Judaism - Earth
Behemoth is a biblical creature mentioned in the Book of Job, 40:15-24. It implies that Behemoth is the largest and most powerful animal ever to exist. Many have interpreted Behemoth as a mythical animal. However, some have attempted to identify it with real animals. Suggested animals include the water buffalo, rhinoceros, crocodile, and the elephant, but the most common suggestion is the hippopotamus. Others disagree with these identifications, pointing to the fact that the animal's tail "moves like a cedar," an unlikely description for any of these animals. Some Young Earth Creationists propose that the Behemoth is a dinosaur. Some sort of sauropod is usually proposed since large sauropods had tails "like a cedar."
Primate - Specifically Pacific Northwest
Bigfoot, also known as Sasquatch, is a supposedly ape-like creature purportedly inhabiting forests, mainly in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. Bigfoot is usually described as a large, hairy, bipedal humanoid. The scientific community considers Bigfoot to be a combination of folklore, misidentification, and hoax, rather than a real creature. Bigfoot is described in reports as a large hairy ape-like creature, ranging between 6-10 feet tall, weighing in excess of 500 pounds, and covered in dark brown or dark reddish hair. Alleged witnesses have described large eyes, a pronounced brow ridge, and a large, low-set forehead; the top of the head has been described as rounded and crested, similar to the sagittal crest of the male gorilla. Bigfoot is commonly reported to have a strong, unpleasant smell by those who claim to have encountered it.
Woman Turned Bear - Greece
In Greek mythology, Callisto was a nymph of Artemis. Transformed into a bear and set among the stars, she was the bear-mother of the Arcadians, through her son Arcas. As a follower of Artemis, Callisto, took a vow to remain a virgin, as did all the nymphs of Artemis. But to have her, Zeus disguised himself, as Artemis herself, in order to lure her into his embrace and rape her. Callisto was then turned into a bear by Artemis. Later, her son, Arcas nearly killed his bear-mother, when she had wandered into the forbidden precinct of Zeus. In every case, Zeus placed them both in the sky as the constellations Ursa Major, called Arktos, the "Bear", by Greeks, and Ursa Minor.
Horse-Human Hybrid - Greece
In Greek mythology, the centaurs are a race of creatures composed of part human and part horse. In early Attic and Boeotian vase-paintings, as on the kantharos illustrated below left, they are depicted with the hindquarters of a horse attached to them; in later renderings centaurs are given the torso of a human joined at the waist to the horse's withers, where the horse's neck would be. Whereas centaurs in Greek mythology were generally symbolic of chaos and unbridled passions, modern centaurs are depicted as wisest and noblest of creatures. They are gifted at stargazing, prophecy, healing, and warfare, a fierce and valiant race.
Reptile or Snake - Greece, Middle East, and Asia - Air/Wind, Fire, and Metal (European) or Thunder/Lightning and Water (Chinese)
Dragons are legendary creatures, typically with serpentine or otherwise reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. The two most familiar interpretations of dragons are European dragons, derived from various European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern mythologies, and the unrelated Oriental dragons, such as the Chinese dragon. Dragons are usually shown in modern times with a body like a huge lizard, or a snake with two pairs of lizard-type legs, and able to emit fire from their mouths. The European dragon has bat-type wings growing from its back. A dragon-like creature with no front legs is known as a wyvern. Following discovery of how pterosaurs walked on the ground, some dragons have been portrayed without front legs and using the wings as front legs pterosaur-fashion when on the ground. Although dragons occur in many legends around the world, different cultures have varying stories about monsters that have been grouped together under the dragon label. Some dragons are said to breathe fire or to be poisonous. They are commonly portrayed as serpentine or reptilian, hatching from eggs and possessing typically scaly or feathered bodies. They are sometimes portrayed as having especially large eyes or watching treasure very diligently. Some myths portray them with a row of dorsal spines. European dragons are more often winged, while Oriental versions of the dragon resemble large snakes.
Goat-Human Hybrid - Roman
In Roman mythology, fauns are place-spirits of untamed woodland. Romans connected their fauns with the Greek satyrs, wild and orgiastic drunken followers of Bacchus (Dionysus). However, fauns and satyrs were originally quite different creatures. Both have horns and both resemble goats below the waist, humans above; but originally fauns had goat-like hooves, while satyrs had human feet. If there is a difference today, fauns are usually depicted tamer than satyrs.
Eagle-Lion Hybrid - Middle East - Air/Wind and Metal
The griffin, griffon, or gryphon is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head of an eagle. As the lion was traditionally considered the king of the beasts and the eagle was the king of the birds, the griffin was thought to be an especially powerful and majestic creature. Griffins are normally known for guarding treasure and well valued priceless possession. In antiquity it was a symbol of divine power and a guardian of the divine.
Horse-Fish Hybrid - Phoenicia and Greece - Water
The hippocamp or hippocampus, often called a sea-horse in English, is a mythological creature shared by Phoenician and Greek mythology. It has typically been depicted as a horse in its forepart with a coiling, scaly, fishlike hindquarter. Homer described Poseidon, who was god of horses as well as of the sea, drawn by horses over the sea's surface, and Apollonius describes the horse of Poseidon emerging from the sea and galloping away across the Libyan sands. The mythic hippocamp has been used as a heraldic charge, particularly since the Renaissance, most often in the armorial bearings of people and places with maritime associations.
Mongoose or Otter - Greece
In medieval literature, the ichneumon or echinemon was the enemy of the dragon. When it sees a dragon, the ichneumon covers itself with mud, and closing its nostrils with its tail, attacks and kills the dragon. The ichneumon was also considered by some to be the enemy of the crocodile and the asp, and attack them in the same way. The Greek word translated as "ichneumon" was the name used for the "pharaoh's rat" or mongoose or Egyptian mongoose, which attacks snakes; it can also mean "otter".
Jackrabbit (Hare)-Antelope Hybrid - Old West
The jackalope is an imaginary animal of North American folklore described as a jackrabbit with antelope horns or deer antlers and sometimes a pheasant's tail (and often hind legs). The word jackalope is a portmanteau of "jackrabbit" and "antalope." It is possible that the tales of jackalopes were inspired by sightings of rabbits infected with the Shope papilloma virus, which causes the growth of horn- and antler-like tumors in various places on the rabbit's head and body. The truth of the jackalope has bred the rise of many outlandish (and largely tongue-in-cheek) claims as to the creature's habits. For example, it is said to be a hybrid of the pygmy-deer and a species of "killer rabbit". Reportedly, jackalopes are extremely shy unless approached. It has also been said that the jackalope can convincingly imitate any sound, including the human voice. It uses this ability to elude pursuers, chiefly by using phrases such as "There he goes! That way!" However, legend has it that they are dangerous if approached. It has also been said that jackalopes will only breed during electrical storms including hail, explaining its rarity.
Giant Squid or Octopus - North Atlantic - Water
Kraken are mythical sea monsters of gargantuan size, said to have dwelt off the coasts of Norway and Iceland. The sheer size and fearsome appearance attributed to the beasts have made them common ocean-dwelling monsters in various fictional works. The legend may actually have originated from sightings of real giant squid that are variously estimated to grow to 40-50 ft in length, including the tentacles. These creatures normally live at great depths, but have been sighted at the surface and reportedly have "attacked" ships.
Giant Sloth - South America
The mapinguari (or mapinguary) is a legendary ground-dwelling sloth-like creature with red fur living in the Amazon rainforests of Brazil and Bolivia. According to some native accounts the creature has a series of unnatural characteristics related to other fantastic beings of Brazilian mythology, like long claws, caiman skin, backward feet and a second mouth on its belly. These characteristics are not shared by all accounts of the creature. According to legend, it is slow but ferocious and very dangerous due to its ability to move without noise in between the thick vegetation, its only weakness being that of avoiding water bodies (which limits its movements in a region where so many rivers, brooklets and lagoons exist, especially during the rainy season). Most accounts state that the creature is carnivorous - though not necessarily man-eating. When it smells the presence of humans it stands up on its back feet, becoming as tall as two metres, a movement similar to Grizzly bears.
Bull-Human Hybrid - Greece
In Greek mythology, the Minotaur, as the Greeks imagined him, was a creature with the head of a bull on the body of a man. He dwelt at the center of the Cretan Labyrinth, which was an elaborate maze-like construction built for King Minos of Crete. The Minotaur was eventually killed by Theseus. Minotaur was originally a proper noun in reference to this mythical figure. The use of minotaur as a common noun to refer to members of a generic race of bull-headed creatures developed much later, in 20th-century genre fiction.
Salamander - Medieval - Fire
The salamander is an amphibian of the order Urodela. As with many real creatures, pre-modern authors often ascribed fantastic qualities to it. The legendary salamander is most often depicted much like a typical salamander in shape, with a lizard-like form, but it is usually ascribed an affinity with fire. The salamander became a symbol of enduring faith which triumphs over the fires of passion.
Seal-Human Hybrid - Faroe Island, Iceland, Ireland, Scotland - Water
Selkies (also known as silkies or selchies) are mythological creatures that are found in Faroese, Icelandic, Irish, and Scottish folklore. Selkies are able to become human by taking off their seal skins, and can return to seal form by putting it back on. Stories concerning selkies are generally romantic tragedies. Sometimes the human will not know that their lover is a selkie, and wakes to find them gone. Other times the human will hide the selkie's skin, thus preventing them from returning to seal form. A selkie can only make contact with one particular human for a short amount of time before they must return to the sea. They are not able to make contact with that human again for seven years, unless the human is to steal their selkie's skin and hide it or burn it.
Bird - Specifically Pacific Northwest - Air/Wind and Thunder/Lightning
The Thunderbird is a legendary creature in certain North American indigenous peoples' history and culture. It's considered a "supernatural" bird of power and strength. It is especially important, and richly depicted, in the art, songs and oral histories of many Pacific Northwest Coast cultures, and is found in various forms among the peoples of the American Southwest and Great Plains. Across many North America indigenous cultures, the Thunderbird carries many of the same characteristics. It is described as a large bird, capable of creating storms and thundering while it flies. Clouds are pulled together by its wingbeats, the sound of thunder made by its wings clapping, sheet lightning the light flashing from its eyes when it blinks, and individual lightning bolts made by the glowing snakes that it carries around with it. In masks, it is depicted as many-colored, with two curling horns, and, often, teeth within its beak. The Native Americans believed that the giant Thunderbird could shoot lightning from its eyes. Depending on the people telling the story, the Thunderbird is either a singular entity or a species. In both cases, it is intelligent, powerful, and wrathful. All agree that one should go out of one's way to keep from getting thunderbirds angry.
Horse/Antelope - Medieval - Metal
A unicorn is a mythological creature. Though the modern popular image of the unicorn is sometimes that of a horse differing only in the horn on its forehead, the traditional unicorn also has a billy-goat beard, a lion's tail, and cloven hooves-these distinguish it from a horse.The unicorn is the only fabulous beast that does not seem to have been conceived out of human fears. In even the earliest references he is fierce yet good, selfless yet solitary, but always mysteriously beautiful. He could be captured only by unfair means, and his single horn was said to neutralize poison. The original myths refer to a beast with one horn that can only be tamed by a virgin maiden.
Pig - India - Hinduism
Varaha is the third Avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu, in the form of a Boar. He appeared in order to defeat Hiranyaksha, a demon who had taken the Earthand carried it to the bottom of what is described as the cosmic ocean in the story. The battle between Varaha and Hiranyaksha is believed to have lasted for a thousand years, which the former finally won. Varaha carried the Earth out of the ocean between his tusks and restored it to its place in the universe. Varaha is depicted in art as either purely animal or as being anthropomorphic, having a boar's head on a man's body. In the latter form he has four arms, two of which hold the wheel and conch-shell while the other two hold a mace, sword or lotus or make a gesture of blessing. The Earth is held between the boar's tusks.
Wolf-Human Hybrid - Medieval - Darkness/Night
A werewolf or werwolf, also known as a lycanthrope, is a mythological or folkloric human with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf or an anthropomorphic wolf-like creature, either purposely, by being bitten or scratched by another werewolf, or after being placed under a curse. This transformation is often associated with the appearance of the full moon. Werewolves are often attributed super-human strength and senses, far beyond those of both wolves or men. The werewolf is generally held as a European character, although its lore spread through the world in later times. Shape-shifters, similar to werewolves, are common in tales from all over the world, most notably amongst the Native Americans, though most of them involve animal forms other than wolves. Werewolves are a frequent subject of modern fictional books, although fictional werewolves have been attributed traits distinct from those of original folklore, most notably vulnerability to silver bullets. Werewolves continue to endure in modern culture and fiction, with books, films and television shows cementing the werewolf's stance as a dominant figure in horror.