The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures: The Ultimate A–Z of Fantastic Beings from Myth and Magic. John Matthews

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СКАЧАТЬ way to the Otherworld in sacrifice. In Buddhism, the cockerel is a symbol of carnality and pride, and with the pig and snake, is depicted upon the mandala of samsara (the weary round of existences) as one of the passions that prevents one reaching nirvana or enlightenment. (See Sacrificial animals.)

      COCOA

      In Peruvian mythology, Cocoa is the cat god. He is of diminutive size, being only 2-ft long, with a tail twice that length. He is striped all over, and from his eyes pours continual hail. (See Ccoa.)

      COCQCIGRUES

      In the folklore of France, the Cocqcigrues are a family of unspecified monsters who are referred to in the common phrase, ‘a la venue des Coquecigrues’ (‘when the monsters come’), meaning a time unlikely to come. The word is used of a collection of fabulous or magical creatures.

      COINN IOTAIR

      In Irish legend, the Coinn Iotair (‘Raging Hounds’) are the magical hunting hounds of the legendary chieftain Crom Dubh, the ‘Black Crooked One’.

      COLO-COLO

      In the Araucanian legends of Chile, the Colo-Colo was like the Basilisk in having hatched from the egg of a cockerel. It is said to hover over sleepers and drink their saliva until, drained of moisture, they succumb to mortal fevers.

      COLUINN GUN CHEANN

      In the Highlands of Scotland, you need to walk carefully in case you meet the Coluinn Gun Cheann, the ‘Trunk without a Head’. This monster was active around the estate of the Macdonalds of Morar on the Isle of Skye. It was indifferent to women and children, allowing them to pass, but it would attack any man who travelled the ‘Smooth Mile’ to Morar House at night, killing and mutilating them. It would seem that the Headless Body was primarily following a protective duty to guard the Macdonald’s estate from strangers and invaders, but it had little discrimination. The Maccleod of Raasay eventually banished him, but we do not know where to, so it is best to beware.

      CON RIT

      In south-east Asian cryptozoology, this sea beast has been found along the seacoast of Vietnam. Its name means ‘centipede’ or ‘millipede’, but it is considerably longer – being about 60 ft. The one found by Tan Van Con in 1883 had a sectioned body, just like an insect. These segments, 3-ft wide and 2-ft long, were hexagonal in shape. The description has been thought to resemble the Chinese Dragon with its tough hide, armoured plates and whiskered face. Some have thought that it is more likely to be a living fossil invertebrate, perhaps a giant isopod or aquatic chilopoda, the prehistoric sea millipede.

      CON TRAIM NU O’C

      Among the Annamese people of Thailand, the Con Traim Nu’ O’c is a great water buffalo who can travel vast distances in the quickest time. Anyone who passes where it has been and can pick up one of its hairs will be able to cross any surface without getting wet.

      CONOPENII

      In Persian legend, the Conopenii were huge ass-headed horses who breathed fire from their mouths and nostrils.

      CORANYEIDD

      In the Welsh story of Lludd and Llefelys, we hear how King Lludd (or Lud) of Britain was troubled by Coranyeidd (or Coranians), a kind of intrusive spirit who overheard whatever was said so that no secrets could be kept. He went to sea in the English Channel and tried to talk to his brother King Llefelys of France as their two boats met. Speaking through a talking horn or speaking trumpet, neither brother could understand the other very easily because Coranyeidd kept getting in the horn, so that the brothers heard insulting things about each other. Llefelys poured wine through the speaking horn and ejected the Coranyeidd who were blocking the tube. He advised his brother to take some special insects and crush them up, putting them into the water supply and this would rid Britain of the Coranyeidd. During the First World War, Gremlins were sighted over the English Channel. Perhaps this is a case of evolutionary progression over the ages, so that Coranyeidd have become Gremlins.

      CORC-CHLUASAK

      In the Gaelic lore of Scotland and Ireland, the Corc-Chluasak was the calf of the Tarbh Uisge or water bull. The way to tell between an ordinary calf and a Corc-Chuluasak is to note that the fairy beast has split ears and are much larger than ordinary calves. They also have velvety coats. Although they are not as dangerous as the grown-up Tarbh Uisge, they must be guarded against if they join a herd, for they are troublemakers whose coming heralds disaster.

      CORNU

      In Irish legend, this is the monstrous black bird which was banished by St Patrick to the waters of Lough Derg to live upon the miserable and penitential island that is known as St Patrick’s Purgatory. Hundreds of pilgrims come to this island every year to pray outside in the rain, endure cold winds and undergo a complete fast in order to purge their sins. Whether they encounter the Cornu is not reported, though after three days of only water to drink, it would not be surprising if their inner sight was stimulated to see any number of magical creatures.

      COROCOTTA

      In European legend, the Corocotta was reported by travellers as a lion-sized beast with a wolf’s head. The creature had an unmoving stare, for its eyes did not swivel in their sockets. Instead of teeth, it had a series of bones that crushed whatever it fed upon, so that it might swallow it whole. It was cunningly able to imitate the calls of other animals so that others of their kind might be lured into its vicinity. The Corocotta was believed to be an inhabitant of the wilds of Ethiopia, and is related to the Leucrotta.

      COTTUS

      One of the Hecatoncheires, or hundred-handed giants who were the offspring of the Earth goddess Gaia and Uranus in Greek mythology. With his brothers, Briareus and Gyges, Cottus helped the Olympian gods in their war against the Titans.

      COTZBALAM

      In Mayan mythology, Cotzbalam was one of the four great birds who attacked the wooden bodies that were intended to become the first living humans. They each attacked a different part of the body to prevent the pollution of the primordial world. The others were Camazotz, Tecumbalam and Gucumatz.

      COW

      The domestication of the cow was a significant development in the history of civilization. The central place of the cow as the sustainer and provider of people is widely acclaimed in world mythology and folk belief.

      Marital customs show how central the cow is both as an emblem of fertility and as a unit of wealth – our word ‘pecuniary’ derives from the Latin pecu СКАЧАТЬ