The Four Dragons: A Chinese Tale

Once upon a time, there were no rivers and lakes on earth, but only the Eastern Sea, in which lived four dragons: the Long Dragon, the Yellow Dragon, the Black Dragon and the Pearl Dragon. One day the four dragons flew from the sea into the sky. They soared and dived, playing at hide-and-seek in … Read more

The Last Dragon

In the land of Oz lived a great Wizard named Albert Creemshaw. He was loved by everyone, and became quite popular when he destroyed the Last Dragon in a great battle between the forces of oppression and the powers of Freedom. When the villagers heard that the monster had been killed they rushed the mountain … Read more

Yofune-nushi and the sea monster

Once upon a time, about 1320 A.D., a samurai named Oribe Shima was banished by a chieftan named Hojo Takatoki. He was sent to a small island called Kamishima, of the Oki islands. Oribe had a beautiful, eighteen-year-old daughter, whom he loved very much, and who loved him. Her name was Tokoyo. Alone in her … Read more

The Bride of the Lindorm King

In Sweden, centuries ago, the queen lay in her bedchamber about to give birth to twins – the fulfilment of many years of empty longing for the children she had seemed destined never to conceive. She smiled as she recalled how she had consulted a soothsayer, who had assured her that in less than a … Read more

St Martha and the Tarasque

A long time ago a huge monster emerged from the sea and chose the river Rhone as its new home. It was a dragoness, half land mammal, half fish. She outsized twelve elephants, had teeth like swords and a skin like iron. Her father was the water dragon Leviathan, her mother the giant snake Onachus, … Read more

Histoire véritable de la Gargouille

  Histoire véritable de la GargouilleComplainte en 32 couplets,ornée du portrait de la bêteet d’un fac simile de son écrituredédié aux rouennais     ~*~   Air de la complainte de Fualdès,et de celle du Droit d’aînesse.       I. Invocation.       O Jean de l’Apocalypse,Toi qui as vu de tes yeuxTant … Read more

Jilocasin

Story by Montse Sant During the reign of Charlemagne, there lived in the region of Gascony a very old and wise dragon called Jilocasin, who was a poet. Every so often, Jilocasin would abandon his confortable and spacious dwelling and take a human form to visit the King’s court. There he was a well-known and … Read more

Eglė the Queen of Grass Snakes

Once upon a time in Lithuania, lived an old man and his wife. Together, they had twelve sons and three daughters. The youngest girl was named Eglė. On a warm summer evening, all three girls decided to go swimming. After bathing with her two sisters, Eglė discovered a serpent in the sleeve of her blouse. … Read more