{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"2022 Archive of RENATURED, Marina Zurkow's Research Blog","provider_url":"https:\/\/o-matic.com\/blog-archive-2022","author_name":null,"author_url":"https:\/\/o-matic.com\/blog-archive-2022\/blog\/author\/","title":"whale003notes","html":"

The monstrous whale known as aspidochelone was characterized by two distinctive behaviors. First, the whale possessed the ability to entrap its prey, usually fish, through the emission of a sweet, seductive odor released from its mouth. Unsuspecting fish were attracted by the scent, only to be devoured when the whale’s cavernous mouth snapped shut.<\/i>
\u2013 “Bad to the bone”? \u00a0The Unnatural History of Monstrous Medieval Whales<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>

This poem is so fun to say aloud and it nearly is sensible:<\/p>

Cethegrande is a fis, \/ The moste that in water is. \/ That thu wuldes seien get, \/ Gef thu it soge wan it f let, \/ That it were a neilond \/ That sete one the se sond. \/ This fis that is unride, \/ Thanne him hungreth he gapeth wide; \/ Ut of his throte it smit an onde, \/ The swetteste thing that is o londe. \/ Therfore othre fisses to him dragen. \/ Wan he it felen he aren fagen. \/ He cumen and hoven in his muth; \/ Of his swike he am uncuth. \/ This cete thanne his chaveles luketh, \/ Thise fisses alle in suketh. \/<\/i>
-\u00a0Middle English Bestiary (British Library Arundel MS 292<\/a>) [13th century]<\/p>","type":"rich"}