The Kraken
This enormous monster, peculiar to the Northern Seas, is scarcely a
fable, because huge Calamaries are not infrequently seen. Poor
Pontoppidan has often been considered a Danish Ananias, but there are
authentic accounts of these enormous Cuttle-fish; for instance, in 1854,
one was stranded at the Skag, in Jutland, which was cut in pieces by the
fishermen in order to be used as bait, and filled many wheelbarrows.
Anothe
Scalloway, on the west of Scotland, and its tentacles were sixteen feet
long, the pedal arms about half as long, and its body seven feet. The
French ship Alecton, on 30th November 1861, between Madeira and
Teneriffe, slipped a rope with a running knot over an enormous calamary,
but only brought a portion on board, the body breaking off. It was
estimated at being sixteen to eighteen feet in length, without counting
its arms. The legend of its sinking ships and taking sailors from them
is common to many countries, even the Chinese and Japanese thus
depicting them.
Olaus Magnus gives us a graphic picture of a huge Polyp, thus seizing a
sailor, and dragging him from his ship in spite of all his efforts to
prevent him. On the next page is a huge calamary shown with a man in its
clutches. This is both in Gesner and Aldrovandus. But this terror to
mariners had its master in the Conger eel. Gesner, who has taken his
picture from some description of the World, introduces it as a
Sea-Serpent; but Aristotle says that "the Congers devour the Polypi,
which cannot adhere to them on account of the smoothness of their
surface." Magnus also speaks of the antipathy between the two.
According to Pliny, quoting Trebius Niger, the Polypus shows a fair
amount of cunning:--"Shell fish are destitute of sight, and, indeed, all
other sensations but those which warn them of hunger, and the approach
of danger. Hence it is that the Polypus lies in ambush till the fish
opens its shell, immediately upon which, it places within it a small
pebble, taking care, at the same time, to keep it from touching the body
of the animal, lest, by making some movement, it should chance to eject
it. Having made itself thus secure, it attacks its prey, and draws out
the flesh, while the other tries to contract itself, but all in vain, in
consequence of the separation of the shell, thus effected by the
insertion of the wedge.
"In addition to the above, the same author states that there is not an
animal in existence, that is more dangerous for its powers of destroying
a human being when in the water. Embracing his body, it counteracts his
struggles, and draws him under with its feelers and its numerous
suckers, when, as often is the case, it happens to make an attack upon
a shipwrecked mariner or a child. If, however, the animal is turned
over, it loses all its power; for when it is thrown upon its back, the
arms open of themselves.
"The other particulars which the same author has given, appear still
more closely to border upon the marvellous. At Carteia, in the preserves
there, a Polypus was in the habit of coming from the sea to the pickling
tubs that were left open, and devouring the fish laid in salt there--for
it is quite astonishing how eagerly all sea animals follow even the very
smell of salted condiments, so much so, that it is for this reason that
the fishermen take care to rub the inside of the wicker fish-kipes with
them.--At last, by its repeated thefts and immoderate depredations, it
drew down upon itself the wrath of the keepers of the works. Palisades
were placed before them, but these the Polypus managed to get over by
the aid of a tree, and was only caught at last by calling in the
assistance of trained dogs, which surrounded it at night, as it was
returning with its prey; upon which, the keepers, awakened by the noise,
were struck with alarm at the novelty of the sight presented.
"First of all, the size of the Polypus was enormous beyond all
conception: and then it was covered all over with dried brine, and
exhaled a most dreadful stench. Who could have expected to find a
Polypus there, or could have recognised it as such, under these
circumstances? They really thought that they were joining battle with
some monster, for at one instant, it would drive off the dogs by its
horrible fumes, and lash at them with the extremities of its feelers;
while at another, it would strike them with its stronger arms, giving
blows with so many clubs, as it were; and it was only with the greatest
difficulty that it could be dispatched with the aid of a considerable
number of three-pronged fish-spears. The head of this animal was shewn
to Lucullus; it was in size as large as a cask of fifteen amphorae
(about 135 gallons), and had a beard (iti tentaculae), to use the
expression of Trebius himself, which could hardly be encircled with both
arms, full of knots, like those upon a club, and thirty feet in length;
the suckers, or calicules, as large as an urn, resembled a basin in
shape, while the teeth again were of a corresponding largeness: its
remains, which were carefully preserved as a curiosity, weighed seven
hundred pounds."
Olaus Magnus says:--"On the Coasts of Norway there is a Polypus, or
creature with many feet, which hath a pipe on his back, whereby he puts
to Sea, and he moves that sometimes to the right, and sometimes to the
left. Moreover, with his Legs as it were by hollow places, dispersed
here and there, and by his Toothed Nippers, he fastneth on every living
Creature that comes near to him, that wants blood. Whatever he eats he
heaps up in the holes where he resides: Then he casts out the Skins,
having eaten the flesh, and hunts after fishes that swim to them: Also
he casts out the shels, and hard outsides of Crabs that remain. He
changeth his colour by the colour of the stone he sticks unto,
especially when he is frighted at the sight of his Enemy, the Conger. He
hath 4 great middle feet, in all 8; a little body, which the great feet
make amends for. He hath also some small feet that are shadowed and can
scarce be perceived. By these he sustains, moves, and defends himself,
and takes hold of what is from him: and he lies on his back upon the
stones, that he can scarce be gotten off, onlesse you put some stinking
smell to him."
More
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Early Men
On the antiquity of man it is impossible to speculate, because we have no data to go upon. We know that his earliest existence, of which we have any cognisance, must have been at a period when the climate and fauna of the Western continent was tot... Fish
Terrestrial and Aerial animals were far more familiar to the Ancients than were the inhabitants of the vast Ocean, and not knowing much about them, their habits and ways, took "omne ignotum pro magnifico." We have seen the union of Man and Beast... Four-footed Duck
Gesner describes a four-footed duck, which he says is like the English puffin, except in the number of its feet: but Aldrovandus "out-Herods Herod" when he gives us "A monstrous Cock with Serpent's tail." If we can believe Pliny, there are pl... Giants
This last sentence seems almost a compendium of The History of Tom Thumb, for his wit enabled him to overcome the lubber-headed giants, in every conflict he was engaged in with them--they were no match for him. Take the Romances of Chivalry. Pacol... Hairy Men
If, as we may conjecture from the above, the ancient Briton was "a rugged man, o'ergrown with hair," his full-dress toilette must have occupied some time. But extreme hairiness in human beings is by no means singular, and very many cases are recor... Moon Woman
One would have imagined that this Egg would be sufficient to test the credulity of most people, but Aldrovandus was equal to the occasion, and he gives us a "Moon Woman," who lays eggs, sits upon them, and hatches Giants; and he gives this on t... Pygmies
The antitheses of men--Dwarfs, and Giants--must not be overlooked, as they are abnormal, and yet have existed in all ages. Dwarfs are mentioned in the Bible, Leviticus xxi. 20, where following the injunction of "Let him not approach to offer the b... Remarkable Egg
No wonder that a credulous age, which could see nothing extraordinary in the Barnacle goose, could also, metaphorically, swallow such an egg, as Licetus, first of all, and Aldrovandus, after him, gives us in the accompanying true picture. The l... Satyrs
He also mentions and delineates a curious Ape which closely resembles the classical Satyr: "Under the Equinoctiall, toward the East and South, there is a kind of Ape called AEgopithecus, an Ape like a Goate. For there are Apes like Beares, called ... Senses Of Fishes
He also tells us about the senses of fishes, and first of their hearing:--"Among the marine animals, it is not probable that Oysters enjoy the sense of hearing, but it is said that immediately a noise is made, the Solen (razor-sheath) will sink to... Serpents
Of Serpents Topsell has written a "Historie," which, if not altogether veracious, is very amusing; and I shall quote largely from it, as it shows us "the latest thing out" in Serpents as believed in, and taught, in the time of James I. He begins, ... Snow Birds
But we must leave warm climes, and birds of Paradise, and speak of "Birds shut up under the Snow." "There are in the Northern Countries Wood-Cocks, like to pheasant for bigness, but their Tails are much shorter, and they are cole black all o... Sponges
"We find three kinds of sponges mentioned; the first are thick, very hard, and rough, and are called tragi: the second are thick, and much softer, and are called mani: of the third, being fine, and of a closer texture, tents for sores are made; th... The Alle Alle
"There is also in this Lake (the White Lake) a kind of bird, very frequent; and in other Coasts of the Bothnick and Swedish Sea, that cries incessantly all the Summer, Alle, Alle, therefore they are called all over, by the Inhabitants, Alle, Al... The Ant
No one would credit the industrious Ant, whose ways we are told to consider, and gather wisdom therefrom, was avaricious and lustful after gold; but it seems it was even so, at least, in Pliny's time; but then they were abnormally large:--"The hor... The Antelope
When not taken from living specimens, or skins, the artists of old drew somewhat upon their imaginations for their facts, as is the case with this Antelope, of which Topsell gives the following description:--"They are bred in India, and Syria, ... The Barnacle Goose
Of all extraordinary beliefs, that in the Barnacle Goose, which obtained credence from the eleventh to the seventeenth centuries, is as wonderful as any. The then accepted fact that the Barnacle Goose was generated on trees, and dropped alive in t... The Basilisk And Cockatrice
Aldrovandus portrays the Basilisk with eight legs. Topsell says it is the same as the Cockatrice, depicts it as a crowned serpent, and says:--"This Beast is called by the Graecian Baziliscos, and by the Latine, Regulus, because he seemeth to be... The Bear
As Pliny not only uses all Aristotle's matter anent Bears, but puts it in a consecutive, and more readable form, it is better to transcribe his version than that of the older author. "Bears couple in the beginning of winter. The female then reti... The Bee
The Busy Bee, too, according to Olaus Magnus, developed, in the regions of the North, a peculiarity to which it seems a stranger with us, but which might be encouraged, with beneficial effect, by the Temperance Societies. The Bees infested d... The Cat
Aldrovandus gives us a picture of a curly-legged Cat, but, beyond saying that it was so afflicted (or ornamented) from its birth, he gives no particulars. Topsell, too, is singularly silent on the merits of Cats; but yet he mentions some interesti... The Centaur
This extraordinary combination of man and animal is very ancient--and the first I can find is Assyrian. Mr. W. St. Chad Boscawen, in one of his British Museum Lectures (afterwards published under the title of From under the Dust of Ages), speaking... The Chimaera
Aldrovandus gives us the accompanying illustration of a Chimaera, a fabulous Classical monster, said to possess three heads, those of a lion, a goat, and a dragon. It used so to be pictorially treated, but in more modern times as Aldrovandus re... The Circhos
"There is also another Monster like to that, called Circhos, which hath a crusty and soft Skin, partly black, partly red, and hath two cloven places in his Foot, that serve for to make three Toes. The right foot of this Animal is very small, but t... The Crocodile
The largest of the Saurians which we have left us, is the Crocodile; and it formerly had the character of being very deceitful, and, by its weeping, attracted its victims. Sir John Mandeville thus describes them:--"In this land, and many other pla... The Dog-fish And Ray
Olaus Magnus writes of "The cruelty of some Fish, and the kindness of others. There is a fish of the kind of Sea-Dogfish, called Boloma, in Italian, and in Norway, Haafisck, that will set upon a man swimming in the Salt-Waters, so greedily, in ... The Dolphin
Pliny says:--"The Dolphin is an animal not only friendly to man, but a lover of music as well; he is charmed by melodious concerts, and more especially by the notes of the water organ. He does not dread man, as though a stranger to him, but comes ... The Fox
By Englishmen, the Fox has been raised to the height of at least a demigod--and his cult is a serious matter attended with great minutiae of ritual. Englishmen and Foxes cannot live together, but they live for one another, the man to hunt the fox,... The Gorgon
In the title-page of one edition of "The Historie of Foure-footed Beastes" (1607) Topsell gives this picture of the Gorgon; and he says, respecting this curious animal, the following:--"Among the manifold and divers sorts of Beasts which are bred ... The Griffin
There always has been a tradition of birds being existent, of far greater size than those usually visible. The Maoris aver that at times they still hear the gigantic Moa in the scrub--and, even, if extinct, we know, by the state of the bones fou... The Gulo
Olaus Magnus thus describes the Gulo or Gulon:--"Amongst all creatures that are thought to be insatiable in the Northern parts of Sweden, the Gulo hath his name to be the principall; and in the vulgar tongue they call him Jerff, but in the Germ... The Halcyon
Of this bird, the Kingfisher, Aristotle thus discourses:--"The halcyon is not much larger than a sparrow; its colour is blue and green, and somewhat purple; its whole body is composed of these colours as well as the wings and neck, nor is any part... The Harpy And Siren
The conjunction of the human form with birds is very easy, wings being fitted to it, as in the case of angels--and as applied to beasts, this treatment is very ancient, vide the winged bulls of Assyria, and the classical Pegasus, or winged hors... The Hoopoe And Lapwing
Whether the following bird is meant for the Hoopoe, or the Lapwing, I know not. The Latin version has "De Upupis," which clearly means Hoopoes--and the translation says, "Of the Whoups or Lapwings"--I follow the latter. "Lapwings, when at a set ti... The Hornet
So also, up North, they seem to have had a special breed of Hornets, which must have been ferocious indeed, sparing neither man nor beast, as is evidenced by the corpses, and by the extremely energetic efforts of the yet living man to cope with... The Horse
Aldrovandus gives us a curious specimen of a horse, which the artist has drawn with the slashed trunk breeches of the time. He says that Fincelius, quoting Licosthenes, mentions that this animal had its skin thus slashed, from its birth, and was t... The Kraken
This enormous monster, peculiar to the Northern Seas, is scarcely a fable, because huge Calamaries are not infrequently seen. Poor Pontoppidan has often been considered a Danish Ananias, but there are authentic accounts of these enormous Cuttle-fi... The Lamb-tree
As a change from this awful animal, let us examine the Planta Tartarica Borometz--which was so graphically delineated by Joannes Zahn in 1696. Although this is by no means the first picture of it, yet it is the best of any I have seen. A mos... The Lamia
The Lamiae are mythological--and were monsters of Africa, with the face and breast of a woman, the rest of the body like that of a serpent; they allured strangers, that they might devour them; and though not endowed with the faculty of speech, the... The Leech
The Leech has, from a very early age, been used as a means of letting blood; but, among the old Romans, it had medicinal uses such as we know not of now. It was used as a hair dye. Pliny gives two receipts for making it, and it must have been powe... The Leontophonus The Pegasus The Crocotta
The Lion has a dreadful enemy, according to Pliny, who says:--"We have heard speak of a small animal to which the name of Leontophonus[36] has been given, and which is said to exist only in those countries where the Lion is produced. If its flesh ... The Leucrocotta The Eale Cattle Feeding Backwards
"There are oxen, too, like that of India, some with one horn, and others with three; the leucrocotta, a wild beast of extraordinary swiftness, the size of the wild ass, with the legs of a Stag, the neck, tail, and breast of a lion, the head of a b... The Lion
Of the great Cat, the Lion, the ancients give many wonderful stories, some of them not altogether redounding to his character for bravery:--"A serpent, or snake doth easily kill a lion, where of Ambrosius writeth very elegantly. Eximia leonis pulc... The Manticora
Of curious animals, other than Apes, depicted as having some approach to the human countenance, perhaps the most curious is the Manticora. It is not a parvenu; it is of ancient date, for Aristotle mentions it. Speaking of the dentition of animals,... The Martlet And Footless Birds
Of the Martin, or, as in Heraldry it is written, Martlet, Guillim thus writes:--"The Martlet, or Martinet, saith Bekenhawh, hath Legs so exceeding short, that they can by no means go: (walk) And thereupon, it seemeth, the Grecians do call them Apo... The Mimick Dog
"The Mimicke or Getulian Dogge," is, I take it, meant for a poodle. It was "apt to imitate al things it seeth, for which cause some have thought that it was conceived by an Ape, for in wit and disposition it resembleth an Ape, but in face, shar... The Narwhal
generally called the Monoceros or Sea Unicorn, is thus shown in one place, by Gesner; and, rough though it is, it is far more like the Narwhal's horn than is the other, also, in his work, of a Sea Rhinoceros or Narwhal engaged in combat with an ou... The Orca
is probably the Thresher whale. Pliny thus describes it:--"The Balaena (whale of some sort) penetrates to our seas even. It is said that they are not to be seen in the ocean of Gades (Bay of Cadiz) before the winter solstice, and that at periodica... The Ostrich
Modern observation, and especially Ostrich farming, has thoroughly exploded the old errors respecting this bird. We believe in its powers of swallowing anything not too large, but not in its digesting everything, and certainly not, as Muenster ... The Ouran Outan
Transition from hirsute humanity to the apes, is easy, and natural--and we need only deal with the Simiinae, which includes the Orang, the Chimpanzee, and the Gorilla. These are the largest apes, and nearest approach to man--but, although they may... The Pelican
The fable of the Pelican "in her piety, vulning herself," as it is heraldically described--is so well known, as hardly to be worth mentioning, even to contradict it. In the first place, the heraldic bird is as unlike the real one, as it is poss... The Phoenix
Pliny says of the Phoenix:--"AEthiopia and India, more especially produce birds of diversified plumage, and such as quite surpass all description. In the front rank of these is the Phoenix, that famous bird of Arabia; though I am not sure that its... The Remora
Of this fish Pliny writes:--"There is a very small fish that is in the habit of living among the rocks, and is known as the Echeneis, [Greek: Apo tou echein neas]. (From holding back ships.) It is believed that when this has attached itself to the... The Rhinoceros
The true Unicorn is, of course, the Rhinoceros, and this picture of it is as early an one as I can find, being taken from Aldrovandus de Quad, A.D. 1521. Gesner and Topsell both reproduce it, at later dates, but reversed. The latter says that Gesn... The Sahab
"There is also another Sea-Monster, called Sahab, which hath small feet in respect of its great body, but he hath one long one, which he useth in place of a hand to defend all his parts; and with that he puts meat into his mouth, and digs up grass... The Salamander
Many writers have essayed this fabled creature, but almost all have approached the subject with diffidence, as if not quite sure of the absolute entity of the animal. Thus, Aristotle does not speak of it authoritatively:--"And the Salamander shews... The Saw Fish
"The Saw fish is also a beast of the Sea; the body is huge great, the head hath a crest, and is hard and dented like to a Saw. It will swim under ships and cut them, that the Water may come in, and he may feed on the men when the ship is drowned."... The Scorpion
Of the Scorpion, Pliny says:--"This animal is a dangerous scourge, and has a venom like that of the serpent; with the exception that its effects are far more painful, as the person who is stung will linger for three days before death ensues. The s... The Sea Dragon
Of the Ray tribe of fishes, the Sea Dragon is the most frightful-looking, but we know next to nothing about it. Pliny only cursorily mentions it thus:--"The Sea Dragon again, if caught, and thrown on the sand, works out a hole for itself with i... The Sea-hare
"The Sea-Hare is found to be of divers kinds in the Ocean, but so soon as he is caught, onely because he is suspected to be Venemous, how like so ever he is to a Hare, he is let loose again. He hath four Fins behind his Head, two whose motion is a... The Sea-mouse
"The Sea-Mouse makes a hole in the Earth, and lays her Eggs there, and then covers them with Earth: on the 30th day she digs it open again, and brings her young to the Sea, first blind, and, afterwards, he comes to see. ... The Sea-pig
Again we are indebted to Gesner for the drawing of this Sea Monster. Olaus Magnus, speaking of "The Monstrous Hog of the German Ocean," says:--"I spake before of a Monstrous Fish found on the Shores of England, with a clear description of his... The Sea-serpent
Of the antiquity of the belief in the Sea-Serpent there can be no doubt, for it is represented on the walls of the Assyrian palace at Khorsabad, more than once, in the sculpture representing the voyage of Sargon to Cyprus, thus giving it an authen... The Sphynx
"The SPHYNGA or Sphinx, is of the kind of Apes, but his breast up to his necke, pilde and smooth without hayre: the face is very round, yet sharp and piked, having the breasts of women, and their favor, or visage, much like them: In that part of t... The Sting Ray
Pliny mentions the Sting Ray, and ascribes to it marvellous powers, which it does not possess:--"There is nothing more to be dreaded than the sting which protrudes from the tail of the Trygon, by our people known as the Pastinaca, a weapon five in... The Su
Topsell mentions a fearful beast called the Su. "There is a region in the new-found world, called Gigantes, and the inhabitants thereof, are called Patagones; now, because their country is cold, being far in the South, they cloath themselves with ... The Swallow
"And is the swallow gone? Who beheld it? Which way sailed it? Farewell bade it none?" (W. Smith, Country book.) Olaus Magnus answered this question, according to his lights, and when, discoursing on the Migration ... The Swamfisck
The accompanying illustration, though heading the chapter in Olaus Magnus regarding the Swamfisck and other fish, does not at all seem to elucidate the text:--"The Variety of these Fish, or rather Monsters, is here set down, because of their ad... The Swan
The ancient fable so dear, even to modern poets, that Swans sing before they die--was not altogether believed even in classical times, as saith Pliny:--"It is stated that at the moment of the swan's death, it gives utterance to a mournful song; bu... The Toad
Toads were always considered venomous and spiteful, and they had but one redeeming quality, which seems to be lost to its modern descendants:-- "Sweet are the uses of adversity; Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous, Wears yet a p... The Trochilus
This bird, as described by Aristotle, and others, is of a peculiar turn of mind:--"When the Crocodile gapes, the trochilus flies into its mouth to cleanse its teeth; in this process the trochilus procures food, and the other perceives it, and does... The Unicorn
What a curious belief was that of the Unicorn! Yet what mythical animal is more familiar to Englishmen? In its present form it was not known to the ancients, not even to Pliny, whose idea of the Monoceros or Unicorn is peculiar. He describes this ...