Yuku free message boards

The Unicorn was a mystical creature described in ancient Greek and Roman myths. They were placed among virgin saints and said to be an emblem of purity. Though it would fight savagely when cornered, it could be tamed by a virgin's touch. During the Middle Ages, and even later, the unicorn's horn (as it was alleged to be), because of its fabled purity, was a popular ingredient for medicines and for alchemical reactions. Potentates and pontiffs obtained reputed unicorn's horn because it was considered a strong protection against poison. The horn was also believed to ward off stomach trouble and epilepsy. The Unicorn is found throughout world legends.


Famous Unicorn Sightings


Since the birth of mankind, stories of unicorn sightings have travled the world, the earliest being by Adam in the Garden of Eden. Despite the widely held belief in its existence, it has not been seen in centuries ; and the popular Eastern image from Chinese folklore is very different from the familiar Western image of a white horse-like creature. For true believers, the fact that it no longer exists only adds to the mystique; placing it in the same realm as the dinosaurs, the mammoth, and possibly such unknown creatures as Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster. Others believe the Unicorn still exists in remote regions and can be discovered only by those of exceptional virtue and honesty.


THE VERY FIRST UNICORNS


In Chinese mythology, the Unicorn was an animal of good omen that came to humans only on important missions. Its appearance was interpreted as a sign of good times, and the fact that it has not been seen in many centuries suggests that we are living in "bad" times. It will appear once again when the time is right and when goodness reigns. One of the first Unicorns is said to have appeared almost 5,000 years ago to give Emperor Fu Hsi the secrets of written language. Then, almost 4,700 years ago in 2697 B.C., another Unicorn made an appearance in the garden of the Yellow Emperor (Huang Di). This auspicious omen was seen by the emperor as a sign that his reign would be long and peaceful. Two Unicorns also lived during the reign of Emperor Yao, the fourth of the Five Emperors who shaped the world 4,000 years ago.


Birth and Death of Confucius Foretold by Unicorns


The Chinese also believed that the Unicorn could foretell the birth of great men like the philosopher Confucius. In 551 B.C., Confucius' pregnant mother met a Unicorn in the woods. It gave her a small piece of jade and placed its head in her lap. She realized the importance of the event and knew it was a good omen from the gods. An inscription on the piece of jade told of the great wisdom her son would possess; and, sure enough, Confucius became the most respected of all Chinese philosophers. Even today, 2,500 years later, his prophetic words are still honored and revered. In his old age, Confucius reportedly saw the Unicorn for himself and knew that it meant he would soon die.


Unicorn as a Constellation


The first mention of the constellation Monoceros, the Unicorn, was by Jakob Bartsch around 1624. The stars of the Unicorn were described in detail in the catalog of Hevelius in 1690. The Milky Way runs through the center of this constellation. There are 146 stars in Monoceros that are visible to the naked eye.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UNICORNS IN THE BIBLE--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


For Centuries, religious scholars who would deny the existence of the Unicorn pointed out that if the animal had actually lived, it would have been listed as one that boarded Noah's ark before the great Flood. Therefore, they concluded, because the Unicorn was not so named, there was obviously no such animal. But what about these refrences here?


"My horn shall be exalted like the horn of the Unicorn." - The Book of Ps

"He hath as it were the strength of a unicorn." - The Book of Numbers

"Will the Unicorn be willing to serve thee?" - Job


According to the book of Genesis, God gave Adam the task of naming everything he saw. In some translations of the Bible, the Unicorn was the first animal named; thereby, elevating it above all other beasts in the universe. When Adam and Eve left paradise, the Unicorn went with them and came to represent purity and chastity. Thus, the Unicorn's purity in the Western legends stems from its Biblical beginnings.


The Bible also offers an explanation about why the Unicorn has not been seen for so long. During the flood that engulfed the world for 40 days and 40 nights, Noah took two of each animal to safety ; but Unicorns were not among them. A Jewish folk tale mentions they were originally on board but demanded so much space and attention that Noah banished them. They either drowned or managed to swim during the flood and still survive somewhere in the world or, as some believe, evolved into the narwhale.


In addition, there are seven clear references to the Unicorn in the Old Testament; although, there is now doubt about the original translations that may have erroneously named another animal as a Unicorn. The Jewish Talmud also makes many similar references to the Unicorn. In Jewish folklore it is the fiercest of all animals and is able to kill an elephant with a single thrust from its horn.


Throughout history, the church has interpreted the Unicom in a number of different ways. In medieval times, it became a symbol of Christ himself, and its horn was symbolic of the unity of Christ and God. Some medieval paintings show the Trinity with Christ represented by a Unicom. On the other hand, the Unicom also appears as a symbol of evil in the book of Isaiah. Overall, however, the Unicom has come to be regarded as a pure and virtuous animal. Regardless of the place of the Unicom in Biblical theory, it is evident that there was a strong belief in the animal's existence in Biblical times, as well as in the following centuries. After all, it appears so often in the Old Testament that it can hardly be overlooked in the Christian world. The fact that it appears in the Bible meant that no devout Christian could doubt its authenticity.


The Authorized Version has nine references to the animal, among them: "God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn." (Numbers 23: 22). Yet the biblical references appear to be due to a linguistic error made by Hebrew scholars in the 3rd century B.C. when they translated the Bible into Greek. As a result the Scriptures seemed to lend weight to the belief that the animal existed.


The unicorn is mentioned in many other bible references including the following: Job 39,10; Deut 33,17; Psal 22,21; Num23,22; job 39,9&10; psal 29,6; psal 92,10; psal 22,21; Isa 34,7. The accounts generally refer to a strong, untamable animal. In addition, there are seven clear references to the Unicorn in the Old Testament; although, there is now doubt about the original translations that may have erroneously named another animal as a Unicorn. From this comes the belief that the unicorn was a type of Ox that became extinct in the Holy Land or the rhinoceros that we know today.


Carbuncle


It has been rumored that a mystic ruby could be found at the base of a Unicorn's horn. This rare jewel was called a "carbuncle". It is believed that the jewel was a source of the horn's powers, but was not seen on all unicorns.


In the Middle Ages the carbuncle was believed to be the "King of Gems", being able to banish sadness, evil and dispel all poisons. It is possible that the ruby is some kind of distillation of the essence of the horn. Perhaps it may only occur in very old or wise unicorns and be caused by the crystallization of blood.


Medieval Times:

The Unicorn in Medieval Times


We already know that reports of unicorn sightings date back as far as the Fourth Century. But it's wasn't until Medieval times when that belief reached it's highest peak. Most often, unicorns represented purity, chastity, or innocence. This portrayal is reminiscent of the second panel in the famous "Unicorn Tapestries", produced around 1500 and now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a gift of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Here the unicorns shown in a forest clearing where a fountain plays and spring flowers bloom, even though the rest of the world is clothed in autumn.


The scene also highlights another legend concerning the unicorn: that of his horn's magic powers. In the tapestry, various wild animals wait by a stream while the unicorn dips his horn into the water to purify it of poison. Because the horn was also thought to prevent plague, epilepsy and other diseases, powders said to be made of unicorn horn were in great demand. According to legend, the unicorn was a fearless animal, swift and strong. So great was his courage and daring that hunters could not capture him in the chase. Only a pure maiden had the power to ensnare a unicorn. Symbolic in the purity of himself, he was attracted by her innocence, and meekly came to kneel before her and place his head in her lap. Captured by such a ruse and killed by hunters, the purity of the unicorn triumphed, for the indestructible creature returned to life again, living contentedly in captivity."[/i]


ooops that's really long, sorry, Hope you all enjoy