The following is a listing of many animals and the common traits attributed to them by medieval scholars. Many of the animals in this list are real-world creatures with decidedly unreal-world habits. Other creatures are completely fictional, or are badly garbled accounts of actual animals seen in distant lands. Game Masters should look over this list and decide what characteristics, if any, from this list they will apply to the animals of their own game world. Even if the GM decides that none of these attributes are real, there is no reason why they can be part of the folklore of the game world, just as they were commonly held beliefs among certain medieval philosophers.
Amphisbaena: This reptile has two heads, one at the end of its neck and one at the end of its tail. Both heads are envenomed and the amphisbaena can slither forwards and backwards with equal skill. A native of Libya, its name is Greek for "one that goes both ways."
Antelope: This animal is so swift that no one can catch and over take it. The antelope also has large saw-edged horns that it can use to cut down even the largest of trees. However, these same horns are the bane of the antelope, for it will often entangle them in the branches of the herecine tree while grazing or drinking. Unable to break free, the antelope becomes easy prey for the hunter.
Ape: The ape is symbolic of the devil, and there is nothing good to be said about it. Its nature is such that a female ape, if she gives birth to twins, will carry one in its arms, but force the other to ride on its back. If pursued by hunters, the ape will flee, but soon tire of carrying its child in it arms. Dropping the favored child, it will escape, still carrying the other.
As apes enjoy imitating man's actions, catching one is quite simple. A man simply has to mime washing his face with lime, the ape will do the same, become blinded and can easily be caught. Another way is to take ones boots on and off, and then leave a tethered boot near where the ape can reach it. Once the ape puts the boot on, it is trapped.
Asp: The asp is a serpent who can be lulled and lured by the sound of music. Thus, the asp, if it hears music, will press the side of its head against the ground, and use its long tail to stop up its other ear.
Ass: The ass is a sluggish animal and lacks intelligence. But, it is also a patient animal, and a useful beast of burden.
Barnacle Geese: Also known as ephemerus, these birds are born from driftwood that had been soaked in saltwater. Immature barnacle geese can be identified by their hard white beaks, which often speckle chunks of driftwood.
Barometz: Also known as the Vegetable Lamb of Tartary, this curious creature grows from a plant in India. It has the appearance of a sheep or lamb at the end of a stalk, and will eat all the surrounding vegetation until all is gone and the plant/animal will starve to death. At this point, it can be harvested for its wool.
Bear: The female bear gives birth not to cubs, but to formless lumps of flesh. It is only after three months of licking and shaping the lumps with her tongue does the female bear have proper cubs. The bear does not eat during this process, and in fact spends the entire three months underground.
An injured bear will heal itself through the use of certain medicinal herbs, although the bear will avoid the mandrake due to its poison. Honey is a bear's favorite food.
Beaver: The beaver is hunted by men for its testicles, which are used for their medicinal properties. If pursued by man, the beaver will castrate itself with a sharp bite, and then stand its hind legs to show that it no longer has anything of value.
Bird of Paradise: A bird found in the East Indies, this brilliantly colored animal lives its entire life in the air and never touches earth. This is why the bird lacks feet.
Bishop/Monk Fish: These fish have the appearance of men of the cloth. The bishop fish wears a miter, while the monk fish wears a habit.
Boa: The boa is a large snake that preys on cattle. It will seek out a cow and attach itself to the udders, drinking down milk until the cow collapses and dies.
Bull/Oxen: The bull is a strong and fierce creature. The Indian bull has great speed, a tough hide, and skillfully wielded horns. Capturing it is a dangerous task at it will fly into a destructive rage once confined. The oxen, on the other hand, is patient and a hard worker. It will seek out its partner at the plow, and will bellow if the two are separated. During storms, oxen will remain in their stalls, but will come out to work as soon as it is clear.
Camel/Dromedary: The camel is symbolic of a number of things, including; humility, for it kneels in order to carry a great weight; lust, because it has a great desire for sex; prudence, since it carefully stores its water for when it is needed the most; and temperance, as it can survive without water for a great length of time.
Camels are known to despise the presence of horses, and will fight with them if allowed. They also dislike clean water, and will muddy any pool they are led to until it is more to their liking. Camels come from Arabia and Persia, and have two humps. The strongest camels come from Bactria (modern Afghanistan).
Dromedaries are fleet form of camel and can cross over one hundred miles in a day.
Cinomolgus: Also known as the "Cinnamon Bird," this Arabian bird makes its nest from the cinnamon bush at the tops of tall trees. As these nests are quite valuable due to the cinnamon used in their construction, sling-stones and throwing-sticks are used to bring the nests down out of the trees in order to sell them at the market.
Crane: Cranes are the exemplar of military order and precision. When traveling to new lands, each crane swallows some gravel to use as ballast. The leader of the flock will take the foremost position, and the rest of the birds will fall into line behind him. This leader will then give a constant set of thorough instructions, with an assistant waiting to take over if the leader's voice should fail. And cranes that lag behind will be exhorted to do more, while exhausted cranes will be supported by other members of the flock until they can fly again. Upon landing for the night, the cranes will post sentries, who will keep watch for a set period of time before allowing another to take over. Each sentry carries a rock in one claw, if the sentry should fall asleep, the rock will fall awakening the sentry with its noise.
Dipsa: This tiny snake has venom so potent that anyone bitten by it will die instantly, their smile still on their face.
Dog: The dog is a faithful companion of man, both loyal and clever. Many stories have been told about the dependability of the dog and their devotion to their masters. There were the 200 dogs of King Garamantes, which rescued him from slavery; Jason's dog, which starved itself to death after its master was killed; the dog of King Lisimachus, that hurled itself on the King's funeral pyre; and a dog in Antioch that pulled the man who murdered its master out of a crowd.
Dove: A well-known symbol for Christ, the dove is a gentle and mild-mannered bird. They will gather in great multicolored flocks, and be led by a red plumed bird, which will be first into any new territory.
The dragon is the mortal enemy of the dove, which is why in India, the dove will nest in the branches of the Peridexion tree. The dragon cannot abide the Peridexion tree, and will avoid even its shadow.
Eagle: When old, an eagle's eyesight will begin to fail. To counter this, the bird will fly up near the sun, where the heat will burn clean the eagle's feathers and eyes. It will then dive three times into a spring of water, and emerge rejuvenated. The eyesight of the eagle is such that new born eagles are made to look directly into he sun. Those that do with out blinking are kept, those that turn away are cast aside.
Elephant: The elephant is used as a beast of war by the Persians and Indians, who place great towers on its back. It has no joints in its legs, and must sleep by leaning against a tree. In India, hunters will cut partially through a tree, so that when the elephant leans against it to sleep, the tree will fall, bringing the elephant down with it.
Female elephants give birth only once in their lives. In order to mate, a female elephant brings its mate far to the east, where they both partake of the mandrake plant, a powerful aphrodisiac. Once done mating, the female conceives immediately, and carries the baby elephant for two years before giving birth. When giving birth, the female will wade out into a lake, while the male stands guard on the water's edge, watching for the dragon, the mortal enemy of the elephant.
Ethiopian Giant Ants: The ants of Ethiopia are the size of a dog and dig gold from the sand. They horde this gold, and will fight fiercely to defend it.
Echeneis: This tiny fish can hold a ship under full sail fast in the water simply by attaching itself to the hull. In Latin this fish is called a remora, meaning "to delay" or "hindrance."
Ercinee: A bird found in the Hercyanian Forest, it glows so brightly that a traveler can use it as a lantern.
Fox: The fox is a devious animal, and it name "vulpis" comes from the word "volupes" meaning "twisty-footed," which refers to its habit of not running in a straight line. An example of the foxes deceitful nature is the manner in which it is know to hunt birds. A fox will roll in reddish clay so that it looks bloodstained. The fox will then lay on the ground with its paws in the air, and feign death. After some time, a few birds will approach, landing next to the fox and starting to peck. The fox will then leap up and catch the birds.
Goat: Goats come in two varieties, the wild goat (known as a caper or capera) and the domestic goat (known as a hyrcus). The wild goat is a symbol of Christ, while the domestic goat is a symbol of lechery.
Wild goats dwell on the tops of mountains but come down into valleys to feed. Their eyesight is such that they can tell if an approaching man is an armed hunter, or a harmless traveler while the man is still very far away. If injured the wild goat seeks out the dittany plant to heal itself.
The domestic goat is known to be full of lust and will tray to mate with any willing female. Such is its nature that its hot blood can dissolve diamonds.
Hawk: The hawk is a fierce bird, and will attack other birds much larger than itself. This ferocity is brought about at an early age, when the father of a young hawk will beat is child, and throw the young bird from its nest. This treatment is meant to make the bird self-reliant, and keep it from a slothful and self-indulgent life-style.
Hedgehog: When hungry, the hedgehog will climb into a vine or tree, shake the branches, and then roll in the fallen fruit so that they will stick to its quills. The hedgehog will then return to its burrow, to feed itself and its young.
Hoope: There are two types of hoope bird, the Epopus and the Upupa. The Epopus are known to succor their aged parents and elders of the flock, giving them food and shelter. The Upupa, on the other hand, is a horrid bird which both eats and nests in dung. It lives near graves, and the blood of the Upupa will bring nightmares to those who get its blood splashed on their skin.
Horse: The Latin name for the horse is equus, which comes from the fact that a team of horses must be equal when hitched to a plow or a chariot. Horses are loyal to their masters, much like the dog, and will fight fiercely in battle if their master does so. The sounds of trumpets will excite the horse, as will the scent of the battlefield. A horse will revel in victory, just as it will show great sadness if defeated.
When selecting a horse, one must look at its physique, beauty, character and color. One should never clip a stallion's mane however, as that will ruin its prowess as a sire.
Hydrus: This snake lives along the Nile river and preys on crocodiles. It waits for a crocodile to fall asleep with its jaws open, at which point the hydrus will coat itself in mud and slide into the open mouth and down the throat. Once inside the hydrus will rend the crocodile's stomach asunder, killing the crocodile.
Hyena: The hyena is known to be a foul and evil animal that can imitate a human voice, luring the unwary out into the night to be eaten. The hyena also will dig up and eat corpses and usually can be found in graveyards. In addition, the hyena is said to have several powers of a most unusual nature: it is able to change genders, switching from male to female and back again; it can cause an animal to become immobile by walking around three times; its eyes are like stones, and if held in the mouth grant one visions of the future.
Ibex: It is said that the ibex has horns so strong that it could leap from the top of a mountain and catch itself safely on the points of its horns.
Lamb: The lamb is a symbol for Christ, known as Angus Dei, the Lamb of God. The relationship between a lamb and its mother is such that each can recognize the bleating of the other even in the middle of the flock.
Lynx: The urine of the lynx is known to solidify into a precious gemstone, which is why the lynx will bury it under the sand and out of sight of man. The eye sight of the lynx is exceptionally keen, and some say it can see through walls.
Men: There are many unusual types of men to be found all around the world. Some of the more interesting tribes include:
Mermaid: A being comprised of the upper torso of a beautiful woman and the lower body of a fish. Similar to the siren (see), but not as dangerous to sailors. The mermaid can often be seen at the surface, combing out her long hair. Males are called mermen or tritons. It is thought that mermen can cause great storms if angered.
Onager: The onager is the wild ass of Africa. The live in great herds, and the male of the herd will try and castrate any newborn males in order to retain his supremacy.
Ostrich: The ostrich is an African bird with short legs much like those of the camel. It lays its eggs in the mildness of summer, and abandons them amid the dust and sand. Some say that the ostrich likes to eat iron, and can be fed old nails and horseshoes.
Peacock: The peacock is a beautiful bird, whose plumage is second to none. It's cry is a raucous screech, however, brought about by the bird's shame at it ugly and ungainly feet. It is also inedible, as the flesh of a peacock is far too tough to eat.
Partridge: The male partridge is such a promiscuous bird that it will even mate with other males. The female partridge will hide her nest with branches, and is ready to draw off attackers by acting injured. The female partridge will also steal the eggs of other birds and raise them as her own. Once hatched, these stolen chicks will flee the nest, returning to their proper parents.
Pelican: The female pelican is so devoted to its children, that if needed, she will rend her own breast and feed her chicks on her lifeblood. In heraldry, this image is known as a "pelican in its piety."
Ram: The name aries or ram, comes either from Ares, the god of war, or from ara, the sacrificial alter. The ram itself is a strong and belligerent creature and rams are known to constantly butt heads. This latter behavior is caused by the irritation of maggots in their scalps.
Raven: As the raven will not feed its young until the chicks produce black feathers -- thus allowing the raven to make sure that these are its children -- the newly-hatched birds must live off of dew.
Scitalis: This small snake is slow-moving and normally, could be easily avoided. Its scales, however, are so beautifully patterned that anyone who sees it will be transfixed, at which point the scitalis will be able to administer its lethal bite.
Seps: The seps is a small snake who's venom is so potent that it will destroy both the bones and the flesh of its victim.
Serra: Also known as the "sawfish" this fish is thought to be a creature with huge wings that will race ships by flying through the air. Other reports give it the face of the lion and the habit the spreading its huge wings upwind of a ship, cutting off much needed wind.
Sheep: The sheep is gentle creature, and quite unable to defend itself from the predatations of the wolf. It is a quite eager eater of grass, and will do so at the onset of winter to ensure it has sufficient food to last through out the cold months.
Stag: Stags are known to catch and eat snakes by inhaling them out of their burrows. As snakes are very poisonous, the stag would then purge itself of the venom at a nearby stream. The stag is also known to be a lover of music, but the cry of hunting hounds will send it fleeing. When crossing a lake or river, each animal will rest its head on the animal in front of it, and in that way even the weakest of the herd will be kept from drowning.
Su: A large ferocious animal native to Patagonia, it is hunted for its hides and fur. When pursued it will place its young on its back, cover them with its feathery tail and flee. It is captured by digging a pit, trapping the creature and finishing it off with spears and arrows.
Swallow: A swallow's skill in selecting and building its nest proves it to be an example for man to follow. The swallow builds its nest under the eaves of a house, which is well-protected from predators; it also makes nests that are safe and secure, and will not allow a chick to fall through. Finally, a swallow is wise enough to know when its nest has become old, and will abandon it before it becomes dangerous.
Swan: If near death, a swan will sing out in a sweet voice. This "swan song" is the most beautiful of melodies. To sight a swan is an omen of good luck.
Tiger: The tiger is described as a very swift beast, and its name comes from "tigris" the Greek and Persian word for arrow. Due to the tiger's speed, hunters who desire to capture a tiger cub carry along a large glass ball or two. After capturing the cub, and while attempting to escape from the pursuing tigress, the hunter will hurl one of the glass balls to the ground. The tigress, mistaking her reflection in the ball for her cub, would stop to fondle to ball, thus allowing the man to escape. A second ball is carried along in case the first doesn't do the trick.
Wolf: The wolf is a cruel creature with a great hunger for both food and sex. It is said to live off of "prey, sometimes earth, occasionally the wind." Female wolves are known to prey on sheep, and will pick a sheepfold some distance from her lair, as a way of protecting her pups. When hunting, the female wolf is known to be very single-minded, and if she steps on a twig and makes a noise in the night, she will bite the errant paw as punishment.
A man trapped by a wolf's glowing eyes has only one means of defense. He must strip off his clothing and strike two stones together. The wolf cannot stand the sound and will be driven off. If a man fails to do so, he will be stricken dumb and become easy prey for the wolf.
Viper: The viper is a serpentine animal with two short legs and a lizard-like head. The male viper is a creature known for its extreme lust, and it will often satisfy itself by calling up a female sea-eel from the ocean. The viper will then vomit up its venom, mate with the eel, and then, satisfied, re-swallow its venom and then return to its mate. The female viper, when mating with the male, will take the male's head in its mouth and bite it off. In turn the female will die when its young, eager to be abroad in the world, will burrow their way out from the female viper's womb.
Vulture: The vulture is a slow but long-lived bird. They follow armies, and the more that gather around a camp, the more men will die in battle.