Can You Guess the Beast?
During the medieval period, amongst the various types of encyclopedias that emerged, one of the most interesting were the bestiaries. These were collections of descriptions of various animals, both real and mythical, accompanied by stories about them. They included creatures like fire-breathing dragons, treacherous sirens, and noble griffins. Interestingly, bestiaries also often featured very ordinary animals that anyone could observe in the world around them, and the descriptions of their habits and customs were sometimes just as astonishing as their accounts of dragons. Can you guess which animals are being described in these excerpts?
The Aberdeen Bestiary (MS24; Folio 9r), England XII century/University of Aberdeen, Scotland/Wikimedia Commons
There is an animal with truly diverse coloring, known for being exceptionally beautiful and friendly. According to the Physiologus, it thinks of the dragon as its only enemy. A very sweet, clove-like scent emanates from its mouth. This animal reproduces only once for an obvious reason: when three young are conceived in the mother's womb and begin to grow, over time, they become eager to come out. Consequently, they tear the womb to free themselves, causing great pain as they enter the world.