"EB - Rosalind M. and Martin H. Greenberg - Christmas BestiaryUC - Compilation" - читать интересную книгу автора (Greenberg Martin H)

specially-endowed reindeer. But the overwhelming
majority of fabulous beasts do not owe their renown
to a particular holiday or season. Thus readers of this
Christmas Bestiary will find the traditional animals of
Christmas lore mingling with some of their less tradi-
tional brethren.

To better prepare you for the winter's tales to come,
we present herewith a field guide for Christmas beasts.

Abominable Snowman: Reputedly half-man and
half-ape, the Abominable Snowman of the Himalayas

INTRODUCTION 9

was once presumed to be the fabled "missing link" of
the evolutionary chain. He stands taller by several feet
than the average human being, is covered from head
to toe by a dense thatch of fine body hair, and pos-
sesses extraordinary strength. Although the legend of
the Abominable Snowman, or yeti, is kept alive by
the Sherpa tribe that inhabits the valleys of Nepal, it
parallels the legend of Sasquatch, or Bigfoot (so
named because it leaves a footprint one-and-a-half
feet in length) of the American Pacific Northwest.
Some have proposed that Bigfoot is just an American
cousin of the yeti who crossed the Bering land bridge
during prehistoric times.

Basilisk: Also known as the cockatrice, the basilisk
is a small snake of Libyan origin supposedly bom of
a cock's egg that is hatched by a serpent. A fierce
killer whose name translates from the Greek as "little
king," its breath is said to scorch grass and burst
rocks. Its gaze is fatal, but can be turned back upon
it with a mirror. It is also vulnerable to the venom of
the weasel and the crow of the cock. A basilisk's dried
skin is prized for its power to repel snakes and spiders,
but the reckless adventurer who tries to kill one with
a spear will find its venom preternaturally endowed
with the ability to travel the length of the spear and
destroy its attacker.

Dragon: The dragon is a beast of variable shape and
disposition, A serpentine behemoth, it is frequently
portrayed as bat-winged, fire-breathing, and some-
times possessing many heads and/or lion's claws. Al-
though dragons can be found in the mythologies of
many different cultures, beneficent representations
tend to be Asian in origin. In China, for example, the