Download or read book Man and Beast in American Comic Legend written by Richard Mercer Dorson and published by . This book was released on 1982 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: While other cultures relish tales about fairies, kappas, jinn, and other mythological beings, mainstream folk culture in the United States prefers a comic mythology of "fearsome critters." We yearn about, identify with, hunt for, depict, extol, and chuckle over these critters," explains Richard M. Dorson. "Belief and dread are not wholly absent, but in contrast to the rest of the world, we engage in hoaxes, pranks, tall tales, and tomfoolery with our legendary creatures." -book jacket