Line #39 Literature/FantasyEncyclopedia


1	%%
2	%%
3	%% The examples on this page have been sorted alphabetically. Please help keep this page tidy by adding new ones in order. Thank you!
4	%%
5	%% Zero-context examples are not allowed on wiki pages; all such examples have been commented out.
6	%% Please add proper context before uncommenting them -- a good example explains how it's an example.
7	%% Simply saying "X is mentioned" isn't context.
8	%%
9	%%
10	[[quoteright:230:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/th_22.jpg]]
11	[[caption-width-right:230:The cover depicts the perfect place to find many of the creatures within...]]
12
13	->''"A guide to fabulous beasts and magical beings, from [[OurElvesAreDifferent elves]] and [[OurDragonsAreDifferent dragons]] to [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampires]] and [[WizardClassic wizards.]]"''
14
15	The Fantasy Encyclopedia by Judy Allen is a children's encyclopedia of numerous creatures and magic beings told in stories and myths. Contrary to potholes in the page quote, the book actually describes the origins of the entries and tells of them in their most traditional forms, and also compares those forms to the more modern depictions. A little over 130 pages long (not including the index or glossary) the book is filled with illustrations and descriptions of the creatures, as well as noting famous examples. Another feature of the book is a small box on certain pages that lists examples of the entries in books and movies, sort of like this site.
16
17	Contains a forward by Creator/JonathanStroud, author of ''Literature/TheBartimaeusTrilogy''. Also serves as a Mythbuster by showing how people long ago crafted tales through exaggerated descriptions of actual animals or occurrences (i.e. the Manticore being a Tiger), but also leaves some events ambiguous to their true nature.
18
19	The entries are sorted into chapters, in this order:
20
21	* '''The Little People''': Elves, dwarves, goblins, fairies and whatnot.
22	* '''Elementals and Nature Spirits''': ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin
23	* '''Mysterious Animals''': Creatures that have been around and discussed for thousands of years, and if they exist.
24	* '''Fabulous Beasts''': HereThereBeDragons...and sea monsters, and magic horses, and giant monster birds.
25	* '''Mythical Beings''': Crack open your Greek/Egyptian Mythology book. Also has mermaids.
26	* '''Magic and Spells''': Witches and Wizards and Sorcerors, oh my! Notable entries include Morgan Le Fay, Circe, and Merlin.
27	* '''Shape-Shifters''': A relatively short chapter, werebeasts galore.
28	* '''The Undead''': If the creepy title isn't enough, the dark illustration of a graveyard should help.
29	* '''Ghosts and Spirits''': Distinctively separate from The Undead in that the former are walking corpses.
30	* '''List of Creatures by Area''': "Certain magicians and monsters were born and lived (or still live) in one location. It is those that are listed here."
31
32	This is not ''Literature/TheEncyclopediaOfFantasy'' from 1997.
33	----
34	[[foldercontrol]]
35
36	[[folder:Tropes Applying to the Whole Book]]
37	* AllMythsAreTrue: The magical creatures ''and'' the stories they originate from.
38	* FantasyKitchenSink: The book tries to include every creature from myth, legend, and folklore that it can. It ''is'' the "Fantasy Encyclopedia" of course.
39	* OurMonstersAreDifferent: Averted, the book keeps its documented creatures as close to the original sources as possible.
40	* PublicDomainCharacter: The book mentions several characters from myth and public domain literature. Oberon and Titania, Merlin, Circe, Dracula, the list goes on...
41	* SceneryPorn: Some pages, particularly the openings of chapters, show ''beautiful'' landscapes and settings.
42	* WorldOfWeirdness: The creatures, beings, and magic are all implied to exist in the same world. There's even an index in the back saying which creatures live in which countries.
43	[[/folder]]
44
45	!!Tropes by Chapter:
46
47	[[folder: The Little People]]
48	%%* ChristmasElves: Mentioned.
49	* CreaturesByManyOtherNames: When talking of [[OurGnomesAreWeirder gnomes]], this is mentioned for the connection between regular gnomes, garden gnomes, and [[OurDwarvesAreAllTheSame dwarves]]:
50	--> Gnomes are not at all like garden gnomes, which are actually dwarves, a mistake that began in early fairy tales.
51	* TheFairFolk: From mischievous to downright evil. The majority of the first few pages of this chapter detail '''these''' elves.
52	* FairyGodmother: She's described as one of the few types of fairy to ever carry a MagicWand.
53	%%* FauxFlame: What a ''dwarf'' can appear as to miners.%%Is what?
54	* GripingAboutGremlins: There's an image of a gremlin flying an airplane. They are generally described as being little pests.
55	* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: While goblins are usually mischievous and vicious, they are fond of children and will give wellbehaved children presents.
56	* {{Leprechaun}}: They're mentioned to be rich fairy cobblers, and can trick the unwary who go after their gold.
57	* LittlePeople: The chapter is devoted to this concept, and every variety of it.
58	* OurDwarvesAreAllTheSame: Actually, a bit of a mix-up. While they are miners and steelworkers, dwarves are bearded only because they are elderly. Also, every illustration of them features them looking more like Gnomes (which are discussed later). However, this statement comes off as a bit of ironic humor: "Dwarves are very helpful and are believed to be good fortune. However, it is wise to leave food for them and [[OurDwarvesAreAllTheSame never to swear]] or [[WesternAnimation/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs even whistle when they are around.]]"
59	* OurElvesAreDifferent: There's a section titled "Light and Dark Elves", describing the light elves as beautiful and pleasant while the dark elves are not as beautiful and mischevous.
60	%%* OurFairiesAreDifferent: The chapter tells how they can range in size, appearance, and personality.%%Which is how?
61	[[/folder]]
62
63	[[folder: Elementals and Nature Spirits]]
64	* BackFromTheDead: The Green Man will return to life no matter how many times he's felled.
65	%%* BlowYouAway
66	%%* DishingOutDirt
67	* ElementalEmbodiment: All of the AlchemicElementals are featured on the chapter's first section, which also mentions Paracelcus as their creator.
68	** [[FierySalamander Salamanders for Fire]]; the book also compares them to real life salamanders and why they wouldn't exactly work as fire elementals.
69	** Sylphs for Air, which are described more as spirits than winged fairy-like creatures.
70	** Undines/Nereids for Water.
71	** Gnomes for Earth, although these look more like [[Franchise/StarWars Jawas]] than [[OurGnomesAreWeirder stubby little fat guys with cone hats]].
72	** The spirits of the Eastern elements are mentioned as well:
73	*** A yellow phoenix for Earth.
74	*** A red pheasant for Fire.
75	*** A white tiger for Metal.
76	*** A black turtle for Water, sometimes with a serpent.
77	*** A green dragon for Wood.
78	* ElementalPowers: Every nature spirit has powers that correspond to whatever object or element they embody.
79	%%* MakingASplash
80	* NatureSpirit: Nymphs, dryads, and many others, such as the god Pan and the Green Man, aka the Leaf King.
81	* OurGnomesAreWeirder: They're strange hooded figures; garden gnomes in fact depict dwarves.
82	* PlantPerson: Some spirits, most notably the Green Man, whose picture is a green man with a flowery and leafy crown and a thorn vine-wrapped sword.
83	%%* PlayingWithFire
84	* WillOTheWisp: The Phantom Lights section mentions them as leading travelers astray at night.
85	* YowiesAndBunyipsAndDropBearsOhMy: Well, bunyips at least, which are described as dangerous water spirits.
86	[[/folder]]
87
88	[[folder:Mysterious Animals]]
89	%%* BigfootSasquatchAndYeti: The chapter mentions every single one of them.
90	%%* GiantSquid: They're mentioned in the Sea Monster section.
91	* KrakenAndLeviathan: Both are featured, with a positively terrifying illustration of a giant, horned sea serpent. Ironically enough, a photo caption actually says that Leviathan and Behemoth may have been based on the whale and the hippopotamus.
92	%%* SeaMonster: A section of the chapter is devoted to them.
93	* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: A particularly frightening picture of a manticore is the illustration for the chapter's title page... and then it is never even mentioned in the rest of the chapter.
94	[[/folder]]
95
96	[[folder: Fabulous Beasts]]
97	%%* BreathWeapon: Not just dragons, but basilisks as well.
98	* ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve: Sometimes, fiction and reality blend so that monsters can cross from the realm of imagination into the real world.
99	* EldritchAbomination: Creatures in the "Dangerous Beasts" section. Monsters, made by monsters.
100	* GiantFlyer: Two gigantic birds, ThePhoenix and [[RocBirds the Roc]], are described in this section.
101	%%* HereThereWereDragons: What this chapter suggests of many of the creatures featured.%%What does it suggest?
102	* GarnishingTheStory: Let's face it, how many people would know the story of St. George if he hadn't killed a dragon?
103	* OurDragonsAreDifferent: Literally. There are separate sections for Western and Eastern dragons.
104	%%* OurGryphonsAreDifferent
105	%%* {{Pegasus}}: Is included in the Magical Horses section.
106	* ReptilesAreAbhorrent: The basilisk is a giant snake who will kill you just by looking at you, and is also extremely poisonous.%%The similar cockatrice isn't always a snake but will usually have reptilian features. The hydra and nagas are reptilian. The chimera has snake features along with other body parts.%%How are the rest of these abhorrent?
107	* TreasureRoom: One reason why Western Dragons are hunted and slain. The other, is because they are [[BreathWeapon fire-breathing,]] [[OmnicidalManiac omnicidal, demonic monsters.]]
108	%%* {{Unicorn}}: Unicorns have their own section.
109	[[/folder]]
110
111	[[folder:Mythical Beings]]
112	* HarpingOnAboutHarpies: Harpies are mentioned as being dangerous and smelling terrible.
113	[[/folder]]
114
115	[[folder:Magic and Spells]]
116	%%* AboveGoodAndEvil: Sorcerers believe they are this.%%ZCE. How?
117	* BlackMagic: A section on this, "Sorcerers and Necromancers", including the Hand of Glory.
118	%%* HandOfGlory: Shown in the Dark Magic section.%%What is?
119	* IKnowYourTrueName: Certain beings can be controlled if you know their true name.
120	* MagicAIsMagicA: Played with. The chapter notes several different types of magic, with varying consistencies.
121	* MagicCauldron: These are mentioned among other traditional witch's paraphenalia.
122	* MagicalSeventhSon: One way to obtain natural magic power is to be born a seventh child.
123	* RingOfPower: The chapter explains these, and mentions King Solomon's as an example.
124	* SquishyWizard: Most of the magic-users shown are old men.
125	[[/folder]]
126
127	[[folder:Shape-Shifters]]
128	* BreatherEpisode: Only one section, on a relatively well-known creature.
129	* OurWerebeastsAreDifferent: This section mainly discusses werewolves, but mentions several other types of were-beasts.
130	[[/folder]]
131
132	[[folder:The Undead]]
133	%%* DemBones: There is a section on skeletons and skulls.%%Regular ones, animated ones, or what?
134	* {{Dracula}}: The man himself appears in the section section on vampires, along with a summary of the book and how he changed the depictions of later vampires.
135	* OurVampiresAreDifferent: Two sections for vampires: the first focuses on the older, coarser vampires of legend, and the second on Dracula and his ilk.
136	* OurZombiesAreDifferent: There's a chapter describing the various ways zombies have been created over time.
137	[[/folder]]
138
139	[[folder:Ghosts and Spirits]]
140	* AnotherDimension: Where souls are said to go after they've finished all their business or are put to rest.
141	* FlyingDutchman: The TropeNamer is included in the "Ghost Ships and Eerie Beasts" section.
142	* {{Hellhound}}: These are discussed, and referred to as "ghost dogs".
143	* OurGhostsAreDifferent: The chapter tells of various reasons that souls stay in the mortal world.
144	[[/folder]]

Context Literature / FantasyEncyclopedia