Introduction
The Unicorn which most of us would picture as a mystical creature - a white horse with a spiraling horn on its brow. It is said to have the purest of all beings and hold great wisdom. Varieties of Unicorns have been reported around the world, through all ages. The most famous of is kind comes from the European Medieval period.
The Christian Legend....
The early Christian legend echoed in many later paintings tells of how the Unicorn was the first creature to be named by Adam after the Creation, for which reason it was particularly blessed by God with grace and intelligence. A special friendship grew between the Unicorn and Adam and Eve in Eden.
When the humans were expelled from the Paradise, the Unicorn was given the choice of staying but out of compassion choose to follow Adam and Eve into the mortal world. Perhaps that is why the Unicorn have always had a naturally affinity with humans, pure maidens in particular.
Lord of The Beasts
The Unicorns is often called Lord of the Beasts and they are of a placid, gentle disposition and the natural friend of the animals. But they are not easily provoked and they guard their lives and independence fiercely. They would rather die than submit to the indignity of capture. The touch of a Unicorn's horn dispel poison, so other beasts let it drink first from the spring.
The Hunt
Humans sought to hunt the mystical creature for its valuable horn, however, it is rather difficult to catch the beast. The Unicorn is too wise for any deception and too fierce for any combat. Sadly, a way became widely known. A well-known Medieval bestiary, Physiologus Graecus, revealed the secret of the Unicorn's blind spot:
The wise man says these animals
Lust greatly after pretty girls
This way to catch them is the best,
A youth in woman's clothes is dressed
And then with dainty steps he flaunts
About the Unicorn's bright haunts.
For when this creature spies a maid
Straight in her lap he lays his head
The huntsman doffing his disguise
Saws off the horn and win the prize.
Thus in most cases, a pure maiden is often tricked to act as a bait for the hunter's trap. This knowledge has spread through Europe to Ethiopia, the New East and India. In China, the method was unknown as perhaps ignored because the idea of deliberating trying to kill the Unicorn seems not to have entered the Chinese mind.
