Such creatures as the unicorn, griffon, and the minatour are possible to have existed. Two words...natural mutations.

There have been reported cases of humans and animals being born with horns as a result of an extremely rare mutation. The minatour was possibly a rare mutation that cause the kid to be born with a full body of hair, a disfigured face and small horns. In a sense, he'd look like a half human/half bull.

What does everyone thing?

I think to a limited degree many mythical creatures are possible.

Dwarfs obviously, and even Elves especially, as there is a disease that makes people look "elven"...a genetic condition rather...

The beliefs of Dwarven society (few women and few children and the like), even coincides with actual Dwarf people...midgets.

Being a rare recessive, where the Dwarf is born only with a recessive and dominant (tall gene) because if one is born with both recessives you die.

So two Dwarves would have a hard time concieving viable children as 50% would either die or be taller than them...

I can readily accept a natural starting point for such "myths: imagine what an early society might have made of tales of Siamese Twins. Or even, in days of very limited travel, of tales of people with very different skin-colours.
I can just as easily accept travellers' tales of such creatures as crocodiles, giraffes, orang-utans and so forth as a starting point.
However, it is important to realise that they would only be starting points: the "myth" itself then evolves independently as in the case of the Minotaur or Dwarfs and so forth.

Well, no one believed that Gorillas were real in England until a guy sent a specimen back. Same with the Platypus. Except with the Platypus, they still didn't believe that they existed. Thought the guy glued the pieces on.

Then of course, unicorns. They are real. It's just scientists did some weird thing to bull cows so instead of horns on either side of the head they grew in the middle.

i agree. Many mythical creatures could have been genetic mutations. I heard of a cat being born with wings but it couldn't fly. I dont know if it was true or not.

"Then of course, unicorns. They are real. It's just scientists did some weird thing to bull cows so instead of horns on either side of the head they grew in the middle. "

I thought unicorns were HORSES with a horn like that... not cows.

Originally posted by Greyhaven
"Then of course, unicorns. They are real. It's just scientists did some weird thing to bull cows so instead of horns on either side of the head they grew in the middle. "

I thought unicorns were HORSES with a horn like that... not cows.

Hehehehehehhe...Of course, rare genetic mutation could explain the physical existence of such creature. But what about all the mystical legends that surround them? Ok, some people can 'look' like elven creature. But I don't think they'll live like thousands years?

Here in Norway in the elder days parents who got disfigured children, like siamese twins or children with more than one arm they often sent them out into the woods to die because they didnt want to keep them. Most of these children died, but some are said to have survived also... A norwegian professor in mythology has written about this and he thinks this could be what some people saw in the woods when they think they saw a Troll or a Goblin.

Personally I think this is interesting, but I refuse to belive Trolls was really just disfigured humans... Trolls did rule the forests and mountains of Norway a long time ago... but then they dissepeared when christianity raped our land. Soon the Trolls will gather for attack onces more and the Galder will be heard from the mountain tops, Troll Skal Atter Herske.

Howdy AntiSystem,

If you don't mind me asking what makes you so sure that trolls at one time did exist and still do exist? Also if they did exist and still do were are they and why have they not been reported in recent times?

As with all things im not sure of it, I just feel it.

When I journey through the forests I can feel that they have walked there before me and I can sense them watching me from the mountains and the deep woods. Some times when I wander through the woods at night I will see them, or believe I see them... Sometimes I will know there is a grim being following me, but the second I turn around the being will turn into a grim tree or sink down beneath the earth again.

I believe they dwell only in the deepest of the Northern Forests under the ground and only comes out at night when most people are sleeping... Thats probably the reason for the lack of reports now days... the Trolls hid from mankind as man stopped believing in the forest and nature itself and started their own respectless lifestlye. No thing that is pure human can see the trolls now... they are hiding... waiting...

When I journey through the forests I can feel that they have walked there before me and I can sense them watching me from the mountains and the deep woods. Some times when I wander through the woods at night I will see them, or believe I see them... Sometimes I will know there is a grim being following me, but the second I turn around the being will turn into a grim tree or sink down beneath the earth again.

These things you claim to feel. How are you so sure they are trolls? Is it not possible that what you call trolls others call phantoms or spirits of the forest or nymphs? If you have not actually seen them then how did you arrive at the conclusion that they were in fact trolls?

Even though I have never seen them in plain sight I have seen enough to draw the conclution that they where trolls... though im not sure of course, it could very well have been other beings as you said, or nature itself coming to life... allthough im not sure about nymphs or beings akin to them. What I see appears to me as huge grim beings lurking behind old trees and suck, I can feel the grimness of the beings on me, I believe that they are trolls... they feel like trolls.

In all seriousness you should set up video cameras or traps to see if you can obtain proof of your suspicions. Couldn't hurt to try it.

Yes.

I am starting to believe even William exists.

Grey quite frankly I am appalled at your lack of faith. A war is brewing between trolls and humans. AntiSystem has clearly chosen the side of the trolls. This war will be unlike anything man has ever faced. You will see your enemy and then wham it turns into a tree! Forests will be condemned as anyone who enters will be bludgeoned to death by trolls posing as innocent trees. Much of humanity will be lost but the Forest walker (half troll half man) will lead us to victory against these ungodly shape shifting b@stards. This is a dark day for humanity prepare for battle!

Please note that what I just said was meant in good fun. If I insulted anyone with this post please know that that was not my intent and I am truly sorry. Dang it Grey you bring out the worst in me.

[Edited on 8-18-2003 by ID]

Many creatures, are reported by various cultures... Trolls, unicorns, and dragons immediately spring to mind. Personally, you have to remember that we've been around for more than a few thousand years.... We've been responsible for the extinction of quite a few species in this time. I'm betting that these were wiped out by our ancestors, and the legends that continue, have been handed down for thousands of years....

I've often thought that old stories of Trolls were Sasquatch type creatures...Dragons were surviving large reptiles (and more than one type, who were eventually merged into the winged dragon of today's mythology). We know that some winged reptiles lived on, even during the reign of birds. Unicorns, I believe, really did exist...they simply are too prevailent in many civilizations. Not to mention, there were numerous horse-types in the post ice age timeframe, so it seems plausible.

I think alot of mythological creatures were simply the monsters that are talked about in the bible. Sorry I cannot quote the book/verse. These were created when the sons of god mated with the daughters of man.