Legendary Beasts could include Dragons, Wyverns and Worms … or
Big Cats and Black Dogs …
 |
| Illustration of a Winged Dragon by Friedrich Justin Bertuch (1806) - mainly Celtic |
… most cultures have some sort of dragon and tales about its
slaying … or tall tales … but though each story often shares broad features … the aspects will be adapted to fit the local people and their landscapes.
Folklore influenced many of the myths recorded in medieval
texts or papers today … some of which were probably recorded as genuine
history by earlier antiquaries …
 |
| Aberdeen Bestiary: Folio 5 - Adam names the animals |
Bestiaries are the most important of the early, more literary
texts … various versions occurring after the loss of the original text.
 |
| Ashmole Bestiary |
These works describe the natural world and include both real animals
and creatures that we would now consider to be mythical …
Bestiaries were beautifully illustrated and are enormously
popular and influential … recording our accepted views of animals we do not see
… dragons, wyverns, unicorns …
 |
| St Bees Priory - Cumbria (1120) showing St Michael fighting a dragon |
… yet they are recorded as carved images or sculptures
throughout our history … so we feel they are real … or are sightings of 'beasts exactly unknown' ...
That is L for Legendary Beasts from Literature or Literally
thought of as real … from Aspects of British County Rare Breeds …
Counties with
the letter L …
(note
some Counties have been retired!, or amended over historical local government …
but some I’ve included)
England: Lancashire; Leicestershire; Lincolnshire;
London
Northern
Ireland: Londonderry
Scotland:
Lanarkshire
Wales: None
Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories
54 comments:
I long for dragons NOT to be mythical. And unicorns, but particularly dragons.
I just noticed your ending notes of counties beginning with the letter of the day. Very clever! Thanks for sharing your knowledge of these legendary creatures. Very interesting.
Dragons are my favorite legendary beast but I've never seen one while awake.
I did have a Brownie that lived near our home when we were in the countryside. He didn't move into town with us.
Yes, I have taken my meds today!
The alphabetical bestiary gets richer each day. Could make a wonderful illustrated book.
Fabulous, Hilary. This is a wonderful series you are doing. Here there be dragons!
What, Nessie didn't make the cut? Poor Nessie!
I think Nessie may be more recent, Anabel, though Susan Cooper's novel The Boggart, or the sequel, suggests Nessie is a shape-changing Boggart stuck in its shape when its human family is killed.
Medieval Bestiaries are gorgeous - I love them!
Oh! I hadn't realised a wyvern was a creature. Our local pub is The Wyvern, named after the plane, but I'd never considered what the plane was named after.
Very interesting pos. I have never heard of Wyverns before. Kim
These legendary beasts seem mystical to me. There's something so unreal and magical about them. :)
I went through a dragon phase about two decades ago...might have had something to do with D&D (I'm a closet nerd...kinda). As a result, I have some tiny statues of the majestic beasts around the house. :)
I always find it fascinating how normal animals and legendary beasts were often treated the same in ancient texts, as if they are all equally important.
Tasha
Tasha's Thinkings - Shapeshifters and Werewolves
P.S. Sorry for being absent most of the week - it's been so busy.
Dragons are my all time favs. Centaurs don't count, because they are human, right? :)
Nila
Madly-in-Verse
I've never heard of Wyverns before. Interesting.
Lovely Hilary thank you. Unicorns - the stuff of legend. We had breakfast this morning with some friends. He flies planes in his spare time and said about getting beyond the dragons in the clouds ...
Great legends. Amazing how these are part of culture, from stories to coats of arms.
That stamp sheet is phenomenal. A red bus for riding back to your 'hood.
Interesting to think about how these creatures came to be and how they took such a hold in our imagination. It's lost in the mists of time but clearly those scribes took them very seriously!
The buildings today are sleek with little adornment. They are beautiful, but I rather the artful buildings of yesteryear when creatures were built into the architecture and stories were told.
Maybe those beasts were real! ;) I do love the old bestiaries. So lovely and fascinating. And a great inspiration to us writers!
Legendary animals are some of my favorite animals. Thost old bestiaries are pretty neat!
Discarded Darlings - Jean Davis, Speculative Fiction Writer, A to Z: Editing Fiction
Imaginary? Some kind of reality we aren't aware of? Aliens? Who knows. It's all wonderful. The Unknown Journey Ahead agingonthespectrum.blogspot.com
The dragon tales crossed the ocean, but no sightings recorded around me. I still believed them possible as a child.
I believe St. George slayed a dragon. Don't tell me it's myth.
If nothing else, the legendary beasts are cause for lovely art pieces.
It makes you wonder what animal they did see if not the mythical beast depicted.
Oh how I love bestiaries - such rich delight. Now I know what I'll be looking at today. Thanks Hilary!
When at school I thought a wyvern was a make of fountain pen. The unicorn is always the first that comes to my mind.
I've always liked to entertain the thought that if enough people believed something to be true, maybe it really was (or is)... ;)
St George slew a dragon and that's all the proof I need that they existed! End of!
Another day in Amble Bay!
Of course there used to be dragons Hilary, how could you doubt it?
Amazing that dragons are "recorded" from ancient history in so many parts of the world which did not have contact with one another in those days.
I would not be surprised if it didn't turn out that some of these beasts were real. Dragons especially.
Finding Eliza
I have always thought it was interesting that these mythical creatures such as the dragon are known through most cultures. I'm looking up wyverns.
Dragons have always been fascination. I love unicorns too. Mostly mystical but then, I love everything that is mystical.
http://www.dipanwita.com
"Beasts Exactly Unknown" --that would make a fantastic book title.
Great stuff, H!
I love that these mythical beasts are so beloved by those of us who can never meet them. Fun creatures (on paper)!
Emily | My Life In Ecuador
Excellent choice. The more I get to know 'beasts', the less beastly they are. Usually, it becomes a clash of cultures or someone's fears brought to a sentient life. Good insights into the Brit background.
Here I was, stumbling along in blog-land, looking for unique and interesting blogs, and I found you. So glad I did. I must have read about 2o posts already, rainy day privilege - and am enthralled. I fell in love with fantastical beasts, particularly dragons, when my daughter became fascinated with them and drew me in with her artistic skills.
Thank-you for the entertaining visit, I'll be back soon.
Andrea
hi grandblogmum!
i love this post. lots of cool creatures of old. i watch the sifi channel on tv and there's a lot of movies with dragons and other medieval beasts as the scary main characters. i saw one called the wyvern and another one called the griffin. they've come a long way. for sure im a fan of all things beastly.
With all the advances in science and knowledge today, the world has lost a lot of its mystery which is kinda sad in some ways. I would love to think that dragons still exist out there somewhere.
There's a theory that says that mythical beasts are what ancient peoples came up with when they found dinosaur fossils. And fossils of other extinct creatures. So, in a sense, dragons did exist. Sort of.
When I was writing the horrible first draft of a fantasy book set in Wales, I did lots and lots of research into dragon lore and especially the red and white dragons :) During that quest I fell in love with bestiaries :)
The examples you have found are divine!
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•` ¤ Good luck on the rest of your A to Z challenge
Sylvia @ The Creative Life
Unicorns have my vote for most cuddly of the bestiaries, but I'm not quite sure what wyverns are. To me, dragons are the most entertaining, however.
@ EC – it would be fun if there were (perhaps) mini dragons wandering around … and unicorns … ok definitely dragons!
@ Marcy – glad you noticed the counties … just a little addition. Am happy you enjoyed the post … and thanks for coming by …
@ Toni – oh it’s sad they don’t stick around for us isn’t it … pity about your Brownie staying put in the country – he probably needed the space … glad you’ve had your meds!
@ Curtis – yes I guess lots of beasties going into legendary times … and illustrated books are amazing to see …
@ Mike – thank you so much … it was fun to write and I’m so glad everyone’s enjoying it …
@ Anabel – nope didn’t think about Nessie – he must be too modern!
@ Sue – as you say – Nessie is too recent … though reading about Susan Cooper’s novel The Boggart … sounds an interesting read … I shall remember. Thanks re the Bestiaries – they are stunningly beautiful …
@ Patsy – live and learn … you’ve obviously been imbibing too much in the pub! Thinking about your plane – I think there was a car type too (yes) … in fact looking up Wyvern I could have expanded a bit more … but these are meant to be short!
@ Kim – Wyverns lots of interesting information around about them …
@ Vinodini – they are wonderful creatures mystical or otherwise … but are just so inviting to read about … magical world …
@ Elsie – oh D&D is a game … and lovely you’ve some fun statues around at home …
@ Tasha – it is interesting how the ancient texts seem to give us mythical and real creatures together … I suppose they simply didn’t know – and myths can take on reality over time …
@ Nila – they are fun creatures … and centaurs didn’t count here – because they’re not British! Never got to the point as to whether they’d fall into the human category or not …
@ Michelle – Wyverns are fascinating legendary creatures …
@ Susan – oh I love Unicorns always have done … George with his Dragon has ruled for ever … how interesting to read about your pilot’s friend goal to get above the dragons in the clouds …
@ Phillip – thank you … legends are wonderful to read about as too reading our culture and the coats of arms …
@ Nick – it is interesting how the ancients’ minds gave us these creatures and as they are ‘seen’ we hold them in our imagination as real … the scribes might have had a lot to answer for …
@ Arleen – some buildings are sleek aren’t they .. but I love seeing the incredible stone carvings that adorn so many of our buildings … as you say where stories were told …
@ Christine – they might have been and they still inspire our imagination to wander along legendary paths …
@ Jean – legendary animals are just wonderful … and so useful to us in so many ways – art, sculpture, ideas …
@ Bookworm – we can take our imagination and wander along the legendary journeys full of exciting and wonderful beasties ..
@ Steve – oh dear I’m sorry the dragons haven’t yet ventured to your side of the world … your grandson would love to find a wee dragon with you out on your prairie …
@ Joanne – no of course not: St George is mighty clever and held onto his dragon for us all to believe in! They are just beautiful aren’t they ..
@ Diane – imagination wandering in the dark, forested nights … beasts they had never seen – real or otherwise …
@ Deborah – bestiaries are special aren’t they – I too am always beguiled to look at them …
@ Bob –oh yes something else (a pen) that was a wyvern … along with a car, plane, a few pubs et al … The Unicorn is a special legendary beast …
@ Sara – it could well happen couldn’t it … it’s a lovely thought … one day!
@ Keith – yes St George slew his dragon and left us a few pubs and stone sculptures to remember that day by …
@ Jo – I don’t doubt it … I just needed to write about it. It is interesting how much interlinkage there is across the various continents of legendary beasts …
@ Kristin – who knows … we’ve yet to find bones or remains … which makes me suspect that it be not so! But would be fun …
@ Ann – there was quite a lot on Wyverns .. but theoretically I needed to keep the post short … and as you say it’s interesting how these mythical creatures can be found in many cultures …
@ Dipanwita – lovely to meet you …. Mystical creatures seem to attract us all in one way or another …
@ Laurel – I’m not sure where I saw that description “Beats Exactly Unknown” – but it resonated with me … as it has with you.
@ Richard – good to meet you here and am glad you enjoyed the post …
@ Emily – sadly it’s unlikely we’ll never see them … but the sculptures on the churches, castles etc might (might) come to life one day! They are fun though …
@ Jacqui – thank you … there’s a lot to be said for these mystical and mythical creatures … and our feelings depend on where we find them in culture and our own time of life …
@ Andrea – nice to meet you … thank you so much for the wonderful introductory comment – I’m delighted I match up. Oh lucky you having a daughter with artistic skills … something I’d love to have (a daughter and the art ability!) – and then she introduced you to dragons and mythical beasts … they are creatively inspirational …
@ Lenny – wonderful to see you again … and yes lots of mythical and mystical beasties … I didn’t know you were into ‘beastly things’ … creative imaginative mind you have! There are lots of movies and tv programmes to satisfy that SciFi brain of yours …
@ Ian – sadly yes you’re right … we are losing some things – but I must say I love the new things we can find out … I suspect most things have been found … but this morning I heard that an unique snail has been found here at Newhaven on the South Downs …so little critters are still being found, while ancient bones are also being found …
@ Liz – it’s very probable – there would be some logic in the creation of these ‘beasts’ … woolly mammoths, birds etc – I’m sure dragons existed (sort of!) …
@ Sylvia – that’s great that your research brought you into the land of the bestiary – they are extraordinary books to see …
@ Gail - Unicorns are wonderful I’ll give you that – the tapestries always spring to my mind; wyverns are worth looking into further … but dragons seem to hold most people’s attention …
Cheers to you all – thanks so much for visiting … Hilary
Dragons remind me of Game of Thrones
And this post was really informative. I wasn;t aware of any
Thanks for sharing :-)
The amount of research you put into each one of your posts is amazing. There's always tons of new stuff that we can learn.
Love these! Dragons are pretty awesome.
Heather
I do love dragons. They can do so many things in a story, and because they are mythical, you can have both things that everyone understands about them--and things you can change for a good surprise.
Rebecca at The Ninja Librarian
What child has not heard of a legendary dragon? Dragons rule. That winged dragon looks part dog.
I love seeing images from bestiaries :-)
@ DeeDee - I've never seen the Game of Thrones .. but I'm glad you found the post informative ..
@ Cynthia - I just enjoy doing what I do - and getting comments like yours makes the A-Z and writing posts worth doing ... thank you ...
@ Heather - thank you ... dragons are always fun ...
@ Rebecca - dragons certainly tell a story one way or the other, or sometimes from both sides of the real and mythical fence (so to speak) ... as you so rightly day ...
@ Sharon - exactly ... Bertuch wrote and drew for children, and obvious was to a point transfixed with dragons ... trying various ways of depicting them - so perhaps this one was of a 'dog variety' ... see Wiki for further info ... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Justin_Bertuch
@ Deniz - I agree bestiaries are the best - amazing depictions in them ...
Cheers - dragons have much to offer the world and its imagination .. thank you ... Hilary
I've seen dragons and unicorns in my dreams. Does that count? I really enjoyed this post and dragons are legendary.
Hi Truedessa - if you have seen dragons and unicorns in your dreams - then to you they are as real as they can be for now ... delighted you enjoyed the post - thanks so much ... cheers Hilary
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