The Wolf
Desirous of blood, the wolf kills whatever it finds. It steals into sheepfolds against the wind to evade the hounds. If it makes a sound while stalking its prey, it […]
Category Archives: bestiary
The Fox
The fox is a deceitful creature, full of guile. It never takes a straight path, preferring one that winds. Hungry for meat, it lays about pretending to be dead, then, […]
The Whale
Whales are immense fish, as big as mountains. Rising to the surface of the ocean, they fool sailors, who think them to be islands. Looking to make landfall there, sailors […]
The Peacock
The peacock is called pavo for his call, which he utters with a fiendish voice. On his tiny head he bears a crest of feathers like a coronet, gleaming blue, like the […]
The Dragon
Dragons are the greatest of all the serpents. Emerging from their lairs, and taking flight, they disturb the air around them, making it shine. Hidden in their brains is a stone […]
The Iaculus
The iaculus is a snake with wings. It leaps into the branches of trees, where it hides itself among the leaves. From its leafy perch it watches for animals that pass […]
The Owl
The owl is named bubo for its call, which it makes with a heavy heart. It is a mournful bird, portending death with the sound of its voice. Weighed down by […]
The Stork
The stork is a gregarious bird. Having no call, it converses with the clatter of its beak. Led by a pair of crows, storks fly across the seas; they go […]
The Beaver
Beavers live in the water and on land; they have coats of fur and fishy tails. They cut timber with their strong teeth, chopping down trees as though with axes […]
Bestiary
I first learned of medieval bestiaries in my first year of high school. The nun who ran the school library offered me a couple of journals that she didn’t need, […]
