Читать книгу The Beast of Buckingham Palace - David Walliams - Страница 10

he griffin is the King of the Beasts.

It is half eagle (the King of the Birds) and half lion (the King of the Animals). The head and wings are those of an eagle, while the body and back legs are those of a lion.

For centuries, the beast has been thought of as the stuff of legend.

Early civilisations worshipped the griffin – it can be found in stories from both Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece.

In medieval times, this half eagle, half lion became a symbol of godlike power.

The power over life and death.

The power to create or destroy the universe.

Infinite power for all eternity.

The sight of a griffin would inspire terror in the hearts of all men. That is why the beasts were used as symbols through the centuries by kings and queens. Griffins can be seen on coats of arms, flags and shields. The message was simple: kneel or you will suffer a terrible fate at the claws of this beast.

It looks a little like a dinosaur, those terrifying creatures that stalked the Earth millions of years ago. However, unlike dinosaurs, no one has ever found the skeleton of one.

But that doesn’t mean that a griffin never lived.

Or one day might not live again…