Unicorn

Pewter Medieval Unicorn Brooch, available at the Spiral Online Shop

• The unicorn (lit. "one horn") is a mythical four-legged beast with a single horn, found in mythology across the world.  The most well-known depiction is the European unicorn, who takes the form of a white horse with a single, spiralling white horn.
• The European unicorn is a fearsome beast, and can only be tamed by a young virgin.
• The unicorn's horn is able to detect poison, and in some cases, neutralise poison.  In some legends, it is said that the unicorn comes from the sea in the morning to purify the rivers that have been polluted by evil, unclean beasts.
• The unicorn was frequently pursued by hunters because of its horn, as depicted in Medieval tapestries.
• One of the most famous unicorns is that which features in the children's nursery rhyme, "The Lion and the Unicorn" (in which the unicorn was undeniably defeated by the lion).  The Lion and the Unicorn can still be seen glaring at each other on the English Coat of Arms.
• Unicorns frequently represent purity and innocence (and in Christianity they represent Christ's healing miracles), although its spiralling horn and its affinity with virgin girls suggests a strong sexual symbolism.
• The unicorn is a ubiquitous symbol in European medieval art, from statues to heraldry.
• In Asian mythology, there is a similar animal known as the Qilin in China, or Kirin in Japan.  It is depicted as a one-horned deer, scaled like a dragon.  It is one of the four Lin (sacred animals), the others being the Tortoise, the Phoenix (Chin. Feng Huang, Jap. Hou-Ou) and the Dragon (Chin. Long, Jap. Ryu/Tatsu).
• The Qilin of China is a very benign creature, who makes no footsteps.  It eats no living thing.  It only appears at times of great importance - the mother of Confucius was said to have been approached by a Qilin.
• The Kirin of Japan was said to be used in courts, as it could tell the guilty from innocent.  It would spear the guilty on its horn.
• The most likely source of the unicorn legend is the Narwhal, a type of whale that has a single, spiralling tusk.

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