The Legend of the Unicorn

Did These Mythical Creatures Ever Really Exist?

Ever since I was a little girl, I was enthralled with the concept of the unicorn. Although most people agree - - and by most, I mean about 99.9 percent - - that the unicorn never really existed, there are still a handful of us who prefer to hold on to the legend.

There is something very magical about the very "idea" of the unicorn. Who wouldn't love a beautiful white horse-like creature with a single golden horn protruding from his (or her) forehead?

Perhaps it is the sheer beauty of this mythical creature that makes it so popular. Maybe it is the believed gentleness of the animal. Or perhaps we, as human beings, just need to hold onto something that is as mysterious and magnetic as the unicorn. Whatever the reason, the myth and legend of the unicorn continues to be remain popular.

One of my grandson's favorite stories deals with the reason the unicorn no longer exists. As the legend goes, unicorns were mischievous creatures that loved to play. They would frolic for hours in the wide-open plains, chasing each other or trying to catch butterflies.

Noah, as he was gathering the animals two by two for entrance into the ark, cautioned the unicorns to stay close by. But they couldn't resist playing together and, as they did, they moved further and further away from the ark.

When the time came for the animals to board, Noah checked them off of his list as they entered. But when he got to the "U's", he noted that the unicorns were no where to be found, so he sent his sons to search for them.

The unicorns laughed when they were told it was time to go. Since it wasn't yet raining, they thought they had plenty of time to play. Even when the clouds gathered and it began to rain, the unicorns insisted there was loads of time and that they could swim to keep up.

In frustration, Noah called his sons back to the ark. Before he pulled up the plant, he looked one last time to see if the unicorns were headed his way. But they were no where to be found. He watched for as long as he could afford to keep the door open but as the water raised the boat and set it afloat, he realized that the unicorns were going to be lost forever.