The Sphinx is one of many half humans or half breeds. They have the body of a lion and the head of a human. There are some degrees of variation in apperance between the three animals given that name. The Egyptian Sphinx has the head of a man and the body of a lion. Some Egyptian Sphinxs' have the head of a falcon or a ram (Hierocosphinx or Criosphinx respectively.) The largest moument to mythical beasts guards the Pyramids of Giza. Its is 240 feet (73 meters) long and almost 70 feet (21 meters) high. Another sphinx is the Greek sphinx. This sphinx is usualy female and has the head and breasts of a woman, the body of a lion, the wings of an eagle and the tail of a snake. The most faimous of these was sent to punish the city of Thebes. She told this ridle to everyone who went in and out of the city: "What has four legs in the morning, two at noon, and three in the evening." All who did not answer this corectly were devoured. The future king of Thebes, Oedipus, was the only one who ever got it right. He answered "Man, man crawls on four legs at birth, walks on two as a youth and adult and at old age he uses a cane." The Sphinx then threw herself down the cliff they were standing on and died. Because she strangled her victums she and heer kind were called Sphinxs which means "to bind tight" or "strangle" in Greek. The name has also been given to an apelike animal in India and Ethiopia with corse brown hair and a voice like a humans but unintellageble.

         The worm is the most common dragon. Found throughout northern Europe many brave knights have fallen fighting the worm for its fabled hoard of gold. It is sometimes found above ground, curled around hills, but mainly resides in caves. In any case it strikes fear into the harts of all save for the bravest and reeks havoc upon the land and its people. Most Worms have large amounts of gold in these caves along with gems and fabled swords and such. It is immensely long and worm like unlike the welsh Dragon which is the most common prototype and belongs to the group know as Western Dragon. It has large scales, tougher than steel. Its only week spot can be found on its underbelly. Deadly fangs and claws guard this week spot and it can breath fire, adding to its lethalness. One of the earliest Worms known to man was the slayer of Beowulf, warrior king and slayer of Demons. Beowulf was past his pinnacle when he fought the Worm. He had earlier in his life slain the demon Grendal and his mother. So to be defeated by a worm can say something about the strength and power of this Dragon. This particular Worm had slept for hundreds of years until a slave came and stole a jeweled cup. The dragon, sensing something was wrong awoke and counted his gold. Finding that the gold was missing he rampaged around the countryside burning and killing. Beowulf set out to face the Dragon and both were slain in the struggle. The Dragon would have massacred him if Beowulf’s liegeman Wiglaf hadn't interfered. There are many other records of worms such as the Lambton Worm and the Dragon of Wantly. Farfnir is another noteworthy Worm. He was originally a man but used magic to transform himself into a Dragon. It is part of another long and sad story found in Norse legends. See Dwarfs for more information on the legend of Fafnir.

       Of all the evil spirits and devils throughout the world not many can compare the the horrendous sight of Xiang Yao. As the name suggests, Xiang Yao lives in China. He has the hideous form of a great snake with nine human heads when manifested. Stinking swamps, reeking bogs, and diseased springs are his vile handwork. He is also the attendent of Gong Gong who is a demon Dragon.

      The Yale is a rather less known creature also known as a Bjorn. It can be found In india mostly although it is said that some Europeans imported them and some escaped, fleeing into the forests of Germany and Great Britain. The Yale is the sise of a river horse acording to Pliny, a Roman scholar. Pliny also states that- "tailed like to an Elephant, either blacke or reddish tawnie of colour: his mandibles or chawes resemble those of a bore: he hath hornes above a cubit long, which he can stirre or moove as hee list; for being in fight, hee can set them both or one of them as hee will himselfe, altering them every way; one while streight forward to offend, other whiles bending byas, as he hath reason to nort or push, to ward or avoid his enemie."-As Pliny states the Yale can move its horns individually. This is perhaps the most distinguishing feature of the yale. Below in a picture of the beast. The tail, acording to pliny, is incorrect however, nor does it have spots.