Unicorns

Unicorns

Purity—Grace—Peace—Healing—Strong—Wild—Fierce 

Unicorns have been around since pagan times, at least the myth has.  They look like horses, are typically white or silver, and have a single horn protruding from their head.

 

Unicorns are believed to be fiercely independent and wild.  Supposedly, they refused to follow Noah onto the ark because of their independence and that is why they are extinct.  Of course, that is just one story.  Some claim that the desire for the power of their horn led to their extinction at the hands of hunters.  Others believe that the mythical beast never existed.  Whether it did or not doesn’t matter.  Unicorns are as much a part of our lore and stories today as they were three thousand years ago. 

The ancient Egyptians and Greeks believed in unicorns.  Their legend was seen all throughout Europe even before the rise of the Roman Empire.  The Hebrews had their own version of the myth.  Eventually, Christianity adopted the idea of unicorns using it as an allegory for the Virgin Mary and rebirth.

The unicorn is believed to be a pure creature.  That is why they are believed to only appear to female virgins because of their innocence.  For centuries, cultures have believed that women become corrupted when they participate in intercourse.  Some stories talk about how hunters would use virgins to trap unicorns for their horn. 

The horn of the unicorn is said to have healing properties.  Its power is supposed to ward off disease and illness.  In one story, a man stopped himself from dying by drinking from the horn of the unicorn.  Some equate Zeus’ Horn of Plenty with that of a unicorn.

Today the unicorn symbolizes purity and peace.  This is largely due to the influence of Christianity as the religion values those attributes greatly.  But before its rise, the unicorn was a symbol of strength and chivalry.  Either way, it is considered a noble beast that should be respected. 

In modern times the unicorn has seen resurgence from its appearance in Harry Potter where Voldemort drank its blood to stay alive.   It even appeared in The Chronicles of Narnia.  Both stories have helped the unicorn stay alive in people’s minds.

 

Other tales with unicorns:

Indica (400BC)

Hymn of Buddha

The Beasts of Never (1968)

The Last Unicorn (1968)

Julius Caesar (William Shakespeare)

Volksleid (German Folk Song)

Some scientists believed that the unicorn never existed.  Instead, they think that the stories came about because of the rhinoceros or the Oryx.  In the end, it does not matter how the myth began, all that matters is what you believe.  As for me, I will always find the unicorn to be a beautiful creature, real or not.

All photos came from: https://www.google.com/search?q=Royalty+free+phoenix+images&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=5Dk&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=0Y7wT_jfNqbj0QHOnun7Ag&ved=0CG0QsAQ&biw=1366&bih=638#hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=rYP&rls=org.mozilla:en-US%3Aofficial&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=Royalty+free+unicorn+images&oq=Royalty+free+unicorn+images&gs_l=img.3...7679143.7690448.0.7690628.30.18.0.12.12.0.109.1306.17j1.18.0...0.0.1iBG0EAbX2Q&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=18c0442495b7bb15&biw=1366&bih=638