Real or Imaginary?Medieval Stories and Imaginings – 1200-1400

Take a good look at these figures…

Questions:

• What do you think these creatures are?

• Why would they appear in a medieval manuscript? (for example, are they there for fun, for education, because they look cool?)

• Do you think that they are real or imaginary?

“After that isle men go by the ocean, by many isles, unto an isle that is called Nacumera, that is a great isle and good and fair. And it is in compass about, more than a thousand mile. And all the men and women of that isle have hounds' heads, and they are called Cynocephales.”

-The Travels of Sir John Mandeville – Published between 1357 and 1371 in England

Questions:• If these creatures (the Cynocephali) have the

heads of dogs, then why are they described as ‘men’ and ‘women’?

• If you look at the picture and read the text, what can you find out about the medieval definition of a ‘human’?

• What do you think that ‘Cynocephalus’ means? (clue: a dog is a ‘canine’, and an octopus is a ‘cephalopod’)

“The bonnacon is a beast with a head like a bull, but with horns that curl in towards each other. Because these horns are useless for defense, the bonnacon has another weapon. When pursued, the beast expels its dung which travels a great distance (as much as two acres), and burns anything it touches.”

-Image and description from the Aberdeen bestiary (a book of beasts).

Questions:

• Do you think that the medieval readers of this description would believe that the Bonnacon was a real creature?

• Can you think of some reasons why the creators of the Aberdeen bestiary would include this creature on a list of the world’s creatures, despite having never seen one?

“…they were above all men, covetous, hasty, deceitful, and merciless: notwithstanding, by reason of the rigor and extremity of punishments to be inflicted upon them by their superiors, they are restrained from brawlings, and from mutual strife and contention...”

“…They are hardy and strong in the breast, lean and pale-faced, rough and hug-shouldered, having flat and short noses, long and sharp chins, their upper jaws are low and declining, their teeth long and thin, their eye-brows extending from their foreheads down to their noses, their eyes inconstant and black, their countenances writhen and terrible…”

- From a description of the ‘Tartars’ written in 1243.

Questions:

• Can you think of a reason the writer of this description might describe the Tartars in such an unfavorable light?

• Are they real people, or imaginary? Why have you reached this conclusion?

• If somebody told you this story, would you believe them? Why?

Three young noblemen are hunting boars. They become lost in the woods at night, separated from their companions. Suddenly, three walking corpses appear from the dark wood, each in different states of decay, their flesh shrunken and grey, worms squirming in their empty eye sockets.

The young noblemen are terrified. One turns to flee, another is paralyzed with fright, the third stands bravely to face the walking corpses. One of the dead suddenly speaks in a dry rasping voice…

“We are not demons, but your forefathers, long since in the grave. Why did you neglect our memory? Why were no prayers said upon our graves?”

The second corpse speaks, its voice hollow and mournful…

“While I was a man upon earth, pleasures were mine. Now I suffer for it.”

Finally, the third and most disgusting corpse speaks, its voice deep and chilling:

“Traveller, gaze, as you pass by, as you are so once was I.As I am so you must be. Therefore prepare to follow me.”

The three corpses disappear, and the red dawn approaches. The three young Kings return to their kingdoms with the knowledge that in the end, they too will die…

Questions:

• What is the moral of this tale?

• How might a medieval interpretation of the story differ from your own?

• Can you think of an explanation for why this story might be taught?