Mixed-Up Monster Club: Monsters

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Vintage Children's Book "Monsters of the Middle Ages" (1971)

Just found this amazing monster book for children last Sunday. Ohio Thrift only charged me .50 cents. Suckers!

"Did you know that the horn of a Unicorn has magic in it? That mermaids have been seen combing their hair as they ride between the waves? Or that dragons love gold and try to hide great piles of it? People long ago believed all these things! William Wise tells us the fantastic tales that people in the Middle Ages made up to explain the things that frightened them. And Tomie de Paola has brought these colorful medieval monsters humorously to life."

PART I: More Weird Than Scary

Monster: ABARIMON

The people of Abarimon were said to have their feet turned backward. According to legend, they were such fast runners that no one else could keep up with them!

Abarimon

I can't figure out the mechanics of this because of the knee. Also, how does being a fast runner qualify as monstrous? It's hard to see this one as a monster because he is pictured presenting a flower to a lady with backwards feet. (Maybe it's an exploding flower?)

Monster: MONOCOLI
Strange men with only one leg. They got around very well, too -- by jumping!
According to legend, they jumped so fast and so far that even a man with two legs could not hope to catch them.

Monocoli

At least the Monocoli lady in the background seems monstrous because she is chasing some fleeing man. I like the fangs of the Monocoli dude but I am a little thrown off by the baby doll dress and his Larry from "The Three Stooges" hairdo.

All this running and chasing. Didn't people of the middle ages have horses? Surely a horse could catch up to an Abarimon or Monocoli.

Monster: ASTOMI
People who were said to live in faraway India. They did not eat or drink, like other people. They fed themselves by smelling flowers.

Astomi

That would save a fortune on food bills.

ASTOMI uncensored (from Wikipedia)

An ancient legendary race of people who had no need to eat or drink anything at all. They are described as having rough and hairy bodies and no mouths. When travelling they used to carry roots, flowers and apples to smell. They could die by smelling an unpleasant smell.

Like Count Floyd would say, "Pretty scary stuff, children"