Mythical creatures and beasts feature in storybooks, movies and folk tales. They capture the imagination and open the door to strange and wonderful worlds. But is there any truth behind the stories, and what are the real life origins behind some of the most famous mythical beasts? Let’s take a closer look. 

Dragons

From thrilling dragon shows live on stage to fabulously animated movies, dragons are all around us. But where did these scaly, fire-breathing creatures come from and is there any truth behind their existence? While you won’t see a dragon waiting on a bridge at your next castle visit or one flying overhead swishing its tail, it’s easy to see why dragon myths and legends came about. Fossils of large reptilian creatures like crocodiles, snakes and dinosaurs might have been mistaken for a dragon-like creature and influenced dragon myths. If you think about it, dinosaurs such as the flying Pterodactyl are not so different from what we imagine a dragon might look like and we know Pterodactyls did exist on planet Earth.

Human beings love to embellish things too. Think about games like Chinese whispers. By the time the whisper has gone all around the circle it’s usually completely different to how it started out. The same thing happens with myths and legends. One story is passed down through generations and embellishments happen. So this might have been the case with dragons. After all, a mythical beast of this kind is so much more  interesting if it breathes fire and has a vendetta against knights trying to rescue princesses locked in towers!

Griffins 

The griffin is typically described as a creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. It’s a very strange concept but one that has ignited imaginations for centuries. One possible origin for griffins is the discovery of the Protoceratops fossil. This was a small dinosaur with a beak-like mouth. People from many years ago might have found these fossils and combined them with a majestic lion and eagle to create the griffin. Humans have a knack of also giving meaning to creatures like this and turning them into cultural symbols. The griffin, for example, has long been a symbol of strength, protection and divine power. 

Unicorns 

Described as a beautiful horse-like creature with a flowing mane and a single horn, unicorns are fascinating and appear on everything from lunch boxes to duvet covers and even children’s clothing. They also star in books and movies, so where could this stunning mythical creature have originated? Well, the earliest accounts might be based on the sightings of animals with horns such as the oryx (a type of antelope) or an Indian rhino. The unicorn has been a symbol of purity and grace for many years and is considered a magical entity. 

Mermaids 

Many sailors and seamen claimed to have seen these half-fish, half female creatures out in the ocean. But it’s fair to say that on long sea journeys many sailors might have had a tipple or two. This might have led to them thinking they’d seen an unusual mythical creature when in fact it was just a manatee, a dugong or another marine animal.

If you’re fascinated by weird and wonderful stories, don’t miss Dragons & Mythical Beasts live on stage. Come face to face with some of the most fascinating mythical creatures in the world and see spectacular puppetry on the big stage.