THE UNICORN 



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Between the eyebrows it bears a single horn, not smooth, but with a natural 

 twist in it ; and it is of a black colour, and is pointed at the end. This 

 animal is said to have a voice very loud and discordant, and to be forbearing 

 and gentle towards other animals, but quarrelsome towards its own kind. It 

 is said, moreover, that not only are the males given to butting and fighting 

 one another, but they show the same disposition against the females, and 

 carry their love of fighting even to the death. The animal is very powerful 

 in all its frame, and the strength of its horn is invincible. A nomad 

 by nature, it delights in desert places, and wanders alone ; but in the pairing 

 season it is quite gentle towards the female, and they pasture together ; but as 

 soon as the time is over and the female is with young, he becomes wild 

 again ; for this Indian cartazonos is a solitary creature. And it is told that 

 foals are taken quite young and brought to the King of the Prairie, and made 

 to show oiT" their strength against one another at times of festival ; but 

 no man remembers that a full-grown specimen was ever caught alive," 

 — Aelian. De Natura Animalium. Book XVI. Ch. xx. 



HOUGH from the very beginning of time 

 until the very last century of it, there is to 

 be found throughout the world a genuine 

 belief in the existence of the unicorn, 

 there is also no doubt that its history is the 

 history of a mistake. 

 Even that primary mention of it in the Bible which 

 had read to so many generations " between the horns of the 

 unicorns," has been set aside as a mis-translation. Ctesias 

 again, and Aelian, who are recorded in so many books as 

 describers of the unicorn, make no mention of it save as a 

 wild Indian ass ; and yet " the unicorn, whose home is 

 worth a citie," has held its own, not only in legend, but 

 in life. 



Strangest of fabulous beasts, it still, after these long 

 centuries of dwindling reverence, keeps kingship as one of 

 the supporters of the British coat-of-arms. 



