National Unicorn Day: 17 things you might not know about our national animal
Not many people know what Scotland's national animal is...
Published 9th Apr 2019 Last updated 9th Apr 2019
First up, did you know that Scotland's national animal is a unicorn? Here are some facts about the beautiful, mythical creature...
1) It has been used as the Scottish heraldic symbol since the 12th century. William I used an early form on the Scottish coat of arms.
2) The Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland which can be found on the UK passport has the English lion on the left and the Scottish unicorn on the right.
3) However, the Royal Coat of Arms in Scotland has the animals the opposite way round.
4) The Royal Coat of Arms of Canada also includes a unicorn, similar to the UK coat of arms.
5) The unicorn is thought to be the 'natural' enemy of the lion.
6) In the 5th century BC a Greek historian Ctesias wrote about a unicorn. This is the earliest record of a unicorn in Western literature.
7) Unicorns were worshipped by the ancient Babylonians.
8) Many different ancient countries and cultures have depicted unicorns including Greece, Iran, Egypt, India and Africa.
9) In medieval and Renaissance times sometimes narwhal tusks were sold as unicorn horns.
10) While travelling, Marco Polo said he stumbled across a unicorn. “They are very ugly brutes to look at," he said, "They are not at all such as we describe unicorns.” That’s because they were actually rhinoceroses!
11) According to the King James' version of the Old Testament there are nine mentions of unicorns, but it is likely to be a mistranslation of the Hebrew word re'em which probably comes from the Assyrian word 'rimu', an extinct wild ox.
Swipe through to see words only Scots will know...
Scratcher - [skrach-er] noun - An accessory used to relieve an itch in the middle of your back. What it means in Scotland: Your Bed.
Scratcher
Scratcher - skrach-er noun - An accessory used to relieve an itch in the middle of your back. What it means in Scotland: Your Bed.
National Unicorn Day: 17 things you might not know about our national animal
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Tee
Tee tee noun - A warm beverage created from the brewing of bagged leaves. What it means in Scotland: Dinner.
Scratcher - [skrach-er] noun - An accessory used to relieve an itch in the middle of your back. What it means in Scotland: Your Bed.
Scratcher
Scratcher - skrach-er noun - An accessory used to relieve an itch in the middle of your back. What it means in Scotland: Your Bed.
Heavy
Heavy - hev-ee noun - Something with a substantial weight. What it means in Scotland: A type of dark beer.
Greet
Greet - greet verb - A manner of saying hello. What it means in Scotland: Cry.
Piece
Piece - pees noun - A limited portion or quantity of something. What it means in Scotland: A sandwich.
Ken
Ken - ken noun - A male first name, short for Kenneth, friend of Barbie. What it means in Scotland: To have knowledge of, e.g. "d'ye ken what's on ma piece?"
Supper
Supper - suhp-er noun - A late evening snack. What it means in Scotland: Any meal from the chippy that has chips with it.
Roaster
Roaster - roh-ster noun - A pan for roasting meat, or a machine for roasting coffee beans. What it means in Scotland: Someone who always speaks rubbish, e.g. "that Sandra at my work is a complete roaster."
Tattoo
Tattoo - ta-too noun - An indelible design created by inserting pigment into punctures in the skin. What it means in Scotland: Hunners of pipe bands.
Deck
Deck - dek noun - An exposed platform on a ship. What it means in Scotland: To punch someone very hard, knocking them to the ground, e.g. "If you dinnae get yer hands aff ma piece, I'm gonnae deck ye."
Tee
Tee tee noun - A warm beverage created from the brewing of bagged leaves. What it means in Scotland: Dinner.
Scratcher - [skrach-er] noun - An accessory used to relieve an itch in the middle of your back. What it means in Scotland: Your Bed.
Scratcher
Scratcher - skrach-er noun - An accessory used to relieve an itch in the middle of your back. What it means in Scotland: Your Bed.
Heavy
Heavy - hev-ee noun - Something with a substantial weight. What it means in Scotland: A type of dark beer.
Greet
Greet - greet verb - A manner of saying hello. What it means in Scotland: Cry.
Piece
Piece - pees noun - A limited portion or quantity of something. What it means in Scotland: A sandwich.
Ken
Ken - ken noun - A male first name, short for Kenneth, friend of Barbie. What it means in Scotland: To have knowledge of, e.g. "d'ye ken what's on ma piece?"
Supper
Supper - suhp-er noun - A late evening snack. What it means in Scotland: Any meal from the chippy that has chips with it.
Roaster
Roaster - roh-ster noun - A pan for roasting meat, or a machine for roasting coffee beans. What it means in Scotland: Someone who always speaks rubbish, e.g. "that Sandra at my work is a complete roaster."
Tattoo
Tattoo - ta-too noun - An indelible design created by inserting pigment into punctures in the skin. What it means in Scotland: Hunners of pipe bands.
Deck
Deck - dek noun - An exposed platform on a ship. What it means in Scotland: To punch someone very hard, knocking them to the ground, e.g. "If you dinnae get yer hands aff ma piece, I'm gonnae deck ye."
Tee
Tee tee noun - A warm beverage created from the brewing of bagged leaves. What it means in Scotland: Dinner.
12) Apparently Genghis Khan, founder of the great Mongol Empire, saw a unicorn which bowed down to him on his way to conquer India. He saw this as a sign from his dead father and turned back.
13) In 1560, German merchants sold a 'unicorn horn' for the equivalent of £18,000 in today's money to the pope.
14) Pharmacies in London even sold powdered 'unicorn horn' until 1741.
15) Legend states that unicorn horns could counteract poison and purify water which resulted in a number of narwhals being killed for their horns. The Danes even made a throne from narwhal horns.
16) Ancient seals of Babylonia and Assyria showed unicorns as well as Scotland's King James III in the 1400s.
17) In 1971 Lake Superior State University in Michigan started issuing permits for those wanting to find a unicorn. Full details of the regulations can still be read on their website.
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