Re: Fireball shooting yak

[Robert J Welenc <rjwelenc@erols.com>]

Poster: Robert J Welenc <rjwelenc@erols.com>

At 13:43 8/1/97 -0400, xavier wrote:
>
>Poster: "xavier" <xavier@ww-interlink.net>
>
>A discussion on paul bunyan led to a discussion of blue which of course led
>to
>a good friend of mine's claims that there is a mythological beast in celtic
>mythology which had  breath that could slay and shot fireballs out its
>posterior, and in general caused lots of destruction(to the ozone layer).
>
>Can anyone verify or name this beast.
>
>thanks
>-Xavier

I don't know about Celtic Mythology, but there is a heraldic beast known as
the bonacon.  From J. P. Brooke-Little's _An Heraldic Alphabet_:

Bonacon (also Bonasus)  A bull-like monster but with horns which curl
inwards, a short mane, and a horse's tail.  Its horns being but useless, it
defends itself by shooting its burning excrements at its enemies.  It
appears to have been first granted to Richard Chandelor in 1560 as a crest.
 (Note - the illustration shows only the head of the beast, as even for
Tudor heraldry a flame-throwing bull is a bit much!)

There are no instances of this beast registered as SCA arms.

Alanna Volchevo Lesa
Partan Pursuivant, Barony of Lochmere
Laurel Minion
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