Mythical Monsters

by Charles Gould

Mythical Monsters

Genres: Mythology, Nonfiction, Reference, Dragons, Cryptozoology, History, Pseudoscience

416 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1886

Reviews

[Bettie · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Kermie flail*

Hayes found this. Look Look Look. *Jumps up and down* Love old texts like this.

here: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/40972/...

THE FUNG WANG. ACCORDING TO FANG HENG.

Opening:

CHAPTER I.

ON SOME REMARKABLE ANIMAL FORMS.

The reasoning upon the question whether dragons, winged snakes, sea-serpents, unicorns, and other so-called fabulous monsters have in reality existed, and at dates coeval with man, diverges in several independent directions.

Fisherman attacked by Octopus. Facsimile from a drawing by Hokusai, a celebrated Japanese artist who lived about the beginning of the present century*.

* 1800s

The text is very small, earnest and, for the most, out-dated scientifically, however the diagrams are lovely. I have skimmed through to get to this section:

CHAPTER VI.

THE DRAGON.

The dragon is defined in the Encyclopædia Britannica for 1877 as “the name given by the ancients to a huge winged lizard or serpent (fabulous).”



The text also goes on to state that "they" (the ancients) regarded it as the enemy of mankind, and its overthrow is made to figure among the greatest exploits of the gods and heroes of heathen mythology.


Egyptian Four-winged Serpent, Chanuphis, or Bait. (From “Serpent Myths of Ancient Egypt,” by W. R. Cooper.)

The Symbolic Winged Serpent of the Goddess Mersokar or Melsokar. (After W. R. Cooper.)

The Dragons of Mount Pilate. (From the “Mundus Subterraneus” of Athanasius Kircher.)

hahaha: The Ethiopian winged biped dragon; Draco Æthiopicus. (Aldrovandus.)...



Moving on, here we have the Sea-Serpent as seen by Hans Egede, in 1734, off the South Coast of Greenland...



and here is the Norwegian Sea Serpent *gasp*, and I am so near the sea here, guess there will be no toe-dipping for me...

[The Phoenix · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty interesting take on mythical animals. I tend to be of the same opinion as the author on some of it. He talks of how he believes certain of these animals were real at some point in time and presents pretty good support for his belief.
I recommend this as a reference book and if you enjoy reading about mythical (or maybe not mythical) creatures, such as dragons.

[Seth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun book if you have an interest in cryptozoology. I wouldn't recommend it for anyone who doesn't. The book isn't credible, but it is entertaining. Most of what is inside is eye witness accounts of freakish animals, and all of which is taken at face value. There is almost no skepticism involved in the analysis of the whether or not these animals exist. Still, it is an entertaining read.

[Sebastian Falzarano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting

This is a very intriguing look at the realm of mythology and the creatures that make it up, from the phoenix to the dragon, and an analysis of whether or not the possibility of creatures such as these existing is plausible.

[Ari LaMontagne · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the idea of writing a dissertation on the existence of mythical monsters sounds absolutely fascinating, Gould's execution was dry and relied too heavily on excerpts from the work of others rather than proposing original arguments.