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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
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 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 […]
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 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 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 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 […]
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 […]
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, […]