Tag Archives: seals

Shapeshifters All Around

Posted on June 11, 2026 by Nathan

Dragonsphere – This is a MicroProse point-and-click adventure game from 1994, which is quite similar in its interface to the last two games I played, Rex Nebular and the Cosmic Gender Bender by the same publisher, and Inherit the Earth … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Arabian, Art, Celtic, Games, Language, lucasarts, Magic, Maps, Mythology, Names, Sierra, Video Games | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Snarks and Grumkins

Posted on February 14, 2024 by Nathan

The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear, by Walter Moers, translated by John Brownjohn – I’d only just recently heard of this German author, but this book really grabbed me. It’s a funny and absurd fantasy, narrated by a bear who … Continue reading →

Posted in Arabian, Art, Authors, Book Reviews, British, C.S. Lewis, Celtic, Christianity, Chronicles of Narnia, England, Fairy Tales, German, History, Humor, John R. Neill, Judaism, L. Frank Baum, Magic, Monsters, Mythology, Norse, Oz, Oz Authors, Poetry, Religion, Scottish, Semitic | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Hot Cross Bunyips

Posted on March 5, 2017 by Nathan

A book I’m currently reading makes reference to the Bunyip of Australian mythology, so I thought it would be worth further investigating this creature. The name sounds pretty tame to me as an English speaker, perhaps a combination of “bunny” … Continue reading →

Posted in Australian, Cartoons, Fairy Tales, Final Fantasy, Monsters, Mythology, Video Games | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

This Human Form Where I Was Born, I Now Repent

Posted on December 13, 2014 by Nathan

Since it’s been cold outside lately, I might as well look at some Inuit mythology. While of course there are many different Native American religions, it seems that one fairly common aspect is the presence of animal deities who are … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Inuit, Monsters, Mythology, Native American, Religion | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Lend Me Your Coat

Posted on May 25, 2014 by Nathan

The selkies of Irish and Scottish folklore, as mentioned in songs by Frank Black and Tori Amos, are part of a larger tradition of shape-shifting animals marrying humans. The selkies are seal-people who live in the water but occasionally shed … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, British, Celtic, Fairy Tales, Frank Black/Black Francis, Japanese, Music, Mythology, Tori Amos | Tagged , , , , , , | 11 Comments