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The Manticore is a hybrid creature whose name means "man-slayer." The beast comes from Ethiopia. It has the body of a lion, the face and ears of a man, a ferocious mouth with triple rows of teeth, and a tail that ends with poisonous spines. Definitely not a creature that sounds timid, although it sounds lyrical - its call sounds like a trumpet and a flute.
The Manticore is a fierce hunter and kills its prey by shooting quills from its tail. I'm surprised it doesn't use all of its teeth more often. *shudders*
Today, the Manticore is rumored to roam the jungles of Indonesia. There, the Manticore sometimes kills its prey with a bite or a scratch and likes to eat its victims, bones and all.
A particularly nasty creature, I think the Manticore would be a fearsome beast for an fantasy hero to face!
Be sure to check out my blog posts the rest of the week - I'm going to be sharing information and notes from The Write Stuff conference this past weekend. Also, be sure to check out my post from yesterday!
Very cool mythological beast. It makes me want to play Age of Mythology. :)
ReplyDeleteI didn't know it originated in Ethiopia--interesting! I definitely wouldn't want to meet up with one, though. :P
ReplyDeleteI remember a Manticore in the Percy Jackson series. Now I know what it looks like.
ReplyDeleteVery terrifying beast. I love these educational moments. I'm wondering how the hero of my fantasy series would fare against this fell beast.
ReplyDeleteInteresting. I no idea of it's origin.
ReplyDeleteJanice~
Ew! Very ferocious! Love it!
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