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B is for Basilisk

Hey everyone! Welcome back for today’s letter… B for my creatures of folklore, mythology, and the paranormal theme! I hope you all didn’t fall prey to too many April Fool’s pranks yesterday. I fell for one, but then I put on my skepticism hat for the rest of the day. *grins*

Name: Basilisk (means “little king”)

Type: Legendary reptile from the Medieval bestiaries

Origin: Europe

Description: The basilisk is described as either a small snake, or as pictured to the side, it’s a very odd rooster that has a crown-like crest and possesses the tail of a snake. It is extremely toxic, and the common way to find its burrow is to see if the ground nearby is infected. It prefers dry places, and it can kill by odor, look, and mouth. Its bite can cause hydrophobia (basically, rabies).

Interesting Facts: Medusa and the basilisk share a couple of common traits in that they both can kill with their gazes as well as be killed by looking at themselves in mirrors. Although, it seems the most common way to kill a basilisk is by a weasel attacking it. It’s also mentioned a few times in the Bible.

12 Comments

  1. If that's what Harry had faced in the Chamber of Secrets, he might have been a little unnerved, but it's hardly as scary… though, of course he wouldn't have been looking at it at first. 🙂

    I like the details of how to find them and kill them. I don't usually write fantasy or paranormal, but I can imagine that information would be quite helpful to lend consistency to your fictional world. Great stuff! 🙂

    1. Yeah, it's not really scary as per se. It's more… weird? lol You're right. I think the more details you know, the more it lends to your writing. Thanks for the coming by! 🙂

    1. They think it was originally some kind of spitting snake perhaps. It is really fascinating to find out where myths come from! Thanks for the comment!

    1. Yes it is! I've read some books that give a certain description of a creature and then read what the myth says, and it's completely different. Thanks for coming by, Jaycee!

    1. Thanks for visiting, Kern! That is pretty crazy, especially since some sources say that it's the weasel's scent that helps kill it instead of its bite. Pretty odd and intriguing!

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