Post by The Archivist on Jul 16, 2015 14:43:11 GMT -5
My favorite description of "real" unicorns (I forget the source) is that of a small, vicious, goat-like monster with white hair and a single, spiraled horn, all twisted and vile-looking; Black at the base, fading into white, then deep crimson toward the tip. These ferocious beasts would violently attack any who came near. That is, unless they were "pure".
The Unicorn was also known as the monoceros , some sources have claimed these to be two different sorts of beasts that are only similar in appearance in others the monoceros is an ignoble evil malignant and maltempered cousin of the Unicorn.
Monoceros is Greek for unicorn, so a few sites say. It is also the name of a constellation "The Constellation Monoceros."
Then I found this:
The Unicorn was also known as the monoceros , some sources have claimed these to be two different sorts of beasts that are only similar in appearance in others the monoceros is an ignoble evil malignant and maltempered cousin of the Unicorn.
Monoceros is Greek for unicorn, so a few sites say. It is also the name of a constellation "The Constellation Monoceros."
From Medieval times through the 17th century the existence of unicorn was reinforced by the spectacular spiraling horns that the Vikings brought to Europe. It was believed that the unicorn horn could detect and destroy any poison that an enemy might place in ones' food. The Vikings guarded their secret of the source of the horns from the Europeans for over 300 years. The horns were not from the legendary Unicorn, but from the Narwhal.
Then I found this:
Monoceros: A form of unicorn, the monoceros has the head of a stag, the body of a horse, the feet of an elephant and the tail of a boar.
The monoceros is a monster with a horrible bellow, the body of a horse, the feet of an elephant and a tail very like that of a deer. A magnificent, marvellous horn projects from the middle of its forehead, four feet in length, so sharp that whatever it strikes is easily pierced with the blow. No living monoceros has ever come into man's hands, and while it can be killed, it cannot be captured.