published on in News

Mythical Creatures That Might Have Actually Existed

Like the griffin, the basilisk is a cross between two terrifying creatures, although in this case it's really just one terrifying creature and a chicken. According to Mythology.net, basilisks are born when seriously confused roosters decide to sit on serpent's eggs, which is problematic because roosters don't typically sit on eggs of any kind, but never mind. Evidently the occasional mythical rooster feels like it must sit on eggs.

The mythical creature that emerges after a successful incubation has a rooster's head, a snake-like body, wings, and the legs of a chicken. It would potentially kill by making people laugh so hard at how ridiculous it looks that they don't notice they're about to be bitten. 

Not all basilisks look stupid, though. Some are just very large, extra-terrifying snakes. 

In either form, the basilisk spits fire and paralyzes with its gaze. It can move with the front part of its body upright, it lives in dry or sandy places, and only weasels can kill it. That's pretty clear evidence that the basilisk is based on the Egyptian cobra, which can also hold the front part of its body upright, spit venom, and stare lovingly into its victims' eyes just before striking. What's more, the cobra's only real enemy is the mongoose, which looks a lot like a weasel. 

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