Sitting at my computer on a Thursday morning, I thought about all the worlds I’d created and what history I wanted to explore. But then my mind drifted to the myths that had already been created, the dreams of our forefathers that have become common knowledge. And I settled on one legend that influenced my childhood: the unicorn.
Age eight, I had my mom paint a unicorn on my bedroom wall. I drew unicorns all day long, read stories of unicorns going to school. I dreamt of being a unicorn, trotting through harrowing adventures in haunted woods and flowered valleys. But where did the idea come from? Is there more reality to the myth than we thought?
The Very Beginning
Europe would be the most likely origin, but unicorns appeared in Mesopotamian artwork and Greek literature first. Ctesias, a 4th century BC historian, detailed the first account of a unicorn. According to St. Neots Museum in England, he wrote that unicorns in India had a long red and black horn and a white body. The next to write an account would be Pliny the Elder. He said the “monokeros” (single horn) was a fierce animal with feet like an elephant, the tail of a boar, and the body of a horse. A single black horn protruded from the stag-like head.
Somewhere along the line, we did receive the European unicorn: a white horse with a long horn. While this is sort of conceivable, it became less so as travelers spread stories of a unicorn’s magic. Some said drinking from a cup crafted from the horn would cure you of various poisons. Others said a unicorn was impossible to catch without a maiden, for a unicorn runs from man but not the tender touch of a young girl.
Across the globe, cultures crafted their own standards of the unicorn myth. The American Museum of Natural History details some of these. The Asian unicorn, known as qilin, has the scales of a dragon and symbols of power and wisdom decorating its back. Benevolent and fleet of foot, seeing one is an omen worth celebrating. In Japan, a giraffe was probably misconstrued as a unicorn. Regardless, kirin stuck as a unicorn legend and has been depicted in festival masks.
Symbolism Behind the Unicorn
Every variation has a certain look and set of meanings. For example, re’em in the Bible can be translated into “unicorn.” Be it the intention or not, unicorns in the early church symbolized Christ, brought to man by the actions of a virgin maiden (Mary). I wouldn’t say this meaning stuck over the centuries, but it explains why early European tales feature a pure maiden enticing a unicorn.
More commonly recognized symbolism is that of wonder, beauty, and magic. There’s a reason why nobody draws Pliny the Elder’s version of a unicorn; it doesn’t have the whimsical nature of a white horse. German apothecaries would hang a sign with a unicorn on their door, relating their practice to the myth of healing. Wisdom was another grand feature, as suggested by the Asian tale. A few stories depict unicorns as fierce fighters against elephants and lions.
Most tales, however, point to the horn, which held their magic. Dipping its head into a river would cleanse the water. Drinking from a cup carved from the horn would cure poisoning. Most likely these stories led to the hunting of narwhals and rhinos who also have single horns protruding from their heads. Regardless, the legends continue.
Where the Myth Stands
My first interaction with unicorns was My Little Pony. Backpacks, stickers, clothing, books. Wherever you look, you can find a unicorn.
The depiction varies based on the storyteller. Many craft purple and pink sparkles around the human-like smile on its chubby face. I haven’t read the books (yet), but the unicorns in A. F. Steadman’s Skandar series appear to be warriors. But for as many majestic, wise, and warrior-class unicorns exist, there are ten cutsy innocent unicorns.
The common denominator between then and now: girls. The legends featured young women attracting the unicorn, making it easier to catch. Today’s world of mass production has crafted unicorns that attract young girls, the reasoning being the fantasy of it all. Whimsy and improbability are enticing, taking us to a world where our troubles don’t exist. And what’s more whimsical than a unicorn?
But hey, that’s just my opinion…
Fantasy Writing
Myths become reality. That’s the concept of one fantasy book idea I had. The fanciful creatures we think are nonexistent reveal themselves, only to preserve their lives in the bodies of humans. Think Greek demigods, only the person merged with Pegasus gets wings.
The story itself fell through because I didn’t develop the background of the creatures. Like most, I see a picture of a unicorn and think “pretty.” But to write them, they need history. If sentient, they need motivation. How they act, what they do. Their purpose.
Hopefully, if you’re considering writing a fantasy novel, this gives some inspiration in regard to crafting the background details for your unicorn or other mythical wonder. If you’re simply curious, then we’re peas in a pod.