Coming to Lunch & Learn on April 7th - Led by Ian Burrow

A Fox pretends to be dead in order to catch unwary birds. As pictured in a French Bestiary (Book of Beasts) of about 1450.

SHARING THE EARTH WITH ANIMALS: THE VIEW FROM THE MIDDLE AGES

In the Middle Ages in Europe, people believed that the natural world had been created in part to instruct us and help bring us closer to God.  From the seventh century onwards, illustrated instructional books called Bestiaria (“concerning beasts”) or “Bestiaries” were prepared all over Europe.

These books describe and explain the character of numerous animals: some real and some (to us) mythological.  In many cases a moral or theological lesson is drawn which the reader is encouraged to apply to his or her own life.

The Fox provides a good example.  This is a typical bestiary entry:

“There is an animal which is called the Fox.  It is a crafty and deceitful animal that never runs in a straight line, but only in circles. When it wants to catch birds to eat, the fox rolls in red mud so that it appears to be covered in blood. It then lies apparently lifeless; birds, deceived by the appearance of blood and thinking the fox to be dead, land on it and are immediately devoured.

The fox represents the devil, who pretends to be dead to those who retain their worldly ways, and only reveals himself when he has them in his jaws. To those with perfect faith, the devil is truly dead.”

As part of the class, each participant will write, illustrate and share their own bestiary entry.  This can be:

• one of the animals (real or mythical described in the bestiaries, with a new slant)

• a real animal not mentioned in the bestiaries, or

• a mythical animal created by the participant. 

The emphasis will be on fun.