A centaur fighting a man. Photo from wikipedia
Hybrid Creatures
There is an extensive list of Hybrid Creatures in folklore, but also in many modern stories like Harry Potter and The Little Mermaid. I want to use this storybook to focus specifically on three Hybrid Creatures. I chose to focus on Fauns, Mermaids, and Harpies. I picked these Hybrid Creatures specifically because Fauns and Mermaids are well known, but Harpies may be a little more obscure.
My main focus and something I really want to highlight through my stories is how these three Hybrid Creatures have good and bad qualities that are highlighted differently depending on the story you are reading.
Mermaids, as you know, are half woman half fish. They are often portrayed as beautiful and a bit naive with a kind disposition, but they can also have a dark side that is manipulative and not so pretty. In my story, I will show both sides.
Fauns are a half-goat half-man creature. You may lovingly remember Mr. Tumnus from Narnia. They, for the most part, are known to be very helpful little creatures that are loved by many, but they have the power to play very beautiful music that has the ability to lure humans into possibly a more sinister situation.
Lastly, I will focus on the less prevalent Harpy. This is a half-bird half-human creature. While imagining a Harpy, you may picture a sweet creature that make beautiful songs, as birds do. This is where you are wrong. Harpy actually translates to mean "Snatcher" in Greek. Harpies are actually known to bring a form of punishment to bad people. While this may seem like a form of justice, they are described as ugly and cruel.
In regard to the way my stories will be presented, I plan to tell the stories from The New York Times point of view. I am going to intertwine the qualities of each Hybrid Creature with mysterious places on Earth. This will be interesting considering they are of the sea, land, and air.
I am excited to focus on a side of these creatures that may be less familiar. Appearances and previous perceptions can be deceiving. Through these stories, both good and bad sides will be evaluated. Which will prevail?