creepy beady eyes
May 8, 2018 2:07 PM Subscribe
Trying to remember a specific children's book with a drawing of a cockatrice.
When I was a kid I had a book of (I presume) myths and fables. I want to say this book was oddly proportioned, maybe a horizontal rectangle approximately 9"x6" but it's very likely I could be mistaking it with another book.
I'm not sure there was a ton of writing, and I seem to recall the (color) illustrations being laid out sequentially in panels, comic book style. I believe it was a collection of short vignettes, not even really full stories. The illustrations were on the level of detail of this as opposed to the relative complexity of this or simplicity of this.
The only thing I remember from this book is a cockatrice. One of the stories had a chicken lay an egg that a cockatrice hatched out of. The last panel of this story had the cockatrice slithering off to go murder-stare at people with what I would describe as an extremely priggish look on its face. I did a lot of google image searching to try to find this thing and no dice. I did find this cockatrice drawing (the top one), which is NOT the cockatrice drawing from my memory (too detailed, I think) but it DOES capture the specific look and expression of the cockatrice I remember. I don't think my cockatrice had legs, or at least not that many--definitely a snakey body and a cock's comb. And that fucking superior and disapproving look.
I would like to know what book this is, please! It's likely it was published in the mid 80s-early 90s, but I grew up with a TON of children's books in the house and honestly it could span anywhere from 1960-2000. I don't think it was as early as that given the color illustrations, and I don't think it was as late as that, I feel like this was a pretty early impression on my brain, but memories are weird and I don't want to accidentally exclude what might be the right book.
THANK YOU!
When I was a kid I had a book of (I presume) myths and fables. I want to say this book was oddly proportioned, maybe a horizontal rectangle approximately 9"x6" but it's very likely I could be mistaking it with another book.
I'm not sure there was a ton of writing, and I seem to recall the (color) illustrations being laid out sequentially in panels, comic book style. I believe it was a collection of short vignettes, not even really full stories. The illustrations were on the level of detail of this as opposed to the relative complexity of this or simplicity of this.
The only thing I remember from this book is a cockatrice. One of the stories had a chicken lay an egg that a cockatrice hatched out of. The last panel of this story had the cockatrice slithering off to go murder-stare at people with what I would describe as an extremely priggish look on its face. I did a lot of google image searching to try to find this thing and no dice. I did find this cockatrice drawing (the top one), which is NOT the cockatrice drawing from my memory (too detailed, I think) but it DOES capture the specific look and expression of the cockatrice I remember. I don't think my cockatrice had legs, or at least not that many--definitely a snakey body and a cock's comb. And that fucking superior and disapproving look.
I would like to know what book this is, please! It's likely it was published in the mid 80s-early 90s, but I grew up with a TON of children's books in the house and honestly it could span anywhere from 1960-2000. I don't think it was as early as that given the color illustrations, and I don't think it was as late as that, I feel like this was a pretty early impression on my brain, but memories are weird and I don't want to accidentally exclude what might be the right book.
THANK YOU!
Oh damn, I got so excited about Fabulous Beasts that I completely missed some of the context. I was bewitched by a basilisk, I guess.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 2:23 PM on May 8, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 2:23 PM on May 8, 2018 [1 favorite]
I also have an extremely strong memory of this cockatrice! Its face was almost droopy with uptight rage, and I think that there may have been little smoking piles of ashes the used to be people and animals all around it? It had a very snakey body, and the feeling was 'slitheriness' was very intense.
I just spent some time googling and got no joy, but if it helps anyone else to triangulate on the book, I would have read this book in Ireland in the mid to late 90s, so likely a British publisher. I sort of suspect it was part of a Scholastic Horrible Histories-style book about mythological creatures, but no googling is turning up just the right thing. The style of illustration I recall was very much in the mid-90s Scholastic tone - thick black outlines, etc.
posted by DSime at 3:28 PM on May 8, 2018 [2 favorites]
I just spent some time googling and got no joy, but if it helps anyone else to triangulate on the book, I would have read this book in Ireland in the mid to late 90s, so likely a British publisher. I sort of suspect it was part of a Scholastic Horrible Histories-style book about mythological creatures, but no googling is turning up just the right thing. The style of illustration I recall was very much in the mid-90s Scholastic tone - thick black outlines, etc.
posted by DSime at 3:28 PM on May 8, 2018 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: PILES OF ASH SOUNDS VERY FAMILIAR
posted by phunniemee at 3:42 PM on May 8, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by phunniemee at 3:42 PM on May 8, 2018 [1 favorite]
Everything described in the question above is consistent with my memory. I remember this book solely because of the cockatrice illustration, which was pretty unsettling to me because of how malevolent it looked.
The book described here is a different one, right? I may post the question on Loganberry Books' "Stump the Bookseller" but I want to first be sure that it hasn't already been covered. I'm getting the distinct impression that this was not a well-known or commonly encountered children's book.
posted by colinb at 6:29 AM on August 17, 2018 [1 favorite]
The book described here is a different one, right? I may post the question on Loganberry Books' "Stump the Bookseller" but I want to first be sure that it hasn't already been covered. I'm getting the distinct impression that this was not a well-known or commonly encountered children's book.
posted by colinb at 6:29 AM on August 17, 2018 [1 favorite]
Best answer: GUYS I THINK I REMEMBER: Usborne Stories of Magical Animals.
My subconscious has clearly been dwelling on this for months because as soon as I saw colinb's update to the question it leapt to mind. I can't find a picture of the cockatrice itself online but I have ordered a copy from Amazon and as soon as it arrives, if it is correct, I will be happy to update you all!
posted by DSime at 10:37 AM on August 17, 2018 [1 favorite]
My subconscious has clearly been dwelling on this for months because as soon as I saw colinb's update to the question it leapt to mind. I can't find a picture of the cockatrice itself online but I have ordered a copy from Amazon and as soon as it arrives, if it is correct, I will be happy to update you all!
posted by DSime at 10:37 AM on August 17, 2018 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: I don't recognize that cover AT ALL but whoa you guys I have a good feeling about this. Look at that second page.
posted by phunniemee at 11:31 AM on August 17, 2018
posted by phunniemee at 11:31 AM on August 17, 2018
Response by poster: Also, I definitely had that Usborne Aesop's Fables book, and the old green cover of Animal Legends looks really familiar, too.
posted by phunniemee at 11:35 AM on August 17, 2018
posted by phunniemee at 11:35 AM on August 17, 2018
Response by poster: Oh shit THIS IS IT. THIS IS THE EXACT BOOK I HAD. Apparently all THREE of them--Aesop's, Magical Animals, AND Legends.
posted by phunniemee at 11:36 AM on August 17, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by phunniemee at 11:36 AM on August 17, 2018 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: I HAVE PURCHASED THIS BOOK. DELIVERY IN 14-44 DAYS. AAAH.
posted by phunniemee at 11:45 AM on August 17, 2018
posted by phunniemee at 11:45 AM on August 17, 2018
Response by poster: I got it! I got it I got it I got it! I got the book! It's the right book! I have photos!
BEHOLD THE TERRIBLE COCKATRICE.
posted by phunniemee at 11:03 AM on August 27, 2018 [1 favorite]
BEHOLD THE TERRIBLE COCKATRICE.
posted by phunniemee at 11:03 AM on August 27, 2018 [1 favorite]
Oh my GOD, I can't believe the intense emotion I am having about this glorious beast. What delicious success!
posted by DSime at 8:21 AM on August 28, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by DSime at 8:21 AM on August 28, 2018 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 2:22 PM on May 8, 2018