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Research into The encyclopaedia of Myths and legends of all nations by H.S Robinson and K. Wilson

Fairy

In the north of Europe, it was a widespread opinion that beings of a fairy kind were once conflicted with higher powers and were sentenced to stay in particular areas such as mountains and caves for the dwarfs and trolls, groves and trees for the elves, the sea, lakes, and rivers for the mermaids and mermen. But since those creatures refused to remain in the element assigned to them they were to wonder in each other realms which is one of the reasons why it’s difficult to classify the fairy folk by country or origin. “Fairy” is mostly associated with beings who inhabited England, Scotland, and Ireland. In Cornwall, they are called Pixies, in Ireland Aes Sidhe or Shee, in Scotland Siths. Irish also addressed them as the Good People who lived in fairyland, which could be located under a lake, river, or tree roots. The size of Irish fairies where that of a little child whereas English fairies were sized like full-grown humans. They were said to adore dancing, producing the so-called fairy rings in the grass. If a human happens to step into one of the rings they could be momentarily killed, carried away to the fairyland, or get their body pinched blue and black. There were rumors that fairies might be the fallen angels or souls of humans. They had the power to do good or harm.  Fairies were said to be people who build their society so therefore they had kings and queens who might have been called Oberon, Titania of Shakespeare’s play or it could also be the so-called Queen Mab. It was well known that fairies can steal children and leave a fairy replacement. In some cases, these children were used by fairies to make an offering to the devil. Sometimes mortal women were also abducted by fairies to serve as nurses or midwives. The ones who fulfilled those orders in the fairyland received luck not only for themselves but also for their families. Although it was common knowledge that mortals must not eat any food in the fairyland or they’ll stay there forever.

Fairies and Queen Mab presented in the graphic novel “Beauty” by Kerascoët and Hubert

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Angela Carter’s book of fairytales

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44,000-year-old cave art depicts the earliest-known mythical beasts.

The image portrays a group of part-human, part-animal figures – therianthropes (the mythological ability of human beings to metamorphose into animals or hybrids by means of shapeshifting) – hunting large mammals with spears or ropes. The figurative depiction of hunters as therianthropes may also be the oldest evidence for our ability to imagine the existence of supernatural beings. The paintings appear to show human-like figures hunting six animals – two pigs and four dwarf buffaloes. At least eight small human-like figures with spears or ropes appear with the animals. The authors suggest the inclusion of therianthropes may indicate that Indonesian cave art involved religious-like thinking about the human-animal connection long before humans first made art in Europe.

“This scene may not be a depiction of an actual hunting scene but could be about animistic beliefs and the relationship between people and animals, or even a shamanic ritual,” said Sue O’Connor.

The tallest and most spectacular ivory figurine is the Lion Man, an evidently mythical creature half man/half beast.

Fairies

The oldest fairies on record in England were first described by the historian Gervase of Tilbury in the 13th century.

Even before the term “fairy” (alternatively spelled “faerie” or “faery”) entered the lexicon during the Middle Ages in Europe, different versions of the creature already existed in tales being passed down in regions around the world in both literature and oral traditions. Greek mythology had its nymphs. Irish folklore told of the leprechaun, an often grumpy, mischief-prone subtype of fairy. Look to the Samoans and indigenous people of the Americas, and you’ll find folk characters that bear resemblance to what was, or is, considered a fairy. Many times, fairies – also known as the fae, wee folk, good folk or people of peace – were defined as any mystical creature taking a humanoid appearance.

While this wholesome representation of fairies commonly populates children’s storybooks in modern times, they actually have a darker and more sinister folkloric past. Some traditional stories from England, Ireland and Scotland, for example, depict these soulless, supernatural beings as wicked, temperamental entities that weren’t above murder or kidnapping if you landed on their bad side. They’re not always tiny, either. Depending on the region, fairies can be the size of a human, or even bigger.

Theodor von Holst, The Fairy Lovers c.1840 

William Blake Oberon, Titania and Puck with Fairies Dancing (c.1786)

As some of the fairy legends of western Europe go, if you come across a fairy ring – distinguished by a circle of mushrooms in a field or forest – do not dare step inside. The ring is said to be created by dancing fairies, and entering it can lead to a number of dire consequences. For example, some myths warned that you’d die young. Other stories alleged you’d be forced to dance around the ring until you died of exhaustion or went mad. Fairy rings were also believed to be instant portals to the fairy realm, where if you ate or drank anything you’d be trapped for eternity. And although humans and fairies were allowed to marry, they could only do so only under certain conditions. If those conditions were not met, the marriage ended – and sometimes, the life of the human would, too.

The emergence of fairy art on the art scene connected nude figure study, pastoral landscapes, and mythological scenes in a sentimental narrative, making it quite revolutionary. Fairy art is most closely associated with the British Victorian Era.  It experienced high levels of popularity during this time as it was a way to escape the dull reality of existence most people were faced with. fairy painting has a serious undertone of inspiration with both literary and theatrical influences stemming from Romanticism, often typified by emotion and imaginative themes, in addition to various cultural issues of the Victorian Era.  The most significant of the literary and theatrical influences were fantasy themes featured in Shakespearian work, works from Edmund Spencer and also those of Alexander Pope.

A Banshee is said to be a fairy in Irish legend and her scream is believed to be an omen of death.

A fascination with fairies and the supernatural was a phenomenon of the Victorian age and resulted in a distinctive strand of art depicting fairy subjects drawn from myth and legend and particularly from Shakespeare’s play A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Yōsei is a Japanese word that is generally synonymous with the English term fairy.

In ancient Egyptian myth fairies paralleled the Seven Hathors or patronesses of childbirth, those regarded as ‘fairy godmothers’.

Boogeyman

Sometimes spelled "bogeyman," this specifically non-specific type of monster appears in folklore around the world, and has for ages. You may have even heard it called by some of its other names: Krampus, El Coco, Old Hag, and Baba Yaga, to name a few. "Almost every culture seems to have their own version of the creature," explained Destination America on its site, "but one tie that binds is the use of the story ... as a tool to scare children into behaving."

The word "boogeyman" is thought to be derived from the word "bogge" which means "hobgoblin" in Middle English, and the legend surrounding it may have originated in Scotland, although it's not totally clear. There are reported references made to the boogeyman monster as early as the 1500s, although it's suspected the concept already existed in folklore long before that. It's nearly impossible, though, to pin down the monster's exact origins. "Because the boogeyman has such a large global impact, it is difficult to determine which country told the first tales of this monster," wrote Mythology.net. "

It is generally thought that the bogeyman was invented to serve as a caution or deterrent to children. By warning children that a bogeyman will capture them if they stray into the dark woods.

La Llorona is a Mexican bogeyman who is the ghost of a woman who wears a white dress. The vodnik (also called vodyanoy) of the Czech Republic is a water spirit who can assume many different forms to entice humans to the banks of rivers and lakes. The Yara-ma-yha-who of Australia looks like a frog with bright red fur, and the Kludde of the Flemish countryside (northern Belgium) is a large doglike demon with a beak, scales, fur, and sharp claws.

Hombre del saco (Sack Man) of Spain spirits children away in a sack, either to sell them or to eat them. The namahage of Japan look for disobedient children on New Year’s Eve; they take away children who don’t mind their parents or who are lazy or cry too much. A Brazilian lullaby warns children that if they do not go to sleep, they will be taken by a cuca, a crocodile woman.

Goya's Que viene el Coco' ("Here Comes the Boogeyman / The Boogeyman is Coming"), c. 1797.

Sirens/mermaids

One of the earliest mermaid legends appeared in Syria around 1000 BC when the goddess Atargatis dove into a lake to take the form of a fish. As the gods there would not allow her to give up her great beauty, only her bottom half became a fish, and she kept her top half in human form.

Archaeologists have found Atargatis' figure on ancient temples, statues and coins.

In early Greek mythology, the sirens were half-women, half-bird creatures and are often confused with mermaids. This misconception has led to the word siren being used instead of a mermaid, such as "sirène" in French.

While mermaids are morally ambiguous creatures, sirens were said to be always malicious and dangerous, attracting sailors with their captivating voices towards the hazardous rocky coast of their island.

Black-figure Kylix (bowl) with Sirens. Attica, Greece. 6th century BC.

One of the most famous stories is Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid. Published in 1837 in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Phoenecian relief from the Palace of Sargon c. 700BC

Noah’s Ark, Nuremburg Bible, Biblia Sacra Germanica, 1483, Unknown artist

In Yokai Ningyo are more fish-like than human in appearance with golden scales, long fingers, and sharp talons.

Kraken

The history of the Kraken goes back to an account written in 1180 by King Sverre of Norway. As with many legends, the Kraken started with something real, based on sightings of a real animal, the giant squid.

The Kraken was said to patrol the northern seas surrounding Norway, Iceland, and even Greenland where it periodically surfaced to destroy ships with its mast-sized arms or suck vessels down to oblivion in a colossal whirlpool.

Later Kraken stories bring the creature down to a smaller, but still monstrous, size. Though early descriptions of the animal give a more crab-like appearance, by the 18th century it started showing up in drawings as a giant, many armed cephalopod (like an octopus or squid).

The Kraken. Magnus, Olaus. Historia de Gentibus Septentrionalibus. 1555