Mythic Animals: Cat Beasts: Pard and Panther

Pard: Aberdeen Bestiary

Because language evolves over time, “Pard” and “Panther” has changed in meaning from the Medieval Ages to modern times. “Panther” today could indicate a jaguar, leopard, or puma. However in the Medieval Ages, it had a different meaning altogether. Meanwhile during this time, “leopard” had the specific meaning of “the offspring of the adultery between a lioness and a pard.” Today, the word “Pard” is out of use.

According to various Medieval Bestiaries, a Pard was a cat-beast, “who can kill its prey in a single leap.” Other information available about the Pard is that the beast was swift and would mate with a lion. According to Homer, a Pard had a spotted coat. From this seemingly lack of information, I surmised that the Pard was an ordinary animal, not worthy of note. However, this cat-beast did do one extraordinary thing – mate outside its species.

In contrast, the writers of various Bestiaries compared the Panther to Christ. The Bestiaries add that the

Panther: Medieval Bestiary

Panther was a gentle cat-beast, who had a spotted coat with either “white or black discs.” After feasting, this cat-beast would retire to a cave for three days. When it emerged, the Panther would roar giving off sweet perfumed breath. This sweet breath would draw animals to the Panther much like Christ’s words drew people to Him. The Panther was a magical beast who could conquer Dragons, which would hide when the Panther was about. From the wealth of information about the Panther, I concluded that this was an extraordinary and magical beast unlike the common Pard. Moreover, the Panther did not mate with another species, and could only bear one offspring in its lifetime.

Works Used

Armott, Michael, “The Aberdeen Bestiary,” Aberdeen University Library, 1995, http://www.abdn.ac.uk/bestiary/bestiary.hti, .

Badke, David, “Medieval Bestiary,” 15 Jan. 2011, http://bestiary.ca/index.html, .

Chou, Peter, “Panther Mythology,” the Wisdom Portal, 15 Feb. 2007, http://www.wisdomportal.com/Poems2007/Panther-Mythology.html, .

APATOSAURUS: The Nexus of Reality and Imagination

an older depiction, without the spinal fringe

When Apatosaurus was first introduced to the public, She immediately captured everyone’s imagination. Once called “Brontosaurus,” Apatosaurus became a familiar Dinosaur to many people, starting with the early animated film, “Gertie the Dinosaur” (1914) which starred an Apatosaurus. From then on, this Dinosaur became a favorite of people. She is now a child’s toy and the logo of the Sinclair Oil Company.

            Apatosaurus changed people’s notions of how Dinosaurs moved. Before her discovery, early paleontologists believed that Dinosaurs walked like modern Lizards. They supposedly spread their legs from side to side, and walked with their bellies close to the ground. Robust Apatosaurus demonstrated that Dinosaurs stood upright on flat-soled feet and walked like Elephants.

            Although Apatosaurus cleared up one Dinosaur mystery, She caused more confusion in other areas of paleontology. When She was first discovered, her fossils were mixed-up with a Mosasaurus, an aquatic Reptile. This created an odd looking Dinosaur. After that was sorted out, paleontologists were still unsure about what She looked like. Skulls of Sauropods, the Family that Apatosaurus belonged to, were lightweight and therefore rarely preserved. When her skeleton was found next to a Camarasaurus, who had an intact skull, scientists thought that his skull was hers. Although the two Dinosaurs were Sauropods, Camarasaurus was a Big-nosed Sauropod, whilst Apatosaurus belonged to the Whip-tailed sub-Family. Only recently did scientists recognize that the skull was not hers.

            During the “Bone Wars” (1877-95), Othniel C. Marsh competed with Edward D. Cope over who discovered and named the most Dinosaurs. In 1877, Marsh found and named Apatosaurus. Two years later, Marsh found bones of what he thought was another Sauropod. He named this new “species,” “Brontosaurus.” In 1905, the Peabody Museum of Natural History in New Haven (US) displayed a copy of “Brontosaurus,” thereby cementing this Dinosaur in the public’s mind. However two years before, another paleontologist Elmer Rigs had proved that the two Dinosaurs were the same. But Apatosaurus continued to be referred to as “Brontosaurus.” In 1989, the U.S. Post Office issued stamps of Dinosaurs featuring “Brontosaurus,” explaining that that is what people called Apatosaurus.

            Living in the Late Jurassic in North America, Apatosaurus was a sturdy Sauropod, with a medium-sized head and neck. Using her pegged teeth, She stripped off leaves from conifers for food. Since She had no good chewing teeth, Apatosaurus swallowed small stones to ground up the leaves for digestion. Unlike early erroneous depictions of Her, Apatosaurus was actually an elegant slender Dinosaur, with spikes on her neck and tail, who held her slim tail out as She walked.

            Apatosaurus lives at the intersection of reality and imagination. The reality is a refined Sauropod who roamed the countryside searching for conifers to eat. The imagination is “Brontosaurus,” the Thunder Lizard,” a stout Dinosaur who shook the ground as He walked. The Nexus holds both, who co-exist in our lives and minds.  Each Dinosaur gives us insight into our reality and thoughts, and guides us through the multiple dimensions of our lives. Follow both into the inner and outer reaches of the Universe, and discover more.

SHUNOSAURUS: Unexpected Delights

(Drawing by Arthur Weasley)

Discovered in Sichuan Province in 1979, Shunosaurus of the Jurassic was one of the Primitive Sauropods. Chinese students had been practicing their excavation techniques how to dig out fossils when they found Him in a road side. Afterwards, scientists discovered several more complete skeletons of Shunosaurus. Since this Dinosaur lived in the Middle Jurassic (170 million years ago), paleontologists regarded this to be fortuitous. Not much was known about Sauropods during this time. Shunosaurus became one of the best- studied of the Sauropods since He filled in many of the gaps that scientists wondered about.

            Living in China with many long-necked Primitive Sauropods, Shunosaurus had to browse on the lower branches of trees, with his short but flexible neck. Since He was not one of the larger Sauropods, Shunosaurus had two things to help Him. Possessing more teeth than any other Sauropod, He had twenty-five teeth on each half of his lower jaw. This enabled Shunosaurus to munch on the tougher leaves rejected by other Sauropods. The other thing was his clubbed tail. Instead of a whip-like tail, Shunosaurus had a thick club studded with small spikes.

            Shunosaurus was an accidental discovery for paleontologists. Unexpectedly found by students, He filled-in their gaps of knowledge about the Middle Jurassic. Years after that discovery, his club tail was found. By studying Him, paleontologists theorize that other Sauropods had clubbed tails until They evolved into larger sizes.

            Shunosaurus teaches us that the world is full of unexpected surprises. We should be delighted when we encounter something completely different. Our curiosity leads us to exciting new experiences and new explorations. When we are bored, we can imagine a small Dinosaur with a clubbed tail who walloped predators willy-nilly. That alone should bring delight into our lives.

Mythic Animals: Reptile: Kappa of Japan

In Japan, signs can be found posted at various ponds to inform people to “Beware of the Kappa.” These turtle-like amphibians often lurk at the bottom of rivers and lakes waiting for an unwary person. Since their favorite food is the entrails of children, a Kappa would reach up inside the child’s body and pull the organs out. Besides killing people, Kappas would pass gas, look up women’s kimonos, and rape women. People had to be on guard for a sneak attack by a Kappa.

 

Besides entrails, Kappas also feast on cucumbers. A prepared person can prevent an attack by offering cucumbers to the beast. Another way to stave off an attack is to be very polite to the Kappa. Because Kappas prize decorum and politeness, the beast would bow when the person bowed. (In order to walk on land, a Kappa has a bowl of water on its head.) When the beast bowed, the life-giving water would flow out.

 

Once the Kappa is incapacitated, a person could have the beast sign a legal contract. In return for water, a Kappa would agree to help the family, such as doing farm work, setting broken bones, or teaching medicine. Because the Japanese considered Kappas to be trustworthy, they used legal documents to keep the beasts in line whenever possible. Although Kappas are dangerous, the Japanese exploited their weaknesses to their benefit.

 

Works Used:

Chamberlain, Basil, “Japanese Things,” Charles Tuttle, Tokyo 1905 (reprint 1971).

Schumacher, Mark, “KAPPA = River Imp, Water Sprite,” Japanese Buddhist Corner, Onmarkproductions.com, 2010, http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/kappa.shtml, .

Zell-Ravenheart, Oberon and Ash DeKirk, “A Wizard’s Bestiary,” New Page Press, Franklin Lakes, NJ, 2007.