Contents

Contents : foreword by Jonathan Stroud; INTRODUCTION - what is fantasy; THE LITTLE PEOPLE - Elves and fairies, traps and tricks, celebrated fairies, household helpers, harmful little people, underground, gremlins; ELEMENTALS AND NATURE SPIRITS - elementals, nymphs, forest and woodland spirits, solitary forest spirits, dangerous water spirits, dangers by the wayside; MYSTERIOUS ANIMALS - ape-men of the mountains, in lakes, in sea; FABULOUS BEASTS - dragons in the east, dragons in the west, the unicorn, fantasy horses, fire and feather, giant birds, dangerous beasts, Hydra and the Nagas, Guardians of worlds and doors; MYTHICAL BEINGS - beautiful but dangerous, hideous and dangerous, part-man, part-beast, riddles and prophecies, giants in the land, ogres and trolls, sea-beings, mermaids; MAGIC AND SPELLS - witches and wise women, famous witches and enchantresses, spells, cauldrons and familiars, wizards and magicians, notable wizards, sorcerers and necromancers, portals and rings, amulets, talismans and charms; SHAPE-SHIFTERS - werewolves; THE UNDEAD - vampires, Count Dracula, skeletons and symbolic heads, Mummies, zombies and golems; GHOSTS AND SPIRITS - Jinn or genii, messengers of death, Ghouls and evil spirits, ghosts and hauntings, poltergeists, ghost ships and eerie beasts, the wild hunt; LIST OF CREATURES BY AREA; Glossary; Index; Acknowledgements;