New chapter to ~ The Dragon's Talismen ~ not completed yet

Mythical Creatures: Beasts That Don't Exist (Or Do They?)

Benjamin Radford, Life's Little Mysteries Contributor   |   March 03, 2011 10:58am ET

A still shot from the newly posted video that some think shows a monster in Lake Champlain in Vermont. Credit: YouTube

When scientists visit a tucked-away part of the planet—say, a deep-ocean hydrothermal vent or an isolated jungle mountain—they routinely find dozens of species that have never been documented.It's discoveries like these that allow folks who believe in mythical beasts such as Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster and El Chupacabra to hold out hope that these creatures actually do exist.

In most cases, hope is all they have, as the scientific evidence for these 10 animals of urban legend simply isn't very convincing.

Bigfoot

Several names have been bestowed on the mysterious, hairy (and, reportedly, smelly) bipedal man-beast said to roam the North American wilderness, but Bigfoot is the one that's stuck. Reports of  the creature date back to only the 1950s, and so far no teeth, hair, bones or any other trace of Bigfoot have been found. The best evidence for this beast remains a famous Patterson-Gimlin film shot in California in 1967— and even that looks like a guy in a cheap gorilla suit.

Nessie

Perhaps best known as the Loch Ness Monster, Nessie is the aquatic beast said to inhabit Scotland's Loch Ness. Nessie was first reported in 1933, and since then many locals and tourists have claimed to see something in the cold, deep water. According to some believers, Nessie is a plesiosaur, a large marine reptile from the age of dinosaurs. Despite occasional reports, doctored photos, and scientific investigations (using everything from submarines to sonar beams), hard evidence of Nessie has yet to surface.

Chupacabra

El Chupacabra, the "goat-sucker," was first seen in Puerto Rico in the mid-1990s. Descriptions vary, but it's said to be from 3 to 5 feet tall,have a row of spikes down its back, and possess alienlike eyes. It is also a vampire, supposedly sucking the blood out of its prey (mostly goats, sheep, and small animals). It is said to have either come from outer space, or be the product of secret government genetics experiments; its true origin, a 1995 sci-fi film, was recently revealed in the book"Tracking the Chupacabra."

Jersey Devil

This mythical beastie was literally birthed in the early 1700s. According to folklore, around that time a New Jersey-area woman gave birth to a cursed monster with a horse's head, bat's wings and cloven hoofs. Over the centuries this legend has been embellished by tall tales, hoaxes and occasional sightings of weird things in the woods, but according to Loren Coleman's book "Monsters of New Jersey" there's no hard evidence that it's more than a myth.

Champ

Champ is America's answer to Nessie, a mysterious lake monster said to live in Lake Champlain. Sometimes referred to as "America's Loch Ness Monster," Champ comes in many forms but is said to have several humps, be dozens of feet long, have dark skin and a head like a snake or a dog. The famous 1981 photo of Champ was later revealed to be a floating log, but Champ's legend is kept alive by occasional "sightings" and ambiguous photos and videos.

Montauk Monster

A relatively recent addition to the monster list, the Montauk Monster was a strange creature that washed up on a beach in Montauk, N.Y., in July 2008. A photo of the four-legged, clawed, nearly hairless animal circulated around the Web. Some thought it was a hoax; others believed it was a pig, or an unknown, possibly genetically modified animal. The Montauk Monster was finally identified as a decomposing raccoon.

Feejee Mermaid

While mermaids don't necessarily fit the public's image of monsters or beasts, the Feejee Mermaid was quite an exception. Showman P.T. Barnum introduced his infamous FeeJee Mermaid in the 1840s: not a beautiful, half-naked fish-woman but a hideous head and torso of a small monkey on the body and tail of a fish. It wasn't real, of course—close inspection of the specimen reveals the hand stitching that holds the two animals together —just one of several faked mermaid created to cash in on the public's curiosity.

Sea Monsters

Stories of sea monsters have been around for millennia; a1752 book titled "Natural History of Norway" described a monster named the Kraken, which was the size of a small island and "round, flat, and full of arms," and is often under the control of the sea gods. It became the subject of a famous catchphrase— “Release the Kraken!"—from the 2010 film "Clash of the Titans." Sightings of sea serpents are very rare today, and scientists now believe that many early reports were actually of giant squid, which can reach 43 feet long.

Ogopogo

It seems like every country has its own lake monster. Ogopogo, "Canada's Loch Ness Monster," is the mysterious beast that many believe lurks in British Columbia's Lake Okanagan. Centuries ago, Native Americans believed that a water spirit lived in the lake, and live sacrifices were made to pacify the aquatic demon. (There's actually no real link between Native American myths and the monster, but this is often cited as its origin.) Ogopogo was in fact named after a popular dance hall song, and despite a lack of scientific evidence, people report occasional odd things in the lake to this day. 

Vampires

Vampires are hot. From "Dracula" to "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" to "Twilight," no mythical monster has captured the public's imagination in the same way. Fictional vampires are often tormented, sexy souls, and while blood-drinking human vampires don't exist—well, there are a few freaks out there who drink blood, but they don't survive on the stuff—there are many true vampiric animals, including leeches, female mosquitoes, ticks and, of course, the vampire bat.

http://www.livescience.com/13059-mythical-creatures-beasts-exist.html

The Native American Story of the Elves

Hi, I thought you may find this interesting to read until I get my next submission in the sequels story The DRagon's Talisman.

Elves

The Native American Story of the ElvesThe Red Indian Fairy Book by Frances Jenkins Olcott
An Iroquois Story

The Story of the Elves The little Elves of Darkness, so says the old Iroquois Grandmother, were wise and mysterious. They dwelt under the Earth, where were deep forests and broad plains. There they kept captive all the evil things that wished to injure human beings,—the venomous snakes, the wicked spiders, and the fearful monsters. Sometimes one of these evil creatures escaped and rushed upward to the bright, pure air, and spread its poisonous breath over the Upper World. But such happenings were rare, for the Elves of Darkness were faithful and strong, and did not willingly allow the wicked beasts and reptiles to harm human beings and the growing things.

When the night was lighted by the Moon's soft rays, and the woods of the Upper World were sweet with the odour of the Spring flowers, then the Elves of Darkness left the Under World, and creeping from their holes, held a festival in the woods. And under many a tree where the blades of grass had refused to grow, the Little People danced until rings of green sprang up under their feet. And to the festival came the Elves of Light,—among them the Tree-Elves, Flower-Elves, and Fruit-Elves. They too danced and made merry.

But when the moonlight faded away, and day began to break, then the Elves of Darkness scampered back to their holes, and returned once more to the Under World, while the Elves of Light began their daily tasks. 

For in the Springtime these Little People of Light hid in sheltered places. They listened to the complaints of the seeds that lay covered in the ground, and they whispered to the Earth until the seeds burst their pods and sent their shoots up to the light. Then the little Elves wandered through the woods bidding all growing things look up to the Sun.

The Tree-Elves tended the trees, unfolding their leaves, and feeding their roots with sap from the Earth. The Flower-Elves unwrapped the baby buds, and tinted the petals of the opening flowers, and played with the Butterflies and Bees.

But the busiest of all were the Fruit-Elves. Their greatest care in the Spring was the Strawberry Plant. When the ground softened from the frost, the Fruit-Elves loosened the soil around each Strawberry root, that its shoots might push through to the light. They shaped the plant's leaves, and turned its blossoms toward the warm rays of the Sun. They trained its runners, and helped the timid fruit to form. They painted the luscious berry, and bade it ripen. And when the first Strawberries blushed on the vines, these guardian Elves protected them from the evil insects that had escaped from the world of darkness underground.

The old Iroquois Grandmother tells how once, when the fruit first came to earth, the Evil One, Hahgwehdaetgah, stole the Strawberry Plant, and carried it to his gloomy cave, where he hid it away. And there it lay until a tiny sunbeam pierced the damp mould, and finding the little vine, carried it back to its sunny fields. And ever since then the Strawberry Plant has lived and thrived in the fields and woods. But the Fruit-Elves, fearing lest the Evil One should one day steal the vine again, watch day and night over their favourite. And when the Strawberries ripen, the Elves give the juicy, fragrant fruit to the Iroquois children as they gather the Spring flowers in the woods.

The Story of the Elves This story of the Elves is featured in the book entitled the Red Indian Fairy Book by Frances Jenkins Olcott published in Boston, New York by Houghton Mifflin Company in 1917

http://www.warpaths2peacepipes.com/native-american-stories/elves.htm

The Legend of Dragon and FairyHome

Interlude until everyone has had a chance to read the series story  to date

The Dragon's Talisman Part 2 below

Thank you

 The Legend of Dragon and FairyHome→ Vietnam → The Au Co: The Legend of Dragon and Fairy

A long time ago, in Linh Nam, there was a leader called Loc Tuc often called the Kinh Duong Vuong, who has strong health and an ability to walk in the water as wel as on land. One day, the Kinh Duong Vuong had an excursion to Dong Dinh Lake and met Long Nu, who is the daughter of the Poseidon. They got married and later gave birth to a son, named Sung Lam. As a grown up man, Sung Lam is very strong. He can lift up a rock as big as two people hug with just one arm. Like his father, Sung Lam has an ability to travel under water and on land. When succeeding his father, he took the title of The Dragon Lord of the Sea.

At that time Linh Nam was unstable, not a place of peace. The Dragon Lord of the Sea determined to travel around.

To the southeast coast, The Dragon Lord of the Sea met a huge fish. This fish has been alive for a long time. Its body is more than 50 yards in length, its tail is as large as a sail, and its mouth can swallow ten people at a time. When it swims, waves rise up to the sky, sinking all boats which try to pass by, and all boat crew are swallowed alive.  Fishermen are afraid of the monster. They call it sea monster. Its shelter is a large cave deep into the seabed, on a high rocky mountain that divides the coast into two regions.

The Dragon Lord of the Sea determined to kill the sea monster, bring peace to the people. The Dragon Lord of the Sea built a very strong and large boat and an iron block with many edges. He then heated up the iron block and brought into the boat then sailed directly to the cave. The Dragon Lord of the Sea raised iron block and pretended to throw food into its mouth.  The monster opens her mouth. The Dragon Lord of the Sea takes the opportunity to throw the hot iron block into the mouth quickly. The monster got its throat burned seriously and tried to get its tail to hit the boat of The Dragon Lord of the Sea. The Dragon Lord of the Sea whipped his sword and cut the monster into three parts.

See the best cruises on Halong Bay:

- Violet Cruise

- Valentine Cruise

- Indochina Sails

- The Au Co

- Bhaya Classic Cruise

- Paradise Luxury Cruise

- Paloma Cruise

- Victory Cruise

Having killed the monster, The Dragon Lord of the Sea traveled to Long Bien. Here there is a nine tailed fox which has lived for over a thousand years. It resides in a cave at the foot of a rocky mountain in western Long Bien. It often disguises itself as a lovely person and catches girls into its cave for raping. A large area from Long Bien to Tan Vien Mountain witnesses and fears the fox. People are very nervous, and many families have to leave their home and farm to relocate to other areas.

The Dragon Lord of the Sea feels a great pity for the civilians, and traveled alone to the cave with a sword in order to kill it.  When The Dragon Lord of the Sea arrived to the entrance of the cave, the fox sees a man shadow and quickly breaks out.  The Dragon Lord of the Sea uses his talents to make magical rains and thunder storms to trap the fox. Both fights for 3 days 3 nights. The fox gets weaker and weaker and tries to find a way out.  The Dragon Lord of the Sea cuts its head and quickly gets into the cave to save survivors. He orders aquatic species to pour water into the cave, turning it into the lake called the West Lake in Hanoi today.

Seeing people in Long Bien have peace, The Dragon Lord of the Sea goes to the mountainous areas near Phong Chau region. In this area there is a tree called Chien Dan. It is as high as a mountain. But after many years, the tree turns into a brutal ghost. It does not live in one certain forest. It often changes its appearance and hides in strategic places to slaughter civilians. Traveling to this area, The Dragon Lord of the Sea heard tragic stories of families and children who lose their loved ones. He determines to put an end to the matter. He walks through various forests and finally finds the ghost.  He fights with it for hundreds of days without winning. He finally uses drums, musical tools and terrifies it with strange sound. It finally retreats to the South and never gets back to the region. 

After have killed the ghost,  the Dragon Lord of the Sea sees people starve and live in misery: they have to use tree barks as blankets, live in caves and have nothing to eat. He then teaches people how to plant rice, cook food in bamboo tubes and build strong shelters from timbers to avoid beasts. He also teaches people to live with specific rules in family relationship. People enjoy happiness during his stay with the community and build him a big castle on a high mountain. However he refuses and gets back to his marine places and tell people that if there are anything wrong, just call his name. 

At that time, the Northern troops came down to the South. De Lai leads the troops to invade the area. He brings along his adored daughter named Au Co and many other servants.  They see Linh Nam having beautiful sceneries, bird species and precious timbers. De Lai orders his troops to build a citadel for long term residence in the area. The troops force civilians to serve and contribute. People are unable to bear hard work and facing the South China Sea they call out: "Daddy! Why not save the people!". In the blink of an eye, The Dragon Lord of the Sea arrives.

After people tell stories of slavery work, The Dragon Lord of the Sea disguises as a nice guy, with hundreds of servants and maids. He travels right to the place where De Lai lives. To his surprise, He does not see De Lai but only a beautiful girl, wealth and soldiers. The beautiful girl is Au Co, and at the first sight, she falls in love with this handsome man. They move to live in his castle on the high mountain. When De Lai returns, he cannot find his daughter and orders his troops to go and find her. The Dragon Lord of the Sea orders all saints and beasts to block and kill the troop. The troop has to return to the North.

After living with The Dragon Lord of the Sea for some time, Au Co is pregnant. On the seventh day of pregnancy, Au Co gives birth to a bundle containing one hundred eggs. Each egg hatches a son. Hundred sons grow up quickly and all are handsome, strong and clever.

Decades of living with Au Co pass by, and The Dragon Lord of the Sea leads a happy life with his sons. He however still misses his home in the sea. One day The Dragon Lord of the Sea leaves Au Co and her children, turning into a dragon which flies up into the clouds and high sky. Au Co and her children want to follow him but are unable to. They are forced to stay back on the castle in the mountain.  Day in and day out, they wait for him to return but in vain. As he does not return, Au Co standing on the high mountain facing to the sea yields aloud "His father! Why not go home, leaving us suffering like this." The Dragon Lord of the Sea returns immediately. Au Co said:

I grew up in the mountainous area. After getting married with you, we have had one hundred sons. How come can you leave us alone here and wander all around? 

The Dragon Lord of the Sea said:

I am of the dragon breeds, while you are the fairy breeds. It is hard to stay with each other for a long time. Now I will take 50 sons back to the underwater world and you take the other 50 back to the mountains to rein the country. In case in danger remember to inform each other to come and help. Do not forget my words.

Then two people said good bye. The hundred men then traveled all corners and became ancestors of the Vietnamese people. The first son stays back at Phong Chau region and is made the King of Van Lang country, titled Hung Vuong. Huong Vuong divided his kingdom into 15 units headed by martial general and diplomatic general. He has one sone called Quan Lang and a daughter called My Nuong. Eternal throne is referred to one title of Hung Vuong.

The Dragon Lord of the Sea is expanding realms of Linh Nam and brings peace to the people. Hung Kings rein the country in 18 generations. Due to the legend of The Dragon Lord of the Sea and Au Co, the Vietnamese people still regard themselves as children of dragon and fairy breeds. 

The Au Co vessel is inspired by the Legend of the love story between the Dragon Lord of the Sea and Au Co, resulting in a luxurious ship fusing modern Asian design and a French flair of elegance and charm.

http://www.redcranetravel.com/vietnam/the-au-co-the-legend-of-dragon-and-fairy