cockatrice

cockatrice

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cockatrice

The cockatrice or basilisk is held to be the king of serpents, hence its name. The wart or hood on its head was thought to resemble a crown. It comes into the world as follows. A seven year old cock is about to lay an egg. It seeks a place to hide the egg but a toad sees it. When the cock has laid the egg, the toad comes and sits upon it until it is hatched producing a creature with the head of a cock and the body of a reptile. If it is seen by a man before it can see him itself, the cockatrice must die, and vice versa. In the event of the cockatrice getting the first look, it will dart deadly venom from its eyes that can deprive any tree of the power of bearing fruit, among other things. A hunter must use a mirror or crystal vase to reflect back the poison. In this way the venom is thrown back upon the cockatrice, which succumbs to its own poison. It symbolizes the devil

Hassig: Cockatrice