Unicorns are one of the more well known fantastical creature and my
personal favorite. Thier history goes back as far as 5000 years ago,
with origins from Mesopotamia, Egypt and Greece. Though mostly
recognized as an European creature, there are counterparts throughout
India, Persia and even China, although the ones in China tend to
resemble dragons.
Appearance
Unicorns come in all shapes, sizes and even colors. The traditional
unicorn, however, resembled a horse or a goat that was completely white
with a single horn protruding from its forehead. Some were adorned with
the tails of lions (still white). Occassionally, a goat's beard was
added. In modern times, you can find wings added, giving this already
magnificiant creature the ability to fly. No matter what an artist's
interpretation of this creature might be, the single horn is universal.
The Horn
The word 'unicorn' derives from the Latin unus meaning 'one' or
'singular', and cornus meaning 'horn'. It is that horn that gave the
unicorn its power and embedded into myth for all time. In medieval
times, the horn was seen as very powerful and coveted by noblemen and
kings. It was thought to cure ailments, neutralize poisons and warn when
poisoned food was near. It was sold in powdered form as cures for
diseases. Nobility kept whole horns as a sign of their power. These
horns are thought to have actually been from the narwhal. The narwhal
(morodom monoceros) is a sea mammal that lives in the artic ocean. The
male of the species grows a single spiralling tusk, or horn, from its
upper lip which grows up to 1.5 to 5 m (5 - 10 feet) in length. The
norwhale has been referred to as the 'unicorn of the sea'.
Go Here to Learn More About the Unicorns Magical Horn!
The Lion and the Unicorn
Many have heard the nursery rhyme 'The Lion and the Unicorn'. The lion
and the unicorn were both considered to be the kings of the animals and
the sounds of their clashes could be heard throughout the forest. It was
said that their battles determined the seasons.
A rampant lion and unicorn are also seen on the British coat of
arms. Before Britain took over Scotland, the British coat of arms had
two rampant lions and Scotland's had two rampant unicorns. Later, the
British one was altered in an effort to combine the two. Maybe the lion
and the unicorn fought as a symblol of the ongoing battles between
Britain and Scotland. It certainly seems that way in the old nursery
rhyme where the 'lion beat the unicorn all around the town'. However,
the fight between the two animals goes back much further than that.
The Maiden
As everyone knows, only a maiden (or virgin) could capture a unicorn.
The maiden (an unmarried woman) had to be pure in heart as well as body.
Once the unicorn was trapped, hunters would jump out of hiding and
either enslave or kill the creature. Not a pretty picture for unicorn
lovers today.
There are many symbolisms behind this myth. The unicorn represented
chasity and purity. Thus, this myth was used to promote chastity among
the young women of that time. The maiden came to represent the Virgin
Mary and the unicorn became a symbol for Christ, thus helping to promote
Christianity throughout Europe. Even today, the unicorn is seen as a
symbol of chastity.
Why was it that only a maiden could capture and tame a unicorn? Well,
that would require a look back at what the people believed in that time
in Europe. Christianity was on the rise and it dominated the culture and
the attitudes of the people. Moral rules became increassingly strict and
chastity was seen as golden. Women were taught and expected to uphold
the morals and virtues of society. Men were not expected to do this and
were easily forgiven for if they went astray. It was a woman's duty to
help a man become morally good. Virtuous women were well respected and
'pure' maidens were sought after for wives. If a woman was even
suspected of being 'soiled', at best she was left to be a spinstress -
at worse, she was burned at the stake. Even a woman sho was raped would
find it difficult to find a husband, for she was no longer 'pure'.
Unicorns were not seen as gentle, kind creatures, but rather as savage
beasts that roamed the forest. Only a pure maiden could tame such a
beast. The unicorn represented man - wild, rambunctuous and a bit
savage. And who cannot see that great phallic symbol sitting between
it's eyes? Once again, this myth attempted to reinforce ideas of purity
and chasity as well as paralleling the views of society at that time.
The Modern Unicorn
Today, the unicorn is not as popular as it used to be. If you browse the
fantasy section of any bookstore, the pickings are slim. However, you
can find lots of stories with dragons in them. There are really only two
movies about unicorns: Legend and The Last Unicorn. The unicorn has lost
much of its strength and is mainly seen now as a delicate, flighty,
frivolous and cotton-for-brains creature. In regard to modern culture,
the unicorn is not as 'cool' as say, the dragon or the vampire. The
magic that it used to bring is slowly being forgotten in favor of the
bigger, the badder, and the meaner. Which is sad, considering all the
things the unicorn is. Perhaps it verifies the fact that there are few
people who are pure of heart anymore.
 
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