Our Favorite Mythical Creatures & Where You Can Find Them
Humans are interesting animals. Creativity seeps through our veins. I’m not entirely sure who came up with the following creatures, but it must have taken some incredibly unique (and perhaps problematic) imagination to bring these things into being.
A horse with a horn. A woman’s body with a fish tail. A bird that turns to ash, but never dies.
Mythical creatures are fascinating, so its no wonder they inhabit the many fantasy stories we all love and cherish. Here are five of our favorites.
The Talking Lion [lahy-uh n]
A large, tawny wildcat with a tufted tale and a large mane. The Talking Lion, well, talks using human language.
Where to find one: The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum.
The Phoenix [fee-niks]
A bird fabled to burn itself to death and then rise from its own ashes. It is associated with the sun and it regenerates into new, rejuvenated life. The phoenix is a symbol of immortality, idealism, and hope.
Where to find one: the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
The Dragon [drag-uh n]: A large, winged reptile with a crested head and enormous claws and teeth. It is often seen breathing fire out of its mouth. The name means “serpent of huge size, water snake.”
Where to find one: Eragon by Christopher Paolini, A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin, & How to Train Your Dragon (DreamWorks, 2010)
The Unicorn [yoo-ni-kawrn]
A legendary animal that resembles a white horse with a large horn protruding from its forehead. It was brought to our attention by the ancient Greeks. The unicorn is a symbol of purity and grace.
Where to find one: The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle & Stardust by Neil Gaiman
The Mermaid [mur-meyd]
A legendary aquatic creature with the body of a human and the tail of a fish. They have both good and bad historical reputations, sometimes causing chaos and at other times, providing help. Mermaids are also associated with the Sirens of Greek mythology.
Where to find one: The Resurrectionist by E.B. Hudspeth, The Odyssey by Homer, The Little Mermaid (Disney, 1989)
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Maria Vicente is a literary agent intern living in Ottawa, Canada. She likes coffee, books, snail mail, and magic. You can find her on Twitter (@MsMariaVicente) or check out her website (mariavicente.com)
