Its beauty is beyond comprehension and it’s boundless strength prevents its capture, according to literature through the ages. Authors from many cultures affirm its existence yet there are those who claim the beast is merely a myth. Who could question the existence of such a universal historical beast? Renowned men from the Greek physician Ctesias to modern day Barnum and Bailey have debated the question: IS THE UNICORN A MYTH OR A REALITY? The first description of the unicorn was done by Ctesias. Around 400 BC he noted it had a white body, a dark red head, a white horn and gray eyes. Its horn served as a weapon and a poison repellant. Indian Himalayan Mountain residents said the unicorn was at least the size of a horse, with a white body, dark red head and dark blue eyes. Its horn was one and a half feet long and located on the head. Its base, two handbreadths in length, was white. The center was black middle and the sharp tip was a vivid crimson. Its cinnabar-colored anklebone was oxen-like but heavy as lead. The unicorn was a strong beast, with a power and swiftness that protected it from predators. It fought with horny teeth and its heels. Others say when the unicorn is furious it throws the enemy down, crush them under its knees and wounds them with its very long, spiny tongue. Of all the animals, the unicorn has the harshest and most contentious, dissonant voice. It wanders about, alone and solitary, in the most deserted place it can find. Eastern residents say the unicorn delights in living in mire and mud and are hideous, being the size of an elephant with feet like the elephant, hair like a buffalo and a head like a wild boar. Orsaean Indians describe the unicorn as having a stag head, elephant feet, a boar’s tail and a horse’s body. In its mid-forehead it has a wonderful, bright, sharp four-inch horn. The unicorn has is the shape of a beautiful, nicely proportioned horse, bay-colored with a black tail, according to Chinese reports. The length of its mane varies, sometimes so long it hangs reaches the ground. The tip of its horn is fleshy. Asians liken the unicorn to a rhinoceros having a black projection between its eyebrows with a natural twist and rings with an end that is a sharp point. The one and a half cubit long horn has a white base, a black center and a crimson tip. The first claimed unicorn sighting occurred in first century India. When third-century Hebrew scholars of the Septuagint were translating the Old Testament from Hebrew into Greek they came across the word RE EM. Since their work was divinely inspired, obviously God Himself authenticated the existence of the unicorn. During the time of the early church, when Tertullian converted to Christianity, the unicorn was accepted as a symbol of Christ. He said the unicorn represented Christ and the horn stood for Christ’s cross. His took his reference from Deuteronomy: “his horns are like the horns of unicorns.” According to Johannes of Hese, the river Marah in the field of Helyon had very bitter water. After Moses stuck his staff in it, the water became sweet and drinkable. When enormous animals poison water after sunset, good animals cannot quench their thirst in it until the unicorn dips its horn in the stream and drives the poison out. ---written by Carolyn Click on the Beanery Online Literary Magazine (www.ProBlogs.com/beanerywriters) on Friday to read about unicorn myths from folklore and legend, the conclusion of THE UNICORN: MYTH OR REALITY? | 
