MYTHS & MONSTERS

Greek gods, Norse giants, dragons, sea monsters and the cryptids people still claim to see.

54 facts

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The Sirens of Greek myth sang so beautifully that sailors crashed their ships.

The Sirens of Greek myth sang so beautifully that sailors crashed their ships.

According to Greek legend, the Sirens were creatures whose songs were so enchanting that listening to them would make sailors steer right into rocks.

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MORE MYTHS & MONSTERS FACTS

53 facts

Ancient Egyptians believed the afterlife was a long, dangerous journey.

DID YOU KNOW? Ancient Egyptians believed the afterlife was a long, dangerous journey. According to Egyptian myth, the dead had to pass through twelve gates, answer hard questions, and survive scary monsters before reaching paradise. 1 min read

A mysterious "beast" terrorized a French region for three years in the 1760s.

DID YOU KNOW? A mysterious "beast" terrorized a French region for three years in the 1760s. The Beast of Gevaudan attacked people in southern France over 200 times - and nobody is sure to this day what animal it actually was. 2 min read

Mongolians tell stories of a giant worm that shoots venom out of its body.

DID YOU KNOW? Mongolians tell stories of a giant worm that shoots venom out of its body. According to Mongolian legend, a bright red worm called the death worm lives under the Gobi Desert and can kill from a distance. 1 min read

A lake in Vermont has its own monster legend called Champ.

DID YOU KNOW? A lake in Vermont has its own monster legend called Champ. Lake Champlain on the border of New York, Vermont, and Canada has had over 300 reported sightings of a long-necked creature. 1 min read

Werewolf legends say people turn into wolves under the light of a full moon.

DID YOU KNOW? Werewolf legends say people turn into wolves under the light of a full moon. According to European folklore, certain humans can transform into giant wolves when the moon is full - usually against their will. 1 min read

Many old "mermaid" sightings were probably sea cows called manatees.

DID YOU KNOW? Many old "mermaid" sightings were probably sea cows called manatees. Sailors used to spot strange creatures swimming near the surface and think they were half-fish women - they were probably manatees. 2 min read

The legend of the Kraken was probably inspired by real giant squids.

DID YOU KNOW? The legend of the Kraken was probably inspired by real giant squids. Sailors used to tell terrifying stories of a sea monster called the Kraken - and scientists now think they were seeing real giant squids. 2 min read

The Jersey Devil is a winged creature said to live in the New Jersey Pine Barrens.

DID YOU KNOW? The Jersey Devil is a winged creature said to live in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. For over 300 years, people in New Jersey have told stories of a strange creature with hooves, wings, and a horse-like head. 2 min read

The Mothman is a winged creature said to have been seen in West Virginia in 1966.

DID YOU KNOW? The Mothman is a winged creature said to have been seen in West Virginia in 1966. Several people in the town of Point Pleasant reported seeing a tall human-shaped creature with huge wings and glowing red eyes. 2 min read

The Chupacabra is a Latin American cryptid said to attack farm animals at night.

DID YOU KNOW? The Chupacabra is a Latin American cryptid said to attack farm animals at night. First reported in Puerto Rico in 1995, the Chupacabra is said to be a small creature with spikes down its back that drinks the blood of goats. 2 min read

Mountain climbers have reported seeing huge footprints high in the Himalayas.

DID YOU KNOW? Mountain climbers have reported seeing huge footprints high in the Himalayas. The Yeti, also called the Abominable Snowman, is said to be a tall ape-like creature that walks through the snowy Himalayan mountains. 2 min read

Bigfoot is a giant hairy creature said to live in the forests of North America.

DID YOU KNOW? Bigfoot is a giant hairy creature said to live in the forests of North America. For over 100 years, people in the Pacific Northwest have reported seeing a huge ape-like creature stomping through the woods. 2 min read

People have claimed to see the Loch Ness Monster since at least the year 565.

DID YOU KNOW? People have claimed to see the Loch Ness Monster since at least the year 565. A giant lake monster called Nessie is said to live in a deep Scottish lake, and people have been reporting sightings for nearly 1,500 years. 2 min read

Bearded dragons are real lizards that puff out a spiky "beard" when scared.

DID YOU KNOW? Bearded dragons are real lizards that puff out a spiky "beard" when scared. These small Australian reptiles get their name from the spiny pouch under their chin that they flare out to look big and scary. 1 min read

The dragon Smaug from The Hobbit was inspired by ancient Norse myths.

DID YOU KNOW? The dragon Smaug from The Hobbit was inspired by ancient Norse myths. J.R.R. Tolkien studied old dragon legends for years before writing his books, and he built Smaug out of bits of older mythology. 1 min read

A Norse dragon named Fafnir hoarded so much gold he could not stop guarding it.

DID YOU KNOW? A Norse dragon named Fafnir hoarded so much gold he could not stop guarding it. According to Norse legend, Fafnir was originally a dwarf who turned into a dragon because of his greed for treasure. 2 min read

The Aztecs worshipped a giant feathered serpent god named Quetzalcoatl.

DID YOU KNOW? The Aztecs worshipped a giant feathered serpent god named Quetzalcoatl. According to Aztec myth, Quetzalcoatl was a wise god who looked like a snake covered in bright green feathers. 2 min read

Wales has a red dragon on its national flag.

DID YOU KNOW? Wales has a red dragon on its national flag. The Welsh flag features a huge red dragon and dates back to a legend about an underground battle between a red and a white dragon. 1 min read

Komodo dragons are real lizards that can grow over 10 feet long.

DID YOU KNOW? Komodo dragons are real lizards that can grow over 10 feet long. These massive reptiles are the largest lizards on Earth, and they have venom in their bite - making them the closest thing to a real-life dragon. 2 min read

According to legend, Saint George killed a dragon to save a princess.

DID YOU KNOW? According to legend, Saint George killed a dragon to save a princess. Saint George is the patron saint of England, and the famous tale says he speared a dragon outside a city to rescue everyone from being eaten. 1 min read

European dragons are giant flying lizards who breathe fire and hoard gold.

DID YOU KNOW? European dragons are giant flying lizards who breathe fire and hoard gold. According to medieval European legends, dragons lived in caves on huge piles of stolen treasure, and only the bravest knights could defeat them. 2 min read

Chinese dragons bring rain and good luck instead of fire and danger.

DID YOU KNOW? Chinese dragons bring rain and good luck instead of fire and danger. Unlike European dragons, Chinese dragons are usually friendly, wingless, and connected to water and weather. 2 min read

Almost every culture in the world has its own dragon legends.

DID YOU KNOW? Almost every culture in the world has its own dragon legends. Dragons appear in stories from China, Europe, Mexico, the Middle East, and Africa - even though these cultures lived thousands of miles apart. 2 min read

Cats were so sacred in ancient Egypt that killing one could be punished by death.

DID YOU KNOW? Cats were so sacred in ancient Egypt that killing one could be punished by death. The ancient Egyptians loved cats so much they had a cat-headed goddess named Bastet - and they sometimes mummified their pet cats. 2 min read

The Egyptian Book of the Dead was a magic spellbook for the afterlife.

DID YOU KNOW? The Egyptian Book of the Dead was a magic spellbook for the afterlife. Ancient Egyptians were buried with a scroll of spells to help them survive the dangerous journey to the afterlife. 1 min read

Egyptian hieroglyphics use over 700 different pictures to spell words.

DID YOU KNOW? Egyptian hieroglyphics use over 700 different pictures to spell words. Ancient Egyptian writing looks like tiny drawings of birds, snakes, and feet, and each one stands for a sound or an idea. 2 min read

King Tut's tomb was found stuffed with over 5,000 treasures.

DID YOU KNOW? King Tut's tomb was found stuffed with over 5,000 treasures. A team of archaeologists in 1922 cracked open a hidden tomb and discovered gold treasures untouched for over 3,000 years. 2 min read

Egyptian mummies took 70 days to make and had their brains pulled out through their noses.

DID YOU KNOW? Egyptian mummies took 70 days to make and had their brains pulled out through their noses. The ancient Egyptians believed people needed their bodies in the afterlife, so they invented a careful 70-day preservation process. 2 min read

The Great Sphinx of Giza has guarded the pyramids for over 4,500 years.

DID YOU KNOW? The Great Sphinx of Giza has guarded the pyramids for over 4,500 years. This enormous limestone statue has the head of a person and the body of a lion - and nobody knows for sure who carved it. 2 min read

The Egyptian goddess Isis put her husband Osiris back together piece by piece.

DID YOU KNOW? The Egyptian goddess Isis put her husband Osiris back together piece by piece. According to Egyptian myth, the god Osiris was killed and chopped up, but his wife Isis searched the world to put him back together. 2 min read

Anubis was the jackal-headed Egyptian god who guided souls to the afterlife.

DID YOU KNOW? Anubis was the jackal-headed Egyptian god who guided souls to the afterlife. The ancient Egyptians believed Anubis weighed your heart against a feather to decide whether you reached the afterlife. 2 min read

The ancient Egyptians believed the sun god Ra sailed across the sky in a boat.

DID YOU KNOW? The ancient Egyptians believed the sun god Ra sailed across the sky in a boat. According to Egyptian myth, every day Ra crossed the sky in a magical solar boat, and every night he sailed through the underworld. 2 min read

The Valkyries were flying warrior women who chose who lived and died in battle.

DID YOU KNOW? The Valkyries were flying warrior women who chose who lived and died in battle. According to Norse myth, Valkyries swooped over battlefields on flying horses, picking out the bravest warriors to take to Valhalla. 1 min read

The Vikings believed a rainbow bridge connected Earth to the home of the gods.

DID YOU KNOW? The Vikings believed a rainbow bridge connected Earth to the home of the gods. According to Norse myth, the Bifrost was a flaming rainbow bridge that linked the human world to Asgard, where the gods lived. 2 min read

The Norse gods chained up a giant wolf named Fenrir with a magic ribbon.

DID YOU KNOW? The Norse gods chained up a giant wolf named Fenrir with a magic ribbon. According to Norse myth, Fenrir was so strong that only a ribbon made from impossible ingredients could hold him. 2 min read

The Midgard Serpent was so huge it wrapped all the way around the world.

DID YOU KNOW? The Midgard Serpent was so huge it wrapped all the way around the world. According to Norse myth, a giant sea snake circled the entire human world and bit its own tail to stay in place. 2 min read

Vikings believed brave warriors went to a great hall called Valhalla.

DID YOU KNOW? Vikings believed brave warriors went to a great hall called Valhalla. According to Norse myth, soldiers who died in battle would feast every night in Odin's enormous golden hall. 2 min read

The Vikings believed the world would end in a giant battle called Ragnarök.

DID YOU KNOW? The Vikings believed the world would end in a giant battle called Ragnarök. According to Norse myth, Ragnarök was an enormous final war where most of the gods, monsters, and humans would all be destroyed. 2 min read

The Vikings believed a giant tree connected nine different worlds.

DID YOU KNOW? The Vikings believed a giant tree connected nine different worlds. According to Norse myth, an enormous ash tree called Yggdrasil grew at the center of the universe and held the whole cosmos together. 2 min read

Loki was a shapeshifting trickster who could turn into almost any animal.

DID YOU KNOW? Loki was a shapeshifting trickster who could turn into almost any animal. According to Norse myth, Loki turned into a fly, a salmon, a horse, and even an old woman to play tricks on the gods. 2 min read

Odin had two ravens who flew around the world and reported the news.

DID YOU KNOW? Odin had two ravens who flew around the world and reported the news. According to Norse myth, Odin's ravens Huginn and Muninn were his eyes and ears, bringing back gossip from every corner of the nine worlds. 2 min read

Thor's hammer Mjölnir always flew back to his hand like a boomerang.

DID YOU KNOW? Thor's hammer Mjölnir always flew back to his hand like a boomerang. According to Norse myth, Thor's magic hammer could level mountains, summon lightning, and never miss when thrown. 2 min read

Atlas was forced to hold up the sky on his shoulders forever.

DID YOU KNOW? Atlas was forced to hold up the sky on his shoulders forever. According to Greek myth, a Titan named Atlas lost a war against the gods - and his punishment was to carry the heavens for all time. 1 min read

A Cyclops was a one-eyed giant who lived in a cave and ate sheep.

DID YOU KNOW? A Cyclops was a one-eyed giant who lived in a cave and ate sheep. According to Greek myth, the Cyclopes were huge, strong, and only had a single round eye in the middle of their foreheads. 2 min read

Icarus flew too close to the sun and his wax wings melted.

DID YOU KNOW? Icarus flew too close to the sun and his wax wings melted. According to Greek myth, a boy escaped a tower on homemade wings - but ignored his father's warning and flew too high. 1 min read

Pandora opened a forbidden box and let every trouble loose in the world.

DID YOU KNOW? Pandora opened a forbidden box and let every trouble loose in the world. According to Greek myth, the first woman was warned never to open a special jar - but curiosity got the better of her. 2 min read

The Minotaur was a bull-headed monster trapped inside a maze.

DID YOU KNOW? The Minotaur was a bull-headed monster trapped inside a maze. According to Greek myth, a king built a giant labyrinth so confusing no one could escape it - and put a monster inside. 2 min read

Poseidon ruled the seas with a three-pronged spear called a trident.

DID YOU KNOW? Poseidon ruled the seas with a three-pronged spear called a trident. The Greeks believed Poseidon could shake the earth, summon storms, and create horses just by striking the ground with his trident. 2 min read

The goddess Athena was born fully grown from Zeus's head.

DID YOU KNOW? The goddess Athena was born fully grown from Zeus's head. According to Greek myth, Athena leapt out of her father's forehead already wearing armor and ready for battle. 2 min read

Medusa had living snakes for hair and a stone-turning stare.

DID YOU KNOW? Medusa had living snakes for hair and a stone-turning stare. According to Greek myth, one look from Medusa's eyes would turn any living creature instantly into stone. 2 min read

The Greeks won the Trojan War by hiding inside a giant wooden horse.

DID YOU KNOW? The Greeks won the Trojan War by hiding inside a giant wooden horse. After ten years of fighting, the legend says the Greeks built a huge wooden horse, hid soldiers inside, and tricked the Trojans into wheeling it through their gates. 2 min read

Hercules had to complete twelve nearly impossible tasks.

DID YOU KNOW? Hercules had to complete twelve nearly impossible tasks. According to the legend, Hercules wrestled lions, cleaned giant stables, and even visited the underworld to finish his twelve labors. 2 min read

Zeus was the king of the Greek gods and the boss of the sky.

DID YOU KNOW? Zeus was the king of the Greek gods and the boss of the sky. According to the ancient Greeks, Zeus ruled from Mount Olympus and hurled lightning bolts when he was angry. 2 min read

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