True Stories of Fantastic Creatures

Books from past centuries show us that once the world was inhabited by dragons, unicorns, werewolves, and krakens…

These mythical monsters were described by sailors and travelers who were not shy about embellishing their tales of adventures. If they told stories of their ship being surrounded by sirens, no one thought to check whether it was indeed sirens or just ordinary manatees.

Without photographs and films, it was difficult to distinguish reality from fantasy. Who knows, perhaps on the other side of the earth, tiny elephants and giant crabs truly exist. And how can one doubt the existence of werewolves and sea serpents if everyone around believes in them?

The creatures described in this book are fantastic, but the stories about them are true. In fact, there were times when a captain sold a ship to buy a siren or when a rooster was accused of giving birth to a basilisk! And whenever a wondrous animal appears in a fairy tale, it always plays an important role. But sometimes a mythical creature penetrates the real world. For many centuries, the kraken was only a product of imagination — and eventually found its place in marine fauna, among sardines and whales. Perhaps this monster is now a little less frightening.

Dive into the world of fantastic creatures with incredible stories and magnificent illustrations!

Artist: Camille Ranversad