In October 2011, Australia Post released a set of Mythical Creatures stamps as part of Stamp Collecting Month, comprising a fairy, troll, mermaid, griffin, unicorn and a dragon!
This stamp issue was illustrated by Brisbane-based artist Aaron Pocock.
From Australia Post, a little about each mythical creature:
Fairy
Excitable and contrary, fairies can be both malicious and good-hearted. Common in mythology, they can take on a number of guises.
Troll
This creature is often referred to as the ugliest of legendary beings. Grumpy, strong and not very clever, trolls originated in Scandinavia.
Mermaid
In Greek mythology the beautiful woman with the tail of a fish lures sailors to their deaths with her eerie song.
Griffin
This majestic being has the body of a lion and the wings and head of an eagle. It is very ancient, first appearing in art of the Bronze Age. The Griffin was often regarded as king of all creatures and responsible for guarding priceless treasure.
Unicorn
This horse-like creature with a spiralling horn projecting from its forehead was first mentioned by the ancient Greeks. In the Middle Ages it was believed that only a young girl could catch this wild and shy animal.
Dragon
This creature appears in the mythology of most cultures. In European legend it is usually a malevolent, fire-breathing monster with bat-like wings. It lives in a dark lair, like a cave.
I received a letter last week with an untouched (slack-arse Autralia Post!) Unicorn stamp. Here it is below......
* The first image was taken from the Austalia Post website.
What's your favourite mythical creature?
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