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Well, not real entirely, but the Dufflepuds were something I have assumed were Lewis' creation, but as it turns out those too are just based on mythology. Even described as "dwarf-like", just how Lewis described them, they are also most often referred to just as "Monopods", as they are also in VotDT.
And if you remember the bit about them lying on the backs and using their giant foot as an umbrella, this picture from 1493 should ring some bells:
What do you think?
Topic starter
Posted : June 12, 2012 12:21 am
That is really fascinating, Reepi! Did you find anything about their mythology?
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Posted : June 12, 2012 1:43 am
I did stumble upon a wikipedia about it: Notable they are also mentioned by Pliny in something called Naturalis Historia:
Topic starter
Posted : June 13, 2012 4:03 am
Interesting connection, Reepi. The picture reminds me of an illustration I would see for Marco Polo's travels.
Posted : June 13, 2012 3:29 pm
Very interesting - I had no idea they were actually in mythology! Very cool!!
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Posted : June 14, 2012 7:41 pm
Wow, but when you think about LWW and PC and how many mythological creatures Lewis chose to put in his world, it isn't such a surprise.
There used to be old travellers' tales, and legends of what sailors had seen at the ends of the earth.... some of the creatures found in VDT reflect these.
There, shining in the sunrise, larger than they had seen him before, shaking his mane (for it had apparently grown again) stood Aslan himself.
"...when a willing victim who had committed no treachery was killed in a traitor's stead, the Table would crack and Death itself would start working backwards."
Posted : June 14, 2012 9:52 pm
Good find Reepi. I never thought the monopods were actually from myth, I just assumed they were part of CS Lewis' creation. Oh well- it's still fascinating.
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Posted : June 15, 2012 1:17 pm
Oh wow, that's very interesting. I had assumed that Lewis invented the idea of monopods. I was actually sort of disappointed in the movie that they did not explain that the dufflepuds used to be dwarves that were "uglified". For some reason, it seemed important to me for them to mention that to show that Lewis created them, but I guess he didn't.
So as far as I can recall, Marshwiggles are the only creatures in Narnia that are purely from Lewis's imagination, correct?
Posted : June 27, 2012 12:01 pm
I learned about this a few years ago while researching Mythological Creatures! 
And I thought it was so funny!
Its always fun to see where certain people may have gotten their inspiration from! 
The Value of myth is that it takes all the things you know and restores to them the rich significance which has been hidden by the veil of familiarity. C.S. Lewis
Posted : July 7, 2012 9:04 pm
This is interesting... I too thought they were just something he made up. I'll have to look into this more now. Thanks for the find Reepi!
I wonder what other "obscure" myths Lewis may have drawn from?
"The mountains are calling and I must go, and I will work on while I can, studying incessantly." -John Muir
"Be cunning, and full of tricks, and your people will never be destroyed." -Richard Adams, Watership Down
Posted : July 8, 2012 9:48 pm
Ah, yes. 
I once got it into my head that I wanted to study myths (with a focus in Greek) rather extensively one year, and had a good giggle when I found the monopods (and then had to show it to everyone in the house!). Personally, I think the Dufflepods are even more interesting since they were inspired by an old myth... makes them seem more real, somehow.
Posted : July 9, 2012 4:07 pm
It's funny to see even more sources Lewis used for his world. He really mixed together creatures from different mythologies - dwarfs from Norse mythology, Fauns, Satyrs, Centaurs and even Bacchus from Greek and Roman mythology, Father Christmas from what you might call Christian mythology - and now this!
I hadn't heard about it before reading it here. Good find!
(avi artwork by Henning Janssen)
Posted : July 10, 2012 11:47 am
What a fascinating find! 
I'm surprised we haven't heard of this before.
It's interesting that the myth concerning Monopods isn't more well-known. Mythology is such a popular subject, and everyone seems to know about centaurs, dwarves, minotaurs, and the like. But not too many people seem to know about Monopods. I bet a lot of people - even outside NarniaWeb - assumed it was Lewis's own creation.
~Riella 
Posted : July 10, 2012 2:00 pm
Well, there wasn't a whole lot on them in the Wikipedia article, apparently there weren't many legends about them. Lewis's portrayal of them takes up half of the page. I had thought he had invented them too, oh well.
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Posted : July 12, 2012 5:43 pm
Wow, I didn't know that, that is so neat. I guess I shouldn't be so suprised though, Lewis borrowed a lot from mythology, most of his creatures (that are not animals) are taken from mythology. But it is an interesting discovery, cause I, like so many others, was sure that he had made them up himself
always be humble and kind
Posted : July 13, 2012 2:20 am
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