Unicorn
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| - | # ''obsolete'' To sift or bolt, to separate the fine or valuable parts of from the coarse and useless parts, or from dross or dirt; as, to garble spices. | + | A '''unicorn''' (from [[Latin]] ''unus'' 'one' and ''cornu'' 'horn') is a [[mythological creature]]. Though the modern popular image of the unicorn is sometimes that of a [[horse]] differing only in the [[Horn (anatomy)|horn]] on its forehead, the traditional unicorn also has a [[Goat|billy-goat]] beard, a [[lion]]'s tail, and [[Cloven hoof|cloven hooves]]—these distinguish it from a horse. [[Marianna Mayer]] has observed (''The Unicorn and the Lake''), "The unicorn is the only fabulous beast that does not seem to have been conceived out of human fears. In even the earliest references he is fierce yet good, selfless yet solitary, but always mysteriously beautiful. He could be captured only by unfair means, and his single horn was said to neutralize poison." |
| - | # To pick out such parts of as may serve a purpose; to [[mutilate]]; to [[pervert]]; as, to garble a quotation; to garble an account. | + | |
| - | # To make false by [[mutilation]] or [[addition]] | + | |
| - | #: ''The editor '''garbled''' the story.'' | + | |
| - | #: ''Some ''[[legendary creature]]s'' are based on real creatures, originating in [[garble]]d accounts of [[travelers' tales]]; such as the [[Vegetable Lamb of Tartary]], which supposedly grew tethered to the earth (and was actually a type of [[fern]]). The traditional [[unicorn]] may have come from garbled stories about the [[rhinoceros]] and/or [[narwhal]]. Examples of the legendary creatures can be found in [[medieval]] [[bestiary|bestiaries]]. | + | |
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Revision as of 19:10, 25 July 2009
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A unicorn (from Latin unus 'one' and cornu 'horn') is a mythological creature. Though the modern popular image of the unicorn is sometimes that of a horse differing only in the horn on its forehead, the traditional unicorn also has a billy-goat beard, a lion's tail, and cloven hooves—these distinguish it from a horse. Marianna Mayer has observed (The Unicorn and the Lake), "The unicorn is the only fabulous beast that does not seem to have been conceived out of human fears. In even the earliest references he is fierce yet good, selfless yet solitary, but always mysteriously beautiful. He could be captured only by unfair means, and his single horn was said to neutralize poison."
Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Unicorn" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.
