Lesson #2 (October) - Manticore

Ministry of Magic Classification: XXXXX

If any beast could give you nightmares, the manticore would be the one to do it. Not only is it the parent of the blast-ended skrewts, but it's name means "maneater" in Persian, and it's favorite activity is (as you've probably guessed by now) devouring human flesh.

The manticore was first described in the 5th century B.C. by the Greek physician Ctesias. It was said to inhabit the jungles of India, where its strength, speed, and sheer ferocity made it the most dangerous predator around.

Although its reddish, hairy body resembled that of a lion, Ctesias reported that it had a human face, a melodious voice, and a scorpion-like tail spiked with poisoned darts. The manticore can shoot these darts like arrows in any direction, striking prey at a distance of up to 100 feet (yikes!!). Once the victim succumbed to the fast-acting poison, the manticore was ready to devour its prey. Spanning the distance from ear to ear were three rows of razor-sharp teeth, perfect for devouring humans (its favorite dish) into bite-sized pieces. The manticore devoured its victims entirely, including skull, bones, clothing, and possessions. When someone vanished from a jungle village nearby without a trace, it was clear a manticore was nearby.

It was thought that the manticore was indeed quite real. However, by the 2nd century AD, when a speciman of the manticore had yet to turn up, other explanations for alleged sightings of the creature were proposed. The Greek travel-writer Pausanias offered the likely theory that the creature in question was actually a man-eating tiger - now known today as the Bengal tiger.

The legend of the manticore led it to become a regonized symbol of evil and malevolence.