- The unicorn is a legendary creature with the body of a horse and one horn on its forehead. Shown is …
Stories about legendary animals abounded when much knowledge of the natural world was based on travelers' tales and rumor. An example is The Voyage and Travels of Sir John Mandeville, Knight, written in the mid-14th century, which contained fanciful descriptions of monsters. Even works by scientists contained descriptions of legendary creatures. The Swiss naturalist Conrad Gesner described the unicorn and winged dragons in one book. Some legendary animals, such as the yeti, the Bigfoot, and the Loch Ness monster, still arouse general curiosity. The most well-known of the legends have appeared in many versions in different works. These include the dragon, various sea serpents, the basilisk, the unicorn, and the phoenix. DragonThe dragon was usually thought of as a huge scaly lizard or snake that breathed fire and had wings like a bat. In Greece the word drakon, from which the English word was derived, was used originally for any large serpent. In the Middle Eastern world, the serpent or dragon symbolized evil. In Christian art the dragon came to stand for sin. In the Far East, however, the dragon is known as a kind creature. The Chinese dragon represented yang, the principle of heaven, activity, and maleness in Chinese cosmology. From ancient times, it was the emblem of the royal family. Until the 20th century the dragon adorned the Chinese flag. Sea creaturesSea serpents were supposed to be enormous snakes, or huge creatures that inhabited the deep sea. Sea serpents have a long history of being sighted by mariners and sailors. Belief in them was widespread throughout the ancient world. Accounts of these fabled creatures might have been based on the sightings of giant squids, which can attain a length of 50 feet (15 meters). Sightings of freshwater “monsters,” especially those in Loch Ness in northern Scotland have been investigated. However, all investigations have been inconclusive. In Norwegian sea folklore, the kraken was an enormous creature, part octopus and part crab. This monster may also be based on chance sightings of the giant squid. Mermaids were also mythical creatures that lived in the sea. They had the head and upper body of a human being and the tail of a fish. In European folklore, mermaids (sometimes called sirens) and mermen were natural beings who, like fairies, had magical and prophetic powers. Aquatic mammals, such as the dugong and manatee, which suckle their young in human fashion above water, are considered by some to be the basis of these legends. BasiliskThe basilisk, or cockatrice, was a serpent so horrible that it killed with a glance. The Roman writer Pliny the Elder described the basilisk simply as a snake with a small golden crown. However, it went on to gain a terrifying reputation. The sight of a basilisk was said to be so dreadful that if the creature saw its own reflection in a mirror, it would die of fright. The only way to kill it, then, was to hold a mirror before it and avoid looking at it directly. In the Middle Ages it was supposed to have the head of a cock, or sometimes a human head. UnicornThe unicorn was a mythological animal resembling a horse or a kid, with a single horn on its forehead. The unicorn appeared in the early artworks of the Mesopotamian civilization. It was also referred to in the ancient myths of India and China. The earliest description in Greek literature of a single-horned animal was by the historian Ctesias in about 400 BC. The actual animal behind Ctesias' description was probably the Indian rhinoceros. Cups said to be made of unicorn horn, but actually made of rhinoceros horn or narwhal tusk, were highly valued in the Middle Ages as a protection against poisoned drinks. PhoenixEarly humans were very interested in birds and attributed magic and religious powers to them. Therefore many mythological creatures, such as thunderbird, phoenix, and roc, have taken the form of birds. In ancient Egypt and in classical antiquity, the phoenix was a fabulous bird associated with the worship of the sun. It was said to be as large as an eagle, with brilliant scarlet and gold feathers. Only one phoenix existed at any one time, and it lived at least 500 years. As its death approached, the phoenix made a nest of boughs and spices, set it on fire, and was consumed in the flames. From the pyre miraculously sprang a new phoenix. Other creaturesMore recent creatures are the Yeti and Bigfoot. The Tibetan yeti was a mythical monster inhabiting the Himalayas at about the level of the snow line. Though reports of actual sightings of such a creature are rare, certain mysterious markings in the snow have traditionally been attributed to it. Bears have probably produced some of these. A large, hairy creature resembling a human, the Bigfoot is believed by some to exist in northwestern United States and western Canada. It seems to represent the North American counterpart of the yeti. Although some people have claimed to have seen and even photographed the creature, none of the evidence has been verified. Also known as Sasquatch, it is described as ranging from 6 to 15 feet (2 to 4.5 meters) in height, standing erect on two feet, and either moving silently or emitting a high-pitched cry. |