Unicornucopia: The Little Book of Unicorns. Caitlin Doyle

      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

      sun’s rays for their nourishment.

      THEN TODAY’S POPULAR CULTURE WOULD HAVE US BELIEVE THAT UNICORNS’ DIET CONSISTS ENTIRELY OF RAINBOW FOODS, BRIMMING WITH SUGAR, SPRINKLES, AND MINI MARSHMALLOWS. BUT UNTIL WE HEAR IT DIRECTLY FROM THE UNICORN’S MOUTH,

      we’ll have to keep on imagining!

      LEGEND HAS IT THAT A UNICORN STOPPED THE FEARSOME INVADER

      Genghis Khan

      FROM CONQUERING INDIA. AS THE WARRIOR WAS PREPARING FOR THE INVASION,

      a unicorn knelt before him and gazed into his eyes.

      WITH NO OTHER EXPLANATION FOR WHAT HE SAW THAN IT BEING A HEAVENLY SIGN,

      Genghis Khan ordered his army to retreat.

      In spite of being fearless,

      UNICORNS ARE SUPPOSEDLY SCARED OF LABRADORS, BUT ESPECIALLY

      tame around pheasants.

      The virtuous unicorn

      IS SAID TO BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE

      liars instantly

      AND WILL PIERCE SUCH INDIVIDUALS THROUGH THE HEART WITH ITS HORN!

      Saint Hildegard,

      A 12TH-CENTURY GERMAN ABBESS, WELL RESPECTED FOR HER TEACHINGS ON MEDICINE AND SCIENCE,

      recommended an anti-leprosy ointment

      MADE OF EGG YOLK AND FOIE DE LICORNE, OR UNICORN LIVER.

      The unicorn

      EVEN APPEARS IN THE BIBLE AS A MAJESTIC ANIMAL CALLED A RE’EM, BASED ON TRANSLATIONS FROM SCHOLARS IN 300 BCE.

      Modern translations now refer to this animal as a wild ox,

      EXPLAINING THAT THE UNICORN WAS SIMPLY A TRANSLATION ERROR, BUT THE UNICORN HELD A SPECIAL SYMBOLIC MEANING FOR THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH EVEN SO.

      The unicorn, with its peaceful but powerful nature, has symbolized Jesus.

      JESUS IS SAID TO HAVE RAISED A UNICORN HORN AS A SYMBOL OF SALVATION FOR HUMANKIND. THE WORD ‘UNICORN’ OCCURS NINE TIMES IN THE KING JAMES BIBLE.

      ‘SAVE ME FROM THE LION’S MOUTH: FOR THOU HAST HEARD ME FROM THE HORNS OF THE UNICORNS.’

      – PSALMS 22:21, KING JAMES BIBLE

      ‘GOD BROUGHT THEM OUT OF EGYPT; HE HATH AS IT WERE THE STRENGTH OF AN UNICORN.’

      – NUMBERS 23:22, KING JAMES BIBLE

      IN