Tag Archives: myth

Chickcharnie

When sightseeing on the Island of Andros, dear readers, keep your eyes peeled for a creature that Bahamian folk tales describe as a three-toed elf, a red-eyed man-beast or a birdlike creature with a lizard’s tail and a fluffy mane, … Continue reading

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Filed under academia, extinct species, folklore, human behavior, Phobia-inducing, Uncategorized

“The Cock is a Bird that Can Tell Time”

  You cannot blame the author for the sheer volume of noteworthy cocks in the world. She is perfectly aware that she has already written about the Cock of Dawn, but that was from the Chinese tradition, and the author reserves … Continue reading

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Filed under folklore, gender bending, human behavior, medieval, rated NC17

Dissertation Owls Asleep on the Job

Folkes, while the dissertation elves, tiny little owls that creep into grad students’ bedrooms to madly type pages whilst the tortured souls sleep, are on furlough,  I have been working furiously on my thesis. The result? A certain lack of Beastliness. And vocabularity. This … Continue reading

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Happy Birthday to an Angry Old Canard!

  Donald Duck is 75 today! The angry old canard’s full name Donald Fauntleroy Duck, and his official birthady is recognized today to commemorate the release of his debut film, The Wise Little Hen… for which, true to the bad luck for which he is famous, … Continue reading

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Cockatoo love song

  Cockatoos are known for their intelligence, their vocality, their general precociousness. And this bird, apparently going by the nomiker S. Elvis, is no exception. One might wonder where he came up with this particular mantra, but then… In the … Continue reading

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Filed under common household pets, human behavior, pink animal league, the strange and the beautiful, Uncategorized

Breaking News: Carnivorous Cushions Consume Cat

Apparently, dear readers, someone at the Huffington Post thinks that animal hijinks constitue breaking news… or at least, a worthwhile diversion from the ills of the breaking news… The “Cute/ridiculous animal thing of the day” section is, of you enjoy … Continue reading

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Filed under baby animals, common household pets, cute/creepy kitty videos, exceedingly cute, Uncategorized

Banana Slug: “hard” life.

  Beloved by alumni of UC Santa Cruz, banana slugs seem to have a pretty good thing going. Sure, they’re slow and eat detritus on the forest floor. But they’re beloved.  …Just, you know, not by each other. In fact, … Continue reading

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Filed under academia, backyard fauna, gender bending, Phobia-inducing, rated NC17, the strange and the beautiful, Uncategorized

Echeneis: stubborn little bastard of a fish.

Isidore of Seville, who is, let’s face it, quite the hero for BV, named it the “delay,” for obvious reasons In the 1st century CE, Lucan wrote of it as  ”…the sucking fish / Which holds the vessel back though eastern … Continue reading

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Filed under academia, extinct species, folklore, marine life, medieval, Phobia-inducing, Uncategorized

The missing link: Darwinius masillae, Sweet as Apple cider

    The sound of the name “Ida” has suddenly become  sweet sweet music to paleontololical ears. This is because “Ida,” a 47 million year old fossil hidden in a closet for 20+ years has recently been unveiled. Apparently, a … Continue reading

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Banker Invests in Duckling Futures.

Joel Armstrong , a 43-year-old banker in Washington state, had been been watching a mother duck  nest on a ledge outside his office window for  35 days, so he was not surprised to see them when he got to town on saturday for the city’s annual Lilac festival.  … Continue reading

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Filed under baby animals, exceedingly cute, human behavior, the strange and the beautiful, Uncategorized

Bovine rampage in Norway: Revenge of the Beef

  In 2002, a series of bizzare bovine incidents in the Norweigian countryside alarmed residents, and alerted us to the  possibility that cows are beginning to strain at the agricultural tether. The first victim, 23-year old Stian Skoglund, was “bashed and … Continue reading

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Filed under human behavior, Phobia-inducing, the strange and the beautiful, Uncategorized

Money Might Not, But Barnacle Geese Do (grow on trees)

    British Library, Harley MS 4751, Folio 36r What medieval-inspired bestiary would be complete without the Barnacle Goose?  According to Sir John Mandeville, who wrote in the 14th century CE, this fantastic creature is–or was– a species of goose that grows on trees. Not in trees, … Continue reading

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Filed under academia, baby animals, extinct species, folklore, human behavior, medieval, parasites, Phobia-inducing, the strange and the beautiful, Uncategorized

No, It’s not a Typo; It’s the “Cock” of Dawn.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have  Chinese folklore to thank for next entry: the celestial cock, aka the “cock of dawn.” << The author respects all cultures and will not resort to infantile murrmerings about the word “cock”. But, dear readers, it’s … Continue reading

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Humanatee: A dying breed

The humanatee is an ancient, intelligent beast, most often found in large “schools.” When members of far-flung schools gather together in large, gregarous groups called “conferences.” During these  sporadic expeditions, humanatees may demonstrate dominance by flashing the “TT” position. These … Continue reading

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Filed under academia, endangered species, exceedingly cute, human behavior, marine life, Phobia-inducing, the strange and the beautiful, Uncategorized

Catobelpas: Head of an Ox, Tail of a snake, Bad dinner date.

To all of the singletons reading this entry: the author of BV would like to caution you about the Catobelpas, for according to Pliny the Elder, this next member of our medieval bestiary series, which is  “of moderate size and inactive … Continue reading

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