Monsters, grotesques, fabulous birds, exotic hybrids -- the beasts of myth and legend are curious creations of imagination, superstition and fear. From the power of the invincible Minotaur to the doomed Phoenix, mythical beasts represent the terrors of life at the same time they epitomize mystery, beauty and revelry. With legendary prose, poetry, painting and illustration, this book celebrates the place of these creatures in storytelling and art.