[The legendary heroes of our mythic past are only as great and memorable as the monsters they confronted and vanquished. This, the latest encyclopedic work by mythologist Theresa Bane contains more than twenty-two hundred entries of animal companions, creatures, and monsters which have fought by man's side, consumed his crops, and ravished the countryside. Collected from the stories and religions of all the cultures and countries of the world, this all-inclusive book with an exhaustive bibliography and index is the most definitive work on the subject to date.].