Reptilian foe,
Head count keeps on increasing,
New necks grow afresh.
An astounding monster of ever-multiplying evil, the Hydra is the Greek mythological beastie that offers brilliant entertainment value in that it can carry on spawning new heads. A giant water-based serpentine horror of the Underworld with poisonous breath and venomous blood, the many-headed Hydra has the handy ability to grow two fresh heads in place of every one decapitated. As his second task of the twelve, Heracles was sent to grapple with the Hydra of Lerna but could only effectively kill it with help from his nephew Iolaus, who scorched the neck stumps to prevent regrowth every time a Hydra skull was whacked away by the strongman's club. As befits a creature that keeps coming back for more, the Hydra is an icon for the ages represented numerous times in art and pottery, also cinematically appearing in Disney-form and in Harryhausen stop-motion form in Jason and the Argonauts. Hail Hydra!
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