Chimera

The Chimera is from Greek mythology and is the daughter of Typhon and Echidna. It caused havoc in Lycia and the surrounding area. It is thought to have had the front half of a lion, the back half of a dragon (or a full lion body with a snake, or three snakes, for a tail) and the head of a goat in the middle of the back. Some said it had the lion’s head, the body of a female goat, and a snake’s tail. Other iterations said it had a lion, goat, and dragon head. It began killing the moment it was born. It was raised by a king of Caria to extort the people of Lycia in exchange for their lives. It could breathe fire and kill entire towns. It was eventually killed by the Hero Bellerophon who rode on top of Pegasus. He killed the Chimera by either shooting a lead arrow, or throwing a lead spear, into its mouth which due to his fire breath melted and suffocated it to death.

Citations:

Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.

Maberry, Jonathan. Vampire Universe: The Dark World of Supernatural Beings That Haunt Us, Hunt Us, and Hunger for Us. United States, Kensington Publishing Corporation, 2006.