First is Day 2 - a favorite animal. Shealynn inspired me with her amazing phoenix post to tell a bit about my chosen animal: the unicorn.
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| Okay, so I did some Picnik editing. So what, it still counts as art! And it looks way cooler this way. :) |
Unicorns were actually a symbol of evil in olden times. Yes, I know, I just totally ruined your association of unicorns with pink sparkles and princesses. I'm sorry.
Did you know that unicorns are mentioned in Scripture? "Save me from the lion's mouth: and my lowness from the horn of the unicorn." - Ps. 21:17 (That's 22:17 for Protestant and modern Catholic bibles).
Note: I daresay that the Bible actually meant a different animal - it's not for me to say, but it certainly doesn't mean that we should start believing in unicorns.
I've also read in various places about the evil unicorns who supposedly were sort of like fierce battle horses.
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| The famous medieval tapestry depicting a captured unicorn. I just think it's so cool. |
Of course, unicorns symbolize more than just evil. In medieval heraldry the unicorn actually came to be a religious symbol. Here's what I found on some random website:
The original tale was that a beautiful maiden representing the Virgin Mary managed to trap a unicorn, whereupon the unicorn became tame and lay its head in her lap.Now I don't know how true that is, but it's certainly fascinating. And it is a fact that unicorns were used in heraldry.
As the legend grew through reinterpretation, the unicorn was viewed as the Christ or Incarnation and the death of a unicorn as the Passion of Christ. This allowed a pagan symbol to become highly esteemed within the church. In fact, a grouping or herd of unicorns is called a “blessing” of unicorns.
Okay, enough about unicorns. On to the drawing challenge for Day 3: a favorite food.
The above is my Dali-esque rendition of a cup of chocolate-chip-mint ice cream. Yes, this is my favorite food. I'd eat it all day if I could. (Oh, and if you're wondering, it's Dali-esque because of the weird lopsidedness of my glass. It was an accident. And if I've totally lost you, google Salvador Dali.)
Ooh, and guess what? Shealynn did ice cream for hers, too! But her sundae looks amazing. Nothing Dali-esque about it. :p
See you tomorrow for Day 4!
I love the ice cream. Ice cream makes me happy. Even if it is Dali-esque (I actually had to look that up!).
ReplyDeleteThe editing on the unicorn rocks! And I'd actually never known all that about the unicorn... thanks for writing it up. :)More knowledge to add to my little mental library of myths and legends! By the way, that tapestry with the unicorn? For years, I was convinced that the tree was growing out of the animal's back. :D
Yep, ice cream is one of the greatest inventions of mankind. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! And you're welcome for the information. I like learning new legends, too, and I was thrilled to be able to show off my (minimal) knowledge of unicorns. :p
HAHA! That's so funny....it DOES look like the tree's growing out of its back. O.o