Alexis is an Ocean Detective Agent. One day, Jake, a fisherman, visited her with a fine tuna with several circular shallow holes. Alexis starts her investigation to find out what has happened to the tuna. She asks her friend Hector the dolphin. Surprisingly, Hector says that he has the same experience that something has made a nasty bite and left a hole on his body just like the one on the tuna. It seems the mysterious creature is hiding somewhere close in the sea. What kind of creature is responsible for those nasty bites? Alexis goes to the ocean to find out. What will she encounter and can she solve this mystery?

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The Year of Monkeys

In ancient Japan Monkeys were considered as mountain Gods. That was probably that ancient Japanese encountered monkeys while they had been doing slash and burn farming. When the twelve Zodiac signs were imported from China, the monkey was applied to one of those signs. Since then monkeys have become the messengers of Gods, not Gods themselves. Some Japanese Shinto Shrines worship monkeys for people to have healthy life and find the best partner.

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The forth task of Hercules was to bring the Erymanthian boar alive to King Eurystheus.

The boar was living on the mount Erymanthian from which the name was derived. People living close to the mountain were so afraid this huge boar that they were savagely attacked and eaten by it every day. Although the boar was huge and had deadly tusks, it was no match for Hercules. When Hercules brought it back alive to the King, Eurystheus feared the boar and hid himself into the bronze jar.

When Goddess Hera drove Hercules insane, he had killed his wife and children. To make up for the sin he committed, although it was not really his fault, he must complete 12 labors ordered by King Eurystheus.

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The offspring of Typhon    - Nemean Lion -

The Nemean Lion was a terrible monster whose parents were Typhon and Echidna. The skin was gold and impossible to penetrate with any weapons and its claws cut through anything. Therefore killing the Nemean Lion had to be done with bear hands. Hercules had combated against the Nemean Lion as the first challenge in his twelve labors. His weapon, a club was useless to the monster and he had choked the lion to death. Then he skinned dead lion with its own claws and wore the pelt.

The marble sculpture of Hercules with the pelt of Nemean Lion is the part of pulpit at the cathedral in Pisa, Italy. It was produced by Italian sculpture Nicola Pisano in 1260.

The combat between Hercules and the Nemean Lion was very popular subjects among Greek vase painters. In the 6th and 5th centuries B.C. they depicted two types of fighting scenes one was that Hercules wrestled with the animal in a crouching position and other showed both of them standing. Hercules had tried to tear the lion’s mouth open with his both hands in some images.

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Swimming the Sky    - Carp -

On the 5th of May Japanese people celebrate the day of boys and raise the carp-shaped streamer. During the Edo era the family of shogun had celebrated the birth of boy who was destined to become shogun and raised the flag with their family emblem. This is the origin of the carp streamer.

In ancient China a carp was recognized as the fish could go up the torrent no other fish could. The image of carp swimming upstream brought the faith that a carp was the symbol of getting promotion. Craps are also easy to rear and since they do not feed on each other, many newborns are expected to grow up every year. By the way the third of march is the Girls’ day people pray for girls’ health with a set of traditional dolls.

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The cloud controler    - Ryu -

Ryu is a similar creature to dragon whose legend is derived from china. Unlike a dragon ryu does not have wings, but it has deer’s horns, scales of a carp, and hands of a tiger. In ancient China ryu was thought to be one of the holly creatures brought fortune. Japan had imported the worship of ryu, but made little arrangement for people to easily accept the concept of ryu. In Japan ryu is associated with water and controls clouds, so people are afraid of ryu for causing tempest, while worship it for water.

Not only peasants believe the power of ryu but also sailors and fisher men have faith in ryu for the safety of voyage. There are still small shrines for ryu along the coast line in Japan.

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Legend of Unicorn

The legend of unicorn has started since the Indus Valley Civilization that covered the region of northeast Afghanistan, Pakistan, and northwest India now. Later ancient Greek historian Ctesias had described unicorn as white horse with a long horn on its forehead around 400 B.C. Marco Polo who had traveled from Italy to China in 13th century also explained about unicorn as an animal that was slightly smaller than elephant and had a black horn on its forehead. Probably he had described a rhinoceros.

During the middle age in Europe the image of unicorn prevailed with Christianity and folklore. Unicorn was the depicted as an animal that was the strongest in the animal kingdom and extremely wild. However it was also represented as the symbol of purity and grace. Unicorn was only tamed by virgin and the horn had power to clear poisonous water and be remedy for sickness.

The mosaic of unicorn around AD 1213 at Chiesa di S. Giovanni Evangelista in Ravenna, Italy.

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Since the Bronze Age

Capricorn is one of 12 ecliptical constellations and depicted as a goat with fish tail. Sumer was the ancient civilization formed around 3500 B.C. in Mesopotamia (now Iraq) and had started using constellations. Akkadian had built Babylonian dynasty after Sumer, then invented the Babylonian star catalogues. In this catalogues Capricorn was mention as “goat fish”. Later ancient Greek and roman people had borrowed this catalogues.

In Greek mythology Capricorn has been associated with Pan who is the god has goat’s horns on his head and legs of a goat. Pan had helped Zeus when he attacked by colossal monster Typhon, then Zeus honor Pan with placing his image as Capricorn in the south sky.

The Cormb was made in about 875 for the priests in France.

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Rum   -   Head God   -   Khnum

Khnum is the Egyptian Divine who has ram head. He rules over water and is creator of everything. Since the source of the Nile River is controlled by Khnum, he causes annual inundation that supplies fertile soil to river banks. Khnum creates human bodies out of the soil and provides soul into them. He also molded other gods and the egg from which sun was born.

The ram was powerful animal, so Khnum closely related to the ram and fertility. The worship of Khnum flourished in Elephantine Island which is located in Southern Egypt.

In Elephantine Anuket and Satis were also worshipped and Satis is wife of Khnum.

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The Rescuers of Brave    - Valkyries -

Valkyries are goddesses who serve the god Odin in Scandinavian mythology.

The number of Valkyries are varied 9 to more than 25 depend on the prose in which they appear. They have names such as battle, peace, spear, and white swan. The main duty of Valkyries is selecting warriors who will die or survive in battle field. Then they take the braves of those who were dead to Valhalla which is the great hall in Asgard where Odin lives in.

Valkyries are sometimes associated with horses, swans, ravens, and wolves. The image of wolves crowding around the remains of warriors leads the link between wolves and Valkyries.

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Pegasus was the divine horse whose father was Poseidon and mother was Medusa. At first Pegasus was wild and free, but Zeus had ordered him to bring lighting and thunder from Olympus. Later Bellerophon who was the hero of Greek myth had become the rider of this untamed stallion. With help of Pegasus he successfully had killed the Chimera who was the monster had a lion’s head and a body that goat’s head was attached and a snake’s head at the end of a tail.

Since every time Pegasus hit the earth with his hoof springs spurted out from the ground, Pegasus was related to a spring. Pegasus was drinking from a spring when Bellerophon had captured him. The symbols of Pegasus are fame and wisdoms.

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Approximately 3000 species of snakes are known now around the world. Out of all snakes, about 400 species are venomous. Anaconda and reticulated python are the world’s longest snakes. Both species could grow to about 30ft (9m). World’s smallest is the Barbados threadsnake, about 4inches (10cm) in length.

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The Year of Snake, 2013

According to Chinese ancient calendar 2013 is the Year of the Snake (巳年). The Chinese character 巳 depicts a fetus in its mother and also means a snake. Snakeswake up from their hibernation and emerge from underground in spring. Therefore the Year of the Snake related to the beginning.

Since snakes hunt mice that eat crops, snakes are guardians worshipped by farmers around the world. Also people believe that snakes are symbol of immortal and resurrection or the messengers of deity because they shed their skin and can live without food for long period of time. In Japan snakes are linked to Benzaiten who is one of the 7 lucky gods of fortune and the Deity of wealth, productivity and treasure. Especially a white snake is regarded as the symbol of fortune.

In Europe and the United State snakes are often depicted as the symbol of remedy and medicine because snakes have powerful vital force. The rod of Asclepius is the one of the most popular image of snakes as the medical symbol. Asclepius is the God of healing and medicine in the Greek mythology. Some said that the snake coiling round the rod is the European Ratsnake that brought from Southern to Northern Europe by Romans who believed that this snake was the deity of cure. In many culture and societies around the world there are the folk medicine in which the venom of snakes is used for medicine. People also eat the meat and drink the blood as stamina food.

The calabash is often associated with snake because it has winding vine and lots of seed.

A large quantity of seeds also related to the symbol of productivity and prosperity. Three calabashes indicate good fortune. Since winding river remind of a snake, snake are often regarded as the God of Water too.

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Guardian of North   - Black Tortoise -

In ancient Chinese Zodiacal constellation the four cardinal directions are protected by imaginary animals. Blue dragon is the guardian of East, White tiger is for West, Vermilion bird is for South and Black tortoise is for North.

Usually the aspect of Black tortoise is a snake entwined with tortoise. Black symbolizes Nrth and winter. The carapace of tortoise stands for the excellence of defense. Black tortoise also associates with water, kidney, mountain and salty food.

The legend of Black tortoise prevailed among the countries of Asia such as Korea, Vietnam and Japan.

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Fenghuang the Lucky Bird

Fenghuang is the legendary bird of China. According to Chinese ancient book “Record of Rites” Fenghuang is the king of all birds and appears only when the good lord reigns over the country. The feather has five different colors, black, white, red, blue, and yellow. Each Fenghuang’s body part has meaning, the head is virtue, the wing is justice, the back is respect, and the belly is trust.

Fenghuang is about 60 inch (150cm) tall and roosts only on the Chinese parasol tree. The habitat is Kunlun Mountains. Fenghuang’s foods are seed of bamboo and honey.

The legend of Fenghuang prevailed over East Asia, such as Japan and Korea. Since Fenghuang brings luck, some Buddhist temples in Japan have the roofs decorated with the sculpture of Fenghuang. Japanese 10,000 bill has also the images of Fenghuang.

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Run through the Sea   - Hippocampus -

The Hippocampus is the half-fish and half-horse creature which appeared in Greek and Etruscan mythology. Sometimes Hippocampus is described as having two wings. Poseidon is the Greek sea god who rides on the hippocampus. The chariot of Poseidon is also drawn by Hippocampi. Today hippocampus also means the scientific name of sea horses, marine fish and part of brain.

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Nightmare Eater   - Baku -

Baku is the imaginative creature which appeared in ancient Chinese tale. Later Baku was introduced to Japan. According to the legend Baku is the tapir－ like animal with an elephant nose and tusk, eyes of rhinoceros, legs of tiger and a tail of cow. Baku lives in bamboo forest and eats bamboo, iron and copper. In Japan Baku is the good fortune animal which devours nightmares and brings dreams of good luck.

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Qilin loves all living being.

Qilin had appeared in the last part of Chinese chronicle “the Spring and Autumn Annals” which described the period from 722 B.C. to 481B.C. This legendary animal is a good prophecy in which kindhearted monarch will be born.

Qilin is a very gentle creature which hates killing other living thing and lives as long as 1000years. The head resembles a dragon with one horn or two sometimes and the body with scales is like a very large deer, about 16ft (5m) long. The color of the scale is gold and the mane is often like flame.

In Japan the word “Kirin” has two meanings, one is Qilin and another is giraffe.

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Noble beast  - The Griffin -

The Griffin is the legendary creature like the Dragon. Usually the Griffin is depicted as the mystic animal with the head and wings of an eagle, the body and ears of a lion. Some say the head sparkles like gold and the white furs cover the body. The oldest griffin had appeared in the Ancient Egyptian Art, approximately 3300a.c. Since then it had been portrayed as the variety of styles in the ancient art such as Greek Art in 1500a.c. and the Roman Art around 14a.d. In the mythology the Griffin is the colossal creature which lives in the Ural Mountains or the Altai Mountains and protects the gold treasure.

The ibex, wild mountain goat, also lives in high mountains.

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Year of the Dragon

Dragon is the fifth year and only mythical creature in the Chinese zodiac. In legend Dragon has the horns of a deer, the head of a camel, the ears of a cow and a rabbit’s eyes. The body of Dragon is from a snake and has scales of a carp’s. The leg comes from a hawk or tiger.

In China Dragon is the symbol of mighty power or the Emperor. In Japan Dragon is associated with water, so people pray Dragon when drought continues for a long time. In India Dragon is called “Naga” which is one of the deities in Hinduism and is also one of the 8 guardians of Buddhism. Naga is believed in Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam as well.