Giant Squid Attacking Ship, 1893
The giant squid's elusive nature and fearsome appearance have long made it a popular subject of legends and folk tales. Its popularity as an image continues today with references and depictions in literature, film, television, and video games. Often, the giant squid is represented as being in dramatic, evenly matched combat with a sperm whale. This powerful image is no longer considered accurate given the evidence that exists for a simpler predator-prey relationship between whale and squid, with the whale being the predator and the squid the prey. The Kraken is a legendary sea monster said to dwell off the coasts of Norway and Greenland. Authors have postulated that the legend originated from sightings of giant squids that may grow to 40-50 feet in length, despite the fact that the creature in the original tales was not described as having tentacles and more closely resembled a whale or crab. No artist credited, 1893
