Ah-ha! This could be the reason for legends of unicorns!
The Last Unicorn? (http://real-us.news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080611/ap_on_fe_st/italy_unicorn_1)
It only had to happen once before for superstitious folk to craft a whole story around it.
And here I thought it was a description of the Rhino.
Interesting as it is, I believe that's pretty much how all, if not many, of creature legends start. I remember hearing how it was actually considered strange a long time ago to ride a horse instead of use them as beasts of burden. An onlooker would've rushed back into town and described it as a strange melding of human and horse. Thus, the centaur.
Add that with a human's somewhat natural fascination for the fantastic, put forth by a fear of the unknown and the curiosity that follows. There are one or two lakes here in the U.S. that have their own version of Nessie. All perhaps because of hype. I guess it depends on who you ask.
(This from a girl who lives in the "mothman" state...) :rolleyes
It's such a cute deer. But I believe it. Kinda disappointing but still...
IIRC Unicorn legends started earlier than Rhinos...
when the early explorers first saw the Rhino, even though the description was off, [two horns instead of one etc.] it was the sheer awe of a creature so new to them that they called is as the unicorn.
supposedly unicorn legends were of other african animals, kinda like a gazelle- they had two horns, twisted, and seen from the side looks like one horn curled in the standard unicorn style
No! No! Not a unicorn! *sticks his fingers in his ears* LALALALALALA! UNICORNS EXISTED! LALALALALALA!
*Charles knows unicorns 'existed', past-tense* I gots the head o' the last one on me wall! >:3
Quote from: Alondro on June 14, 2008, 09:46:31 PM
*Charles knows unicorns 'existed', past-tense* I gots the head o' the last one on me wall! >:3
Nuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :U
well of course unicors existed, they were the popular steed of the bat people on the moon "vespartillo homo" AKA the bat men who lived on the moon during the 1800's
http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/Hoaxipedia/Great_Moon_Hoax_of_1835/
Yes, the bat men used to live there...
Until a certain winged lioness appeared...
Now the moon is as we see it today!
AND SHE'S ON EARTH NOW!!! WE'RE NEXT!!!!
*to save yourself, please donate your life savings and soul to the United Church of Charline.* >:3