Unicornucopia: The Little Book of Unicorns. Caitlin Doyle

Чтение книги онлайн.

      Despite different attributes

      ACROSS VARIOUS CULTURES, UNICORNS ARE UNIVERSALLY BELIEVED TO BE

      peaceful and kind.

      The European unicorn

      HAD A HORSE’S BODY, PEARLY WHITE COAT, AND LONG, WHITE, SPIRALLED HORN.

      The Asian unicorn

      HAD A SCALY, COLOURFUL COAT – OCCASIONALLY COVERED WITH MAGICAL SYMBOLS – A DEER’S BODY, AND A FLESH-COLOURED HORN.

      The unicorn in Chinese mythology was called a qilin

      (PRONOUNCED CHEE-LIN). THE QILIN HAD A SCALY, DEER-LIKE BODY WITH A YELLOW BELLY AND SHINING, MULTI-COLOURED BACK, AND A DRAGON’S HEAD WITH ONE HORN. ACCORDING TO LEGEND, THE QILIN FIRST APPEARED IN THE GARDEN OF THE LEGENDARY YELLOW EMPEROR IN 2697 BCE. THIS BEAST WAS SO GENTLE, IT REFUSED TO EVEN WALK ON GRASS FOR FEAR OF HARMING IT.

      THE APPEARANCE OF THIS MILD CREATURE

      foretold the birth or death of a wise ruler.

      IT IS SAID TO HAVE APPEARED TO THE PREGNANT MOTHER OF CONFUCIUS IN THE 6TH CENTURY BCE AND AGAIN BEFORE

      Confucius’ death.

      According to Chinese legend,

      THE ANCIENT PHILOSOPHER CONFUCIUS WAS THE LAST PERSON EVER TO SEE

      an Asian unicorn.

      In Japan, the unicorn was called a kirin.

      THIS WORD HAS NOW COME TO MEAN

      ‘giraffe’

      IN CONTEMPORARY JAPANESE, AFTER A 15TH-CENTURY AFRICAN EXPEDITION RETURNED AND OFFERED THE CHINESE EMPEROR

      a live giraffe,

      CALLING IT A UNICORN, AND THE WORDS BECAME FOREVER INTERLINKED!

      THE KIRIN IS A REGAL AND GENTLE ANIMAL, BUT WITH A

      strong sense of justice,

      DOLING OUT INSTANT PUNISHMENT TO CRIMINALS WITH A SWIFT PIERCE OF

      the horn through the heart.

      ACCORDING TO EUROPEAN FOLKLORE, A UNICORN COULD ONLY BE TAMED BY

      a fair young maiden.

      SHE NEED ONLY BE PURE, INNOCENT, AND SIT ALONE IN A PICTURESQUE SCENE (IDEALLY BESIDE A POMEGRANATE TREE). UPON SEEING HER, THE WILD UNICORN WOULD INSTANTLY CURL UP BESIDE HER AND FALL ASLEEP WITH ITS HEAD IN HER LAP.

      IN SOME TALES, THE UNICORN

      sleeping peacefully

      IN A MAIDEN’S LAP SYMBOLIZED

      the taming of the unicorn.

      BUT IN OTHERS, A UNICORN COULD ONLY BE CAUGHT AFTER A MAIDEN WAS RATHER SAVAGELY THROWN BEFORE IT. SADLY, THIS WAS OFTEN A TRAP SET IN ORDER FOR HUNTERS TO CAPTURE

      the wild beast.

      ‘THE UNICORN, THROUGH ITS

      intemperance

      AND NOT KNOWING HOW TO CONTROL ITSELF, FOR THE LOVE IT BEARS TO

      fair maidens, forgets its ferocity and wildness;

      AND LAYING ASIDE ALL FEAR, IT WILL GO UP TO A SEATED DAMSEL AND GO TO SLEEP IN HER LAP, AND LET THE HUNTERS TAKE IT.’

      – LEONARDO DA VINCI

      What sound do unicorns make?

      THERE IS NO WAY TO KNOW FOR SURE. BUT SINCE THE BODY OF A UNICORN IS

      closest to that of a horse,

      IT’S LIKELY THE LARYNX (VOICE BOX) WOULD ALSO BE SIMILAR, PRODUCING THE SAME NEIGH SOUND. THEN AGAIN, A UNICORN ADDS MAGIC TO THE MIX, SO IT COULD ALSO SPEAK IN A HUMAN VOICE OR EVEN SOUND LIKE

      the tinkling of bells!

      What do unicorns eat?

      DEPICTIONS OF UNICORNS IN MEDIEVAL TAPESTRIES AND RENAISSANCE PAINTINGS SHOW THE MAGICAL BEASTS EATING GRASS FROM THE FOREST FLOOR, AS HORSES DO. ANOTHER THEORY IS THAT THESE OTHERWORLDLY CREATURES DO NOT REQUIRE FOOD AT ALL. INSTEAD, THEY ABSORB THE

СКАЧАТЬ