Tuesday 5 July 2011

ABC Wednesday, Y for Yale


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On the Great Gate of St. John's College we can see the coat of arms of the Foundress, Lady Margaret Beaufort. The curious beasts on either side are yales, mythical animals having elephants' tails, antelopes' bodies and goats' heads, with horns which can supposedly swivel from back to front!
This is what I found about on the site of Bestiary Beasts and especially The Yale :
"The yale has very long and flexible horns, which it move independantly in any direction. When it fights, it keeps one horn pointed backward, so that if the horn it is fighting with is damaged it can bring the other to the front. The yale is the size of a horse, but has the tail of an elephant and the jaws of a boar, and is black. The basilisk is the enemy of the yale, and if it finds the yale asleep it stings it between the eyes, causing its eyes to swell until they burst."

It also says in Wikipedia:" In the US, the yale as a heraldic symbol is weakly associated with Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. Neither the University's coat of arms nor most of its other heraldry features the yale, and the school's primary sports mascot is a bulldog named Handsome Dan. But a yale is depicted on the official banner of the President of the University, which is carried and displayed during commencement exercises each spring, and yales can be seen above the gateway to Yale's Davenport College and the pediment of Timothy Dwight College."


With thanks to Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC.For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar or Here. This week we are looking for words beginning with Y.

29 comments:

Roger Owen Green said...

Wow, two things about Yale this week so far, and NEITHER of them about CT. Fascinating!

ROG, ABC Wednesday team

Dianne said...

Thanks for that interesting information Wil - I immediately thought of Yale University!
Enjoy your week.

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

thanks Reader Wil. I only know Yale as Yale university.

Those two women are from the Polynesian ethnicity, most of them do not aspire an education. I was very impressed with them.

Indrani said...

Whoa! Those designs! Beautiful capture. Very informative post.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Yet again you have come up with some interesting facts, Wil.

EG CameraGirl said...

I have to admit I've never heard of a yale before. :)

MERYL JAFFE, PhD - parent, psychologist, teacher, author... said...

Great post. Being an American East Coast girl, I immediately thought of the university. I loved and appreciated how you tied it all together. Thanks! I leave more informed.

Carver said...

Fascinating post for the letter Y. I learned something new.

Sylvia K said...

A fun, interesting post as always, Wil! I do look forward to seeing what you come up with each ABC Wednesday and I'm never disappointed! Hope your week is going well! Enjoy!

Sylvia
ABC Team

photowannabe said...

Coming to your blog is always a pleasure. I learn so much and your photos are terrific.
I had no idea the a Yale was a mythical beast. Fascinating.

Wanda said...

Oh that's really interesting. Fighting with one horn, and saving the other...clever Yale.

Arkansas Patti said...

Thanks for the info on Yale, especially how it applied to the university in the states. As soon as I saw it I was curious about any connection and you satisfied that curosity.

Joy said...

Beware the basilisk,it obviously has more to its arsenal than being able to kill with a stare. The mythical beasts are a fascinating subject, I'd never come across the yale before.

Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

many places
including schools are named Yale.
what a fantastic take on y.

Shooting Parrots said...

Not to mention Yale, "the world's favourite lock"!

Maude Lynn said...

How cool! I've never heard of a yale.

Hildred said...

Very interesting Wil, - I had never heard of this creature before, and thank you for the information.

Leslie: said...

I also did Yale this week, but it's a completely different connotation. My "Yale" is a historic gold mining town on the mighty Fraser River! Interesting post here...I learned something new.

Leslie
abcw team

Oakland Daily Photo said...

Never heard of a yale before--except for the Yale. Thanks for the education.

Tumblewords: said...

Wonderful art - fascinating facts. I'd never given much thought to a yale as opposed to The Yale. :) Thanks!

Barbara Rosenzweig said...

Thanks! This was very informative! The photos were wonderful, too!
Barb

Paula Scott Molokai Girl Studio said...

Is this what the educational institution is named after? Very fascinating information! Thanks!

Gattina said...

Interesting post ! I knew "Yale" keys, lol !

Chubskulit Rose said...

Gorgeous photos!

My ABC, please come and see.

Kay L. Davies said...

Fascinating. It never occurred to me there would be an animal (real or fictitious) called the yale. You are a great researcher, my friend!
— K

Kay, Alberta, Canada
An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel

Kay said...

Gracious! I've never heard of this. Thank you for bringing it to our attention, Wil. This is fascinating.

Vicki Lane said...

Wonderful! I've always enjoyed those old bestiaries.

Unknown said...

love it, cool take.

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Marja said...

Never heard about a yale before Very interesting