The Medusa was not always a horrible monster!  In fact legend has it that she was born a beautiful woman with long, lustrous hair.  When she paid no respect to Athena's temple, the goddess turned her into a gorgon, like her other sisters.  Her once- beautiful hair became a mass of swirling poisonous snakes.

Anyone looking into Medusa's eyes was turned to stone, so she was pretty much invincible.  Until the hero Perseus came after her, that is.  Using a polished shield like a mirror, the Greek hero managed to cut off her head.  He used it to turn his enemies to stone, including a horrible king who wanted to marry his widowed mother.

Read the story of Perseus' battle with the Medusa in THE ORCHARD BOOK OF FIRST GREEY MYTHS or in PERSEUS AND THE MONSTROUS MEDUSA.

The Chimera was a monster like no other! She had the body of a lioness and the head of a goat. Her tail was a massive snake which, like her mouth, breathed fire hot enough to roast a cow - or a human being.

The Chimera lived in the mountains of a country called Lycia in Ancient Greece.  Her sister was another monster called the Hydra and her brother a dog with three heads named Cerberus.  No one could kill the Chimera, because she could see people coming at her from all angles.  She was finally vanquished by the hero Bellorophon riding on Pegasus, the flying horse.  They swooped down on her from above and threw a big lump of lead into her mouth.  Her fiery breath melted the lead and she choked to death! 

Find out how Bellorophon killed the Chimera in THE ORCHARD BOOK OF FIRST GREEK MYTHS or in PEGASUS, THE FLYING HORSE.

These horrible sisters from ancient Greece had snakes on their heads instead of hair, which they kept wrapped in filthy shawls.  Their skin felt like a snake's, and they had only one eye between them.  They were constantly fighting over whose turn it was to use it next.

The gorgons' lair was a cave in the mountains.  The entrance was littered with stone statues - for the gorgons had the power to turn anyone who looked at them into stone.  You have been warned!

Read more about the horrible gorgons in THE ORCHARD BOOK OF FIRST GREEK MYTHS or PERSEUS AND THE MONSTROUS MEDUSA.

The Minotaur was a monster of ancient Greek legend.  Half man and half bull, he was so dangerous his own father, King Minos of Crete, trapped him in a labyrinth under his palace from which he could never find his way out.  The labyrinth was designed by a famous inventor who worked for King Minos. He was called Daedalus, and he had a son called Icarus who later met a rather messy end while trying to escape from Crete.

Every year seven young men and seven your women from Athens were fed to to the Minotaur, whose birth name was Asterion.  The monster ate them not just because he liked humman flesh but also because he wanted to destroy anyone who was handsomer than him - which of course, was everyone in the world.  It took a hero called Theseus and his friend Princess Ariadne to finally kill the monster.   

Find out how in THE ORCHARD BOOK OF FIRST GREEK MYTHS or FIRST GREEK MYTHS: THESEUS AND THE MAN-EATING MONSTER!

This ancient monster lives in China and looks different in various parts of the country. Some niens live in caves, others in the sea or rivers.  Once every Spring, they sneak out of their lair in search of human flesh, the younger the better.

The nien has very delicate ears and hates loud noise and the colour red.  That's why the Chinese celebrate New Year, or the Spring Festival as they call it in some parts of China, by letting off loud fireworks. They scare away the nien.

Read the story of the nien and Chinese New Year in  TRADITIONAL STORIES FROM CHINA.

THE SERPENT THAT NEVER SLEEPS

In the legend of Jason and the argonauts, the brave sailors set off to find a rare treasure. A golden fleece said to be somewhere in the distant land of Colchis!  When they do find the fleece, it's only to discover that it's guarded day and night by a giant serpent that never sleeps.  

There was only one way that Jason could snatch the fleece of the tree without getting stung to death, or crushed to pulp.  A princess called Medea knew the secret, which she was prepared to share with Jason on one condition.....

Discover Medea's secret in THE ORCHARD BOOK OF FIRST GREEK MYTHS or JASON AND THE GOLDEN FLEECE.  But beware, the giant serpent might wake up any minute!

According to ancient Chinese wisdom, there is a fierce beast on Earth that has the power to destroy not only other monsters but also all good and king things.  Not all has this monster to power to destory without fear, he has already done so, many times. His name? Man.  People seem to be the only creatures that enjoy bullying and destroying others.  They also have the power to kill off the entire world in a way that no other creatures can.  

Read the story of The Firecest Beast in TRADITIONAL STORIES FROM CHINA.