Light & Shadows of Chalandor

The search for the unicorn,

The search for the unicorn, and proof of its existance, dates back almost as far as the legends which surround it. Ctesias spoke of the unicorn in the court of Darius II, the King of Persia in 416 BC. Chinese writings date back to 2800 BC. The men of the ancient world believed in the existance of the unicorn, so the object of their searching was to find it, not to prove it existed. It wasn't until later in history that man began to doubt the unicorn's physical existance. In the ninth century, Margoulies wrote, 'It is universally held that the unicorn is a supernatural being and of auspicious omen; so say the odes, the annals, the biographies of worthies, and other texts whose authority is unimpeachable. Even village women and children know the unicorn is a lucky sign. But this animal does not figure among the barnyard animals, it is not always easy to come across, it does not lend itself to zoological classification, nor is it like the horse or bull, the wolf or deer. In such circumstances we may be face to face with a unicorn and not know for sure that we are. We know a certain animal with a mane is a horse and that a certain animal with horns is a bull. We do not know what the unicorn looks like'.

   Even though the existance of the unicorn is questionable, its symbolism is not.  The beast, like all mythological 
creatures, has been a reflection of man's hopes and fears, dreams and nightmares, and inner consciousness. Freud 
considered mythological beasts as representations of 'universal fears and feelings'.  Specifically, Jung thought that the 
purity of the unicorn was of greater importance.  Most mythological creatures represent man's worst traits, and are 
usually more evil than animals, or man.

They kill for pleasure, and are often involved in unspeakable atrocities.  The unicorn is an exception to the rule, being 
a symbol of purity, hope, love, and majest The decline of the unicorn began with the Renaissance and the advent of 
scientific thought.  The beliefs that had held for thousands of years began to crumble when man could not prove the 
existance of the unicorn. Systematically, report after report of a unicorn was attributed to a more believable occurance
 of a more mundane animal.  Rhinos, goats, and horses were all considered explanations of unicorns.  As technology 
advanced, more exact tests and record keeping were developed, which added to the mounting evidence against the 
unicorn.  Finally, the unicorn was added to the list of animals regarded as 'mythical', and would later only be found in 
children's stories and other fables.

Amathiya

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