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Extensive quotations from Norse, Old English and Latin sources are included throughout the text, helping to give a sense of the vigorous imaginations that shaped the development of Norse myth and legend, and the dictionary also contains a wide range of illustrations.

In addition, the dictionary looks at the historical and social background, addressing topics as diverse as burial rites, runes and sacrificial practices. It describes in detail the principal myths and legends of the North, discusses the major literary sources, and sheds light on the pantheon of supernatural beings who populate Norse tales - gods and goddesses, giants and dwarfs, trolls and elves, beasts and monsters, heroes and villains. T his engrossing and superbly author­ itative work explores one of the richest veins of world mythology, giving insights into a tradition that has provided the inspiration for over a thousand years of literature, from the poems of the Vikings to the sagas of the Icelanders to the novels of Tolkien. Secondary Works 204 Index of Passages and Authors Cited in the Text 222 Citation preview Reference Books and General Surveys 197 B. Names of Troll-wives, Giantesses and Valkyries 193 Bibliography and Further Reading 196 A. This engaging and accessible volume reveals the spectacular world of some of mankind’s most sensational creations.Table of contents : Preface vii Introduction: The Nature of the Sources ix Spelling and Pronunciation xiii List of Illustrations xv The Dictionary 1 Appendices 188 A. Each entry includes easy-to-follow text, maps and information boxes describing the background to the myth. George and the Dragon and the Cyclops, while examples from more recent tales include Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, the Norwegian Ridgeback from the Harry Potter books and Smaug from The Hobbit.įeaturing Chinese dragons, Japanese trolls, Norse dwarves, Persian giant birds, the Loch Ness Monster, King Kong and Godzilla, among many others, Mythical Monsters is illustrated throughout with outstanding full-colour artworks for each animal. Included are such classic mythical beasts as the Minotaur, St. Mythical Monsters includes 44 fantastical beasts ranging from Greek mythology to present day folklore, literature and cinema. Werewolves and vampires, dragons and gorgons, giants and goblins – since ancient times man has invented strange creatures to explain the unknown or caution children.