h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Mythical Creatures - A12981558
Author: Danny B. [Musicians' Guild (U150368); Science EXplained (A4108330); Curator] - U182633

A write-up of an H2G2 'Talking Point' from way back in 2001 (A638129)!

There are probably hundreds of weird and wonderful critters that could be added, but these are the ones that came out of the conversations, plus a couple I've added because they already had full EG entries to which I could link.

wonderful stuff
Nother

Wow - well done!

You can thank Opti for setting this off: F150575?thread=3229443&latest=1

Apologies for not seeing earlier that you had included your fellow researchers. Just want everything to be above board. I know I worry too much. You've got a fantastic entry here. Of course the picture has to go at the mo but no doubt it will be back. I think a few sections need filling out more but its certainly on its way to being a fantastic entry. Well Done.

"Of course the picture has to go at the mo but no doubt it will be back."

When I've previously submitted Talking Points to PR, the picture has stayed, as Talking Points had images created specifically for them.

"I think a few sections need filling out more"

Any in particular? Note that, for those sections where there is already an Edited Entry (e.g. Vampires, Werewolves, Dragons) I've just included a brief description and a link.

A12981558

As one interested in cryptozoology this is great stuff (although there appears to be no reference to the term...)

Here's a few others that might be worth adding in:

Mkole Mbele (the 'dinosaur' of the Congo)
Other Lake Monsters (there's a few notable North American ones)
Pegasus
Griffin (Gryphon) (and other great flying things like Rocs)
Basilisk
Harpies/Sirens
Cerberus
Cernunnos (Herne the Hunter - head of a stag body of a man)
Phoenix

Am willing to contribute what I know if need be.

But great as it stands too

I've added the term 'cryptozoology' as a footnote.

We can go on adding creatures to this Entry until the minotaurs come home, so I'd be tempted not to go too mad, but if you want to post anything (here or elsewhere) I'll put it in the Entry and add you to the author list

I may do, I may do...

Here's a link you may have missed - A3895455 Common Childhood Fairies

Fairies link added

Dugongs - the bewhiskered sea-mammals that probably inspired sailors'
Some mythical creatures you missed include, the cockatrice, basilisk and 'Vegetable Lamb of Tartary ( or borametz) I can give you more info on these if you like

Ref mermaids: worth also saying thatthey're credited with visionary or supernatural powers

It is thouht that the myth of mermaids may have been inspired by the dugong, or sea cow - now an endangered species. Female dugong swim upright and hold their calves to their breast with a fin while nursing; thus stirring the longings of lovelorn sailors on lengthy voyages.

Parts of mythical beasts were held in great esteem as medicines e.g, parts of dragons were a source of cures for epilepsy, banishing nocturnal apparitions, prolonging life, dissolving gold etc. etc.

Unicorn horn, known as alicorn,(like griffin claw or the magic stone from the head of a dragon) assured complete protection against poisons. Thus, in powdered form, aslicorn was worth more than ten times its weight in gold.

In 1734 an actual specimen of the seven-headed dragon, hydra,was on display in Hamburg. IT was in the possession of a firm of merchants (Messrs Dreyern and Hambel) who had acquired it presumably as an investment. At the time, a young Swedish naturalist, on a visit to the city, was invited to inspect this rare and valuable specimen. He was suitably impressed at the craftmanship of those who could create so convincing a fake. Dreyern and Hambel threatened him with legal action, whereupon the gentleman, rather hurriedly, left the city. This gentleman was none other than the great taxonomist, Carolus Linnaeus.

Hi BigAl

I've added the information about the hydra and the unicorn. Dragons and mermaids already have full EG Entries that pretty much cover the points you've mentioned, so I'm not sure it's worth duplicating the information in this Entry.

If you want to write a short paragraph aboout any other creatures, I'm happy to add them

Apologies did not realise that the picture usually stayed. For I have not written up a talking point before.

>> Note that, for those sections where there is already an Edited Entry (e.g. Vampires, Werewolves, Dragons) I've just included a brief description and a link.

Maybe you could put all the brief descriptions and their links into one paragraph. Then the presentation would look better.

Good idea! I've moved all those with their own Entry to a separate section at the end

'Dragons and mermaids already have full EG Entries that pretty much cover the points you've mentioned, so I'm not sure it's worth duplicating the information in this Entry'.

Well, the 'mermaids' Entry doersn't explicitly state the habit of duhgongs of breast-feeding their calves above water, whgich may have resulted in the legend/.myth - so I think it would be worth putting a bitr more about mermaids in.

Fair enough - it's in!

I still think perhaps Big foot, kelpie and salamander could be somehow grouped together or padded out. You can't have a header and a sentence or two all by themselves it just doesn't look right.

I'm sure I wrote about Snow Lions at some point.

I did here but I'm sure yours is better A3652904

The Snow Lions paragraph wasn't mine - it was written by John-the-gardener! I've merged some of your text in with John's!

"You can't have a header and a sentence or two all by themselves it just doesn't look right."

Well, there are plenty of Edited Entries that do! Anyway, to get round the problem, I've restructured slightly so that the creatures names are now all SUBHEADERS, so it's less important that there is a lot of text beneath them. Of course, if anyone wants to write any more about any of the creatures, I'm more than happy to include it!