The Cyclopes are one-eyed huge, savage creatures, tall like trees. They live on an island where they do nothing but fight with each other for the wild goats, trying to find enough food to fill their huge bellies. Storms often bring shipwrecked sailors to their island. The Cyclopes catch and eat them alive. The largest and fiercest of the Cyclopes is named Polyphemus. He always keeps vigil on his mountain, fair weather or foul. If he spots a ship, he dives into the sea and swims underwater, coming up underneath the ship and overturning it. Then he swims off with his pockets full of sailors. However, according to Homer, Ulysses managed to escape from his cave, because he is smarter and more cunning than Polyphemus.

Fairies appear in children’s stories as tiny, winged, and good hearted creatures. They behave like humans; they get married and they have children. However, unlike humans, they have supernatural powers, which make them, at best, unpredictable and at worst, dangerous. Tinkerbelle, Peter Pan’s companion, is a tiny-winged fairy, delightful and delicate. She is sometimes friendly or unfriendly but loyal to Peter Pan. In Shakespeare’s play “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” Oberon, the nasty King of the fairies and the wicked queen Titania live in Fairyland. They order their playful and naughty messenger Puck, to play tricks on people and make them fall in love with the first creature they see when they wake up...

Shrek, a horrible little ogre is spitting flames and smoke. Shrek is the ugliest guy in town. Everywhere he goes, people and animals flee. He is so ugly that he frightens himself when he gets into a room full of mirrors. He looks even uglier than his parents, who kick him goodbye and send him off into the world. Yet Shrek is proud of his green strange head and disgusting body. Shrek goes out into the world to find adventure and along the way meets a witch, a knight, a dragon, and finally, a hideous princess, who’s even more unattractive than he is! Shrek manages to enter the princess’ castle. They soon fall in love with each other and get married. All the guests are surprised to see the bride carrying a cactus for a bouquet!