Unicorns

Alright, let's talk unicorns. As a self-proclaimed goth girl growing up in the '80s, I saw these glittery, rainbow-adorned creatures as the very opposite of cool. Yet, somehow, unicorns have evolved from ancient folklore right into our modern cultural imagination—outshining countless lesser-known mythical beasts still waiting for their big moment. What gives unicorns their staying power? Time and again, they've proved they're more than just a passing fad, constantly reinventing themselves like seasoned marketing pros. So, how did they manage this magical feat? Let's dive in and find out.

A fair maiden is calming a unicorn during a storm.

Our journey into the enigmatic origins of unicorns starts with the ancient Greeks. In 400 BCE, a Greek physician and historian named Ctesias described a creature he saw in India. He painted a rather… unique picture: horse-sized, white body, purple head, blue eyes, and a horn that was red at the tip, black in the middle, and white at the base. Many now believe Ctesias actually encountered an Indian rhinoceros. Yes, you read that right. A "slouchy, grey" rhinoceros somehow morphed into the graceful, ethereal unicorn we know today. Another theory suggests it was a one-horned antelope, which, let's be honest, is a bit more glamorous than a rhino, but still a far cry from the majestic unicorn.  Even Marco Polo in the 13th century claimed a unicorn sighting, describing it as "wallowing in mud and slime." So were unicorns truly born from a case of mistaken identity or lack of knowledge of animals in distant lands?

Regardless, the lore of the unicorn grew and grew, and so did its perceived powers, which were quite remarkable. The horn of a unicorn, also referred to as an "alicorn," was believed to possess the power to protect individuals from a wide variety of medical ailments, neutralize poison, and even purify contaminated water. Given that kings and queens of old were constantly fearful of being poisoned, a unicorn horn became quite a hot commodity. There's even some evidence to suggest that some believed unicorn horns could bring the dead back to life.  Perhaps this is because unicorns were said to live forever, yet they could still be killed.

But here's the thing: acquiring one of these horns proved to be quite a feat, since unicorns were known to be incredibly fast and difficult to capture. Eventually, the lore resolved that issue by claiming that only a young virgin maiden can soothe and capture a wild unicorn. This close association between unicorns and virgins resulted in the mythological animal becoming a symbol for the Virgin Mary.

By the 15th century, the unicorn's appearance had transformed. It took on the form of a horse with the hooves and beard of a goat, and a slender spiral horn. Occasionally, a broken chain was depicted around its neck, symbolizing its wild nature. In Celtic mythology, unicorns symbolize purity, innocence, and power, and they were eventually incorporated into Scotland's royal coat of arms.

As late as the 17th century, London newspapers still had advertisements for "miracle elixirs" made from "Genuine Unicorn Horn." As hard as it is to believe, there were still some who believed unicorns were real and these concoctions could cure ulcers, scurvy, and fainting spells. Isn’t that wild?

By the 18th century, belief in unicorns began to decline. It wasn't until the Victorian era, when the renowned "Lady and the Unicorn" tapestries were rediscovered and romanticized, that unicorns reentered popular culture. Thus, the legend persists. Their powers were showcased in the Harry Potter series, with Voldemort even consuming unicorn blood to survive. Even today, with the 2025 release of "Death of a Unicorn" starring Jenna Ortega and Paul Rudd, the enduring lore of the unicorn continues. And to think, the unicorn's legend may have originated from a misidentified rhino.